by Vi Carter
“Your birthmark that was on the inside of your thigh, it’s gone.”
She continues to look confused. “My birthmark is on my armpit.”
I raise her arm and see the small brown birthmark that’s in the shape of an island.
“You never had one on your thigh?”
“I think I’d know. Why? What’s with all the questions about my birthmark.”
I’m staring at Karen and I love the pink that tinges her cheeks. She’s perfect.
“Paul said you had a birthmark there.”
Her laugh splutters. “Paul, as in my brother’s friend, Paul?”
I nod, already feeling stupid. I had believed him when he had told me he had slept with her.
“How the hell would he know?” She’s still grinning, but it slowly dissolves. “Don’t tell me he said he saw it?”
I feel like such a fool. When I don’t answer she sits up.
“He said he slept with you,” I speak to the quilt before glancing at Karen. She pulls her bra back into place and bends down for her trousers.
Her silence is scaring me and I crawl over to her on the edge of the bed. “Obviously he was lying.” I plant a kiss on her shoulder. She still doesn’t answer, and I slide off the bed and take her trousers out of her hand.
“Talk to me.” Her eyes meet mine and dread pools in my stomach. I’m on my knees in front of her. “Did he hurt you?”
Her lip trembles, but she doesn’t cry. She pulls her trousers out of my hand. “It doesn’t matter.”
I yank them back. “Yes, it does.”
Her eyes grow dark and angry and she pulls the trousers from my tighten fist. “What difference does it make?” She’s shaking her head, looking bewildered.
I take her face in my hands. “A huge fucking difference,” I say and release her, because she couldn’t possibly understand that I had always liked her and when Paul had declared her a slut and told us about her birthmark, I never looked at her the same again. Regret like I have never felt before grows inside me.
“What does that even mean?” Her eyes search my face.
“It means I messed up.” I release her and run my hands across my face. Jesus, all it took was one question that day, but I hadn’t asked it and I had lost so much time.
I step away from her. I need a drink.
“You regret this?” Her voice is low and I feel like such an asshole. Now I’m making her feel like she did something wrong when she didn’t. But I still couldn’t forget that she married me for money. She was here for herself, not me.
“No,” I give her honesty before I leave the bedroom and make myself a drink.
CHAPTER FIVE
KAREN
It’s been twenty minutes since Damien left the bedroom. I still have no idea what’s going on. I keep marching to the door to go out there and demand answers, but maybe I was reading into this too much. I had just had the best orgasm of my life, so I could be misjudging the longing I thought I heard in Damien’s voice.
Right now I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts. I didn’t want to be alone with my memories about Paul. I yank the bedroom door open and march barefoot out into the living room.
“Why?” I say the moment he comes into view. My mind halts. He’s still wearing black trousers, but he hasn’t put a top back on. His toned chest and muscles sizzles my brain cells for a moment. The V of his stomach dips down into his waistband and I want to follow it.
“Why what?” He asks and my eyes avert back up to his dark orbs. I swallow, my early bravery vanishing fast.
“Why bring up Paul?” The innocent part of me wants to yell on our wedding day. But it’s fake.
Holding up my hands, I exhale. “Don’t answer that. It actually doesn’t even matter.” I turn on my heel to leave.
“I always liked you Karen.”
I’m spinning around wondering if I heard him right.
“You were always so difficult.” He’s walking towards me and I swallow.
“No I wasn’t.” My voice is so small, so insignificant, and his smile has my stomach erupting in nervous waves.
“Yes you were. But I liked it about you.” He’s reached me now, and he stops in front of me.
“I liked you too.” I stare at his toes as I speak. “But, you were too arrogant.” I flicker a glance at him and his black eyes consume me.
“Still are.” I add and regret it. He wasn’t arrogant, he was just sure of himself now.
He moves closer until our bare feet are only a millimeter away from each other.
“Do you really think that?”
