Strung

by Victoria Ashley

  “Sometimes I can’t control myself. You’re lucky I didn’t do what I really wanted to do.”

  He gets distracted when some guy with dreadlocks calls his name and jogs over toward him. “You made it.”

  Micah grabs his hand and gives him a one-armed hug. “I told you I would.”

  The cute guy smiles when he notices me standing next to Micah. “Who’s this beauty?”

  I see Micah’s eyes darken as he answers him. “Alexander’s little sister. She’s off limits.”

  “I’m not little,” I add with a scowl. “The name is Tegan and my brother isn’t my boss.”

  I smile as he looks me over with appreciation. He’s extremely cute and those ice blue eyes have me wanting to stare at them.

  “Glad you could make it to my party, Tegan. I’m also glad that your brother isn’t your boss.” He reaches out to shake my hand and winks. “I’m hoping I’ll see you around.”

  He pats Micah on the back and then quickly takes off when some people start yelling for him.

  I’m still smiling when I turn back around to face Micah. The look on his face says he isn’t so pleased himself. “Kalon just got out of a five-year relationship. He’s on the rebound so don’t let his sweet talk trap you into something that won’t work out.”

  “I’m not trying to jump into a relationship with any guy,” I mutter. “You and my brother are going to drive me crazy this summer.”

  I walk away and pull out my phone to text Jamie.

  “What are you doing?” Micah places his hand on my chin and pulls it up for me to look at him. “I’m sorry if I upset you. I’m just looking out for you.”

  “I don’t need either of you looking out for me, Micah. I’m twenty-one now. I’m not the young girl he left when he moved away years ago.” I hit send on my text. “I asked Jamie to come pick me up. We’ve both been drinking and I don’t want you to leave the party early.”

  “I think I’ve had enough partying for tonight.” He nods his head toward the side of the house. “Let’s start walking and Jamie can pick us up when she finds us.”

  Without hesitation, I begin walking next to Micah, letting him lead the way.

  Jamie texts me back a few minutes later, letting us know which way she’ll be coming from.

  “What did you do back home?”

  I look over at Micah to see him watching me.

  “I worked at my family’s convenience store and wrote when I had free time. It didn’t seem I had much though, so I was desperate to get away and stay with Xan for the summer. I just needed some peace and quiet and a little inspiration.”

  “I’m glad you came. The people I’m used to being around all seem the same to me. You’re different and it intrigues me.”

  I smile. “How so?”

  “I’m used to girls jumping all over me the second they meet me. You didn’t. I like that about you, and if I’m honest, it keeps me up at night, thinking of ways to change that.”

  I catch myself laughing. “Is that where you get all your charm from? Late night thinking sessions?”

  “I do my best thinking at night. Don’t you, for your writing? You probably lay in bed at night, the scenes flowing through your head, giving you ideas on what to write when you wake up. Is that how it works?”

  I nod, finding it interesting that he really seems to want to know. “Most of my ideas come to me when I’m either lying in bed late at night, taking a shower, or listening to music.”

  “I wouldn’t mind being around for two of those,” he teases.

  “Come on.” I nudge him with my shoulder when he wiggles his brows at me. “I thought you seriously wanted to know.”

  “I do,” he says, sounding serious now. “It impresses the hell out of me that you’re able to write books. I write lyrics in my spare time and it’s hard enough to finish just one song. I can’t imagine writing an entire story for two characters made up in my own mind. That shit can’t be easy and it takes one talented as hell person to be able to pull that off.”

  “You write lyrics?” I ask, amazed. “I’d love to hear—” I stop talking when Jamie starts honking to get our attention.

  She pokes her head out the window and whistles as her car stops in front of us. “Damn, hot stuff. I’m going to want to borrow that skirt. Just a heads up.”

  Micah opens the back car door for me to get in. I figured he’d ride in front with Jamie, so I’m surprised when he scoots in next to me and closes the door.

