“And yet the two of you have been yukking it up while she’s supposed to be watching my son.”
“Hey,” Clay begins, prepared to defend me, but I waylay him by placing a hand on his arm and shaking my head. The motion stops him from saying more.
“Give me a call.”
“Damn straight I will.” He leans forward, brushing his lips over mine. I feel nothing but a pleasant warmth as if a good friend kissed me. And at this point that’s exactly what he is.
Clay glares at Miles and throws a warm smile my way before walking off.
Exhaling a long sigh, I turn to my boss and explain, “I didn’t know he was going to be here. His family is having a reunion in another part of the park.”
“You two are pretty friendly. Is that your boyfriend?” His tone is snide, but why?
“No. He’s actually my ex. We broke up when he went off to college last year.”
“And today you decided to rekindle the romance?”
“No. That’s not the deal at all. We were only catching up like good friends would.”
He arches a thick, dark eyebrow. “Does he know you’re not together?”
Why does he sound jealous?
“Yeah, he does.”
“He doesn't look at you like an ex.” His tongue snakes out to glide along his bottom lip as he studies me. “He looks at you like you're his.”
I laugh to break the awkward tension. “Well, I’m not and he definitely knows the deal. Especially after our conversation today.”
“Did you crush the poor kid’s heart?”
“No, I did that a year ago. Besides, he’s not in love with me anymore. He just hasn’t met the right girl yet.”
“Therein lies the problem,” he states matter of factly.
Frowning, my forehead creases. “What do you mean?”
“He thinks you’re the right girl, therefore, he won’t ever meet the real right girl. It’s the crux of one person in a relationship loving the other more.”
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience. Is that what happened with your wife?” I boldly question, surprising myself.
His blue eyes harden as they connect with mine. I notice a muscle in his cheek tensing and I wonder if I’ve pushed him too far.
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough of this place.” And of your questions. Even though he doesn’t say it, I hear the words in my head.
Okay, so asking about his ex-wife is a no-go. Message received loud and clear.
12
Miles
“Thanks for coming with us today.”
“No problem.”
“I appreciate it. I know you rearranged your plans to help me out. I also remember I owe you pizza and a beer.” My eyes skim over her in the passenger seat before returning to the road in front of me.
“Nah, don’t worry about it. I won’t hold you to it.”
“What? Come on. It’s the least I can do.”
She turns in her seat to peek at Joey. “He’s already asleep.”
“I’m not surprised. With the oppressive heat today, I knew it would wipe him out. Hell, I’m ready for a nap myself. Or a swim at the least. You’re going to stay and go in the pool with us right?”
Sophie hesitates as if she’s working out an answer in her head before she’ll reply. “Don’t let us down. We’ve been planning on you staying.”
“We?” she questions, amusement dripping from her tone.
“Of course we. Joey wants you to stay too.” I know he’ll be thrilled if she spends more time with us.
And what about me? Will I be thrilled if Sophie stays?
My eyes sweep over her petite form. I won’t mind being in her company and seeing her in a bikini. That’s for sure.
* * *
“Are you sure I can’t do anything? I feel guilty just lazing here like this.” Sophie’s fingers trail through the water as she floats around.
I brush my wet hair back from my face. Hell no. She’s exactly where she needs to be. Ass up in her tiny bikini is working just fine for me. Obviously, I can’t say that, and since I’m pretty much dumbstruck by her curvy little body, it takes me too long to answer. “Nope, you can relax. I’ve got it all under control.”
And she notices.
“Are you sure? That didn’t sound very convincing.”
“Oh, I’m completely sure.” And my dick is doing its best to tent my board shorts if you need proof.
“I don’t want to make more work for you.”
“What do you think I do on the days you’re not here? Joey’s almost three; I’ve become an expert at multitasking.”
She lifts her head and rests her chin on the pillowed top of the inflated float, staring at me. “Is that so? Because I seem to recall arriving at your house that first night and you were locked outside.”
“Ouch, you went in for the kill.”
“Hey, you can dish it out, but you can’t take it.”
“I haven’t dished anything out, have I?”
“Eh.” She tips her head to her shoulder. “I can’t be the first to tell you you’re kind of an asshole sometimes.”
“Wow, I can’t believe you said that.”
“It’s the beer. It works like truth serum on me.”
Good to know.
“So, should I ask you questions that you normally wouldn’t answer?”
“No, don’t,” she says, then giggles, pressing her face straight down into the pillow top. She’s crazy if she thinks I’m going to waste this opportunity.
“What’s really going on with you and your ex?”
“Not a thing, at least on my part. I know he still wants to be with me, but I don’t feel the same.”
I like her answer. When I noticed them walking toward me, Joey on her hip, Clay’s arm around her, they looked like a happy family. A red haze of jealousy obstructed my vision and I practically cracked my molars from clenching my teeth so tightly together. The foreign emotion took me by surprise. I’ve never been the jealous type and maybe that was my problem with Sandy. She was running around on me and I never suspected anything until I caught them red-handed. Maybe if I had paid more attention and been jealous of other guys, I would’ve kept a closer eye on my wife.
