Fire and Ice (Sticks & Hearts Book 2)

by Rhonda James

  “I usually just drive over to his house after class, or he meets me when I get off work,” I counter.

  “I see. And this club where you dance. Just what kind of club is this? A professional dance club? A nightclub?” She levels me with her piercing blue eyes. Derek has the same eyes, only his hold nothing but kindness when they look at me.

  “Strip club,” I answer defensively.

  No one says a word for at least a full minute.

  One. Awkward. Minute.

  Then it’s as if I’ve never said a word. His mom gets up and rattles on about a cheesecake she made for dessert, and then she makes a point of telling me that turtle cheesecake is Derek’s all-time favorite.

  A short time later, we head back downstairs to get ready for bed. I dig around in my bag and pull out a pair of shorts and the Iron Man tank top I favor sleeping in. Without a word, I start for the bathroom to change, suddenly feeling very cheap and a little insecure.

  Derek catches me by the wrist on my way past him. “You’re far too quiet for my liking. You okay, baby?” When I don’t answer, he curls an arm around my middle and pulls me into his embrace. My nose is smashed against his muscular chest, and I can’t breathe, but I don’t want to move. I feel safer in this moment than I’ve probably ever felt before.

  His hands smooth over my back in a circular motion, and I breathe out a contented sigh. “Can I do anything to make you feel better?”

  I give my head a slight shake and nuzzle my cheek into one of his defined pecs. “What you’re doing now feels pretty good,” I mumble.

  “Do you still want me to sleep on the sofa?” He kisses the top of my head.

  “No. I just need your arms around me.”

  “Well then, baby, I’m your man. I’ve got two arms that love being around you. I’ll hold you all night if that’s what you want,” he says tenderly.

  We both change and settle beneath the blankets. I’m on my side, my back to him, as he molds his body to mine, circling his arms around me. In his embrace I feel safe and secure.

  His embrace makes me feel loved.

  “Derek,” I whisper. “Don’t ever let go.”

  He leans forward, his lips finding mine in the dark, and presses a soft kiss against them. “Never.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  DEREK

  Waking up next to Laney always makes for a great start to my day, but waking up next to her in my old bed knowing my parents are upstairs makes it even better. I’m the first one awake and slip out of bed to use the bathroom. When I come back, I stop at the foot of my bed and watch her for a moment while she sleeps.

  She’s curled up on her side with her long legs tucked up into her body. A portion of her dark hair fans out over the pillow while the rest has fallen forward, covering most of her face. The blankets have been pushed down to her waist and the tank top she’s wearing has shifted to reveal half of her right breast. If I listen closely, I can hear the cute little sound she makes when she sleeps. It sounds almost like a cat purring. I’ve told her about it a couple of times, but she doesn’t believe me. One of these days, I’m going to have to record it and have her listen. She’s embarrassed by it, but I think it’s adorable, and I’ve grown quite fond of listening to it while I’m lying next to her.

  She stirs just a little, and I take that moment to slip back beneath the blankets and ease her back against me. Her skin is warm and inviting, so I nuzzle my nose through her blanket of hair until my lips find the soft skin on her neck. I work my way forward, dotting her warm skin with delicate kisses. She stretches once then pushes her ass back against my erection.

  “Mmm. Morning,” she moans, her voice thick with sleep. Her fingers find my hand and guide it down the front of her shorts. She’s not wearing underwear. Last night, she was upset, so we fell asleep with her in my arms. Although I was horny when we first crawled into bed, last night wasn’t about me. She needed me to hold her. She’d shared about losing her parents and what she did for a living. She made herself vulnerable and what she wanted was to feel protected.

  What she needed from me in that moment had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with being loved.

  So I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close.

  But this morning, it’s clear she needs a deeper, physical connection, and it seems my dick is happy to oblige.

