by A. C. Mason
She used her nearby towel on hers.
“I could have done it for you,” he said.
“I know. But it’s more fun to do them myself.” She drank back half. “I’m thirsty.”
Despite them having stopped to eat, he had a feeling the cooler would hit her hard. From what he could remember, she was a lightweight when it came to drinking.
He opened his beer and sipped.
“Do you think you’ll sell this place once Liam moves out?” she asked.
“No. It’s my home.” There was nowhere else he wanted to be. “I hope when I meet the right woman she’ll feel it’s her home too. The décor needs a fresh touch but since she’ll probably want to redo it anyhow I’ll wait for her.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the décor. It’s neutral.” She pointed her cooler toward the patio.
He nodded in agreement. The wind blew in her hair, tossing it around. Soft lighting from the fireplace shone on her rum skin. She polished off her cooler and sank back against the edge.
“Another please?” She held out the empty bottle.
Tim leaned over and removed another.
Music would be good right about now. He reached over and turned on the stereo. Modern jazz came pouring out of the speakers.
She downed three-quarters of the second cooler. “Tim, do you like my swimsuit? It’s new.” With one hand on the side of the tub, she rose. The white material was wet and the outline of her areolas showed through the fabric, as did her nipples. Water glistened on her body in the moonlight. He grew hard at the sight of her toned curves.
At this height he could spread her legs and kiss his way in. He swallowed.
“Well, do you like it?” she asked.
He liked her being nearly nude with him but couldn’t imagine how he’d feel if she pranced around other men in that getup. How did he put this without coming off like a prude?
“It’s very Bond girl.”
She sat, leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “Thank you, Tim.” A smile formed on her lips and she giggled.
“What?” he asked.
She opened her eyes and looked into his. “If I tell you, we’ll both be embarrassed tomorrow.”
“Now you’ve piqued my curiosity even more.” The more time he spent with her the more he wanted to be in her presence. Each time she bare more of herself to him.
“I’ve already seen you naked,” she said and placed her hand over her mouth, holding in laughter.
Again with the chuckles when speaking about him naked. He’d soon have a complex.
“You’re the first man I ever saw without his lower half covered.”
When the hell had this happened? He thought of all the times she had sleepovers with Liam. Tim had always been extra careful not to be indecent. “How is that possible?”
“My window is adjacent to your and Liam’s side of the house,” she said. “Most of the time you closed your curtains when you went up to bed, unlike Liam, but a few times you didn’t.”
He’d exposed himself unintentionally. “What?” Or had the woman been peeping through the sliding glass doors? Any time he was out on his balcony he made sure his lower half was fully covered because her room was across from his.
“Don’t panic, I was past the legal age of consent by then.” She rolled her eyes.
Thankfully. At the moment he needed a moment to regroup. But, if she’d seen him naked... she might have seen him relieving himself. He had to know. “Did you see anything else?”
She nodded and cast her gaze down.
“Evidently, I’ve been careless.” It was the rare occasion that he got off in bed. Often the shower was more handy. “I’m sorry, Indy.”
“Please don’t be.”
“I thought we’d both be embarrassed. So far I’m feeling the brunt of the humiliation here.”
“I shouldn’t have said as much as I have. I-I.”
“But you did…” The question was why?
“Honestly, Tim, you aren’t going to want to know the rest of it.” She sipped the last of her cooler.
“I do…” This could all be to make a fool of him. “Now that you’ve revealed this much, its best we get whatever it is out in the open.” If only to ensure they could face each other again.
“I can’t say, Tim."
“Clearly this causes you great distress if you can’t tell me.” He got up and sat on the edge of the water.
She closed her eyes. “I…” Her cheeks grew deep red. “As I watched you masturbate, I got turned on—”
He grew hard at her words. “All right… that doesn’t seem like anything to be embarrassed about but rather natural.” He reached over and covered himself with his towel, hoping she hadn’t seen his evident interest.
“That’s not it. I thought of you, you know…showing me how to please you and I masturbated too.”
“You what?” The words flew out of his mouth before he could even think about it.
She hid her face in her hands.
Chapter 4
“Shit.” Indy had just told St. Tim she’d got off thinking about him. Brilliant move. Although, given she hung out with Liam, maybe her sexual corruption wasn’t unexpected. Lifting, she got out of the water. “I shouldn’t have told you that.” What a freak he must think she was. Cold air assaulted her. Her nipples hardened and pressed against the wet material of her swimsuit top. Once wrapped in her towel, she slipped on her sandals.
“The information was…unexpected.” Tim gestured in a placating manner. “It’s all right though, Indy.”
The last thing she needed was him comforting her because she was a sexual degenerate. What if the only type of men who would want her were ones like Liam? And even he didn’t seem truly interested.
Over the years, how many times had she hoped to find Liam staring at her as she undressed? Thousands. But she was cautious when peering in Liam's window as her took bedroom activities to a perverse level. Boy would he be angry if he knew Tim had been the first man she’d seen naked.
