by Eden Finley
“We were?”
“Do you not remember the public fallout of what happened the last time we were on this beach?”
“The thing between us?” I asked, confused.
“No. Well, that, but I mean the news coverage.”
I pulled back. “News coverage?”
He tilted his head to the side. “You mean you didn’t see it? We were on the local news the entire next day.”
“No? Although, I did spend the entire next day in a hospital waiting room where they were playing nothing but soapies on the communal TV.”
“Oh. You missed out on our fifteen minutes of fame. The guys from the docks”—he pointed across the channel to the marina in the distance—“they called the cops, and then the cops put out a search party thinking we could’ve drowned. They put out a statement and then the media ran with it. I think by the time I called them in the late afternoon to say that it was a prank gone wrong, the story was that there was a domestic violence dispute, and I pushed you in the water to kill you and then took off. They were talking search and rescue boat missions and everything. It got crazy.”
“Are you shitting me right now?” I asked in disbelief.
“I wish I was. I ended up driving to a shopping centre and using one of their public phones to make the call to Crime Stoppers. I didn’t want to be arrested for any of the shit they were trying to say. I don’t know if they believed me or not though. I refused to give names, but we weren’t on the news the following day so I figured it did something. They still had a rescue boat go out though.”
I laughed. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to cry.
“That’s funny to you?”
“It really is. That just adds to the wild factor.” I shook my head. “I haven’t done anything crazy since that night.”
“That’s what our tattoos were for, right? To remember that night?” He reached over to lift my top and expose my tattoo. The one I told him I had removed.
I didn’t stop him from pulling it up.
“I knew you were lying,” he said, eyeing Divlji written along my ribs in cursive.
“Yeah, I was. I’d thought about getting it removed though.”
“Why didn’t you?”
I didn’t want to answer that honestly. I couldn’t tell him that my fingers had the reflexive habit of tracing over it when I was on a bad date. For the past four years, it sat as a reminder of what I could have if I searched hard enough. I was sure I’d find that same spark with someone else. Only, I never did.
I shrugged. “I heard it hurts more than getting the damn thing, and that was fucking painful from memory. Oh, and I found that my phrase? It means ‘wild’ as in something like feral or savage wild cat—not really the type of wild I was going for, so thanks for that. At least I could change the meaning and not have to explain the real reason I got it.”
“Who the hell was looking there to ask?”
I cleared my throat.
“Right. Danny.”
“Hey, you can’t be jealous of him. He’s one guy.”
“But he meant something to you. You can’t say that about any of the girls I’ve been with. Plus, up until earlier today, you were dating him.”
“That’s such a loose term for what we were doing. A few weeks ago, we went on a lunch date. He kissed my cheek goodbye, and then a few days later you called and yelled at me for dating him. After that, I didn’t see him at all until today where he saw the way I looked at you, and he understood why I’d been avoiding him for the last few weeks.”
“Wait, what?”
“I wasn’t even dating him. Not really. I just let you believe that because it was easier to have you stay away than to let you in and trust you.”
His mouth gaped open. I chuckled and reached over to close it with my hand.
“But you’re willing to give us a shot now?”
“I don’t think I have a choice. My traitorous body seems to like you.”
“Even more of a reason to worship that body of yours. It likes me, even if your brain doesn’t.”
“Oh, it likes you too. There’s just that one voice in the back of my head telling me you’re going to hurt me. The voice is weak, but the fear it elicits is kinda terrifying.”
“Fuck, baby. I’m so sorry I put you through that shit.”
“Really? You’re going with ‘baby’ now?”
He laughed. “I’ve never called anyone baby before. Does that help?”
“Not really. I feel like Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing.”
“I’d love to be your Patrick Swayze.”
“I’d prefer a better nickname instead.”
“Sweetie pie?”
“No.”
“Pumpkin?”
“Hell no.”
“Wild Cat?”
“Wild Cat?” I repeated.
He pointed to my tattoo that was covered by my top once again. “Wild Cat.”
“I’d sound like a bikie’s old lady.”
“You’re my old lady. Wait … young lady? Hmm … I’m guessing I can’t call you my bitch without being punched.”
He was right. I slammed my fist into his shoulder. He laughed as he rubbed the pain away.
“How about we go with you’re mine. And that’s all I care about.” He lowered his head so our lips were mere centimetres apart, his warm breath trailing over my cool skin.
“Yours,” I whispered before he crashed his mouth onto mine.
13
- HUNTER -
The sound of thunder in the distance pulled us apart. Had it not interrupted us, I was sure we would’ve repeated history on our beach. Preferably without the embarrassing fast ending.
“Why is there a storm during winter?” I complained. That rarely happened.
“We better head back before it starts raining,” she said.
“I guess so.”
We climbed to our feet and she took off at a slow jog. I wasn’t far behind her, but I purposefully hung back so I could watch her sweet ass as it bounced in front of me.
Mine. She agreed to be mine.
