“Why?” He turned around and got up in my face, so close that I could feel him breathing. “Tell me why I should care about anything you have to say.”
I don’t know what made me do it. Call it a momentary lapse of judgment, but I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled his lips against mine. He didn’t try to back away. Instead his arms came around my body, holding me against him. I felt his tongue enter my mouth and then I knew he’d stopped fighting. His hands were in my hair, mine still clinging to his shirt for dear life. I couldn’t stop myself.
When our lips parted he smiled and shook his head. “You’re screwing with me head, precious. I don’t like it.”
“You’re screwing with my head,” I argued. “Do you think I enjoy hurting people?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“I like you, Cole. We just can’t do this. We can’t be together without complications. Why would you want to get involved knowing how dangerous it can be?”
He reached for my hand. “Because I think you’re worth it. Is that a good enough answer for you?”
I nodded. It was. It had to be. I couldn’t stand there before him and tell him I didn’t want to pursue this. I couldn’t deny myself the pleasure I received when I was close to him. “I was wrong to push you away the other night. I did it because I’m scared.”
He brushed the side of my cheek. “Pick me up after work tonight. We’ll talk about it.” Cole kissed me one more time before leading us out of the stock room. He went back to his client, while I saw myself out. My hands were shaking as I climbed back in the car.
Was this what I wanted to happen? Did I really go in there to make amends? Could we be together without it being a train wreck?
I didn’t have all the answers, but I was certain of one thing. I couldn’t give up on something that made me feel so good again.
Chapter 10
Cole
Women were confusing.
Each day it was getting easier to not see Addison. After she’d dissed me in the car I did my best to walk away. She couldn’t begin to know what it felt like to have another woman I was interested in push me away. All the hurt and agony of my failed relationship came back. It would have been easy to pop a few pills into my mouth and not give a damn, albeit I refrained. The high wasn’t worth the grief it would bring later. There was a price to pay if I made that kind of choice; a guilt I’d never be able to shake. So I ignored the cravings, succumbing to despair. Addison remained in my thoughts. I worked out extra that night, hoping to exhaust myself enough to rest easy. By morning I felt worse. Starting a new job in that condition was difficult. I did my best, managing to snag a client who wanted a full back piece. Since the design was intricate, I made an appointment for him to come by in a couple days to make any changes to what I’d drawn up. I’d just begun working on the guy when Addison came in, rocking my world again.
I tried to do the right thing and push her away. She was right. We shouldn’t be together, but if that was true why couldn’t I stop thinking about her? Why did I go to sleep and wake up imagining the way it felt to touch her? I’d never had trouble getting pussy, so this wasn’t a piece of ass for me. I felt like I needed her, not to survive, but to strive.
Maybe I was being selfish by kissing her back. Perhaps I was tired of feeling hopeless. Just like a pill would have been able to do, she made it all go away; my fears, my guilt, my past. From the moment our lips touched I knew I wasn’t going to be able to let her go. I craved more, much like an addict would.
Even after she left I was content. I knew I’d see her again, and with that came the rush of what could come. I’d lose her again when and if she found out about my blood connection and the secret I was keeping, yet I was willing to bask in each and every day I got to have with her. Being around Addison made me feel like I was worth something. She’d never be able to understand how much it meant to me.
I had an awaiting message when I was cleaning up from my job. After making sure my station was sanitized, I pulled out my phone to check it.
Let’s have dinner? – A
Realizing I’d made her wait for an answer, I called her instead of messaging back.
“Hey, you.”
“I just got done. Are you still interested in dinner?”
“Would I sound like a stalker if I said I was sitting in the parking lot waiting for you to be done?”
“Yeah, you would.”
“Should I leave and come back?”
I laughed. She and I both knew it wouldn’t make a difference.
“You’re really trying hard to get on my good side.”
“Is it working?”
“That depends.” I waved goodbye to the other artists while walking outside.
“Do I get a kiss this time or are you going to pull away again?”
“Oh, I think I can manage a kiss.”
Addison climbed out of the driver’s seat and met me at the back of her car. She had her phone up to her ear even though I could already see her. We hung up at the same time. Once I was within inches of her I looked around the parking lot. “Aren’t you worried about someone seeing us?”
She shook her head and pulled me close, kissing me full on the mouth, tongue included. I ran my hands up the small of her back, making sure I didn’t let go. I knew we were being a little ridiculous making out in a parking lot, but I didn’t care. I wanted her to be mine, and I didn’t particularly care who saw us.
Finally, out of breath and too turned on for the environment, we parted. “How was that for a hello?”
“Pretty damn good.”
“What are you hungry for?”
I patted my crouch area. “You can’t ask me that right now. I need to settle down.”
She put her hand over her mouth. “Oops.”
“It’s all good. You can choose what we eat. I’m good with anything.”
I had five hundred bucks in my pocket from one tattoo. The guy would return in two weeks for another four hour session. Each visit he’d pay me another four hundred. It was funny how people looked down on my occupation, yet I’d already made eight hundred in only a few days. I didn’t have to slave for eight hours doing something I hated. Drawing was relaxing. It brought me stress relief.
