“She’s upstairs.” My excuse sounds weak with the whimpered moan as his thumb massages my clit. Even with the barrier of my panties, I’m soaked.
“She’s asleep, Tay. Just keep your screams down.” He winks, teasing me about my uncontrollable mouth.
He hooks his fingers onto each side of my jeans and I lift my ass to help him slide them down my legs. “One leg over.” His hand guides my leg so it hangs off the back of the couch. “Other down. Have you forgotten the drill?” The sly grin on his face says he’s enjoying bringing me to the brink. Then again, he always did, but usually that made him too horny and he was in me instantly. There’s no way I’m remembering our first night on the couch with Em upstairs.
My fight is weak and I lose the battle with myself. My back arches begging for more as his tongue sucks my nub into his hot waiting mouth. He pushes my hips back down and moves one finger inside of me. “Stay down, baby,” he whispers, but his words sound like I’m in a tunnel.
He inserts another finger and I’m writhing underneath his touch as a burst of ecstasy travesl through me. Minutes later, his hair is wrapped tight around my fingers and I’m grinding his face to my core.
“Brad,” I sigh, my body slowly coming down from the explosions he manipulated out of my body.
His thumb leaves me and circles around my clit in a slow soothing motion as my body sinks into the couch to catch my breath. He slides back up my body, his hardness straining his jeans against my naked bottom half.
He kisses me lightly on the lips and draws back with a smile on his face. “I told you one of us would be coming.”
My hand slides into his pocket, searching for a condom. Maybe I’m making too much out of this whole special moment the second time around.
“Whatcha doing, babe?” He leans away from me and I dig into another pocket, coming up empty-handed.
“Where is it?”
“Where’s what?”
“The condom. You said you brought them.”
A devilish grin emerges on his face.
“I don’t have them. We’re not going to have sex with our daughter upstairs. I’m not the old Brad, remember?” Although he seems casual and okay with the fact that I still may think of him that way, the hurt in his eyes isn’t hard to miss, especially when you know Brad as well as I do.
“I know, but usually when you go down on me, it only makes you hotter.” He sits back and I crawl up on my knees, not allowing the space to separate us after this pivotal moment.
He takes my hand and places it between his legs. The hard bulge is visible, but I rub it up and down a little because I’m not a selfish person; I’m a giver. “Believe me, babe, I’m hot, ready to combust, so I really need you to stop doing that.” He picks up my hand and places it on my bare leg.
“Nuh-uh.” I shake my head and bite my lower lip.
“No, Taylor. I did not do that for you to reciprocate.” He shakes his head and actually pretends to watch the television.
“I know.” I scoot closer, my hands fiddling with his belt buckle. “I want to, too.” I shoot him my best seductive look, and he inhales a deep breath.
“Are you sure?”
I nod instantly. “Yes. Let me.” I act like I’m asking permission. He always enjoyed that school-girl thing when I’d act all innocent.
“Don’t do the school girl,” he begs, because we both know it will only escalate the situation.
I lean forward as both my legs straddle his hips. “Don’t worry, I’ll save the real temptress until we’re completely alone.”
He wiggles under me and I can only imagine he’s growing harder by the second.
“Let me give you some relief.” I slide down off his lap, my knees hitting the floor while my fingers manipulate his pants to free him.
Once my hands are wrapped around his girth and my mouth rests just above the tip, I look through my eyelashes, and his eyes could be a laser they’re burning so strong.
A little while later, it’s his hands clenching my head.
Brad
“GREAT PRACTICE, CAYDEN. YOU’RE GETTING into the groove now.” I slap him on the back while he makes his way to the locker room.
I’m impressed because he really is improving on his time. From the list he gave me of the other guy’s times, he’s got a chance.
Cayden walks through the locker room and I turn toward the office, noticing I have fifteen minutes before my first lesson. Wes’s head is in his hands as he studies a paper in front of him. He scribbles and then crosses it out and scribbles again. It’s gut-wrenching witnessing him so distraught. This place could be amazing, especially since it’s not too far from the affluent cities in the area. The problem is, he doesn’t want to ask for help, and I respect that. But by not asking, he’s going to be left with nothing. Believe me, I’m a prime example of having too much pride.
