They think nobody notices that they alternate between trading I hate your guts looks and I want to fuck you senseless looks.
But it’s obvious.
I just hope he keeps it in his pants for once.
She’s good for Inked Hearts.
“I’m not gonna steal my brother’s girl.” Dean stands. Stretches his arms over his head. “You know how much shit our parents would give me?”
“Why you still hanging here, Leighton?” Walker catches the yawn. “Your boyfriend not giving you enough?”
“Never.” She twirls a purple strand—she’s kept her hair purple forever now. Says she’s sticking with it long term. That she adores looking in the mirror and seeing the girl I fell in love with.
“He’s cruel,” Walker says.
“You have no idea.” She nods.
He raises a brow.
Dean motions go on.
Leighton rolls her eyes. “You’re not getting any info on my sex life.” She slides her laptop into her messenger bag. Slings it over her shoulder. “But I’m flattered by your obsession.”
“What did you do to Chloe?” Emma steps into the main room. She brushes her dark hair behind her ears. Shoots Dean a glare. “I will kick your ass if you keep fucking with her.”
“I’ll help,” Walker offers.
“Oooh, can I too?” Leighton presses her hands together. “Pretty please.” She steps out from behind the counter. Nods a goodbye to Emma. “I’ll get out of your way.”
“You’ll leave me with these idiots? All by myself?” Emma feigns horror. She’s been working at the shop since Leighton left.
She’s only here part time, but it’s nice having her around. She’s known us forever. She doesn’t let the guys get away with shit. She knows her older brother well enough not to flirt when he’s around.
But when he’s not…
Let’s just say she makes Leighton proud.
“I’ll be back next Friday.” She hugs Emma goodbye. Whispers something in her ear.
“You promise?” Emma releases her.
She nods.
They share a laugh.
Then she’s all mine.
She takes my hand, wraps her arms around me, holds me like she’ll never let go. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I’ve barely seen her all week. She’s been working too hard to leave her apartment.
But that isn’t gonna matter soon.
Fuck, I hope that isn’t gonna matter soon.
I brush her short hair behind her ear. “Should we get out of here?”
“Thought you’d never ask.” She turns to our friends. Waves goodbye. “We don’t need the audience.”
“Baby, you wound me.” Dean blows her a kiss.
She feigns disgust.
But she can’t hide her smile.
She loves being here, at Inked Hearts, bantering with everyone.
I press my palm into her lower back to lead her out the door.
The orange glow of sunset fills our view. The street is incredibly California. Beach cottages, palm trees, the smell of salt mixing with the smell of gasoline.
“You miss working at Inked Hearts?” I intertwine my fingers with hers. I need to lead her here without making it obvious. I need it to be a surprise.
“Every day.” She looks to the ocean, some five blocks away. Watches the sun sink into the horizon. “But I love design more.”
“You can work here more often.”
“No. I can’t.” Her eyes fill with affection as she looks up at me. “You’re too distracting.”
“I can wear baggy clothes.”
She shakes her head.
“Cut off my hair?”
“Over my dead body.”
“Really? You’d die for my hair?”
She reaches up, runs her fingers through my waves. Address my locks. “I’m sorry he’s trying to hurt you. I promise I won’t let him.”
My laugh dissolves the tension in my shoulders.
But the relaxation is short lived.
This is still happening.
I need her to say yes.
I need it so fucking badly.
I wrap my arms around her waist, pull her body into mine. “All right. No haircuts.”
“Promise?”
“For a while.” I press my lips to hers.
She groans against my mouth. “Did I already say I missed you?”
“Yeah.” I plant another kiss on her lips. “I missed you too.” It’s only been two days since she last fell asleep in my bed, but neither of us brings that up. Two days is plenty of time. It’s an eternity.
But after this…
Fuck, I need a yes.
I need it like I need oxygen.
At Eleventh, I turn right instead of going straight.
“Ryan.” Leighton squeezes my hand. “Did you forget where you live?”
“No.”
“So, we’re…” The cross sign flashes white. She follows me into the intersection.
“It’s a surprise.”
“A good surprise?”
I hope so. “Great.”
“Does it involve dinner? I’m starving.”
My stomach is in knots. Fuck, I can’t remember the last time I was this nervous. Being with Leighton is everything. But the possibility of living with her?
Of waking up next to her every morning, fixing her breakfast, designing side by side, arguing about what we’ll watch, falling asleep next to her every night…
“Ryan?” She steps onto the sidewalk. Turns so she’s staring into my eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
No, but I will be. If she says yes. I nod.
She offers her hands. When I take them, she pulls me into the sidewalk with her. “You’re worrying me.”
“It’s good. I promise.”