  He’s so close that his muscled leg is practically on top of mine. It has my mind racing with extremely dirty things.

  “I have to be up in the morning, so I’m going to just drop you two off and hit the road.”

  “Thank you, Jamie. I didn’t mean to keep you up.”

  She smiles back at me. “You didn’t. I was chilling at Vortex, watching the sexy men working it. I just wasn’t drinking since I have to work in the morning.”

  When we get back to my brother’s house, we say goodbye to Jamie and head around to the back.

  Micah pulls out his key and unlocks the door.

  “You coming in?”

  He shakes his head and yanks his shirt off. “Nah . . . I need some exercise to clear my head. If I go inside right now . . .” He slowly undoes his jeans and pulls them down his thick, muscled legs. “I’ll end up in your bed.”

  With that, he turns around and jumps into the water, leaving me standing here with my thoughts all over the place.

  I have no idea how I’m going to go the whole summer without wishing that he would end up in my bed.

  Shit . . .

  BETWEEN VORTEX AND EXPRESS, I haven’t gotten a chance to see or talk to Tegan since last night. As soon as I left Vortex around eight, I went straight to my work in progress and spent the next three hours painting.

  My shirt is practically covered in black paint and I’m so exhausted that I considered just sleeping in my future office at Express.

  It was thoughts of Tegan that led me back here tonight. As much as I tried to ignore that I want nothing more than to touch her in all the wrong places, my body and mind wouldn’t let me forget.

  The place is completely quiet as I let myself in through the back. I didn’t notice any lights on when I pulled up out front.

  Yanking my shirt over my head, I make my way into the bathroom and scrub my hands for a good five minutes, trying to get rid of as much of the dried paint as I can.

  By the time I throw on a pair of sweats and fall down on the couch, my mind is already drifting back to Tegan.

  “Shit.” Sitting up, I run my hands over my face and decide that I have no choice but to at least check on her.

  Maybe then I’ll be able to sleep.

  Quietly, I make my way up the stairs and toward her room. Her door is cracked open, and the horny bastard in me can’t help but to peek inside and get a glimpse of her.

  Standing in front of her cracked open door, I hear something vibrating, followed by the sounds of her frustration.

  My dick instantly hardens at the knowledge that she’s trying to get off, not even ten feet away from where I’m standing.

  “Come on,” she groans. “Why won’t you work?” She slaps the bed and then tosses her vibrator down next to her. “Thanks a lot.”

  “Need some help?” I finally poke my head inside to see her scramble to grab her sheet and cover herself up.

  “What the hell, Micah? Why are you creeping outside my door?”

  She looks completely tired and frustrated, and I can’t help but to hope that it’s because of me.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” I admit. I walk inside her room and reach for her purple microphone looking vibrator. I don’t know whether to try and use it on her or sing into the damn thing.

  “Give me that!” She quickly snatches it from my hand and hides it under her leg. “Please go. The last thing I need right now is you giving me a hard time.”

  “Who said I’m here to give you a hard time?” Reaching for the top o
f my sweats, I drop them to my feet, before stepping out of them. “You sounded frustrated. All I want to do is help you.”

  She looks me over and swallows. Everything about her body language confirms that she wants me as badly as I want her right now, but we both know there’s one thing stopping us: Alexander.

  “We both know that Xan would kill you if you laid even one finger on me.”

  Smirking, I yank the blanket from her body and suck my bottom lip into my mouth as I take in her sexy little body, wearing only a small white tank top and black panties.

  “Who said I have to lay a finger on you?” Dropping down to my knees, I reach under her leg for her vibrator. “Nice microphone.”

  “It’s a personal massager from the Couture collection,” she corrects me. “And what do you think you’re doing?”

  Gripping her legs, I yank her down to the edge of the bed and spread her knees apart. “Doing you a favor . . . without laying a finger on you. Now lay back and relax.”

