by K. C. Enders
“Answer me, love. What has no one ever done to you? Licked you?” He pulls me to the edge of the table pressing his hard cock to me. I can’t help the shudder—or the quick intake of breath. “Made you come?” Leaning even closer, he brushes his lips against me as his words rumble low in my ear, he presses me tightly to him. “Made you worship his name?” He’s biting and sucking on my earlobe, distracting me. “Tell me.” The shell of my ear is on fire as his tongue traces it.
“All of it.” I can barely speak. Drawing in a deep breath, his chest expands against mine and he dives for my mouth. Devouring me. Oh. My. G—Jerking his head back, Aidan holds me tightly—shielding me from the door at the other end of the room. “Someone’s here?” Panic bleeds through.
“They won’t come straight in. The light outside—whoever it is knows the darkroom’s being used.”
I’m panicking and he’s cocking an eyebrow and smirking like this is funny.
“I’ll see what they want. Maybe we should…fuck…” Grabbing his shirt and tugging it on, he hands me mine. Pausing at the door, he makes sure I’m dressed. He adjusts himself and takes in the mess of trays and negatives on the floor, “Don’t touch anythin’. I’ll be right back.”
Murmurs float through the door, I can’t make out what they are saying, but I hear Aidan’s laugh and his hand on the doorknob. He slides back in smiling and shaking his head. “The darkroom’s been double booked. I told the guy we had a chemical spill and needed to clean up—he, uh, wanted to share time. Not fuckin’ gonna happen.” Aidan throws away the ruined negatives, gathers the prints he made and hands me his bag. We clean up as quickly as we can and leave. Thank God, the other photographer is nowhere to be seen.
It’s like a different world outside than when I got here. The sun that was beating down earlier has been replaced with clouds and the wind is whipping off the river. My hand slaps down to grab hold of my skirt trying to keep it in place. Aidan reaches out taking his bag from me. “Much as I’d love to have my hands on your arse again, I’ll let you get hold of that. I don’t want to think of anyone else seeing your knickers.” He slings the bag over his shoulder and settles his hand on the small of my back. Well, really, it’s on my ass. “What should we do with the rest of our day?”
The rumble from my stomach answers for me. “I guess I’m hungry. Want to go grab a bite to eat?”
The look he shoots me is full of mischief and satisfied pride.
“Already ate, love.”
I’d smack him, but this skirt will be gone if I try.
“Hmmm…Aidan, I’m going to go to the bistro and get lunch. Would you like to join me there?” My voice is so sugary sweet and my smile is as plastic as it can be. Fumbling with my skirt and my keys, trying to stay decent, I struggle with unlocking my car door.
I feel his warmth behind me just as he reaches around to take my keys. As soon as I give them up, he presses me into the side of my car, pinning me there with his chest against my back, hips against my ass. Maybe, I don’t really need lunch. My stomach rumbles again and I drop my chin to my chest laughing. Sex or starvation?
“I’ll follow you there. We’d best get you fed—don’t want your strength waning.” He presses into me one last time before opening the door. Staying close, he shields me as I slip into my driver’s seat. “Wait for me when you get there. I’ll help keep your honor intact.” With a wink, he closes my door and heads further down the street to his car.
Watching him, the way he moves, the way he carries himself makes my heart skip a beat. He’s so full of confidence and grace. His khaki pants wrap his ass perfectly, and his t-shirt? That shirt is stretched tight across his broad shoulders and is clinging to his arms. There’s a shadow, just barely hinted at beneath the fabric on the left side, high on his shoulder blade. I caught a glimpse of the tattoo in the darkroom—just that it was there. I can’t imagine ever getting a tattoo. I don’t know that there is anything I would want to permanently mark myself with, but I want to know what he has. And why he got it.
