Pick Six: A Quick Snap Novella

by S. A. Clayton

  Her eyes bulge at the last statement, and while she probably thinks I’m embellishing for her benefit, it's entirely true. She recovers quickly, then averts her eyes, and stares at the uneaten food on her plate.

  “It's not that I can’t talk about it. It's just not a very fun story to tell.” She looks up, our eyes meeting. When I don't say anything, she takes a deep breath and continues.

  “Growing up, my parents were…let’s just say they were more preoccupied with where they could get their next fix than taking care of their daughter.”

  I flinch because I know kids with home lives like that. I can't tell you how many charity events we do where kid after kid comes over and tells us their story. It sounds exactly like what Ashley is describing.

  “It wasn't always bad,” she continues. “I had relatives that lived close, so I stayed with them most of the time. When I turned sixteen, I realized I’d had enough. I moved in with my aunt, who was the manager of a hotel. In between school and homework, I worked there. At first, I was a cleaner, and then a maid’s assistant—a title I think my aunt made up so it gave me something to do on weekends.” She smiled.

  “Eventually, I worked my way up. Once my aunt retired and moved to Florida to enjoy the endless days of sunshine, I got promoted to manager.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say. The fact that she lived through a shitty situation and came out the other side not only better but thriving is incredible.

  “What?” she asks, looking away nervously and picking at the food on her plate.

  “I just didn't expect that to be your story, that’s all.” I take another big bite out of my burger, keeping her gaze. I wonder what else about her will surprise me.

  “I think it's amazing what you’ve become despite how you grew up,” I say. She scrunches her nose, averts her eyes, and takes a big bite of her burger, leaving us in silence for a beat.

  After a minute, she finishes her bite of food and turns to me. “I know my home life wasn't ideal. My parents had their share of issues that eventually led to both of their deaths years ago.”

  Before I can tell her how sorry I am, she holds up her hand to stop me.

  “I don't need your pity. Were my mom and dad bad parents? Probably. But I didn't notice. I had so many other family members around, and they all made up for my parents’ lack of awareness. My aunt is the main example.”

  The edge I hear in her voice makes me realize that she's been in this situation before. I shouldn’t push her or shove my feelings about her situation on her.

  “Fair enough. I’m happy you came out the other side of a shit deal better and stronger than before. It's an amazing thing, and you should be proud of it.”

  She gives me a curt smile, and I know we need to change the subject.

  “You done?” I ask, looking at her half-eaten burger and the mound of fries left on her plate. She nods, so I look back over my shoulder and motion for Andrew to bring the bill.

  “You wanna head home?” I ask, not really wanting to part with her, but not having a legitimate excuse not to.

  “Sure,” she says in a small voice, her hands in her lap. Her body is hunched over the table, and from the frown on her face, she might not completely like the idea of going home yet either.

  “Do you want to come back to my place?” From the wide-eyed look she gives me and the way her mouth opens in surprise, I know that probably wasn't the best thing to say. After a few seconds of shocked silence, she reluctantly shakes her head.

  “I don't think that’s a good idea.” I want nothing more than to take her home and show her exactly what I think she's craving. Instead, I pay the bill then lead her outside to my truck, praying that this isn’t the last time I see her.

  Chapter 6

  Ashley

  I spent all last night wondering why I didn’t go back to Brooks’ place, even though I wanted to do just that. Instead, he dropped me off at home, walked me to my door, and kissed me goodnight before driving off, leaving me wondering what would have happened if I’d caved and invited him in.

  “So, you’re telling me that you just kissed him, and that’s it?” Daisey asks from my speakerphone as I putter around the kitchen, trying to get ready for my day off. I usually sleep in on days like these. However, for some reason, I woke up this morning feeling energized and ready to take on a day of lounging on the couch and watching movies.

  “What do you mean that’s it? For me, that’s pretty good for a first date!” Daisey groans, and I know what she's going to say, so I say something before she can.