I swallow and a small part of me wants to lie, but I don’t. “No.” I scratch my neck and step away from him. “Do you still think I’m difficult?” I keep my head high and my stomach dips as a grin pulls at his lips.
“Yes.” He removes the distance between us again. The smell of whiskey off his breath fans across my face.
Heat rushes through me as his large hands take hold of my face. His eyes bore into mine.
His lips touch mine and I like the taste of whiskey on my lips and I like it more on my tongue as Damien deepens the kiss. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I’m growing wet again. His smell is intoxicating and there is that small voice in my head that is telling me to stop. This time it wouldn’t stop at foreplay and if I slept with him, it would ruin me. I had to walk away from him in three weeks, and I wanted to be intact.
With every ounce of strength I have, I push against him and he stops kissing me.
“What’s wrong?” I stare at his strong chin as I try to focus on using my words.
“Nothing.” I can’t help but peek at him from under my lashes, it’s a mistake.
He smirks. “Good.” His lips crash down on mine again and I don’t stop him as he slides his tongue into my mouth. I know he is slowly directing us towards the bedroom.
“You are very sneaky,” I speak between kisses and can feel his smile against my lips.
“Very sneaky.” He repeats as he reaches around me, and opens the bedroom door and directs us in, without breaking the kiss.
My legs touch the bed and Damien’s lips leave mine. I feel dizzy from him. He pulls down his trousers and my eyes widen. He’s not wearing boxers and he’s huge.
Stepping closer to me, his large erection brushes against me and my core tightens. My trousers grow damp. I don’t stop him as his fingers work fast at opening my trousers and they join his on the floor.
I pull off my own top and sink onto the bed. Damien doesn’t waste a second; he’s on top of me, our lips reconnecting. His tongue darts into my mouth as his hands explore my body. My own hands run across his shoulders and I move them down his arms before touching his chiseled stomach. Muscles flex and tighten under my touch and when my fingers brush his erection, it jumps. Taking his cock in my hand, he moans into my mouth as I push down before pulling back up. He breaks the kiss, his hot mouth going to my neck.
“That’s so good.” His words coax me to keep going and I slowly start to pick up speed, loving how he is growing in my hand, his pants getting faster and louder.
“Oh, Karen.” Hearing my name on his lips has me moving faster, the tip of his erection brushing my stomach. He has buried his head in my shoulder, his breath quick against my neck. I want him inside me so badly, but I don’t want to stop this, I don’t want to stop hearing his moans of pleasure. To know that I am the cause of that has me pumping faster and harder. I know when he is going to come, he stills briefly before his hot seed splashes across my stomach. Giving his cock a few final jerks, he stills completely and I do the oddest thing as he sinks on top of me.
I kiss the crown of his head and have the urge to hold him. Releasing his cock, he rises slowly, his eyes are light brown as they meet mine.
He doesn’t say anything, and a nervous giggle erupts and dies on my lips quickly.
“What?” The way he was looking at me had my stomach tightening.
His lip tugs up slightly as he shake
s his head. “Nothing.” He pushes himself off the bed. I can’t help appreciate how flawless his body is. My eyes trail down his backside and I tighten my legs together. His hot seed is still spilt over my stomach and I’m tempted to dip my finger into it and taste him.
“Come on.” He’s facing me now, his erection nearly fully gone, his come still clinging to it.
I gawk at his outstretched hand, wondering what the hell he was doing.
“Karen.” There is a warning in his voice and I get up and place my hand in his. Curiosity gets the best of me. As we step into the bathroom, the lights automatically come on. The clawed bath is centered and sparkles making me wonder if it was ever used. If I lived here, I would take a bath every night. I glance around the space taking it all in, the mirrors around us reflect so many Karen’s and Damien’s back to me. My stomach contracts as my eyes clash with Damien’s.
“We look good together,” he says what I’m thinking and that’s a very dangerous thing. I blink, breaking the spell he seems to have cast over me.
“I need to get washed,” I say hoping he will leave me alone so I can have a chat with myself.