  She hesitates for a moment, before lying back and relaxing her legs. “I can’t believe I’m about to let this happen.”

  “I can.” Raising up a bit, I grip the straps of her panties and get ready to pull them down her legs.

  “No.” She grips my hand, stopping me. “Through the panties.”

  “Are you serious?” I arch a brow.

  “I’m not going to let you sit there and look at my vagina.”

  I smile, knowing that once I start she’s going to wish that she were bare. “I can work with that.”

  Wanting to get her worked up, I stand and rub my hand over the top of my boxer briefs, squeezing my erection.

  “Look at me,” I demand.

  Her eyes open and land on my hand that is now stroking my cock through my thin briefs.

  “Does this turn you on?” I grab it with both hands, giving her a better view of its thickness. “You like watching me touch myself?”

  Her bottom lip trembles as she lets out a small moan.

  “Keep this image in mind and pretend that it’s my cock rubbing against your clit instead of your vibrator. Got it?”

  She nods her head quickly and then goes back to closing her eyes when I drop back down to my knees at the end of the bed.

  Grabbing her personal massager, I turn it on and rub the round top in circles over her clit. Her black panties were already soaked before I started.

  “Oh. My. God.” Her voice comes out with a moan as she grips the bedsheet and spreads her legs more for me. “That feels so good.”

  My dick throbs as I continue to rub her with her vibrator. I want nothing more than to give her the greatest pleasure of her life, and I have no doubt that my cock is just the right thing to do that with.

  If it was my choice I’d rip her clothes off and slam her against the wall, but it’s not. I shouldn’t even be doing this right now. Alexander has been nothing but good to me, but a man only has so much willpower when it comes to something he wants and knows he can’t have.

  I grip her thigh with my free hand and turn up the speed on her massager.

  “Ohhh . . .” she moans out and grips my hand on her thigh. “Keep going. Right there. Right there . . . Ohhhhhh . . .”

  My cock becomes so hard when she screams out her orgasm that it hurts. It actually fucking hurts, and I want to take it out on her body so damn bad.

  “You’re welcome,” I say with a cocky smirk.

  Looking embarrassed, she grabs the sheet and throws it over her as I stand up. “Don’t say one word about this to anyone,” she whispers. “I’ve never let anyone . . .”

  “It’s between us and my cock,” I tease.

  She grabs a pillow and tosses it at me. “Now get out so I can sleep, cocky ass.”

  There’s a hint of a smile on her lips and I know without a doubt that she enjoyed me getting her off just as much as I did.

  “I expect the favor to be returned if you walk by and hear me trying to get off. Four hands are better than two when it comes to my cock.”

  She laughs as I smile and leave her room. It’s cute seeing her sexually relieved, and I know by looking at her that I want more of this from her.

  I just have to find a way of doing that without pissing Alexander off and ruining our friendship.

  Fuck me. Good luck with that . . .

  Tegan

  I’ve been awake tossing and turning for the last hour, surprised that I allowed Micah to use my vibrator on me. I never thought I’d let myself do that.

  If I had been thinking clearly, I would’ve kicked him out of my room the moment he stepped inside, but I was too sexually frustrated to not take him up on his offer.

  He was right. I took that picture of him for myself; although, I tried my hardest to convince myself it was for Whitney’s viewing pleasure.

  I realized that the moment I had it pulled up on my phone and was reaching for my vibrator.

  His muscles and long hair had me coming within fifteen seconds the first time and thirty seconds the second time.

  So yes . . . it’s exactly what it looks like. Don’t judge me.

  I haven’t gotten off in months, so I went for a third time, but my vagina wasn’t having it.

  Not until he walked into my room; so sexy and sinful, a look of intent on his face.

  I sigh and shove another piece of cookie dough into my mouth, eating my frustrations away.

  “You gonna share that with me or are you going to eat my whole stash alone?”

  When I look up Micah is standing across the room in a pair of sweats. The way they hang low on his waist has my eyes lowering to his bulge, but I quickly avert my eyes before he catches me staring.

