“Talk to me,” Nate pleaded as he pulled me into his body and started to sway to the music. “Did you know Matthews at Middleton High?” His cheek came to rest against my temple.
I nodded and whispered, “Yes.” The admission did something funny to me. I felt relieved and anxious at the same time. Shining any kind of light on my past only led to more questions.
“How?”
“Neighbors. Best friends.” This was the most I ever shared with anyone on my connection to Cage, even with Nate. I refused to talk about anything that happened prior to when I went to live with Nate and his family the summer going into my junior year in high school. By then my home life had deteriorated to the point that the social services got involved. My body trembled as if I could feel the ghosts of my past brushing against my skin.
“It’s ok,” Nate assured me. “Nothing from back then can hurt you now.” Although Nate was just trying to help, he had never been so wrong. I did not have it in me to tell him that it never stopped hurting, I was just better at covering it up than I was when I was younger. “Do you want to go?”
I looked Nate over. His worry lines were in full effect, and even a hint of his stress lines were peeking through. How could I have missed them? So caught up in myself I did not even realize until now how hard the move from San Diego was for him. Four years of college and then four years of pro ball and now he was transplanted across the entire country. “Of course not,” I said, pushing his concern aside. “Didn’t you say your teammates were going to be here?”
“A few,” he answered, looking at me suspiciously. He loosened his protective hold over me and said. “We can go.”
“No Nate. We just got here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I will just avoid every superhero that roams this place and I will be good.” I faked a smile hoping Nate would buy it.
He stared at me for another second as I made my body relax. “Ok,” he tentatively said. “How about one more song and then we go get a drink and find some of my teammates?”
“Works for me.” I smiled for real this time, knowing that no matter what, Nate always had my back. His return smile was known to melt girls’ panties for miles and miles. I chuckled, because to me it was just his goofy, happy grin that told me he got what he wanted and was happy.
Although I tried to pretend I did not rely on him, he was always there for me. His family was my family. His home was my home ever since I left for my first photo shoot six years ago. And now I had some time off with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Nate saw to it that a first-class ticket in my name was waiting for me when I landed in California from Bali. So how could I say no to sunny Miami for a little while? I couldn’t, so now here I was dressed up like Catwoman at the Caged In Halloween party. Not what I expected when I boarded that plane two days ago. But here I was and I was going to make the most of it to help make Nate happy.
The music grew louder right as one sound melted into another. “Ready?” Nate asked right as the Flash came to stand next to us.
“Can I cut in?” His Irish accent told me it could only be one person - Locke. I really liked him, even though I associated him with two of my three worst memories of Cage. He seemed like the break in the storm clouds, the eye of the hurricane that was Caged In.
“I don’t know,” Nate answered. “It’s not the best time.”
I hugged Nate to me silently thanking him for being there for me at the same time as I whispered, “It’s ok.”
“You sure?” He asked, taking a step back to look me in the eye. I nodded. Nate slowly let his hands drift off my body as he took a few more steps back. Immediately Flash took his place.
“So what’s a feek like you dancin’ with a gimp like that, when you could be with a ride like me?” Locke placed his hands on my hips, holding me to him. We started to slow dance even though a techno beat filled the room.
“Does anything you ever say make sense?” I teased.
“Oh, I see. You’re ossified already.” His spandex Flash outfit covered his entire body but the lower part of his face. He pursed his lips together in an attempt to show how upset he was. I laughed in spite of myself.
“What are you saying?”
“He’s saying your drunk.” Holy shit! I jumped slightly at the deep voice that was too close. I knew who it was without looking, having heard it every night in my dreams and every day in my heart.
“May I?” Locke nodded yes as he started to step away from me. Involuntarily my hands tightened their hold on his arms keeping him in place. Both guys looked at me as I felt and fought the enormous need to run. “Please,” Cage added, as my body relaxed at his please and his hands replaced Locke’s on my hips.
Dragging me against him, my heart skipped a beat as “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith started playing over the noise of the crowd. Swaying to the music, Cage began to hum along hitting every note perfectly.
My heart felt like it was in fight or flight mode as it pounded against my rib cage. Of course my body betrayed my mind as I trembled in his arms and a need for this man sparked to life. My breathing quickened as every inch of my body that touched his was alit with longing . . . and desire. Even ten years later my body knew its perfect match with just the lightest of touches.
I felt him take a deep breath. “What has you smelling so good pussy cat?” I shrugged, half afraid that he would recognize my voice and the other half scared to death that he would hear how much I wanted him in that moment. Cage turned me in his arms as our bodies continued to move together. One of his hands moved from my waist to cup my face. His thumb rubbed across my lower lip. “Cat got your tongue?” I shook my head no as I made eye contact with him. “Then can I have it?”
Goose bumps exploded down my neck and across my chest as I felt his rumbled words all the way to my core. It clenched as he pulled me harder against his body, rubbing me in all the right places. The arm around my waist turned to steel as I was caged in to his body.
