by C. A. Harms
***
I woke up a little after nine on Friday. It was easier to sleep in because my mom never got up before noon. It was one of the perks of her staying out all night long drinking. If only all of us were on her schedule, things would be easier.
I had plans to begin the search for my second job today. Yeah, Spencer’s paid well, especially on the weekends, but it wasn’t enough. Not when I had a mortgage to pay. I needed to have a part-time job just to have a little extra for the unexpected.
My mother had pissed away all her inheritance. It wasn’t much, but it would have helped ease the stress. Instead, she went on a weekend trip to Vegas and returned with nothing but an outstanding cab fare for the taxi that delivered her.
I had spent the morning dropping off my résumé at every possible place I might be able to find employment. At this point I would accept almost anything. I was growing desperate.
My phone vibrated on the table as I sat in the local coffee shop. Seeing the picture of my best friend Avery’s face light up the screen made me laugh. She had her tongue hanging out with her hands up at her face, making silly gestures. She was about the only light in my life. Without her, I was sure I would be joining my mom on her nightly binges by now.
“Hey, lady love,” I said in greeting.
“Quinny,” she squealed. “Where are you?”
“Mario’s Coffee Shop,” I replied.
“Stay put, I’ll be right there.” She hung up, leaving me hanging.
I waited impatiently, looking up at the door every time the little bell above it rang. The moment I saw her light blonde hair flowing in the breeze, I smiled at her in return. She stopped at the counter and picked up her favorite cappuccino before hurrying across the dining area and taking her seat across from me. She sat smiling at me like she had some sort of secret.
“What are you grinning about? You’re freaking me out with your crazy.”
“Hey you, I got some fun for us to partake in,” she squeaked, shaking her hips. I stared at my best friend, waiting for an explanation for her hyped-up behavior.
“Okay, do you remember me talking about a guy named Ryker?” she asked. She had talked about him often, actually. He was a little older than us, by about four years to be exact.
I nodded, waiting for her to continue.
“Well, he is having a party tonight and he invited me to come.” She paused for the “Avery dramatic effect.” “A party, Quinn, as in at his house. On the beach. Lots of yummy guys.” Another pause. “You are going with me,” she stated.
“Um, no, I’m not. Sorry. I can’t,” I immediately refused, leaning back in my chair.
“Why? Because of your mom?” She looked around, making sure no one would hear what she was about to say. “Listen, girly, I love you, I do, but you have to stop taking care of her all the time. Don’t you think it’s time you do something for you? For once, Quinn, stop being her mother.”
Her words were true, so true. I had been playing that motherly role since I was a kid. It was just my life, and yes I hated it, but there was no one else to make sure she was safe.
I hadn’t let my guard down and had a little fun in a long time. It might be nice to spend some time around people my own age, not worrying about the next disaster awaiting me.
So, maybe I could go, just for a little while. A little night out might be good for me.
“All right, Avery, I’ll go, but I’m not staying late. I know you don’t understand, but I can’t leave her passed out on the living room floor. I have to be home before she gets there,” I replied.
I honestly thought I lost her once I said I would go. She instantly began squealing and bouncing around, doing some absurd chair dance.
I hid my face from embarrassment. The girl seriously had no shame. If she needed to express herself, she didn’t care where she was or who was around, she just went for it. If you didn’t like it, then move on, because she really didn’t give a shit. She had always been that cheerful type. Some people found it extremely annoying. Me, I found it refreshing. Her happiness always gave me the light I needed.
Chapter Three
Jett
Sitting on the cooler at the edge of the beach, I quietly observed the groups scattered throughout the backyard. A few girls pranced around, attempting to gain the attention of any man willing to give it.
I was only here because I told Kade I would be. He sat alongside of me, both of us unfazed by the craziness of the party.
People were dancing, and music flowed loudly from the speakers surrounding the deck. As I continued to watch, I observed the guys as they picked out their targets. I found the entire thing juvenile. They were actually betting on who would get laid by who. Weren’t we a little old for that shit?
