by Sky Corgan
“I suppose I could change it now if I wanted to.” I let the strands fall from my fingers. “I do like the red, though.”
“Red looks good on you. I'm not crazy about the contacts, though. Are they prescription?”
“No.” I shake my head.
“Take them out, then. I want to look into your real eyes.”
The way he says it makes me feel strange. My cheeks heat up, but I don't think that I actually blush.
Hesitantly, I raise my hands to my face and pinch the contacts out of my eyes before folding them up in a napkin. Taking them out and not immediately putting them in solution will ruin them, but it doesn't really matter. They're cheap, and I have a backup pair at home.
“That's better.” Alex's head sways back and forth as if he's taking in each eye individually. “That's closer to the girl I remember.”
Girl. I'm not a girl anymore. I'm a woman grown. And this is all an illusion, I think as I look around the busy restaurant before my gaze settles back on Alex.
“I'm not the girl that you remember,” I tell him. “I'm stronger. Not who I used to be.”
“A change of environment and the passing of years has a tendency to change a person,” he agrees.
“And what about you? Who have you become?”
“You make that sound bad,” he laughs.
“You're hanging out with my brother now.” I tilt my head to the side. “I can't say if that makes you better or worse.”
He gives me an earnest look. “I haven't changed, Ember. He has.”
“I want to believe that. I really do.”
“Then you should see for yourself.”
“I'm not ready yet.” I grab the taco and peel the wrapper away before taking a bite. The juices and spices that fill my mouth make me moan. “I forgot just how good these things are.”
“I take it you don't eat a lot of junk food these days.”
“I do. It's just been a while since I've had Taco Bell.”
“That's probably a good thing.”
“You never answered my question, though. What have you been up to these past few years? Surely, something interesting has happened.”
“Nothing as interesting as this.” He gestures around, but I know he's talking about my big life change and not the restaurant.
“Nonsense. You travel around the country for a living now. That's exciting.”
“Not as exciting as you would think.” He screws his face.
“I'm sure it is. You've always wanted to travel.”
“I have, but traveling for work is different than traveling for pleasure. It's not exactly a vacation. Most days, I'm too tired to go out and do any site seeing. I pretty much just stay in my hotel room and watch television. Now that I think about it, it's not much different from being at home.”
“Of course, it is,” I say softly.
Unlike me, Alex did not come from a broken home. Though both of his parents worked all of the time, he had a loving family. His parents did the best they could, but they still lived in poverty. Judging from how well Alex dresses now, he managed to escape that.
“How is your family?” I ask.
“They're good. Working themselves to the bone as usual. My mom got diagnosed with ovarian cancer last year, but all they had to do to get rid of it was remove her ovaries. She didn't have to do chemo or radiation or anything.”
“I'm sorry to hear that.” I give him a sympathetic look.
His mother is a sweet lady. While she wasn't around much, the few times I did see her, she was always kind to me. And she did her best to be a good mother and wife. Most of my memories of her involve her cooking or cleaning. She was always a busy woman. The thought of anything bad happening to her makes me sad.
“It could have been worse.”
“It can always be worse.” For the briefest of moments, I think about the nightmare that was my previous life, but then I push those thoughts away. “And it can always be better, too.”
“It can be. It looks like it got better for you.” He grins at me warmly.
“It did.” I nod.
“So, how exactly did you manage to escape? From what I heard, one day you were there and the next you were gone. I mean, your parents eventually figured out that you got your college money from your grandmother and used that to get away. But did you hitchhike? Take a bus? I'm just curious.
“To be honest, I was shocked. I remember you had always talked about wanting to leave. You even tried running away that one time. Remember? After school that one day. I was going to come with you. You know, if you would have asked me, I still would have come with you.” He bends slightly to catch my attention.
The first tendril of guilt wraps around my heart. I know he's not lying. If I had asked him to come, he would have. But I was in such a hurry that I couldn't chance getting caught. It felt like my only real opportunity to leave, and one wrong move would have ripped it away from me. I couldn't allow that to happen.
I take a deep breath before saying the words that I know need to be said for me to feel better. “I'm sorry, Alex. I truly am. I never meant to leave you like that.”
The mood shifts. A muscle in Alex's jaw twitches and he leans back. “Then why did you?”
I can't even look at him as I explain things. I don't want to see the hurt on his face. “I didn't want to take the chance of someone finding out I was leaving. If your parents had been home, or...I don't know. I was worried about so many things. My body was running on pure adrenaline. All I could think about was getting away. Nothing else mattered.”
“Did you think I was going to slow you down or try to convince you not to go?”
“No.” I furrow my brow. “I know you wouldn't have tried to convince me not to leave. I know you would have been there for me—done whatever I asked. I was just...selfish, I guess.”
He sighs. “It really hurt, you know, finding out you had gone without me. This probably isn't going to make you feel any better, but I think I was the only one who looked for you. Your parents had just assumed you had gone off with someone for a few nights. Part of me had hoped that was true, but as soon as I found out you had taken your college money, I knew you weren't coming back. Even after that, I had hoped you'd reach out to me. I thought that I meant that much to you, at least. I guess I was wrong.”
