My Favorite Distraction (Distraction #1)

by Stephanie Jean

  “What you feel for me is real, Katarina, whether you want to believe it or not, and what I feel for you is amazing.” He brought my hand to his lips and closed his eyes. “I never cared before if the girl left after sex, but you’re different.”

  I gazed up at him, and this time I was at a loss of words. “I had fun with you earlier.” I had never trusted someone so soon like I did him. He looked at me, with his bright green eyes and smiled, and I got butterflies.

  “I enjoyed earlier more than you know.” He finished his sandwich and carried his plate to the dishwasher. I could tell he was thinking on his walk back to me, his face was suddenly serious. When he reached me he cradled my face with his hands, and kissed me. “Is it OK if I thank you for that? The sandwich, I mean.” He was being funny; his beautiful smile told me he was joking. I smacked his arm so hard he jumped and began rubbing it. “Ow, that hurt.”

  I hoped it hurt, but I knew it didn’t. “That wasn’t funny.”

  He smiled, still happy with his joke making and motioned toward his sister outside. “Do you want me to ask her to leave?”

  “No, I asked her if she wanted to stay. We could walk to the lake with the kids.” He ran his fingers through his hair.

  “You look stressed. There is nothing she could say about you that would surprise me. I will be fine. You go and have a good time. Bo will take care of me.”

  “If I have ever wanted two girls to get along and like each other, it's now. I feel weird about just leaving.”

  I gave him a reassuring smile. “That’s really sweet, and I promise it will be fine. Jason, I can be nice when I want to and if she talks smack about you, I’ll kick her ass.”

  I wasn’t sure he believed me, but he laughed under his breath followed by a look of relief. He kissed me again, slow and tender, his lips soft, and I moved my hands under his shirt to feel his stomach, his skin smooth. I grazed my finger over his nipple, and then tipped his rapid beating heart with the pads of my finger. He sucked in a deep breath at the contact. He stepped back from me and picked up his keys from the counter.

  “Why don’t you come with me? It will be fun.” His smile was sexy and irresistible.

  I knew his worry stemmed from me almost leaving, and he was adorable. “Jason, I will leave one day, but not today and probably not because of anything you have done. It’s just me.”

  “I could stay, and we could work on my after sex talk…you know, after sex.”

  That one simple statement had me smiling the goofiest smile. It was encouraging to know that he wanted me that way again. “No, I kind of want to meet your sister. Go and have a good workout.”

  He grinned again before turning. “I am glad you’re here,” I heard him say under his breath as he left through the garage.

  * * * *

  I slipped my shoes on and walked out to the backyard. Bo greeted me with the wag of his short tail and his body bumping into mine. Jessica got up, and we hiked through the tall grass to the lake. We picked some fruit on the fruit trees as we passed by. The apples and nectarines looked and smelled fresh. The kids played at the lake for a long while. Jessica had snacks for the kids, and she cut up the fresh fruit, so they would stop and eat in-between running in and out of the cold water. I showed Jack how to skip rocks on the lake, but he liked just picking up the biggest rock and throwing it as far as he could with a grunt. Jasmine sat in the grass with Bo and put grass clippings all over him.

  Jessica talked mostly about the kids. Jack was four and Jasmine two. She enjoyed being a mom—I could tell by the way she beamed while talking—and she seemed like a great one. Our connection was a lot like the one I had with Jason, everything about her just felt right. It was easy, even the silence was comfortable.

  Our hike back to the house was a bit more difficult. The kids were tired so Jessica and I carried them. By the time we got back they were sound asleep. We laid them down on the upstairs bed and lined the pillows around it for safety. I grabbed crackers and some waters, and we went out to the back deck and sat in the chairs. We talked about the landscaping and how much I enjoyed all the colors and textures. She told me it was her husband and his landscaping company that had done all the work. She kept the conversation light. I knew she was doing it on purpose, and this only made me like her more. Bo never left my side during the conversation. He placed his head on my lap.

  “Bo seems to really like you.” Jessica was observing Bo as he closed his eyes and let me pet him.