The nervous laughter of a girl to my right caught my attention. It wasn’t that giddy, “look at me” kind of laugh.
Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on my knees. Two girls were standing with their backs to us. They were leaning in toward one another, giving me the perfect side profile.
The brunette was the first one I noticed, with long dark waves flowing down her back and falling over her shoulder. Her smile was something I couldn’t seem to look away from. I hadn’t even noticed what the other girl looked like; the brunette had my full attention. She smiled nervously while her friend whispered something to her. Her friend was like the rest of girls here, flaunting herself and shamelessly flirting with every guy. The brown-haired woman, on the other hand, seemed reserved and intriguing.
Kade noticed me watching the girl, and he reached out quickly, smacking at my arm. It gave way, and my upper body shifted downward, catching me by surprise. The only thing the jackass could do was chuckle as he relaxed back in his chair. He attempted to hide his amusement behind his hand, failing miserably.
“What the hell was that for?” I asked.
“I just saw the perfect opportunity. Your attention was full of nothing but that brunette over there. I rarely get the chance to catch you off guard.” He looked back up toward the girls, offering a wink.
My gaze shot up as well, and I saw the blonde smiling back at Kade. I shifted quickly to the brunette, just in time to catch her rolling her eyes. I couldn’t help myself from laughing at her reaction. Most girls would have giggled and flirted back, but not her. She turned her back to us, grabbed her friend, and dragged her toward the house.
“Damn, she’s a feisty one.” Kade grinned as we both kept our eyes on their movements. He cleared his throat just as they entered the back door of Ryker’s house. “The blonde wanted me.”
“Sure she did.” I stood up from the cooler and shook the sand from my feet. “That’s why she walked in the opposite direction.”
For the next hour I wandered through the party, mingling with the people I grew up with. I rarely got the time to socialize casually anymore. Even now as I stood here listening to the guys talk, my mind was on the restaurant, worried that things may be lacking without my presence, my thoughts rolling over the things I could have been doing besides standing here.
A soft hand sliding over my back and curling around my waist broke my daze. I looked over my shoulder and directly into the eyes of Ryker’s sister, Shay. A devious smile graced her lips just before she hooked her finger in the waistband of my shorts. “It’s been a long time, Jett. I’m not gonna lie, I’m really happy you showed up.”
“Hey, how’ve you been?” I asked.
Yeah, Shay was a good-looking girl. She was at one time someone I lusted after, but now things were different. She was recently divorced from some hotshot attorney. Now the rumor was she was looking for an easy ride and some sorry bastard to take care of her.
“I’m better now. You wanna go get a beer and catch up?” she asked.
The desire in her eyes made my stomach drop. There was no way we would be going down that road again.
Just then I saw movement over her shoulder and a flicker of red. Looking past Shay, I spotted the brunette from earlier
. Seeing her as my way out, I went with it.
“Actually I can’t, sorry. My girl’s waiting on me.” I stepped around her. “Good seeing ya, though.”
Shay started to argue, but I ignored her whine.
My eyes locked on the brunette in red, and I silently pleaded to her with my eyes. I prayed she would go along with it, even if only long enough for me to escape.
She watched me approach, an eyebrow arched in question. She squinted, causing her nose to crinkle, and I fought against the laughter as I stepped up to her.
“Listen, I know you have no idea who I am, but please just go along with what I’m about to do.” I was pretty much begging her to help me escape the vulture that was waiting to attack me at my weakest moment.
“I’m not sure. What is it exactly you plan to do?” she asked.
I brought my body up against hers and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, hugging her close. With her face tucked in against my neck, I whispered in her ear. “Nothing more than put on a show. I promise this is all I have planned. Well, besides maybe walking away together until she can no longer see us.”
“Your ex?” she questioned.
“No, just someone from my past. A night I never want to repeat,” I whispered back.