Things have a way of working out for the best, though, and I’m glad Sandy is gone. My dick definitely misses the regular attention it used to receive from her, but I can do without all the turmoil she caused. There’s something to be said for living a drama-free existence. Removing drama and all the people who cause it simplifies your life in the best way possible. Now, I’m in control of my destiny, and Joey is my number one priority.
“If you’re not going to ask me anything else I’m going to take a nap,” Sophie playfully interrupts my deep musings.
“What’s the best gift you ever received?”
“That’s easy. My parents bought me a new laptop last week, so I’ll be ready for school.”
“Favorite vacation you’ve ever been on.”
“Pfft, how about no vacations?”
“Wait a minute. You’ve never been on a vacation? Not even with your family?”
“Nope.” She makes a popping sound with her p. “Well, there was one time we went to Virginia Beach for a weekend when I was like eight. But other than that, no.”
I can’t believe she’s never gone away. This might work in my favor with the weekend away my friends proposed. This could be the perfect segue into asking her to come with us.
“What’s the matter? Did I shock you?” she asks.
“To be honest, I am a little surprised. But I’m also thinking about a trip to Ocean City that I take every summer with my friends. I’d really like to bring Joey with me this time, since he’s old enough to enjoy the beach and ocean.”
“So, why don’t you?”
“I also want to be able to go fishing with the guys and maybe head out for a beer or two.”
“Then don’t bring him.”
Damn. I’m r
eally doing a shit job of making my point. Lunging forward, I propel myself through the water until I reach her float, my hands landing on either side of the pillow. She raises her head enough to put her chin on her folded arms, staring curiously at me.
“What I’m trying to ask is if you’d like to come with us. I’d pay you for the four days and you’d get to spend time on the beach. The condo we stay at belongs to my buddy’s uncle. There’s a pool we use and if you throw a stone from the backyard you’d hit the beach.”
“Okay, let me make sure I’ve got this straight.” She holds up her hand, raising her index finger. “You want me to go away for four days with you, Joey, and your pals?”
“Yeah, that sums it up nicely.”
“Am I the only female who’ll be going?”
“Yes. Neither of them are married and they don’t have serious girlfriends, either.”
“I’m not babysitting three grown men too.” She wags her finger at me like a windshield wiper.
“No. You wouldn’t be responsible for anything but watching Joey when I’m not there. Most of the time you could do your own thing.”
“When is this trip planned for?”
“Two weekends from now.”
“Off the top of my head, I’ll say it should work. I need to talk to Miranda and make sure she can find coverage for my shifts.”
“If she gives you a hard time, let me know. I have an in with her.”
“Siblings,” she says with a snort. “I know all about pain in the ass brothers.”
“I’m going to order pizza and wake Joey up in a few. I don’t want to let him sleep too long or he’ll never go down tonight.”
“We can swim with him and tire him out.”
“Yes, we can.” Why does her use of we have me smiling so wide?
* * *
“Hold on tight, Joey,” I call out as I dive forward, swimming under the water. His tiny fingers grip my shoulders, maintaining his position on my back as I move below the surface of the water. His legs squeeze my sides while we play dolphin. It’s similar to horsey when I crawl around the floor with him on my back, except the dolphin version happens in the pool. It’s a favorite of his and we only do it in the shallow end of the water, in case he falls off. He also has water wings on his arms, not that they work that well. I’ve been teaching him to swim and he can almost doggy paddle well enough to keep his legs and arms moving at the same time. By the time we go to the beach he should be able to swim well enough to stay afloat while he paddles.
“Dolphin swim,” he calls out, and I dive down under the water again. After numerous times diving, and much swimming, my arms are tired and I need a break. Ok, I don’t need a break as much as I want to look at Sophie some more.
I deliver him to the staircase. “That’s it for now.” He slips off the side of my back and sits down on the second step, splashing his hands in the water.
“Boo, that dolphin must be getting old,” Sophie calls out from the edge of the pool where she sits dangling her feet in the water.
Shoving off the balls of my feet, I glide toward her, hearing the Jaws theme in my head. Schooling my expression, I keep the laughter at bay as I approach. Her thin calves make ripples in the water, tempting me like a red cape waved in front of a bull. Reaching out, I catch both her ankles and yank her from the lip of the pool. A squeal escapes her berry lips before she splashes and falls under the water. I chuckle as I watch.
She pops up in front of me, water sluicing down her face. Sputtering, she brushes the wet strands of hair from her eyes, pushing the heavy mass back. “That wasn’t very nice of you.”
“I’ve never said anything about being nice.”
“Is this how you treat company?” she challenges.
I grin. “You’re not company at this point.” Her forehead puckers in a frown. “You’re practically part of the family.” Her expression relaxes into a smile.
“That’s really sweet of you to say.”
Leaning forward, I study her brown gaze staring up at me. “Why do you suppose it feels like we’ve known each other much longer than a week?” I surprise myself with the honesty of my question. That’s not what I intended to say.