I walk through the glass door and he tries to shuffle the papers. He spins around in his chair with a fake-ass grin plastered on his face.
“What are you doing?” I scoot up on the table by the window.
“Just some paperwork. When’s your next appointment?” He rests his ankle on his knee, and internally I debate if I should say something. Wes seems like a cool guy, and I think we have a kinship in a way that both of our dreams didn’t pan out. He found his place, but he needs help to continue.
“Who’s Mitchel?” I ask.
“A friend.”
“Bullshit.” I widen my eyes and wait for him to be honest with me and himself.
“Just stay out of it, Brad.”
I jump off the table and break the distance between us. Sliding into a chair across from him, I lean my elbows on my thighs.
“I can’t. See, I have a daughter to take care of and a girl who I’m hoping will one day be my wife. This is my place of employment, so I have to care.”
“Don’t worry, you’re getting paid.”
I wish I could honestly believe that, but from what I’ve witnessed the past two days, I fear one day I’ll arrive to a set of locked doors.
“I get the pride thing. I’m not one to share a lot, but I think I can help you.”
He leans back and stares up at the ceiling for a moment before his eyes land on me. Even before he agrees, I see in his eyes, he’s relented.
“Here.” He hands me the papers he was scrutinizing.
The first thing I notice is red everywhere. One line has black and that’s swim lessons. So at least those are making him some money, meaning I get paid way too little.
“What did Mitchel think you should do?”
He’s quiet for a minute, but when I look up from the paper, he sighs.
“Fire you.” He shrugs with a smile on his face, indicating that isn’t going to happen.
“Interesting, since I’m your best instructor.” I shrug like I really mean that.
“Jeez, Brad, this stays between us. Cami knows nothing, and she can’t. Do you understand me? She’d freak out.” I can see the gears moving on overdrive in his head.
“Don’t worry. This is between us. Do you have your taxes from last year? I need all your profit/loss reports since you opened. I’ll go through them all tonight, and then we can talk.”
“You’d do that? I have no way of paying you, Brad.”
I wave my hand in the air. “I’m doing this because you’re a friend and went out on a limb to help me.”
For the first time in two days, his shoulders relax slightly.
“Thanks, man.”
“Of course, there is one favor I might ask in return.” He cocks his head to the side.
“What?”
“Do you babysit?” A smile creeps on his face. “I want to take Taylor away for the night, but we have Emerson and there’s no way she’ll let just anyone watch her.”
“Sam?”
“Fuck off.”
He laughs and holds out his hand.
“Deal.”
“I’ll grab everything before I leave and we can tal
k tomorrow?”
“Sounds good. Thank you.”
“No problem.” My eyes study the sheet of the paper in front of me, and I wonder if this is even fixable.
Someone knocks on the window and Wes waves at them.
“Your lesson is here,” he tells me, and I hand the paper back to him where he turns it over on top of another pile.
“All right. Don’t worry, we’ll figure this out.”
Later that afternoon, I’m sitting at my apartment surrounded by Dylan’s boxes, trying to make heads or tails where this business went downhill. I gave Taylor the lowdown, and as much as I don’t want to be away from her and Emerson tonight, especially with Taylor being off today, I want to make sure this has my full attention. She understood, of course. It doesn’t stop me from trying to finish early and surprise her.
Dylan walks in and stops, holding the door open. “Whoa, call the police. There’s been an invader.”
“Funny. Where’s your latch on?” I drop the pen and sit back in my chair.
“She’s packing. We leave Saturday.” He drops his computer bag on the back of a chair before sitting down in the one across from me.
“What’s that?” He nods toward the strewn papers on the table and my open computer.
“That Aquatic Center I go to, I’m looking at their profit and loss statements. They’re struggling badly, and I can’t figure out why. They were doing great their first year.” I stare down at all the red, shaking my head.
“Hmm . . . and you say business isn’t for you.”
I’d like to knock his cocky smirk off his face.
“I’m doing it as a favor.”
