Grabbing my glass of water with a shaky hand, I took a sip before looking Jordan in his eye and apologizing again. “I’m sorry about the way I reacted earlier. You have been nothing but sweet and creative and I reacted—no—I overreacted.”
He was able to take a potentially date ending reaction and laugh at it. If I had a checklist, he would be nailing everything. Handsome. Check. Sense of humor. Check. Gentlemanly. Check. Romantic. Check. This was a good pick. Jordan is definitely the cream of the crop, I realized as he waved off my apology.
“Stop apologizing. I mean it,” he demanded as he sipped his wine. His eyes danced as he watched me. “Although I want to paint with you at some point, we’re not going to talk about painting or what happened earlier anymore tonight. But I do have one question.”
The way he looked at me made breathing a little more difficult. “What’s that?”
“How long have you been a fan of Dexter?” he joked, unable to keep a straight face.
I put my face in my hands and peeked at him between my fingers. Giggling, I responded, “I read the book first and then got hooked on the series.”
“I haven’t read a book in forever. Truth be told, I hate reading.”
Well, that’s disappointing, I thought as I found my first negative in a sea of positives. Boris reads…
“Clearing his throat, he looked at me sincerely. “I want to know more about you. Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from?”
“Well, I’m originally from North Carolina. I moved here a couple of years ago.”
“Is that where that cute little accent comes from?” Jordan interjected flirtatiously, taking another sip of his wine.
I laughed loudly. “I do not have an accent!”
Jordan raised his eyebrows. “You don’t? Okay well say ‘do’ again.”
I sighed dramatically and rolled my eyes. “Whatever Jordan!” I enunciated each syllable slowly eliminating any hint of an accent and making him laugh.
He is seriously the total package from what I can tell, I thought as I listened to him laugh. And he thinks I’m funny. Check.
“You just think I have an accent because you have an accent,” I countered. “Where are you from?”
“I’m from New Jersey. I went to college in Jersey and then culinary school in New York. I lived in New York for the next few years and business was booming. I loved it. But I needed a change so…”
College educated. Check. Business savvy. Check.
“What made you decide to move here?”
“I separated from my wife.”
Oh…
**********
Chapter 11: Summer
The knocking against my bedroom door slowly roused me. I groaned, twisting from my back to my side, pulling the pillow over my head.
“Summer?” Autumn called from the other side of the door. “Summer, are you sleeping?
I heard the door creaking open so I let the pillow drop back down and flopped onto my back. “Yes, I’m asleep,” I groaned, covering my eyes with my forearm to block the hallway light pouring into the room. “It’s like two in the morning, Autumn.”
“Okay first, this can’t wait until morning. And second, it’s 10:30 p.m.,” she said, pushing my feet over to sit at the end of the bed.
Ten thirty?! I thought, opening one eye and peeking from behind my arm. I know I ended the date with Theo early, but how is it possible that I’m home and in bed this early?
“What’s going on?” I asked, attempting to sit up in bed. Giving up, I just curled up into a ball and waited. When she didn’t say anything in response to me, I felt a bit panicked and opened my eyes wide. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just…confused.” She paused. “About Jordan.”
“What happened? He was perfect for you!”
“Did you know he’s married?”
“I know that he’s separated,” I countered carefully.
“I think that’s something you should’ve prepared me for!”
“What? He’s single!” I pushed myself up so I could see her face.
“I don’t want to be his post-marriage fling!” Autumn collapsed backward on the bed with her feet still touching the floor.
“Does he seem like the fling kind of guy?” I cocked my head to the side. His nervous ass wouldn’t even know how to have a fling, I thought as I glanced at the clock. Seriously, what time did I go to bed?
“No. He actually seems pretty great.” The small smile and wistful look on her face was so cute it made me smile.
“So what’s the problem, Auty?”
“Sometimes people don’t want to get into a serious relationship after a divorce. Not that I’m saying I want a serious relationship with him. But if I’m going to date someone, I want to know that there’s a chance that we have a future together. And if he’s separated, that means he’s still married. There’s no future there.”
I looked at her blankly as she stared at the ceiling. And this is exactly why I don’t get caught up with feelings. Completely. Over. Rated. She’s freaking out about feelings she doesn’t know if she’s going to have with a guy she just met who she may or may not even want to have a future with. Makes no sense to me, I thought, rubbing my face with my hands.
“As your best friend, I need you to chill all the way out. So he’s separated and about to be divorced… big deal!” I declared.
“Hey!” she protested, sitting back up. She opened her mouth to say something else but I cut her off.
“If you knew he was separated, would you have gone on the date with him?”
“No. Absolutely not,” Autumn said firmly.
“Did you have fun tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want to marry him?”
“What? No! I don’t even know him!” Autumn sputtered, shaking her head wildly.
“Okay so we’ve established that you think he’s a good guy and you had fun with him right?”
She nodded so I continued, “And you would’ve missed out on meeting him and having a good time tonight all because he is separated.”
She nodded again so I propped myself back against my pillows and concluded, “So you’re freaking out about going on one date with Jordan—who is a great guy and completely your type, by the way—because he is practically divorced. Sounds unreasonable.”
