“You don’t have to—”
“I know.” Cameron gave me a sad smile. “But I love that guy like my own brother, and I’ve seen the shit he’s gone through. If you’re the one he wants, I’d never stand in the way of that. Especially if I know it’s reciprocated.”
My heart was about to explode out of my chest. Was he giving me permission to date his best friend? Was this some kind of alternate universe? Had I eaten hallucinogens at dinner? But more to the point—how did he see all that when Hunter and I hadn’t?
I picked my jaw up off the sand, tears blurring my vision. “I don’t even know what to say. I’m so sorry. I’m the worst kind of person—”
“No, you’re not.”
“I am. I’m repulsive. Like Vegemite.”
“Hey, some of us like that stuff.” He brushed away a tear rolling down my cheek. Great, now he was comforting me? I am an asshole. Grade-A major asshole.
“I need you to stop being so good about this,” I said, sniffling. “You’re supposed to be devastated. It’s killing my fragile ego.”
“Your ego? You just told me you want to give me a high five.”
A small chuckle escaped my lips as I wiped the rest of the wetness from my face. “Good point.”
We both looked down at the ground, unsure of what to say. Though part of me hated to let go of him, the relief I felt, like a weight off my shoulders, had eased. How could you want something so badly yet every part of your body screamed out against it?
“You know…I never told you this,” Cameron said quietly, “but I used to watch you.”
My head jerked up. “When?”
“At school. Every morning you came in through the east wing door. My homeroom and locker were right outside of it, and I couldn’t help but notice you as you passed. You didn’t look like anyone else. Which was a good thing, don’t think it wasn’t. But you were different, and it caught my eye. You lit up the halls when you walked through those doors. So pretty. So confident.”
Stunned. That was the only word that came to mind in that moment. “I didn’t know you’d ever noticed me,” I said in a small voice.
“I did.”
I swallowed and met his eyes. There was something akin to regret in them. But why?
“You sat at the same table during lunch period. Always with a drumstick ice cream cone, which makes sense now,” he said, with a hint of a smile. “But you seemed like a different girl during lunch than the one I saw walk in every morning. You smiled and talked with your friends, but whatever happened in the hours in between obviously wore on you.”
How did he see that? The insecurity I’d felt during that awkward stage in my life, the teasing and taunts, the dirty looks. No matter how much I’d moved on, I could still feel the seventeen-year-old Ryleigh inside me. The one who worried about what others thought of her. The one who secretly wanted so desperately to fit in but couldn’t no matter how hard I tried. So I’d stopped trying then. And when graduation came, I’d suddenly felt free.
“School…wasn’t easy,” I said.
“I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault.”
“Yeah, it is.” When my brow creased, he continued, “I never talked to you. You think I didn’t know you existed, but I knew. And what did I do about it? I saw a beautiful girl struggling, and I heard what people said, but what did I do to help her? Nothing.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words didn’t come out. What could I say? That it didn’t matter? That he was wrong?
“Coward. I was a coward, Ryleigh.”
“No,” I said, crossing my arms tight over my chest. “You weren’t. That’s just how high school is for some people. Not everyone has a great experience.”
“But I wonder if… Well, what if—”
Holding up my hand, I said, “No point in what-ifs. Trust me on that one.”
“All I’m trying to say is, I wish I’d seen you. Really seen you. Because you deserve that. And if Hunter’s the guy who sees all of you…well, he deserves that too.”
The sting of tears behind my eyes again had me looking back down at my feet so he wouldn’t notice. Dammit, I wasn’t going to be a complete crybaby, but his words eased the vulnerable teenager that still cared what others thought of her.
“Thank you, Cameron,” I whispered. “That means a lot.” He gave me a sad smile, and dammit, a traitorous tear escaped down my cheek. Wiping it away, I sniffed and said, “Can I high-five you now?”
CAMERON DROVE US back in relative silence except for the radio playing low in the background and the occasional small talk I knew he was making to help me feel better about the situation. I wondered if I’d see him again, or if he’d want to see me. Maybe he’d come in the shop and order the Heartbreak Special that I was currently piecing ingredients together for in his honor.