  “I did not go into this date looking to get laid. I went because I wanted to see him.”

  “Yeah, yeah. You became boring, blah blah blah. I just thought Brooks would be an exception to your no-sleeping-with-a-guy-on-the-first-date rule.”

  “Exception? Why would I break my rule for him?” She starts laughing, and I can't help but join in.

  “Because he looks like something out of a GQ magazine, and I want that for you.”

  I smirk. Just as I’m about to say something about her being too invested in my sex life or lack thereof, I hear a knock.

  “Hey, I gotta go. Someone’s at the door.”

  I walk out of the kitchen and down the hall just as Daisey says, “Well, maybe that’s Mr. GQ, and he's come back for round two!” She squeals as I tell her to fuck off and disconnect the call. As I open the door, I realize I should really call her back and thank her. Because she was right. Standing right in front of me is the man who kept me up half the night—though not in the way I hoped.

  Brooks.

  “Brooks? What are you doing here?” I ask, taking him in. His hair is disheveled, and I wonder if it ever looks put-together. A shadow of scruff lines his jaw, drawing my eyes to his lips, which look just as soft as I know they feel.

  “I-I came to…” He stutters, and for a second, he looks incredibly vulnerable. My body reacts in kind as heat travels up every limb and heads straight for my core. He holds out a scarf that I don't recognize and smiles.

  “I came to give this back to you.” I look at him, clearly confused because that is not my scarf.

  “It's like seventy degrees outside, Brooks.” The corners of his mouth turn up as he pulls the scarf back against his body. “And I didn't wear one yesterday…”

  “Yeah, I know,” he mutters, shaking his head. “I needed a reason to come over here, and you didn't leave anything in my truck. So, I had to make something up.”

  God, he's adorable. At the pleading look in his eyes, I crack and give him a huge smile.

  “Well, as far as excuses go, that was pretty bad. But I’ll give you points for trying.” I open the door a little wider and say, “Do you want to come in?”

  He nods, and before I think better of it, I let him inside and shut the door behind us. The second we’re alone in the room, the air changes. All I can seem to think about are his lips and what they felt like against my skin last night.

  “So, whose scarf is that?” I ask, hoping to God he doesn't say it’s an ex-girlfriend’s. I wasn’t sure I could handle what my brain would do with that information.

  “Would you believe me if I told you it was mine?” I take a second look at the knitted scarf and notice the blue and white design. I arch an eyebrow and hold in a laugh.

  “I see you don't, so I’ll make sure to send my mother yet another message telling her to stop sending them.” I try but fail to hold in the laugh as it bursts out of me.

  “I’m sorry, I just can't believe your mom sent this to you.” I point to the scarf as if he doesn’t know what I’m talking about. He gives me a bright smile that sends a wave of arousal through my entire body. As the smile fades, I take in the man standing before me and realize that he's in my house and we’re alone for the first time since the stadium.

  “You keep looking at me like that, baby, and I won't be able to control myself.” His voice is hoarse and low as if he's saying the words more to himself than to me. He doesn’t realize that
I’ve been thinking about what comes next since he dropped me off last night.

  “And if I keep looking at you?” I don't really know what I’m doing, but I know I want him to come closer. I want his fingers in my hair, pulling me to his lips. I want anything and everything he's willing to give me right now.

  “If you keep those beautiful eyes on me, I’ll make you watch as you scream my name.” He grunts as he prowls toward me, the scarf tossed to the floor as he eats up the space between us.

  “This is your last chance to tell me to stop, Ash. Your last chance to tell me you want me to leave right now.”

  Our eyes meet. When I say nothing, he flashes me that smirk that I know likely gets him whatever he wants. It makes me want to give him everything. His hands make their way to my face, and he cups each cheek as he comes even closer.

  “Are you sure?” His eyes search mine for any hesitancy.

  “I’m sure,” I whisper as his thumbs trace the edges of my jaw. My eyes follow his lips as they slowly descend on mine. When I feel their light touch, I melt into him, silently begging him to take control.

