by E. M. Abel
“I don’t want a girlfriend. I want a woman I can get along with and fuck. I’d prefer a woman I thoroughly enjoy fucking. I want a woman who can have sex without feeling guilty about the fact that she’s having it without being in a relationship. I want a woman I can fuck who isn’t going to get jealous when I’d rather go out with my friends or surf than sit on my ass and watch a chick flick on TV. A lot of women—I mean, a lot”—I raised my eyebrows to emphasize just how many—“claim to be that type of woman, but they aren’t. So, if you’re not, just tell me now, so we can avoid the fucking drama and go our separate ways.”
Okay, so in the past, I would have taken off as soon as Shaun had offered to fix my car. I took care of my own problems, and I was stubborn as a mule when it came to my pride. But now that he’d put it all out there and made it clear that he was looking for nothing more than sex, I had to admit that it was a lot easier to stay. The lines were no longer blurred, and everything was out in the open.
Not to mention, Shaun was incredibly hot when he was pissed off. Those dark eyelashes narrowing around his light green eyes and his strong jaw setting into a rigid line were enough to get me thinking naughty thoughts.
The only problem was, he was taking control again. It was like we were in a constant tug of war, and I was determined to keep my share.
Meeting his stare, I decided it was time I put my cards on the table, too. “I don’t expect anything from anyone—ever,” I said, giving him a pointed look. “I already told you that I’m not like the women you’re used to. I don’t need a man to take care of me. While we’re on the subject of what we want, I want a man who will make me come every time. I want a man who can still treat me like a human being with feelings after he’s fucked me. I want a man who won’t get jealous and territorial when he sees me flirting with other men. I’m a fucking bartender, so it’s gonna to happen. And I need a man who isn’t going to assume I’m just like all the others. Now, if that isn’t you, then you’re right. We should go our separate ways.”
I could see a muscle tic in his jaw as his eyes searched mine. I thought I’d surprised him.
“And you’re not the only one who can call bullshit when they see it.”
A few tense seconds passed between us as we stared at each other, but then Shaun dropped his head, and I saw one side of his mouth lift into a grin, exposing that dimple I’d noticed the first night we met. He peered up at me through his lashes, and his grin grew into a full-on smile.
“We’re gonna get along just fine, Killer.” He lifted his head and inched closer. “Except, I intend to make you come at least twice…every time,” he whispered against my lips before he pressed his mouth on mine.
An hour or so later, Shaun and I finally decided to get dressed. After our conversation, it was like the air had been cleared between us, and I felt safer in letting my guard down. I thought I’d smiled more that morning than I had in years. It didn’t hurt that he’d just spent the past twenty minutes with his mouth between my legs. Shaun had some serious skills in that department—I mean serious skills. During the few hours I’d been at his apartment, Shaun had made me come a total of four times.
Four times!
I was drunk on endorphins and high on lust. My hair was a knotted mess, and I was covered in sweat, but none of it mattered. I was happy.
“Do you mind if I rinse off in your shower?” I asked Shaun while I was in his bathroom, trying to clean myself up.
“Yeah, go ahead!” he shouted from somewhere in his living room.
Music had been playing on his stereo since I arrived, but I hadn’t been paying much attention to it. When the volume was turned up, I heard Lady Gaga. I was standing naked in his bathroom, waiting for the water to warm, when Shaun appeared in the doorway. He was naked, too, and his fingers were laced together behind his head, putting his chiseled chest and abs on display. He thrust his hips to the beat of the music, his junk swinging back and forth.
I snorted and burst into a fit of laughter when I realized what song he was dancing to. It was “Do What U Want.” His face was scrunched up as he mouthed the words and told me to do what I wanted with his body. I was wiping tears from my eyes when he stopped and moved his hands to rest against the top of the doorframe.
“You had no idea I was so gifted, did you?” he asked with a chuckle.
I was still struggling to compose myself when I responded, “No, I had no idea what a prodigy you were.”
