Chloe: Tainted Ink Series Novella 1.5 (The Tainted Ink Series)

by Michelle Horst

  I walk to them and pat Cole on the back. “How are you guys. Long time no see.”

  Cole reaches out and we shake hands. “We’re good, still travelin’ all over the place. Seein’ all the family before we head out again.”

  “You guys really look good. I’m glad things are going well.” I talk with Cole and Lily a while longer before a splash gets our attention.

  “She’s a real wild one, that friend of Emma’s,” Cole says. His eyes doesn’t stay on Chloe long before they settle on Lily again. “You should’ve brought your bathingsuit as well. You could’ve joined her for a swim.”

  Lily slaps Cole on the chest. “No way am I paradin’ around in front of your family in a skimpy piece of clothin’. I don’t have half the guts Chloe has.”

  I look to where Wyatt has just joined Chloe in the pool and I feel an unsettling stir of jealousy. The longer I watch her in the tiny bikini, the more I doubt that she would be safe with me. I don’t want to admit to myself that I’m attracted to her.

  ~*~

  Chapter Seven

  Lady Antebellum – Just a Kiss

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_yTphvyiPU

  Chloe~

  I had fun at the party but cleaning up sucks. We’re busy washing the dishes when Emma chuckles softly. “Zac couldn’t keep his eyes off you. I think he really got jealous with all the attention Wyatt was giving you.”

  I wash another plate then glance behind me to make sure we’re alone. “You really think? I don’t want to waste my time on the wrong one. Wyatt is fun and you know me, I’m game for any fun.”

  Emma gives me a look. “Just admit that you like Zac. Why don’t you give it a chance?”

  “I’ll give him a chance alright. He’s really dishy and I think he can use a good shag,” I tease Emma.

  “You’re impossible!” She slaps me with the dishcloth before drying the last plate.

  “I’m going to go shower.” I run up the stairs and I’m just about to go into my room when Zac comes out of the bathroom. He really has loosened up since we met. He was actually nice to me today.

  “Want to join me in the shower?” I tease him.

  He stops right in front of me. I see lust swirl in his eyes and don’t think twice about what I’m doing. I stand on my toes and kiss him full on his mouth. No peck on the cheek this time. I grab hold of his shirt and drag him into the room, then kick the door closed. When I rub my hands up his chest to put them around his neck, he finally starts kissing me back. I open my mouth for him. The moment our tongues touch I lose control. This is the part I love, just letting myself be in an ocean of crazy-good emotions.

  Our tongues dance passionately, trying to taste as much of the other person as we can. And fuck does he taste good. Just like I thought he would.

  I shove him back into the wall and reach for his belt. I only get it half unbuckled when he pick me up and carries me backwards. He drops me on the bed where I land with a bounce. He yanks the towel from around my body. His eyes burn over every inch of exposed skin. His hands grip my hips and he pulls me to the edge of the bed. He opens my legs and steps between them. I want to reach up for him, but still with anticipation when his hand brushes over my mound. He pulls my bikini bottom to the side and enters a finger into me. I arch my back as pleasure courses through my veins. I want more, so much more from him. I grab hold of his hand, the only part of him within my reach, and press him deeper into me. Holding him there as hard as I can, I start to ride his hand.

  A low growl escapes his throat. With his free hand he yanks my top to the side so his mouth can find my hard nipple. It only lights the fire in me more and I ride him harder looking for the ultimate escape. He presses another finger inside of me and when he curls them, rubbing his hand up and down my swollen core, I find my release. It washes over me, washing me free of all memories for a precious few seconds. I ride his hand slow, trying to prolong the ecstasy.

  Zac brushes my hair from my face and for a long moment he just looks deep into my eyes. I don’t like the affection in his eyes and start to feel uncomfortable. Crawling backwards on the bed, I put some space between us. I quickly adjust my bikini, covering what I can.

  “That was some kiss,” I try to joke the intensity of the moment away.

  “Sure was,” he agrees, still not taking his eyes of me.