  “Fuck, baby, I’ve missed the taste of your lips.” He groans as one of his hands grabs the back of my head, and he laces his fingers through the loose strands of my hair.

  “But I know what you need right now, and it's not gentle. Is it, Ash?”

  I shake my head, silently begging him to give me everything. He chuckles as his lips lower. The second they touch mine again, the temperature of the room skyrockets, and Brooks growls as his lips continue their sultry attack.

  My memories don’t do the experience justice. The minute he starts kissing me, my brain loses all control, my body quickly following suit. My hands make their way into his hair, and I pull him closer as his hands drop to my ass. He lifts me off the floor, and my legs wrap around his waist without me even thinking about it. He mutters something about the bedroom, and I point toward the stairs, not really caring where we end up. I only want to feel him against me.

  As he carries me through the house, I waste no time stripping his shirt from his body, groaning at the abs and toned chest revealed. I knew he’d be ripped because of what he does for a living, but seeing it in the flesh? That’s a completely different story. I groan as his lips trail down my neck, landing on my collarbone. I start making noises I have never heard before.

  “Ash, baby, I can't wait,” he says as we reach the first landing.

  He sets me down, gently kissing my lips as his fingers dig into the waistband of my sweats. Before I can beg him to take them off, he rips them from my body. Before I can even blink, every inch of clothing I wore lay scattered on the floor around me, forgotten as his eyes take in every inch of me where I lay.

  Instinctively, I move my hand to cover myself, but he grunts his disapproval.

  “Don't you dare hide from me. I’ve been thinking about doing this for way too long. You can’t take it away now.” His words sound almost threatening, but I know if I were to ask him to stop right now, he’d do it. The idea of stopping isn’t even a blip on my radar, though.

  My hands fall away, landing on the stained wood beneath me as his chest heaves. Before I can utter even one word of encouragement, his face lowers, and his lips lightly kiss up my thighs, halting at the apex of my sex.

  He allows his warm breath to cascade over my sensitive clit before he slowly lowers his face once more, his eyes never leaving mine. Just as I’m about to beg for him to do something, anything with that mouth of his, his tongue lightly brushes against my lower lips, causing my breath to catch. My head falls back against the floor.

  “Don't you dare take those eyes off me,” he commands as his fingers dig into my ass, bringing my pussy even closer to his mouth. “I told you I’d make you watch while I made you scream. And that’s exactly what I’m gonna do. So, keep those beautiful eyes on me, gorgeous.”

  The level of intensity he's giving off sends shivers through my body. He lowers his head again and attacks my pussy once more, the way he did with my mouth earlier—as if he were starved.

  His tongue works wonders, circling my clit and sending wave after wave of pleasure through my body. When I feel the crest of my orgasm building, Brooks shifts, licking my slit and sending a groan of frustration through my chest.

  “I know, Ash, just be patient.” He grunts and then smirks. His tongue lightly circles my clit once more, sending tiny shockwaves up my spine. Instead of answering him, I take both hands and weave my fingers through his hair, pulling him even closer. The chuckle that escapes him vibrates against me as he goes in for the kill.

  “Fuck!” I scream as my head falls back, despite his warning to keep my eyes on him. My fingers stay precisely where they are, tangled in his hair, holding him exactly where I want him. Where I need him.

  “Just like that. Fuck, yes…” I’ve never been vocal during sex, but with Brooks, it comes naturally. I can tell from the growls and sounds of encouragement from between my legs that he likes it.

  “You close, gorgeous?” he asks as his fingers trace the edge of my entrance.

  My breath comes in pants because I know the minute those fingers touch that magical spot inside me, I’ll be lost. I nod my head just as he plunges both fingers into me. I scream his name as my grip finds purchase on the edge of the stairs. Before I can ask for more, he lowers his mouth again and fixates on my clit just enough to send me over the edge.

