Off Beat (Forgotten Flounders Series Book 1)

by J. C. Hannigan

  “I want to live on the water,” I declared, watching the sunset over Hirtle’s Beach with Calum’s arms wrapped securely around me. My back was pressed against his warm chest, and I could feel his silent chuckle as he pressed a kiss to the nape of my neck. “I want to watch the sun set every day over the water, from our porch.”

  “And I want to rail you every night on our porch while we watch the sunset,” Calum whispered into my ears seductively, thrusting against me.

  I laughed, pressing harder against him; he responded by holding me even closer. “How come all of our future talks involve you doing me?”

  “Probably because I’m insatiable for you, and I always will be.” He shrugged, his hands slipped against my torso, toying with the hem of my bikini. “And when you paint a picture, of us on a porch watching the sunset…of course, my mind’s going to go there.” My skin erupted in goosebumps, and I shivered.

  “Fair point,” I managed, turning and slipping my arms around his waist. I rested my head against his chest, biting down on my lip when I felt his arousal.

  “What?! Talking about the future with you excites me.” He grinned, his fingers gripping my ass. “Ready to go?”

  “Ready to go?” Calum asked, jarring me from the stroll down memory lane. I turned, startled by how close he was, Asher at his side. Cal’s gaze went to the porch I’d been staring blankly at, his eyes sparkling with remembrance.

  “Yeah, come on, Mom! I wanna show Cal how epic Minecraft is!”

  Lips twitching with amusement, I looked askew at Calum, seeing the hope plainly on his face. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  Calum

  I stayed until past ten again. The afternoon ended with me playing a videogame with Asher while Harper read in her cozy chair. Her socked feet were crossed and dangling over the arm. Every so often, I’d feel her eyes on me, but each time I’d turn to her, I’d find her focused intently on the paperback on her lap.

  It would have driven me mad, but I was thankful that she’d let me hang around so long. There was nowhere else I’d rather be than here with them.

  Asher seemed reluctant for the night to end. We ordered pizza for dinner, and then he pleaded with me to stay for a movie.

  Harper seemed willing to go along with just about anything for Asher and had given in without much argument, which made me hope—even if she hadn’t really directly spoken to me since I took them to the house.

  I knew she was processing—rolling over the last forty-eight hours in her mind, analyzing and questioning everything. When Harper was silent, that’s when her mind was the busiest—and I knew exactly how to get her out of her head. But there was plenty of time for that later.

  With Asher present, I happily focused my attention on getting to know him, learning the ropes of his favourite video game, and listening as he talked about his other interests. It was as if he was eager to fill me in on every detail I’d missed, which was just as well—as I was thirsty for all of those details, and for every little factoid about the small human I’d unknowingly created.

  We rented the latest Marvel movie, and the three of us sat down on the sofa. Asher sat with the huge bowl of popcorn on his lap between Harper and me. Luckily, the latest superhero adventure was interesting enough to keep all three of our eyes on the screen. Still, despite keeping my eyes to myself—the tension between us grew, our closeness only nourishing it.

  When the final credits rolled, Harper grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. “All right, it’s bedtime, Asher.”

  “But Mom, I’m not tired! Besides, I’m going to be eight soon, you know.” He replied, his brows furrowing with indignation.

  “Eight-year-olds still require a solid eight hours of sleep. It’s already ten, so you’ve stayed up an hour past bedtime. Plus, it’s a school night.”

  Asher gaped, searching for a loophole in her argument. Realizing there was none, he grinned. “Okay, okay. I’m going. Night…Cal.”

  “Night, bud.” I grinned, ruffling his wild hair. He hugged me, and I hugged him back. My eyes rose to meet Harper’s. My heart was longing for more than I could voice.

  “Will I see you tomorrow?” Asher questioned when he pulled back.

  “Name the time and the place,” I told him. No matter what happened, I would always make myself available for him. From here on out, he was going to know he could count on me.

  So was Harper, even if I couldn’t convince her to have me again.