  My fingers stretch down to find her center. She’s already slick with arousal. With her hand covering mine, I dip the tips of two fingers in just enough to elicit a throaty moan. Her legs part, and her hips rock forward ever so slightly, seeking deeper penetration, but I don’t want to rush this. I drench my fingers in her juices and spread the delicious wetness through her slit, teasing the outer edges of her clit as I go. Her clit is swollen with arousal and begging to be fondled. I roll it between the pad of my thumb and forefinger and take great delight in the way her body responds to my touch.

  “Right there,” she drawls lazily. “A little faster. Harder.” Her fingers wrestle with mine, and I pull back, allowing her access to the hardened nub. While she works her clit, I slide two fingers deep inside her and pump quickly. The heel of my hand presses down below where she’s vigorously working, creating additional friction to the already sensitive area.

  Her inner walls are slick, allowing my fingers to move without resistance. My cock throbs between us, aching with need to feel her pussy tightening around me. A shuddery breath falls past her lips, and I know she’s close. I move my fingers fast, in long, deep strokes. She slips a finger in beside mine and now there’re three fingers buried inside her. Her back arches, and my erection is nestled in the cleft of her ass. It would be so easy to line my tip against the puckered hole and ease my way inside. Fuck. I bet that would feel amazing. Maybe someday. But not now.

  She draws her soaked finger through her folds and goes back to the little bud, working it into a frenzy. Her hips rock faster as she fucks both our hands simultaneously. It’s hot as fuck, and I know when the orgasm is right on the brink, because I feel her body tense and hear her breathing stutter.

  “Let go, baby. Come for me,” I whisper in her ear.

  “Ah. Oh god. Yes. Yes. Yes.” Her moans are loud, but I don’t care who hears them. She comes all over my hand, and I revel in the way her body tremors beside me.

  The tip of my cock is weeping, aching to be surrounded by her sweet heat. As her orgasm subsides, she throws a leg over mine, opening herself up to me.

  “Derek. Please, fuck me,” she begs hungrily. I don’t have to think twice about it. I’ve been dying to be buried balls deep inside her since last night. I splay my hand between her hips and pull her back against me until my dick slips inside. This angle makes her feel tighter, better than ever. I moan my appreciation as her body slowly adjusts to the intrusion. It’s a little hard to move, but as I rock forward, she pushes back against me at the same time, creating a perfect rhythm of sweet, slick friction. Her pussy is tight, wet, and warm. It feels like home to me. In this position I can feel everything that’s taking place between us. I draw back, leaving only the tip of my cock inside, and her muscles clamp down trying to hold on to me. I slam forward while keeping a firm grip on her hip, and she cries out in ecstasy as my cock fills her to the hilt.

  “Fuck. This almost feels too good.” She moans her agreement, and we rock faster. I feel the orgasm as it starts to take hold. “Laney, I’m going to come. You feel so fucking good, baby. I can’t stop.”

  “Don’t you dare stop. Let go. I want to feel you come inside me,” she cries out.

  “No condom,” I grunt and try to pull away before it’s too late, but she curls an arm behind me to hold me in place.

  “It’s okay,” she pants breathlessly. “The pill,” she says on a broken moan as another orgasm rocks her sweat-slicked body. I groan deep and pump into her as my own release erupts and spills into her. We stay locked together, both afraid to move for fear we’ll break the spell of this moment.

  “I’ve never done that
before.” I turn her head to face me and steal a kiss while we’re still connected. “Now you truly have all of me.”

  “Can we just stay right here, like this, for the rest of our lives?” she whispers against my lips.

  This isn’t the first time she’s asked me this, and I’m beginning to realize she needs me more than she lets on. Every man wants to feel needed. Right? I know it’s in moments like this when I feel I own the fucking world. She makes me want to be a better man. She brings out the best in me.

  Together, we bring out the best in each other.

  I hold her right hand in mine and run my finger over the silver ring that’s always present on her ring finger. She told me one night that it had been a gift from her mom and she never takes it off. It has a smooth silver band with the word Hope etched into the metal.

  “I’ve got no plans for say, the next fifty years, so yeah, I’m good right here.” I chuckle. Her laughter mixes with mine, which is fitting, because I’m starting to realize that everything about us has been fused together in such a perfect fashion. On our own, we’re only a portion of our true selves, but when we’re together, we are complete.

