Without You: A Friends-to-Lovers Small Town Romance

by Jennifer Van Wyk

  My own breath goes shallow as I take him in. All his naked glory. And glorious, it is. He’s not too big but still looks bigger than average. Like the rest of him, he’s perfect. God did good the day he created Brody.

  “I don’t know where to start,” he says, staring at every inch of me. Up and down. Down and up. He takes me in, encouraging me to do a circle so he can see my backside, too. I’ve never been so thoroughly inspected and it should make me ill at ease, but it doesn’t. A minute ago, I was insecure with myself, but I’m his beautiful and I know that every word out of his mouth is nothing but the truth. He wants all of me. Inside and out.

  “We’ve got all night,” I whisper.

  He looks at me like he wants to say something else but settles on, “Yeah, we do.”

  I step backward until the back of knees hit the mattress and climb onto the bed, doing my best to look sexy while I scoot but am not sure I’m achieving that goal.

  Like a lion on the prowl, he approaches. Slowly stalking toward me, his hardness so tantalizing that I can’t stop myself from reaching out and wrapping my hand around it. He groans and crawls onto the bed, stretching out next to me on his back.

  I want to spend long intimate moments getting to know what he likes but I have a feeling right now isn’t going to be it. I’m so geared up and ready, the slightest brush of his knuckles against my center has me shifting and moaning.

  Squeezing just a little, I pump my hand up and down his silkiness, rubbing my thumb over the tip. There’s a little drop of precum and I lean over so my mouth can join my hand in the fun. I’ve never truly looked forward to this part of the night with a man, partly because I wasn’t sure if I was any good at it, but right now I think I must have been crazy and if I’m not mistaken, I’m damn good at it. Having this much power, hearing Brody’s groans and watching his face twist and eyes squeeze shut as I suck him in as far as he can go, it’s addicting.

  “Oh, fu…ck. Katie. Shiiiiiit.”

  His moans of pleasure spur me on and give me the confidence I need to keep going. My hand and mouth work together as his fingers find the spot between my legs. The sounds that we’re making together only furthers my desire but then he taps me on the shoulder, like he’s tapping out of a wrestling match.

  “Stop. Stop. I don’t want to come like this and I… fuck, Katie. Stop.”

  “Stop? You want me to stop?”

  “No. Shit. Yes. I want…”

  I sit up, amusement written all over my face. I kiss him on the lips and move so my legs are straddling him. “How’s this? This make it better?” I purr.

  “Much.” He pulls me down to him by the back of my head and attacks my lips with the same enthusiasm as he showed removing his boxers. His tongue twists against mine, his fingers bite into the back of my head, and between our bodies, I can feel his hardness grazing across my clit.

  His hips move up and down, the back of his shaft sliding across me and triggering the sensitive bud. My legs begin to quake and I cry out his name, begging him not to stop.

  “Never,” he promises.

  “I’m going to hold you to that,” I moan breathlessly.

  “Good. Katie. It’s been a while for me and if you’re not okay with it, I’m prepared, but if you’re covered and you trust me, I’d really like to feel all of you.”

  No condom.

  I’ve never been with a guy without a condom before.

  I hesitate only a second but he catches it and without asking, reaches over and grabs a condom out of his nightstand. He rips the wrapper open with his teeth, hands me the rubber, and I reach between us to slip it on.

  The second it’s in place, he’s thrusting up into me. I cry out in pleasure-pain and swear to him that he better not stop when he asks if he needs to give me time.

  My hands are on his chest, giving me leverage as I move up and down, my hips moving back and forth and grinding into him. Beads of sweat start forming down the center of my back and I drop my head back, looking at the ceiling and letting out a shout.

  “You there?”

  “Yes. I’m… there.”

  His hips move faster and his fingers splay across my back while his other hand slips between us, his thumb finding the sweet spot with no trouble and then I’m flying.