  She edged past me, careful to avoid my gaze, as if she sensed my train of thought. She was always good at that—at reading between the lines and sensing my moods and emotions and what they meant. Harper was an empath, but it was more than that; it was our connection.

  “How about after school, at the bookstore?” Asher suggested, hopefully. “That’s where my bus takes me. You can meet my best friend, Nik!”

  “Sounds good, I’ll be there.” I nodded, elation inflating my chest at the smile on his face. He turned, glancing up at his mother with bright eyes.

  “See? I told you.” He said to her, and she nodded, biting down on her lower lip, daftly avoiding my questioning gaze.

  “Come on, let’s go get you ready for bed.” She managed.

  They disappeared up the stairs, and I could hear them moving above me. I closed my eyes for a moment, overcome with a homesick feeling that blasted through me.

  Tonight had felt so right, so easy and effortless, and it gutted me that I’d missed out on so many nights like this.

  All because I’d been too fucking stubborn and prideful to admit my mistake and turn back. Instead, I’d festered in shame and regret. I allowed myself to fall into the darkest parts of me as a penance for turning my back on the love of my life, but it never had to be like that.

  And it wouldn’t be like that this time. This time, I would cherish every moment of it. This time, I would be worthy of them.

  I was too antsy just to sit there and wait, so I stood, taking the empty bowl of popcorn into the kitchen and dropping the handful of kernels into the trash before turning to the sink. The three plates and cups from our dinner were still sitting in the sink.

  I didn’t want her to worry about the mess, so I tidied it, putting the plates, the bowl, and the cups into the dishwasher. I was finishing up wiping down the counters when she walked back into the kitchen. Our eyes locked from across the island. “You didn’t have to do that.” She murmured, glancing around the clean kitchen.

  “I wanted to,” I told her, lips tugging up in a grin. Shrugging, I tossed the dishcloth over my shoulder and into the empty sink without looking away from her. Leaning against the island, I pressed my palms down to keep myself from going to her.

  Everything in me hummed.

  “Well, thank you.” She swallowed, moving around to the other side of the island, those dark magic eyes calling out to me. “I guess we should finish our conversation now.”

  “I guess we should.” I nodded, slowly moving around the counter. She watched me warily, her body turning to me, succumbing and yielding to me like a magnetic force.

  We stood in charged silence. The energy between us was fueling me, giving me the same kind of high performing gives me. No, not the same—it was a more intoxicating high, a more fulfilling high.

  We moved closer to one another, my attention zeroed in on the frantic rise and fall of her chest, and the way she licked her lips—slowly, provocatively. She knew damn well what it did to me.

  Then her perfectly manicured hand splayed against my pec, over my heart, halting me.

  “We need to be friends, first and foremost,” she said, shaking her head and glancing at her hand. She couldn’t look at me, because then it would be even harder to deny what still undeniably simmered between us, ready to ignite at the slightest spark.

  “You will always have my friendship,” I assured her, the intensity behind my words bringing her focus back to me. Covering her hand with mine, I continued. “But I’m done wasting time, Harper. I want you back.”

&n
bsp; My heart thundered beneath her palm, and the heat of her touch seared into me. She shot me an unamused look, plump lips tugged down in a slight frown—but she kept her hand splayed on my chest.

  “There’s still so much we need to talk about. Your career…” she trailed off, shaking her head slowly, the dark tresses moving over her cream top. God, she was beautiful. My eyes swept over her face, lingering on her lips and dropping to her collar bone before rising to meet her expectant gaze.

  “Is my career a problem for you?” I inclined my head, eyes searching hers. “Because I’d give it up in a heartbeat.”

  “No, I’m not—“ she sighed, trying to unscramble her thoughts. “That’s not what I’m saying. I just…don’t get how it’ll work.”

  “Like this,” I murmured, my hand slipping around her waist. I gently dragged her closer, and when she drew in a deep, quick breath—the material of her shirt rose, and my eager fingers brushed tantalizingly slow against her hip bone, driving us both a little deeper into the fire. “My home is here, with the two of you. I know what I’ve missed out on, and I’ll never make the mistake of leaving you again. Either of you. Move in with me.”