He smiled, and his green eyes skimmed down my body before coming back to mine. “We’d better get going before I find myself between your legs again.”
I felt myself blush as I bit my bottom lip. His eyes were disarming. Nick had been right when he said Shaun could strip someone bare with one look. I could feel my layers of protection and fear shedding already.
After rinsing off in the shower and getting dressed, Shaun told me we were going by his dad’s house to get his truck and trailer. I’d met Shaun’s dad at his birthday party. He’d seemed like a nice guy—intimidating but nice. It was a little weird that I’d already met Shaun’s family. Our lives were intertwined in a way that made our relationship all the more dangerous.
Shaun was dressed in a pair of khaki cargo shorts, and he was pulling a blue T-shirt over his head as I stood in the doorway to his bedroom.
“I told Nick,” I muttered.
He was putting his wallet and phone in his pockets. He lifted his eyes to mine and raised an eyebrow. “I thought we weren’t telling anyone.”
“Yeah, well, I needed to confide in someone, and it kinda just came out. I thought I’d warn you in case he told Asia.”
Shaun shrugged before running his hand through his hair and checking it in the mirror. “I don’t really care who knows. I was just being discreet because you’d asked me to.”
“Well, I’m sure it wouldn’t be long before everyone figured it out. I think Asia already knows anyway.”
Shaun chuckled and walked toward me. “Who cares what my sister thinks?”
“I do,” I admitted, crossing my arms over my chest. “I just moved here, and I don’t want this to make things awkward.”
“Asia doesn’t judge as quickly as some people do. And I’m sure if you keep me happy, she’ll have no problem with us at all,” he said with a smirk.
I pursed my lips.
“Come on, Killer. Everything will be fine.” Shaun put his arm around my shoulders and directed me toward the front door. “Now, let’s go get your car.”
I could watch that woman’s ass all day. It was perfectly round and downright appetizing. I slid my sunglasses down over my eyes and watched it sway from side to side as Natalie made her way to my Jetta.
When we got into my car, she gave me a small smile before buckling her seat belt. She seemed a lot more relaxed now that we’d gotten everything out in the open.
I could tell she was apprehensive about going to my dad’s house, especially now that she’d decided it was pointless to keep this thing between us a secret.
Knowing Asia, she was probably secretly hoping that Natalie would get me to settle down. I knew she thought I was just like Marcus, and as soon as I found the one, all my opinions about relationships would be forgotten, but she was wrong.
“So, what time do you have to be at work tonight?” I asked Natalie as I pulled my car out of the parking lot.
“Seven. Why?”
I shrugged. “Just wondering.”
“You’re going to work on my car at your dad’s house?” she asked as she dug into her purse and pulled out a pair of sunglasses.
“Yeah, he should have everything I need in his garage.”
She turned to face me, and I smirked when she started rubbing her lips together.
“Are you sure he won’t mind?”
“Don’t worry, Killer. My dad is retired. He’s always looking for shit to do.”
I could feel her watching me for a few seconds as I drove, but she didn’t argue.
When I pulled my car i
nto my dad’s neighborhood, I saw that Marcus and Asia were already there. Asia’s red Impala was parked on the curb in front of our dad’s house.
This should be interesting. This was all new territory for me. I was bringing a woman to my dad’s house while my entire family was there. Normally, I would have done anything to avoid this situation, but things with Natalie were different. I wasn’t worried that she would get the wrong idea, and she’d already met all of them anyway.
As I parked my car behind Asia’s, Natalie turned to look at my dad’s house through her window. I unbuckled my seat belt, but Natalie didn’t move.
“You comin’?” I asked as I pushed open my door.
She looked at me with a nervous smile. “Okay.”
When we walked into his dad’s house, Shaun put his hand on the small of my back to guide me into the kitchen. I could hear people talking, and when we walked in, five sets of eyes came to us. All conversation stopped. I smiled at everyone and tried to hide the fact that I was a nervous wreck.
