Burn Me Anthology

by Shantel Tessier

  “How are you feeling?” he says, not bothering with hello.

  “Better,” I answer hoarsely. “I wanted to apologize.”

  “Did you take the aspirin?” he questions ignoring me.

  “Jimmy.”

  “Melissa, there is nothing to apologize for. I liked being with you—I liked it a fuck of a lot.”

  “Still, I’d like to explain,” I reply. Biting my lip, I eye the brown paper bag. “You brought me breakfast.”

  “Did you eat it?”

  “Not yet,” I admit, running my fingers through my hair. “My mother picked up my son for the day. If you’re not busy, let’s meet for lunch. My treat,” I suggest. He doesn’t respond immediately, causing me to wonder if he’s still interested. For all I know, Jimmy Casale is a man with manners and thought nothing of bringing me his hangover remedy.

  “If you’re busy, it’s fine—”

  “I’ve got work at four so let’s meet at the Unicorn diner in an hour. Does that work for you?”

  “That’s perfect,” I murmur. Lifting my fingers to my lips, I realize I’m smiling and he’s the reason.

  “See you then,” he says softly. “And Melissa?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m paying.” His tone leaves no room for argument and after we hang up, I make my way upstairs to the bathroom. I shower and when I dress, I don’t over analyze my clothing. Instead I throw on my most comfortable pair of sweat pants and the first t-shirt I see. Sliding my feet into my sneakers, I twist my damp hair into a top knot before scribing a quick note to Amber, letting her know I went to meet Jimmy.

  When I arrive at the diner he’s already there sipping a cup of coffee. His eyes find mine and he moves to stand but, I press a hand to his shoulder, forcing him back into his chair. Bending my head, I press my lips to his cheek and relish the flicker of surprise reflected in his eyes. Once I find my seat across from him, he leans forward and the lines around his eyes crinkle as he licks his lips.

  “You’re looking better.”

  “It’s amazing what a shower and a greasy sandwich can do for a girl,” I reply, offering him a smile. “I know you don’t want to hear it again, but, I’m sorry I ruined our date.”

  “You didn’t ruin anything,” he insists, scratching his jaw. “You were pretty amusing.”

  “I bet,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. “It’s not every day a girl falls into your lap.”

  “This is true,” he agrees with a smile. “But, I gotta tell you, I think I would’ve liked it better if you threw your panties at me.”

  Closing my eyes, I bite back the groan.

  “I remember that part,” I admit. The sound of his laughter forces my eyes back to him and I help myself to the pot of coffee on the table. “I also recall you asking me to tell you about myself.”

  “I did but things got hairy before you got the chance to.”

  “I’d like to change that,” I say softly. Lifting the cup to my lips, I take a sip. The waitress comes to take our order and once she’s gone, Jimmy folds his hands on top of the table, giving me his undivided attention.

  “Talk to me,” he encourages.

  Unsure where to begin, I start with the first thing that comes to mind.

  “You’re the first man I’ve dated since my son’s father,” I reveal. “The first man I’ve been interested in since I met Chris,” I pause, swallowing the lump. “That was his name.”

  “Was?” he rasps.

  “He passed away,” I whisper, dropping my gaze to my barren finger. “It was our wedding day, and he was on his way to the church when a tractor trailer collided with his car, killing him instantly.”

  Jimmy’s tattooed hands cover mine, causing me to lift my head. His eyes are full of sorrow and regret, both of which I don’t want. He opens his mouth—no doubt to give me his condolences but I don’t give him the chance. Leaning over the table, I lift a finger to his lips silencing him as I shake my head.

  “Don’t look at me like that and before you say you’re sorry, let me finish. It’s been five years since he died. Five long years and I’m finally realizing I want to move on. I don’t want to go the rest of my life mournfully existing. I want to live. I want to experience everything that makes life incredible.”

  Jimmy gently closes his hand around my wrist and I watch his throat as he swallows. Fearing what might come from his mouth, I continue to ramble on.

