She hugs me tightly from behind before leaving the bathroom. I take a moment to appreciate her compliment and then I rush to get dressed. I get in the dress, foregoing a bra because of the open back. I sit on the bed for a moment worrying about what to put on my feet. Adam got the heels in the breakup too. Sneakers with this dress will be quite the fashion statement. Crap!
“Shoes!” Jenna yells as she barrels into my room. “These are my mom’s. I think you’re the same size. An eight, right?”
I look at the nude pumps and nod with a grin. Jenna’s a lifesaver. I just met her and I already love her. Not because of the dress and shoes, but because she’s caring and genuine. I know a good soul when I see one. She’s that and then some.
I slip the heels on and climb to my feet as Jenna hands me some diamond studs from my jewelry box. My mother’s. I grin as I slide them in. Jenna tosses me a chunky silver bracelet, looks me over from head to toe and then claps.
“Bluffside is not ready for us. Let’s go knock ’em dead!”
She grabs my hand as I snatch my only clutch off my dresser and we move into the hallway. I can hear Jordan and Garrett talking before they see us. We stop in the living room and Jenna clears her throat. Jordan glances over his shoulder before spraying a mouthful of beer into the air.
“I know right?” Jenna asks.
“Jesus Christ, Em. Look at you,” Jordan mutters, wiping his face with his hand. “Fuckin’ breathtaking, honey.”
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
Then I look at Garrett. Holy cow.
He’s in a pale blue and white striped button down, rolled up to his elbows. Dark jeans skirting his thick thighs and squared brown leather boots. It’s a basic look but…wow.
My gaze travels back up to his and I find kaleidoscope eyes searing into me. Hello Mr. Sharp. His brown and caramel hair is pushed to the side, making him look like something out of an Armani ad. I don’t tell my feet to move, but they head straight toward Garrett and his hungry stare. I stop a foot from him and wait. I don’t know what I’m waiting for, but I’m waiting.
“Got nothin’, Sugar,” he says in a husky voice. “No fuckin’ words.”
I beam a smile at him and the term of endearment he’s started using with me that makes my toes curl. He grins back at me. I’ve gotten a few of those grins today and I know he doesn’t hand them out often. I treasure each one. “Can I use your bathroom before we head out?” Garrett asks his voice still full of want.
“Come on, sexy, I’ll show you where it is,” Jenna says. “I’ve gotta get these curlers out.”
“I’m usin’ yours,” Jordan announces, striding down the hall behind Jenna and Garrett.
There’s a crisp knock at the door announcing our taxi’s arrival.
“My friends will be just a second,” I say, pulling the door open.
“I’m not here for them,” Adam’s voice makes me stumble back as my eyes snap to his.
I move to slam the door, but he pushes his palm against the white painted wood and steps over the threshold. My pulse jumps as I look around for a weapon. There’s a predatory look in his dark blue eyes that makes me think I’ve been wrong about him all along. I should scream, but for some reason I’m frozen.
“It’s time to stop this, Em. I’ve been patient, but you’re wearing me out. Now invite me in so we can talk things through,” he demands harshly. “What the fuck are you wearing?”
“You need to leave, Adam. There’s nothing for us to talk about.”
I try to sound strong, but there’s a waiver to my voice that gives my nerves away.
“I’m not leaving until we talk. I miss you. I love you. Please just listen to me.”
With that, he’s no longer scaring me. The harshness has faded and his shoulders have lost their tension. He looks defeated. He’s pulling at my heart.
“You betrayed me, Adam. I can’t get past that. I’m sorry. I really wish I could. What you did ruined my life as much as it did yours, if not more. But I can’t be with you. I don’t trust you,” I say softly.
“I’ll earn it back. Just give me a chance to fix what I broke. You always said everyone deserves a second chance. One bad choice shouldn’t be a death sentence and all that. Right? Why don’t I get the same thing?”
He closes the space between us and I begin to crumble. He’s right. I’m always championing second chances, even third. I don’t think people should be defined by their bad choices, but for how hard they fight to right their wrongs.
