by Cole, Fiona
His eyes narrowed, but after only a moment’s hesitation, he finally said, “You know I do.”
“Okay. Help me clean up, and we can get started.”
“With what?”
“It’s a surprise,” I said with a wink, returning the taunting he’d given me this morning.
Thirty minutes later, we lounged back on the chaise of my couch. Me between his legs with his arms wrapped tight, his heart thudding perfectly behind me.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“If I can skydive, then you can do a facial.”
“How much longer do we leave this on for? And what is that smell?”
I tipped my head back to look up at his light green face. He kind of did look ridiculous, especially with the scowl. Somehow, he also looked more masculine with his dark scruff defined jaw.
“I love you,” I whispered.
His face softened and looked down, pouring all his love and adoration into me. “I love you too.” Despite the cream, he hunched over and softly kissed my lips. “But seriously, how long and what is that smell.”
Laughing, I resituated myself to watch Tim Gunn look over a half-finished dress. “It’s cucumber, and I leave it on for one episode of Project Runway.”
“I’ve smelled cucumber, and this is not it.”
“May also be the yogurt.”
“Jesus, woman. What do I have on my face?”
“You’ll thank me for it later. I promise.”
“So, this is what you do while I’m away?”
“Yup. I’m not as glamorous as I seem.”
“Nonsense,” he said before kissing the top of my head. “Do you want to be a fashion designer? Is that your end goal?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. I just like design in all its forms. Clothes, interior, or art. I like the concept of taking one small bland item and mixing it with another to create something eye-catching.”
He paused, trailing his fingers up and down my arms, leaving goosebumps in his wake. “It suits you.”
“Daniel said so too. Mom always kind of patted my head and told me my designs were pretty, but Daniel pushed me to do more. He saw more than just a girl who liked clothes.”
“It’s pretty easy to see if someone takes the time to look at you and really see you.”
His words were simple and said without any hesitation, but they sunk in and hit a spot not many people were able to reach—not a spot I let many people reach. Fire burned the backs of my eyes, and I blinked to keep the tears at bay.
“Thank you, Alexander.”
“Only stating the truth, Olivia.”
I hunched over and kissed his arm, just needing to show him an ounce of affection for the impact of his words. “You should stay tonight,” I whispered against his skin.
He stiffened for only a moment. “Are you sure?”
I loved that he asked. I knew how much he wanted me to talk to Daniel. I knew how much it cost him to be around his best friend and not admit what we were doing. But I still couldn’t bring myself to say the words just yet, the fear of the unknown, of losing someone who sees me beyond my cute love of clothes, terrified me, and I wasn’t ready.
I loved him for understanding, and I wanted him in my bed tonight. I may not be able to admit our truth just yet, but I could give him this. “Yes. Now, quiet, they’re about to do the runway show. I also like to critique and see if mine come close to the judges.”
“Yes, ma’am. Judge away.”
* * *
My eyes cracked open and caught on the vision staring back at me. I was lying on my side, facing the mirror with a strong arm tossed over my waist. In my bed. Not a hotel bed with impersonal sheets, but my bed, with my familiar teal bedspread and gray pillows.
I loved every moment with Kent, but this had to be one of my favorites. This felt the most real. It was everything I wanted in a single reflection.
The arm around my waist tightened, and warm lips pressed to my neck as his hand shifted to cover my breast.
“Good morning.”
My heart tumbled over his gruff morning voice and fell at his feet. I turned to face him and softly kissed his lips. “Good morning. Do you want some coffee?”
“Hell, yes.”
“Why don’t you stay in bed, and I’ll go make us some.”
He moved all at once, covering my body with his, sinking me into the mattress. My thighs spread around his hips. He buried his head in my neck, kissing the skin as he thrust, sliding his hard cock along my wet slit.
“As much as I want to stay here all day buried in your tight pussy, I have meetings. So, while you’re getting coffee, I’m going to shower.”
I gave him my best fake pout, which had him laughing before getting out of bed, standing and stretching in all his naked glory. Kent may have been almost forty, but his body was better than any college boys I’d seen.
The confidence he had strutting around the room, collecting his clothes, his thick length swaying between his firm thighs had me almost begging for him to come back to bed.
“If you keep staring, I’m going to miss my meetings.”
“Sorry.” But I was anything but sorry, and we both knew it.
When he disappeared behind the door, I considered joining him but didn’t want to make him late. I pulled up an app and ordered some breakfast to be delivered and got the coffee started.
I’d just finished pouring our mugs when there was a knock on the door. I made sure my robe was tightened, so I didn’t reveal anything scandalous to the delivery guy. Opening the door, my whole world froze. Stopped spinning completely for a solid ten seconds before it very quickly began to spiral into an imminent crash.
“Uncle Daniel.” Was that my voice? It sounded like a mouse.
“Hey, kid.” He ruffled my hair and stepped past me into the living room. “Sorry to swing by unannounced, I was about to leave when your mom asked me to make sure you come to dinner this week. She let me know her text messages weren’t enough to get you over and encouraged a face-to-face so you couldn’t say no.”
My laugh bubbled out high-pitched and a little manic. “Did she?”