  “Well, that’s not because I have a special gift with animals. Bo just caught my eye at the coffeehouse parking lot before I ever knew Jason. The first time I saw him, he looked so hungry and miserable. So I fed him. I gave him half of my sandwich I had packed for lunch. After that, I bought dog treats and kept them in my purse. I would purposely park next to the Jeep and give Bo a treat. I think that’s why he likes me.”

  Jessica moved her eyes to mine and she gave me an understanding smile. “I see what Jason sees in you. He told me you were special.”

  That raised more questions for me. Special, how so? What does he see? Or what does she see?

  “Can I ask why it took you so long to talk to him? I think it drove him crazy. Since birth, Jason has never waited for anything.”

  I laughed at that.

  “Seriously, he has never chased a woman. They all seem to fall in his lap.”

  “I honestly never planned on talking to him. He seemed nice, and I looked forward to every day sitting next to my hot coffeehouse guy, but nothing more.” I looked at her to see if she was happy with this answer. She just waited for me to say something else. “I moved here about three and a half months ago. My grandfather died, and they were having his funeral. He knew he was dying, but never told me, never warned me, never said good-bye. So, I left and honestly I am still not ready to face it, any of it: his death, my family, my future.”

  She was watching me closely.

  “I guess you could say I ran…like a scared rabbit. Anyway, my friend Heather came with me. She graduated and was looking for a job. She loves an adventure. We were really close until she met someone. I guess, I am just feeling a little lost and lonely. We used to do everything together. Now she’s gone a lot. I seemed to have a lot of time on my hands. I think that’s why I am here. He makes me feel…wanted.”

  “I haven’t seen Jason so wrapped up in a girl in a long time. I think he found his heart again, and he’s happy, he smiles. It’s like I have my best friend again. For years I expected a tragic phone call from the police, but one day he surprised me. He came to me,” she had tears in her eyes. “He wanted to change.”

  “Is he always so intense and moody?”

  “He has always had a very strong personality.” She looked at me and we both started laughing.

  “I love seeing him so happy again. Maybe he will finally buy some furniture and a TV.” She smiled at me and laid her head back on the chair and closed her eyes. I did the same.

  We must have fallen asleep because we were both awakened by giggling kids. Jessica got up quickly, and I helped her gather her things to take to the minivan. She thanked me and gave me a hug simultaneously, and we made plans for lunch later that week. Then she was gone, surprisingly fast. I climbed the stairs of the front porch and slipped off my shoes by the front door. I slowly wandered over to where Bo was on the floor and curled up next to him and fell back to sleep.

  The noise in the kitchen woke me up. I must have slept hard because there was a small puddle of drool where my face was lying on Bo’s bed. Sorry Bo. I peeled myself off the hardwood floor and made my way toward the smell and the noise. Jason was in the kitchen with his back to me. I perched my butt up on the stool at the counter overlooking the kitchen. Jason was putting a dish together over the stove. He was wearing a dark blue tank top, shorts, and running shoes. His arm and shoulder muscles bunched as he put the dish into the oven. He closed the oven door and turned, wearing a sexy smile, and as he moved closer to me, he also wore a bright red bite mark co
vering his shoulder. Shock and embarrassment spread through me.

  “I can’t believe you went out with that on your shoulder.” I was mortified. It was evidence of my crazed fascination with his hard body.

  “What, this?” He pointed to the bite mark. “I like it. I think I might even get it tattooed there.”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t cover it up. Your friends are going to think I am an animal.” He laughed, and it made me smile.

  “I think we need to change your rabbit name. I am proud to wear your mark. Besides, it made for fun conversation during the game.”

  “I am so embarrassed. I will never do it again.” I put my face in my hands. I heard him walking around the counter toward me.

  “I thought maybe we could go out tonight and you could meet my friends.” He put his arm around me.

  “No, I am not going.” I pointed to the mark. “Now for sure.”

  “Dave thought it was funny. Please go with me, we will eat here and then go out and have some drinks.”