Gracyn drops the menus at our table with a basket of garlic bread and a couple glasses of water. “What have you guys been up to this morning? Anything exciting?” She bumps me with her hip and plops down in the booth next to me. Aidan huffs out a chuckle while I pull my lower lip between my teeth and cock my head to the side. Looking back and forth between us, her smile takes over her face. “I’m guessing there’s a good story in there somewhere.” Aidan’s eyes sparkle, the skin crinkling at the corners. “And I guess I’ll have to wait and get it from you later, Lis. What can I get for you today?”
“I’ll have the chicken parmigiana sandwich. Fries, and seltzer with fruit. Please.”
Gracyn looks up at Aidan, waiting for his order. “I’ll have the same, with the fried mushrooms for an appetizer. Guess I’m still hungry, after all.” He winks. He fucking winks at me with Gracyn right there.
“Got it. I’ll put this in and be right back with your drinks.”
My face flames red and I duck my head away rummaging through my purse for absolutely nothing. I could just die right now.
And, of course, my dear friend misses nothing. “We’ll talk later.” She tickles my back as she skips away from our table.
After lunch, we grab a couple picture frames from the store and head to Aidan’s apartment to look through the few pictures we were able to print before we got distracted.
Chapter 17
Aidan
Jesus. Having at Lis in the darkroom was not what I fucking planned, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to feel bad about it. I just want her more now. Our weekend of no work ended with me taking on Finn’s shift Sunday and Lis at home—not mine, hers. I want more.
My thoughts were that she’d have a lot more free time with her term having ended, but it’s like her spring holiday all over again. Every available minute is spent working for the two solid weeks before Lis starts in with her summer term. I have never seen anyone so driven.
I pick up several photo shoots while she’s working and manage to sell some of my journalistic pieces to a few news outlets in the city. My career is getting back on track, but I’ve spent far too little time with Lisbeth.
And I’ve not heard from Lorna—at all.
No texts. No calls.
Nothing.
I walk into Lis’ bar and settle in an empty spot at the end. She’s mixing drinks for tables in the dining room, while smiling and chatting up the people at the bar. It’s busy enough in here to afford me the luxury of watching her. I take her in, every move, every smile.
Last time I was here, we were still just friends. Just an innocent thing. Now, I can’t get her out of my mind. The look of her, the sounds she makes—the taste of her. Beyond that, I just like her. The little things. The corner of her lower lip between her teeth when she’s concentrating. The way one eye all but closes when she smiles really big. Her quiet determination. She’s amazing.
“Hey,” she says with that smile. The one that pinches her eye shut. “What can I get you?”
I prop my elbows on the bar and speak quietly. “I’ll have a whiskey, yeah?”
When she leans in to hear my words, I take hold of her hand and my thumb slides to her inner wrist. That spot calls to me. Her skin is so soft there—so smooth. And the smell of her perfume is fucking intoxicating. She sighs and leans just a little bit closer. Seeking a kiss. Just a quick one, but I’m over the moon that she does that.
“Do you want dinner too, or are you just here for the whiskey?”
“The whiskey is fine, a steak would be great, but I’m here for the company. I’ve missed you.”
Another smile and she pulls away, fixing my drink, checking the others at the bar.
“How was your class today?” I ask when she comes back down to my end of the bar. We’ve not spoken much since she started her summer term three days ago—we’ve had maybe seven texts in the last three days.
Lisbeth’s face totally shifts, her shoulders slumping, and
her lower lip goes between her teeth. I want to be the one nibbling them. “We had a quiz today. I didn’t do well at all.” She pops down a bit to pull a pint for the old guy sitting a few seats over. “I might need to drop it and just graduate next May with everyone else.” She tries to hide the stress and worry behind a weak smile.
“It’s one quiz. You’ve got time to make your grades. Why are they giving exams two days in anyway?”
“The class is accelerated, like really accelerated. And it’s Advanced Anatomy—a ton of memorization. I should probably drop before it’s too late.” She grabs a napkin rolled around utensils and places it in front of me with the salt and pepper shakers.
“If you drop this class, you have to push off your graduation?” She bites at her lip again and nods. “Why would it be easier in the fall? Why take it later?” She puts so much pressure on herself to do well. To do it on her own.
