“I’ll take you up on the lift to my appointment. I’ll even let you do the manly thing and help me find a decent car. But I can’t let you take me back and forth to work. I’m not even sure what shift I’m going to be working yet.”
“That works for me.” Taking a swig of beer, I press on. “I think you need to talk to someone about what happened, Mal. Professionally, I mean.” Looking over at her, she’s staring out into space, hands fidgeting with her hoodie. “No pressure. It was just a suggestion.”
She gives me a small smile. “I’ll think about it, but once I get back to work and into a routine, I truly believe I’ll be back to normal.”
“Normal is relative. Okay, everything is done. Do you want to eat out here or back in the kitchen?”
“Probably the kitchen. It would be hard to cut a steak on my lap.”
“Very true.”
Removing the food from the grill, I carry the platter to the counter. Mal follows behind and throws our empties away. Gathering the salad and potato fixings out of the fridge, along with a couple more beers, I place everything on the counter, plate up the food, and slide one in front of her. Her dove gray eyes widen as she takes in the sheer amount of food in front of her. It’s the kind if silence that comes from being completely comfortable with each other. She puts a good dent in her food, but about halfway through her plate, she pushes it away.
“Why are y’all going to New York?”
“We have a live set to go play for Octane.”
“For how long?”
“Three days, I think. Hopefully we’ll get to see some sites. I want to see the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and more of Times Square. We just kind of passed through last time.”
“New York in winter. Are you worried about getting snowed in?” she says, scrunching her nose.
“Not really. The worst thing that can happen is we get stuck in the hotel for a few extra days. I’m sure Brian would find some way to spin it to our advantage.” Taking another drink of my beer, I contemplate how to bring this up before just blurting it out. “Have you decided when you’re going to let Kris and Camryn know you’re back in town?”
“I was thinking Christmas. Make it a surprise. I’m sure they’re probably worried about me. I don’t have my phone, and I’ve stayed off all social media. They have no way to contact me. Guess that makes me a shitty friend, just now worrying about them.”
“You’re not a shitty friend. You needed to focus on you and getting better. And they’ll understand that. But, yes, they’re worried about you. We were talking about it the other day before I realized it was you who moved in.”
“What were they saying?”
“They are worried and haven’t heard from you in a while. They were planning on making a trip to Colorado to find out what’s going on.” Her eyes open impossibly wide.
“When are they planning on going?”
“Before we leave for tour. It’s good you’re telling them before they make the trip. What are you going to tell them about why you’re back and why you’ve been ignoring them?”
“I’m not ignoring them,” she states, indignant.
“To them you are. They’ll understand once you tell them what’s been going on.”
“I’m not planning on telling them, Jason. I’m just going to tell them we broke up and I moved back.” She’s back to peeling the label off the bottle and piling the paper into little balls.
“Why?”
“Why what?” She looks at me questioningly.
“Why aren’t you going to say anything? Mal, this wasn’t your fault. You didn’t ask for this. You didn’t deserve this. This is all on him. And you need to understand that. The sooner you do, the sooner you can get back to being you.”
“I don’t want them feeling sorry for me or pitying me. I’m just glad I’m back here with y’all. Back where I belong.” The sadness in her voice makes my heart hurt for her.
“I’m glad your back too, Mal. How about we watch a movie?”
“I think I’d like that.”
We decide to watch Hitch, and we sit on the couch, her on one end, and me on the other. Normally, I’d sit in my recliner, but I crave the chance to be closer to her. A few minutes into the movie, her eyelids become heavy and she starts to lean to one side before catching herself. Laying one of the throw pillows between us, she rests her head down and her breathing evens out as she sleeps. Reaching back to the couch for the blanket, I spread it over her. Absently running my fingers through her ponytail, I watch the whole movie like it’s the most natural thing in the world for her to be asleep next to me, doing this every night. When the credits roll, I scroll through the stations to find another movie so she can continue sleeping next to me. Eventually, I have to get up to piss and try to move from the couch without disturbing her slumber. Disappointment fills me when I walk back into the room to find her sitting up.