“I’m buying.”
“Really?”
“Yep. It’s my treat.”
She smiled as we both climbed into our seats. When her stare remained, once inside, I couldn’t help but come halfway to meet her lips again. “You missed me didn’t you?”
She left a chaste kiss before replying. “What have you done to me?”
I chuckled. “Nothing you don’t want done.”
“Let’s get some chicken and take it back to my Gram’s house. She’s away and I’m watching the house.”
“Doesn’t she have a house keeper for that big place?”
“They’re best friends. They travel together.”
“Ain’t you worried about your family stopping by?”
“My mom and dad are preparing to leave for North Carolina. They’re going to the beach with our family that lives there. Then, next, they’ll all come here. It’s kind of a tradition. Noah and Shalan are taking the baby.”
“So you’re going to be alone?”
She pointed at my nose. “Don’t get any ideas. The ranch is swarming with farm help. You won’t get anything past them.”
I sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait until everyone is gone?”
“Why would I want to do that? It’ll be fine. I’m not afraid to show you around to them. I’ll just keep the way we met a mystery. They don’t need to know every detail. I’ll say we met at the hospital if they ask. I have lots of friends there.”
“I’m cool if you are.”
“I just think we need to not make any promises. If we’re not comfortable we’ll part ways. I want this thing between us to stay fun. No drama or games.” I wasn’t sure how to take her words.
“Addison, we’re on the same page.
Nothing serious. I’ve got it.”
After stopping by a drive thru, we ventured back to the ranch. Like she’d stated, no one was home in the large mansion. I followed her through each room until we were out in a pool yard. Fancy furniture surrounded the rectangular shaped in-ground body of water. Addison walked over to the little cabinet and pulled out two folded towels. She tossed them down on a chaise and started taking off her shirt. She was already wearing what looked like a bathing suit. “You knew we were coming here?”
“I went shopping while I was waiting for you to get off. I needed retail therapy.”
Her top, two little triangles barely able to cover her nipples, was a hot pink in color. She was already pretty tan from the other day at the lake. When she lowered her shorts off her ass I noticed the bottoms were tied on each side. It would take nothing to pull one of them and watch it fall to her feet. She kicked her shorts off her ankles and spun around, to display an even smaller revealing back. “Are you sure that’s your size?” I playfully asked.
She snickered. “What’s wrong? You don’t like what you see?”
She was toying with me, and liked it.
“It’s not bad. There’s only one thing that would be better.”
She stuck her toe in the water an flung it my way. “Good luck with that.”
I pulled my shirt over my head. “I don’t need luck, precious. It’s only a matter of time.”
“I’ve known you for a week. What kind of woman do you think I am?”
“The kind who knows what she wants. Come on. Don’t tell me you’ve never had a one-night stand.”
She opened the bag of food and pulled out a drumstick, then proceed to eat while standing in front of me. “I’m starving. The smell is making my mouth water.”
“You being in that suit is doing the same for me.”
“I’ve had a one-night stand. I was messed up and regretted it ever since it happened.”
“Do you remember it? Were you coherent?”
“Yeah. Of course. I wasn’t forced or anything. It was fun at the time. We were safe, and I’m glad. I didn’t know the guy very well. I’m not the kind of person to do something so stupid with a stranger.”
I grabbed the elastic of the bathing suit bottoms and pulled her toward me. “Am I still a stranger?”
She shook her head. “No.”
Instead of saying something witty, I chomped down on her chicken leg, pulling it out of her hand and finishing it off myself. “Should we eat before we swim?”
“If you go in those shorts you won’t have anything to put on afterwards. My brother keeps shorts here in case people don’t have any. Go put on a pair so you’re dry later. I don’t want my car seats to get wet like last time.”
I tossed the chicken bone back in the bag and unsnapped my shorts. They dropped to my feet below me. Then I stood there in only a pair of boxers. Addison looked down and then back at me. A half-smile formed on the corner of my lips.
“Don’t you dare,” she warned.
I couldn’t help it. I liked getting a rise out of her. I stretched the waist and pushed them down over my ass, freeing everything else as I did it.
Addison closed her eyes and turned, but not before getting an eye full. “See something you like, precious?”
“Oh my god. Put something on. My father could walk up any second.”
I turned and looked around. There wasn’t anyone in sight. “What are you afraid of? Do you think if you see it you might attack me? I mean, it’s pretty nice, if I do say so myself. It’s always been my favorite attribute.”
“I’m not turning around until you’re covered. Go put on some shorts.”
I took a few steps closer to her, reaching my arms around her waist and letting my exposed areas rub against her ass. “I know you want another peek.”
She twisted around, staying close so she was unable to look down. “You’re being bad.”
I stepped back slowly, keeping my eyes focused on hers. Then, without warning, I spun and jumped into the water. When I emerged she was still standing outside with her hands on her hips. “If you think I’m getting in there with you, you’re crazy.”
I shoved my bottom lip out and pretended to beg. “Please. Come on. Get in. I won’t bite.”