  “I know we don’t know each other that well but, I’d like to change that. I like you Jimmy, I like your morals and your manners. I like the way I feel when I’m with you and I really like looking at you,” I whisper with a smile. “So, if you’re interested, I’d like for us to get to know one another better. Even if we only end up being friends.”

  “I can’t,” he says with a tortured expression on his face. My ego deflates instantly and I make a move to take my hand from his but his grip tightens.

  “I can’t be your friend because I make it my business not to sleep with friends,” he amends. “If you and I agree to see where this goes I can almost promise you we’ll end up in bed together.”

  “Sleepovers can be fun,” I croak.

  “I’m talking about sleepovers of the naked nature,” he clarifies. “The kind where I spend all night between your legs, reminding you you’re alive and reacquainting you with the things that make life incredible.”

  Jimmy has flirted with me before but he’s never been so forthcoming with his intentions. As much as they terrify me they also excite me.

  “I’m not ready for that,” I admit hoarsely. “And, I don’t know when I will be either.”

  It took a lot of courage for me to admit I want to see where this goes. To be fully invested in another man and give into my attraction for him.

  Caressing the inside of my wrist, he nods while keeping his eyes firmly planted on mine.

  “I’m a patient man, Melissa,” he starts. “I might not have lost my wife tragically but I know what it’s like to lose the person you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with. I know the struggle of starting over. We’ll take things slow and set guidelines. Whatever makes you comfortable.”

  “Baby steps,” I say, biting the inside of my cheek as I contemplate the suggestion. “What kind of guidelines.”

  “Well,” he begins, intertwining our fingers. “I get to hold your hand whenever I want.”

  “I think I can manage that,” I agree.

  “Yeah, how about dinner? Can you handle a few of those? Maybe a movie or a walk in the park?”

  “Seems feasible. Are you the only one who gets to lay down the law?” I question, lifting an eyebrow. Releasing my hands, his lips quirk.

  “Have at it,” he urges.

  “We kiss,” I say boldly. His eyes grow dark at the suggestion.

  “That’s a given considering we already have.”

  “I was hoping we could have a do over on that,” I admit, tucking my hair behind my ears. His gaze sweeps around the diner before landing back on me.

  “You want to show these people how it’s done?”

  “Right now?”

  “You can fall into my lap again,” he suggests.

  The old me would’ve leaped over the table without hesitation. Maybe it’s time to get back to basics, back to living for the moment and not the past. Holding Jimmy’s attention, I push out my chair and stand to my feet. His chair slides back as I round the tiny table and instead of faking a fall, I take a seat on his lap. Without giving it too much thought, I do what comes natural and wind my arms around his neck. Inhaling a sharp breath, our foreheads touch as I stare into his half closed eyes.

  “Hi,” I whisper as he grips my waist.

  “Hi,” he grinds out, pulling me closer. A second passes and we share the same breath before his mouth closes over mine. His lips are soft as they familiarize themselves with mine until they’re not. Until they are just as demanding as my own. I open my mouth welcoming his tongue as it sweeps over mine and the butterflies I felt t
he night before return, taking flight deep within me. They force me to feel, to take and to taste.

  For the first time since I lost Chris, my shadow is moving without his.

  And that’s okay.

  I’m okay.

  I’m alive.

  Chapter 9

  A Hero in The Bedroom

  Jimmy Casale

  As a practicing Catholic, I was taught that we all become saints before entering God’s kingdom. He forgives us of our sins and welcomes us into the gates of heaven. It isn’t until you truly fuck up that you pray your beliefs are true. If you’re me, it happens after you spend a month lying to a woman you’re falling head over heels for.

  A better man would’ve come clean the moment she revealed Chris had passed away. A man a little less selfish would’ve confessed to knowing her late fiancé. He would’ve told her all about how he rescued him and when she stared at him with a baffled expression he would’ve confessed another truth. Coincidences like this don’t happen to people like us. I might not know the reason but I am undoubtedly certain fate intervened to align our paths.