I still stood with my arms wrapped around this girl, a girl who for some reason didn’t make me want to run in the opposite direction. She had the sweetest scent. I held her tiny body tucked securely against mine. It felt comfortable.
“Are you planning on holding me hostage all night, hugging me?” I chuckled at her comment. The thing was, she never tried to pull away. Instead, she hugged me back, like the closeness was something she needed, her fingers trailing along my waist, then linking together behind me.
“Well, that depends. Do you want to be my hostage?” She lifted her head, looking up into my eyes. The biggest brown eyes I had ever seen boring into mine made my heart rate pick up just a little more.
“Something tells me I would enjoy being a hostage in your hands.” Her voice was almost like a soft purr, long lashes fluttering as her cheeks reddened. “I can’t believe I just said that, sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I actually like your honesty.” We continued to study each other, waiting for the next move. I know what was running through my mind, but I was sure I would only get slapped if I acted on those thoughts.
She licked her lips still gazing up at me. I released my hold on her shoulders and let my hands trail over her back. Slouching just enough to bring our mouths a little closer, I grinned. “If you really want to make this believable, you could let me kiss you, uh…” I cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her to fill in the blank.
“Quinn.” She smiled.
“Quinn,” I repeated, trailing my finger along the exposed skin of her back. Her name sounded like a moan falling from my lips. I was getting a little worked up, and it was hard to control.
“I could let you kiss me, but then what if she doesn’t buy it?” Her sweet breath skimmed over my jaw.
Resting my hands on her lower back, I pinned her with my stare. I brushed my lips over hers gently. “I’m sure we could make it look believable.” I paused for a split second before moving in just a little more. “I think we should at least give it a shot, don’t you?”
She said nothing in return, only lightly nodded in agreement. I smiled at her, gently skimming my nose along hers, giving her this last chance to change her mind before covering her delicate mouth with mine. The sweetest little moan escaped her as I traced her lip with my tongue.
Damn, she felt dangerously good.
Her body formed to mine as our lips devoured one another. The cherry flavor of her lip gloss combined with her alluring whimper made it hard to remember we weren’t alone. The party around us continued as we focused solely on one another. It didn’t matter we weren’t being watched any longer. The only thing that mattered was her and me.
I nipped at her lips, sucking softly, as the addictive whimper flowed from her once more. I vowed that I would do whatever I could to hear that whimper as often as she would allow. It was the sexiest sound I had ever heard.
Chapter Four
Quinn
What the hell was I doing? I didn’t even know his name. This wasn’t me, but it felt too good to stop. The guy knew how to kiss. Remembering my own name at the moment was challenging. He was without a doubt very lethal.
I pulled back to catch my breath and maybe gain some control of my actions. The moment I opened my eyes and found him silently staring back at me, I knew gaining my bearings would be yet another challenge to face.
“This isn’t something I normally do. Actually it’s something I’ve never in my life done, but…” I paused, thinking over what I was about to say. Feeling no hesitation, no need to run, I continued. “For one night I just want to forget about what I should do. I just want to feel. For one night, I want to do something for myself.”
“Do you want to get out of here?” he asked. I watched as his gaze slowly scanned over my face. He was looking for any sign that I didn’t want this. Well, he wasn’t going to find it.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Do you need to tell your friend?” His eyes still never left mine.
“No, she’s off somewhere with Ryker. I’ll text her. She thought I was leaving anyway,” I assured him.
Before I knew it, my hand was in his and he was leading me around the side of the house.
“Did you drive?” I pulled my keys from my pocket and shook them, just before he swiped them from me.
“I’ll drive, just lead the way.”
I was nervous, not because I was having second thoughts, but because I wasn’t. I had never in my life been so free. I had never just thrown caution to the wind and acted on impulse. I was a planner, and I never deterred from my plans.