DAMIEN
She’s shutting down on me. When I had said we looked good together, her eyes widened before uncertainty flickered across her face.
“Yes you do.” I’m not ready to give up. Stepping into the shower, I turn it on.
“Are you going for a shower first?” I glance at Karen. My cum is still on her stomach and I like it there. Her little black set has my erection growing again, I don’t want to frighten her completely.
“I’m trying to save on water. So we will go together.” I turn and see the ghost of a smile of her swollen lips. Before she can change her mind, I reach out my hand again. She stares at it. I can see she’s wrestling with her decision.
“It’s only a shower, Karen.”
Her eyes snap up to mine and her fingers slip into my awaiting hand. I tighten my fingers around her as I move her under the warm water stream.
“It’s not like it’s a marriage proposal,” I say once I have her blocked from running.
“You’re funny.” She narrows her eyes, but I can see the nervous flicker in them.
I wasn’t a sentimental person, but having her here, in my shower, with me, felt so right. She belonged here with me. She’s standing under the stream, but she hasn’t moved to start washing herself. I push her wet hair off her cheek and bend down, placing a soft kiss on her lips. Leaning out I stare into her beautiful green eyes.
I want to feel a degree of anger at her taking the money. That it took money to get her here, but I can’t. I push my lips against hers again and force my tongue against her teeth, demanding entry. She grants it. My fingers work quickly opening her bra, it loosens and when I break the kiss and move back, it slides down her arms and hits the wet tiles. The only barrier is her small black panties that I run my fingers along the band, she sucks her flat stomach in at contact and when I get down on my knees, she sinks her hands into my wet hair. Pulling them down, she steps out of them and I take a moment looking up at her, taking her in.
Warm water beats down on my back as I kiss her thigh, making a path up towards her stomach, she seems surprised when I start to rise. Her breasts are small, but they fill my hands like they were made for me. I squeeze her breast and drink in the lust that spreads across her face. Her head lolls back before coming forward again. She crushes her lips against mine, her frantic movements have me moving us until we are against the wall.
My cock is rock hard and all I want is to bury it in Karen. My thumb and forefinger roll her nipple and I pinch it. A whimper erupts from her and I squeeze harder. Spreading her legs with my knee, she opens for me easily. Her thigh is wet as I grip it in one hand and direct my cock against her opening. Grabbing her other leg I stretch them and she bites my lip while trying to push down on my cock, it dips inside her and it’s my turn to groan as her warm wet walls tighten around my erection.
I raise her legs as I push a bit deeper inside her, her teeth dig deeper into my lip until a metallic taste flows onto my tongue. Moving my cock out, I swallow my own blood before thrusting back into her. Her back collides with the tiles and she moans in pleasure as I grip her legs and pull back out before slamming into her again. She’s so tight around me. I speed up driving my cock inside her. I don’t hold back. Our kisses our wet and frantic. Nails bite into my shoulders as Karen clings to me. I can’t go any deeper as I bury myself in her. I’m so close to emptying myself inside her. Her heavy breaths against my ear is the warning she’s close too.
“Come with me, Karen.” I whisper and my own movements are frenzied and wild as I push my body for release. Karen cries out and her juices pour all over my cock, I jerk before I release my seed inside her, my movements grow slow as I fight to catch my breath. The sound of the running shower returns along with an ache on my shoulders and lips. My tongue flicks out to lick droplets of blood away.
“I would have never taken you for a biter,” I say, while slowly letting Karen’s legs touch the tiled floor, and removing myself from her.
I don’t move away from her, but keep our bodies flushed. She cranes her neck back, and looks up at me. Her flushed face and heavy breaths delight me.
“I’m not,” she sucks in her own lip that’s swollen, and red, and I’m tempted to bite her, but I find myself placing a soft kiss on her lips. Her arms snake around my waist and she leans her head against my chest, I can’t see her eyes and I hate that I don’t know what she's thinking, but on instinct I wrap my arms around her and just hold her under the stream of water.
