“That’s great,” I answer, truly happy for my sister. For a split second, I forget what happened tonight and that Elle saw Sierra plant a wet kiss on my inebriated ass. I wasn’t all there. I didn’t shove her away fast enough. Fucking beers.
“So... something is wrong.” Her words are filled with concern.
“Why would you say that?” I feign ignorance, raking my hands through my hair in frustration. How do I start this conversation with her? I feel like I’m in high school again. I can’t mend the one relationship I want so badly. Everything keeps falling apart on me.
“It’s past one in the morning over here, and you interrupted me during my Sons of Anarchy marathon. That Jax is really something.” She sighs into the phone.
I hear Tommy moaning in the background, “He ain’t got nothing on me.”
“Tommy doesn’t know what it is about him,” Juju says. “He just can’t appreciate such a delicious piece of man.”
“Oh shit, I don’t know anything about Jax or what he’s packing, but I see he’s got you all bothered.”
“Yeah. Yeah, he does,” she breathes dramatically.
“I’m glad to see you and Tommy are still as happy as ever.” I chuckle, debating whether I should even bother trying anymore, let alone tell my sister that I can’t get my shit straight when it comes to relationships. Perhaps I should join Luke because I’m just not cut out for this. If it were another girl, possibly, but it’s not so easy with Elle.
“Okay, you’re really quiet over there, which tells me the reason for your call is about that girl. Elle, right?”
“Yeah,” I reply pensively, wondering what Elle is doing right now with Tyler and it makes me furious. I need to do something to numb the ache right now. I thank God I’m in my bed and not near a hard surface because I would probably hurt myself.
“What did you do now?”
“Do you really want to know?” I tense, gripping the phone tightly to my ear.
“If you’re calling me in the middle of the night, you bet your ass that your little sister wants to know.”
I exhale hard, exhausted by the bullshit that I’ve created. I go ahead and explain everything to Juju from the history and the parties involved to how I ended up making the deal with the devil Sierra. I swear Jerry and Sierra should team up; they would make one deadly team.
“Wow,” she interjects. “This is serious, but not something that can’t be fixed. First of all, there are three rules to follow when you’re trying to get back with an ex.” She pauses and clears her throat. “One, never, ever, ever team up with an ex of an ex’s ex.” She stresses each word as she speaks.
I chuckle at my sister’s answer despite my dire situation. I’m literally hanging by a thread. I don’t have many options or maybe I just used up my last one.
“Are you still there, Reed?” she asks.
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“Rule number two. Call Juju. She has all the answers.”
“And three?” I wait in bated breath for her to give me the solution to my state of affairs.
“Refer to number two.”
“You smart ass.” I smile, rubbing my hand over the stubble on my cheeks. I haven’t shaved all week, hoping tonight would have been the night I held her in my arms and would have felt her hands on my skin.
“Seriously, do you have any friends you can trust? Maybe someone you both know?”
Why didn’t I think of this before? Before I got messed up with Sierra? Fuck. This was plain as day. One thing I’ve learned in my life is that when you get desperate, you make some fucked-up decisions and this ranks as one of my biggest.
“Juju, you’re a genius! Why didn’t I call you sooner?”
“It took you this long to figure that out about me?” She giggles. “Keep me on speed dial.”
“I’ve got to let you go. There’s someone I need to call right now before this gets fucked up even more.”
Piper.
I texted Piper right after I got off the phone with Juju but didn’t receive a response until I woke up this morning. I told her to meet me on the quad. She didn’t ask any questions and just said she’d be there. I grab my backpack along with my guitar. I need it today to calm my nerves. She’s my last resort. I just hope I’m not too late.
Anxious to know if she’ll even help me, I arrive fifteen minutes early and settle under a tree. Pulling out my guitar, I strum a few cords that lead into the song I wrote for Elle. It hurts too much to finish it, so I play a new song that I’ve written since my return to Boston. It’s good therapy to put what I’ve been going through into words. I use football for my anger and music for my pain.