“You guys remember Natalie, right?” Shaun asked from behind me.
Asia and Alexis smiled at me as Marcus’s and Rob’s eyes went to Shaun. Shaun’s dad was standing there, holding a little baby girl wearing a pink headband around her small head.
“Hey, Natalie. I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Asia said as she looked between Shaun and me.
Marcus was smirking beside her, and Rob just smiled at me before he wrapped his arms around his wife’s waist.
“There’s my baby girl.” Shaun moved past me and went to take the baby from his dad.
His face lit up as he put his big hands under the baby’s arms and lifted her up in the air. She instantly smiled and began kicking her legs as he held her.
“I told you I’m her favorite,” Shaun said to the room. He brought her down to his chest and kissed the top of her little head.
Alexis and Rob looked on with proud expressions on their faces.
Asia scoffed, “No way. Auntie Asia is definitely her favorite. Isn’t that right, Serena?” She reached forward to tickle the baby’s belly.
Serena just stared at her before looking up at Shaun again.
“Just ignore her, Serena. She’s trying to take you away from me, but we both know you love me the most,” he said to her.
Serena let out a little baby giggle that had everyone in the room smiling with her, including me. I never would have imagined that Shaun liked babies. Seeing him with his niece in his arms was definitely pulling on my heartstrings.
“So, Dad…” Shaun paused to look at him. “You mind if I borrow your trailer for Natalie’s car? She’s got an old Mustang, and it needs some serious work. I figured I would bring it here, and we could try to get it running again for her.”
Everyone looked at me, and I felt awful while I stood there as Shaun asked his dad for a favor for me.
I thought I should at least say something. “I have no problem taking it to a shop though. I don’t want to inconvenience you in any way. Shaun just—”
Shaun’s dad spoke up before I could finish, “No, that’s fine. It’ll be nice to have something to work on around here.” He smiled, and his eyes moved to Shaun again. “You know where the keys are.”
Shaun nodded and gave Serena another kiss on her head before handing her off to Alexis.
“Marcus, Rob, you guys wanna come help me out? Her car is parked over at Red.”
I saw Asia and Marcus exchange a glance before Asia gave him a reassuring smile. He leaned down to give her a kiss.
“Yeah, I’ll go,” Marcus said.
Rob gave Alexis a questioning look.
She nodded. “I’ll be fine, honey. Go ahead.”
Rob smiled at her and gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek.
I turned to see Shaun shaking his head at his brother before walking past me and out of the room.
“Okay, so who is this Natalie chick exactly?” Rob asked me from the passenger seat of my dad’s truck.
My right arm was resting on top of the steering wheel as I drove, and I turned my head to look at him. “She’s my friend.”
Rob peered over his shoulder at Marcus before staring at me with a look of confusion. “Your friend?” he asked with disbelief in his tone.
“Mmhmm…” I checked my blind spot before switching lanes.
“That’s it? You’re just friends?”
I shrugged.
“Oh fuck¸ that’s so cute. Marcus, did you hear that? Shaun has a girlfriend.”
Marcus started laughing while I flipped Rob the bird.
“So, you’re fucking her, right? Please tell me you’re fucking her ’cause that chick is smokin’.” Rob chuckled. Then, he paused, and the smile fell from his face before he added, “Don’t tell Alexis I said that.”
Now, that got me laughing. How fucking sad was my brother? Alexis had him by the balls, and Marcus was just as bad.
“You guys really think I wanna end up like you two?” I asked, lifting my chin toward my brother. “Yes, Natalie is my friend, and yes, we have fucked, but that’s where it ends. There aren’t any chains holding me down, not like you two.”
Rob and Marcus gave each other a look.
Marcus chimed in, “You’ve got it confused, Shaun. Love doesn’t tie you down. It sets you free. And now, I’m free to have mind-blowing sex with my fiancée every day for the rest of my life.”