  “Jason, drinks and people really aren’t my thing. You go. I’ll stay with Bo.” I gave him my pleading look.

  “No, I am not leaving you again. I haven’t been out in months, haven’t actually wanted to, but I think it would be fun. We can stay ten minutes and then leave.” He took my hand and pulled me up. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Come take a shower with me.”

  He didn’t wait for an answer, just pulled my arm as he scaled the stairs. Anxiety and nerves filled my thoughts. He wanted a girlfriend that hung out with his friends and drank. That girlfriend was not me; I was not a social butterfly. We reached his bathroom, and he didn’t release my hand. He leaned in and turned the shower on. His eyes locked with mine and slowly he removed my clothes. I stood unable to run, but wanting to. He watched me closely as he undressed himself. I was quiet, and my mind was working overtime trying to figure out what I could say to get out of this. He gently grabbed my hand and helped me into the shower. He didn’t talk and didn’t take his eyes off of me.

  Jason took the soap off the tray and rubbed it all over his body. I crossed my arms and stood toward the back of the shower. His eyes were intense on me, his expression serious. I let my eyes drift down his body. His hands slid down with my eyes and he gripped his penis. My eyes shot back to his. He gave me a half smile. He must have been studying me the whole time.

  “Do you need a little private time?” I smiled at him as my eyes shot back to his erection.

  He didn’t say anything, and I watched as he stroked himself over and over. I was hypnotized by it. My mind going crazy, I wanted to prove to myself I could please him again, that the first time wasn’t a fluke. I immediately felt sexual, the need to touch him so strong. I stepped toward him, and he froze. I ran my hands over his chest and down his arms and felt his muscles twitch under my fingers. I stood tall on my tiptoes, leaned in close, and licked the drops of water off his bulging biceps. He was still as I traced his muscles all the way down to his abs. I dropped to my knees slowly, not thinking of anything other than this beautiful man before me. I used my fingers to trace his thick thighs, his quads flexing at my slow strokes on his tight skin. I placed my hands on the insides of his powerful legs, slid them up to where his hand remained on his cock, and slowly moved it away from his penis. I never looked at him, never asked permission. I was on my own journey.

  I placed my hands on his length and heard him inhale deeply. My other hand gripped his scrotum, and I squeezed it slightly, liking the feel between my fingers. It made me smile. The water was falling all around me now, and my skin felt extra sensitive. Every drop felt like small kisses all over my body. I put my mouth over his penis as far as I could, and he grabbed my hair and pulled hard. I think he wanted me to stop. It felt like he was trying to pull me away. I heard him saying something, but I couldn’t understand anything over the noise of the shower. I let him pull my hair and moved with him when he backed away from me. His back hit the shower wall, and I didn’t release his penis from my mouth. I had this impulsive feeling for him. I wanted this, and at this moment, I needed it.

  I started slowly, getting used to the texture, the feel, and then began sucking hard, a hunger inside me taking over. It was like I couldn’t control my actions anymore. I played with the part that wasn’t in my mouth with my hands. He wasn’t moving at all. I could still hear him saying things, but nothing mattered. I was obsessed. My head was dizzy from the sucking and the constant moving over his penis. I pulled my mouth off just a little to run my teeth over the shaft and lick the top of the head, and then I went back to work. I reached up the back of his thighs and slid my fingernails over his firm butt, and he tensed before rolling his hips into my face. I felt the thick liquid filling my mouth without warning, and I did my best to swallow fast. I failed, and it spilled over my lips and down my chin and neck. I felt it travel down my body, giving me chills. Jason pulled me up by my arms and hugged me.

  “What was that?” He was breathing deep, and it was a complete turn-on. He pulled away from me, looking at my face and then down my body. With his fingers he traced his come all over my body. I stood still, confused and unsure of what I had just done. He traced my breast. His come-covered finger went over my nipple, and I thought my knees were going to give out.

  “I don’t know.” I looked up in surprise. I watched the grin spread slowly over his face. He put his finger in my mouth, and I licked it clean.

