“Miss it? No way.”
“I’m telling you…” I allowed a smile to play on my lips. “Starting out like this is scary and overwhelming. But it’s also fun. Your entire life is ahead of you. All you need to do is figure out what you’re into, what you’re passionate about. The world is yours, if you want it.”
I glanced down, almost surprised to see that over the course of our conversation, our bodies had been moving closer and closer, the two of us nearly touching. A wave of arousal moved through my body.
“Thanks for this,” she said.
“The evening? It’s my pleasure.”
She shook her head. “Not just that. My parents are looking out for me and care about me, I know it. But I’ve never had anyone talk to me the way you do, encouraging me to believe in myself.”
“I find that hard to believe. Five minutes with you was all it took for me to know that you’re special.”
I’d told many lies in my day, ones intended to gain confidence and butter people up for whatever con I had in mind. But there with Sierra, there weren’t any lies. I didn’t need to tell them—everything I said about her was true, self-evident. She was special, and already I felt as though there was a bond between us.
And it still scared the hell out of me.
By this point we were nearly close enough to kiss. My hand was on her leg, a soft smile on her lips as she gazed at me with those gorgeous blue eyes.
I couldn’t wait any longer.
“So,” I said. “You’ve only got that apartment for a little while longer?”
“That’s right. End of the month I’m out on the street. Why do you ask?”
“Because I’m thinking we should make some memories in it while we’ve got the chance.”
She smiled, this time more sensually. She knew exactly what I was saying.
“Then let’s not waste another second.”
I paid the bill, tossing down a couple of twenties before taking her hand and leading her out of the bar. The moment we were outside, I put my hands on her hips and pressed her back against the nearest wall, leaning in and kissing her deeply.
I moved my hands over her curves as we kissed, feeling the soft roundness of her hips. She sighed softly and sweetly, opening her mouth just enough for our tongues to mingle.
My hand moved down to the hem of her dress, and part of me wanted to take her into the nearest alley and do what we both wanted. But she took her mouth from mine and smirked.
“If you want to make memories in the apartment, we have to go there first.”
I laughed. “Good call. Hard to resist, though.”
“Believe me, the feeling’s more than mutual.”
We were only a few blocks away from the apartment, so I took her hand, and together we hurried down the sidewalk toward her place. The two of us were almost…giddy. My heart thumped in my chest as we rushed down the street. All I wanted was to get her alone, to put my hands all over her, to see that beautiful body in front of me.
Soon we were at her building, then hurrying through the lobby. I took in the sight of the place, still overwhelmed by how nice the joint was, how everyone who lived there likely had a life totally different from mine, one where they didn’t have to worry about breaking the law and going to jail and trying to make ends meet.
Maybe someday that kind of life would be mine.
But for now, I had Sierra. We stepped into the elevator, and right away we were kissing one another in a frenzy, my lips on hers, then on her neck. She sighed as she ran her hands through my hair.
With a chime the door opened. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the figures of two people, an older man and woman who looked to be a couple. I glanced down to see that they were holding hands.
The two of them stepped into the elevator right as Sierra and I pulled apart from one another. At first I felt a touch embarrassed, and the redness that spread across Sierra’s cheeks sent the message that she felt the same way.
But the older woman turned, glancing at us over her shoulder. I half-expected her to scold us for what we’d so obviously been doing. Instead, she only smirked.
“Reminds me of my husband and I before we got married.”
The man turned to his wife and laughed. “I know the feeling.”
Sierra and I shot each other a sly grin, and I did my best to hold in a chuckle.
The doors opened again and the couple stepped out. The woman gave a wink over her shoulder before the doors were closed, and the elevator was on its way back up.
The kissing started up again as soon as we were on our way. Thankfully, the next time the doors opened, we were on her floor—I didn’t know if I’d be able to resist her any longer. We hurried down the hall to her apartment and she opened the door, the two of us rushing into the apartment.
She flicked on the light, revealing a massive, modern apartment with a view that made mine look like nothing. Stacks of boxes were here and there, and it was clear she was in the process of moving.
“Sorry for the mess,” she said sheepishly.
I was too taken aback by how insanely luxurious the apartment was for that to register.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, turning my attention to her. “There’s only one thing here I care about.”
She grinned, reaching over and dimming the lights slightly before stepping over to me and wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
“Where were we?” she asked.
“Might have to remind you.”
I leaned down and kissed her deeply again, this time the two of us making our way over to the living room, then the bedroom beyond. Our lips only separated long enough for Sierra to pull my shirt off over my head, revealing the flat plane of my body.
We kissed more and more, and when we crossed the threshold of the bedroom, I unzipped her dress and let it fall to her feet. This time she wore matching black bra and panties, her body just as gorgeous as I remembered. I lifted her off her feet, Sierra letting out a happy squeal as I carried her over to the bed and set her down.
