by Sky Corgan
“You're so fucking hot when you come around my dick,” he growls into my ear, causing another flurry of contractions.
I wrap my hands around his broad shoulders and dig my nails into his back. That only seems to spur him to fuck me harder. My mouth is a permanent O as he pounds into me. There's far less restraint than there was the first time, and I'm loving it. He bends me into whatever position he thinks will feel the best. And they all feel incredible.
I close my eyes and absorb every emotion and physical sensation. I never knew that sex could make someone feel this good—could be like a high all on its own. I can see how people become addicted to it. Ever since Colton and I first slept together, I've craved him. Knowing what he's like unbridled is going to take that to a whole new level. Maybe my sex drive will even outshine his. Wouldn't that be something?
We writhe on the bed together until he's sweaty and I feel like I can't go any further. By the time he gets his release, my body is spent. He pants heavily, and I hold him to me, feeling like we're one person. I'm not sure if I've ever felt this complete.
“That was amazing,” I tell him as I stroke his hair.
“I always want it to be amazing for you.”
“If it's with you, it will be.”
He looks up at me, startled for a moment. “It better be with me.”
“You know it will be.” I chuckle, mussing up his hair.
He hugs me tenderly. “Good. Because you're mine. Only mine. I don't share.”
“And I don't share either, so the same goes for you, bud.” I gently flick his forehead.
He wrinkles his nose, looking adorable. “You've had me all to yourself since the first moment I laid eyes on you. I was a goner.”
“Really?” My heart swells with happiness.
“Really.”
It could have been a cheesy moment, but the look in his eyes is so sincere that I can't help but believe him.
I fall asleep in Colton's arms and wake up to the buzzing of my phone. Quickly, I scramble to turn off the alarm, silently cursing myself for not doing it last night. Any chance of sleeping in is ruined for me, but maybe I can save Colton from my mistake. Hopefully, he's a heavy sleeper.
Whenever I turn to him, he's staring at me. There's no signs of sleepiness in his eyes. From what I can tell, he's been awake for a while.
“Sorry about that.” I cringe, pulling the sheet to my chest.
His gaze turns dark in an instant, and he moves closer. He says nothing as he grabs me by the hip and positions me facing away from him. For a moment, I'm confused about what he's doing. But then he presses forward, and I gasp as his cock slips inside of me.
“Well good morning to you too,” I purr.
“It's the best way to start the morning.” He leans over to kiss my cheek.
“It is, though I would have liked to start the morning a bit later,” I admit.
“This will tire you out, and you'll be able to go back to sleep.”
He wasn't wrong. After a short romp between the sheets, I'm exhausted and easily able to fall back asleep. The next time I wake up, it's to lights streaming in through the curtains and an empty bed. It looks like sex is a better sleep aid than I thought.
I get dressed and venture into the living room before finally finding Colton sitting outside on the balcony. The brandy from last night has been replaced by orange juice. He stares out over the horizon until the soft pad of my footsteps catches his attention.
“Good morning, gorgeous.” He smiles warmly at me.
“Good morning.” I sit in the lounge chair across from him.
“What's on your agenda for the day?”
Tension takes over me at the thought that he might be trying to kick me out. I'm not sure why it's there. Obviously, I'm not his entire life, but I secretly want to be.
“A whole lot of nothing. What about you?”
“I promised some associates I'd meet them for a round of golf today.”
“I guess I should get going then.” I stand, preparing to show myself out.
Colton grabs me by the hand, pulling me down onto his lap. It makes me feel wanted, taking some of my stress away.
“You don't have to run off just yet.” He wraps his arms around me like he never wants to let me go.
“I don't want to make you late for your game. I see you're all dressed and ready to go.” I tug at the collar of his polo shirt.
“At least stay and have breakfast first.”
“Are you going to make it?”
“I was.” He nods.
“Then I think I'll pass. No offense.”
He laughs. “I suppose I can't blame you. Believe it or not, though, I do know how to make cereal.”
“And here I thought you were going to try to cook me a five-star meal.” I'm relieved that he had never planned to cook in the first place.
“I think we both know that cooking isn't my forte.”
“No, it is not.”
“I can put together a mean bowl of raisin bran, though. Or are you the type of girl who likes cereals with the little sugary marshmallows in them?”
“Sugary marshmallows for the win.”
On the rare occasion that I do eat cereal, it's always the worst cereal for you possible. If it doesn't have chocolate, marshmallows, or artificial fruit flavoring, I typically won't buy it. Everything else just tastes flavorless and bland to me, probably because I grew up on generic bran flakes because my mother thought that giving us sugar turned us into annoying brats.
“Then I'm afraid I have nothing for you, my dear.” He shakes his head solemnly. “I mean, I suppose I could just load your raisin bran with sugar, but that's not quite the same, is it?”
“No. It's not.”
“Or we could go out for breakfast.” He pats my bottom.
“I don't want to consume too much of your time today.”
“Nonsense. I like spending time with you. I like spending time with you so much that I think you should come stay the night with me again.”
“Next weekend, right?”
“No. Tonight.” He looks at me like the answer should have been obvious.