The run was good to distract me from all the thoughts running through my head of what I wanted to do to her once we got back to her place.
I wasn’t sure how this going slow thing would work, considering after our bathroom romp, all I wanted to do was throw her down and fuck her brains out.
I had to bite my tongue from saying it aloud.
Even though my body was heavy with fatigue and my legs were tiring, I was dreading when the run was going to end, because I wasn’t sure I could behave myself.
We were still two blocks away from her apartment when the rain started bucketing down. The clouds came in fast.
“Shiiiiiit,” she yelled, pushing her short legs to move faster.
There was no way we were getting back to her house unsaturated. The rain went from nothing to heavy pelts in a matter of seconds.
When we reached her door, we were completely drenched.
“And I’m out,” I said as we stumbled inside.
“Huh?” She spun around to face me.
“Cole and Paige would be done by now, right? They have to pass out sometime.” Although, if the last time they were together was anything to go by, they had the ability to nap and then go again. But they’d already been together twice, right? Surely, Cole didn’t have that much stamina?
I really didn’t want to think about it too hard.
“You want to go home?” Her eyes were wide, and I swear I saw her bottom lip tremble, but it was so quick, I hoped I imagined it.
“I really don’t. I just … do you know how hard it’ll be for me to stay out here on the couch? To be less than twenty feet from you and not be able to touch you?”
“Then touch me.”
I narrowed my eyes and stared her down. Her tone was nothing but confident, but I was hesitant.
We were both standing still, breathing heavy and unwilling to break eye contact, as water dripped from our
wet bodies onto her carpet.
“But you said—”
“Are you seriously going to claim me like the metrosexual caveman that you are and then not follow through?”
“Metrosexual caveman? That’s a bit of an oxymoron, isn’t it?”
She took a step towards me. “Do you really think after what happened in the bathroom earlier, I could ever say no to you?”
My hands started trembling, and I had to fist them at my sides. “I don’t want to fuck this up again.”
She took two more steps towards me. “The only way you’re going to fuck this up is if what’s mine ends up in someone else.” Her hands reached for my crotch, and my cock twitched in approval.
“I thought I was meant to be the forward one?” I asked, my voice raspy.
“Maybe you’re rubbing off on me.” She giggled. “Get it? Rubbing off?”
“Maybe we should go shower before you get too carried away and declare a career change to stand-up comedy.”
She tsked me and shook her head playfully. “But it’s tradition. We’re completely drenched which means we have to have sex.”
“I remember promising we’d have sex one day when we were completely dry. I like that idea better. I’m fucking freezing right now.”
She reached up and took her top off in one quick swoop, and I was suddenly lost. Boobs. Sara’s boobs, to be more specific, were filling my vision.
The smile on Sara’s face let me know she had every plan of driving me crazy.
Despite the freezing cold wet feeling from the rain, my cock stood at full attention—definitely no shrinkage problem there.
She turned to walk towards her bedroom, but I was straight on her heels, pulling her back into me before she could make it over the threshold.
I spun her to face me, and my mouth collided with hers. She wrapped her arms around me as our lower halves searched for any type of friction they could manage.
We stumbled until I pinned her against the wall next to her open bedroom door. My right leg went between hers, our hips grinding against one another.
My lips trailed down her neck to her chest. She arched into me.
“Bedroom,” she croaked out.
“I want you right here.” My voice was just as hoarse.
“Condoms … in … there.”
I loved what I was doing to her, and I wasn’t sure we had time to make it to the bedroom. “I’m clean,” I whispered.
She pulled her body away from mine, as if she were hoping to sink herself into the wall. “Umm … no. Uh … I don’t think … umm … just no.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my breathing heavy.
“I-I don’t mean to be a bitch, but I’m going to need to see recent test results before doing … that.”
I laughed. I didn’t mean to, but I couldn’t help it.
She dropped her head as if she were the one embarrassed when she had absolutely no reason to be. She was being smart.
“Sara. It’s okay. I get it.” I cupped her face. “We’ll use condoms until I can give you a copy of the test I took a few weeks back.”
“Why did you need a test a few weeks ago?” She seemed confused, even though I thought it was obvious.
I pressed myself against her. “The minute you came back into my life, I was hopeful this was going to happen again, and I wanted to be prepared.”
“Cocky much?”
“Is it really being cocky when I was right?”
“Yes.”
I pursed my lips to stifle my laugh. “Come on, then. Lead me to your bedroom.”
She turned on her heel, removing her shoes and socks at the door of her bedroom. A split second later, she had her wet yoga pants and underwear off too.
My Sara. Naked.
I was tempted to pinch myself to make sure it was actually happening.
Today was the most insane day in the history of relationships. Our entire group dynamic changed. Reece and Spence, Cole and Paige, and Sara and me.
It was surreal being with Sara again, and I didn’t want to waste a single minute.
I scrambled to get my shirt, shoes, and socks off and then dropped my loose-fitting shorts to the floor.
Sara padded her way to her bedside table, pulled out a condom, and threw it at me.