Closing my eyes and leaning my head against the tree, I let the music flow from my fingers and sing quietly to myself. The tension I’ve been feeling momentarily leaves my body, but it does nothing for my mind. The thoughts still linger.
“Hey.”
I turn, glancing over my shoulder and the first thing I see are expressive gray eyes staring at me in awe.
“Don’t tell me that was you I heard playing the guitar and singing?”
“Yeah, that was me.” I smile, resting my guitar back in its case.
“Did you ever think of...?”
“What? Playing on stage?” I cut her off, shaking my head.
“Yes.”
“No way, not for me.” I laugh. “Not in a million years,” I say, stretching my legs out in front of me.
“You’re good. And that song? Did you write it?” She raises an eyebrow, still in utter shock at my secret talent.
“Yep.” I let out a deep breath.
“Wow. It was beautiful. Who inspired it?”
Here is the lead-in for the conversation, the whole reason why I brought her here in the first place. “Elle.”
“Wait.” She steps forward and throws her hand on her hip. “I only know one Elle in Boston.”
She’s quick.
“Yeah, so do I,” I breathe. “I think you’re my last chance to fix my problem.”
“Who me?” She points a finger at herself and laughs before dropping her backpack onto the grass and sitting crossed-legged beside me under the tree. “Is that why you called to meet?”
“Yes.” I nod my head in confirmation. It’s out there now. No turning back.
“I knew there was something going on with her.” She gives me a compassionate smile.
“What do you mean?” I lift an eyebrow, wondering if Elle mentioned me at all.
“She seems conflicted, like she’s fighting something. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, I could tell.” She glances over at me. Her eyes twinkle as she twists her necklace in contemplation. “So, what is it that you want from me?”
“You’re gonna be the one to get us back together,” I reply straight-faced, without missing a beat. “You’re it. I need you on this one.”
She peeks over, her eyes flashing contemplation. I take that as a good sign as I wait for her to respond. “Well, I need a little bit of history here. I need to know what I’m dealing with,” she says as she eagerly leans into me.
I hate repeating the history of our short relationship, the bad parts anyway. Piper needs to know every shitty detail, especially the part involving Sierra. For the next twenty minutes, she listens to it all, quietly pondering and soaking in everything. She lifts her eyes to me and flips her long black hair off her shoulder.
“I’m in,” she sings. “Because I like you both and I can totally see you together, I will do whatever I can to help you. What happens after that is between you and Elle.”
“Trust me. I know. I’ve been trying to fix this for months, and I’m not about to fuck up again. I love her too much.”
“I only have one question for ya.” She quirks a brow.
“What’s that?”
“What about the guy I saw her with the first time I met her?” she asks, running her hands down the legs of her jeans.
“What guy?” I fucking know who she’s asking about, but I pla
y along.
“The tall piece of eye candy with the rockin’ body and brown hair that drives a Jeep,” she challenges. “I’m betting that he’ll be a little upset with you making a move on her.”
“Tyler,” I clench my teeth as I say the words, “is her best friend.” Who knows, shit could have progressed between them. They do look more than a little cozy with each other.
“Oh…uh…best friend.” She chuckles, shaking her head. “Hmm…that’s an interesting situation.”
“At this point, I don’t give a shit,” I ground out. “Tyler made a move behind my back. I’m going to fight for her, no matter what it takes.”
“Well, shit. This is a lot of pressure to be putting on little ol’ me.” She laughs, pressing her hand to her chest. “Let me think for a minute. This is an unexpected development, but nothing this girl can’t swing.” Nudging me in the ribs, she rises from the grass and digs out her phone from her backpack and immediately starts texting. When I try to ask what she’s doing, she raises her hand for me to wait a minute. I’m literally fucking ready to jump up, grab her and shake her to let me in on what she’s doing. Perhaps it has nothing to do with me. Who knows, she could be contacting Link.