Adam pushes a piece of hair behind my ear and cups my cheeks.
“Please, Em. Give me a chance. I won’t hurt you. I love you. I won’t lose you again. I’m begging,” he says tenderly as he tips his face toward mine.
“Fuck off, Warren,” Jordan bellows, yanking me by the bicep away from Adam.
“Mind your own business, Jordan,” Adam growls, reaching to snatch me back.
Jordan pushes me behind his body, itching for a fight. I feel Jenna’s fingers thread through mine, squeezing me reassuringly.
“Don’t come back here. Don’t come to the shop. Don’t call her. Don’t fucking look at her. It’s done. You decided to fuck your way through Bluffside when you had the best thing in it at your fingertips. You don’t get a second chance at perfection,” my best friend snarls.
“You don’t dictate her life! And you sure as shit don’t dictate mine.”
“Get your sorry ass outta this house. I’m not gonna say it again. I’m gonna put my hands on you and when I’m done you’re gonna spend a significant amount of time in the hospital eating outta tubes.”
“Em—”
Jordan lunges and I jump back, tugging Jenna with me to give them room in this tiny space to fight. I don’t want them to, but it’s been brewing for years. I stand in my living room and watch Jordan slam his fist into Adam’s face repeatedly. Adam pushes Jordan’s chest forcing him back and then crushes his fist into Jordan’s jaw. Blood spurts and Jordan’s face fills with rage as he grabs Adam by the lapels and throws him to the floor.
Punching and rolling from side to side, it’s getting more violent with each passing second. I can’t split them up. I’m going to have to call the sheriff’s office.
“Stop!” I scream, but they don’t respond. If anything, they fight harder.
Then a massive figure races through the living room. Adam’s ripped off Jordan and held by the throat against the door as Garrett’s rage-filled brown eyes fix on me.
“Did he hurt you?” Garrett asks in the quietest most menacing voice I’ve ever heard.
I shake my head minutely, afraid to move too much. Adam hasn’t moved an inch and I realize it’s because he’s unconscious. There’s a giant hole in my door behind his head where Garrett slammed him and still has his limp body pinned.
Jordan climbs to his feet and cuts off Garrett’s intense gaze.
“Knocked his ass out,” Jordan compliments. “Em, call the sheriff. Unless you’re up for hidin’ a body in the woods. Or we could chuck him in the river.”
“You hit him first, Jordan. I’m not callin’ the sheriff. You’ll get in trouble.”
“He was in your house. In your face,” Jordan sneers, turning to face me.
“I opened the door.”
“What?” Garrett yells, dropping Adam’s body with a loud thud before prowling toward me. “I made it very clear, Emily. Don’t answer the fuckin’ door.”
He’s inches from my face and I’m shaking from head to toe as I release Jenna’s hand.
“Sharp, back off. You’re freakin’ her out,” Jordan orders.
“Garrett, take a breath,” Jenna adds in.
“I thought he was the taxi driver,” I whisper.
“Did you look out your peephole?”
“I don’t have one.”
“Tomorrow,” Garrett snarls.
“Tomorrow?”
“Sharp, I said back the fuck off,” Jordan says, putting his hand on Garrett’s shoulder.
“Don�
�t touch me, Jordan. I’m not that pussy motherfucker over there. I won’t hurt her, but you, I may kill. So don’t fuckin’ touch me.”
Jordan removes his hand as he stares into my face searching for a clue from me on how to proceed. The dark brown is fading in Garrett’s eyes, moving to blue. I know he won’t hurt me. He may be ten times more imposing than Adam, but I’m not afraid of Garrett.
Adam groans, stopping our conversation. Jordan stalks to his huddled mass on the floor, nudging him with his foot. Garrett turns halfway to study the scene as though he’s setting a plan in place. I watch his eyes go from blue to green and then settling somewhere in between that I haven’t witnessed yet. Those must be his plotting eyes.
“Em,” Adam whispers in pain and my feet draw me to him.
I crouch down and push his bloody blond hair from his forehead. His fingers reach up and wrap around my wrist bringing my palm to his mouth where he places a feather light kiss.