“You’re naked,” she whispered.
“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before. Come on. We’re adults. It’s only skin.”
Addison jumped in the pool, but swam in the opposite direction from where I stood. I paddled after her, cornering the bikini wearing beauty before she could come up for air.
The sun was setting fast, and it was beginning to get pretty dark. I took both of her hands and put them on my hips. Then I pulled her closer to me. Her wet lips tasted of chlorine as they meshed with mine. Even in a pool of water I could feel the temperature of my body rising, parts of me reacting to her intimate touch. I brushed my erection against her leg, knowing I was pushing the limits of how far she wanted to take this. When she didn’t fight me I brought my hands up and cupped one of her breasts. She leaned back, letting me explore, kissing me again before I looked down to watch what I was doing.
Around us the sounds of critters filled the woods. Trickles of water fell off our bodies splashing back into the pool. We were both quiet.
“Tell me to stop.”
She bit down on her lip and shook her head. “I don’t want you to.”
God, I wanted to touch her everywhere; feel places I knew were off limits until now. “I could take you right here if you let me.”
Addison lifted her legs and wrapped them around my waist. I could feel my dick pressing on her ass, but she didn’t try to adjust. “It’s too soon. We’ve known each other a week.”
“We’re adults. There’s no rules we have to live by. It’s for pleasure.”
“Not here,” she whimpered as our lips brushed again.
Her reply didn’t keep me from pulling on the string to the back of her top. I felt it free, and then naturally let it fall open. “Lean back and let me look at you.”
“I’m nervous.” I could see it on her face. She was afraid of how far this was going to go. Being a guy, I wasn’t thinking of repercussions. I wanted this.
“Lie back. I won’t hurt you.”
“That’s not what I’m afraid of.” She kept saying that, though I had no idea what she was referring to. It couldn’t be feelings. It was too soon for that to start. It’s why I wanted to experience it all before it got too intense. I had to bow out before I was able to break her heart. This was temporary. I knew it from the start.
“Let me touch you,” I whispered into her neck.
Finally, she let her body fall backwards, me holding her up. I rested the back of her against the pool wall and tugged down the little fabric covering her. Her tiny nipples were hard as rocks, begging to be tasted. As I leaned down to lap one up, I watched her watching me do it. My tongue came out of my mouth and I flicked it several times, feeling her jolt in my arms. “Oh yeah. Whose complaining now?” I sucked it in between my teeth, pulling with a bit of force to arouse her. Her nails were on my shoulders, digging in as I repeated the process on the neglected opposite nipple. By the time I was done savoring each one, she was pulling me by my hair back for another hungry kiss.
Fully exposed, I cupped her tits with one hand, squeezing them as our tongues continued to mingle.
All of a sudden, I pulled away, unable to grasp how difficult it was going to be to do it. “We should slow down.”
She nodded, but didn’t move out of my hold. “We could get out and eat.”
“I’d like to eat something else, but we both know it’s too soon, right?” I needed her to agree with me before my body took control of the situation, and I doubted she’d stop me at this point.
Addison let her legs down from my waist. She refastened her top and started swimming away from me. “Stay there.” When she got to the other side of the shallow end she held onto the edge. “Ask me anything, but stay ov
er there. If I answer you can take a step forward. I’ll do the same thing. We can’t touch again until we know all we need to about each other.”
“I can be to you in three steps tops.”
“Small steps. Foot size. Be fair. I’m trying to distance us so we do this right. I’ve never been this way with anyone. It’s freaking me out.”
“Yeah, I get it. I’ll just be over here, beating off to the image of your tits.”
She splashed water in my direction. “If you don’t play along I’ll put on one of my Gram’s suits next time.”
“Fine. You go first.”
I knew she might ask me things I didn’t want to answer. At this point I’d have to lie. I hated the idea of doing it, but it would protect her heart in the long run. What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.
“How many women have you been with?” Wow she started with a big one.
“I don’t know. Twelve maybe.” She took a step forward.
It was my turn. “I’m not going to ask about you, because it doesn’t matter. How bad do you want me right now?”
She laughed in a cute way. “You can’t ask that.”
“You said anything.”
“Fine. So bad. I can close my eyes and feel you entering me.” She started motioning our movements, and making sounds like we were getting it on. “Oh yes, it’s so good. Please don’t stop. I’m cumming.”
I put up my hands, trying hard not to laugh my ass off. “Okay fine. I’ll ask something else.” I thought about Addison and everything she’d been through. We’d had deep conversations the day at the lake, but there was still so much I didn’t know. “What’s the best memory you have of your childhood?”
“Holidays come to mind. We spend them all together. It’s pretty amazing. One year my parents bought me a horse. I didn’t ask for it, but I loved him right away. He’s still out in the pasture. I ride him on occasion, but for the most part he’s living the rest of his years comfortable and happy.”
I took my step toward her and swished the water around me.
“How many women have you loved?”
“Twelve.” I waited for her to be shocked before retracting. “I’m kidding. Once. I’ve been in love once.”
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