I caught it one-handed and placed it on the bed. “We don’t need that yet.”
Now I had a chance to calm myself a little, I wanted to make everything count. I wanted to take my time. Approaching her, I brought her into my arms and started kissing her as softly as I could manage. I was two seconds away from tackling her, but I told myself to refrain. At least for the moment.
I backed her up to the bed, gently pushing her down onto her back. Climbing on top of her, I hovered above her while my hand ran from her shoulder, over her breast, and down her side.
“Need you,” she panted.
“It’s our first time, Sara. We’re going to take this slow, and I’m going to commit every inch of your skin to my memory.”
“Are you forgetting the two times we’ve already fucked? I mean, it was a long time ago, and you’ve had about a billion—”
I covered her mouth with my hand, not wanting her to finish that sentence. “I couldn’t forget you even if I tried. And trust me, I tried. You’ve haunted me for four years, and this time, I’m never letting you go.”
My hand stayed on her mouth as my lips made their way down her neck and chest, slowly travelling between her breasts.
I rolled off her and onto my side, my fingers lightly tracing over her tattoo. Our tattoo. With a shuddery sigh, I bent my head and kissed along her tattooed ribs.
Her skin was cold from the rain, and she arched her back and breathed heavy as my hot mouth devoured her.
My hand trailed down between her thighs, and I groaned when I felt how wet and ready she was for me.
She broke my hand away from her mouth. “Hunter, plea—”
A growl built in my chest. “I hate that name coming from your mouth.”
“Ryan.”
I never knew my first name could sound so sweet. My mouth found hers again as my fingers continued to explore from her entrance to her clit and back again, sinking in deeper each pass.
She ripped her mouth away from mine. “If you’re never letting me go, doesn’t that mean you can fuck me now and go slow later?”
I loved that she was back under me, panting and begging for more. “I will give you anything you want. Except that. I’m taking my time.”
“At least make me come,” she said, writhing so my fingers sank deeper.
“Anything you say.” I kissed my way down her body, my mouth watering at the memory of her taste.
When my tongue flicked over her clit, her legs parted wider, allowing another finger to enter her. My restraint was on the brink of collapsing. I went from hard to so fucking hard it hurts. Taking my time wasn’t going to be an option anymore.
With expert precision, I one-handedly found the condom I’d thrown on the bed, tore it open, and had myself sheathed, while simultaneously sucking on Sara’s clit and finger-fucking the hell out of her. It was a talent and the only thing I could multitask at.
“You close?” I murmured against her skin. “I wanna feel you come on my cock.” When the only answer was a moan, I slowed my fingers and lifted my head.
Her eyes met mine and she looked pissed.
“Guess you’ll know to actually answer me next time, right?”
“No … words. Can’t … English … right now.”
“Good to know.” My fingers picked up their pace again, along with my mouth, working her back up to breaking point.
Her breaths became erratic, and her walls pulsed around my fingers. Whether she was ready to explode or not, I couldn’t hold myself back anymore.
My fingers were gone and replaced with my cock before she could protest.
“Fuck, I forgot how tight you were.” I paused inside her.
“Give me … friction … now.”<
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“So demanding,” I mocked.
It didn’t take much movement for her to start falling apart beneath me. I pressed down on her clit with my thumb while she trembled and moaned incoherent words.
I lifted her hips, my hands going under her ass for support as I started pounding into her. She was still pulsing around me when I felt the first sign of imminent release.
“Can’t hold off,” I ground out as my balls tightened.
Her hand went to my cheek, and when my eyes met hers, she clenched her inner muscles, sending me over the edge. No, not just over it—so far fucking past it, I was almost sure I’d never come down.
I collapsed on top of her, my mouth finding hers for a sloppy drunken post-climax kiss.
When I eventually rolled off her, I couldn’t think of another time I’d ever felt so sated.
She curled into my side, and even though I had to get up to ditch the condom, I didn’t want to move. Ever.
I didn’t care how insane I was acting. I knew there was no way I was ever going to find another Sara in this world. And I never wanted to. For the last four years, she was always in the back of my mind, and for the last six weeks, she had me on an emotional rollercoaster. Having her in my arms again, everything was right with the world. Love at first sight, kismet, fate, that Twilight thing she was talking about—all that girly shit I shouldn’t have believed in—Sara made me think it was all true.
We belonged together. I’d never want to be with anyone else.
All I had to do was convince her of that fact.
14
- SARA -
With the exception of eating, we spent most of the following day in bed. It wasn’t even about sex … okay, there was pretty awesome morning sex—the first time we’d had sex where we weren’t covered in water. But we mainly talked.
About everything.
About nothing.
About how many times we’d each fantasised about us finding our way back to each other. My fantasy always consisted of me finding out that he never slept with that other girl. His fantasy consisted of me grovelling at his feet, promising to treat him like a king if he ever gave me another chance, and that I’d built a sex shrine that was everything Ryan.