  The moment keeps growing more intense until I can feel it prickling my skin. “I … I’m gonna go have that shower now,” I mutter uneasily. I scramble off the bed, avoiding Zac’s eyes.

  I make a run for the bathroom, and only once I close the door behind me can I breathe easily again. I lean against it taking deep breaths. “What the bloody hell was that? You don’t get emotional over a quickie with a guy! You don’t do emotions … period!” I keep scolding myself as I turn on the shower. Letting the warm water wash over me will help to wash away the uneasiness. There can never be anything between me and Zac. I only do one night stands. Fun only!

  ~*~

  Chapter Eight

  Shane Ward – No Promises

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLphrgQFHUQ

  Zac~

  I didn’t expect that to happen. More so, I didn’t expect to feel so deeply. That was wow … the most erotic experience I’ve ever had. She caught me totally off guard, stirred life back into my heart, and then made a run for it. I won’t be just another one for her. I’ll show her there is more to life. The sooner she gives in the better for us both, because I never give up if I want something – and I want Chloe.

  I wait in her room for her to finish in the shower. We need to talk about what happened. I make myself comfortable on the corner of the bed. The door opens and wisps of steam come out first, then Chloe with only a towel wrapped around her body. My jaw hits the floor as my eyes travel from her feet, up the sexiest pair of legs I’ve ever seen, to her wet hair. She’s not wearing anything else but a towel! The thought gives me an instant hard-on.

  “You’re still here,” she says shocked, freezing in the doorway.

  I clear my throat and wish I could adjust myself. My jeans feels way too tight. “I’m still here and not goin’ anywhere until we’ve talked.”

  She huffs out a breath of air and looks down at her feet. “There’s nothing to talk about. We had some fun. Now it’s time to move on.”

  “So I’m just another one?” Her eyes jump up to meet mine and for the moment I hold them I see pain. The last thing I want to do is hurt her. I need to be straightforward with her, the way I’ve always been in life. I’m not going to play any games. “We both know something happened between us. I know you’re not into relationships but even you can’t deny the electricity between us.”

  “I’m not denying it but I don’t see what that has to do with relationships.” She looks at me all confused, clearly not on the same path as me.

  “Normally when people like each other they get involved, Chloe,” I spell it out for her.

  Her eyes widen as she finally gets what I’m saying. “Oh no! No…no…no! We can’t get involved.” She waves wildly between the two of us, almost dropping the towel. “I’m only into fun and you’re still mourning. What happened was only a bit of fun between us.”

  Her words sting, but I remind myself of her trust issues. I’ll have to find a way around it.

  “Look,” she levels me with a gaze that tells me I’m not going to like what she has to say now, “I’m a one-time-girl. I give you what you want and I move on. You really don’t want to get involved with my kind. We can have sex, I’m all for that, but it’s a one-time thing.”

  “You can’t be happy with being used all the time, Chloe?! You have to want more from life,” I argue, hoping she’ll see my point. She shakes her head and there’s almost a look of pity in her eyes. My heart starts to thump slow and heavy with the tinge of panic I’m feeling.

  What if I can’t make her see my way? The only woman I’ve desired since Laurie, and she’s happy being every other douchebag’s one night stand.
Just the thought alone makes my head rush with jealousy.

  “I’m happy with the way my life is,” she whispers softly, as if she’s being cautious delivering the death blow to a relationship that could’ve been amazing. “I’ll be your friend, any time, but I can’t give you more than that. I don’t do serious.”

  I pin her with a forceful stare, she needs to know I’m being dead honest. “I don’t give up easily, Chloe. I’m a very determined man. If I see something worth the chance, I don’t give up until I have it. You’re worth the chance, worth fighting for and right now you need someone to fight for you. You are worth so much more than being someone’s one-time deal. You’re a forever kinda’ girl and I’m going to make you see it.”

  Her eyes are wide with sadness, I can feel it rolling off of her in waves. I stalk to her and grabbing her behind the neck, I force her face up to mine. I place a quick but passionate kiss on her partially open lips. “I’m going to make you my forever girl and there is nothin’ you can do about it, you might as well make peace with the idea.”