He looked around, and I stepped between him and the two mugs sitting blatantly on the counter. Thankfully, the shower had turned off before I answered the door, and now, I had to hope Kent didn’t stroll out, and it ended like a bad cliché.
“Is now a bad time? You don’t have a boy over, do you?”
“Oh, my god. No. I would never.” Okay, too much of a denial. Pull it back, Olivia. Relaxing my shoulders, I went for a nonchalance that felt lightyears away from the panic flooding every inch of me. “I don’t have time for silly boys.”
“That’s my girl.” Daniel ruffled my hair like he did when I was a kid. “So, you’ll be there?”
“Yeah, yeah. Of course.”
“Well, that was easy. Maybe I’ll be just as lucky when I get Kent to agree to dinner too.”
Another high-pitched laugh slipped out. “I’m sure he’ll agree.”
“I don’t know. He’s been evasive lately.”
“Really?”
Why couldn’t I bring my voice down to a normal octave?
“Yeah. Maybe I’ll just call him now while my luck is hot.”
No, no, no, no, no. Please, God, no.
I watched in horror as he pulled out his phone. My eyes quickly scanned the room, hoping Kent’s phone wasn’t sitting anywhere in the open. I prayed to the cell-phone gods that his phone was on vibrate, or dead, or was stolen by a magical ghost. Anything other than ringing loud enough for Daniel to hear.
He brought the phone to his ear, and I held my breath for so long I was sure I was going to pass out. Was it connecting? Was it ringing? Had I just frozen time with my force of will? Everything stretched until I finally heard ringing from Daniel’s phone but not an answering ring from anywhere in the apartment.
I damn near collapsed in a heap of relief. All the tension that had been holding me uprigh
t and clenched tight washed away, leaving me weak.
“Hey, Kent. It’s D. Family dinner tomorrow night. Be there or be square. Julia’s orders.”
And then he hung up.
“Well, I won’t keep you any longer. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yup.”
“Good girl.”
He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead and walked out. My knees decided to give out at the click of the door, and I sagged to the couch.
“Well, that was fucking close,” Kent said, coming from the hallway. He collapsed on the couch next to me and ran a hand over his face. “Thank fuck I heard him before coming out. I had enough time to put my phone on vibrate. Jesus fucking Christ.”
“Yeah,” was all I could get out.
“I’m not sure dinner tomorrow is such a good idea,” he said slowly.
“Why?”
He rolled his head to look my way, his furrowed brow hinting at his frustration. “It’s hard enough to lie to Daniel about being with you when I’m not in the same room as you.”
Guilt hit, knocking the wind out of me. “I’m sorry. I’m just… I just haven’t had time.”
“Yeah.”
His response sounded just as believable as mine. “Would it help to know I’d like having you there. It’s not like we’d have to be strangers.”
“I don’t know, Olivia.”
“Please. It’s just dinner. Nothing different than any other meal at my parents.”
He slowly lifted a brow, calling me on my bullshit because it was very different. We loved each other, and my fears were standing in the way of it.
A beat of silence ticked by before he finally agreed.
“Okay. But we have to act normal. No flirting.”
“No flirting.”
I’d do my best.
22 Kent
I’d spent the last twenty-four hours trying to figure out a reasonable excuse to not go to dinner tonight. I’d muttered something about an important meeting to Daniel. He’d leveled a look my way that let me know there was no not going.
So, now I sat in the car next to my best friend, to go have dinner with his niece, who he’d almost caught me fucking yesterday, and her parents.
Fucking awesome.
“I’m glad you decided to put your half-ass attempts to the side and come to dinner.”
“It’s no hardship. Julia is a damn good cook.”
“Yeah. My brother lucked out with that one.”
There was a wistful note in his voice, and it made me wonder if Daniel was as happy as he used to be about being single all the time.
“I haven’t seen you much, and this may make me sound like a teenage girl…” He glared my way, throwing my words back in my face. “But I miss you, man.”
Regret pierced my chest as I remembered my callous words. I’d been a dick when I’d accused Daniel of that just to avoid getting caught in my lie.
“I’m sorry, man. I shouldn’t have said that.” I gave a sincere apology but followed up with our usual banter. “I love hearing all your teenage feelings. Makes me feel all warm and gooey.”
“Fuck you,” Daniel said around a laugh.
We drove a couple more blocks before he spoke again.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re my ride-or-die. Been there for me since college. There for every crazy idea. Every crazy-ass adventure.”
Daniel had loved and lost once in his life, and he’d claimed that was enough to never want to fall that deeply in love again. When college was over, we’d both thrown ourselves into work, travel, adventures, and as many women as we could. It’d always been him and me.
We weren’t the kind of guys to talk about our feelings, and the fact that Daniel did, made me feel like an epic heel that somewhere over the past few months, I made him question my loyalty to him as a friend. Because I was loyal to him. It wasn’t disloyal to be with Olivia.
It was just disloyal to not talk to him about it. I was an almost forty-year-old man, and I knew better. I knew when to talk things over. I knew Daniel would probably initially explode, but quickly recover because he knew me. He’d be able to see the difference and know I loved Olivia.