  Without a doubt, the biggest orgasm I’ve ever had. Wave after wave hits me like I’m in the ocean, being sucked away in the riptide. I’m lost forever and hope to never be found.

  Suddenly I’m on my back and Brody is over top of me, his body pounding into me hard and fast and relentlessly. I love it. I love the way he’s being rough and unapologetic about it. I love that he’s taking what he needs from me, but in a way that he’s making sure I’m getting what I need first.

  “Can you come again?”

  Again? I’m barely recovered from the first one! He expects me to…

  “Oh!” Apparently, I can come again.

  There’s a first time for everything, I suppose. Brody lifts one of my legs over his shoulder and the different angle has my eyes rolling into the back of my head. We try to kiss but it’s sloppy and messy, our lips barely connecting. He tries to lean down to suck on my nipple but we’re moving too much. Our bodies are colliding against each other and then he moves faster and my cries turn louder.

  He moans and pushes hard into me and then I see Brody at his most beautiful. When he lets go completely and gives everything to me.

  I’ll never recover from this.

  It’s the moment that I realize that I’m gone for Brody. Love? Not sure yet. But it’s close.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Brody

  I hope she knows she’s never getting rid of me now. Never. I won’t let her go. She’s mine.

  The only thing that could have made last night more perfect was if I had gone in with nothing between us. But she hesitated and that small hesitation means she’s not completely ready for that. Disappointing? A little. Understandable. Absolutely. Never would I want for her to not be okay with anything between us and if that means waiting until she’s ready, that’s completely okay.

  We’ve got time.

  Besides, I have a feeling it isn’t me, in particular, that she hesitated about. Maybe she isn’t on birth control of any kind or maybe she’s just never been without a condom before. Whatever her reason is, it’s her reason and I’m supportive. We’ve actually never had that conversation yet so it’s one of those that will have to happen.

  This isn’t the first time I’ve woken up with Katie in my arms, but it’s the first time we’ve woken up naked and it’s my new favorite way. When she got completely naked in front of me, I thought I was going to come on the spot. I have no idea what she was shy about, her body is incredible. Katie is petite, always has been, but she’s got these curves that do some kind of something to me.

  She’s naked in my arms right this second and all I need to do is look down at her, but my mind is conjuring up images of last night like the highlight reel of the Super Bowl. Three times we had each other and I’m ready for a fourth, fifth… sixteenth.

  Every woman I’ve been with before Katie is long forgotten.

  Sex was nothing in comparison to what we shared last night.

  She begins to stir beneath me and I hold my breath as her little hand glides across my stomach, her finger doing a little figure-8 across my abs that she seems to be obsessed with.

  “Morning,” she says quietly, her voice a direct line to my already hard dick.

  Her lips join the good morning party and begin peppering soft kisses across my skin, her long blonde hair fanned out around us.

  “Good morning.” My voice is low and gruff, but it’s not only because of the morning. It’s what she’s doing to me. Lying beside her all night, experiencing her for the first time, having her in my arms and knowing that we’re together, it has me feeling emotions I don’t remember feeling before.

  While her lips continue their assault on my upper body, I let my hand do a little exploration of its
own. Down her spine and back up, cupping the back of her neck with my hand and giving her a gentle squeeze before descending once again.

  Her ass is right there so I slide my hand over one cheek, flex my fingers once, twice, and a third time on the other cheek. I don’t know if she’ll allow it, but I decide to try anyway, slipping between her cheeks, down the crack, and around her from the backside. She doesn’t flinch but she does mewl and I take that as a good sign.

  “You’re ready for me,” I tell her, feeling her wetness.

  “Yes,” she whispers.

  I roll her over and kiss my way down her body, stopping at her belly button. Her legs drop to the sides, allowing me room between her and I kiss my way back up her body, giving attention to her breasts. They’re not small but slightly more than a handful and I love them. I will spend hours getting acquainted with them. And, lucky me, I’ve noticed they’re incredibly sensitive.