  Letting her go I leave the room. She needs time to think about everything I said. But when I come back it will be game on.

  ~*~

  Chapter Nine

  Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran – Everything has changed

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U0ShG5Djc0

  Chloe~

  Oh bollocks! I’m not a forever kinda’ girl! Here I was trying to have some fun with Zac, lighten his mood a little, and now he’s gone and fallen in love with my sorry excuse for a shitty arse.

  Who falls for a direct-as-hell, fun-only, pain-in-the-arse-girl ?

  Zac, obviously Zac does!

  Ugh! I drop my face in my hands, feeling frustrated. I hate being a bitch but the only way I can show Zac I’m a waste of time and that he should stick with his wonderful memories of Laurie, is by pretending I’m not interested. Don’t get me wrong, Zac is a stunning man for any girl to land, just not me. He wants that happily ever after that he had with Laurie and I’m not it.

  I’ll give him time to realize what happened between us was a mistake, then I’ll take him wife shopping. What better way to show him I’m not the right one, by finding the right one for him.

  Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. I’m going to find his forever girl for him and that way I’ll be off the hook.

  ~*~

  Two days of silence from Zac. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or bad thing. Have I hurt him? I don’t like the idea of being responsible for Zac being in more pain.

  Do I go check on him? Will I only be stirring shit doing so? Ugh, men are impossible!

  I go join Emma and Aiden in the den. I flop down in a chair and watch Aiden talk to Emma’s huge belly.

  “Zac wants to have a relationship with me,” I blurt out. Aiden’s hand stills from where he’s rubbing circles on Emma’s belly. Emma’s eyes snap open and she watches me cautiously. “I told him no,” I go on unloading on them. “I think I might’ve hurt his feelings, but there’s just no way I can do a relationship.”

  “Are you telling us to convince yourself?” Emma asks. She places her hand over Aiden’s. “It sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself. You know what my opinion is on this matter. I think you should go for it, you have nothing to lose.”

  “When he realizes I’m a waste of his time, it will be my heart and trust being shredded to pieces. He said he wants a forever-girl and we all know I’m not it.”

  “You aren’t? Now what would make you think such utter rubbish?” Emma snaps, clearly getting upset with me.

  “I’m a fun girl, Emma, not the type that does forever. We’ll maybe last a week and then he’ll get bored with me and go look for someone else.”

  “You’re projecting your issues you have with your dad onto poor Zac. He won’t leave you. Once he makes up his mind he’s in it for life.” Aiden joins in the conversation. “My brother doesn’t make decisions like these lightly. You can at least go out with him once or twice, see if there can be something between the two of you. Don’t just assume it’s doomed before it even gets started.”

  I sigh heavily, feeling even more frustrated than before I talked to them. “You both just want to see us together because you’re so happy and two hopeless romantics. You should be warning Zac away from me. He’ll just end up getting hurt.” I get up needing to get out for a while. “I’m going to Jerry’s Bar to get sloshed. I like that pub, it has lots of potential.”

  “Don’t go home with the first guy that smiles at you.” Emma pulls her puppy face on me, begging me with her eyes. “Please be careful and come home.”

  “I’m always careful, Sunshine. I won’t let you worry again.”

  I run up to my room to get changed. I decide on a short leather skirt and matching jacket. This time I’m wearing a set of royal blue lace underwear underneath. The bra gives me more cleavage, boosting my girls and confidence.

  I put on some mascara, blush and lipgloss. With a smack of my lips I’m ready to go have fun, and forget all about my problem with Zac for the night.

  ~*~

  Chapter Ten

  Ed Sheeran – Give Me Love

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOjdXSrtUxA

  Zac~

  I throw on a charcoal shirt that I know looks good on me. I pat some aftershave on my jaw and neck and give myself a hard look in the mirror. Aiden just phoned to let me know Chloe has gone to Jerry’s for one of her ‘fun nights’. I’ll be damned if she ends the night in some pricks bed. It’s time for her to realize she belongs with me.

