She cackled, and I felt the vibrations around my heart.
“You’re my family, ‘grid.”
“You’re all I have,” she said in a small voice.
A vulnerable Ingrid, damn it, she’s killing me.
“Hey,” I said, holding her away from my body by her shoulders, so I could read her expression. “I’m not all you have, but maybe, you know, you might want to let some people in. Maybe, you know, graduate from the bar hook-ups, too?”
“Really? Uh, okay, Sean Penn.”
She had a point. I wasn’t exactly a people person. There was definitely no sunshine beaming out my ass.
“Alright, I’ll let that go for now,” I said.
“Appreciated.”
“Oh, and before I forget, I don’t want any more of those open studio parties on Thursdays. Not until you can figure out a better vetting system for the guest list. No more coked-up assholes like last month.”
She took out her imaginary clipboard and pen. “Disinvite most people with money in Manhattan. Got it.”
I frowned.
“So, when is the next time Alice is coming over to our little slice of Wonderland? I have an apology to deliver.”
“She said she’ll come by over the weekend,” I said, finishing up the rest of my coffee and tossing the cup.
“Well, at least someone is changing patterns around here,” she said.
My brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
She snorted. “Chloe moved in after your first date. It’s all or nothing with you.” She must’ve seen something in my expression or body language because she cackled again. “Alice setting her boundaries must be driving you crazy.”
Now, it was my turn. “Shut up, Ingrid.”
But she was right. Not knowing when I was seeing Alice again was an itch under my skin I couldn’t reach. I hated it and it was only Wednesday.
“What a strange world we live in . . .”
―Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Alice
I had said goodbye to Dare early Tuesday morning.
I told him I wasn’t going to come back until Friday.
But he was right. I missed him almost immediately.
Damn it. Why do I always catch feelings so fast?
Tuesday night, I laid in my twin-sized bed, trying to drown out the sound of my sister and some new guy. She may appear all prim and prude on the surface, but Caroline was a bona fide man-eater.
The only thing worse than growing up hearing your mother having sex in the next room is being all grown up and hearing your sister having sex in the next room. Now I know why she gifted me a pair of noise-cancelling headphones.
I almost caved by the next morning, especially when I got this text:
Dare: My sheets still smell of you, btw. I may never leave this bed.
Me: I like the way you smell, too. And I don’t mean your cologne.
Dare: Whatever it takes. I’m not above using my olfactory arsenal to get you where I want.
I told him about our homework from my professor, about sharing sexual histories and fantasies. He told me he couldn’t wait to hear all of mine.
That’s when I panicked. Because I didn’t have any—not really.
“I think I’m in the wrong field,” I said to Lulu. We were out for drinks, just the two of us, at this bar called The Milky Way, which—who knew?—was the geek squad watering hole in Midtown. Lulu hardly ever drank, but it didn’t seem to matter. From the second we walked in, it was evident she was their Queen and the nerd herd were her happy little drones.
“Why do you say that?” she asked, oblivious to all the men using their beer mugs as drool cups over her.
“Because my professor wants me to explore my ‘hidden’ fantasies and share them with Dare, and I’ve got nothing.”
“Oh c’mon, that can’t be true,” she said, taking out her Coca Cola lip balm and rolling some onto her perfect, bee-stung lips. The guy next to her at the bar started choking on an olive just watching her.
“I know I have a dark side, but nothing specific appeals to me,” I said, sloshing the ice around my glass.
“How about being tied up? Or spanked? Those are standard.”
I shook my head. “I have too many control issues—and I did that with Chad back in the day and hated it.”
I could see the wheels turning.
“Threesomes?”
“I don’t share well,” I said.
“Being the focus of a gang bang?”
“Seriously?” I asked.
She shrugged. “It’s not my thing, but it’s a fantasy for some.”
“Next,” I said.
“Okay . . . what about role playing?”
I looked around the bar. “Feels like a different thing when you say that in here, more like me in a golden bikini with a bunch of these Lesters pretending to be Jabba the Hut. No thanks.”
She chuckled. “A fair point, but don’t rule that out. It can be very hot.”
The bartender came over with two more of our drinks.
“Hi ladies, these are compliments from the men at the end of the bar,” he said, directing our gaze to the other end.
I was about to say ‘thanks,’ but Lulu interceded.
“Tell them it’s appreciated, but we’re here together,” she said, her finger going back and forth between us. “I don’t want to lead them on.”
I could tell by the look on his face the bartender wasn’t fully buying what Lulu was selling, but he said the right thing and went to deliver the bad news to the cast of The Big Bang Theory anyway.
“I wasn’t interested in Howard or Raj either, but what was that about?” I asked.
She took the hair band off her wrist and threaded it through to make a ponytail. “If we had accepted, that would’ve given them the opening they wanted. And trust me, those two wouldn’t be picking up on your ‘don’t enter my dance space’ social cues.”
“Whatever you say.” I sipped my Jack.