  Derek + Laney = a perfect whole.

  ***

  Mom waited until the last possible second before we left to corner me in the garage. I had planned on staying another day, but after the way things went at dinner last night, I thought it was best to get Laney out of here. But I hated the thought of going back home. This trip may not have worked out as well as I’d envisioned, but I couldn’t deny we’d had some amazing sex since we left Ann Arbor. I know I sound greedy, but what can I say? I’m a guy. I still want more.

  “Derek. I’d like to speak to you privately for a few minutes,” Mom tells me as I’m loading our bags in the back of my truck.

  “What about?” I ask, trying my best to hold back the irritation brewing inside me from last night’s dinner conversation.

  She gives me a look as if she already knows I’m pissed at her, but she doesn’t care; she’s still going to say what she came out her to say.

  “I think you already know what it’s about,” Mom states matter-of-factly. “A stripper? Really, Derek? Out of all the girls who live on campus, this is the one you chose?”

  “Seriously? Since when did you become a judgmental bitch?” I bite out.

  “How dare you speak to me that way? I’m your mother. It’s my job to be a judgmental bitch where you’re concerned. I’m only thinking of what’s best for you, and sweetie, I don’t think Laney is it. Don’t get me wrong. She seems like a very nice girl, but she’s not your future. This girl has a lot of baggage. You need someone with stability. Family support.”

  “You mean money!” I growl.

  “Well, now that you mention it, aren’t you the slightest bit concerned that she is struggling financially, while you’ve just come into a lot of money? The timing does seem a little convenient, wouldn’t you say?” Mom raises a perfectly arched brow at me.

  “How dare you. How dare you stand there and insinuate that she isn’t good enough for your precious baby boy. Newsflash, Mom. I’m not you’re baby anymore. I’m a grown man, and I make my own decisions. You can’t tell me who to love no more than you can tell me how to live my life. Last I looked, it was my life to live. I get to make the choices that make me happy. Not you. And Laney makes me happier than I’ve ever been. I love her, Mom. Nothing you say or do is going to change how I feel about her. But it may change the way I feel about you.” She gasps at the harshness of my words. I don’t care if I sound like an ungrateful asshole. Regardless of who she is, she has no right to make these assumptions about Laney.

  “How can you speak to me that way? I’m your mother. I’ve raised you. Nurtured you. Cared for you when you were sick. It’s my job to worry about you. What if she breaks your heart? What if, God forbid, she winds up pregnant? Then what are you going to do?” Mom cries.

  “Christ, Mom! She’s not going to get pregnant. We’re not that stupid. We’re not talking about shacking up and starting a family just yet. We’re talking about being in love and just having fun. Don’t you remember what that was like?”

  “I heard you two downstairs this morning,” Mom says sarcastically. “Having fun, getting caught up in the moment. That’s exactly how unexpected pregnancies happen.” She steps forward and reaches out to me, but I step back, and a look of hurt flashes through her eyes. “I just don’t want to see you throw away your future on some girl with zero money in the bank and pierced nipples.”

  “I see what this is. You’re jealous because I have someone else in my life. Another woman I turn to instead of you.” She starts to interrupt me, but I hold up my hand and keep talking. “I get that. I totally do. But you’ve done your job. Now, it’s time for you to step aside and trust that I’ve chosen wisely. And I have. Laney is truly an amazing girl, and I hope that one day you’re able to let go of your jealousy long enough for you to realize it.” I shake my head sadly and turn toward the house. “We have to go. When Dad gets back from the driving range, just tell him I said goodbye.”

  When I step inside to call for Laney, I find her standing just on the other side of the door. Her eyes are cast downward, and I worry how much of that conversation she just overheard. Doesn’t matter. Any of it could be enough to make her question why the hell she should stay with me.