Empathy is kicking in full force. I can feel the pain radiating from him, and it makes me want to cry. I want to reach across the table and take his hands into mine, but I know it's the wrong move. He doesn't want me touching him right now. And he just seems distant on so many levels.
“You were my world, Alex. My everything. Do you know how hard it was to leave you behind?”
“You never even looked back, Ember,” anger seeps into his voice.
“I was scared.”
“Of what?” He looks at me incredulously.
“Of something going wrong. Of being pulled back into that nightmare again. Do you have any idea how it feels to be woken up in the middle of the night by a bunch of strange guys because your brother promised them they could fuck you? Or having your face slammed into a glass door because your father came home drunk or angry? Or having to piss in your backyard because one of the bathrooms in your house is broken and the other is occupied by your mother who has locked herself in there all damn day because she's tweaking too hard and is scared of the imaginary gnomes lurking outside?” Tears sear down my cheeks as the memories come back to me like punches to the gut. “My life was hell, Alex. Hell! And if I had to sacrifice the one person who gave me a few hours of solace every day for a life of peace, then God dammit it, I don't regret it.
“I'm sorry that you got hurt. And yeah, maybe I went about things the wrong way. But knowing how things turned out, and knowing how things could have turned out if something had gone wrong, I don't regret it. I would do the same thing all over again if it led me back to where I am now.”
“Calm down.” Alex closes his eyes and lets out a long breath as if he's try
ing to still his nerves. “I'm sorry. You're right. I have no right to...I'm just sorry.”
I deflate in an instant, guilt replacing all of the other negative emotions. “No. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I left you behind. But it is what it is, and we can't go back, only forward."
He opens his eyes, and the corners of his lips raise into a soft smile. “You're right. We can only go forward. And I'm happy that we're here right now. I'm happy that I'm getting to see you again.”
Some of the guilt melts away from his words, but I know he's still hurt. He will be for a while. I just hope that this conversation has brought us both some closure.
“I am too.”
“And hopefully, you'll want to hang out with me a bit more while I'm still in town.”
“Of course.”
“Good. I would like that.” He seems pleased.
“I would too.” I'm not sure if it's a lie, but part of me feels it's not. Another part of me is worried about getting close to him again. He reminds me of home—the only good things about it. More than that, he reminds me of the strongest bond I've ever had with another human being. We've only spent a few short hours together, and repressed feelings for him are already starting to resurface. Thankfully, I'm certain they're one-sided, the same as they've always been. Because if they weren't, that could be dangerous to my relationship with Colton.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
COLTON
The hours pass with a sickening need the likes of which I've never experienced before. It's hard to keep my hands off of myself while I count the hours down until dinner. And when my driver opens the door to the limo and I see Ember standing there in a cobalt blue halter dress with lace accents, I know I won't be able to keep my hands off of her before we get to the restaurant. The dress is just too easy access. It's like she's begging to have my fingers, my face, my dick between her legs.
“My God, I've missed you.” I don't even give her a chance to sit down. Instead, I pull her onto my lap the second that she's inside the limo.
“Geez, Larsen, get a hold of yourself,” she teases me, her perfectly painted red lips curving into a gorgeous grin. I can't resist kissing them. “Jesus. Is that your wallet or are you really that happy to see me?”
“Take a guess. You can even feel around for clues if you like.” I scrunch my nose up at her.
“You're too much,” she giggles, music to my ears.
“Seriously, though, I've been craving this ever since you left this morning.”
“Oh really? This?” She glances around the limo.
“No. This.” I wrap my hands around her waist and push her down while I grind up against her.
She snorts. “You are absolutely insatiable.”
“Yes. This has already been established.” I nip at her collarbone.
“You'll have to wait until after dinner.” She places her hands on my shoulders for balance as the limo lurches to a stop in Houston traffic.
“Oh, will I? It looks to me like we have some time.” I gaze briefly out the tinted windows. While I can barely see out, no one can see in.
“And what are you suggesting?” she purrs. That's a seductive sound if I've ever heard one. My cock twitches as I look into her eyes. There's no hesitation. She's receptive to whatever I'm about to say, and that only turns me on more.
“I think you know.” I place a hand on her thigh, sliding it up beneath her dress.
She tenses, and her expression changes, though I can't quite place it. The lust is tempered with something else. Muddied by apprehension that I never saw coming. Maybe she just needs some warming up. I certainly hope that's all it is.
“Haven't you always wanted to have sex in a limo.” I waggle my eyebrows at her.
She rolls her eyes, but amusement is plain on her face. “That sounds more like a billionaire's fantasy to me.”
“It's not a billionaire's fantasy. It's just our reality.” My hand creeps higher, my thumb strumming at the hem of her panties.
“Are you saying you've fucked someone in here before?” she sounds appalled. Even worse, turned off.
