True North

by Allie Juliette Mousseau

  “Don’t move.” He tore himself from my neck and regulated the water in the large brown and cream colored elegant tile shower. His body was so amazing. His muscles rippled with each movement of his torso and arms, and I was mesmerized.

  He came in closer, nipping at my bottom lip while he pressed his chest into my bra. My nipples hardened at his pressure.

  He dug his fingers into my hips, drew my center into his hardness and grinded himself against me. “This is what you do to me, Livie.”

  The heat pooled between my thighs and I knew I was becoming wet.

  “Let me wash you.” It wasn’t a question.

  The idea of being completely naked and exposed like that in the shower, in front of Jake made me suddenly very shy. I tried not to show it, but Jake must have heard me try to swallow my fear. I tensed.

  “Are you okay?” Jake’s voice was ragged.

  “Um …” I tried to speak, but I was breathless. I hadn’t been so scared when he was on top of me on the bed, but this was full-on nudity. What if he didn’t find me as attractive as he thought I’d be? What if I died of embarrassment?

  He pulled back just a little and tried to get a take on my expression, which I was trying to manipulate but failing.

  “You want this, right?” he asked, sort of confused.

  “Yes,” I panted. “More than anything.”

  He smiled again. “Good. Me too.”

  “I don’t think I can do the shower … thing,” I blurted nervously. “Why don’t you let me shower, then I’ll meet you back in the bedroom?”

  His brow creased. I wished he wouldn’t study me, but no such luck. He looked like he had a question on his lips but was holding it in.

  “Okay,” he said finally. “I’ll wait for you.”

  I smiled, relieved. “Okay, I’ll be quick as I can.”

  He moved back, and I jumped down from the counter. He didn’t leave though.

  “You’re still here,” I teased.

  He looked so serious, he was scaring me. He closed the distance between us and stroked his thumb over my cheekbone. “Livie?”

  “Yeah, Jake?”

  “Has anyone … seen you … naked before?” he asked carefully.

  Did his sister count? Or the girls at school in the locker room?

  I wasn’t sure where this was going. I bowed my head, feeling inexperienced.

  “How long ago did you last have a boyfriend?” he tried.

  I shrugged.

  “It’s been a while since you’ve been with someone? I get it,” he reassured me.

  “Jake, um … this is my first time,” I said awkwardly.

  Silence.

  Fuck! I was standing in front of Jake North with only my black bra and jeans on, still splattered with paint. “Say something.”

  “You waited?” He sounded surprised, or maybe astonished.

  “For you. Yes,” I admitted. My head was still down. I can’t say I was ashamed. I wasn’t. I was proud of myself actually. It was just his gaze was so penetrating, so blistering, I didn’t know how to handle myself.

  He wrapped his arms around me, picked me up and spun me right there in the bathroom. “You waited for me!” He sounded ecstatic.

  When he put me back on the ground, he put both his hands on either side of my face and kissed me tenderly.

  “I like the tender thing,” I said my head dizzy. “But I really liked the whatever-you-were-doing-before.”

  He laughed, and it sounded so good. “I’d take you right now, Livie! But I want to do everything right with you.” He ran his hands up and down my bare arms. “Take your shower and we’ll get a good night’s sleep, together, like we used to.”

  I loved the idea, but … “I don’t want to stop.”

  “Me neither, but it’s late and you’re exhausted.” He was right. I was spent, physically and emotionally. “I promise, we have all weekend, and I will make beautiful love to you.”

  He kissed me again and left me alone in the bathroom, where I promptly started jumping in circles like a giggly, excited school girl. When I gained control, I stepped into the shower and scrubbed off the paint from my skin and out of my hair. I used my own toiletries so I’d smell like me to him, but I couldn’t help opening his body wash and taking in the scent—Jake’s scent.

  When I was finished I dried off with a plush earth-toned towel and put on a dark blue camisole and matching boy shorts.