CHAPTER SIX
KAREN
What am I doing?
I cling tighter to Damien because I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect to feel like this about him. He was different and all my past feelings for him were growing.
“Would you have said yes to me if I hadn’t offered you money?” His question is delivered under the spray of water with my head lying on his chest. His heart drums so fast.
“Would you have asked me to marry you if you weren’t getting your inheritance?” My voice rumbles against his chest and I hate how unfair all this feels.
“That’s not the same thing.”
I push away and he releases me. “No. It’s worse.” I exhale a heartless laugh that dies within seconds. He doesn’t stop me as I leave the shower and wrap myself in a towel.
Stepping into the bedroom, I glance around the floor for my clothes that are scattered everywhere.
“You went cold on me. You just stopped interacting.” Damien has entered the bedroom. A towel hangs low on his hips, water cascading down his abs. No one should look that good.
“What are you talking about?” My heart pounds at his words.
“Ten years ago, Karen. I tried. I really did.”
My stomach hollows out. “So did I. Yeah I know I was difficult, but I really liked you. You were always there.” I shrug and try to push down the emotion that threatens to erupt. “You just stopped talking to me.” The part in me that had slowly shriveled up, begs me not to get caught up with him again. We had never even kissed before, but we had a thing for a long time. A thing that clearly neither of us got over.
Damien’s mouth opens and closes and his shoulders fall forward. “Because I was hurt.” His admittance confuses me.
“Hurt?” What the hell was he talking about?
“Paul said you had slept with him and it just killed me. I never looked at you the same again.”
My eyes burn now with angry tears, my throat contracts. “Now you know he lied.” My raised voice isn’t helping matters. It’s just showing him that I care too much.
He’s walking to me and I’m too close to breaking. Clutching the towel with one hand, I use the other to stop him.
“Don’t. Just stop. Why are you bringing all this up?”
“I can’t help what I’m feeling.” His eyes bounce around my face.
“You could have just
asked me if I’d slept with him.” A tear trickles down my cheek. “You could have saved both of us some pain.”
He runs his hand through his wet hair, droplets falling onto the carpet.
“Yeah, I was an idiot.”
“Yeah, you were.” I walk away from him and pick up my trousers and jumper. When I stand up, his large hands rest on my waist and I close my eyes as the heat penetrates the towel. This was one day back in his life. What state would I be in after three weeks?
“I can’t do this Damien,” I speak to the wall.
He doesn’t respond straight away. “You’ve already been paid.”
The coldness of his words has my heart jackhammering in my chest. He releases me and something in me cracks.
I turn around, his black eyes send a shiver down my spine. “You want to know why I took the money?”
He doesn’t look away, but he doesn’t as much as blink either.
A part of me doesn’t want to tell him the truth, but a bigger part of me wants to shove the truth down his throat. “It’s not for me.”
I pause, my brother was an asshole, but he didn’t deserve his addiction being announced. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Who’s it for?” His confidence and coldness are slowly melting.
“I’m not saying who, but it’s not for me.”
He raises both eyebrows. “You can’t just tell me it’s not for you and leave it at that.”
“I can.” I walk away and his words trail after me.
“Karen, you will tell me now.” Chips of ice coat his words. Threatening me won’t work and he will figure that out soon enough.
“Make me,” I say.
He’s cleared the space between us before I can blink. His hands sink into my shoulders, the strain of his neck and the tightness of his jaw don’t resonate with his hold on me. His hands are almost gentle, but stern.
He’s breathing heavily, with flared nostrils he searches my face for something, I’m not sure if he finds it but his lips touch mine, it’s hard, and tinged with savagery. My hands sink into his wet hair, and my towel falls to the floor. His erection feels larger this time as it pokes my abdomen. His hands leave my shoulders, and he carries me to the bed. His hard kisses turn soft and I don’t like the position we are in. He’s on top of me, between my legs, and I feel vulnerable under him. I hate how he looks at me, like … I matter.