“I know I can be blunt but I didn’t want either of us to feel uncomfortable and now we both will.” It was her biggest flaw. She let her mouth run when it should’ve been sealed shut. “Trust me when I tell you Liam put on the porno shows so think nothing much of what I saw.” She glanced away than back. Time for her to change the subject and pick the last of her dignity up off the floor. “Do you mind if between the car store stops, I pick up a few things? I’ve done like zero Christmas shopping yet.”
“I’m fascinated to see how you last minute gift buyers do it.”
“Great. So I’ll see you bright and early?” she asked. If he didn’t cancel between now and tomorrow morning.
Maybe out of pity he wouldn’t make it obvious she’d gone way too far. “We can grab breakfast together at eight, if you like?”
She smiled. “Sure, sounds like a plan.” She hurried out and closed the gate behind her.
Indy made it up to her room and turned on the lamp next to her bed. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why she’d told Tim about seeing him naked. Actually she could: good old Indy trying to shock people. If anything, she’d humiliated herself and embarrassed Tim. That hadn’t been her intention. When he’d asked her if she’d seen more, a rush had surged through her. She liked watching Liam get off but he was more prone to having some girl sucking him off than masturbating. For her own sanity, she blocked those out. It hurt more and more over the years to watch him with other women. She closed her curtains when she knew Liam had someone over. Every now and then she caught glimpses of him with a woman and cried. Pathetic. With Tim, on the other hand, she could imagine he had feelings for her and that was why he hadn’t had a woman to his bed in years.
Now she knew he’d been deeply hurt by someone he’d loved and that was his reason. She understood that pain. This was the first Christmas in fifteen years that she and Liam wouldn’t be hanging out. The only reasonable conclusion was that he was really into Brenda. Wha
t kind of name was that, anyway? Why on earth couldn’t he find someone with a more interesting name?
The light in Tim’s room went on, casting a beige glow on the balcony outside the sliding glass doors.
She tossed off her wet towel and swimsuit then walked over to the chair by the window. Shit, she felt brazen tonight. For all she knew Tim didn’t want to see her nude. Did it make her deranged to hope he was watching her? Probably. But how could she help it? She tugged on a t-shirt and sat in the shadowy corner chair. At the thought that Tim might be watching, the folds between her legs grew slick.
Angling to the view into Tim's room, she peered over. Tim stood by the foot of his bed, removed his swimming trunks and tossed them into a hamper. The muscles that contoured his body flexed from the movement. His penis was erect. Dear God! Definitely nothing for him to be shy about. From the ones she’d seen in books and porn, he was larger than most. He took hold of the length. Had what she said turned him on?
Indy slid her hand down between her legs. Met by a swell of moisture, she rubbed her clit.
Tim turned out his light. She could no longer see inside.
Did the thought of her observing him turn him on? She closed her eyes and pictured his hand wrapped around his cock, jerking off as she’d seen him do before. She removed her t-shirt and rubbed one nipple then the other, while circling her clit down below. She hadn’t turned off her light so it was possible he could see her from the dark depths of his room. The idea of his fingers replacing hers made her slicker. She was sure his thoughtful and considerate nature extended into the bedroom. Would he want to taste her pussy? She rubbed faster. The idea was hot. Him licking her. The muscles between her legs quivered as she pinched her nipple. Juices slid over her fingers. Waves of bliss moved though her. She jerked against the chair in relief.
After a few moments her breathing evened. She put her shirt back on and climbed into bed. The light in the bathroom connected to Tim’s room went on. Had he gotten off too? Her clit throbbed anew at the possibility.
The cell on her nightstand flashed as it rang. On the call display was L. Boyd. What did he want? She flipped the phone open and brought it to her ear.
Rustling movement came from the earpiece. If he called her while fucking again she’d block his number.
“Helloooo?”
“Indy?”
“Yeah, the one, the only. What’s up, Liam?”
“I called and you didn’t pick up earlier. Is everything all right?” he asked.
“Ah, yeah.” Did he really expect her to be at his beck and call? “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know, I’m just asking. Where were you?”
Fabulous, her father didn’t even keep these kinds of tabs on her. “At your place with Tim.” It wasn’t like Liam gave a damn about what she did. So why the questions? Could he actually have taken notice of the frost she was building between them? He was in love with another woman, and she needed to get her head on straight.
“What?” he asked. “I don’t think I heard you.”
“At your place. The infamous Boyd playboy mansion.” And her cherry was still intact! Who’d have guessed it?
“Why didn’t you have your cell with you?”
Was it her or was he interrogating her? “Hot tubs and phones don’t mix.” She giggled.
He sighed. “Are you drunk?”
“Maybe a little tipsy.” Nothing serious, two coolers.
“Are you trying to tell me you were in a hot tub with my brother and drinking?” The tone of his voice rose. “Tim let you drink?”
“What do you mean let me? I’m a grown woman. I can drink if I want to.” Neither he nor Tim were going to tell her if she could drink.
“You don’t have any tolerance for alcohol. Remember your father’s rocking beach punch Christmas Eve a few years ago?” He huffed.
She’d been sick for days. “Don’t remind me.”
