Straddling The Edge

by Julie Prestsater

  “You look like one. You’re beautiful.” There they are. Those sparkling eyes gazing into mine with such heat they could light a fire. He starts to lower his face, and I prepare to be kissed senseless, again.

  “We’re ready for the lovebirds,” Micah says, in a singsong tune. It would’ve been cute if he hadn’t just interrupted an opportunity for me to taste Dean’s lips.

  Dean holds up our hands. “And we’re ready.”

  When we walk into a new room, my mouth drops yet again. The lights are extremely dim, but candles of all sizes are lit throughout the entire suite. Two massage tables are set up in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. It’s dark outside but the ocean is in view, a few lights from boats can be seen, and even a few stars. It’s absolutely breathtaking.

  I press my fingertips to my mouth, waves of emotions overtake me, and I just can’t fight back the tears welling in my eyes.

  “Do you like it?” Dean asks, a grin spread across his face. “Is this what you imagined?”

  I shake my head, a single tear sliding down my cheek. “No, Dean. It’s so much better.” I reach my hand up to cup his cheek with my palm, the scruff on his face, tickling my fingers. He smiles at me and bends down so I can place a sweet kiss on his lips. Nothing big, just enough to let him know that I appreciate what he did for me. And just enough to raise my temperature about a hundred degrees. This man is like a walking heater to my senses.

  Finally, we get to the massages. Dean and I both lie on our bellies on separate tables. Micah works on me and Frieda takes Dean. We face each other, looking into each other’s eyes as our muscles relax and the sugar cookie scent of vanilla oil melts into our bodies. He thought of everything. Micah said he requested vanilla because I was allergic to other fragrances.

  Just when I think he couldn’t get any better, things like that come up. He listens to me. He knows me. He gets me more from spending one day together than other people who have known me for years.

  Not to mention, with just the look in his eye, he makes me feel things between my thighs that I’ve never felt before. I try to relax and enjoy the massage, but all I really want to do is kick Micah and Frieda out and show Dean what I can do with my hands and a little bit of oil.

  He reaches out, and I do the same. Our fingers barely touch.

  “Hold on a minute, Frieda.” Dean sits up and jumps off the table. His towel falls to the floor but he has swim trunks on underneath. Then he scoots the table over about a foot, and hops back on. “There.”

  Now, our tables are side by side, our hands reach each other and our shoulders nearly touch. My eyes flutter closed as he traces circles with his thumb on the back of my hand.

  Just when I’m as relaxed as can be and feel like a limp noodle, time is up. Frieda and Micah pack up a few things and leave the room.

  “It’s all yours. Enjoy,” Micah says as he shuts the double doors to the suite behind him.

  “What? What do they mean?” I ask, looking around like I’ve missed something.

  “We’re not done yet.” Dean says, taking my hand and pulling me behind him as he walks outside onto a small balcony. “Care for a dip?”

  A steaming Jacuzzi tub is bubbling before me. I didn’t think my body could get much hotter for Dean, but now, it sure does. “Let’s go for it.”

  He steps in first, and then holds out his hand. I take it and he steadies me as I slide in next to him.

  Can this night get any better?

  I must say this is the best date anyone has ever planned for me. I didn’t know guys really did stuff like this. It’s like something out of a movie. Something out of a fairytale.

  “This is awesome,” he says. “A lot better than I thought it was going to be. The internet doesn’t do it justice.”

  I don’t know what to say. I’m still a little bit in shock. But I know how I feel and I know what I’m dying to do.

  I slide off my seat and stand in front of Dean.

  “You know I’ve never really felt comfortable in a bathing suit in front of a man before.” I don’t know why I’m telling him this. It’s not something I generally share. But for some reason, I feel like Dean cares … like he cares enough about me to want to know these things.

  His gaze trails up and down my body. “Why not, Summer? You’re perfect.” When I don’t immediately respond, he says, “You know you can tell me anything. I want to know everything about you.”

  “I’ve always had really big breasts for my body size.” I cross my arms at my chest. “And most boys didn’t see much else.”