She looks up at me, staring into my eyes, looking for meaning.
We’ve been here so many times.
I never get tired of it.
“Come here.” I bring my hands to her waist. Lean down. Press my lips to hers.
She arches into me, opening her lips to make way for my tongue, groaning against my mouth.
I want to take her right here on the sidewalk.
It’s a good way to put off asking.
But I have to do this.
I have to get a yes.
She pulls back with a sigh. “Lead the way.”
I nod as I take her hand.
We walk the two blocks to the apartment hand in hand. This place is closer to the beach, but it’s farther into a residential area. The city sounds drop to a murmur. The streets fill with trees. There are lawns and parked cars everywhere.
There.
I push the gate open for her.
She looks up at me. “Ryan… are you…?”
“Yeah.”
“And you want to…”
“Let me show you before you say anything.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yeah, I do.” I take her hand. Lead her into the complex. Past the small courtyard. Up the steps. To our new place. Apartment 205.
Her eyes go wide as I slide a key into the lock. “You already—”
I nod.
“But you didn’t ask me—”
“It’s time for me to live somewhere else.” Somewhere Penny’s never been.
Not because she haunts my memories.
But I’m done with that part of my life.
And I need Leighton to know how fucking sure I am.
I push the door open. Motion after you.
She steps inside. Flips a switch.
Florescent light bounces off the sleek white walls.
Leighton’s heeled boots tap the hardwood floors as she walks down the hallway. She takes in the new, stainless steel kitchen. “It’s you.”
“Yeah?”
“Of course.” She turns to the room on the left. Her eyes go wide as she takes it in. “That’s a view of the ocean.”
I
nod.
“From our apartment?”
“It is.”
“Can we really afford this?”
“It’s cheaper than living apart.”
“By how much?”
Not as much as I’d like. But—“I have plenty, baby. Don’t worry. I’m set on living here. I’ve paid first and last. I’ve put the deposit down.”
“Oh.”
“It’s okay if you aren’t ready. I can afford it on my own.” I slide my arms around her waist. Bring my lips to her neck. “But, fuck, Leigh, I want to wake up next to you so fucking badly.”
She leans into my touch. “I want that too.”
“Let me show you something.”
“Okay.”
I take her hand. Lead her to the other room.
Her jaw drops as she takes it in. “You got a new bed.”
“It was time.”
“It’s huge.”
“You don’t like that?”
“What if I don’t?”
“I’ll convince you otherwise.”
She turns to me. “How?”
“I’ll strip.”
“You could do that now.” She closes the distance between us. “Right here.” She plants her hands on my chest. Her fingers curl into the fabric of my hoodie.
“Do this?” Slowly, I undo the zipper of my hoodie. I shrug it off my arms. Stare into her eyes as the fabric hits the ground.
“Yes.” Her fingers curl into my t-shirt. “Do that.”
“Uh-uh.” I shake my head. “This first.” My fingers go to the hem of her cropped sweater. I peel it over her chest.
She raises her hands so I can get it over her shoulders and arms.
I drop it on the floor.
“Now this.” She tugs my t-shirt over my head.
“And this.” I undo the clasp of her lacy bra.
She stares into my eyes as she peels it off her chest.
Fuck, she has amazing tits.
I need my hands around them.
I need her legs wrapped around my hips.
I need her screaming my name.
Still, I continue her game. I kick off my shoes. Peel off my socks. Drop to my feet to undo the zipper of her boots.
The right.
Then the left.
She steps out of both. Kicks them aside. “Your turn.”
I undo the button of my jeans. Push them off my hips.
Her eyes go wide. “Fuck. Have I told you how much I love that you go commando?”
“Yeah.” I reach under her skirt. Find the waistband of her black tights and peel them, and her panties, over her ass.
They collect at her thighs.
Her hand knots in my hair. “Bed. Now.”
I back her onto it. Drop to my knees between her legs. Peel her tights off her right leg. Then the left.
She squirms as I drag my lips up the inside of her calf. Her knee. Her thigh.
My fingers curl into her soft skin.
I pin her legs to the bed as I bring my mouth to her.
Fuck, she tastes good.
I lick her from up and down again and again.
I tease her until she’s groaning.
Until she’s tugging at my hair.
“Fuck, Ryan.” She groans as my nails curl into her thighs.
I hold her in place as I bring my tongue to her clit.
I can’t tease her anymore today. I need her bliss. I need her coming. I need her screaming my name.
Her breath hitches as I hit the speed she likes.
I go a little faster.
A little harder.
Up.
Right.
“Don’t stop.” She tugs at my hair. “Fuck.”
I lick her just how she needs me.
Her thighs fight my hands.