I grin and cup his cheek before giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. “You are so unbelievably sweet.”
“Nope. You're just imagining things.” He gazes up at the sky teasingly.
I roll my eyes at him. “Learn to take a compliment.”
“Ohhh, it sounds like Ember needs her sugary cereal or else she gets grumpy.”
“Jerkface.” I push him. “I'm always pleasant.”
“Says the woman who is nicknamed 'The Beast.'”
“Hey! That is a work thing only.” I point at him.
He grabs my finger and uses it to pull me against him. “Mmm, that's okay. I like 'The Beast'. I like trying to tame her.”
“You're something else.”
“Something you like, I hope.”
“Something I like a lot.” I smile brighter than the sun.
We drive to a little Mexican restaurant a few blocks away. Colton orders eggs ranchero, and I order pancakes. It's the next best thing to sugary cereal. We eat and talk and enjoy our morning like a perfect, happy couple. Things couldn't be going any better.
When we finally part ways, I feel a sense of loss. It's something I've felt before, but it seems to be getting deeper the more that my feelings for Colton grow. This time, though, it does not come with a sense of vulnerability attached. I trust Colton now—know that he's in this for the long haul...or for however long it goes. It's comforting having someone there for me. A feeling I haven't known for a while.
CHAPTER TWELVE
COLTON
Golf is boring, and my game definitely isn't improved by the fact that I can't seem to stop thinking about Ember. Every time I close my eyes, I see her kneeling before me on my balcony, her little pink tongue swirling around the tip of my cock. Talking about business only offers a temporary distraction. It's a bit disconcerting to realize that I'm absolute
ly obsessed with this girl. It is what it is, though. Ever since Ember walked into my life—or rather, ever since I came into her office posing as a stuck-up asshole—I haven't been able to get her out of my head. The fact that I haven't felt this way about anyone since Nina scares me. Things seem to be moving at lightning speed for us, but I'm oddly comfortable with it. Anyone else, I'd be trying to get away from by now. But Ember is so intriguing. She's strong and sweet and more sensual than she gives herself credit for. Way more sensual than she gives herself credit for.
I was awake long before her cell phone went off this morning, just lying there staring at her like some creeper. My dick was so hard from wanting her that I was worried I'd have to take care of it myself. That alarm going off was a blessing—gave me an excuse to pounce on her.
I'm happy that she's more receptive to me now that we've gotten over the initial first-time sex hump. Where there was fear and apprehension in her face before, last night there was only desire. And damn was she beautiful when she looked at me with those big brown hooded eyes of hers.
I can't wait to have her again tonight. Can't wait to see her looking at me like that again.
My golf game can't be over quickly enough. As soon as I throw my golf bag in the back of my Benz and climb into the driver's side, I find myself pulling out my phone to text Ember.
Colton: Getting a hole in one on the course isn't nearly as fun as getting a hole in one with you.
Ember: Is your mind ever not in the gutter?
Colton: I think it was born there.
Ember: And never moved out.
Colton: Are you calling me immature?
I smirk, wondering what her reaction will be.
Ember: If the shoe fits.
Colton: ~gasp~ I'm wounded.
Ember: I highly doubt that.
Colton: You know me so well. Lol
Ember: I suppose that I do.
Colton: Do you know what I'm thinking right now?
Ember: That you want to be inside of me.
Colton: Yes and no.
Ember: Yes and no? Now I'm the one who is shocked.
Colton: I don't think about sex all of the time. Just most of the time.
Ember: So what were you thinking?
Colton: That you should come over again.
Ember: I'm coming over tonight, remember.
Colton: I meant right now. I just finished up my golf game.
Ember: Damn, Larsen. You just can't seem to get enough of me, can you?
Colton: Is that a bad thing?
Ember: No. It's not.
Colton: Then come over. Or I can pick you up and we can go out to lunch.
Ember: Can't. I have lunch plans already.
Jealousy surges through me, though I know it's unmerited.
Colton: With whom?
Ember: With a friend that's in town.
Colton: We could all go to lunch together.
Ember: Thanks, but I'd rather not. We have unsettled business. A third party would just make saying what I need to say awkward.
Colton: I understand. I'll still see you tonight, though, right?
Ember: Yeah. I'll come over after I have lunch and change.
Colton: Maybe I could pick you up for dinner instead.
I try my best not to seem desperate to see her. More than likely, she's going to need a little space after she visits with her friend, especially if it's the one who knows her brother.
Ember: That sounds good.
Colton: I'll pick you up at 6:30 then.
Ember: 6:30 will be fine. See you then.
With nothing better to do, I drive home and work on figuring out where to take Ember for dinner. After selecting a restaurant, I sit in front of the television for a while. My mind isn't really into what's on. I'm still thinking about Ember. Not about the heated sex and romantic evenings that we've shared, but about what's going on in her life right now.
I wasn't lying when I said I'd kick her brother's ass if she wanted me to. Anyone who would do that to another person, related or not, deserves a good ass kicking. The guy sounds like the lowest of the low, and I can understand why Ember doesn't want to see him again. To be honest, I'm not sure I could forgive someone like that. The fact that she's even giving it a second thought speaks volumes about her character.