  He places his hands on my forearms and pushes them away. “Don’t do that. Don’t be self-conscious around me. Don’t get me wrong, boobs are great. Yours are more than great. But that’s not all I see. I see a beautiful woman with a kind heart. I see the most stunning big brown eyes and I love the way you look at me. And I see the cutest, sweetest, most playful girl ever in a Dodger hat, cheering on her team. Those are the things I see before anything else.”

  “And that’s why I feel so comfortable with you. Because I truly believe you and want to share everything with you.”

  I slide closer to Dean, kneeling down with a knee on either side of his thighs. Instantly, I can feel his heat against me, his throbbing erection against my core. Only a few pieces of material separate us and I have to fight back the urge to tear our clothes off and take him right here.

  As I settle into his lap, his shaft presses harder against my folds, and I rock my hips toward him, our eyes locked together and my senses overflowing with desire. And then his lips are on mine. This time the gentleness is gone and he ravages my mouth with his, biting at my bottom lip and then the top. My lips part and our tongues meet, tasting, teasing, lapping, and thrusting. I’m breathing hard against his mouth and I need air.

  I tilt my head back to gasp with the pleasure of our bodies grinding against each other, and Dean takes the chance to suck on my neck. He licks straight down my throat, and sucks with his lips and teeth from one earlobe across to the other. The hard suction of his mouth on the sensitive skin along the side of my neck causes me to cry out.

  Shivering and vibrating at the start of a storm, the muscles in my center tighten with spasms of tortured heat, wanting to feel him inside me but it’s too late because my body is exploding with just his kisses and the pressure of his covered cock teasing my core.

  “Fuck,” I sigh into his shoulder, the waves slowly subsiding, my breaths coming just a little bit easier. “That’s never happened before.”

  He holds me close, his arms wrapped around me. He kisses my shoulders, and nuzzles his face into my neck. We sit like this, cuddled in each other’s arms, as the minutes tick by, not wanting to let go. Not wanting the moment to end. Or this perfect night that Dean created for me. This night full of such thoughtful planning, showing just how much he cares about me and just how much he understands my needs.

  Dean unleashes my hair from the clip and the locks cascade down my back. Running his fingers through my hair, he stares at me and I can see what I feel for him mirrored back in his own eyes. He feels it too.

  He kisses me again, slowly, gently, with just his soft plump lips pressed to mine.

  “God, Summer. This is going to sound crazy, but I think I’m falling in love with you.”

  I cup his face in both of my hands and kiss him the same way he kissed me. “Then let’s be crazy together, because I think I love you too.”

  Chapter 10

  Melissa

  “You know it wouldn’t kill us to just relax for the first month of summer break, right?” Ty says, getting all his grilling fixings ready. Salt and pepper would do just fine for me, but he thinks he’s some kind of grill master with special spices and rubs for different types of meat. It’s a burger for crying out loud. Slap some seasoning salt on the beef and throw it over the fire.

  “It just might,” I tell him. “If we didn’t have friends over, you’d be stuck here listening to me talk all day. Then you’d get sick of me an
d commit murder, leaving Mia parentless while your ass rots in jail.”

  “That wouldn’t happen.” He chuckles. “I love listening to you talk, but if I ever got sick of it, I’m sure I could think of something to shut you up. And it’s a mouthful.” He raises a brow.

  I take a few steps toward him, reaching out and gripping my hand at the crotch of his cargo shorts. “Yup, it’s a mouthful, all right.”

  He bends down and smacks a kiss to my lips, playfully tugging on my lower lip. “Damn it. This is why we shouldn’t have people over.” He points down to the tent in his short, then reaches his hand down the front and pulls his guy up into the waistband so it’s not poking out anymore.

  “Great. Now wash your hands.”

  “Why?” he teases, shoving his hand in my face. “It’ll add a little extra flavor.”

  “Stop,” I shriek, pushing him away.

  “You know you love it. Come here, baby. And kiss me silly.”

  I’m about to do just that when I hear the doorbell ring. “Later, my love.”

  I go to answer the door and I hear the water turn on in the kitchen. Thank you. I doubt our guests were looking for the extra flavor Ty had in mind.