Her groans bounce around the room.
Around our room.
I’m eating out my girlfriend on our bed.
It’s everything.
She’s everything.
I pin her harder.
Lick her faster.
A few more flicks of my tongue and she’s there.
“Ryan.” Her nails find my back. Sink into my skin.
She claws at me as she comes on my lips. I can feel her orgasm in the way she pulses. Taste it in the way she gets sweeter. Hear it in the way her groans run together.
“Fuck me. Now,” she demands.
I pull back. Plant a kiss on her pelvis. Push her skirt to her waist as I climb up her body.
Her eyes find mine as I plant my hands outside her shoulders.
She wraps her legs around my hips.
Fuck.
Pleasure floods my senses as my tip strains against her. She feels so fucking good. Warm. Wet. Mine.
It echoes though my thoughts.
Around the room.
Around the entire apartment.
Our apartment.
Our fucking universe.
No teasing today.
I drive into her with a steady stroke.
Her nails sink into my back.
Her other hand finds my hair.
She pulls me into a long, deep kiss.
Lifts her hips to take me deeper.
I sink into her. Claim her mouth. Her cunt. Her soul.
We stay locked like that, moving together, breathing together until she’s there.
She groans against my mouth as she comes.
Her pulses pushing me over the edge.
I wrap my arms around her.
Fill her with steady thrusts.
Pleasure floods my body as I come.
Once I’ve spilled every drop, I collapse next to her.
“I love you so much.” She nestles into my chest.
“You saying that ‘cause I made you come?”
“No. But it doesn’t hurt.”
“I love you too.”
She looks up at me like she’s exactly where she wants to be.
I brush a hair behind her ear.
I stare into her eyes until her lids flutter closed.
She kisses me hard and deep.
She kisses me like she’s claiming me.
No, she is claiming me.
But she doesn’t have to.
I’m already hers.
Wherever life takes us, I’m hers.
And she’s mine.
And that’s fucking everything.
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Kaylee plants her palms on the table. Her cheeks spread to her ears. They're pink. Then red. She's laughing so hard her tits are shaking.
Damn, that tight blue dress, the same blue as her glasses.
She looks amazing, like the sweet, innocent angel she is and like the sex goddess I'm desperate to unleash.
But I still hate that scrap of fabric with every fiber of my being.
I hate every ounce of air between us.
Every flint of wood in this table.
Every guy here looking at her the way I am.
Fuck, if I don't get ahold of myself, I'm going to break a few arms. And maybe my hand. And I can't exactly finish Alex's back piece at nine a.m. tomorrow with broken fingers.
Em wraps her arms around Kaylee.
Kaylee laughs, pushing her long blond hair behind her ears and gathering it at one shoulder.
Her eyes flit around the room.
They catch min
e.
They scream I'm about to wish for you to take me to your room.
Or maybe that's in my head.
Today is the day.
She's no longer a temptation that can get me locked up. Just a temptation that can rip away everything that matters to me.
Em leans in to whisper in her ear. I know my sister. I know exactly what she's saying. Wish for someone to fuck tonight.
Not happening.
Not as long as I'm here.
I hate to be a cunt-blocker, really, I do, but there's no way Kaylee is taking home anyone on my watch.
I have no idea how she's managed to stay single this long.
She's beautiful. Smart. Funny. Kind. And innocent... fuck, the way her cheeks are blushing.
The way she's leaning over the table, letting her eyelids fall together, parting her lips...
I could teach her so many things.
I could teach her everything.
But I can't.
She's my sister's best friend.
And as much as Em is a brat, she's all the family I've got.
These two are the most important people in my life.
My cock is going to have to cool it.
It's not getting anywhere near Kaylee.
I sit on the Kelly green deck chair, the one under the old lamp with the too yellow bulb.
Even though we're in one of the most crowded cities in Southern California, the beach is empty. Still. All the voices and laughter are coming from the house. The roar of the ocean isn't enough to muffle the party.
I should head inside and kick out Emma's friends. Insist on driving Kaylee back to her place. Lecture both of them about drinking too much.
But I'm not in the mood to play Dad today. I'm tired of playing Dad, period. Emma and I never got along, not exactly, but we used to have a rapport. We were a team. A you're annoying, but not quite as annoying as Mom or Dad team, but we were still a fucking team.
Now, the majority of my relationship is lecturing her and yelling some equivalent of go to your room.
And her yelling back you're not my dad.
I force myself to look out at the ocean.
It's beautiful. Dark water. Soft sand. Stars bright enough to shine against the black sky but dulled by light pollution all the same.
None of it distracts me.
None of the eight million things going on in my life distract me.
Pretend You're Mine Page 34
