by E. L. Todd
“No other guys,” she whispered.
I immediately felt better. All the weight I’d been carrying on my shoulders finally disappeared. The stress on my chest was gone, and I finally found some peace. I stared at her on the other couch and felt my longing grow. I hadn’t had any alone time with her in over a month. And now she was just a few feet away.
I moved to the couch beside her and wrapped my arm around her waist. Just like before, it felt right. It seemed like her waist was made just for my arm. I pulled her close to me and rested my face against hers. “I don’t care if anyone knows about us.” I had to pretend I didn’t know Rae knew, and I felt deceitful for saying it. But Zeke didn’t know, and I needed to tell him before Rae beat me to the punch. “If they give us shit for it, then whatever.”
She finally smiled, a beautiful one. The depressed features of her face suddenly softened, fading away as her happiness shone through. The look she gave me was one I’d seen a hundred times but never really noticed. But this time, I noticed.
And I would always notice.
Chapter Eighteen
Rae
“That guy is totally checking you out.” I noticed him glance at Jessie a few times before his glances turned into full-blown staring. He could barely keep his eyes off her for more than a few minutes. He was her type with dark skin, dark hair, and mocha-colored eyes.
Jessie played it cool as she stood beside me at the bar. “Where?”
“Three o’clock.”
“Tell me when he’s not looking.” She sipped her third drink.
I was already on my fourth. “Okay, now.”
She quickly glanced, looked him up and down, and then faced forward again. She did it all in stride and with perfect grace. “I like what I see.”
My buzz was quickly turning into a drunken haze. I could feel the fog cover my eyes and lower my inhibitions. “You gonna go for it?”
“No. I’m gonna play it cool for a little bit.”
I didn’t question her game. She knew what she was doing.
“See anyone you like?”
I didn’t bother looking around. “Zeke isn’t here. So no, I don’t see anyone I like.”
“Girl, pick up a guy for the night. Who knows how long it will be before Zeke is ready to move forward. You should get some while you wait. You’ve waited long enough as it is.”
I hadn’t gotten laid in four months, and the dry spell was killing me. “It doesn’t matter how horny I am. The only person I want is Zeke. This room could be full of Chippendales, and I still wouldn’t feel anything.”
“Damn, you’ve got it bad.”
“I know.” I sighed and slouched at the counter. “He’s so hot, Jessie. Like, you don’t understand.”
“I have eyes,” she snapped. “Yes, I understand.”
“I just want to grab his face and kiss him. I want to ride him all night long. How did I not notice just how damn perfect he was?”
She shrugged. “Beats me.” She downed the rest of her drink before she turned to me. “I’m going to make my move. I have a feeling I’m not gonna come back. You’ll make it home on your own okay?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m a big girl. Don’t worry about me.”
“You’re sure? You’re on the road to Hammerville.”
“I know how to use a phone. Seriously, go. Have an orgasm for me.”
“On it.” She kissed me on the cheek before she walked away. She strutted up to her prey, flashed a smile, and he was hers.
I sat at the bar and ordered another drink. I stuck out like a sore thumb sitting alone, but I didn’t care. I was happy that Jessie landed a stud for the evening. The only stud I wanted was probably at home playing video games.
“Hey, I’m Paul.” Some guy appeared out of nowhere and extended his hand.
I shook it. “Hi, Paul. I’m Rae.”
“Pretty name for a pretty girl.”
What a line.
“Can I get you another drink?”
“No.” I raised my hand. “I’ve already had one too many.”
“Then can I sit here and watch you drink it?”
He seemed like a nice guy, and I felt bad for blowing him off. “I’ll be honest with you. I’m hung up on some other guy right now. Not looking for anything.”
“Then why aren’t you with him?”
“He doesn’t know I exist…”
“Well, how about I help you get over him? You can get under me, and by morning, he’ll be out of your head.”
And another line. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m not interested. But thanks for talking to me.”
“Well, I’ll see you around, Rae.”
“You too, Paul.”
He walked away, and I stared at my drink in misery. I felt the alcohol seep further into my body and confuse me even more. I couldn’t differentiate time and my lids were falling. When I looked for Jessie, I couldn’t find her. But then again, I couldn’t remember what she looked like.
I knew I needed to get out of there before I did something really stupid. So I walked outside and did something stupid anyway. I called Zeke.
He answered after a few rings. “Hey, pizza girl.”
I didn’t care about the nickname. “Here’s the deal…” I could barely put my words together. “I’m totally drunk right now at this place…and I don’t know where I am. So—”
“I’m on my way. What bar are you at?”
I turned around and squinted at the sign. “Voodoodoodoo…”
“Voodoo?” he asked with a chuckle.
“I don’t know…there’s a lot of O’s.”
“I’ll be there as soon as possible. Are you standing outside?”
“Yep. I’m wearing a tiny little dress like a hooker.”
He chuckled again. “I love it when you’re drunk.”
“So you can take advantage of me?” I asked hopefully. I’d give anything to feel his lips all over my body.