“I fell asleep, huh?” she asks, her voice groggy. “I guess I better get back to my apartment.”
“I’ll walk you over.”
“You don’t have to do that. It’s just next door.”
“I’ll walk you to your door. My momma would kill me if I didn’t.”
Opening the door, we walk out into the dim walkway. Unlocking her door and pushing it open, she turns to me. I step closer, making her look up at me. Her gray eyes sparkle in the light. Leaning down, I place a kiss on her forehead, savoring the feel of her silky skin against my lips, the scent of her shampoo.
“Goodnight, Mal. Pleasant dreams.”
Mallory
Excitement roars through me as I get ready to leave to go car shopping. it’s time for me to be able to get out on my own and quit being dependent on everyone else for everything. Well, not everyone, just Jason. Staring in the mirror, my bruises have all but faded, not even the sickly yellow remaining. There is only a slight twinge in my ribs when I turn a certain way, and my ankle’s not bothering me at all. Jason insists I keep wearing my walking boot until I get the okay from the doctor to leave it off, which irritates me. Glancing at the clock, there’s about fifteen minutes before Jason is supposed to pick me up. Applying some light makeup and pulling half of my hair up in a clip, I pull one of my bags from the closet, then sit on the couch, waiting impatiently.
At his knock, my heart flutters and a warmth fills me at the thought of seeing his smiling face. We’re only friends, and I don’t want to jeopardize that friendship. Opening the door, I keep my jaw from dropping, but just barely. Does he have any idea what he does to me? Wearing a dark grey t-shirt that molds to his muscular chest and those dark wash jeans that hug his thighs, he makes certain parts of me tingle. Not to mention, the dreams he’s been inspiring at night. Ordering myself a B.O.B. was a stroke of genius, as I don’t see him filling my carnal needs. Every night, I wake up hot and sweaty with my fingers buried in my pussy, all the while fantasizing about the one guy I probably shouldn’t.
“You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” I retort, closing the door behind me.
Out in the parking lot, his hand at the small of my back gives me a thrill as he boosts me up into the truck. Pulling out into traffic, we head north toward a dealership where his friend works.
“If you don’t find something you like here, we can go look at other places. Don’t feel pressured. Stick to what you can afford. Wes is my friend, but he is a car salesman.”
“I’m not going to pick anything I don’t like. Trust me, I’ll avoid being pressured into anything. I don’t have to get a car today.”
“Exactly. I’ll give you a ride anytime you need one.”
Pretty please? Is it sad I got wet just thinking about the ride I want him to give me.
“Huh? I didn’t catch that.”
My cheeks flush. Oh shit, did I say that out loud? “Uh, I was just agreeing with you. I know you’ll take me if I need to go somewhere. I hope you don’t feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”
“Of course not. That�
�s what friends are for.”
Friends, right. Keep your head out of the gutter, Mallory.
Pulling into the massive lot, a sea of vehicles is all I can see. Jason parks in an open spot before leading me inside. His friend, Wes, is waiting by the front desk and walks our way when he notices us enter the lobby.
“Jase, good to see you, man.” Sticking out his hand, they exchange a handshake, then a one-armed hug. “This must be Mallory.” At my nod, he holds his hand out for me to shake. “Nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Wes.”
“Let’s go look at some vehicles and see if any seem like a good fit for you.” He leads us out a side door to a golf cart.
“Jase said you hurt your ankle recently. I thought this would help us get around today.”
“Thank you. That’s very considerate of you.” I get in the front beside Wes and Jason jumps on the back.
“Do you have an idea of what you’re looking for? Car, truck, SUV?”
“Probably a car. It’s just me. An SUV would probably be too big. And I would like something with decent gas mileage. But I want it to have a little pep in its step. I don’t want to get on I-30 and have to worry about getting run over.”
