by Nicole Snow
She flicks her tongue over her bottom lip, watching me unbutton my shirt. Blue sets her can on the ground. “Need some help?”
“Would you like to help?”
She nods and scoots closer. “You know I would.”
I love how open she is with me, how trusting and uninhibited. I pull my hands off my shirt and hold them up in the air. “Be my guest. Undress me.”
She laughs. “Is that an invite to do whatever I please?”
My dick lets me know how it feels about that. “Sure,” I say. “Whatever you please, Blue. Long as it gets me hard.”
Her grin turns mischievous as she finishes undoing my shirt and tugs it wide open. “Let’s see,” she says. “I think it'll please me to see you shirtless, so I can examine each of those glorious tattoos.” She pushes the shirt off my shoulders. “And kiss them.”
Her breath is hot and damp against my skin. My cock throbs harder with every little kiss she plants on my chest. Fuck.
This woman will be the end of me. And maybe the beginning, too.
Her weight moves me up the blanket. My lungs catch as her kisses twist down my stomach. I'm hard enough to cut diamond.
“Oh, my,” she says, rubbing her hand down the front of my jeans. “It'll please me, Brent, to see what’s gotten so hard under here.”
Fuck yeah. She's right.
It'll please me to the moon.
My jaw tightens at how hard I have to fight to maintain control as she unbuckles my belt, and then unzips my jeans. The throb of my cock matches the pounding echo in my ears.
“I knew it,” she whispers, pushing down my boxers, freeing my cock to spring upright. “They're too tight for something so big.”
A growl bubbles up my throat as she grasps hold of my dick, stroking softly. My balls go nuclear.
“Don't you like it?” she whispers, eyeing me sideways.
Before I growl agreement, she bends, moving lower.
“Maybe this is better.”
Her lips, hot and heavenly, suck the head of my cock before she pulls me fully into her mouth. My hips rise, thrusting my length deeper through her lips.
I love how her sweet heat engulfs inch after throbbing inch.
Blue tugs down the waistband of my jeans, grasping my ass as she proceeds to suck. It's some kind of sex miracle. First time she's done this – I think – and it's the best fucking blow job known to man.
It’s so stunningly good I’m about to lose it, but don’t want to. Tonight's for both of us. Grabbing both sides of her head, I force her to stop. “Enough.”
Her lips smack as they release my cock. “You don’t want more?”
“More, yes.” The pressure behind my cock is practically killing me. “I want to fuck you, Blue. My dick inside your pussy. Fast and hard. Now.”
“Please,” she whispers, helping me pull her dress over her head. “Hope you remembered the condoms.”
My jeans are down around my thighs. “In my pants pocket.”
She finds one, and as she rips it open, I unhook her bra. Her nipples are dark pink, shadows dancing across them in the fire's light.
Like they're calling me. I pull her forward to suck on one, flicking the hard nub with my tongue.
“I can’t put this on while you’re doing that!” she says.
I stop long enough to ask, “You can’t?”
“No-ohhh!”
Her answer becomes a moan as I take her other tit in my mouth. No stopping now.
I stick my hands inside her panties and push them over that perfect ass of hers. She shifts enough to get one leg free. All I need to work my fingers inside her. Her pussy is slick, wet, and my cock jolts instantly. It's killing me not to shred what's left of her panties and push the fuck in her.
Still, I work her folds, press her clit, twirl two fingers deep inside her. Love the way she groans, huskily calls me Eden, begs me to continue.
Too bad she's able to form too many words. I fix that, running my fingers deeper, finding the spot against her wall that makes her whole body arc like a cat in heat.
Ground zero. My fingers go wild, frigging her to Heaven.
Her breath comes faster and she pumps against my hand. Much as I’d love to make her cum right now, the pressure building at the base of my spine is too strong to ignore.
I give her nipple a final nibble before growling, “Now, Blue. Put that condom on.”
She’s nearly an old hand at rolling the condom over my cock, and a moment later, she’s straddling me, lowering her hot wet pussy over me.
It's almost so good I lose it. I’ve never fought back a climax this hard in my life.
Damn if it stops me from taking what's mine. Vigorously.
We both let out satisfying groans as I completely fill her, and then start moving. The friction shreds my soul. I grasp her hips, pulling her down, against every upwards thrust.
Faster and faster and faster and fuck!
We’re both so fucking close it’s painful.
She has her head thrown back, blue hair flying. Her body quakes. Lips frozen in a half-open pout as she shouts my name.
I thrust upwards, hard, and let out a bearish groan as her pussy clenches. Her body shudders as her climax lets loose.
My own hits so savagely I’m stunned.
Gloriously senseless as her pussy locks tight, sucking every last come jet out of my balls.
It’s so fucking good I’m lost to anything but her.
But this.
She collapses on top of me later, gasping for air. As breathless as she is, I hold her tight, my dick still buried inside her, until we're able to breathe again.
“Holy crap,” she says. “Eden, you beast.”
I laugh, kissing the top of her head, running my teeth playfully through a strand of hair.
She pushes off and kisses me as our bodies separate. I help her roll onto her back and then toss the condom in the fire.