We crawled in to my beat-up beetle, and I laughed while he made the attempt to maneuver his large frame behind the wheel. His long, muscular legs bent at an odd angle as he tried to move the seat back, making me laugh even harder.
He looked over at me, smiling, and a tightness hit deep in my stomach. He was insanely good-looking. The perfect white teeth shining with that gorgeous grin. His looks were almost overwhelming, making me lose my train of thought.
“My place okay?” he asked.
I nodded and sat back, admiring him as he drove, my eyes occasionally observing my surroundings. I knew we were heading for East Shore Addition. Growing up, I had friends who lived in the area, and I always envied them. Nice homes with all you could want—something I never had. We struggled just to pay our bills most months.
When he pulled up in front of the soft yellow Bermuda-style home, I tried not to appear too awestruck. “Nice place,” I said.
He parked and pulled the keys from the ignition, and I stepped from the car before he could round the front. I could tell he intended on opening the door for me, but I had beaten him to it. At least I wasn’t planning on sleeping with a complete jerk; he had manners.
He took my hand and led me toward the front door.
The moment we entered, I didn’t take the time to think. I couldn’t. I knew if I didn’t act now, I would somehow talk myself out of it. I immediately went up on my tiptoes and wrapped my hands around the back of his neck, pulling him close. I heard the keys hit the floor as he gripped my hips and spun me around, pinning me against the wall behind him.
I didn’t let myself overthink it; I just let go. I let go of all the worries I had, all the trouble I faced, and I just felt. I felt his hands roam my body. I felt his kisses as they trailed down my neck. I allowed myself to forget that I didn’t belong here with him, in a life like this. Instead, I let myself believe this would lead somewhere beyond tonight.
He slipped his hands under the hem of my shirt and he began slowly sliding them upward, exposing my stomach. He continued to lift my shirt and finally pulled it over my head. His eyes took me in hungrily. “Have I told you yet how sexy you are? Because you are
,” he whispered. With his fingertip, he traced the top of my bra over the swell of my breast.
He lowered his mouth, trailing his tongue at the dip in the middle, making me shiver. Chills covering me, I moaned on contact. He smiled against my chest, looking up at me. The knowing look on his face should piss me off, yet it only made me want him more.
Finding the button of my jean shorts, he unsnapped them, descending my zipper with ease. Sliding his hands along my hips, he began lowering the shorts. I kicked them off just before he scooped me up into his arms.
Everything was a blur as I attempted to look around. He walked past the kitchen, down a hallway toward the back of the house. His bed came into view, and a sense of panic hit me. I looked him in the eyes, finding his filled with desire and need.
“I don’t even know your name,” I whispered just before he lowered me to the bed. He pressed himself against me, making his arousal abundantly clear.
“Je…” he whispered before his lips found mine once again. “Jameso…” His words were immediately lost in our kiss.
He pressed his erection against me again and began moving in a slow rhythm as if we were already having sex. The friction was intense, and my mind shifted into overdrive. I was on the verge of screaming for him to just take me now.
I had never wanted anything more than I wanted him in that moment.
In my carnal state I hadn’t notice him removing my bra. The second his lips closed over my nipple and he sucked gently, I moaned out, “Yes.”
The crinkle of foil filled the silence between our pants. I wouldn’t have to worry about insisting he wore a condom. The man was already prepared. He leaned back, lowering my panties along the way in one graceful move.
I felt as though I was on display before him, but I didn’t feel self-conscious. He brought forth a sense of beauty and desire as he slowly appraised me with his eyes.
I also took the time to look at him as well. He was fit, and my mouth watered at the site of the stunning trail leading to an even more appealing V at his waist. An unbelievably sexy-as-sin tattoo wrapped around his hip and up his side. I ran my tongue over my lower lip as the thought of appraisingly licking that very tattoo filled my mind. I knew I was staring, but my God, I couldn’t stop. The man was absolutely perfect. Even the scar that ran just under his right nipple, slightly raised against his tanned skin, was alluring.