After he kissed me goodbye on the cheek, I got out of Cameron’s car and, feeling dejected, decided to grab some comfort ice cream downstairs before heading to my apartment. I unlocked the door and turned back to wave. He nodded at me, and, after a moment, drove away. Watching his car fade into the distance, I felt two things—the first being disheartened that I’d been so close to getting what I wanted and had sabotaged everything. Cameron was perfect. So damn perfect. Which led to the second thing I was feeling—relief. Because he clearly wasn’t what my mind, heart, or body wanted. And wasn’t that just a kick in the pants.
With a sigh, I entered the shop, and as I turned to close and lock the door, a hand shot out and held it open. I jumped in shock as, without a word, Hunter slid inside and stood toe to toe with me. His eyes were intense on mine as he took the key out of my hand, turned, and locked the door.
I WAS STILL so shocked to see him that I couldn’t process what he’d just done. Then he tossed my key on the counter and began to circle me slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.
“What are you doing here, Hunter?” I asked, forcing the words out. I could barely breathe; just having him there in front of me, his jaw tight, was enough to suck all the air from the room.
He’d unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and it looked like he’d dragged his hand through his hair more than a few times. The effect was so damn hot that my heart beat a faster rhythm in my chest. When he didn’t answer, I tried again, my voice coming out in a whisper this time. “Why are you here?”
He stopped circling me then.
“You can’t be with him.” Unlike mine, his tone was strong, demanding. Unyielding.
Lifting my chin at his words, I said, “What makes you think you have any right to tell me what I can and can’t do?”
“I mean it,” he said, walking toward me, and I found myself backing away from his approach. “He’s not right for you.”
That lit a fire within me. It made me crazy that he seemed to know what I wanted before even I knew. Even if he did happen to be right, I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. Yet.
“Why? Because you know everything about me? Just like you know what I drink and what kind of furniture I like. Does that make you right for me?” I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. It was hysterical, undone laughter, but it was also desperate. I didn’t want to acknowledge the truth of that statement so easily, not when I wasn’t sure what his intentions were. Instead, I lobbed a grenade in his direction. “What happened to Cassidy? I’m sure she was hoping for a nightcap. She was certainly dressed for it.”
“I don’t give a fuck about what she wants.”
“It didn’t seem that way to me.”
He stopped advancing and narrowed his eyes at me. “We both know that’s not true.”
Crossing my arms across my chest, I said, “It’s not my business what you do. Or don’t do.”
“Isn’t it? You want me to walk out that door and go back to her place?”
Hell no. “If that’s what you want.”
“Fuck that.”
I shivered, even though I didn’t feel cold in the slightest. The opposite, actually. “It’s late. Y
ou should go.”
“Is that what you want?” he asked, moving toward me again until I could feel his body brush up against mine. “You want me to leave?”
But I hesitated, so even when I whispered, “Yes,” my body betrayed me.
One of his hands went to my waist as the other cupped my neck. “Why aren’t you with Cameron tonight?”
I should’ve pulled away and put up more of a fight. I didn’t want to melt like butter in this man’s arms, to let him know I was his for the taking. But the words tumbled out of my mouth anyway. “It’s over.”
Hunter went still. “Say that again.”
“It’s over with Cameron. We ended things toni—” I didn’t even get the words out before his mouth was on mine, his kiss burning with possession. The passion I’d felt when I’d tasted him before was back, setting my body on fire as he backed me against the wall. His body pressed firmly against mine, his erection growing hard against my stomach as we devoured each other, our tongues tangling in a sensuous dance, and his hand gripping the back of my neck. My hands threaded through his hair, pulling him closer, but even that wasn’t close enough. As if he’d read my mind, he hitched one of my legs around his waist, his hand traveling underneath the dress to grab my ass. Then he stepped closer, rubbing his hard length between my thighs.