  I walked barefoot over the plush brown carpet and into the bedroom.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Jake said brightly.

  “Hey.”

  “I emptied a drawer for you.” He showed me which was mine. “I’ll be right back.”

  I heard the shower start up again. I put my few things into the drawer and drank down the rest of my beer. I yawned, completely ready for bed.

  Jake was back in to time, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs. I couldn’t help where my eyes went!

  He lifted my chin with a gentle finger. I bit my lip. He’d caught me. “Tomorrow,” he said as he touched my damp hair and pulled the blankets down. “Go on and get in.”

  I crawled between the onyx colored silk sheets, and Jake slid in next to me. He clicked off the bedside lamp. An illumination came from the hallway.

  “I can go turn it off,” I offered.

  “Naw, leave it.” He reached his arms around me and brought me up against his chest. He sighed so deeply it was as if he’d been holding his breath forever. “I have a feeling this will be the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a very long time, since I have you in my arms.”

  My eyes became heavy. “I love you, Jake.” I wanted to say it over and over again. I loved the sound of it.

  “I love you, Livie.”

  Chapter 13

  “Make a Move”

  Gavin McGraw

  I opened my eyes. Sun spilled in through the windows. Jake and I were tangled together, and he was awake. He had been watching me as I slept.

  “Good morning.” He looked at me so lovingly.

  “Morning,” I said from somewhere on cloud nine.

  “This and you is my wildest dream come true.” He smiled brightly.

  I snuggled deeper into his arms. “Mine too.”

  “I slept all night. I didn’t wake up once,” he said. “I can’t remember when that happened last, it was so long ago.”

  “I’m happy to have helped.”

  “What do you want to do today?” He looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

  “I don’t know. What’s there to do in Grand Forks?” I smiled.

  “Oh I’m sure I could think of something.” He brandished the sexiest smile I’d ever seen.

  Sure I knew what he was getting at, I answered, “Okay, then, you choose.”

  “You’re putting yourself in my hands, huh?”

  Oh, hell, yes!

  “Okay then, beautiful, let’s get dressed, and get ready to be swept off your feet.”

  I wasn’t really expecting the get dressed part of this. And didn’t the whole ‘sweep you off your feet’ thing already happen last night?

  He leapt out of the bed and started pawing through “my” drawer.

  “Um … a little privacy.”

  He barked out a laugh and threw me a pair of jeans, my white thermal and my Black Keyes t-shirt. “Don’t you wear socks?”

  “Koolaburras,” I said, sitting up in the bed.

  He threw me a pair of his. “You’ll need them.”

  “Oooo-kay.”

  Next thing I knew he threw himself on top of me. The thick black blanket was between us and I wanted to move it SO badly!

  His lips crushed mine. “I’m on fire from you, woman.” He rolled off the bed and jogged to the bathroom.

  I kicked my legs like a toddler in protest of his absence. I hadn’t seen him this alive and animated since I couldn’t remember when.

  Which put me in mind. He had a responsibility to his family, but I also didn’t want him to have to face s
omething he wasn’t ready to face. And yes, I felt protective of him.

  I got up and texted Jules …

  Jake is safe. He’s here with me. I’ll explain it all later. <3

  He’s okay???

  Yeah! I’m not sure what’s going on yet but we’re together.

  Thanks, Liv.

  <3 U J.

  <3 U Back

  I got myself dressed and ready for Jake’s holiday.

  First stop, Starbucks for coffee and breakfast sandwiches.

  Second stop …

  “I’m so not doing that!” I objected.

  “You’re so pretty when you’re trying to be serious,” Jake cooed.

  “I am serious!”

  “Ladies first.” He held the door open to Northern Heights Rock Gym.

  The colorful walls with protruding “rocks” to climb on were anywhere from 30—100 feet high. In a dizzying whirlwind, Jake bought us each a set of black climbing clothes made up of athletic pants and shirts. We rented the shoes, and the next thing I knew I was dangling twenty feet in the air, suspended by ropes and thick metal clasps.

