Deeper In You (The Phoenix Series Book 2)

by David S. Scott

  “How old are you, Faith?”

  “That’s a rude question to ask a girl. Why not just ask me how much I weigh next?” She paused. “Twenty-one. As of last month.”

  “Twenty-one!” I closed my eyes. Just barely old enough to drink. Suddenly I felt very old.

  “Why do you say it like that? How old are you?”

  “Twenty-seven.”

  “That’s only six years. That’s nothing. My boyfriend’s thirty-one. Ten years older than me.”

  “How long have you been seeing him?” I was careful not to show it, but that sentence had cut me. I’d felt more alive in these last few hours than I had since… since… Don’t go there, Xander.

  “Almost a year. He’s another gamer.” Of course he is. “You okay?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “You look like you swallowed something horrible. Your food okay?”

  “My food is fine, Faith. I’m just not that hungry, after all. So are you doing any sort of concerts right now?”

  “Well… I’m in a dinner theater company. We’re doing Sweeney Todd in a few weeks.” She hesitated, twisting her hair around her finger. “Will you come watch? I’ll understand if you think it’s silly or you don’t have time.”

  “I’d love to.”

  Her face lit up. “I’ll get you a ticket.”

  “I can’t just buy one?”

  “Well, you could, but I’d rather get you one. More fun that way.”

  “All right. I won’t argue with the next American Idol.”

  “Shut up. That would be awesome! I was thinking about auditioning for next season if they have one. But enough about me. Tell me something about you that no one else knows.” Her question and her innocent expression charmed me.

  “My life is pretty much always on display. There’s very little no one knows. You tell me something no one else knows.”

  “Hmm… I’m not sure.”

  I laughed. “Yet you expected me to have something.” Well… technically, I do have something. No. I don’t talk about that. I don’t even think about that.

  “Everyone always sees me as confident. The singer, the reporter, the lead tech. Always in control, always knowing what to do.” She dropped her voice. “I have no idea what I’m doing and am probably the least confident person you’ll ever meet.”

  “It’s so funny you mention that.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t often give interviews. I’d never allowed one in my own home before.”

  “Why did you let me?”

  “Because you were different. Most reporters are confident and polished. Everything about them is fake. You seemed a little lost. Lost… but genuine. That kept me off-balance. I found that intriguing.”

  “Guess I can’t fool you, then. Here I thought I was so smooth.”

  “Guess not.”

  “Your turn.”

  I sighed. I didn’t like the direction the conversation had turned. I stared into her sparkling green eyes. What could it hurt? “Off the record?”

  “I’m not a reporter anymore. Never was, really.”

  “Can I trust you to keep this between us?”

  She leaned forward like a conspirator. “Did you kill someone?”

  “What? You’re crazy. No. Nothing like that. Well, not really.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I built my entire career around being anti-drug. Clean competition and all that. But… it’s more personal than that for me.”

  “Oh?”

  “I never talk about this.”

  Faith chewed her lip, lost in thought. “You don’t have to if it makes you uncomfortable.”

  “Oh, it makes me uncomfortable, all right. But I’ve already started talking, so I may as well continue. I had a sister.”

  “Had?”

  I nodded, avoiding her gaze. “Had.”

  “What happened?”

  “She was also involved in gymnastics. It’s different for girls, though. Very few are able to compete past their teens. She blossomed and had to stop. Balance had become a major issue for her. Men don’t hit gymnastics prime until our mid-to-late twenties. She had to quit, and it made her horribly depressed and jealous. She’d never made the Olympic qualifiers. I did.”

  “I see.”

  “Yep. She fell in with the wrong crowd. Became addicted to booze and coke. One night… she and I got into a fight about her decisions. I could only see the risk she posed to me if anyone found out. I couldn’t see the pain she was in. She got behind the wheel of her car and took off with a friend. I never saw her alive again. She got herself high and drove right off a pier. She had her seatbelt on. She couldn’t remove it in time. Either that or she was too stoned to realize what was happening. Her passenger–a girl named Gloria–didn’t have hers on and, ironically, that saved her life. A fisherman jumped in after them and was able to rescue her. But Gloria hit her head pretty hard, and she ended up quadriplegic. My sister died that night. Gloria died of complications six months later.”