There's no doubt in my mind that this is going to weigh on her until she either confronts him or he leaves town. Even if she does confront him, it might continue to weigh on her for a while. This is some heavy shit, after all, dealing with your demons.
Now it's my job to step up and be the man she needs me to be. I'll have to exercise patience and compassion. Be a listener as well as a lover. Give her advice wherever she needs it. I know it won't be easy all of the time, but she's definitely worth it.
If we're going to be together—truly be together—then this will be the first of many trials that we face as a couple. Staying by her side will mean that I'm invested. I am invested.
Hopefully, we can handle this, and she comes out of the other side unscathed. Hopefully, she doesn't allow her demons to drag us to hell.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
EMBER
When Alex asked me if I'd go to lunch with him, I was reluctant to agree. I had a feeling, though, that if I said no I might never hear from him again, and I definitely did not want that.
While I'm not ready to face my brother, I can still talk to Alex and get out the apology that he deserves. Despite the fact that it's a very small part of my trauma, perhaps it will help me to heal some. At the very least, it will take away a bit of my guilt.
Instead of meeting somewhere fancy, we go to Taco Bell. Even though we're far away from North Carolina, there's a twinge of nostalgia in being here with him. It's one of the very few restaurants I went to growing up. Whenever Alex had some extra pocket change, he'd take me to get a taco or we'd split an order of nachos. It was a luxury back then. Today, I can afford much better. And while the memory is one of the few fond ones I have from my life in Salisbury, I've still avoided eating inside of a Taco Bell for fear that it would trigger unpleasant memories—the ones that were the befores and afters of how we actually ended up at Taco Bell in the first place.
I stand behind Alex in line, trying my best not to ogle him as he reads the menu like he doesn't know it by heart. His hands are in the pockets of his khakis, his forearms and biceps are lined with muscle. The pinstripe shirt he's wearing hugs his shoulders and back. I can almost see the definition beneath it.
When he glances over his shoulder and grins at me before telling me that he's going to order for both of us, I melt a little inside. Not surprisingly, he gets a nacho supreme and a crispy beef taco with two glasses of water. Our old faithful. Memory lane all over again.
We settle into a corner booth away from everyone else, and I stare at the nacho supreme in all of its unhealthy glory, apprehensive to dig in. I know he ordered the taco for me, but I don't want to go for it either. It feels like he's trying to replicate old times, but these aren't old times. We're different people, and I don't need him to comfort me anymore. Don't need this.
“So tell me what's been going on with you these past three years.” He tears open a packet of hot sauce with his teeth and squeezes it out onto his half of the nachos. I cringe the same as I used to when I watched him do it many years ago. I've never liked Taco Bell hot sauce.
“Starting over. That's the shortest way to sum it up.”
“Dig in.” He gestures to the food.
Hesitantly, I pull a nacho from beneath a mountain of orange cheese. What little meat is on top falls off in a glob. I frown at the loss, but don't go back to retrieve it.
“What's the long version.” He pushes the taco toward me.
“The long version,” I sigh, trying to figure out what to disclose and what to avoid. “Well, after I got here, I went to the library and used the computer there to find someone to let me move in with them. I figured that not having my name on the lease would make it
difficult to track me down. Then I got a job, saved up money, and moved out on my own. Eventually, I bought a car. There's really not much else to tell.”
“What made you come here?”
“It was unexpected. Naturally, I had originally thought to go to New York, but that would have been too obvious.” Ever since I was a child, I've dreamed of moving to New York. The bustling city and all of its possibilities has always excited me. It was too risky, though, moving somewhere that I've obviously always wanted to be.
“So all of this was to cover your tracks?”
“Pretty much.” I nod.
“The hair and eyes too? I must admit, when you first opened the door to me, I wasn't sure I had the right place. But then I remembered your face.” He smiles.
My hand instinctively reaches up to tug at my red hair. That was the first thing I changed whenever I moved to Houston. Day one. The second I was settled into my new apartment, I walked down to the CVS on the corner to buy a box of red hair dye and a pair of scissors. My fear of being found made me change my appearance entirely. Not only did I cover up the blonde, but I also cut my hair short for the first time ever. It was a hideous butchering, and my roommate was nice enough to fix it for me. For the first year that I was in Houston, I looked more like a boy than a girl.
Not satisfied with just my hair being different, I also bought colored contact lenses as soon as I could afford them. I wanted there to be no chance that someone would recognize me on the street. The fact that I had no family or friends in Houston didn't matter. It gave me peace of mind to know that I looked nothing like myself.
After I became more comfortable with the idea that I wasn't going to be found, I decided to grow my hair out again. I kept it colored red and the brown contacts, though, ever afraid to change back completely. The world can be smaller than we think sometimes, and I didn't want to take any chances. Three years later, I still feel that way. I suppose it doesn't matter anymore.
When you build a new life somewhere, you eventually start leaving breadcrumbs. In the beginning, I was determined not to have my name on any records or documentation. But after a while, I became ready to separate my life from everyone else around me, and that led to a paper trail. It's unavoidable when you decide to establish yourself. Get your own phone. Rent your own apartment. Buy your own car. All in the same city.
