I reached to him, running my hands up his abs and lifting up his shirt. He pulled it up over his head, tossing it aside. He brought my mouth back to his; the warm skin of his chest pressed against mine. I kicked off my heels and started unbuttoning his jeans. I was so anxious to get going, I almost fumbled with the zipper. His hands slid my pants down; I held him for balance as I stepped out of them. I could feel him pushing me in the direction of the bed. The scratchy material of the comforter pressed against the back of my knees.
He laid me back gently, and climbed over me. I placed my hand over the bulge from his black boxer briefs. Hmm, adequate. Maybe a six?
I slid my fingers between the band and his skin, pushing his underwear down his legs. I wrapped my hand around him and quickly glanced down. Yep, definitely just a six. But I could work with that. He bent down and kissed me as I continued to stroke him. His head turned to the side, looking at his nightstand. He smiled at me, then shifted himself to open the drawer. The warm skin of his dick laid into my thigh. God, I was getting antsy.
I heard him shuffling through the drawer, then he pulled out a condom. He unwrapped it quickly, running it over his hardness. His hand moved down to my sex, gently inserting two fingers.
"You ready for me?" he asked.
I nodded. He positioned himself above me again, bringing himself to my entrance. He kissed me deeply as he pushed himself into me fully. He paused for a brief moment, then started thrusting quickly. His hip bones banged into mine as he followed a steady, fast, pounding rhythm. What the fuck was he doing? Did he think this felt good? I'm not your right hand; I'm a woman. God damn it. He had been such a great kisser; I had expected so much more from him.
"Hey, hey, slow down a bit," I whispered, kissing him. I wrapped my hands around his back, trying to control the situation. He ran his hands in my hair, slowing down somewhat. Ok, that's better. I can work with this. I reached my hips up to meet him, trying to direct my clit to rub against him. I started to get a good rhythm going. Yes, that's it.
He suddenly started to pick up his pace again. Son of a bitch.
"Hey, can I get on top? I really want to ride you," I moaned.
A huge grin spread across his face. "Sure."
Thank god. At least now I could be in control. He shifted off me as I climbed on top of him. I brought him back to my sex and slid down. I kept my hand on myself, starting to rub my fingers in circles. There was no question I'd have to do the work myself if I wanted to come.
I started to rock my hips, one hand on my clit, the other playing with my nipple.
"Fuck, Holly, you're so fucking sexy," he groaned, digging his fingers into my skin.
I smiled. I knew what to do. "Oh, you feel amazing."
No, I felt amazing. I could feel my orgasm starting to build as I pressed myself harder. We were moving together at the perfect pace. I looked down at his sweet determined eyes. I could see he was close too.
"I'm gonna come!" I cried as my muscles clenched with my orgasm, sending waves of pleasure running over me. Fuck, that felt great.
"Me too!" he groaned. He gripped me even tighter as he spilled himself into me. I bent over him, breathing harshly.
He held my face in his hands, kissing me. I pulled back, smiling shyly.
"That was awesome," he said, trying to catch his breath. Yes it was... eventually.
I slid off him, laying on my side. He reached his arm around me, pulling me closer to him. It was kind of nice, cuddling. We lay there quietly for a few moments. The Joker by The Steve Miller Band was playing in the background.
"So," I said, breaking the silence.
He turned his head to face me. "So?" He smiled his adorable bushy eyebrowed smile.
"Well, I should go, I guess." I fiddled with my fingers, not wanting to make eye contact.
"Are you sure? Do you even know where your friend lives? Or if she's even there? She seemed to be hitting it off pretty well with my buddy, Brian."
Oh yeah, I'm supposed to be visiting. "I guess you're right, who knows where she is right now."
"You can stay with me if you want," he said, rubbing my arm.
I took a deep breath, inhaling his body wash. I guessed it was Axe. Typical. "Ok, I'll stay." What the hell. Seven a.m. would be here soon enough.