  “Oh my God. That’s horrible! No wonder you don’t talk about it.”

  “My parents were devastated. We all were. We’d seen her downward spiral but were helpless to save her. She was only seventeen. Seventeen and driving high on cocaine. My parents convinced the courts to seal her criminal record, but we could do nothing to stop the press from writing about her death. At least they never found out she used. It would kill me if she were remembered that way. We were close… once. I still remember how she was before the drugs fucked her up.”

  “I’m so sorry, Xander.” Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Tears for me, for my sister. I didn’t want her pity. I shouldn’t even have said anything. I had gone to great lengths to keep that shit covered up, and now here I was spilling my guts to someone I barely knew.

  “It was a long time ago. It’s okay. I just don’t talk about it. A big family skeleton in my closet, that’s all. So… tell me about your family.”

  “Not much to tell. Dad’s a cop, Mom’s an obstetrician. No brothers or sisters. Do you have a girlfriend?”

  I hesitated. “No.”

  “You had to think about that, huh? I sense a story.”

  “You missed your calling as a reporter.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. Tell me about her.”

  “There is no her.”

  She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest, prepared to wait me out.

  “I’ve been with a lot of women, Faith. A lot. I was kind of known for it. They called me a philanderer, a playboy. Never seen with the same woman twice. No commitments. I liked it that way. Then one day I met a woman named Lily. Things were intense between us, even though we had little in common. She had shit taste in friends, and they all kept trying to hurt her. It was one disaster after another. I kept trying to help her, even going so far as to let her move in with me. She ended up pregnant.”

  “You have a kid?”

  I shook my head, the familiar pain washing over me. “She left me and had an abortion.”

  Her hand flew up to her mouth. “Oh no. I’m so sorry. I had no idea. How long ago was that?”

  “Little over four months ago.”

  “Still fresh, then.” Her eyes were filled with compassion.

  “I don’t need or want your pity.” My harsh words made her flinch. I felt like an ass, but she was straying into territory even my close friends avoided. I knew it was my fault for even telling her, but that didn’t make her sympathy any more palatable.

  “I wouldn’t be human if a story like that didn’t touch me.”

  I gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Can we change the subject, please?”

  “Of course. I’m sorry. Why don’t you tell me about your parents?”

  After several more topics, Faith glanced down at her phone. “Oh my God, it’s four in the morning! I need to get home. I have work in a few hours.”

  I rose to my feet and waited for her to join me. “I’m sorry to have kept you up.”

  “A
re you?”

  “Not really,” I said, flashing my most charming grin. “I had fun tonight.”

  “Me, too. Who’d have thought I’d have been sitting here for hours just talking the night away with Xander Phoenix, the man who flies.”

  “Flew. Past tense. And I’m just a regular guy.” A regular guy who’s had many dreams of you in dozens of positions… and now that I’ve found you, none of it matters. You’re taken, I’m not in a good place right now. Life’s funny sometimes. “Do you believe in fate?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe in regard to some things. Do you?” We reached her car, and she leaned against the door.

  “I’m starting to. Goodnight, Faith. Thanks for hanging out with us tonight.”

  “I had fun. Thank you for inviting me. Goodnight, Xander.” She looked up at me, twisting her hair, expectation on her face. I realized I was standing far too close. Close enough that I could smell her shampoo; cherry blossoms.

  Did she want me to kiss her? She sure looked like she did. My pulse sped alarmingly. Was I going to have a panic attack?

  I backed away, giving her room to open the door of her older Ford Focus. I waved at her, struggling to get my pulse and erratic breathing back under control. I assumed she would be relieved I’d backed off, since I had been standing inappropriately close to a woman with a boyfriend, but she actually looked… regretful. Waving back, she climbed in her car and drove away.