“Okay, so not into dressing up or impact play,” she said, strumming her fingers on the bar top. “No threesomes or group stuff either. Of course, there’s breath play, age play, edge play, wax play . . .”
I downed the rest of my drink.
She stared. “Maybe you are in the wrong field.”
I signaled for another. “Are you into any of those?”
She shrugged. “I’ve tried almost all of it, except for anything with bodily fluids. That’s a hard limit.”
“What are your go-to’s, the ones you really like?”
Lulu swirled the straw in her virgin tropical drink. “I go through phases, just like anything else. It also depends upon the partner. Different people bring out different kinds of energies.”
I nodded. “Before Dare, I’ve had three lovers my whole life.”
Her eyes rounded. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope,” I said before taking a healthy swig. “Two in high school, neither of those yahoos worth the ink used in my diary. And then, Chad.”
“And now, Mr. Grangeworth,” she smiled. “I like you and him together.”
“I like him a lot. Too much,” I said while tearing the bar napkin into strips.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because even though I’m out with you, I’m really sitting here thinking about him on a constant loop,”
She looked confused. “So?”
“That doesn’t bother you? You don’t feel insulted?”
Lulu shrugged. “That would be hypocritical. While you’re thinking about Dare, I’m sitting here thinking about Beck. I can’t even begin to express how disruptive it’s become. I’m even having trouble focusing at work.”
I smiled. “That’s one of the many things I love about you, Lulu. You don’t get bent out of shape over the little things.”
I took a chance and placed my hand over hers. She usually wasn’t comfortable with being touched, but she didn’t flinch. “Thanks for hearing me out and being such an
awesome friend. It means a lot, my Lulu Lemon.”
She leaned in and gave me a hug.
Very un-Lulu-like.
“Oh wow. So, this is happening.” I hugged her back. “What was that for?”
“Because this is the first time any of you have come to me for advice, It’s usually the other way around,” she said, blinking a lot, something she does when she’s either really happy or nervous. “Thank you for trusting me, Alice.”
“Excuse me, ladies?”
It was the bartender again. He had another round in his hands.
“Again?” I asked, exasperated.
“Yeah, but now that whole side of the bar wants to comp your drinks in exchange for getting the two of you kissing and permission to film it.”
“You’re entirely bonkers.
But I’ll tell you a secret: All the best people are.”
―Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Alice
I wasn’t drunk.
Okay, I wasn’t that drunk.
Lulu had wanted to come with, but I told her no way, especially since Beck showed at the bar, looking for her. It was like the King of the Geeks coming to claim his Queen. They even got a round of applause.
That’s when I knew I was done drinking for the night. Because I got the happy-weepies, telling Lulu how much I loved her and how happy I was for them. Then I informed Beck I loved him too because he had the good sense to be crazy about my girl.
I may be charming when tipsy, but I’m a blubbering sap when drunk.
Beck whisked Lulu away, but had his driver drop me off before they left.
So now, I was in front of Dare’s building, totally thrilled to see him, but worried I was coming too soon, despite what he said. I pressed the studio buzzer, playing a ‘shave and a haircut’ beat. I waited for what felt like forever. I would’ve frozen to death, but I was all liquored up, so I felt nothing but a happy haze.
The door swung open.
It was Ingrid. Ah, craptastic.
“Bet you’re thrilled to see me,” I said, a little too loudly.
Her mouth twitched. “Well, someone’s loaded.”
“Loaded with charm and sass, thank you very much,” I said, doing a half curtsey, followed by a pretend, kung-fu punch. “But don’t mess with me. I’m from the South and we totally know how to throw down, down there.”
She rolled her eyes. “Come on in, Bruce Lee,” she said, holding the door open. I followed in, noticing most of the lights downstairs were off.
“You were shut down for the night, weren’t you?” I asked, looking around, twirling in a circle. “I’m sorry I made you come down.”
“I was up, anyway. Don’t worry about it,” she said, shuffling her feet. That’s when I noticed she was wearing footie pajamas.
“Those look ultra-comfy.”
“Yeah, they are, but listen. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”
I craned my head, looking for the flap.
And there it was. “Oh wow, it really is like the ones I used to wear as a kid,” I said.
“Hard to believe you’re getting a PhD in anything,” Ingrid muttered, walking us to the elevator. “Can you please focus on what I’m trying to say to you?”
I met her eye. “What are you trying to say?”
She let out an exasperated breath. “That I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time the other day. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t about you.”
I stared at her for a few beats. “Appreciate the apology. That’s mighty gracious of you.”
The elevator dinged and opened. “After you, m’lady,” I said.
That earned me some New York stink eye.
She hit one button for, where I assumed, she lived, and the top floor for me.
“He’s already upstairs and knows you’re coming,” she said, legs out, weight leaning on the bar behind her.
Then it got quiet, which meant I had a moment to think.
“Whatever happened with Chloe must have been really messed up,” I said.
Her gaze locked with mine. “Yeah, it really was.”
I tried letting that sink in.
Sweet Jesus, what happened with that girl?
The elevator dinged again. We were at her floor.