  To be fair, I almost told her that day at the diner but, she lifted her finger to my lips and when I stared into her pleading eyes, I thought better of it. Here was this beautiful woman trying to move on after living the last five years of her life stuck on pause. It was a big step for her. A huge one and she wanted to take it with me.

  As a man who lived for the sake of others, I found it inspiring and for the first time in seventeen years; I put my wants and needs above everyone else’s. To ease my guilt, I convinced myself I was helping Melissa too. Telling her I knew Chris prior to his death wouldn’t bring him back. Not to the woman who wanted to marry him or the son who never got a chance to meet him.

  He was gone and me, well; I was still here.

  I was the guy standing in front of a woman looking to fill the void another man left behind. I would never take his place but, I could be the man who awakened her soul. The man who made her smile again and restored her trust in God’s plan.

  “What’re you thinking about?” Melissa questions, jarring my thoughts. Turning my head, I meet her curious stare.

  “You,” I reply, draping my arm around her shoulders. Drawing her closer, I let my fingers glide over her bare shoulder. “Did you enjoy dinner?”

  “Do you even have to ask?” she replies, burying her nose against my chest.

  God, I like the way she feels in my arms.

  It took some time for her to come out of her shell and be comfortable around me but once she did, I learned there are so many fascinating layers to her. She’s a little quirky, sometimes funny, loves to tease and when she puts her mind to something, she gives it her all.

  “You can cook for me anytime,” she continues, running her hand down the concave center of my chest. While I love having her hands on me, there is only so much I can take. My balls have been permanently blue for four weeks straight. Rubbing one out in the shower doesn’t even help anymore so when I feel her fingers slide under my t-shirt I mutter a curse.

  “Melissa,” I grunt.

  “Hmm?”

  Angling her head, she slides her free hand up my thigh and gives me those innocent eyes of hers.

  “You’re playing with fire,” I warn roughly.

  “Funny, I thought that was your job.”

  Closing my eyes, I allow myself a moment to enjoy the feel of her pressed against me. Her hand moves down the inside of my thigh and a growl sounds from the back of my throat. Without thinking, I grab her hips and pull her onto my lap. Straddling me, she braces her hands on my shoulders and rocks against my erection.

  My eyes snap open, searching her face for the slightest hint of apprehension but all I find in those pretty eyes is desire. Drawing in a deep breath, I lift my hands and cup her face. Her nose brushes against mine and I watch her gaze divert to my lips.

  “Kiss me,” she whispers.

  Sliding one hand through her hair, I cup the back of her head. Fisting her hair, I position her and then I take.

  I take and take.

  Licking her lips, she opens for me and I dive in, taking more.

  More and more.

  Deepening the kiss, she grinds her hips and I lose it. My hands move to her ass, squeezing her cheeks through the thin fabric of her sweats as I arch against her. Frenzied hands, glide down my chest, clutching my shirt and it takes every bit of control I have to pull back.

  In between breaths she licks her lips and stares at me.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “If we don’t stop now, I don’t know that I’ll be able to later,” I rasp, noticing her nipples straining through her tank top. “Jesus,” I groan.

  “Is Gabriella sleeping at her friends?” she questions.

  Unable to find my voice, I jerk my head hoping it's enough of a response for her.

  Grabbing my hand, she guides it to her neck and moves it down the smooth column. My fingers graze her collarbone briefly before she slides them under her shirt. Touching the lace cup of her bra, she moves my hand lower and her nipple brushes against my palm.

  “Touch me,” she whispers.

  Doing as I’m told, I squeeze her full breast as she takes my other hand and brings it up the inside of her thigh.

  “I don’t want to wait anymore,” she continues. “I want you, Jimmy. I want you on top of me, between my legs… inside me… everywhere. I want to feel you everywhere.”

  An animalistic growl pours from my throat as she bends her head and takes my lower lip between her teeth. Reciprocating the gesture, I take her nipple between my fingers and twist, matching the roughness of her mouth.