I moaned into his mouth, and that only encouraged him to grind against me again.
“Oh my God,” I said on a breath as his lips found my neck. Yes. This…this was how it felt when it was right. Tightening my leg around his waist, I circled my hips and let my head fall back against the wall. I wanted the feel of his fingers inside me, needed the explosion I knew would happen when he touched me.
“Tell me.” Hunter’s lips brushed mine. “Tell me to touch you.”
Rubbing myself against him again, I leaned forward to capture his mouth, but he pulled back. “Please,” I said, not even caring in that moment that I was begging for it. “Please put your hands on me—”
Hunter’s mouth met mine again, his kiss hungry as he reached down between us with his free hand and pushed aside my panties. His fingers slid between my sensitive lips before one of them slipped inside. I was wet, so wet, and when he added a second finger, I couldn’t help the “fuck” that came out of my mouth. His mouth swallowed my curse as the pressure began to build. Spearing my hand through his hair again, I squeezed his fingers, and this time, he groaned and removed his hand.
“Upstairs,” he said. “Now.”
Thirty seconds later we were in my apartment, the door kicked shut and Hunter’s lips on my neck. His hand went to my hair, pulling the clip out so that it tumbled over my shoulders.
“Like this with me,” he said. “I want you to let your hair down with me.”
“Yes,” I breathed into his mouth, as I unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, pulling it off his shoulders. He hadn’t worn anything underneath, and the sight of him bare-chested in the middle of my apartment made me want to pinch myself. He was here. With me. Wanting to be with me.
With his crumpled shirt in my hands, I backed down the hall, daring him to follow. He answered with a savage grin, stalking forward as I entered my bedroom. I tossed his shirt over my lounge chair by the window as he stood in the doorway unbuckling his belt and the top button of his pants.
“Stop,” I said, and he paused. The look he was giving me was making me brave as I went to stand in front of him, pushing his hands away and lowering his zipper myself. There wasn’t a hesitant bone in my body, no warning bells. The only flutter I felt was from anticipation of getting this man naked and in my bed.
I slipped my hands under the sides of his boxer briefs, and as I pushed them down his thighs, I went to my knees. His long, thick cock pointed proudly in my direction, hard and ready for me. Looking up at Hunter, I wrapped my fingers around the base and ran my tongue over the tip. He took a shuddering breath, his eyes intently watching. Sucking the head into my mouth, I heard him groan, which only spurred me on to take him deeper.
“Ryleigh…fuck.” He grabbed my hair as my tongue ran along the underside of him. Then I pushed my lips down his entire length, taking as much of him as I could. He tasted better than any creamy concoction I could’ve dreamed up. I know that sounds ridiculous because that’s never true, but in Hunter Morgan’s case, it was totally fucking true. Like a delicious mixture of toffee and sea salt, the two flavors balancing to make one heady combination, and I couldn’t get enough.
“Christ, woman,” he said, his hand in my hair tightening. “You have to stop before I come.” When I grinned and sucked him again, my hand twisting up and down the wet path my mouth had made all over his rock-hard cock, he growled and pushed my head back. “Get on the bed,” he said through clenched teeth.
Loving the effects of the sexual torment I’d put him through, I went over to the bed and put one knee on it. Glancing over my shoulder to see Hunter removing his clothes and shoes, I said, “I might need your help getting out of this dress.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off the physical wonder that was Hunter fully naked. His eyes gleamed in the dark, watching me take him in as he ripped open a foil packet with his teeth. His broad shoulders and chest led down to abs that could’ve been carved from stone. The deep V of his hips showcased the most beautiful—yes, beautiful—cock I’d ever seen, and his muscular legs were perfect for, well, thrusting. A shot of lust ran through me at the thought.
“You need some help, you said…” After rolling the condom on, Hunter came to stand behind me and kissed my shoulder before unzipping my dress. It dropped to the ground, and I kicked it off and turned to face him. His lips covered mine as he held my waist, backing us onto the bed so his body pinned me to the mattress.