  I’m not going to lie. The idea she may question anything about us scares the shit out of me.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  LANEY

  Several weeks have passed since we left his parents, but the conversation I overheard between Derek and his mom keeps playing over in my head as if it were only yesterday. I hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but after hearing some of the things she said about me, I couldn’t seem to make my feet move. I swear if there were a way I could erase hearing those words, I would in a heartbeat. I knew his mom didn’t like me very much; that had been painfully obvious within the first ten minutes of our arrival. But for her to stand in front of him and put me down when she didn’t even take the time to get to know me, well, that really hurt. Derek knew I’d heard her. He didn’t have to say anything. His eyes said what his voice didn’t. He was sorry. Sorry that she’d said them. Sorry I’d overheard them. And even more sorry I actually believed some of what she’d said to be true.

  Despite everything she said, Derek stood behind me and supported me. I would never want to come between Derek and his mom, but to hear him put me first took me by complete surprise. I’ve never had anyone do that for me. The passion in his words and the conviction behind them left my heart reeling. I was a complete mess during the ride home. I was torn between being upset by what she’d said and feeling turned on by the ferocity in his defense of me. I didn’t know if I should cry on his shoulder or jump his bones. So I did neither. Instead, we kept quiet and listened to music most of the way home.

  It was almost dinnertime by the time he pulled his truck up to South Quad. He put it in park but left the engine running because it was cold outside. With one hand, he unbuckled his seatbelt then leaned over and released mine. He pulled me across the bench seat and tucked me under his arm. With his free hand, he cupped the side of my face, and when I wouldn’t look at him, he used his fingers to lift my chin until I was staring into the ocean that makes up his eyes.

  “I’ve been quiet this whole drive, because I knew you probably needed some time to think. But I can’t stay quiet any longer, not when there’s this much at stake.” His mouth captures mine in a soft, intimate kiss that left me breathless. “I love you, Laney. I don’t give a shit about any of that crap my mom was spewing. I’m sorry you had to hear that. I’m not trying to make excuses for her behavior, but I’ve never seen her act that way before. You do know that none of what she said is true, right?”

  “I don’t know. It all sounded pretty accurate to me. I’m a stripper and my nipples are pierced. I don’t have a family to support me and my baggage is heavier than you can even begin to imagine.
So don’t try and tell me what she said isn’t true,” I argued.

  “That’s bullshit. You do have a family. You have Mark and Kelly. And you have me. Let me be your family.” His thumb stroked my jaw, and a tear escaped and landed on the tip of his nail. “Please, don’t cry, baby.” He lifted me until I was sitting sideways on his lap and I tucked my nose into the warmth of his neck.

  “I don’t care about your money. I hope you know that’s not why I’m with you,” I sniffed.

  “Pfft. Are you kidding me? You and I both know you’re with me because of my ginormous cock. Well, that and my talented tongue.” He stuck it straight out and wiggled it back and forth until I laughed.

  “Yeah. That, too.” I sniffed again and tightened my hold around his middle. “I love you, Ace.”

  “Yeah, I gathered that from the way you rode my cock this morning.” He chuckled and I poked him in the stomach.

  “I’m being serious. I thought I was in love before, with Noah, but he hurt me. For so long, I closed myself off, but then you came along and broke down every wall I’d erected. I was scared to let you in, but you’ve done everything you can to prove I have nothing to fear. You’ve shown me an unconditional love the likes of which I never knew existed. And now that I’ve experienced your kind of love, it’s all I crave.” I fisted his shirt in my hand and lifted my face to his. “I never knew I was starving till I tasted you.”

  “I will always be there for you. Not behind you, but beside you. I love you, Pookie,” he promised before capturing my mouth in a kiss that backed up his words. His tongue caressed my bottom lip, seeking entry, and I parted, eager to receive him. The slow swirl of his tongue with mine left my toes tingling and my panties wet. The kiss, unlike our love, was unhurried. He took his time with it, as if knowing there was no place else I’d rather be. When we broke apart, my head was spinning and I licked my lips just to taste him once more. I looked deep into his eyes and knew this was something I’d never grow tired of.