  Chapter Seven

  I ran for the vault, leaping at the springboard and pushing it with my hands as hard as I could. Curling into a ball, I soared high into the air, spinning around three times before twisting around and sticking a blind backward landing. I raised my hands skyward and arched my back, expecting the adoration of thousands, but was instead greeted by the applause of one.

  “Xander, that was incredible!” Faith’s voice sounded from behind me.

  I beamed. Her praise meant more to me than the accolades of thousands of nameless people. “Thanks.” I turned around to see her and my breath caught.

  There she stood, dressed only in a simple green nighty made of some sort of sheer fabric. I could see her nipples standing erect beneath the material. Her reddish hair was in loose waves, and her green eyes seemed to glow.

  I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. She glided forward on long, exposed legs, her hips swaying. I wanted her. Now.

  I closed the distance between us. In no time at all we were all over each other. My tongue invaded her mouth. Grabbing her thighs, I encouraged her to wrap her legs around me.

  I carried her to the pommel horse and leaned her against it. Her left hand gripped a pommel while her right squeezed my shoulder. Her sharp nails dug into my flesh.

  “I like green,” I murmured. I reached down and followed the warmth of her body ever downward. My fingers slipped past her panties and circled her clit, then dipped inside her drenched pussy. I groaned. “Oh, Faith, you’re so ready for me.”

  “I want you, Xander. Always. Oh God, that feels good… but I want more.”

  I fucked her with my fingers, curling them inside her while my thumb toyed with her clit. I stared into her eyes, completely caught in her spell. “More?”

  “I need you. I want to feel you inside.”

  “All in good time. But… first, come for me like this.”

  Faith’s nails dug in harder, pinching, stabbing. The pain was a welcome distraction that allowed me to hold to my resolve. Seeing her stretched across the gymnastics apparatus at my mercy, smelling her heady scent, was so arousing that it was all I could do to not take her then and there. My cock was so hard that it twitched with every beat of my heart, the skin stretched tight. I needed relief. I needed her. Soon.

  “Come, Faith. I’m waiting.” I slipped a third finger inside, causing her to cry out and writhe. I leaned down and drew one of her nipples into my mouth, scraping my teeth along the smooth material covering her. I sucked hard, never losing a beat with my hand.

  I felt her legs stiffen. I increased my pace and pressure ever so slightly.

  “Xander, fuck yes!” She screamed my name as she climaxed around my fingers. Her breathing became erratic as she moaned and squirmed.

  I couldn’t take it anymore. I removed my fingers and yanked her panties down unceremoniously. “Wrap your legs around me, Faith,” I bit out. The moment she did, I freed my dick from the confines of my sweats, lifted her where I wanted her, and plunged inside.

  I set a punishing rhythm. I was so deep with her angled this way, and she cried out every time my cock reached the top of her slick channel. I bent and kissed her, demanding and taking what I wanted from her. She responded by giving me everything. Her legs squeezed me, held me where she wanted me, drove me forward. She could do nothing but hold on tight, driven as I was to lose myself in her.

  She bit my lip and I groaned. I released her hips with one hand and slapped her hard on the ass before kneading and squeezing her soft skin.

  “Oh shit, Faith. What you do to me,” I panted.

  “What do I do?”

  I groaned and thrusted harder, reveling in the feel of her body gripping me, of my balls slapping against her ass. I wouldn’t be able to maintain this speed for much longer, it felt too good, too perfect.

  “Fuck! Spank me again!” she moaned.

  I didn’t need to be asked twice. I smacked her again and again, enjoying the feel of her soft skin against my hand.

  Her orgasm took me by surprise. She screamed a garbled version of my name and climaxed all around me. Her pussy squeezed and milked my cock, and it was enough to send me over the edge. Stars danced in my vision as I came, and all I could hear was an intense roaring sound. I slowed down, continued to thrust into her, slowly, extending our orgasms.

  The crowd continued to roar.

  Oh shit.