  I can't help the convulsions overtaking my body as his fingers fuck me harder and harder and his lips suck gently on the most sensitive part of me. Just when I think I can't take anymore, he retreats, kissing my thigh lightly before meeting my eyes.

  “That was…” I mutter, smiling down at him as he kisses up my torso, stopping just before he takes my mouth.

  “That was only the beginning,” he whispers as he lightly grazes the side of my mouth with his lips.

  Suddenly, I realize that letting Brooks into my life and my home was the best decision I’ve likely ever made.

  Chapter 7

  Ashley

  It doesn't take long for us to get to my bedroom. The moment we do, Brooks strips off the rest of his clothes, and I sit in the middle of the bed, watching with rapt fascination. I’ve never been one to ogle, but right now, I can’t help it. Staring at Brooks with nothing on is a sight to behold.

  His hair still sticks up in every direction, reminding me what I can do when in the throes of passion. Then there’s the sculpted chest and defined abs that make my mouth water the longer I stare at him. Not to mention the happy trail of red hair that I never knew could be so fucking sexy. And it leads straight to the holy grail.

  As my eyes travel past that trail and land on his crotch, I suck in a deep breath because that is by far the biggest cock I have ever seen in real life. I’ve never been one to shy away from a good porn film, but Brooks puts all the actors to shame. For a split second, I wonder if he’ll even fit.

  “I’ll fit, baby,” he says as my eyes shoot up to see that cocky smirk cross his face. I raise an eyebrow as he chuckles, then bends over and grabs a condom out of his jeans’ pocket. He slowly fits it over his impressive cock and then prowls toward the bed.

  “I could tell by the frightened look on your face. Trust me, gorgeous, you're gonna be just fine.”

  All I can do is nod because…what else am I supposed to say? His cock is the size of an award-winning cucumber.

  Our eyes meet just as his fingers find my pussy once more. I can't stand it anymore; I bring his face to mine and kiss the fuck out of him.

  He groans as our tongues tangle, leaving us both breathless as the kiss takes us to another level of desperation. His hands retreat from my heat just long enough for him to grab hold of my hips and flip us so he's now under me, and I’m straddling him.

  “Fuck…” he mutters as my pussy finds the underside of his cock, and I start to move slightly. The way it feels when the tip touches my clit sends lightning bolts of pleasure through my entire body. If I did
n't know more about sex, I’d say this could be enough. But the need to experience what he feels like inside me is too strong. Before I talk myself out of it, I lift my hips, take his cock in my small hand, and place it at my entrance.

  “Fuck, baby, you need to sink down soon before I explode. I need to feel you wrapped around me.” I groan at the words, not realizing that I’ve quickly become a lover of the dirty talk—something I didn't know until Brooks entered my life.

  “You want to feel my pussy?” I ask, trying to sound as sexy as possible but failing. Brooks doesn't seem to mind, at least given the groan that leaves his throat as I slowly sink down onto his cock. I let out a breath, loving the full feeling as he gets deeper and deeper.

  “Shit…” I grunt, feeling the stretch as my hands fall to his chest, my fingers digging into his skin as if they’re trying to ground themselves on the one thing they crave the most.

  “That’s it, Ash, take me all the way inside. You're almost there, baby.” he murmurs as his hands grasp my hips, and he takes control. I moan at the feeling of pure ecstasy that overtakes my body. The convulsions begin, and I start to come instantly, the fullness of him setting off every nerve ending inside me as wave after wave of pleasure cascades over me.

  “Jesus…” He groans as he shuts his eyes, his fingers digging into my skin as if he's trying to stave off his own pleasure.

  Just as I come down from one of the most intense orgasms I’ve ever had, Brooks takes hold of me and flips us once more, never breaking our connection. Before I can ask how the hell he did that, he starts to fuck me, his hips pistoning into my body as if he's a man possessed. All rational thought leaves my brain as his lips find my neck, and he sucks the skin just below my ear. It sends my nerves into overdrive as my hips rise and fall to meet each of his thrusts.