We cruise along, cars and trucks passing by in a kaleidoscope of colors. Out the corner of my eye, I spot it. Sleek, stylish, and charcoal gray. The sun makes her gleam. “That one right there.”
Wes pulls to a stop, and I stumble off the cart in my haste. Walking beside her, my hand glides across the shiny paint.
“Open her up. The door’s unlocked.”
Grasping the handle, the door opens and the aroma of leather wafts out. Sliding in across the butter soft seat, I wrap my hands around the steering wheel and just breathe it in.
“By the look in her eye, I think I need to go get the keys.” Wes takes off on the golf cart and hurries away. Well, as fast as a golf cart can.
Jason leans forward and lowers his head inside, scanning the dash. His cologne smells better than the leather. My eyes close as I breathe it in.
“Pretty sleek. I like how big the touchscreen is.”
“I wonder if it has navigation? I bet this baby can move, too. She looks fast.”
“Well, Wes is headed back, so you can find out.”
“Get in the back. See how much leg room there is. You know my friends are practically Amazons.”
Wes moves toward me, extends his arm, and drops the key fob in into my outstretched hand. Closing the door, I push the button to start the car. The throaty growl of the engine makes my blood race. Wes gets in the passenger side and buckles up.
“Go ahead and pull out. Head north down the aisle, and we can take a right on the street.”
“You can’t tell me north. I need left or right.”
He chuckles. “Right. Turn right.”
Easing the car out of the spot, we slowly move down the aisle, impatiently waiting for the street to clear so I can pull out.
“After a couple turns, there’s a road on the left that is pretty much a straightaway. You can feel how well the car accelerates.”
Following the directions as Wes calls them out, we get to the turn, the endless line of black asphalt beckoning me to let her out. My foot pushes down and the car accelerates quickly right along with my heart. Man, I love this car. After about fifteen minutes, we return to the lot and park the car in the front. The guys hurry to climb out once the ignition is killed.
“What do you think?”
“I think I’ll take it.”
“Mal, did you even look at the sticker price?” Jason asks with exasperation.
“I guess I didn’t.” Heat fills my cheeks at my rookie mistake. Moving back to the car, Wes follows. I scan over the paper stuck to the window. Not too bad, but I bet I can get it knocked down.
“There’s also some really good rebates right now. Let’s head inside and talk numbers,” he informs me.
Wes precedes us to the door and holds it open for Jason and me to walk through. He then leads us to a desk inside a cubicle. We take seats in front of the desk as Wes sits behind it. We haggle with price and rebates, and Wes starts to sweat when he realizes I’m not a pushover. Jason just sits back and takes it in with a smile on his face. We finally come to a reasonable price for the car. I think Jason was even a little impressed with my superior negotiating skills since I got them to throw in tinting my windows for free. Booyah!
“Jason, I didn’t know you were bringing in a shark.” He laughs as we walk out of the cubicle.
“Hell, neither did I.” He chuckles
“Never underestimate a woman, gentleman. You’ll always get schooled.” A Cheshire cat smile graces my face.
Outside, the sun is shining as Jason walks up beside me.
“I didn’t think we’d be done this early. Want to go see a movie?”
“I may need to check my busy calendar and see if I have any prior engagements.” I smile at him when he chuckles. “It does seem I’m free for the evening.”
“All right then, let’s go.”
A few hours later, we roll back into the complex and head up the stairs. As my head clears the top of the landing, there is a medium sized white box leaning against my door. There’s only one thing I ordered lately. I scan the package, heat flushing my face even though there’s no incriminating information shown.
“Hey, looks like you got a delivery.”
“Oh, look at that,” I giggle nervously. Leaning over, I pick up the package before gripping it to my chest like a lifeline. “Thanks for taking me today. I really appreciate you helping me out.”
“No problem, sweetheart. I’m glad to help you out. You know that.”
“I guess I better get ready to turn in. It’s getting late.”
“You do realize its only about eight o’clock, right? Did you wear yourself out today?”