“Won’t the bugs bite us out here?” she asks.
“Fire should keep most of them at bay. No ants. Only seen scorpions three or four times in all the years I've been here.” I roll over to lean across her. “If your worried, I’ll take top next round.”
She loops one arm around my neck and meets my lips for a slow kiss. “Okay.”
Each night with her gets better than the last. Something I’d never have believed possible if I hadn’t actually experienced it. We don't spend the whole night outside after all because a brief rain blows through.
Just enough to wake us so we move inside. The double bed encourages a quickie before we both drift away again. Exhausted.
“What are you grinning about?”
I set the cooler in the back of the truck. “Memories from last night.”
Her blush makes me laugh. This crazy, beautiful woman has two sides: kitten in the light of day and wild cat at night.
Wouldn’t have it any other way.
“This it?” I ask, taking the bag from her.
“Yeah, looks like everything.”
I shut the tailgate and tug her close for a kiss. “I try to get up here once a month.” Not sure exactly how to let her know I want her to join me, I ask, “Interested in coming up again sometime?”
She smiles before dropping her eyes to the ground. Fuck. The second the question left my mouth, I knew we had a problem. “Brent, we should talk about...”
“Us?”
She nods. “There can’t be an us. Not back home, anyway.”
I knew that's been on her mind the past few hours. The rules of the academy. Been like lead on mine, too. I take her hand and lead her back to the house for a final walk-through before locking the doors.
“Let’s not tempt trouble,” I say.
Lord knows I have enough of that waiting for me. Damned sure don’t need any more. Even though I know I’ll have to face my trouble, in full, head-on one day soon.
So will she if anyone at the school learns we've spent the weekend together. That’s the part that bothers me.
Her having to face career consequences – ridiculous. Whether she’s Nat’s teacher or not, it shouldn’t have anything to do with who she chooses to date.
And it’s not like we’re dating, but after this weekend, I won’t be able to go long without seeing her.
I'm still cursing inwardly as I make the final rounds. The house is in order, right down to the freshly made beds. We’d washed the linens while eating lunch.
“Ready?”
She nods and walks out the front door. I follow, locking the door, then take a hold of her hand as we head for the pickup.
It's a solemn ride home. We talk, but not about anything serious.
I know she’s worried, but refrain from telling her to stop.
“You can just drop me off at my apartment.” Blue looks at me as we enter the outskirts of Phoenix.
“You don’t want to see your ma when she drops Nat off?” Cleo and I made that our plan last night, that she’d drop my daughter off at my house at five this evening.
“I'll talk to her,” Blue says. “But then you’ll have to give me a ride home later and Natalie will probably be ready for bed.”
She’s right, damn it. I’m just not ready to be done yet. “I’m sure she won’t mind riding with to give you a ride home.”
Her gaze remains out the side window as she answers, “Probably not, but she’s had a busy weekend and needs a good night’s rest before school. She has art class tomorrow night, so it’ll be a long day for her. And me.”
She’s right about that part, too. I take the exit towards her apartment. Her car is in her parking space, and I pull up behind it since there aren’t any other open spaces.
“I’ll get your bag.”
“No need.” She opens her door. “I'm on it.”
I grab her arm as she’s climbing out. “I’m walking you up to your apartment, so there’s no use trying to stop me.”
She’s trying hard not to smile. “Fine.”
Because it’s still daylight and I have no idea who might be watching, I release her and open my door. I grab her bag out of the back and follow her to the door. Then up the stairs.
The hallway feels balmy as ever and I catch a whiff of something sour. Her nose wrinkles, too. “Christ, what is that?”
“Don’t know, never smelled it before,” she says. “But it stinks.”
“Almost smells like...rotten fish,” I say, as she’s unlocking her door.
The instant her door swings open, the stench assaults us full blast. Holy Moses.
We both cough, covering our mouths and noses with one hand. I push her aside to step in first, wondering what, or who, died in here.
Shit. It's not just a joke.
Both her large fish tanks are shattered. Shriveled and dead, fish and plants are scattered across the light-colored carpet.
Fuck. The Pearls.
I spin around at her gasp, then at the wall behind me because that’s where she’s staring, her eyes practically glued to it. A picture hangs above the couch, her and her mother.
Someone wrote TEASE, BITCH, WHORE on the wall, with arrows pointing towards Blue.
I fight the urge to put my fist through it.
“Jesus. You...you told me there was something dead in here,” she whimpers, still in shock.
“Dead's right,” another voice says.
I step forward and pull Blue against my chest before turning to the door. The old man from across the hall stands there, looking as ornery as before, as well as a younger guy, staring straight at Blue.
He steps forward. “Ms. Derby, are you all right?”
As I tighten my hold on Blue, a stab of jealousy hits me like no other. There's way too much concern, too much want on this man’s face for my liking. “Who the fuck are you?” I snarl.
Blue stiffens and pushes against my chest while taking a single step backwards. “He’s the building manager. Scott Riker.”
“I told you something was dead in here, Riker,” the old man repeats. “Been stinking like a damn latrine for the last two days.”
“Go back to your apartment, Mr. Barrett,” Riker says, but his gaze never leaves me. “Who are you?”