“Don’t.” My hushed demand went unnoticed. Cage’s head dipped ever so slightly as he closed the small distance between our lips, giving me plenty of time to stop him if I wanted. With each second that passed the regret I knew I would feel after was replaced with the desperation of needing him right now.
Cage
What started out as a game to see how far Catwoman would let me go quickly turned into an epic display of restraint on my part. I wanted nothing more than to hull her up and over my shoulder as I bounded up the stairs to my room where I would keep her caged in until I had my fill of her. Her silence was only making me want her to shout my name even louder as I drove into her over and over again.
Her smell was wreaking havoc on my senses. She carried the barest trace of Happy along her neck and down into her costume. All I wanted to do was rip off her clothes and follow that scent wherever it led me. Charlie always put it on the back of her wrists before she would trail it down her neck and across her chest. It left the best happy trail that I would follow whenever she would let me.
Charlie . . . the first time in a long time I had not thought of her.
Damn it! I just want her out of my head!
This beauty in my arms gave me a reprieve that I had not been able to find anywhere else. I needed to see this through to see if I could finally move on. My cock was thick and throbbing as I closed the distance between us. When my lips finally touched hers everything else ceased to exist. She was it. She was the salvation I had sought for the last ten years to fill the void of Charlie.
Did I care that she was with Maxwell? Hell no.
I traced my tongue along her bottom lip, trying to slow myself down. My blood raced in my veins seeking an outlet as her perfect, bow lips opened allowing me my first taste of her. Sweetness danced across my tongue as I touched mine to hers. She deepened the kiss, eliciting a groan of approval from me. My hand at her cheek grasped the back of her hooded head holding her to me as I continued to explore every inch of her delectable mouth.
When we finally slowed, my forehead came to rest against hers as we remained close, sharing the same air. The old voice in my head telling me how much of a fuck up I was tried to come out and play, but I quickly shut him down knowing this was the most peace I felt in a long time. In this moment it was more about keeping this feeling than getting her in my bed. My throbbing cock would just have to sit this one out.
“Want to get a drink?” I asked as I stood up straight. I hoped that by slowing this down I would finally get her to talk to me. She shook her head no, biting her bottom lip sending the rest of the blood in my body south. “Then what do you want?”
“You.” Her first word to me and the only one I wanted to hear. And I wanted her as long as she could keep my mind off the one person who mattered.
CHAPTER FIVE
Charlie
What the hell was I thinking?
My self-preservation took a long walk off a short pier. The one man who could completely undo me from the inside out was leading me away from the party because I said I wanted him.
And I did!
Everything single inch of him I wanted around me, on me . . . hell . . . in me. I wanted to bare his weight as he drove into me, hear him whisper my name as he came, and feel his arms around me as I fell asleep.
I could do this.
NO! I could not.
Yes! I! Could!
My inner turmoil about whether or not I could do this continued until Cage stopped outside a closed double door.
“Are you sure?” His whispered question took me aback. There was a quiet vulnerability about him right now that he had never allowed anyone to see since he made it big. Cage only showed the world why he was the most sought-after bachelor on the planet. At first I read every article and looked at every picture until the women started to invade the storylines and images. Then the drugs and alcohol, the weight loss, and the aloofness appeared that broke my heart even more. I finally took a step back from cyber-stalking him when my modeling career really took off. I still kept track of the band and the music, but nothing about him. It just hurt too much, and I finally convinced myself I needed the break in order to move on.
Then the scene at the music awards got a life of its own. Someone recorded it and next thing you know I was linked to Cage once again. But that was hardly the truth. I saw him one other time at the rehab facility. Locke was afraid he would check himself out and called me to come talk to him. Cage was too out of it to even know I was there, but I sat with him all night on what Locke said was his worst night. That same vulnerability was now staring back at me in this darkened hallway. How could I say no?
I slowly nodded answering his quiet question. Without another word, Cage turned the knob and opened the door, pulling me in behind him. One step in the room had me in his arms. His soft lips brushed mine as I heard the door click shut. Cage’s eyes told me everything I did not want to know. He was looking for something real and was trying to figure out if I could give it to him.
Shit!
When I had first told him I wanted him, I thought I could do one night. In and out; get the closure I sought and then disappear like he did. Or maybe I thought I could play his game, keeping who I was to myself and just enjoy him as everyone had since he left me. I figured one night of crazy, forbidden sex would finally show me that it was time to walk away, that he was really the man-whore I knew him to be. But this? I saw my best friend in that expression. I saw everything I had been missing in the last ten years.
I could not do this and walk away if he kept staring at me like that.
“Only for the night,” I whispered. That’s right! If I set the ground rules now there would be no confusion in my head or his about what would come after the amazing sex I knew he could give me. Yeah right!
“I’m willing to start there,” Cage said as his lips closed the distance. His kiss undid me, like always. Tears sprung to my eyes as the gentle press of his lips and glide of his hand up my arm to my neck proved he was looking for more.