  “You can do this. Go sweep her off her feet,” I encourage myself.

  The drive over to Jerry’s is fast. I take a deep fortifying breath before I get out. There are already quite a few cars in the parking area and you can hear the music beating from inside. Chloe’s already been here thirty minutes. How much trouble can she get herself into?

  Once inside, I let my eyes search the dance floor to my right for her sexy body. The dance floor is already half full with people bumping and grinding against each other. I scan the rest of the bar and spot Chloe sitting at the bar, squashed tightly between two douchebags that will soon be in a lot of pain if they don’t back off.

  I stalk over, determined to claim her for myself. She doesn’t notice me, her attention fully on the two pricks.

  “I’m ready to dance a bit. Who’s game?” Chloe glances from the one guy to the other, turning that seduction thing she does full blast.

  “They’ll have to find someone else,” I snap. I can’t explain the amount of jealousy coursing through my veins. I’ve never felt so possessive about anything. This can’t be good, but I can’t stop myself from acting like an Alpha-male on heat. I swing Chloe’s chair around and by grabbing hold of her around her waist, I lift her off. “You’re mine for the night.” I place a chaste kiss on her parted lips and then pull her in the direction of the dance floor. “If you want to have fun you’ll have to have it with me.”

  Chloe is still gaping for something to say when I stop on the side of the floor. I lift her hands to my shoulders and let my eyes drink in her barely there outfit. Fuck she looks hot! I pull her body tightly to mine and then let one hand settle on her hip, my other hand gets lost in her thick, silky hair. I lift her face to meet me in another kiss, this one a little bit more passionate than how I greeted her.

  When I come up for air she’s breathing heavily. Her eyes are hooded by long black lashes. “What are you doing here?” she manages to whisper once her breathing evens out.

  “I’m here to show you that you can have fun with the same guy more than once. By the end of the night you’ll be begging me to make love to you.”

  “I don’t make love, I have one night stands. What happened between us was fun, but I can’t let it happen again.”

  I grind my hips into hers on the slow beat of the song. Her eyes flutter and drop to my mouth. I hate using sex as a tool, but if it’s the only way I can get her for now then so be it.
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  “I don’t care what you call it. I want you and you want me. Just let it happen for tonight.”

  I let my hand drop to her tight ass and pull her tighter against me. She can feel how hard I am for her. I watch frustration flit over her face, but when she looks up at me with lust swirling in the depths of her smoky brown eyes, I know I’ve won the round tonight.

  I lean down and press slow kisses from the curve of her neck, up to her ear. Her head falls back into my hand, and she exposes all that silky skin of her neck and cleavage. Tonight she smells of coconut and it reminds me of how good she looked in that bikini, how good it felt when she came on my hand. I need that again.

  ~*~

  Chloe manages to fight me for another hour before her hot body grinds into mine. Her mouth finds my ear and she grits the words out, “Now! Take me home now!”

  I grab her hand and drag her out of the bar without saying anything.

  “Wait, Emma’s car,” she says when I start to take her in the direction of my truck.

  “You can either follow me or we’ll come back for it. It will be safe here,” I add. I want her to come with me.

  “If you’re sure it will be safe,” she glances at all the cars still here.

  “It will. Come on,” I reassure her and start to pull her to my truck again. I open the passenger door and grabbing hold of her hips, I lift her to the seat. I quickly close the door and walk around to my side. The sooner I have her under me the quicker I’ll be able to function like a normal man. All this wanting her is driving me insane.

  I drive us out to a field. Chloe looks around, confusion as to why I brought her out here is clearly written on her face. “A field?”

  “You love excitement, so I thought I’d add to it by bringing you here.” I stop the truck to the side of the field and hop out. I open the door for Chloe and help her out. Grabbing a blanket from the back of the truck, I take her hand and walk her deeper into the field. “Right here should be good.” I lay the blanket down and immediately turn to Chloe. I drag her against me with one arm. “This is fun, right?”