“Night,” I said.
“Goodnight, Alice,” she said, stopping halfway out, her expression softening. “Make sure he tells you about her soon. And know, no matter what he says, it wasn’t his fault and he is a really good guy. The best, actually.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Ingrid.”
The doors closed and the elevator whisked me up.
And that’s when I started getting nervous, a million questions swirling through my Tennessee whisky-soaked brain.
Was this woman Chloe someone he still carried a torch for? Should I insist he tell me about her? How deep did I really want this thing between Dare and me to go? Sure, we’re together and exclusive, but maybe we just keep it light.
Please, you’re already falling hard and that man does not do casual.
And what about the whole reason why I got involved with him in the first place? This was supposed to be about my grad program. I had homework to do, damn it, and I couldn’t think of one sexual fantasy.
How was that possible? What was wrong with me?
There were women entering convents who have more exciting sexual histories than I did.
Romance novels may wax poetic about alpha heroes loving them virginal heroines, but in real life, most men don’t want to be saddled with a woman with such limited experience.
You could say my mind was spiraling. Just a bit.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
He was waiting for me, hair damp, only wearing a towel.
Sweet baby Jesus, is he my prize for being good?
His gorgeous face split with his smile, but I held my hand out, standing between the elevator doors.
“I’ve got something to say and I need to get it all out before you mush my brain with your hot-guy mojo,” I said, waving my hand up and down to illustrate my point.
He let that sink in for a total of two seconds before he busted out laughing, grabbing my hand and pulling me into his arms.
“Hey!”
He beamed down at me.
“How much did you have to drink?” he asked.
Dare’s arms were wrapped around me real tight, but I managed to wiggle my hand free to hold up three fingers.
“Well, that’s not much at all,” he said.
“I’m known in many parts of Carolina as a lightweight.”
That earned another ear-to-ear grin. “So, what did you want to tell me?”
I made a raspberry sound. “Well, now my brain’s full of cotton, ‘cuz I’m surrounded by all that mojo of yours I was talking about.”
His left brow quirked up. “You know, your Southern accent gets a lot stronger when you’ve had a few.”
“I do know. I know all ‘bout it.”
He bent down, the tip of his nose and his lips brushing along my neck.
“Damn it, Dare, you know that move makes me shiver.”
“All I know is I’ve been missing you. If you hadn’t shown up here, I would’ve been at your place,” he whispered as his lips, tongue, and teeth teased my ear. I felt a rush of wet between my legs and my nipples got hard.
I let out a whimper.
“Fuck, Dixie, you can’t make sounds like and expect me to hold off.”
He pressed his length between my legs, rocking into me as he grabbed my ass with both hands. My body was on fire.
I didn’t think. Both my legs wrapped around his waist just as his towel dropped and the elevator dinged, still open.
Remember, share your sexual fantasies with your partner.
Get out of your comfort zone.
“Fuck me in the elevator, Dare.”
“It’s not private,” he warned.
I pushed my cleft into him. “I don’t care.”
He didn’t need
to be told twice. He went right in, slamming us against the inside wall. The doors closed.
“Shit, I don’t have a condom,” he said, panting into my hair. “But I swear, I’m clean.”
“Me too,” I said. “I trust you.”
“Fuck, I need in there,” he said as his mouth crashed over mine. I shoved my hands in his hair, fisted it hard. And I knew he got off on it when he groaned down my throat. One of his hands left my ass long enough to push my panties to the side, take his cock and align it with my opening.
“I can’t go slow or gentle,” he said. “Tell me now.”
I could barely see straight, I wanted him so much.
“Fuck me, City. And do it like you mean it.”
“Fuck!” he screamed as his cock slammed home.
“OhMyGosh,” I cried out.
I have never felt so stretched and full.
He told no lies because Dare Grangeworth, buck naked in an elevator, rammed that gorgeous dick deep and hard inside, moving his hips in such a way that he was hitting all the right angles.
Then the doors shut and the car started going down. Neither of us slowed.
Instead, he pressed his weight into my body, so he could reach my cleft with his calloused fingers, making magic radiate all over.
The elevator car stopped but I was right at the edge of the cliff.
“I’m so close, baby,” I said. “I need just a lil’ bit of pressure.”
“You got it,” he groaned, giving my clit the perfect pinch and flicker.
And that did it. My back arched off the elevator wall as I came hard all over his length. A white, hot flash burned my eyes behind my lids as my body convulsed in pleasure.
“Shit, you’re so tight,” he moaned into my neck, seconds before his grunt turned into a roar, his orgasm making his body shudder all around me.
Another flash went off, but this time I opened my eyes.
The elevator was opened and there were two guys standing there, watching us.
One of them spoke. “Hey, aren’t you Dare Grangeworth?”
“What the fuck, man?” he yelled as he held onto me while hitting the button on the console. The doors shut and the car moved up.
I couldn’t help it. I started cracking up.
“Two strange guys got to see us fucking. How are you laughing about this?” he asked.
The Wonder of You Page 12