  “Hey,” Summer squeals, pushing a bowl of fruit salad in my hand. “I didn’t know what to bring. You can’t go wrong with fruit. I also made some marshmallow cream cheese dip. It’s to die for.”

  “Come on in,” I tell her. “Hey, Dean, it’s good to see you. It’s going to be like a high school reunion again. I can’t remember the last time we hung out.”

  He gives me a hug and an air kiss on the cheek. “That’s because you snooty English teachers don’t hang out with us lowly industrial tech folk. You guys think we can’t speak in complete sentences, so we don’t get invited to hang out with the cool people.”

  I punch him in the arm. “Shut up. Don’t tell my department, but I’d much rather hang with you and the auto shop guys. It wouldn’t hurt to have a few handy men around.”

  “I heard that, Mel,” my husband says as we make our way into the kitchen. “I’m handy.”

  “Yeah, with a paint brush or a bottle of lotion and a hand towel.”

  We all crack up at my joke. Summer and I laugh so much that we let out a snort. “Ty, you should really use tissue or something disposable.”

  Ty points at both of us. “You two both snort, you know that? That’s funny. I thought Mel was the only oinker around here.”

  Dean tosses an arm around Summer and looks down at her with a smile. “Get this girl laughing and she’ll snort so bad she can’t breathe. It sounds like you’re on a farm.”

  “You guys are just too funny.” Summer eyeballs both of them before she continues. “Hey, where’s Shelly and Matt.”

  “Noah went down for a late nap. They’re waiting for the little dude to wake up and then they’ll be right over.” Then, it’s belly time for the cousins. I love when they lie on the floor together. They coo and yelp at each other as if they’re speaking some secret language and are having full on conversations.

  “Where’s Mia?” she says. “I’m dying to hold her.”

  “I was just about to get her,” Ty says. “I’m on diaper duty. I might let you hold her if you want to help out.” Summer’s eyes widen and she smiles like she was just granted her birthday wish. “Come on, kid.”

  Summer follows him down the hall to Mia’s room and I notice Dean’s gaze captured on her the whole way.

  “So what’s up, old friend? You have stars in your eyes.” The guy has it bad. If Shel and I thought Summer was a goner just talking about him, he’s definitely a goner just looking at her. You can see it in the twinkle in his eyes. The grin on his face at the thought of her. It’s adorable. And I know that look. It’s the same one Ty has for me, and the same one Matt has for Shel. Summer is one lucky broad. Dean’s a great catch.

  “I’m not gonna lie. I do.” He scrubs his hands over his face. “We’ve only been dating less than a month and I’m so head over heels in love it’s pathetic. I can’t believe I’m this far gone in such a short time. Does that even make sense? Does that really happen?” While he’s obviously conflicted, he still appears to be thrilled. He knows it’s happening fast, but he loves it at the same time.

  “Don’t let time be a factor. If you dig her, then shout it from the rooftops. Don’t waste years without the one you love like Ty and I did. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been seeing each other. If it’s right, it’s right. And you’ll know it.”

  “I do know it,” he says, just as Summer and Ty come back with my gorgeous baby girl. Summer is holding her like a natural, her hand on the back of her neck supporting her head, even though Mia now has the strength to hold herself up.

  “All changed and ready to party,” Summer says, an innocent smile on her face. Her eyes are as bright and happy as Mia’s. The baby coos as if on cue, like she’s in on the conversation. “Woo, she’s just like her mama and auntie. She hears party and is raring to go.” Mia responds to this by flailing her arms and legs with excitement.

  “Did someone say ‘party’?” Shelly calls out. I hear her before I can see her. “Y’all didn’t get started without us, did you?”

  My best friend struts in waving her hands in the air as best she can considering she’s loaded down with a diaper bag and twelve-pack.

  “Never,” I tell her. “Mia just woke up and Summer changed her diaper.” Shelly and Matt, with Noah in his arms, make their way around the kitchen saying hello to everyone. “I think we have a new babysitter on our hands.”

  Shel’s eyes widen and Summer beams. “Totally. I’d love to watch the babies. Anytime.”

  Matt raises a brow at her. “Don’t offer unless you really want to. These women will be moving in an extra pack-n-play, toys, and diapers into your house before you can change your mind.”