“The semester is longer, so I’d have more time to memorize the body systems—and I’d have my study group. They’re all taking it then and we can quiz each other—flashcards, that kind of thing.” She moves down the bar checking her patrons, filling drink orders for the dining room.
The smell of steak and mushroom risotto fills the air around me making my mouth water, and Gracyn slides a plate in front of me.
“How’re you doing tonight? My girl there has been a bear the last couple weeks.” She stares me down, hand propped on her hip, attitude in full effect. “You know anything about that?”
“Jesus, Gracyn. Lighten up. I told you it has nothing to do with Aidan.” Lis’ hands go to the long loose braid hanging over her shoulder, fingers twisting and twirling at the soft curl at the end.
“I’m tired and this class is going to kill me.” Turning to me, Lis asks, “Is your steak cooked alright?”
“Fucking perfect.” It’s red in the center and perfectly seared on the outside. I cut a piece and scoop up some of the risotto, turning the fork to Lisbeth.
I’m awestruck watching her lips wrap around the fork, hearing that moan low in the back of her throat. She’s fucking made that noise for me—beautiful. I adjust my cock and look up to find both girls’ eyes on mine.
Gracyn raises her brow and points her finger in my face. “Don’t you hurt my friend. Don’t you dare…or you won’t need to do that ever again.” She waves a hand toward my crotch and walks away.
“So, your class…would it help to have someone quiz you on your facts?”
She tilts her head from side to side like she’s thinking about it.
“Maybe?” And the lip again.
Between her teeth.
I reach up and pull it free with my thumb. “I would love to help you study. I’m fairly sure I’m capable of quizzing you. When is your next exam?”
With that, her whole demeanor changes.
“I have another quiz Friday. And I only have until the middle of next week to drop this class and get my money back. Aidan…” Elbows on the bar, she puts her face in her hands. The stress is rolling off of her. “What am I going to do? I’ve worked so hard. I need to graduate in December. I just need to be done. I’m exhausted. I’m gonna cry if I have to extend this whole thing another semester.” Hands rub down her face as she looks up at me, worry pinching at the corners of her eyes.
“Lisbeth, let me help you, please? I want to help. What’s your week look like?”
“I just talked to Jenna and took the rest of the week off. Gracyn’s going to cover for me here, so other than my class, I’ll be studying.”
Chapter 18
Lis
I can’t let this one stupid class set me back a whole semester. I’ve worked so hard and for far too long.
Last night, Jenna told me not to worry about my shifts for the rest of the week. She grabbed cash from the register and tried to give me a “summer bonus” to offset my lost income, but I tucked it back in the drawer with a quickly scribbled Thank You before I left for the night.
Aidan kept me company for most of the evening, talking between customers, sharing his dinner with me and trying to ease my worries over this class. I’ve got to make this work—got to pass this and then the next one in the series next month.
I used to love summer classes—being able to concentrate on one class at a time, immerse myself in the material and just get it done. In theory, it’s great, but I may have to just suck it up and push off graduation.
I set my coffee on the corner of my desk making sure to pack away my notes and the review packet for Friday’s test.
Aidan told Francie he needed the next couple of days off to help me study. Francie even pulled both Jimmy and Finn into work making sure the guys’ apartment is quiet and I can concentrate.
The sun beats down on my shoulders replacing the chill from the classroom as I walk out to my car. I grabbed everything I need to spend the next several hours shoving as much information into my brain as I can. Aidan is really sweet offering to help me, but I fully expect him to get bored after a while. This way, I can go straight to the library or coffee shop and keep studying when he’s had enough.
I pull up to his loft with my coffee refilled and the hot wind whipping through the car windows. After parking, I wrap my hair up in a messy bun high on the back of my head, and swap my sunglasses for real ones.
As I lean in the passenger side to grab my bag and coffee cup, my skin tingles and I feel his gaze on me. I should have taken the time to tie my hair back before the wind on the drive over made it such a mess. Should have put more effort into how I look. I’m here to study. That’s all.