My eyes squinted in the direction of the laptop on the desk. Eight oh three! Holy shit. I had slept way too late. I needed to initiate Step One quickly. Ok, college apartment, obviously. There were my clothes on the floor, but where was my Lucky Bag? I looked over at last night's conquest. He was sleeping peacefully. I spotted a Notre Dame poster on the wall. Oh yeah, Green Hat.
Time to focus. The only detail I needed to remember was where I put my fucking Bag. I was usually more responsible with it. I rubbed my forehead, trying to remember what I did with it. We had come here, and he said his roommate was gone. That's right! I set it out in the living room so I could get ready out there without risking waking him up. Ah! I had been thinking responsibly.
I slipped quietly off the bed and quickly bent down to gather my clothes and shoes. I held my breath as I opened the bedroom door, praying it wouldn't squeak. I stepped out into the hallway and caught sight of the kitchen. Oh yeah, fucking gross.
I tip toed into the living room. There it was, my Bag sitting propped up against the couch. I stepped over to it quickly, throwing on my running clothes. I bent down, stuffing last night's clothes in when I heard someone clear their throat. My heart stopped for a second. Damn it, he had woken up. I stood up slowly and came face to face with Green Hat's roommate.
Chapter 4
My heart plummeted to my stomach. I thought he said no one would be here. I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it.
"Holly?" he asked.
I felt my jaw drop even further. How the fuck did he know my "name?" Had he heard us last night?
"It's me, Jason. We uh, met a couple months ago," he said, scratching the back of his head.
Oh sweet Jesus. I quickly racked my brain, trying to place him. Oh my god. He was Fireman. I had met him out on campus a few months ago. He was studying P.E. or something like that, but was working as a volunteer firefighter.
"Oh, Jason. Hi." I had no words. Thank god I was already dressed. Or had he seen that too? I didn't want to wait around to find out. "Well it's good to see you, but I'd better get going."
"Bye," he laughed, as I hastily stepped out the front door. I immediately took off running. I didn't even bother to do Step Three and figure out where I was. I knew I was on campus, and I could find my general way back to Johnny's, where my car was.
I was absolutely mortified. What were the odds? Seriously, I wanted to know what they were. Granted, it was a small private college and not some large university, but roommates? Really? I needed a new game plan fast. At least now I had a really good excuse not to go back to campus for a while. Apparently, I had already slept with everyone there.
As I ran, I tried to focus on the night overall. The mishap this morning wasn't Green Hat's fault, so I shouldn't dock points because of it. The sex was eh, but he was really attractive, sweet, kissed well, and it felt nice cuddling with him. Six and a half, I decided. I laughed out loud to myself as I realized Fireman had been better. I think I had given him an eight.
This is exactly why I use a pseudonym, I thought, as I sprinted up to my car. I climbed in, tossing my Bag in the passenger seat, and tried to catch my breath. Now that I knew I was safely far enough away from the situation, I couldn't help but laugh. I had a story for Jamie, that was for sure.
I drove the few blocks home, trying to push aside my embarrassment. I walked into my kitchen, downed my "sleeping pills," a.k.a. my post one night stand shots of tequila, and went back to sleep.
********
September
"Seriously, what am I going to do without you?" I asked Jamie, pouring more wine in her glass.
She pouted, bringing the glass to her lips. "I know, I'm going to miss you. But you can come visit
me! And I'll come visit you!"
I smiled meekly at her. I knew I was going to be alone again. Ok, not one hundred percent alone per se; I still had Johnny and the regulars at the bar. But I wouldn't have my person here anymore. My person that I could drink with, my person who wouldn't judge me for being a little slutty. We decided just to spend her last night in town hanging out at my place, drinking wine.
"Ok, ok, enough with the sad shit. What's your new place like?" I asked.
She laughed, swinging her knee up on the couch. "Oh my god, it's tiny! It's a one bedroom apartment downtown. But I think it's located by several bars, so you win some, you lose some."
"Hey, that's a win in my book," I laughed. "What street?"
"Um, it's on Highview. Fifteen hundred Highview."
I felt my heart stop momentarily. I had lived on Highview with Josh. I quickly took a drink, trying to contain my surprise. Too bad Jamie knew me too well.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked, her eyes widening.