  Case in point, right now, as she squirms and all I’ve done is flicked one nipple with the tip of my tongue. Okay, so it was repeatedly, but still.

  I chuckle and shift so I’m fully above her, lean over to grab a condom, and she stops me.

  “What’s wrong? Are you sore?” I should have thought of that. We had sex three times last night, little of it was slow and gentle, and it might have been too much.

  Her hand is still on my arm and she tugs. She gives her head a little shake. “No. But last night I hesitated because I’d never gone without a condom before. I’ve never felt comfortable enough with someone not to. I’m on birth control because I always wanted the added protection. Last night wasn’t about you.”

  I suspected that but I don’t want to come off as cocky and say it out loud. Instead, I nod, encouraging her to continue.

  “Actually, it kind of was about you,” she amends and I give her a curious look. “I’ve never felt comfortable going without a condom with someone… until you.”

  I can’t stop the grin that stretches across my face. “That’s a really good fucking answer, Katie. I promise you I’m safe. Haven’t been with anyone for months, had my regular physical checkup after her and was tested to be sure.”

  “I trust you,” she says.

  Three simple words yet they’re everything. Why do all the good phrases come in threes?

  I reach between us and line myself up, slip inside her, and discover what paradise feels like. Johnny Cash once had a quote about what his version of paradise was. He compared it to having coffee that morning with her. Her meaning, June. For the first time since I read that quote, I understand it.

  Last night at dinner with her.

  Watching TV with her.

  Waking up with her.

  All of it. Every moment.

  Paradise.

  I try to go slow, but sliding in and out of her with no barrier, nothing between us, feels so damn good that I begin speeding up, thrusting into her as her legs wrap around my thighs and her hands run over me. Her short nails scratch down my back, landing on my ass where she squeezes.

  Her moans fill my bedroom.

  My grunts answer her moans.

  Paradise.

  Every thrust. Every drive into her.

  I feel the telltale tightening and know I won’t last much longer and want to curse but damn it is amazing being with her this way. Our bodies seem to mold together as if they were created for the other.

  “I never come in the morning,” she whispers.

  Is that a challenge? If so, challenge accepted.

  I lift her leg, prop it on my shoulder, and then repeat with the other leg.

  Sweat is forming on my forehead and my heartbeat is pounding harder than it’s ever pounded before.

  I’ve learned her signs already and the noises she’s making, I know she’s getting close.

  “Brody,” she cries out and it spurs me on, driving me to go faster, harder, deeper.

  Her legs clench around me, she spasms against my hardness and that’s the sign. That’s it. She’s about to come and I’m about to follow right along with her.

  We come together with a shout and each other’s names on our lips. I collapse onto her, careful to keep the bulk of my weight off her.

  “Paradise,” I whisper, our chests pressed together, both of us breathing heavy.

  “Paradise,” she replies.

  I rise up to look at her, curiously.

  “You have a picture of Johnny Cash in your house and in your office. I did some research on him. ‘This morning. With her. Having coffee.’ His version of paradise.”

  Emotion clogs my throat knowing that she recognized. “Yes.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You wanna get cleaned up?” I ask her and she nods.

  I move off her and she shimmies out of bed then quickly makes her way to the bathroom. Once she’s finished, I take my turn but stop her from passing me by. Kissing her, I murmur once again, “Paradise.”

  “Definitely,” she agrees. “Coffee will make it even better.”

  “Definitely,” I repeat her word.

  She grins, rises up on her toes, and kisses me then brushes past me. “I’ll get it started.”

  When I get to the kitchen, we work together making scrambled eggs on a hot plate that I’ve been using since I currently don’t have an oven or stove. We’re sitting at the table eating our breakfast when I hear Chad’s truck pull into the driveway. Katie’s eyes dart to the door. “Chad,” I explain with a grin.

  “How do you know that?”