“Get away from him, Em. I’m gonna beat his ass again,” Jordan commands, pulling on my shoulders.
“I won’t press charges if you go out with me tomorrow night,” Adam croaks, finally cracking his eyes open. They land right on mine and I see it. He’s won and he knows it. I’ll do anything to protect Jordan.
“Press charges, asshole. I don’t give a shit.”
“I do,” I whisper.
“No way, Em. You’re not lettin’ him do this. Get up and go back over there.”
“One dinner. That’s all I need. You’ll see,” Adam reassures me, stroking my wrist with his thumb.
His jaw is swelling and there’s a little blood trickling from his nose. His suit is ripped along with his shirt. He looks horrible and sad. One dinner won’t kill me. I can have a meal with him and finally be done with this. I won’t let Jordan suffer for my stupidity.
“Okay,” I whisper and he smiles broadly, sitting up.
Adam uses the door to climb to his feet and I follow the motion. Then I’m enveloped in warmth, one powerful muscle-rippled arm around my middle.
“No,” Garrett whispers in my ear.
I go rigid at the predatory, possessive sound of his tone.
“Sharp, what’re you doin’ here?” Adam scoffs, pulling my hand.
Garrett must have knocked Adam out before he saw him or bashed his head hard enough to make him forget.
“Warren, you touch her one more time and I’m gonna rip your arms off and beat you to death with ’em,” Jordan snarls.
Adam drops my hand and straightens his tattered suit, smoothing a hand over his disheveled hair.
“Sharp?” Adam goads him and keeps his eyes on the arm still holding me captive.
Tentatively, Garrett releases me and hands me over to Jordan who wraps his arms so tightly around my chest and ribs I can barely draw a good breath.
“A night out with two couples. Have you met Jenna?” he asks, pulling Jenna under his arm.
I’m confused until Garrett continues.
“Emily and Jenna are friends. Jenna wanted to do a couple’s night so she asked Jordan and his girlfriend.”
“She’s not his girlfriend,” Adam spits.
“She is,” Jordan growls and I force my features to remain neutral.
“You really expect me to believe that?” Adam huffs.
Jordan’s mouth drops to my neck, nipping and kissing the sensitive skin. His hand that’s resting on my midsection begins to move toward my breast and I instinctively put my fingers over his to stop the movement.
“You’re a terrible actress, Em,” Adam says with a quirk of his brow.
I am. Jordan touching me like this is freaking me out and making me a little sick to my stomach. He’s like family to me. But if I can convince Adam I’m not single, maybe he’ll leave me alone. I look over at Garrett. He’s staring at Jordan’s hand beneath mine, rage in his brown eyes. Here goes nothing.
I push Jordan’s arms off me, stalk to Garrett and launch. Jenna moves just in time. I jump on his front like a baby monkey, wrapping around his shoulders and waist. Then I smash my mouth against his. He doesn’t respond for a breath and I start to pull away. This is a bold move with a virtual stranger. I feel like an idiot.
Then Garrett moves. One of his massive hands palms my butt beneath my dress and the other grabs the back of my head, yanking my face to the side as he devours my mouth. I gasp at the force, as his tongue takes the advantage, plundering. I try to keep up, but find it’s a fruitless effort. He leads and I follow.
I moan loudly and swallow a feral growl from Garrett. My hips rock against him, trying to relieve the unbearable ache he’s causing as my nails drag across the back of his head. He licks, laps, touches, tangles and massages every surface of my mouth, scorching his taste with the trail he leaves.
“This is equally hot and disgusting for me,” Jordan announces and Garrett slows the kiss, pulling my bottom lip between his teeth.
My eyes flutter open to find the most stunning kaleidoscope of desire staring back at me. Jordan and Jenna need to leave. Now. Then I remember Adam and I start to panic.
“He left, Em. That was quite the show. I think I’m gonna head out too. Rain check on the bar thing,” Jordan says with a chuckle in his voice.
“Me too,” Jenna agrees, hurrying away from us.
“BAMF,” he mutters and then the door shuts.