"Nothing," I answered quickly.
She gave me an incredulous look. "Obviously something. You looked like you saw a ghost when I told you the address. Is it a bad neighborhood or something?"
I sighed. I didn't want to talk about it. I had given her the general idea of what happened in my past, but not the details. I was trying to think of any other excuse for my reaction, but the wine was acting as a truth serum.
"I just, used to live close to there, that's all," I said finally. "It's a great neighborhood, don't worry. I think you'll be really happy there."
She reached her hand to me, rubbing my arm. "Then why are you suddenly so sad?"
I sat, staring at my glass, trying to fight back the tears that were starting to pool in my eyes. "No, I don't want to waste our last night on this shit. We should be celebrating your new job!" I said, effectively stopping the tears from spilling over.
She looked at me like she wanted to argue, but then she changed her mind. "Ok, well you still better come visit me, bitch," she laughed.
I laughed back, shifting in my seat, feeling the tension of the moment floating away. "More wine?" I asked.
"You know it," she smiled.
I got up off the couch and walked into the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator door, taking a deep breath. That had been close. But I still wasn't ready to talk about it. I grabbed the bottle of wine and headed back to the living room, savoring my last night with my friend.
********
After my double-dipping roommate fiasco, I figured I would try a new plan for my Saturday night. I actually had the night off, so I decided to go to the Millennium Hotel for dinner and drinks. I got dressed in a short, sexy black dress and tall black heels. I took a couple pregame shots of tequila, then drove across town. This hotel was connected to a convention center, so a lot of people stayed there for business. It would be the ideal place to find someone I wouldn't run into again. I didn't know how I hadn't thought of this idea before.
I walked into the lobby, the scent of chlorine from the fountain hitting my nose. I scanned the room for the entrance to the restaurant. Ah, there it was, Silvio's. My heels echoed as I walked across the marble flooring. I felt the host's eyes on me as I approached. He greeted me with a smile.
"How can I help you tonight?" he asked.
"Um, just dinner for one. Up at the bar, preferably," I responded.
"Absolutely. Right this way."
He grabbed a menu and led me to the bar. The lighting was dark and kind of sexy. Approximately every other seat was a suit, sipping a martini or nursing a whiskey. Perfect. I also seemed to be the only woman. Even more perfect. I wondered who would approach me first.
The host showed me to my chair as the bartender stepped over to me, placing a cocktail napkin down on the black marble counter.
"What can I get for you tonight?" he asked.
I picked up my menu, glancing at it. "I'll have a Belvedere and soda with a splash of lime, please. And just an order of the edamame."
"You got it," he replied, walking away to fix my drink. I knew I needed to eat something, but I didn't want a big heavy meal. I figured edamame would be a perfect way to draw attention to my mouth.
I pulled out my phone, trying to make myself look occupied as I secretly scoped out the selection. Just based on proximity, I would guess I would end up with either guy beside me. I hoped it was the one to my left, but the guy to my right wasn't bad. He was just a little shorter and had a bit of a gut, whereas the man to my left looked to be about six foot two and had distinguished salt and pepper hair. And no ring, most importantly.
The bartender returned with my drink and food. "What room should I charge it to?"
Oh shit, I hadn't thought about that. My mind worked up a lie quickly. "Oh, I haven't been able to check in yet, some sort of mix up. They told me I could wait here while they figured it out. I'd be happy just to put it on my card."
"No problem," he said, taking my card from me. I let out a secret sigh of relief. I needed to come up with a game plan quickly before I ran into any other hiccups. I was Holly, in town on business from Minneapolis and I worked for a pharmaceutical company. Pfizer. I sold Viagra. Done.
I sipped my drink and started "checking my email" on my phone.
"That's a bummer. I hate when my room's not ready when I check in," said Mr. Left.
I peered up at him from my phone, smiling. Yes.
"I know, it's such a pain," I replied. "But hey, I have the opportunity to relax and have a drink while I'm waiting. I can't complain too much." I brought my fist up under my chin, resting my elbow on the bar.