  Shel backhands him in the chest. “We would not.” She chuckles. “Thank you, Summer. We’ll keep you in mind if our mothers aren’t free. Between my wonderful mother,” the sarcasm is thick when she talks about her mom, “and Mel’s, we’re pretty much covered.”

  “So you guys ready to hit the grill or what?” Ty grunts, puffing out his chest and trying to sound manly. “Since all three women are here now, I can sense chatter about waxing, Channing Tatum, and sore nipples coming on.”

  Dean grimaces and I can’t help but snort with laughter. Poor guy is not used to being around two new mothers.

  “Hey,” Shel protests. “We haven’t talked about sore nipples in months.”

  “Yeah,” I add. “Or vaginal stitches.”

  “Or leaky tits,” Shel says, trying to hold back the laughter.

  “Okay. I’m afraid to ask so I won’t.” Dean puts his hands up in surrender.

  “Me too,” Summer says. “I may have to rethink having children.”

  Matt kisses Shell on the head and then says to his son, “Come on, little man. You shouldn’t have to hear this.”

  Ty takes Mia from Summer’s arms. “Neither should you, baby girl. Come to Daddy. I won’t let these nasty ladies give you nightmares.” She giggles in his arms. He walks over to me and kisses me on the mouth. “Enjoy the naughty talk, ladies.”

  “I guess that’s my cue,” Dean says. Shel and I watch in awe of the lovebirds as he reaches down to squeeze Summer’s hand and leans in to press a sweet kiss to her cheek.

  When he finally follows Ty and Matt through the double doors leading to our backyard, my bestie and I let out are girlie, “Awws.”

  Summer blushes and it looks good on her.

  I never thought I’d say this, but Summer McGallian isn’t so bad.

  Fucking shocker, I know. Sometimes even I’m still surprised.

  After serving the girls some iced tea, we kick off our summer sandals and flop back on the couches in my family room.

  “Someone’s in love,” Shel teases.

  Again, Summer blushes, lowering her head and sinking further into my sofa cushions.

&nb
sp; “Don’t be shy,” I tell her, with a wave of my hand. “We’ve all been there.”

  “Agreed,” Shel says. “Maybe I’m not the right person to judge, but you never looked this happy with Chase. Not even in the beginning.”

  “I can vouch for that. But where that fucker is concerned, I bet I’m not the one to ask either.”

  Summer is quiet at first, so Shel and I stare her down with giddy smiles. “Okay,” she begins. “It’s crazy, isn’t it? How can I be in love with someone I’ve known for less than a month? And really, I fell in love after only a day of knowing him. It’s like I was on edge since the day I saw him at the brewery. And getting to know him pushed me over.”

  “I can think of a few other things that probably pushed you over,” Shel says, wagging her brows up and down. “The guy is H.O.T.”

  “Doesn’t he look young though?” she asks, nibbling on her fingernail. “I know he’s older than me, but he looks like he’s still in his twenties.”

  “Who cares?” Shelly says. “I wouldn’t mind playing the role of the cougar.”

  “Hell yeah,” I add. “Especially if the hot fledgling thing was Zac Efron. Hot damn. I’d ruin him for all other women, but love every second of it.” I stare off dreamily, thinking of how the teen heartthrob turned into one hell of a sexy man.

  “Even better is that you can feel like you’re getting your cougar on because Dean looks a tad younger than you, but you’re going to get all the experience of an older man. You can’t beat that.” Shelly sums it up well and I can almost see the wheels turning in Summer’s head.

  “So tell us,” I say. “What’s it like to hear that deep voice of his whispering in your ear when you’re just about to …”

  “Oh my,” Summer says, her face a new shade of bright red. “We haven’t done that yet.”

  “Are you effing kidding me?” Shel blurts out. “I would’ve jumped on that so fast he wouldn’t have known what hit him.”

  I shake my head at her. “Oh yeah. This coming from the girl who made her precious Matty wait until the night he proposed before he could ‘nail her against the wall’.” I hang my air quotes over her fascination with getting screwed upright with her back pressed into a wall and her legs wrapped around her husband’s waist.