“I wish. But I’m too much of a good guy.”
I couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not.
“Hold tight. I’ll be there soon.”
***
Zeke pulled up in his Jeep and opened his driver door.
“I got it.” I opened the passenger door but nearly fell into the gutter.
Zeke showed mercy by not laughing. He gripped me by the hips and hoisted me inside like I weighed nothing. He protected my head then scooted my legs across the seat. He even went the extra mile and buckled my safety belt.
“I’m not a child.”
“But you walk like Bambi. So you’re worse than a child.” He smiled before he shut the door.
He got on the road and pushed through the traffic of the night. He didn’t ask me any questions about my night.
I knew he was taking me home, but I didn’t want to go there. “Could we go to your place?”
“Why?” He kept his eyes on the road.
“I just don’t want to deal with Rex. He usually pulls pranks when I’m drunk.”
“Like the time he poured melted butter all over you while you were sleeping?”
I’d never forget how sticky my hair was when I woke up in the morning. “Yes…”
He laughed. “That was pretty good, you have to admit that.”
I shot him a glare.
“Alright.” He turned on his blinker. “We’ll go to my place until you sober up.”
He drove to his place near the coast and on a secluded road. His front yard was covered with trees and grass, and the porch light was on. He pulled into the garage and shut the door behind him before he helped me into the house.
“Want some tea?” he asked. “It usually helps me when I’m wasted. A little honey helps it go down easier too.”
“No, it’s okay.” I leaned against the wall and pulled off my heels. All the little straps made it nearly impossible. All I did was tug and nearly snapped my ankle.
Zeke spotted my discomfort then kneeled down to help me. He held my leg and balanced
me as he pulled one heel off. Then he undid the other before he slipped it off my foot. He touched my body delicately despite the strong muscles that covered his body. Then he rose to his full height and looked at me, his blue eyes suddenly intense.
I knew I wasn’t myself, and I needed to be as logical as possible. But, I didn’t want to be logical. I’d spent all night at a bar, but all I could do was think about him. I didn’t want to sleep in my own bed with a massive dog. I wanted to share my bed with him.
My eyes moved to his lips and the urge took over. I wanted my hands all over him, and I wanted those strong hands all over me. My inhibitions were so low they were practically non-existent, and right now, it didn’t seem like a bad idea to kiss him.
So I did.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my mouth to his like I’d done it a hundred times. My lips brushed against his before they fully came together. They were soft and full like I expected, and the second we connected, I felt the chemistry I’d been dreaming about. Reality was difficult to understand when I was floating like this. Like I was on a cloud, I felt higher than the sky.
My hands cupped his neck, and I felt his powerful pulse underneath my touch. Even his neck was corded and muscular. I could feel the strength in every inch of his physique. My hands slid down to his shoulders, and I felt their solid strength.
But nothing compared to how good his mouth felt on mine.
Zeke kissed me back slowly, like he’d been expecting the embrace to happen. The kiss was restrained, like he was holding himself back from doing what he really wanted. But then his resistance snapped, and he cupped my face with his warm hand and pressed me against the wall. He kissed me harder once he had me pinned, his muscled chest pressed right against mine. He breathed hard into my mouth then gave me some of his tongue, taking the kiss to a level I’d wanted for weeks.
I wanted him between my legs then and there. I wanted to undo his jeans so he could take me right in the entryway. I’d been waiting so long to have this gorgeous man, and I didn’t want to wait any longer. It didn’t matter how stupid of an idea this was. My impatience got the best of me.
But Zeke ended it.
He pulled away then cleared his throat, the regret and desire battling in his eyes. He stepped back and cleared his throat.
I felt the cold rejection sweep across me. That kiss was fantastic, even if I was drunk, and I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want Zeke to push me away just because he saw me as a friend. If he ever gave me another chance, I could make him see me in a different way.
“I’m gonna make that tea…” He walked into the kitchen.
I wanted to slide to the floor and never get up again. But the tile was cold, and I was in a short dress. I went into the living room and lay on the couch, wanting to fall asleep and forget this night ever happened. I shouldn’t have called Zeke in the first place.
The one good thing about this situation was I probably wouldn’t remember it in the morning.
Thank god.
I closed my eyes for a moment, and must have drifted off, because Zeke’s appearance startled me.
He set the tea on the table, steam billowing from the surface. He eyed me with concern before he sat on the edge of the table and watched me.
I tried to sit up, but I was too weak. “I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay, Rae.”
“I’m just really drunk right now…”
“You don’t need to explain. It’s not a big deal.”
“It is a big deal.” That kiss wasn’t just sexually motivated. There was a lot more to it.
“I can forget about if it if you can.”
He was giving me a way out because he was a good guy. But I didn’t want a good guy. “I don’t want to forget about it…”
His eyes softened.
I scooted against the back of the couch then patted the cushion beside me. “Lie with me.”
He considered the suggestion before he slipped off his shoes and got comfortable beside me.