Flashing her a grin, I dropped down to my knees and grabbed the waistband of her panties. Then I rolled them down over her smooth, lovely thighs and tossed them aside, along with her heels.
I placed my hands on her rear, squeezing the soft flesh, and kissed along her thighs, soft moans coming from her lips as I moved closer and closer to between them. When I was there, I kissed her again, placing my lips on the center of her pleasure. Sierra tossed her head back as I pleased her, moaning as she bit down on her lower lip.
There was nothing sexier than the sight of her in the throes of pleasure. And as much as I could’ve pleased her like that all day, I knew I needed more.
I rose, Sierra still seated before me. She reached around her back and undid the clasp of her bra, her perfect breasts falling out and rendering her completely nude. A more perfect sight, I couldn’t have imagined.
“Your turn,” she said with a smile.
I was still in my pants, and I didn’t waste any time getting out of them. When that was done, I pounced onto Sierra.
The moonlight poured in through the window, giving her beautiful body a silvery glow. She was like no woman I’d ever been with before in my life.
Something was happening between us.
Taking my erection in her hand, Sierra guided me toward her. I felt her sex graze against me, followed by the warm embrace of her opening.
“Please,” she said, her voice soft and breathy. “I need it.”
I felt the same way, but at that moment I was so intoxicated by her that I couldn’t even think about forming any words.
I pushed into her opening, Sierra gripping me, warm and soft, as I moved deeper and deeper into her. She closed her eyes, letting her head hang back and her golden hair to spread across the pillow.
My hips went back and I pushed into her again. She moaned once more, this time wrapping her slender legs around my hips and pulling me closer, my chest pressed against her breasts and
her nails grazing my back.
Soon we were in a steady rhythm, our bodies melting into one. Her chest rose and fell, her back arching as her hair poured down both sides of her face. I continued to push into her, to fill her over and over again.
It wasn’t long before I couldn’t hold back any longer. Sierra dug her nails into my back, her legs tightening around my waist as she came along with me. For those long, intense moments it was like the outside world faded away, nothing existing but the two of us.
And then I was done, and so was she. I pulled her close and kissed her once more, staying inside of her as I did.
Seconds later I was at her side, her body curled up against mine, her head on my chest.
Then sleep overtook us both. My last thoughts before I drifted off were of how I couldn’t wait to see her again in the morning.
Chapter 13
Sierra
Waking up that next morning with Caleb was just as nice as it had been the first time. And I knew it would always be that wonderful. I loved opening my eyes to see his solid, strong body next to mine, his powerful chest rising and falling with each slow breath.
The thought struck me—the idea of what it’d be like to wake up to him being there not just that morning, but every morning. It seemed so crazy to consider, but at the same time it sounded…perfect.
I’d only dated a few men before, and none of them for very long. And each one, though I did care for them, never made me feel the way Caleb did. There was no instant connection like the one I felt with him, no burning desire to have his body against mine, to feel his touch, his kiss.
And more than that, just being there with him was enough to somehow put my mind at ease, to make me feel like there was nothing in the world to worry about.
So strange, yet so wonderful at the same time.
He finally opened his eyes, his greens brilliant in the morning light.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice sexy and sleepy.
“Good morning.” I leaned in and kissed him.
The kiss lingered. Arousal moved through my body, and I was ready for a repeat of our last night’s fun.
But before it could go on for any longer, a harsh buzzing cut through the air.
“Shit,” said Caleb, taking his lips from mine. “My phone. One sec.”
He went down the bed and grabbed his pants, fishing his phone out of his pocket.
“Hello… Yeah, hey… Are you serious? Ah, hell. Okay, meet me at my place in an hour.”
Disappointment washed over me at his words, knowing that he would be leaving me soon. But I wasn’t about to throw a fit about it—I was sure whatever was going on was important.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “I mean, sorry to be nosy. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
He sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, as if trying to process something.
“It’s nothing. My brother’s in town and the place he was staying at…isn’t an option anymore. I told him he could crash at my pad for a little while.”
“Oh, that’s nice of you.”
He chuckled. “Thing about my brother is when he gets into a jam, you don’t really have any option but to drop everything and help him. I love the guy to death, but he’s not the best at planning things out long-term.”
His words struck me as strange. Wasn’t his brother some kind of businessman? He’d said he wasn’t the most successful one, but even a businessman doing kind of all right shouldn’t be dealing with things like not being able to find someplace to stay. It was odd. But I put it out of my head—again, it wasn’t my business.
“So,” he said, standing up. “As much as I’d like to spend the morning with you, I need to get moving pretty soon.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “But…”
Ugh. There was no way to ask what I had on my mind without sounding totally insecure. But I had to ask. The stress I’d gone through over the last few days had been too much to take. No way I could do it all again.
“But what?” he asked, turning around.
“Do you want to see each other again? Maybe sometime soon?”