She paces back and forth across the quad, sending numerous texts for five minutes before she returns. Standing with her back to me and hunched over her phone, she continues to text furiously. What the hell is she doing?
Finally, she twirls around after receiving a text that has her smiling like Jack Nicholson from The Shining. Fuck. Why is she smiling like that? It definitely has nothing to do with my predicament and more to do with her and her man.
“Done,” she says confidently.
“What do you mean? ‘Done?’” I ask, cocking my eyebrow.
“That was Elle saying ‘yes.’” She extends the phone to me so I can read Elle’s response. Yes. Sounds like fun.
“What have you planned?” I glance back at her as she shoves the phone into her backpack.
“Crimzen is playing at the House of Blues and we’re all going, including you. Elle just doesn’t know it.” She shoots me a playful look as she pulls out a notebook. “You are down with this plan, right?”
“Fuck, yes,” I reply, rising from the grass. I don’t care if her plan had me walking through a fucking burning building or jumping off a plane. I’m there. Early. “I hope this works.”
“It’ll work. You know why?” she replies, self-assured.
“No, tell me,” I already feel like there’s hope in Piper’s plan.
“I’m not going to be planting a big wet one on your lips.” She giggles, punching my arm.
“Yeah, I know. I royally fucked up with Sierra; it won’t happen again.”
“I won’t let it,”she concurs, blowing a strand of hair away from her angelic face.
I have four days until I get my chance to explain my side of the story to Elle. She has to give me that. I can’t quit now. I can’t take one more sleepless night without her. This is worse than any prison sentence. I will tell her how much she means to me and that we can get past this.
When we arrive at my apartment, I shove Tyler through the door. His expression displays both shock and lust as he turns to look at me. Placing my hands against his hard chest, he willingly and silently lets me push him onto the couch. I know I‘ve been drinking all night, but I’m not completely incoherent. I want to remember what happens tonight. It means something to me as it will mean something to Tyler.
“What are you doing?” he whispers, watching me undeterred as I pull up my dress and straddle him. Heat warms my body, and passion pulses in my veins just feeling his body move underneath me.
“Giving you your birthday present.” I blaze a trail of kisses on his neck. After what I saw in the bar, all I want to do is let go of all the anger and hurt. Tyler always takes away the pain. “You don’t want it?” I pull away, playfully lifting an eyebrow.
“Don’t put words in my mouth.”His fingers slide to my face, and he gently runs the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip with a glint in his eye.
“Would you like my mouth on yours instead?” I breathe. My lips hover over his as I tangle my fingers through his hair. His hands attentively trail down my ribs to rest on my hips as he tugs me to his body.
“Oh yeah,” he breathes against my lips.
“Can you do me a favor?” I tease, snaking my arms around his neck.
“What’s that?” he asks, flicking his eyes to my mouth.
“Stop talking.” I push him back against the couch and devour his beautiful mouth. Closing my eyes, I feel his hands traveling up my back to unzip my dress. I raise my arms and let him slip it over my head. I then make quick work of removing his shirt and admire his chiseled body. His chest heaves under the pressure of my hands. I feel his erection pressed against me, and I gasp at the tingles that course to my core. The anticipation is killing us both.
“When did you get this?” I murmur, as I tenderly trace the new design on his bicep.
“The other night.” He whispers. “A birthday present to myself.”
“It’s beautiful.” I lift my eyes, placing my hands on his chest and then sliding them down to his waist. “Hey...” I pull back and smile, looking into his storming eyes.
“Yeah?”
“We never had your birthday cake.”
“Can I have you instead?” he demands in a gravelly voice.
We gaze at each other for a moment. There is so much want behind his request and so much desire in his eyes that send a rush of feelings shooting through me that I can’t begin to explain. I never answered his question about taking our relationship to the next level, and I don’t think it’s necessary, considering where we are at this moment.