  “Look how high you’ve gone, Liv!” Jake was next to me. Mr. Adrenaline Experience was showing me which ledges to grab and how, and which muscles to use to push myself up further. Higher.

  “I think it might be better for both of us if I didn’t do that!” I assured.

  He let go of his “rocks” and let himself sit back, cradled in the harness, putting one of his hands on top of mine.

  “It’s worth the rush and the risk. You’re safe, I’ve got you—so does the harness—you deserve to see what you accomplished,” he persuaded.

  I looked over at him and his excitement and laughed. Slowly I moved my head—with my eyes securely closed—until I’d be looking down—if my eyes were actually open.

  “Open them, Livie.”

  I knew I was “safe” in theory, but emotionally, no way.

  I took a deep breath and between my lashes caught a glimpse of the floor below. I almost laughed, thinking that if it had been summer Jake would have brought me hang gliding or something.

  ”Pretty fucking awesome, right?” he cheered.

  “I can’t believe I’m actually doing it!” I squealed. The rush of adrenaline made me feel invincible!

  “That’s my girl. Now reach up to the next one,” he instructed.

  “Higher?”

  “We’re going to touch the ceiling!”

  I brought my gaze north. The ceiling was another twenty feet at least. “I might puke, Jake.” And that wouldn’t be very attractive.

  “They have janitors,” he said matter-of-factly. “It wouldn’t be the first time it happened.”

  Great.

  “Concentrate on that feeling of accomplishment, that sensation that you could fly if you really wanted to,” he encouraged. “I’m right beside you. We’ll do it together.”

  His dark eyes were like lures, hypnotizing me.

  “If you expect it to be impossible it will be. Just love what you’re doing.”

  I nodded. Inch by inch we crawled upward. The muscles in my legs and arms burned at the exertion, but in a good way, and I felt so sexy! When we made it to the top Jake said, “Together.”

  We reached the ceiling and, with our hands locked together, touched it at the same time.

  I felt like the two of us had just conquered the world together.

  Third stop on Jake’s day—Blue Line Arena.

  Jake wasn’t the dinner and a movie kinda guy.

  “We have an hour, just me and you,” he explained.

  “How did you pull that off?’ I wondered.

  He flashed me a smile. Oh yeah, I forget how handy money can be.

  We rented skates. Jake insisted on tying mine for me. “I really am qualified to tie my own shoes.”

  “These aren’t shoes, and no you’re not. You need just the right amount of pressure over the ankle.” He sounded completely serious.

  “You’re nuts! I’ve been ice skating a million times,” I reminded him.

  “Hey, Jake, here you go.” The tall guy who had been behind the counter came back and set a large, black mesh bag on the floor, full of equipment.

  “Real hockey?”

  “Scared?” Jake teased.

  “Bring it on!”

  Would you believe it if I said it was almost as hot having Jake dress me as it was to have him undress me? He was so intense about getting the pads adjusted perfectly so I wouldn’t get hurt.

  Yeah, smoking hot!

  We held hands till we got to the rink, but then it was no holds barred.

  He tossed the puck to me. “You got this, Lady Luck.”

  I dropped it to the ice, and the two of us went head on. Hockey with Jake brought out my fun, competitive streak. We raced across the ice, trying our damnedest to score in our goal.

  I had a lot of confidence here. I knew how to do this; I was connected to the ground and knew how to work the stick. It reminded me of when we were kids and the Norths, Nate and me, and some other friends from school would hit the ice out on the lake, set up teams and try to whip each other’s butts.

  “14 to 19!” I shouted with my arms in the air. “One more goal and I claim the title!” I skated in a circle and then taunted, “If you concede now, I’ll consider it a tie game.”

  “I’m not conceding,” Jake goaded.

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” I pushed past him with the puck easily under control.

  A second later he got up behind me, grabbed me around my waist, stopping me by pulling my back to his front and tossed my helmet to the ice.