  Lowering my forehead to press against hers, I breathed in her intoxicating scent.

  “You’re getting a little ahead of yourself,” she said breathlessly as my fingers slipped beneath her jeans’ waistband. Her lids fluttered as the pads of my calloused fingers rubbed against her warm flesh, stopping when I reached her hip bone.

  I grinned, eyes swirling with devotion and amusement. “I’m behind, actually. By nine years.”

  She shot me another unamused look, her brows rising pointedly. “Do you really expect that I’ll just drop everything and move in with you?”

  “Not at all,” I shook my head, lips twitching with amusement. “I understand that you want to take things slow, and we will. But it’s a permanent, open invitation; use it whenever you’re ready.”

  “Well, I’m not ready right now,” she said, her voice wavering. But even as she spoke, she moved closer to me, sealing the space between us with her lithe body. My eyes dropped to her collar bone, finding it as flushed as the apples of her cheeks. “To move in with you, I mean.”

  “That’s fine,” I smiled slowly, the tension and coils of desire wrapping around us both, squeezing all of the air out of the room. Rational thought told me to back up; take it slow, but slow was never in either of our vocabularies—even in the beginning.

  Touching her felt right, and for so long, everything had felt wrong. Off. I tried to fill the void, but it was like a black hole; nothing satisfied its immense hunger, except her.

  She filled that void within me, and I was stupid to think I could live even half a life without her. I was tired of denying it, tired of fighting it.

  Her eyes were dark and needy, sparking when I gently squeezed her hips with my fingers. I brought my free hand up to brush along the side of her face, feeling her surrender against my touch. I held her chin between my thumb and index finger reverently, gently running my thumb over her plump lips before guiding them to mine.

  I started slow and in control, reveling in her exquisiteness. How I’d missed this. My tongue brushed deliberately over the seam of her lips, and she moaned, opening up for me. I lost all sense of control, gluttonous for her. Deepening the kiss, I released her chin, tangling my fingers into the long strands at the nape of her neck.

  Goosebumps erupted on her hip bone; I could feel them beneath my palm. My thumb danced across her flesh, and then her fingers were wrapping around my wrist. She pushed my hand down her stomach, until my fingers slipped against her slick folds. She let out a tormented moan that I caught and silenced with my mouth, her hips jerking against the sensitive brush of my fingers against her heated core.

  Her hands both went to my chest, fingers griping the shirt and nails scraping against my pecs.

  “Fucking hell, Harper,” I moaned, my finger slipping deep inside her. I glanced down and pumped once more, feeling her velvety walls contract around my digit. She was just as responsive as ever, if not more—and I was having a hard time sticking to my resolution to not fuck her.

  “Cal.” She whispered, drawing my eyes to her profile. She looked at me for several beats, long lashes brushing against her cheek when she blinked. “I trust you. I’m not moving in with you, but I trust you.”

  “You’re just saying that because you want my cock in you.” I grinned, slowly sliding my finger out of her and flicking her clit before plunging it back in. I never looked away from the pleasure dancing in her irises.

  “Maybe,” she admitted, her nose wrinkling a little as she laughed. That laugh distracted me long enough for her to swiftly pop the button of my jeans free. When I felt her tugging the zipper down, I pulled my hand out of her pants, my fingers gently encircling her wrist to slow her.

  “Harper,” I warned. Soon, there’d be no turning back.

  “What? I do trust you. And right now, I’m really horny, Calum. I can’t think straight, and I trust you can help me with that.” She whispered urgently. Her eyes playful as her hand slid down against my torso and into the waistband of my jeans. I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes when her fingers wrapped around me.

  When Harper took charge and turned her come hither eyes my way, I was powerless. All I could do was willingly heed her calls. And right now, I really didn’t want to walk away.

  My other hand tangled in her hair, gripping it as I drew her mouth back to mine. I paused a moment before our lips touched.

  “I can definitely help with that,” I promised, my voice low and guttural. “But before we do this—you need to know. We’re happening, Harper. Forever, this time.” I added. She let out a breath that caressed my lips and after a pause…nodded her concession.