  A fire stirs between us and the flames climb higher and higher as I break the kiss and pull her shirt over her head. Sliding her bra straps down her shoulders, I move my hands to the lace covering her and pull the cups down, exposing her. Reaching behind her she helps unclasp the bra, and it falls between us before she takes my hands, placing them where she wants them. Cupping her perfect tits in my hands, I bend my head and suck one nipple into my mouth.

  The control I’ve worked so hard to keep intact slips and like a savage, I suck, bite and lick my way to heaven. Grabbing her ass, I maneuver her in my arms and lift myself off the couch. She wraps her legs around my waist and winds her arms around my neck as I carry her up the stairs, to my bedroom. Kicking the door closed, I step toward the bed and gently set her on the edge watching as she hooks her thumbs under the waistband of her sweats.

  Lifting her hips, I stare at her in awe as the cotton slides down her toned legs. Once they’re around her ankles, she kicks them off. Wearing nothing but a pair of lace panties, she draws in a deep breath and places her palms on the mattress.

  “You’re beautiful,” I rasp hoarsely, drinking her in. Her tits sway with the rise and fall of her chest and she peers up at me through the thick fringe of her long eyelashes.

  So fucking beautiful and all mine.

  Mine to pleasure.

  Mine to take.

  Mine, mine, mine.

  Reaching behind me, I grab my t-shirt and pull it over my head. I toss it to the floor and meet her gaze as I work on removing my sweats.

  “I knew you weren’t wearing underwear,” she whispers, staring at my cock like it’s her salvation.

  “It’s about time you don’t either,” I tell her, kicking my pants out of my way. My cock sways heavily between my thighs as I stride toward her watching as she turns around on all fours and crawls further up my bed.

  A sight I won’t ever forget.

  With her ass perched high in the air, I kneel on the bed and reach for her hips. Pulling her closer, I bend my head and close my mouth over the lace covering her round cheeks. Between my teeth and my hands, I drag the fabric over the swell of her ass. Completely bare, I flip her on her back and spread her legs as wide as possible.

  As I move between her legs, she covers her face with her hands. Instinctively I grab her wrists and pin
her hands over her head.

  “We don’t have to do this,” I mutter. “But, if we are, if you give me the okay, then I want to see your face. I want to look into those pretty eyes of yours and watch them change as you come.”

  Biting her lip, she shakes her head.

  “No, I want to. It’s just…”

  “You’re nervous.”

  “I am,” she admits. “It’s been so long.”

  “Slow,” I grunt, releasing her wrists. Pressing a quick kiss against her mouth, I slide down the length of her body and throw her legs over my shoulders.

  “Jimmy,” she purrs.

  “You want to watch?” I ask, pressing my thumb against her clit. Her eyes dart to my hand and her breath quickens as I push two fingers through her wet lips and inside the tightest pussy I’ve ever had. My eyes close as a reflex and I savor the feel of her around me, imagining what my cock will feel like buried inside that tight heat. Snapping out of my trance, I will myself not to blow my load and pull my fingers from her. Lifting them to my lips, I suck them into my mouth and get my first taste.

  I like to think I’m a man who has lived a lot of life but now I know it wasn’t only Melissa who was just existing. For a man truly hasn’t lived a day until he’s found his nirvana.

  The noise she makes draws me away from my head and encourages me. I push my fingers back into her, curling them slightly. Removing them again, I bring them to her lips.

  “Open,” I growl and obediently she sucks them into her mouth. “So good,” I mutter as she releases my fingers with a pop. Her legs widen and she arches off the bed, begging for more.

  Always a gentleman, I oblige… with my mouth.

  The first lap of my tongue causes her to moan my name.

  A sound as unforgettable as her face.

  Arching off the bed, her fingers reach for my head, holding it in place as I ravage her. Licking her from ass to clit, I fuck her with both my tongue and my fingers. Burning on the edge of something beautiful, she clenches around my fingers and pulses against my tongue. It’s another unforgettable sight and I continue to pump my fingers, milking every last drop and relishing every tremor her body makes.