My words hung in the air, and I worried I might’ve come on too strong, too desperate. Well, nothing to do—the question had been asked.
He smiled, coming back over to me in bed. Caleb crawled over top of me, that gorgeous smile right above.
Then he leaned in and kissed me slowly and deeply.
“Of course I do. There’s nothing I’d want more. And I won’t drop off the radar again like I did before. How about tomorrow night? Maybe we can hang out here, order some take-out and have a night in.”
I smiled, so happy to hear his words. “That sounds great.”
We kissed again, and the longer it went on, the more I wished he didn’t have to leave so soon. But knowing I’d see him again eased my mind, sent happiness racing through my heart.
“Okay,” he said finally. “I might have to get going, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make you some breakfast. You got stuff here to cook?”
“That I do have, actually. Dad kind of let me use his credit card for whatever. So I liked to go a little nuts at the grocery store.”
He grinned. “Then come on.”
He stuck his hand out and I took it, Caleb effortlessly pulling me out of bed and onto my feet. I stepped into a pair of lounge shorts and a T-shirt, Caleb throwing on his clothes.
The living room was drenched in light, and a tinge of regret shot through my body.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Damn, I keep forgetting how good you are at reading people.”
“That’s right,” he said with a smile. “You’ll have to watch out around me.”
“It’s stupid, but I was just thinking about how much I’ll miss this place. I know it’s too much, and I know I didn’t earn it, but it’s the only home I’ve known outside of where I grew up.”
He took my hands. “Then let that motivate you. Work your butt off and earn a place like this. It might take years, might take a decade. But I bet you anything that when you finally sign the lease, it’ll be more satisfying than you can guess.”
I smiled warmly. “You’re right. You know, you’ve always got such a positive way of looking at things.”
“In my line of work, you have to.”
Again, there was the question of his work. I knew what he’d told me, but something about it all seemed off. What if he really was fibbing about how successful he was in order to get on my good side? I wasn’t as worried about him never talking to me again—his words confirmed that wouldn’t happen. But I couldn’t shake the idea that there was something going on that he was keeping from me.
Or maybe I was being paranoid. Maggie’s words about looking a gift horse in the mouth came to mind. It was quite possible that I was doing nothing more than trying to find something wrong with a good thing.
“All right,” he said. “Coffee and breakfast. Let’s do it.”
He stepped into the kitchen and opened up my fridge.
“Damn! You weren’t kidding about being fully stocked up. Haven’t seen a fridge this full in a long time.”
Another curious statement.
“Use whatever you want,” I said. “I always end up buying too much stuff and half of it goes bad before I get a chance to use it.”
“Don’t need to tell me twice.”
He started breakfast, pulling things out and putting something together. Before too long the apartment air was thick with the smell of fresh coffee.
I watched him cook, watched him zip around the kitchen. I loved the sight of him in my home—it made me wonder what it’d be like to have him there every day. Granted, the apartment would be gone soon, but what if…
“All right,” he said after a time. “Breakfast is served.”
He came over to my small dining room table and placed a pair of plates onto it.
“Banana and chocolate chip pancakes.”
They looked delic
ious, golden brown and not burned in the slightest—something that happened often when I tried to cook. I sipped my coffee before covering my pancakes in butter and syrup.
“These are amazing,” I said after taking the first bite. “Just amazing.”
“They’re kind of my specialty,” he said. “When my brother and I were growing up, I’d make them for him whenever he’d had a rough day. It was my way of making him feel at home no matter where we were.”
It was such a sweet sentiment, my heart warming at his words.
We ate, chatting about nothing in particular, simply having a nice, pleasant breakfast. When we were done, the two of us polishing off the rest of the coffee, Caleb checked his phone and rose.
“Shoot—I need to get going. My bro’s going to get testy if I make him wait.”
“I’ll clean up,” I said. “Least I can do.”
He started toward the door and I followed him. Once we reached it, he put his hands on my hips and pulled me close.
“Last night was great,” he said.
“It was.”
“And I’ll see you again soon. Here at seven tomorrow night?”
I smiled. “Sounds perfect.”
We kissed, long and lingering, a kiss so good I wanted to say “to hell with it” and drag his butt back to bed.
But I let him go.
“See you soon.”
“See you soon.”
When he left, I felt on top of the world, like nothing could touch me.
It occurred to me how funny it all was, that this has started out as something fake, but was becoming more real by the moment. Though he’d only been gone for a few minutes, I already couldn’t wait to see him again.
Right as I started to take the plates from the table, my phone buzzed on the counter. It was a text from Maggie.
“Hey! Sorry for the short notice, but I’m in the area. Want to hang out?”
It sounded great. I fired back an affirmative and by the time I was done cleaning up, a small stack of pancakes still remaining, I got another text from Maggie letting me know she was there. I buzzed her up and opened the door as soon as she knocked.
Breaker Page 9