But I’d left the ball in Olivia’s court. She was young and not as sure of herself, and I promised myself I’d be patient with her. I had to have faith in her that she wouldn’t drag this out forever. I had to have faith that she knew enough of my past with Daniel to know lying forever wasn’t an option.
We loved each other, and I had faith in that love.
“Don’t you feel tired sometimes? Tired of the one-night stands? Tired of constantly moving?” I eased into the topic, trying to get a feel for where he was at. He sounded more somber tonight. Maybe if I could come to Olivia with proof he wouldn’t blow up and abandon her like she thought, it’d help her take the next step.
“Says the manwhore who doesn’t have a solid home.”
I winced, mainly because his words were true. Or they used to be true. Not since Olivia though. “I was actually thinking of buying a place.”
He looked over, the lights from the dash illuminating his raised brows. “Oh, yeah? Where?”
“Your building is nice.”
“It sure is.” His smile grew as though the idea of living in the same building got better and better. “That would be great too because we could double up our security on Olivia. I swear she had a guy in her apartment this weekend.”
The smooth conversation I’d envisioned skipped a beat. “Huh.” It was the only word I could summon, and I barely breathed it.
I expected him to make the connection any moment, and the ruse would be over. I held my breath the rest of the short drive and was about to scramble out once we pulled into the drive, but he stopped me.
“Listen, Kent.” I turned back and watched my friend grip the wheel, keeping his gaze locked on the house. “You know how I feel about relationships. I can’t go through it again.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“It leaves a permanent mark that no time can take away. That’s why I’m so grateful for you. If that need hits me and I’m feeling lonely, I hit you up. David is my brother by blood, but you’re so much more, and I appreciate you always being there and sticking it out with me.”
He lifted his fist and waited. Hating myself for not being able to be one-hundred-percent honest with him, I lifted my hand and bumped his knuckles.
We walked inside and were greeted the way we always were with hugs and kisses. Thank God, Olivia stayed back and only gave a small wave. Even if that wave did come with a sultry stare.
“Hi, Mr. Kent,” she’d said.
“Olivia,” I barely managed. She flounced into the dining room, her schoolgirl plaid skirt way too short to meet any dress code. My eyes clenched tight to avoid watching, hoping for a glimpse of what lay underneath. I had no idea how I was going to make it through this.
Daniel slapped my back, reminding me of everyone around. “Come on. Let’s eat.”
Dinner was, as always, delicious. And thankfully, almost over. My body ached from the tension pulling every muscle tight, ready to snap.
She’d tortured me through the meal. Watching me as much as she could, making promises with her eyes, there was no hope of fulfilling tonight. Licking her lips, nibbling them. Arching her back, letting me know she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath her thin T-shirt. Each one tightened the screw.
When she stood to collect the plates with her mother, her skirt floated dangerously around her thighs. I was surprised I didn’t have a raging headache for how much effort it took to keep my eyes from staying glued to her.
“Drinks in the den?” David asked.
I almost bolted from the room to remove myself from temptation. She was Eve with an apple, and I was a weak, weak man on the edge of giving in.
“Sounds perfect,” Daniel answered.
“Ladies, are you joining us?” David asked.
Please no. Please no. Please
no.
“A nightcap sounds nice,” Julia said.
I held my breath, waiting for Olivia’s answer, too scared to look over to let her see the plea in my eyes. I wasn’t sure if the plea was to stay away or to pull me closer.
“I think I’m going to head to bed. It’s been a long weekend.”
Somehow, I managed to remain upright and not slide out of my chair in relief. Thank you, God.
We all went our separate ways, but before heading up the stairs, she looked back over her shoulder and winked. I was so paranoid someone else saw that I didn’t take it for the warning it was.
So, almost an hour later, when I stepped out of the bathroom, I should have been prepared for her grabbing my arm and dragging me up the stairs and down the hall.
“Olivia,” I whispered, looking behind me, terrified someone was going to come out and see us.
She jerked me into a room and closed the door. Only the soft light of the lamp illuminated the room. Enough for me to see the pink bedspread with a slew of stuffed animals up against the pillows. Enough for me to see the pictures of Olivia at prom or in her cheerleading uniform. Fuck me, I’d have to have her dig that out at some point. I was jerked from my perusal when Olivia whipped her shirt off.
“Olivia!”
I almost laughed at the way I gasped her name like a woman protecting her virtue. Clearing my throat, I tried to keep my eyes on hers as she backed up to sit on the bed. Even if I wasn’t directly looking, the sway of her breasts had me growing harder by the second.
“I’m not fucking you here. Your parents are downstairs and will come looking.”
“Just a quick BJ, then.”
Thighs clenched, I remained rooted to the spot, my hands fisting in my pockets to keep from grabbing her, shoving her to the floor, and fucking her mouth until I came. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
She turned sideways on her bed and fell back, letting her head hang off the edge, all that golden hair cascading like an alluring waterfall. “Come on, Kent,” she said, dragging her hands up her thighs, pulling her skirt along with it. “You always said you wanted to fuck my throat this way. What better place than my childhood bedroom?”