I don’t know if what I’m doing is right or wrong or if I should even care if one of us gets hurt by what happens tonight. I feel his hands and lips explore my body. I grip his face in my hands and let the kaleidoscope of emotions I’m feeling escape into the kisses we share. I want my friend. I want him to be here for me.
Tyler meets me with the same urgency. His tongue finds mine, and it’s a realization and confirmation of how much he cares for me and how long he’s waited to connect with me like this. In the back of my mind I keep thinking that one of us is going to endure more heartache. I’ve felt it before. I’m being selfish. I’m doing this for him as much as I’m doing it for me.
“You taste...” His breaths are quick and impatient.
“Like what?” I pant.
“Better than cake,” he whispers as his tongue seductively plays along my collarbone and back up to my chin where he bites on my lower lip. “Stand up,” he commands.
I willingly comply, desire and longing intensifying in me. Kneeling in front of me, his eyes lock with mine as he slides his hands up my thighs, kissing my stomach and following the line up onto my breasts, as he rises to stand in front of me, tugging my body against his.
“God, I love seeing you this way, feeling you like this.” His amazingly penetrating eyes rake over my body.
“I need you now,” I murmur, searching his eyes. He is incredibly ready for me, hard and straining against his jeans. Knowing my body is doing this to him makes my hunger for him soar.
He kisses me hard, and I meet him with everything in me. Without breaking our kiss, he lifts me into his arms as I wrap my legs around his waist.
Finding his way to the bedroom, he stumbles in the darkness. His heat is overpowering, and his desire for me chokes all the air out of me. He lays me down onto the bed and stands over me while we both take in the sight of each other. I’m without words; I’d rather show him how I feel instead.
“I don’t know what to do first. I want you so bad right now.” He crawls over me, running his hand up the length of my body. Feeling his skin against mine, I anticipate his every touch as shivers cover me. The urge to touch him is too difficult to fight. I unbutton his jeans, tugging them off along with his boxers.
Cross the line, alwa
ys mine.
“Unwrap me,” I whisper. Lust blooms in the pit of my stomach and pools between my legs. I need Tyler to take it away before my head says my heart wants something else.
He’s on me in seconds, unclasping my bra and deftly pulling off my panties. I know he’s wanted this moment to happen. He brings his lips to mine, slipping his tongue into my mouth. His kiss is deep and consuming as he presses his body to mine. The connection between us is overpowering and forbidden that I feel tears well in my eyes. I’m not turning back.
He slides his lips down my neck, trekking down to my breasts where my nipples harden from feeling his warm mouth circle them. Trying to diminish the space between us, I tighten my hold around his body, hearing a growl rise in his chest as his erection presses against my thigh. The moment is so close that it’s painful thinking about what he would feel like inside me. I dig my nails into his back with demand and feel his cock nudge at my entrance. I’ve missed this physical contact for so long. The desire to lose myself in nothing but sensation, even for a brief amount of time, immediately consumes me. No more loss or pain.
“You feel so good,” he rasps into my ear. “So fucking good.”
A moan escapes my lips from hearing his words, and fire radiates throughout my body. I want Tyler to fuck me, make love to me, and devour me all at the same time. I want to feel in every way. His hands run along my hair, my face, and my hips. I grab his face and kiss him with everything that’s in me. My loud panting is echoed by his as I feel his body grind against mine with the same need. I tangle my hands in his mussed hair, tugging harshly. I feel his eager pulse when I press my lips to his neck and find my way back to his lips.
My body craves him, but my head is suddenly telling me to stop. I clutch him against me to liberate the memories of tonight from my mind. No. Yes. No, I frantically think to myself, not able to decipher my own rapidly changing emotions. I need to connect with him physically to release whatever is eating away at my mind. I stiffen and a heat rages through me. Is it anger because of what I saw tonight, or is it for Tyler, for us, here and now? I can’t shake that there is something Tyler is not telling me. He must sense my hesitation because he cautiously pulls away and gazes into my eyes.
Wanting Reed (Break Me) BOOK 2 Page 23