My arm immediately went around his neck and I hooked my leg around his waist, doing exactly what I wanted despite the way he stopped our kiss.
He didn’t push me off him. Instead, he grabbed the blanket hanging over the back of the couch and covered us with it, hiding the bottom half of our bodies from view. Then he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him, his face just inches from mine.
It was heaven.
And maybe even better than that kiss.
I’d fantasized about a moment like this at work. I pictured us lying together on the couch with the TV on in the background, rain hitting the patio door as it sprinkled. I pictured Safari lying on the floor with his eyes closed. This was what I wanted every single day.
When he shifted his position, I could feel the definition of his cock through his jeans right against my hips. It was thick, long, and large. Exactly what I hoped was hiding inside those jeans. He must have known it was there because it was too big to ignore.
Which meant he wanted me.
He was still attracted to me.
There was hope.
“Zeke, you’re so hot.” I never would have blurted that out in a million years without drinking three Long Island Iced Tea and two lemons drops.
His deep voice came out quietly. “I think you’re hot too, Rae.”
“But I think you’re really hot. Like, damn.”
He smiled with his eyes and not his lips. “I thought about you in the shower this morning. Can you top that?”
My pussy immediately clenched. “Yes, I can. Because I think about you every night.”
The heat came into his gaze and he squeezed me a little tighter. He pressed his face against mine but didn’t kiss me. “What are you doing to me?”
“Not nearly enough.”
He brushed his lips across my cheek before he placed a kiss on my forehead. “Close your eyes and get some sleep.”
The last thing I wanted to do was get some sleep. “I’m not normally like this…”
He stared at me, not understanding my meaning.
“I don’t throw myself at guys like this. When I went to the bar with Jessie, all I could think about was you. I’ve never wanted someone I couldn’t have so badly.”
His hand moved through my hair slowly, and it looked like he might kiss me again. “You can have me, Rae. Just not tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because you aren’t going to remember this in the morning.”
***
I woke up with the worst migraine ever.
Luckily, two pills were sitting on the table with a glass of water. I tossed them down my throat and practically chugged the water. I sat upright and felt the pain in my head increase with every movement.
Damn, what happened last night?
Zeke walked over with a plate in his hand. He set it on the table, and that’s when I saw the veggie omelet. “You had a rough night.”
“Yeah…I kinda figured.” I pulled the plate toward me. “Thanks for breakfast. That was nice of you.”
“Of course.” He sat beside me and kept staring at me.
“What?” I asked without taking my eyes off my food.
“How do you feel?”
“I’ve been better.”
He kept staring at me. “Do you remember anything about last night?”
“Why? Did I do something stupid?” I ate half of the omelet before I looked at him.
He held my gaze. “No. You called me and asked for a ride. Wasn’t sure if you remembered that.”
“Actually, no. But I figured that’s what happened when I woke up on your couch.”
He leaned back into the couch and waited for me to finish my breakfast.
“Sorry, I crashed on your couch last night.”
“It’s no big deal. You know my couch always has your name written on it.”
“Thanks,” I said with a smile. I finished my breakfast and wiped the plate clean. “I’ll get out of your hai
r and take an Uber home.” I placed my dish in the sink then grabbed my shoes from the corner.
“I don’t mind taking you home.” Zeke followed me, wearing his sweatpants and a Mariners t-shirt.
“It’s okay. You’ve done enough.” I wanted to hug him goodbye but I suddenly felt awkward doing that. I already called him to pick me up last night. My feelings for Zeke were obviously directing most of my behavior.
“Are you sure? I really don’t mind.”
“It’s okay. I’ll probably go to Jessie’s so I can hear about her night. I’ll see you later.”
This time, he didn’t fight me. “Alright. Lunch tomorrow?”
My workday was so much better when I met him for lunch. “Yeah, sure.”
“I’ll text you where.”
“Alright. Bye.”
“Bye.” He watched me go before he shut the door.
Chapter Nineteen
Rex
Zeke slid into the booth across from me and ordered a beer from the bartender. Wings were already on the table so he grabbed a few and munched on them like everything was perfectly normal.
“So…Rae slept over last night?” I kept the accusation out of my tone, but only by sheer determination. When Rae said she crashed at his place, I wasn’t allowed to ask any questions, based on my agreement with her. But I was sure as hell gonna ask Zeke about it.
“Yeah.” He grabbed a few more wings and kept eating.
“That’s it? You aren’t going to elaborate on that?”
With a straight face, he stopped eating and said, “I will when you tell me about Kayden.”
I shut my mouth immediately.
Now his look was full of accusation. “Yeah, Rae told me. Not you, Rae.”
“Let me explain—”
“Yeah, you better get on that.”
I told him everything from the beginning until the present point in time.
He gave me the same lifeless expression. “And you thought that was a good idea?”
“She offered herself to me. Was I supposed to say no?”
“Yes, idiot.”
“Like you would say no if Rae offered herself to you.”
“I did last night,” he snapped.
Now all my thoughts of Kayden were gone. “Whoa, let’s back up… What happened?”