“I hope you didn’t act the fool by throwing yourself at him the way you do with me when you drink.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Was that what Liam thought of her? “What if I did? I’m a single woman and can throw myself at anyone I want.”
“Don’t be angry because I’m right. If Tim were interested you wouldn’t be home right now.”
Was he right? She didn’t picture Tim as the type to jump into sex. Shit, he’d told her he was waiting for love. Sex was out for Tim until the right woman came along or so he said but that could just be her mind trying to make herself feel better about his disinterest.
“Obviously you’re in foul mood, and I’m not going to be on the receiving end tonight. You can be so cruel.” She ended the call then turned the ringer to silent and set it in her top drawer.
She buried her face in her pillow. Would Tim think she’d been throwing herself at him? He hadn’t made any move on her. But then again, he’d never seen him put moves on anyone. Nor did she expect him to make move on her. Just because she hadn’t had sex everyone treated her like an innocent. She’d watched the Dr. Sue show on Oxygen and was empowered and versed on her body. Masturbation wasn’t a dirty little secret any more. Aware of her own sexuality, she hated the thought of some man using her body to get off. The way Liam did with his parade of cougars. What she wanted was for Liam to want to make love to her but it looked like that would never happen.
Chapter 5
Tim brushed back his hair. Images of Indy getting off in the corner chair by her window replayed in his mind. She was so beautiful and, based on what she’d said, the physical attraction was mutual. She wanted him to teach her sexual acts that would please him. With no other woman had his interest been piqued in taking the dominant role.
A knock disrupted his thoughts. He went over and opened the door.
Indy stood, gaze downcast. Dressed in a baby blue shirt and black slacks she looked so sexy, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Was she embarrassed about last night?
Had she seen that he’d masturbated too? “Come in.” He gestured. If so, he had to fix that. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to leave the light on when he got off. It seemed like too much too soon. It was one thing for her to do it. Another if he took part, and she was aware of it. For all he knew, she’d clam up. Women did stuff like that.
“Thanks.” She closed the door but still didn’t look at him.
The sun from the window above the door shone on her, setting her aglow. He wouldn’t push her too much yet.
“Tim,” she said. The pitch of her voice was raw.
“Yes, Indy?” he asked.
She sighed. It was never a good sign when a woman let out an exasperated breath. A tear slid from her eye.
“What’s wrong?” Tim stepped closer to comfort her but kept his hands to himself not to invade her personal space.
“I feel like a complete fool for my behavior last night. Sometimes I’m outrageous.” She shielded her face with her hand. “I can be too open. I have no filter sometimes. I hope you don’t think less of me for it.”
If this was a game he wasn’t in the head space for it. “That depends.” Celia had reeled his mind full of false guilt to trap him.
“On what?” Her brow creased.
This was one area where he never left room for confusion. “Did you lie to me?”
She lowered her head and shook it. “No.”
That was good. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t mocking him. “Did you say those things to try to have me act the part of a fool?”
“Heavens no.” She shook her head vigorously.
That was encouraging. “Why are embarrassed today then?”
She wrapped an arm around her torso and pinched her bottom lip. “I don’t reveal much of myself to others, aside from Liam, and I said way more than I should have. I say a lot of outlandish stuff at times but friends are used to me. Usually it’s never personally revealing though.”
“Indy, I want you and I to be friends. You don’t have to have your guard up around me. I want you to
be yourself.” He stepped into her personal space. “What man wouldn’t be flattered that such an intelligent and beautiful young woman was attracted to him? Only a fool.”
“Thank you, Tim.” She smiled. “I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t be.” If anything he was grateful. He’d spent the last week considering how he’d react if she had no interest in him when his own only seemed to grow by the day.
She strolled out to the car, and he followed behind, watching her ass, which had just the right amount of firm roundness.
When they got in the car, he turned on the ignition and headed out. “Liam called last night to give me his return flight info. The entire time he was so distracted, I’m not sure why he bothered to call.”
“I know he’s your brother but sometimes he is such a dick.” It would appear it was more than his call she was referring to.
Tim burst out laughing. “Nothing new to me, Indy. I still love him but he can be so hurtful. I hate to say it, but I think Mum doesn’t call him because he usually makes her cry.”
“I don’t let him get away with it.” Though she said that, when he watched their banter at times it was obvious they both took it too far sometimes.
“Some people are more patient than others. Liam blames her for making him the keep-the-marriage-together baby. I’m not saying she was right, but at some point he needs to let go of the poison.” Liam’s birth could never have saved their failing union, but knowing it had rested on his shoulders had hurt his brother.
“Liam thinks the hate he carries has kept him strong and in control,” Indy said.
“Control is an illusion needed by those who are afraid.” While he had only ever wanted was to love deeply, Celia choose deception and domination. She had believed withholding love was a way to control others.
“You’re thinking of her aren’t you?” She folded the straps of her purse.
Was he that easy to read? “Celia, my ex… Yes. She, my father and Liam have so much in common.” Once he’d come to that realization, she could no longer manipulate him so she’d dumped him for one of the professors desperate for the attention of a younger woman. “I would have married her.”