  I kissed her hard, my hands moving across every inch of her, desperate to somehow touch her everywhere, all at once. To try to make up for every second I’d wasted.

  “Bedroom?” I murmured, and she shook her head quickly.

  “Here, I can’t wait.” She pleaded against my lips, pushing my jeans and boxer briefs over my hips, freeing me; gripping me. She squeezed and pumped slowly, her finger brushing over the tip of my cock, swirling the bead of pre-cum. I groaned, my lips still pressed to hers, hips jerking forward involuntarily.

  My touch grew more purposeful, I pulled away and crouched down, glancing up at her. I tugged her jeans slowly over her thighs, kissing her warm, soft flesh as I dragged them off, leaving her the black lace panties that scarcely covered the globes of her ass cheeks.

  She looked down at me, biting her lip, watching as I spread her legs, fingers gripping her thighs as I pressed my mouth over her lace-covered centre.

  My mouth watered as I breathed in her arousal, and she whimpered, moving against me as I pushed the material aside with my finger, and slowly dragged my tongue along her silky folds. Her flavour exploded onto my tongue, a euphoric hit that sent a jolt straight to my cock.

  “Fuck,” I groaned, glancing up at her in rapture. “I’ve missed the taste of you,” I added, finger brushing against her clit as I spoke. She whimpered, and I went back to tasting her, devouring her, sucking on her hood until she was withering and coming with a quiet moan that made my cock twitch.

  “Cal, please,” she gasped, fingers tugging my hair until I was forced to pull away and look up at her—not that I minded in the slightest. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes wild and desperate and practically molten with desire.

  I pulled her panties the rest of the way off. Leaning forward, I ran my tongue against her pussy lips while I reached into my jeans for my wallet. Finding the foil wrapper, I tugged the condom out and stood. My pants dropped to the floor.

  Harper inhaled sharply, watching as I wrapped my hand around my cock and licked my lips, still damp and coated in her pleasure. She continued watching as I rolled the condom on.

  “Wait,” she breathed, and I halted immediately, my cock pulsing with agony. She slipped
away, flicking off all of the lights, casting darkness on the main level. Only a small trickle of light from the moon filtered in.

  When she returned, she slowly stripped from her shirt and bra, her brown eyes watching me watch her. Her pink nipples tightened in the chill of the air as she made her way toward me, pausing to drag her nails against my torso. Grabbing the hem of my shirt, she tugged it over my head.

  The way she looked at me made me fall to my knees, metaphorically speaking. In actuality, her hands slipping slowly up my chest and around the nape of my neck, spurred me into action.

  I backed her up against the island counter, taking a tortured moment to study her, to ensure that she wanted this as much as I did. Frustrated at my delay, she kissed me and grabbed my cock, leading it to her soaked entrance. She rubbed my tip against her and moaned. It was all the encouragement I needed.

  My knee went between her legs, nudging them apart as I gripped her ass and lifted her, propping her up on the island, sliding in just a fraction. We groaned in unison, and again when I pushed fully in.

  To be inside her again was fucking ecstasy. I moved my hips slowly, allowing her a moment to adjust to my girth. With each slow stroke, I could feel her relaxing, feel her climbing toward another orgasm.

  Which was lucky, because I knew I wouldn’t last long. I pulled out, thrusting harder, my hips moving faster as my hand slid between us, fingers rubbing her clit as I fought off the tightening in my balls. She was almost there; I could feel it with each thrust, which drove me fucking mad.

  “Come for me, Acushla,” I pleaded against her ear. God, it’d been ages since I’d called her that Irish Gaelic term for “darling”, but it fell so easily from my lips now.

  Hearing that treasured nickname, Harper’s nails dug into my shoulders, and she gasped, her walls tightening around my cock as she came. My forehead dropped against her shoulder, lips turned to her neck, hips jerking forward, my knees buckling as I spilled into the condom on a groan.

  I wasn’t ready to pull out of her. I pressed a few slow, languishing kisses to the side of her neck. Her legs quaked, and I couldn’t help but groan again as her walls tightened around me.