My hands fisted his costume as I pulled him against me rather abruptly. I could not handle gentle and slow. Hard and fast was what I needed to survive this night. My tongue pressed against his soft lips seeking entrance and when he granted it I did not hesitate to pick up the pace.
Immediately Cage pulled back, “Slow down baby. We got all night and I plan to use every second to worship you like you deserve.” Was that a line or was he serious? A semi-hysterical laugh escaped from deep within me. The disbelief that my Cage was staring back at me warred with all the images that graced the cover of every tabloid. I shook my head trying to clear it. “What’s wrong?” Cage asked as he took a step to me as I took a step back from him.
“Stop,” I begged. His pleading blue eyes, his gentle kiss, his warm touch were just too much. “I was wrong.” My whisper too loud in the silent room. “I can’t.”
“Why not?” His voice held an edge that broke my heart, because I knew that I had put it there.
“I’m sorry.” My own voice cracked from the pressure that was building within me. The pain that I knew would come caught an earlier train as it railroaded into me.
“Why are you sorry?” The tears that I thought had all dried up came springing back to life. Cage went to reach for me, but I was too quick for him as I turned and ran out of the room. “Stop,” he called out. My feet did just the opposite as I picked up the pace. The word please had me looking over my shoulder to find him standing in the doorway. This image would forever be burned into my mind, because I knew this would be the last time I could ever see him; it just hurt too much. At that very moment I lost my battle with my tears as I fled.
Cage
My heart pounded in my chest as I watched her run from the room Linc always let me use when I crashed at his place. This mysterious girl was literally running away from me like the gates of hell had opened and I was the devil himself. “Stop,” I yelled, but that only seemed to make her go faster. “Please,” I begged. It was something I never did, but prayed it worked this time. Her haunted, cat-like eyes appeared over her shoulder as her feet continued to lead her away from me. The tears that threatened earlier now spilled down her cheeks, before she turned, taking the stairs at a record pace. A protectiveness to save her from whatever she ran from welled up inside of me as she disappeared from my sight.
I dug the heel of hands into my eyes as a million questions ran through my mind. What was wrong with this girl? Why did I care? Was I really going to chase after someone who didn’t want me? Why was I still standing here?
Lyrics drifted up from below. “Give it to me, I’m worth it. Baby I’m worth it. Uh huh I’m worth it.” I took off after her. No girl ever said no, let alone ran from me. I would find her and make her tell me why. And I already knew she was worth it!
I came to the top of the landing and looked down to find twice as many people on the dance floor while Fifth Harmony’s “Worth It” played over the mayhem. And there was Catwoman in the arms of Nate Fucking Maxwell. She took a step back as he looked right up at me. His disapproval in the shake of his head told me more than the murderous look in his eyes. Well no shit buddy! Catwoman followed his gaze and found me staring back at them. Her yellow eyes widened a fraction before she was pulling Nate through the crowd.
Nate’s eyes never left mine as he followed behind her. A head nod from me and then a returned one from Nate told me he knew this was not over. Hell, if it were up to me we would just be getting started. My night may have been cut short with her, but there would definitely be more to this story and I was bound and determined to make sure of it.
With only one thought in mind I leisurely went down the stairs and entered the party once again. It was time to see who knew where Nate Maxwell lived.
CHAPTER SIX
Charlie
What the hell was I thinking?
Even the next morning I could not fathom why in the hell I let myself be alone with Cage. Why would I do that to myself? Just the thought of him pressed
up against me. The feel of his lips. The beat of his heart against mine.
“AAAHHH!” I yelled. I was in a tailspin with questions I could not answer. Feelings I could not acknowledge all vied for attention. “Fuck it,” I said as I jumped out of bed and went to my iPhone. Thumbing through my music, I selected Pink’s “Walk of Shame.” I loved this song and felt like I had done a walk of shame last night by just being alone with Cage.
“Please God, don’t let anybody see me. Please God, I’ll do anything you ask of me. I promise no more walks of shame. So walk this way,” I sang as I strutted into the bathroom and started the shower. I belted out the lyrics as I washed the previous night off and tucked the feelings they inspired away like I always did; my own coping mechanism that I learned long ago from a darker time.
“Welcome to the living.” Nate greeted me as I came into his kitchen.
“It’s not that late.”
“Yeah. It’s only lunchtime, but not late. Not at all,” he teased as he started pulling things out of the fridge. “Hungry?” His look told me there was only one answer.
“A smoothie would be nice,” I answered plastering on an over-the-top fake smile and nod. Nate laughed in response, but pulled out the mixer.
After a few minutes of silence as he worked and I watched, Nate asked, “Are we going to talk about last night?”
“Nothing to really talk about,” I shrugged. “I made a huge mistake and it will never happen again.”
“And what mistake was that?” I gave him a duh look.
“Trusting myself to be alone with Cage. I thought I could play this game where I came out on top or unaffected, but I was wrong. Not only do I feel lower than low, I am completely and utterly still just in . . . AAAWWW . . . of him.”
Caged In Page 3