  He groaned. “You are amazing. To think, if I would have talked with you sooner, we could have been doing this the whole time.” He turned me toward the water and began spreading the soap all over me. He was whispering in my ear, “So fucking perfect. I have never seen or felt anything so fucking perfect. The need to come inside you is so strong I almost can’t control it. Katie, I need you to get on birth control right away. I know how you feel about being pregnant, and I want to respect that.” He kissed the skin on my neck and then down my shoulder. “Fuck, babe, I am hard all over again.”

  His words set fire that spread throughout my body. I hated sweet and sappy words, but I could hear raw need in his voice and I thought I could explode on words alone.

  His lips crashed on mine, and his tongue forced its way into my mouth. I could feel his passion all over my body. He kissed me, hard and demanding, and I melted. He lifted me as my knees gave out, and I wrapped my legs around his hips. I felt his penis at my entrance, and I moaned. I wanted to feel him inside me again. My need for him spiraling out of control, I began to wiggle, trying to get him inside me. All my rational thought was gone.

  He stopped me and began laughing. “You are a dangerous girl.” He stepped out of the shower and set me down to grab a towel. He wiped me down quickly and wrapped the towel around his waist, then picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and walked me to his bed.

  I started giggling. “I can walk. You don’t have to carry me like a sack of potatoes.”

  At the mention of food, he tossed me onto the bed and ran toward the door. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

  I moaned loudly when he left. I lay there for a second, breathing heavily and then like a splash of cold water, I was slowly coming back to my senses. What was I doing? I didn’t even know this man. I sat up and looked around trying to figure out the best way to leave. I had to get out of here before I did something really stupid. I went in the bathroom and put on my clothes.

  Jason came into the bedroom and rushed to the bathroom. “What are you doing?” He looked frustrated. I hated that look.

  “I need to go. I lose all control around you. I don’t know what I am even doing here.” I looked away from him and kept putting my shirt on, then my shorts, and he just stood there.

  “I need to buy handcuffs. Every time I leave and come back, you want to flee. I am trying to understand why. I can tell you like me. In fact, I think you probably like me a lot more than you’re willing to admit. It drives me crazy that you could leave after what we just did.”

  I w
as done getting dressed and was now standing there looking away from him.

  “I can’t keep you here, so fine, leave.” He stepped out of the doorway. I looked at him, but now he looked away. I stood there, and he picked up a towel and threw it over the tub and left the room.

  I stayed in the bathroom for a long time. My hair had completely drenched my shirt, and I began to shiver not because I was cold but because I felt so alone. My hands were trembling, and my legs felt numb. I bent down to hug my knees and closed my eyes. I kept telling myself, “Be strong. Don’t let him see you weak.” I asked for strength, pictured myself walking downstairs and facing him. I needed to say bye, and I needed to go home.

  I stood slowly and looked at myself in the mirror. I practiced my smile, took a deep breath, and walked out the bathroom door. Then everything seemed to go blurry. The next thing I remember, I was in the kitchen. I took a plate from the cupboard and sliced what looked like lasagna from a casserole dish. I put a piece of garlic bread on my plate and turned around to face Jason. He was sitting at the counter and eating quietly. He didn’t glance up. I stood and began to eat. It was so good. I hadn’t really eaten all day other than breakfast, so I was hungry. I watched my food as I ate and heard myself humming. I tried to stop, but it was so good. Instead I laughed. I looked up at him, and he looked at me with no expression.

  “It’s very yummy.” I smiled as I finished my plate and began cleaning the kitchen.

  Jason was still very quiet. I could feel his irritation. I needed to leave before disappointing him more, but I didn’t want to leave him like this. I finished cleaning, put the lasagna in the fridge, and turned to say something, anything, to make him happy with me again.

  “So what time do we leave?” What was I saying?

  He was quiet, still sitting at the counter, but no longer looking at me.

  “How about if I am ready in forty minutes?” I shrugged. “If you still want to go out, then I’ll be ready. If not, and you leave without me, then I will figure something else out.” I could do this. It was one of the things I did best—put on a show and wear a pretty face.