Kisses rained down my neck, my chest, over my covered breasts, and then Hunter sat up, pushing my legs wide so he could kneel between them. He lifted my ankle to his shoulder, and smoothed his hand down to tease my thighs before moving it back up my calves. “I think we should keep these on,” he said, fingering my strappy peacock-blue stilettos. “But everything else is coming the fuck off.”
He placed a hot kiss on the inside of my ankle, his lips leisurely making their way up my leg, and I swear goose bumps broke out all over my body. When he reached my inner thigh, his nose grazed my soaked panties, and I jerked as need spiked through me.
“Mind if I take these?” he asked, his lips moving to place featherlight kisses over the useless lace covering me. Off. Take them the hell off.
His teeth skimmed along my lower stomach, and I lifted my hips as he bit down on the edge of my panties and began to drag them off me. Using his mouth. Only his mouth.
And holy shit, that was the hottest thing I’d ever seen in my life.
When they were discarded on the floor, he crawled back over me, one hand reaching underneath my back to unhook my bra. It was gone in a flash, and his mouth was on my breast, licking my nipple to a stiff peak before taking it inside his mouth. My back arched, I lost my breath, and the feel of him hard and ready against my stomach had me squirming. My hands weaved through his hair as my hips moved to find his, needing the friction to soothe the ache only he could fill.
“So impatient,” he said, smiling against my other breast before taking me into his mouth again.
“Please, Hunter.” I felt the tip of his cock at my core, and I lifted up, wanting nothing more than for him to slide inside, fill me, and fuck me until morning. “I can’t wait this time.”
“Mmm…this time.” His lips moved up to mine, a wicked gleam in his eyes as I lay there panting underneath him. “Since you asked so nicely…”
With his hand on my waist, he lined our hips up and pushed inside me, slow and steady, drawing out the sensation of feeling each other for the first time. A sigh escaped my lips; I wanted to hold him there, to keep him in between my thighs where he belonged.
“So good… Fuck.” Leaning down over me, he backed his hips up and took my mouth again, his tongue dipping inside at the same t
ime his cock plunged into me.
I rode the waves of pleasure, my nails running down his back. I pulled him closer, needing him deeper. His gaze never left mine, and I realized I needed it—needed that connection with him. The all-consuming physical pleasure combined with what his eyes were conveying without saying a word. This wasn’t a casual fuck for him. It meant more than he’d wanted to let on. I meant more. And that knowledge had the last of my reserve dissipating, giving myself over to him completely.
The strong legs I’d admired earlier propelled his hips forward, the pressure in my lower body building, and the need to release urgent and imminent. When he pushed inside again, I clenched my muscles around his cock. It took him by surprise because his movements became jerky and he started to ride me harder, more desperate, driving us both toward the brink.
As the pressure built, he reached between us and stroked my clit, and that was all it took. An orgasm ripped through me so strong I could only gasp, unable to even cry out his name. As my body continued to shudder from the intensity of the mind-shattering climax, Hunter fisted his hand in my hair and came, long and hard, inside me. His lips crushed mine, swallowing our moans as our hips rocked gently, neither of us wanting to make the move to leave the other. He could stay there, sleep there, live there if he wanted to.
And damn I wanted him to.
His kisses grew softer, his teeth nipping my lips as our bodies stilled in the tangled sheets.
“Ryleigh?” he asked, still inside me, still pressing kisses along my jaw.
“Hmm?” I tried to keep my eyes open, but a sense of satiated peace had settled in my bones, making it hard not to fall asleep in his arms.
“I’m keeping you,” he said, his voice low and sincere.
A lazy smile crossed my lips.
I felt the loss of him immediately when he pulled out, but he quickly discarded the condom and was back in the bed and drawing me against his side. He pulled me half on top of him, his strong arms wrapping around me and his fingers running through my hair. I kissed his chest and snuggled closer, letting sleep overtake me, completely content in that moment to just be.
Licked (L.A. Liaisons Book 1) Page 12