  “What are you…?”

  His hot, hot mouth invaded my senses as he made a trail over the vein in my neck, heating my blood.

  “That’s SO cheating!” I screamed.

  “Got to use what you got,” he purred in my ear and slid his teeth along my jaw bone.

  Oh my God! My knees were close to buckling.

  I could … not … concede. I tried to break free from his grasp and we capsized. I landed on top of him. It was pretty tough to be sexy in a bunch of bulky pads, but I did my best to slide down him very seductively as I kept my eyes locked with his. I let my hand carefully feel down along his ribs, hip, thigh—and I swear his eyes got huge as I almost grazed his manhood.

  Jumping up, I got hold of my stick and over to the puck and raced across the ice to score the winning goal.

  “Nice tactic,” he praised, and I skated into his arms and kissed him.

  We talked about whether we should go out for dinner or bring something in. This day had been amazing, but now I wanted to be alone with him. I also wanted him to be comfortable. Unlike when we were at the club, the gym and rink were both relatively empty and he was himself. I didn’t want to add in the stress a packed dark restaurant could cause.

  We picked up several different dishes of Chinese food—our favorites and two we’d never tried before—and then got liquor marinated fresh fruit and a bottle of Riesling and took it back to his apartment.

  His apartment, a few miles from my university

  .

  Chapter 14

  “If I Lose Myself Tonight”

  One Republic

  “Tofu vegetable stir fry, prawns with garlic and onion,” he announced as he took the little white takeout boxes from the brown paper bag and set them on the blanket he had spread out on the floor for an indoor “picnic.”

  “I’m not eating prawns,” I decided.

  “You promised you’d try a little of everything,” he reminded me.

  “Yeah but I must have missed that order.”

  “Tough.”

  “I don’t like prawns,” I whined.

  “Have you ever had a prawn?” he challenged.

  “Fine! I’ll try the freaking pawn.”

  He laughed. “Oyster sauce beef and noodles, fried and white rice and sweet and sour chicken, in case you hate everything else.”

  “Thank you,�
� I smiled.

  “I’ll get the glasses.” He hopped up and went to the kitchen.

  “Grab forks,” I called.

  He came back with two stemmed wine glasses. “Where would the fun be in that?”

  He opened each of the cartons and stirred them with a chopstick. While he did I took the extra chopstick pack, opened them up, swirled my hair onto the back of my head and pinned it down with the pretty red sticks that had Chinese symbols painted in black.

  “Alright, sexy, close your eyes and open your mouth.”

  I’m sorry. “What?”

  “You’ll have your sight perception telling your brain if you like it or not, so close your eyes and I’ll choose your bites for you.” He grinned wickedly.

  “And I’ll get to do the same to you?”

  “I hope so.” His eyes sparkled deviously. “Which gives me an idea!” He was up again and this time returned with a black bandana. “I usually use this to keep the wind off my neck when riding but it’ll work.” He folded it and came up behind me.

  “Your plan?”

  “I can’t have you peeking,” he said seductively.

  I shivered.

  “Now open your mouth.”

  I did. But nothing happened. “You okay?”

  “No, I don’t think so. You’re so fucking sexy.”

  I blushed behind the dark blindfold.

  “Okay,” he said, “I’m ready.”

  I nodded and opened my mouth. The food passed my lips and touched my tongue. And I thought I might die! I could hardly taste it, but I knew it was broccoli. I was sitting in Jake’s place, blindfolded, while he fed me! I obediently chewed and swallowed.

  “That was good.” I couldn’t have cared less.

  He put my wine glass in my hand. “Take a drink before the next taste.”

  All I want him to do right now is kiss me like this! I’d read enough romance novels with a blindfolded heroine, and being here with Jake made me yearn for that kind of action.

  The new morsel landed on my palate, and I was quite surprised. It was just a little spicy, very salty and burst with flavor when I bit into it. “That was good.”