Her eyebrows raise and her eyes widen. She opens her mouth only to close it. Her tongue slicks over her bottom lip, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’m not sure why it does, but I feel it too.”
My hands land on her upper arms, tugging her forward until she crashes into my chest. Her palms come down on my shoulders and instead of pushing me away, her fingernails curl into my skin, urging me closer. The hint of pain has my cock surging to attention. Can she feel it nudging her softness behind the small triangle of black material she calls a bathing suit? Jesus. I want to pluck those tiny bottoms from her legs and impale her on my cock without any preliminaries.
Over and over I’d thrust up inside her tight pussy until we’d both explode in a release that would eliminate this unbearable tension between us.
Fuck. What’s wrong with me?
I need to get a grip and step back. Removing myself from the temptation Sophie presents would be the smart thing to do, so why do my legs feel incapable of moving?
She shifts forward, pressing her tits to my chest and rises up on her toes. Her taut nipples poke through her top, branding my skin and making my dick jump. Palms sensually slide around the back of my neck and fingernails rake through my hair.
Fuck me. If this is some joke, or if she’s testing me, I’m going to fail miserably. But in this case failing means winning, so I’m okay with it. Failing to win might be my new favorite thing. If it includes every inch of her nubile, young body pressed tight to mine, I never want it to end.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispers, her sweet breath fanning over my lips. I don’t think I’ve ever been this turned on in my life, but goddamn this shouldn’t be happening. And I’m the older and wiser one who needs to kill this before it goes further.
Opening my mouth, I take a breath to speak and Sophie crashes her lips to mine. The minute her soft mouth connects, I lose all train of thought. Her hot tongue seeks mine, sensually rubbing and caressing until I forget everything but this moment. She’s a witch, tempting me and wiping my mind clear of everything but her.
Scooping Sophie up in my arms, I walk to the edge of the pool and press her back against the tiled wall. Her legs wrap tight around my hips and she flexes her heels into my ass, urging me to grind into her clit. And who am I to deny her? I drive my cock forward and wish her bathing suit would magically fall away.
Nothing exists but the two of us, lost in this frantic need. I’m not sure I can stop. How do I pull the plug on something I want so badly? Knowing her pussy will be so tight and hot wrapped around me makes it that much more difficult to say no. Why am I denying us both something that we need so much?
“Daddy.”
Sophie groans into my mouth and I imagine my cock releasing inside her. It would be the orgasm of my life.
“Daddy,” Joey yells, breaking through the sexual fog surrounding me. I slam back into reality, tearing my lips from Sophie’s. Her feet lower to the pool floor and I spin toward Joey. Guilt assails me as I move toward him. Jesus Christ.
What if something had happened to him while I was busy groping the babysitter? I’ve never felt like such a failure as a father. Joey always comes first. At least until now he always has. All it took to make me forget about him was a hot, young body and a plump set of lips. I’m an asshole.
I pick him up and carry him along with me as I climb from of the pool. “Let’s get you dried off. It’s almost bedtime.” Joey doesn’t even argue with me. Maybe he can sense that something’s wrong, so he’s being on his best behavior. Whatever the reason, I’m grateful. I need to get him to bed, so I can calm down and process what happened with Sophie.
13
Sophie
My stomach plummets like a roller coaster when Miles stalks up the steps and out of the pool. It falls a little further w
hen he enters his house without looking back at me. What did I expect? One kiss and he’d drop to his knees and claim his undying love? This is real life, not some romance novel.
Is he angry I kissed him?
God, I hope not, but there’s a distinct possibility he could be. I pushed us over a line he may never have wanted to cross and now things could potentially be strained between us. Or worse, he might fire me. We’re only one week into the eight week period he hired me for. That leaves a lot of time for awkwardness.
Am I angry at myself for kissing him?
It’s hard to feel anything but longing at this point. That was the best kiss of my life and I never wanted it to end. I wish it was still going on right now. That might make me selfish, but it’s hard to care when our kiss moved me more than any other I’ve experienced. At the first touch of our lips it felt like an electrical current had shocked me. And then it settled into a pleasurable fire flickering through me from head to toe.
After a few minutes more of being alone in the pool, I climb out and dry myself off. I walk across the patio and enter the back of his house. As I move down the hallway, there’s no sign of Miles or Joey. He’s probably putting the little guy down for the night. He had a busy day.
I don’t want to interrupt his time with Joey, so I grab my shorts and slip them on along with my shirt. My feet slide into my Chucks as I scoop my backpack over the crook of my arm. I pause, listening for sounds of Miles and Joey, but silence is all that remains.
I slip out the front door, quietly closing it behind me. It’s best for me to get out of here and give him time to process what happened.
As it is, I’ll see him tomorrow night and then I’ll have an answer of how he’s dealing with our kiss.
* * *
Miles answers the door with a grim expression on his face. I guess I have my answer of how he’s handling our kiss.
DEPRAVITY: KING UNIVERSITY Page 10