“It wasn't you, so it doesn't count.” I tug playfully at the bow under the bust of her dress with my free hand.
“That's disgusting.”
“That's honest. Would you prefer that I lie to you?” I can feel the mood fading, and while I desperately want to salvage it, I'm not willing to lie to force her to want me again.
Her gaze falls to my lap and she looks solemn. “No. Thank you for being honest.”
I cup her chin. “I will never be anything but honest with you. Even if it hurts, I'll be honest with you. I only ask that you do the same for me.”
“I will. Always.” She smiles.
“Good. Now that that's settled...” I wiggle to show her that my erection is still going strong.
She slaps at my chest and laughs. “You're horrible.”
“Insatiable and horrible. I'm racking up all sorts of compliments tonight.” My eyes widen for effect.
“Indeed. I have sex with you a few times, and now you want it all the time.”
“You make that sound like a bad thing.”
“It must just be a Colton Larsen thing,” she teases.
“I think it would be any man's thing who had a taste of you.” I lean forward and kiss her neck.
When she doesn't come back with a snarky retort, I take it as an invitation to proceed. The halter part of her dress, though made of a sheer see-through material, works as a barrier to keep me from getting to her breasts. My only option is to go from below.
I hook my finger around the waistband of her panties and give them a gentle tug. Ember rises from my lap enough to allow me to pull them down. As soon as they're off of her legs, she crawls on top of me again, looking shy.
“What's this all about?” I stroke her cheek before brushing her ponytail over her shoulder.
“What's what all about?” She gazes down at me with desire. I decide not to question it any further. If I'm going to pounce on her, then now should be the time.
I unzip and unbutton my pants before sliding them along with my boxer briefs down over my ass. It's a bit of a struggle with Ember on my lap, but I manage to get it done.
To my surprise, as soon as my cock springs forth, she's wrapping her hand around it. I let out a low hiss as she strokes me gently, shivering slightly from the clamminess of her hand.
“Do you have a condom?” she asks.
I pull one out of my pocket and tear open the wrapper before sliding it down my length and tossing the empty packet to the side. Ember hikes up her dress and climbs on top of me. The way that she's taking control with such confidence has me impressed. It's as if she has done this a hundred times before. Maybe she has. I don't want to think about that, though. I just want to think about this one time. With me.
I feel her lower lips slick across the tip of my cock as she positions herself. Good lord, she's wet. The thought of being inside of her makes me want to be rough—makes me want to wrap my hands around her waist and force her down on me. Imagining her gasping in shock is highly arousing. But I don't want to cross any boundaries. Also, I'm kind of curious about what she'll do on her own.
I give her free reign, resting my back against the warm leather seat and staring up into her eyes. My focus is fixed on her face, waiting to see the pleasure there when she sinks down onto me and I spread her wide.
She struggles a little to get me in, but once she finally lowers her weight, it feels like pure heaven. I exhale a breathy moan as her cunt envelopes me completely. Ember bites her bottom lip to stifle her own erotic sounds, but I can see it in her eyes that she feels just as good as I do.
For several seconds, she sits there soaking in the sensation of our joined parts. It takes everything in me not to buck my hips, but I'm determined to let her have her way. Eventually, she begins grinding on me. I sit back and enjoy the ride, marveling at how beautiful she looks as she fucks me the way she wants. Her body moves in the most s
eductive way, her hips practically rolling on top of me.
“It feels really good,” I give her praise, though I doubt she needs it. She can tell how I feel by my expression.
She starts off slow at first but quickly picks up the pace. The way she's looking at me with such a sensual intensity is enough to get me going. Briefly, I think about making her stop, but I know it won't be much longer before we arrive at the restaurant, and we can always have sex again later. There is no limit to how many times we can have sex in a day. Only if she sets one, and I have a feeling she won't.
She squeezes her muscles around me, and I'm done for. I come hard, cursing between clenched teeth as I bury my face against her chest. A tiny moan escapes her lips, and she grinds down on me a few more times before I feel her shatter as well.
We hold each other, panting for breath until our bodies have calmed. Then she crawls off of me and pulls her underwear back on. I inhale deeply before removing the condom and disposing of it. By the time I've shoved my dick back into my pants, the limo is pulling up in front of the restaurant.
“Perfect timing.” I grin at Ember.
“You must be a master at this kind of thing.” She waves her hand at me absentmindedly. I can't help but think she's still stuck on the thought that I've fucked in this limo before.
“You were in control, so the timing was all you.” I tap her nose, making her scrunch up her face. She rolls her eyes at me but doesn't argue. “Don't act like you didn't enjoy it.”
“I did enjoy it. But I would have enjoyed it more if we had more time...and a bed.”
“Live a little, Ember. Life is all about fun, spontaneous decisions.”
“Maybe your life is about them. Mine is about structure.”
My driver opens the door, and we step out onto the sidewalk in front of Mark's American Cuisine. Ember gazes up in wonder at the restaurant that was once a church. Seeing how intrigued that she looks makes me smile.