“No. No, today was fine. I feel better than I have in a long time. I just have some things to work out tonight.” My gaze is drawn down to the box before I realize it. As soon as I do, I jerk my eyes away, looking back up at Jason. His eyes travel from mine to the box clutched to my chest. Ducking my head so he can’t see my face flaming, I tuck my hair behind my ear.
“Then I’ll say goodnight. What time is your appointment on Monday?”
“Ten-thirty. Are you sure I’m not putting you out?”
“It’s fine. We’ll drop by and pick up your car after. I’ve never seen someone talk a car salesman into giving them something for free. That was pretty impressive.”
“Thanks.”
He leans in and gives me a kiss on the top of my head. “Get everything worked out. If you need anything, just holler.”
Oh, if he only knew what I needed. Him, naked, between my thighs. Me, clutching his back as he thrusts into me. I shake myself out of my fantasy before I embarrass myself.
“Night, Jason.
“Night, Mal.”
Opening my door and stepping inside, I force myself not to watch him walk to his door, so I don’t burn a hole in those jeans cupping his ass or the muscles in his back bunching as his arms swing. Damn, girl, get a grip. Placing the box on the counter, I pour myself a glass of Moscato and take a big gulp while staring at it. Grabbing a knife out of the block, I cut the packing tape. I ordered this the other night when I had woken up to a commercial offering a twenty-five percent discount off one item. Out of curiosity, I checked out the website, never realizing how many different sex toys there were out there. Clicking on the most popular, this popped up: a vibrating rabbit. Guaranteed to hit all the right spots with its moving pearls and vibrating ears. Before I realized it, it was added to my cart along with some other suggested items. Which, thank goodness, included batteries. Pulling the items out of the box, I study them, then pop batteries in the rabbit, seize the other goodies, and head to the bedroom. Grabbing the rabbit, I flick the switch on the bottom, the vibration obscenely loud in the silent room, as I let the fantasy take me over.
Jason walks through the door wearing a black tank that stretches across his muscular chest, leaving all the ink on his arms bare. His jeans are tight across his thighs. He doesn’t say a word as he crosses the room toward my bed with purpose. Stopping at the end of the bed, he pulls the tank slowly up, revealing his tight abs. The tank clears his head and he drops it to the floor. His hands move to the buttons of his jean and he deliberately loosens each one, his eyes never leaving my face. The jeans gap and the hair at the base of his dick is apparent. Lifting my eyes to his face, he gives me a half grin, then grabs my ankle and pulls me down until I’m lying flat on the bed. He places a knee on the bed and moves up until he is blanketing my body. With one knee between my legs and his left hand planted beside my head, he cups my jaw. Slowly, he lowers his head toward mine and gently kisses me—a slow back and forth across my mouth. He pulls back just enough, and I lick my lower lip, savoring the small taste of him. He tracks my tongue as it crosses my lip, then sweeps in to devour my mouth. As soon as my lips part, his tongues darts in to tangle with mine. His hand moves from my jaw to grasp my hair, tilting my head back. He moves from my mouth, down my jaw, to my throat with nipping kisses. I arch my back, trying to get closer to him. He settles his lower body onto mine, pinning me down. His mouth continues to travel to my shoulder, his finger sliding under the strap of my camisole, moving it lower on my arm. His hand releases my hair and slides the other strap down as far as it can go. But, apparently, it isn’t far enough.
Sitting up, he wraps his hands in the straps and the seams pop with little effort. He sits back on his haunches, running his hands down my arms and back up, across my shoulders, to the tops of my breasts where the camisole lies. Gazing into my eyes, he gradually pushes the fabric down my breasts and stomach until it rests at my belly button. His eyes leave mine and travel over my face to my chest, while his hands move up. Both of his hands grip the mounds of my breasts and lightly squeeze. He runs his thumbs over my erect nipples, making me arch into his touch with a gasp. Lowering his head to my breast, he licks around the nipple before lightly biting. The slight pain makes my breath catch.
Break Me Down: Silver Tongued Devils Series Book 2 Page 9