Rob and I both groaned, and I threatened to punch Marcus as he chuckled in the backseat.
“Okay, enough about us. What is up with Dad and Samantha?” I asked them as I pulled the truck into the parking lot at Red.
Rob shrugged. “Maybe he’s tired of being alone.”
“So, you think she’s just filler? Someone to help him pass the time?”
Rob contemplated my question before responding, “No, I don’t think Dad would start a relationship with just anyone. He’s gotta really care about her. Maybe he even loves her.”
I shook my head as I parked the truck. If he was willing to risk falling in love all over again, my dad wasn’t as smart as I’d thought. Or maybe, Samantha was his attempt to fill the hole my Mom had left behind.
While the guys were gone, Serena was sleeping peacefully in her swing next to Robert’s recliner as he watched ESPN inside the house. Asia, Alexis, and I were sitting on the back deck.
“So, Shaun offered to fix your car, huh?” Asia asked me before she took a sip from her glass of water.
I grinned at her. “Yeah. He does know how to fix cars, right?”
Alexis and Asia both laughed.
“Yeah, don’t worry. He knows what he’s doing. My dad taught all of them how to work on cars. They built Marcus’s car together in high school,” Asia said.
“Oh, wow.”
Marcus’s car was gorgeous. I’d love to have my Mustang looking that good one day.
“So, did you guys go clubbing last night or something?” Alexis asked as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.
I shook my head. “No, I’m a bartender at Red.”
“Oh.” Alexis glanced at Asia.
I could feel the tension in the air around us.
Asia sighed and leaned back in her seat. “I’m sure Nick already told you that I used to date Jay.”
She paused to look at me, and I gave her a small nod.
“He’s a good guy, and despite what everyone thinks, you working there doesn’t bother me at all.” Looking into the yard in front of her, Asia seemed lost in her own thoughts. “If it wasn’t for Jay, I never would have found my way back to Marcus. I just hope Jay can find happiness one day. He deserves it.”
Asia blinked and seemed to come back from the daze she had fallen into. Taking a deep breath, she smiled at me. “So…you bone my brother yet?”
The three of us all laughed. Just as I was contemplating a response, the glass door behind Asia opened.
Her dad walked out. “What’s so funny?”
I could feel my cheeks growing warm as A
sia sat there, biting her lips while trying to hide her grin.
Alexis looked up at Robert, smiling. “Oh, we were just talking about baby stuff, hair, and makeup. You know, all the usual things girls talk about.”
Asia couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer. Robert’s eyes scanned all three of us before he took two steps back into the house and closed the door.
After laughing some more, Asia lifted her hand as if to stop me from talking. “On second thought…I really don’t want to know. I actually never want to hear anything about my brothers boning.” She aimed warning glares at Alexis and me.
I gave her a devious grin before saying, “Are you sure? ’Cause his dick is like…” I held my hands out in front of me, pretending to measure the distance between them.
Alexis fell back in her chair, laughing.
Asia covered her ears with her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh my God. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.”
I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon with Shaun and his family. I had a good time talking with the girls, and I even went out to the garage with the guys. I watched as they inspected my Mustang and pointed out all of her flaws. My car was in bad shape. I’d spent years putting off her repairs and not tending to her needs, much like I’d done to myself.
At one time, my car had meant everything to me. I’d bought it for myself as a graduation present, and I’d experienced one of my proudest moments when I was finally able to pay for it with the money I’d worked so hard for. I’d daydreamed about getting in that car and escaping my life.
Now looking at it, all I saw was how easily it had been discarded, how easily my dreams had been forgotten.
“Thank you for today,” I said.
Shaun was navigating his car through his dad’s neighborhood. I didn’t think he’d ever understand just how much the day meant to me, how amazing it’d felt to be accepted and welcomed, even if it was just for one day.
His eyes came to mine, and he grinned. The setting sun was lighting up his handsome face, and the sky behind him was a breathtaking mixture of pink and orange.