  I jerked awake with a gasp. My blood pounded in my ears, and I struggled to catch my breath. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was noon. I never slept this late. I also never stayed up until five in the morning, which I guessed was a good excuse. I had missed physical therapy.

  I sat up, wincing as my back spasmed. Gingerly, I stood and shoved down the boxers I had been sleeping in. Today was looking like it would be awesome. I overslept, I missed therapy, my back hurt, and I was horny as hell. Tossing the underwear in the hamper, I turned on the shower to heat up.

  I stepped into the steamy water and grabbed the soap, letting my mind wander. The truth was, although Faith and I had had fun talking last night, she had a boyfriend… and my gymnastics career was as good as over. Faith had been a frequent co-star in my dreams for a long time now. She’d been teasing my subconscious before I’d ever met Lily, and continued even while I was with her. She was so young, though. I’d had no idea that she was six years younger than me. And taken. I shook my head. There was a time when I wouldn’t have let a boyfriend get in the way, but I didn’t want to merely seduce Faith… I wanted her to need me.

  The revelation surprised me. I had been celibate since Lily left me. Even my dreams had abandoned me… until now. I couldn’t bring myself to trust anyone. More than that, I couldn’t bring myself to care about anyone. If I looked deep inside, deep, deep inside, I’d be forced to admit I was afraid to let someone get close to me again.

  Was it fate that I had met Faith again? If it was, fate had a twisted sense of humor reintroducing this girl into my life while she was already in a relationship. Something about her had called to me, had made me trust her last night. I’d told her about my sister, even though I had told no one since it happened. I wanted to be part of her life, wanted to know her as a friend, even if she would never let me have her.

  That was it. Yes, I was attracted to her, wanted her to need me, but there was something deeper there. Though we had only just reconnected, it had felt as though we’d known each other forever. She had broken through my defenses by being a friend. With that revelation in mind, I finished up in the shower, suddenly anxious to head out to John’s store an
d see if she was there.

  I paused while toweling off. What about when we were parting? She’d looked up at me, her big green eyes pleading with me to kiss her. At least, that’s what my imagination desperately tried to convince me. I had to have been mistaken, though.

  Just friends.

  Remember that.

  “Phoenix, you came back. Twice in two days. That has to be some sort of record.”

  I shrugged, feigning disinterest. “I have nothing else to do these days.”

  “That so? Your something ‘else to do’ is right over there,” John made air quotes with his fingers, “but I think you have competition today. I’ll be done here in a bit. We’ll be starting up a new Settlers game if you want to learn.”

  I’d known she was here. I’d seen her car before I’d even parked. I glanced where he gestured in time to catch some guy pull Faith against him and kiss her briefly on the forehead. My heart plummeted. I knew that was an unfair reaction, but it didn’t make it any easier.

  “No thanks, man. I’ll just take a look around. I won’t be staying long.”

  John grunted and returned to flipping through a three-ring binder filled with cards. A small crowd of kids were gathered around him, asking questions and pointing at various ones that interested them. Suddenly, I just wanted to leave, but how would that look? It was a mistake coming here.

  I stared at the door, indecisive. I should go. I should leave her alone. We would never be friends, not based on the feeling of pain that hit me when I saw them together. I wanted to punch something… or someone. Someone a couple of inches taller than me and probably thirty pounds heavier, too. The bigger they are, after all…

  I drew deep, cleansing breaths into my lungs. I couldn’t think that way. I was doing too well in physical therapy to risk setting my recovery back. Especially for a girl I barely knew.

  Then and there, in that dreadful store, I had an epiphany. I’d lost sight of who I was ever since the day I’d met Lily. Control. Strength. Power. I’d lost it all. My very mantra was meaningless. I needed to get my life back on track if I wanted to become the man I once was.

  First thing, forget this ridiculousness. Second, I needed to call Sam. I’d paid him all these years to be my coach and personal trainer. Well, it was time that he helped me catch back up. It may be too late for this Olympic Games–I’d missed too many qualifiers–but I could train for the one after. Back injuries may be the kiss of death for most athletes, but I’d be damned if it would be the end for me.