Keeping Blue close to my side, I say it loud and clear, “Her fiancé.”
Her eyes widen, but not in surprise.
More like they want to say not again.
Riker eyeballs me suspiciously, until he catches a glimpse of the wall behind me. “Whoa. What happened?”
“Obviously, the place was broken into.” With a gesture towards the door, I add, “Those ten dollar locks on the doors in this place can be shimmied open with a credit card.”
“Have you called the police?” Riker asks.
“We just walked in,” I point out.
“I’m calling them right now,” the old man says with a phone at his ear.
Riker spins around and grabs the man’s phone. “Give me that, please.” A moment later, he steps in the hall, “Yes, I need to report a break-in...”
“Did you hear anything? See anything?” I ask the old man.
“No, just got a whiff of something dead a few nights ago.” The old man points a thumb over his shoulder. “Called Riker. He said he’d check on it, but never did.”
Blue keeps trembling hard. I spin her around and escort her into the bedroom, away from the hell-stench. I give the room a solid once over before I lead her to the bed. The room looks untouched, so I sit her down, kneeling in front of her. “Breathe, Izzy. Just breathe.”
She nods, then shakes her head. “Who would do such a thing? My poor fish...”
I squeeze her hands. “The police will find out. I'll stay on them till they have answers.”
She closes her eyes and swallows hard. “There's only one person I can think of: Preston.”
I nod grimly, but wonder if it was really him, or the Pearls trying to get my full attention.
There’s a knock on the wall beside the open door. It’s Riker.
“Police are on their way. I’m going down a floor to see if there’s any ceiling damage in that apartment, but I’ll be right back.”
“Thank you,” Blue says with a meek smile.
I still don’t like how he looks at her, so remain silent until he leaves. Then, I nod towards her closet. “Pack your things.”
“What things?”
“Whatever you need,” I say, just as my phone rings. “You aren’t staying here.” Glancing at the phone, I tell her, “It’s your mother.”
“Don’t tell her!” Blue jumps to her feet. “Nothing, Brent. Not a thing. I'll never hear the end of it.”
I answer the phone and listen to Cleo explain they're running late and won’t have Natalie to my house until after six. I tell her that’s fine and hang up.
I gesture towards the closet again, certain Blue isn't done putting up a fight about where she's staying. “You either stay with me, or your mother. Your choice.”
She opens her mouth, but a shout from the other room interrupts her.
“You in there, the fiancé?” the old man says from the living room. “Come take a look at this.”
“Coming.” I tell her, “Start packing.”
“You can’t tell me what –”
“Blue?”
“Brent, it isn't –”
“Pack, babe. Now.”
She turns around in a huff.
“I’m only saying what the police will tell you.” Having already witnessed her hard-headedness, I add, “For your own safety, they’ll suggest you stay somewhere else for a few days. Common procedure.”
I walk out of the bedroom. In the living room, the old man stops near the remnants of the broken fish tanks. “Don’t touch anything,” I tell him.
“Yeah, yeah, I know better.” He points to the floor. “Look at the hammer laying there. Bet that’s what was used to smash the tanks. Pretty dumb to leave it behind, don’t you think?”
“That’s my hammer,” Blue says stepping up beside me. “Weird. It's usually
in the kitchen drawer.”
I grab her arm as she starts walking forward. “We can’t touch anything in here until the police arrive.” Glancing around, I notice the lamps are on. Even weirder.
I hadn’t flipped any switches. I'm sure of it. And I walked in before her, so she hadn’t either, which means whoever did this, did it at night.
My stomach knots at the thought of what may have happened had she been home. Last week, after realizing I couldn’t keep following her, I’d paid one of Juan’s cousins to, but only until she’d arrived home for the night.
“I have to clean up this mess,” she says. “The entire building will start stinking.”
“I’ll send over a crew first thing in the morning,” I say. Looking her in the eye, I ask, “So, which is it, Blue? Your mother’s place or mine?”
11
Elephant in the Room (Izzy)
I keep my trembling hands in my lap beneath the table while mother paces Brent’s kitchen.
“Who on earth would do such a thing?” she says again. “Destroy someone’s property like that? Kill their fish?”
“The police are looking into it,” Brent says. “Probably just vandals.”
Thankfully, he's only told her someone broke into my apartment and smashed the fish tanks. The loss of the fish didn’t scare me as badly as the writing on the walls. I see those devil words every time I close my eyes.
TEASE. BITCH. WHORE.
“Well, I’m so glad that you’ll be staying here, darling,” Mother says. “I hate the idea of you being alone. I can stay home, too, if you’d prefer. If you need a hand with –”
“No,” I say sharply. “You go to Vegas with George, Mom. There’s nothing you can do here.”
Brent’s phone rings. After glancing at the screen, he walks out the sliding door, closing it tight before answering.
Mom sighs and the look on her face tells the world what she thinks of Brent. “Such a wonderful man, Izzy. I’m so glad he was with you this evening. He’s exactly what you need. Strong. Solid. Caring. Handsome...”
I stop listening to her long litany celebrating my Not Fiancé, however true.