He smiled, nodding his head. "Very true. You seem to have a good outlook on life," he joked, picking up his glass. My best guess was a gin and tonic?
I smiled, playing with my straw in my drink. "I'd like to think I'm an optimist." Oh god, nothing could be further from the truth. In my opinion, mankind was pretty awful, and too many bad things happened to good people.
"So a glass half full kind of girl?" he smiled.
"Absolutely. See, if my room had been ready, I wouldn't have come to the bar and been able to have a conversation with you." I crossed my legs, turning more towards Mr. Left.
He grinned, extending his hand. "Mike."
"Holly," I said, taking it. I thought his hand lingered a second longer than "friendly" on mine.
"So what do you do, Holly?" he asked, shifting in his seat. He was wearing a dark gray polo shirt and black dress pants.
I picked up my drink, taking a quick sip before answering. "I'm a drug rep."
"Ah, so you must travel a lot."
"Um, well, I'm sure I will. I just started though, so I haven't done too much yet." Good, ease into your lie, Shannon. Leave room for loopholes. "What about you? What do you do, Mike?"
"I'm in corporate insurance." Ugh, how boring. Maybe we could make things exciting.
"I see." I reached down and picked up a pod of edamame, bringing it to my lips. I could see his eyes fixated on my mouth. "Want one?"
He smiled. "Sure."
I slid the bowl toward him. His fingers brushed mine as he picked one up. I couldn't help but focus on his mouth as he sucked on it. I bet he was good with his tongue.
"Thanks," he said. He was definitely handsome. I was really glad he talked to me before Mr. Right. Ha! Mr. Right, like there was such a thing.
"You're welcome," I smiled. I quickly finished my drink and ordered another. This was a different scene than I was used to. I thought it would be a little inappropriate to start downing shots. But I wanted to get drunker, faster.
"So, tell me a little about yourself," he said.
I groaned inwardly. I didn't want to talk about myself, or really, my fake self.
"Hmm, well, I'm a Scorpio, I like long walks on the beach in the moonlight, and my favorite movie is Steel Magnolias." None of the above was correct.
He laughed heartily, bringing his drink to his lips.
"Why don't you tell me about you? I'
m sure you have far more interesting things to say." I ran my index finger over my lip coyly.
"Alright. Well like I said, I'm in corporate insurance, I'm divorced, I'm a Gemini and my favorite movie is Forrest Gump."
I giggled. "I love that movie."
We continued making chit chat and ordered more drinks. I was trying to figure out how I could broach the subject of going upstairs if he didn't do it first. Would I pretend to still have trouble checking in? No, that wouldn't be believable after all this time. Should I just boldly suggest we go upstairs? I didn't have enough liquor in my system for that yet.
Luckily, he spoke up. "So, Holly," he said, leaning in. "How much?"
I looked at him, confused. "How much for what?"
He quickly looked both ways before leaning back in toward me. "For the night, how much? I have to say, I'd be more than willing to spend a grand."
I sat, blinking stupidly, his words sinking in. This guy thought I was a fucking prostitute. Holy shit.
I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I quickly tried to compose myself. "I think there's been a misunderstanding," I said coolly, turning back to the bar. I hastily got the bartender's attention. "Check, please."
He sat back, looking rattled. "I'm so sorry. I just thought, you were so sexy and didn't have a room here, maybe you were a service the hotel provided."
I whipped my head around to face him. "Are you fucking kidding me? You can go fuck yourself."
I scribbled my signature on the receipt and huffed out of the restaurant without looking back. I made my way outside, and pulled out my phone to call a cab. Driving myself wasn't an option. What a fucking waste of a night.
I stood, tapping my foot impatiently, waiting for the cab to arrive. I hoped Mr. Left wouldn't be coming outside for any reason. I couldn't face him. Did I seriously come across as a prostitute? Granted, I'd been having a lot of random sex since I moved here, but that was my choice. I wasn't going to allow myself to end back up in a situation where I could get emotionally involved and inevitably hurt.
Finally, You (The Finally Book Duo 2) Page 4