  After the hard-on I witnessed earlier in those tight briefs, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to keep my eyes from going there whenever he’s in front of me.

  “I figured this was yours. Alexander used to hide the cookie dough from me when we were kids and refused to buy me any when he was out on a store run. Complained I was going to get sick from eating it raw.”

  “Nah.” He bends down and eats the piece right out of my hand. “You’ll be fine. It’s not like you’re eating the whole damn package. You’re not, right?”

  He lifts a brow and I toss him what’s left of the package. “I might’ve gotten close a few times before, but my brother always snatched it from me and tossed it in the trash before I could consume the last quarter of it. Like that small amount is going to make a difference.

  “I think maybe I should keep this safe then.” He rolls up the end of the package and sets it down on the island in front of him. “What are you doing up? Too many words in your head?”

  “Maybe . . . how about you?”

  “I haven’t been able to sleep much. Been thinking a lot about getting my bar up and running.” He huffs and runs a hand through his messy hair. “I’ve still got to order tables and supplies and figure out staff and payroll and a lot of other things that exhaust me just thinking about them.”

  “I heard it’s based around live music; like how you occasionally perform at my brother’s bar, except it will be nightly. I’ve always wished we had a place like that back in Arlington. I’ve seen them in movies and TV shows growing up and those have always intrigued me. I love that idea and it’s awesome that’s what you wanted. I can see myself spending a lot of time there whenever I’m here to visit.”

  “You might not want to go home after the summer ends if you spend too much time at my bar.”

  “Maybe not, but I have to. I promised my parents I’d wait a few more years before moving away. They were really torn up about Alexander leaving at such a young age and I don’t want to put my parents through that again. It may not be what I want, but it’s what they want.”

  “And what about a boyfriend or even an ex who wants you back? He want you to stay too?” His eyes lock on mine, waiting for an answer.

  I shake my head and laugh. “I haven’t had a boyfriend in three years, and there’s no one back home who
even slightly has me interested, so, no.”

  “That’s good to know.” He takes a step toward me, his eyes lowering to my lips. I suck in a breath at his closeness, which results in him taking a step back and running his hands over his face.

  We stand here in silence for a few moments before he releases a long breath and looks me over, as if he’s about to say something important but decides against it.

  “It’s late. I’ve got to be at the bar early to make sure everything is running smoothly for when your brother gets back tomorrow.” He grabs the cookie dough and reaches into the fridge for a water. “You should go lay down so your characters can talk, yeah?”

  I nod, watching as he disappears from the kitchen.

  I don’t know what the hell that was about, but I won’t deny that I almost wish he would’ve kissed me.

  But I have a feeling Micah isn’t the kissing type. Not from what I’ve heard from my brother . . .

  XAN SENT ME A TEXT this morning to let me know that he’ll be home around two and wants to take me out to lunch.

  As excited as I am about seeing him, I can’t help but to worry about how he’d react if he knew what went down with me and Micah last night.

  As far as I know, Micah is his closest friend here and one of the only people that he truly trusts. That’s a huge deal for Xan, and as badly as I want to jump on Micah and take him on a test ride, especially after how hard he made me come with my vibrator, I know that it could possibly ruin their friendship and trust.

  He’s so damn hot and tempting, but I need to stay strong. I didn’t come here to mess things up for my brother. The thought alone makes me feel sick to my stomach.

  When I close the fridge, I look up to see Micah going through the cupboards. “Hey,” I say while spreading out the ingredients to make a chicken quesadilla. “Xan will be home in about four hours.”

  “Yeah.” He closes the cupboard and looks down at the stuff I just laid out, before bending down and pulling out a couple of pans. “He texted me a bit ago to check on you and the bar . . .”

  I watch as he pulls out the butter and then opens the bag of frozen chicken strips, tossing some in one of the pans, along with some butter and seasonings.