I haven’t moved my eyes from Garrett’s and he hasn’t moved his hands. His chest is heaving against mine as my heart races. I have never been this forward with a man. I couldn’t do this with Jordan. Garrett was my only option. The best option ever for crazy make-out sessions to run off stalker ex-boyfriends.
“I—”
“No,” Garrett cuts me off.
“No?”
“No.”
“No what?”
Then his mouth is on mine again and we’re moving. I gasp as my back hits the soft cushions of my couch and then I groan in ecstasy as Garrett’s hips grind into me. He’s wild. His mouth passionately drinking from me as his rough hands roam in a frenzy over my body. I can’t breathe. The weight of his body, his lips melded to mine, the charge of the air that consumes the space when Garrett’s in it and the unfettered desire flowing from his every pore is suffocating me. I hope I never find my breath again.
I’m like a wild animal that’s been starved through a harsh winter just finding its first meal. I want to savor every morsel, but I’m too fucking excited.
She kissed me. Emily jumped on me and kissed me. I freaked for half a second and then I took the best opportunity life’s ever handed me. I’m not ready to stop. I don’t know if I ever will be.
I take her mouth. And she gives me everything. She lets me set the pace, following my tongue in a rapid dance. My hands are touching her everywhere, but not feeling anything for long. I need to slow down. Enjoy.
I release her lips and she draws in a deep lungful of air as though she was drowning. I move to her neck sucking and biting, then kissing away the sting. Her tiny hands yank and push at my hair as I move a hand to palm her tit. When I reach her hard nipple, reality steps in and I stop.
My lips halt and my hand falls to her ribcage as I force my brain to begin functioning.
“Garrett,” her wanton voice pleads with me to keep going.
“No,” I grunt and push myself up off her, feeling chilled to the bone as I leave her warmth.
Her sex-hazed eyes begin to come clear as I climb to my feet. Emily sits up and curls into a small protective ball on her couch and I feel like a dick. I scrub my hands over my face and try to find the right words. I’m not good with words. I fucking hate words.
“I’m sorry, Garrett. That wasn’t fair,” she whispers and I’m instantly pissed. She’s always apologizing to me. I’m the one that just mauled her and she’s apologizing.
“Stop fucking apologizing,” I roar.
Her golden green eyes bug out and she swallows thickly.
“I shouldn’t have put you in that position. I’m not a tea
se, Garrett. You came to my rescue and I attacked you. I can apologize for that. Thank you for it too. So stop thundering at me,” she demands.
I lean into her face, bracing my arms on the wall behind her couch.
“I attacked you, Emily. You were tryin’ to prove a point to that douche bag and I mauled you like an animal. You don’t get to apologize for that. I told you not to open the fuckin’ door. I told you! Now I’m here with your hot fuckin’ mouth on mine and your sexy as hell body wrapped around me. You’re not a tease. You’re the greatest fuckin’ temptation the world has ever known. And now that I’ve tasted you, I’m not gonna let you go.”
“Okay,” she whispers.
“Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Don’t let me go,” she says softly, running her delicate fingers down my cheek.
Fuck me.
“I like it when you talk.”
I snort, her hands cupping my face now.
“I like it when you grunt.”
Another snort.
“I like it when you touch me.”
I growl.
“I like it when you kiss me.”
Another growl.
“Keep kissing me.”
“Can’t.”
“Why?”
“I don’t wanna kiss you.”
“Oh,” she says sadly and drops her hands away from my face.
I put my finger beneath her chin and pull her gaze back to mine. Her eyes look hurt and confused.
“I wanna do everything that follows kissing. Everything.”
I can hear the sex in my voice. My dick is about to explode. I’m not going to come in my pants. My dick is actually going to be torn from my body due to over engorgement. The look she’s giving me now is hotter than any I’ve previously seen and making the pending pants explosion more inevitable. I have to get out of this house. But I refuse to leave her here alone after Adam. Shit.
“Yes,” she mumbles and then presses her lips to my jaw.
“No,” I grunt.
“Yes.” She kisses the corner of my mouth.
“No.”
Mugs of Love Page 11