Straightening up, I reach to pull my bag higher on my shoulder but feel the weight lifted from me—literally and figuratively.
“Let me take that.” Aidan grabs my leather tote bag and closes the car door. I’m backed up against the hot metal and pinned in place by him. “You ready to learn my body?”
“Wh-what?” The tingles I felt moments ago turn into a full riot of chills along my arms and neck.
“I figure you’ll have to map the terms you’re learnin’, yeah?” What is he doing to me? “It’s anatomy we’re studying?” I can barely manage a nod. “I’ll let you use me anyway you need in order to get your grades. I’m at your mercy.”
Holy hell.
Aidan steps back with that smirk on his face, the one that says he knows he’s got my heart racing. He pulls me toward the steps and guides me inside.
My brain finally kicks into gear and I stop short. “You know I’m here to study, right? For a test?”
His low chuckle goes right through to my core. “Of course, love. Whatever you need.” He drops my bag on the small table in the kitchen and grabs some sandwiches out of the fridge. “I thought you might like some lunch before we start, but we can get straight to it if you prefer.”
Is he talking about studying or did he think this was going in a different direction? I’m so confused right now.
“I…” I’m not opposed to the idea of sleeping with Aidan—feeling more of what he gave me in the darkroom. I’ve thought about it a lot. A lot. “…Aidan, I have to study. I…” I’ve avoided his eyes through this whole exchange and need to take a deep breath before I chance it. Releasing it slowly, I lift my eyes to find him laughing at me?
“Lisbeth, I promised to help you study. Relax, eat and we’ll make the flashcards and get your terms memorized.’’
“You’re a shit,” I huff out at him as he chuckles at me and grabs us a couple glasses of water. “It’s just…this is really important and I…I…” I couldn’t tell if he was serious, if he wants me, or just that.
But I can’t say it. My heart squeezes a little at the thought of a relationship, of taking this further. I’m petrified of being cast aside.
Again.
“Lisbeth, stop. I’m sorry if I crossed a line.” All joking is gone, his expression soft.
I hand him a stack of flashcards I made early this morning before class and he patiently quizzes me for the next several hours, but I c
an’t help thinking about it. That line.
Eventually, we stop and grab some dinner close by. I need a break—out of his apartment. I’m starting to make mistakes and getting answers wrong.
After burgers and a couple beers we walk slowly back to Aidan’s loft. The fresh air caressing my skin as it clears the fuzz from my brain. Since he’s been quizzing me on muscle groups, I run through them as he trails the back of his fingers down my arm—trapezius-spine of scapula-deltoid-brachialis-brachioradialis-flexor retinaculum.
“Good on you.” He’s got that spot on my wrist again, rubbing soft circles with his thumb.
“Did I say those out loud?”
“You did, and you got them all perfect. I think the flexor retinaculum is one of my favorite spots on you.” He raises my hand and places a sweet kiss on the inside of my wrist.
We make our way up the stairs to the door. Aidan unlocks it, but holds me there—pressing his front into my back. His hand slides across my belly, pulling me tight to him, his lips skating across the back of my neck. “Though, I’m fond of this spot as well.”
My skin tightens with anticipation and desire. I’ve spent every one of the nights since the darkroom thinking about this. I was surprised, and kind of disappointed, that it seemed like a onetime thing. Aidan hadn’t made any further attempts; didn’t try at all.
We spent time together, but maybe we were always around other people. Gracyn at our place, Finn or Jimmy here.
“Let’s go study, love. We’ve a lot left to cover.”
And just like that, I’m back to confused and frustrated. Which has me answering questions wrong again and getting pissed.
“I think I’m getting dumber.”
We’re on the couch with the fucking flash cards and I can’t seem to get anything correct. The flash of his camera snaps my attention from my puddle of self-doubt.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting creative with your studies. The curve of your trapezius wrapping ’round to your collarbone is gorgeous.” Turning the camera, he shows me the image.