Ugh! I told him not to bring up the separation or the pending divorce on the first date. He was so nervous about that being too much baggage and then he just drops it on her. And I didn’t tell her because I knew she’d react like this. They are so frustrating. Cute, but frustrating, I thought as I watched her process what I just said.
She looked at me with her lips pursed, deep in thought. “I guess,” she said slowly, unconvinced. “But let’s be clear, ‘practically divorced’ and single aren’t the same thing.”
“You don’t have to marry him. Hell, you don’t even have to see him again. That’s what this is all about—dating for the fun of it.”
“I know. That’s true.” Patting my leg, she apologized, “Sorry I woke you up. How was your date?”
“Uneventful.”
“You didn’t like Theo?” Autumn questioned, clearly surprised.
“Oh no, that’s not it. He was nice. He was really cute too.”
“So why was it uneventful?”
I shrugged. “He was too nice.”
“After Josh, you need nice. You deserve nice.”
I sighed, “Yeah, but I felt like he was trying too hard.”
“What happened?”
“He liked everything I liked and laughed at everything I said and thought all of my thoughts and opinions were brilliant. It was overkill.”
“That’s crazy because when I met him, he was so much like you. He was outgoing, funny, and seemed to move to the beat of his own drum. And then I guess he got around you and got all mushy!” Autumn poked me in my side making me jump.
“Well that’s hard to believe because he didn’t seem to have an original thou
ght in that cute little head of his. I was asking him questions and he would turn them around on me.”
Autumn smiled. “Isn’t that the same thing Xavier did?”
“What?” I feigned ignorance, pulling the comforter back up to my chin.
“When you asked him how he knew your name, didn’t he turn it around on you?” Autumn asked.
I glared at her. “That was different.”
Autumn’s phone vibrated against her handbag loudly. “How was it different?” she asked, digging around in her bag.
“It’s different because Xavier isn’t someone I’m trying to date. And because—”
“It’s different because you’ve got it bad for Xavier,” Autumn interrupted knowingly.
“If by ‘it’ you mean I’ve got a mild tolerance for someone who apparently works in my building, then sure.” I threw my hands up.
“You said that when you first saw him you were tempted to throw your panties at him. And you had on pants! You said you were going to take your pants off, throw your thong at him, and then slip your pants back on!”
I crack myself up, I thought as I chuckled along with her.
Autumn looked at her phone and she became doe-eyed instantly.
“Who’s that?” I asked.
“Boris,” she giggled guiltily. Sending a quick message back, she threw her phone back in her bag. “But let’s not change the subject. You are interested in Xavier. We’ve been best friends for a long time. I know you. And I know when you’re into someone.”
I rolled over and covered my head with my comforter. “Anyway…” I said, sighing noisily, “can I go back to bed, please? I have a lunch date tomorrow.”
“I know. In like fifteen hours. But yes, you can. Goodnight!”
“Night.”
As soon as I heard the door click closed, I kicked the comforter off of me. I wanted to be frustrated that Autumn brought up Xavier. But in all honesty, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I just wanted to punch him in his arrogant face.
And then kiss it to make it better, I thought unintentionally, making myself mad.
Closing my eyes tightly, I tried to ward off the unwelcome thoughts. Okay yes, Xavier’s sexy. Probably the sexiest man I’ve ever seen in my life. And yes, we seem to have a couple of things in common. But if Xavier Ford thinks that I’m stalking him because of that, he’s stupid. And Josh Jones was the last stupid guy I will ever involve myself with. Ugh! Xavier’s reaction to our accidental run-in was ridiculous, rude, arrogant, and completely uncalled for. And quite frankly, I’m pissed that he would even allude to me stalking him. He sucks. And so does his jackass friend. Eligible bachelor, my ass!
I fell asleep angry and woke up unbelievably horny a few hours later. The house was completely quiet and my eyes slowly started to close again. I was slipping out of consciousness and saw light blue eyes on my way out.
I turned around and Xavier was standing right behind me on his moonlit balcony. Shirtless. And wearing shorts that hung low on his hips.
“You scared me!” I screeched with my hands on my chest. “I’m trying to set up for the photoshoot, so if you don’t mind…”
I turned back around and adjusted and readjusted the lighting even though it was perfect. I cut it off and then I cut it back on and then I cut it back off, busying myself until Xavier left. Even though I wanted to punch him in the face, I couldn’t help that I also wanted to ride him hard. And it wasn’t helping matters that he was half naked or that I could still smell his cologne. His scent was intoxicating and just his presence turned me on.
“You’re doing the same thing over and over again,” he mentioned, amusement in his voice.
I whipped around quickly. “You don’t know anything about photography.”
“I really get under your skin, don’t I?”
“Yes, because you are an arrogant—”
I gasped as he pinched my left nipple hard through my jumper. I wasn’t wearing a bra and the thin cotton material offered no protection at all. The sensation shot fire through my body and straight to my core. He released that nipple, but grabbed and squeezed the other, causing the same sensation. Using his thumbs, he rubbed my hard nipples gently.