  “I work with vehicles for a living,” I remind her. “Kind of my job to be able to detect the different engine sounds.”

  “Ahh. Still, though. That’s kind of crazy, right?”

  I shrug. “Honestly, I don’t know. It isn’t to me, but maybe I’m weird.”

  “Well, you’re definitely weird.” She giggles, taking a large bite of eggs. “Good thing I took the time to throw on some clothes, huh?”

  “Feeling pretty grateful for that right now, too.”

  Chad walks through the door, then stops in his tracks when he sees Katie sitting there.

  “Well, this is an interesting turn of events,” he says, placing his large tool bag on the floor and removing his coat, tossing it on the back of the stepladder he’s been using while remodeling the kitchen.

  “Good one, if you ask me,” I reply.

  He nods, moving to the counter and the skillet still sitting on the hot plate. He grabs a fork from the drawer and eats straight out of the skillet.

  “Help yourself.”

  “Don’t mind if I do,” he mumbles around a bite, back to the counter, leaning against it. He crosses his legs at his ankles and motions between us with his fork. “So this thing, looks like it’s working out for the two of you. Looks like you’re still wearing date night clothes, Katie.”

  I grin. “It’s working out pretty well, thank you.”

  “Mm hmm,” Katie agrees.

  “About time he got off his ass. Fucker’s been pining for you since you first came to town.”

  Katie snorts. “He’s always had a problem with self-esteem, but he finally found the courage to ask me out.”

  “You’re right. He’s never been very confident. It’s one of his major faults.”

  Katie the traitor replies with, “It is. We’ll have to work on that. Lift him up a bit.”

  “Might be tough. He’s been so down on himself all his life. We tried, Johnny and I, to make him realize what an awesome guy he was.” Chad sniffles.

  “I know,” Katie says, standing up and gripping his biceps. “You did the best you could with what you were given.”

  “I’m right here, you know.”

  “We know,” the jerks say simultaneously, turning to look at me.

  “So glad to see y’all are getting along.”

  Chad finishes off the last of the scrambled eggs and puts the skillet in the sink. “Right? I mean, how shitty would it be if your best bud and your best girl don’t get along? Thanks for breakfast, man. I
was starving.”

  “If we’re done here,” I begin, amused at their banter and thoroughly pleased with the fact that my friend and my girl get along, even if it’s at my expense. “I have a busy day so if y’all don’t mind.”

  “Trying to get rid of me?” Katie asks coyly.

  Chad chuckles. “Don’t dig yourself too deep, man.”

  “Thanks for the support. Don’t you have work to do?”

  “Quite a bit of it, actually. This customer is a giant pain in my ass.”

  “Better get to it, then.”

  “Right,” he murmurs into a cup of coffee that he also helped himself to.

  Though, years ago Johnny, Chad, and I have long forgotten our manners with each other so I might give him shit about helping himself, but it’s all an act and he knows that. We all have keys to each other’s houses and don’t ask before getting food or drink.

  “I’m going to walk Katie home,” I tell him and he waves us away.

  “Yeah, yeah. See ya later, Katie.”

  “Bye, Chad.”

  She finds her coat and shoes scattered on the floor, making Chad snicker.

  I usher her outside, reaching behind me to flip him off.

  His answering laugh tells me he saw it.

  Leading Katie up the stairs, she tucks her finger into one of my back pockets and follows step by step. I look back at her and grin. There’s something about the finger tucked into my back jeans pocket that seems even more intimate than what we were doing last night and this morning. It’s possessive, even though we’re alone and there’s no one for her to claim me in front of.

  When we reach her door, I turn to her.

  “This is the part where I say I had a lot of fun last night.”

  “And I agree and ask you to call me.”

  “And I promise I will.”

  She smiles and kisses me, unlocks and opens the door.

  “I have a really full day of appointments since I took yesterday off so if you do call, like you say you’re going to,” she adds cheekily, “I might not be able to pick up.”