"What was that you were saying?” he asked while slowly teasing my nipples. The contrast between his rough and then soft touch against the thin cotton made me hot.
“I was going to call you an arrogant asshole,” I said, looking directly into his eyes.
Sliding the straps of my jumper off of my shoulder, he slowly exposed my breasts. “Is that how you feel about me?”
Before I could respond, he grabbed my breasts and mashed them together. “I asked you a question, Summer,” Xavier pointed out softly, kneading the meaty flesh. The heat spread from deep within my belly throughout my entire body.
Not waiting for a reply, he smirked. Dipping his head, his warm, wet mouth alternated sucking on my sensitive nipples. My head fell back as his teeth gently nibbled on me. I cried out as everything between my legs clenched. His mouth felt so good I didn’t even realize he was slipping my jumper down to my feet. But when I did, I stepped out of it automatically.
“Do you think I’m an arrogant asshole, Summer?” Xavier asked between licking and sucking. The low growl in his voice made me ache.
“Yes,” I moaned as I gripped the balcony railing.
“Then say it again,” he challenged. His left hand still had a tight grip on my breast and his right hand moved down my belly. His fingertips lightly touched my skin, leaving a scorching path to my last piece of clothing, my lace G-string. “Say it, Summer.”
I murmured incoherently as I tried to get ahold of myself. But as soon as his long fingers reached my panty line, I was in no condition to speak.
“Your panties are soaked,” Xavier whispered as he stroked me through the damp material. “You want me to take them off of you?”
I couldn’t do anything but nod as his stroking became more insistent. I closed my eyes and relished the feeling of him playing with my body. My wet panties were sticking to me, causing extra friction that would surely do me in sooner rather than later.
My breathing was erratic as I moaned louder. My hips started gyrating into his hand. I felt myself approaching the point of no return. And then he stopped.
I opened my eyes slowly, only to find him watching me.
“You like this, don’t you?” The look in his eyes made me grip the railing tighter. My eyes were mesmerized by his body. I stared at the bulge that was tenting his shorts and I wanted to reach out and touch him. He took a step toward me and I felt his hardness spearing me in my belly. Even through the shorts, I could feel how hot and hard he was.
Gazing up at him, I licked my lips. Taking one hand off of the railing in order to run it up and down the length of him, I maintained eye contact.
“Oh…yes” I whispered as his fingers tangled in my hair. I put my fingertips in the waistband of his shorts and then pushed them to the ground.
As soon as my hand came in contact with his naked flesh, he groaned. I started to stroke him and each stroke became more demanding as I watched his face.
“You like this, don’t you?” I panted, unable to command the same sexy authority in my voice as he had in his when he uttered those same words. But the effect was everything I wanted it to be.
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Xavier’s mouth was on me. He parted my lips with his tongue and kissed me hard and deep. His hands were everywhere at the same time, while my hands slid up his torso to his chest and then back down so I could continue stroking him. I squeezed him in my hand, marveling at the thickness. He groaned in response.
Pulling away from me, he turned me around, bending me over the railing. “You’re going to want to hold on for this,” he advised as he slowly removed my panties, careful not to touch me. I trembled with desire as the anticipation of what he might do kept building.
“You said you think I’m an arrogant asshole, right?”
&n
bsp; Leaning over the railing, I answered, “Yes.” My voice was soft and almost got lost in the light breeze.
“You sure?” he asked, rubbing himself against my wet opening. His touch was electrifying as he slid across the most sensitive part of me.
I moaned and pushed back against him in an attempt to get him inside of me. Gripping my hips, he held me steady.
Without warning, I felt the shock of his hand firmly making contact with my ass. The smack wasn’t hard, but the mixture of pleasure and pain had me dripping. I pushed back against him and again, he held me steady, preventing himself from entering me.
“Are you sure that’s how you feel about me?” Xavier inquired once more, moving a fraction of an inch away from me.
Before I could repeat myself, his fingers made direct contact with me for the first time and I groaned loudly. Plunging his fingers into me, I could no longer speak. The deep ache that overwhelmed me was reaching the point of no return as he skillfully worked his fingers in and out of me. I panted wantonly and unabashedly.
“Not yet,” he whispered.
He pulled his fingers out of me. I turned my head just in time to see him stroking himself with my wetness. I turned back around and gripped the railing tighter. The highly erotic sight of him pleasuring himself was almost too much for me to take.
“You want this?” he asked before he rubbed himself against me. I moaned as he pushed the head right against my opening. Then he froze.
“Answer the question.”
I was quiet for a minute. “Yes,” I groaned as he started slowly pushing against me and then withdrawing, never penetrating me.
His hand came down solidly on the other ass check. That time it was all pleasure, no pain as I somewhat expected he’d smack my ass again.
“You are lying. You’re either lying to me or you’re lying to yourself. But you’re lying,” he concluded just above a whisper.
“I’m not ly—” My voice tapered off into a deep, guttural moan as he slowly sank into me. He paused, holding himself still, making me beg for him to continue.
“Please,” I begged. “Please don’t stop.”
“You want me just as bad as I want you,” Xavier whispered.
Autumn and Summer Page 12