“You might be doing it as a favor, but I think you’re enjoying it, hence the reason you’re here.” He stands and ventures into the kitchen.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’ve been completely occupied with Taylor and Emerson, and haven’t shown your face around here. I have no idea what you’re going to do about rent. Honestly, you should just move in with her or down there. But this guy asks you to help him, and here you are willing to spend time away from them to do it. I just find it all interesting, that’s all.” He cracks open a beer, holding one up for me.
I shake my head and he places it back in the fridge.
“I won’t be able to concentrate over there, but I’m trying to finish up so I can surprise them.”
He comes back over and sits down, oblivious to the fact I just told him I want to finish.
“What’s the deal with you guys? Are you one happy little family now?”
“Taylor and I are together, but I’m not about to move in with her. We have to consider Emerson.”
“They coming to Thanksgiving?” he asks, and my head falls back.
“Shit. My mom called me today, asking me about coming. I think I might stay at Taylor’s. She usually has her family and a few friends over.”
“Why don’t we all go on down to Mayberry?”
“It’s Roosevelt, idiot,” I clarify and he narrows his eyes.
“I know, but the town is like fucking Mayberry. I dated this girl down there once. Not sure where I met her.” He looks up at the ceiling, still coming up empty. “Anyway, I picked her up and they say there’s only one cop. It’s creepy.”
“Whatever. Mayberry had two cops by the way.”
“Look at you knowing trivia shit.” He downs the rest of his beer. “Let me know if you need any help. I’m in for the night.”
“Okay. See you.”
His bedroom door shuts and I focus back on the paperwork.
Two hours later, I’m in my truck on my way to surprise my girls. Thank goodness for that A in Accounting. But even with me being able to pinpoint where all their money is going, the mystery to fix it is still running through my head. The only person I know who could tell me how they’d be able to profit without spending an arm and a leg would be Tanner.
I dial him up on my car’s Bluetooth, fully expecting my sister to answer his phone, which seems to be the norm nowadays. Not that he has a ton of time between practicing and the endorsements which are starting to come in for him. It’s not a secret that he’s the up-and-coming, and I guarantee after the Olympics next year, his face will be everywhere, including a Wheaties box.
“I’m seriously going to beat your ass.” My sister, Piper, answers the phone. I’ve been meaning to call her. “I’ve given you space to call me and announce that I’m an aunt. So, expect an ass kicking come Thursday.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve had some shit going on and I thought it would be a good surprise.”
“What, were you going to have her wear a sign when I walk in the door, saying, ‘You’re my aunt’. You can tell Taylor I’m thoroughly pissed at her, too.” I can hear Tanner urging her to calm down in the background. Then there’s some muffled voices and what I assume is a tug of war over the phone.
“Go take a bath, baby,” Tanner says. “What’s up?” I can just imagine him on the couch with his legs up on the coffee table and remote in hand. He’s so different to me. He takes everything in stride, nothing truly excites him. Well, with the exception of my sister.
Piper yells in the background.
“Yeah, I’ll tell him.” He gets back on the phone. “She says she fully expects to spend all Thanksgiving vacation with Emerson.” I guess my mom talked to her in detail. “You should have called her.”
“I’m busy. Plus, she never was a big fan of Taylor’s.”
“Still, I shouldn’t be talking to you either, because you left me on the receiving end of her wrath.”
I release a breath, turning onto the highway. “Sorry. I’ll take you out for a drink this weekend.”
“And Piper.” He laughs and I can hear the humor in his voice.
“And Piper.”
“Good. So, what’s going on?”
“I have a daughter.”
“So I hear.” I thought this would get some reaction out of him. “I thought you might have one out there somewhere, but never did I think it would be Taylor’s.”
“Hardy har. We can chat about all the crap going on with that when you get home, but I’ve been swimming down at Creadle’s Aquatic Center.”
“Is it new? I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s about twenty minutes from me. Anyway, I started teaching swim lessons there. Oh, shit, I forgot to tell you, Greg Mendes died.”
“What?” Tanner’s voice sounds surprised and more alert.
“So, I went to see Coach and Greg’s brother came out and asked me if I’d train him. Greg died in a car accident last year, right after he’d graduated.”
“Oh, man. I’m sorry to hear that. Why didn’t we know anything about it?”
“I don’t know.” I shake my head, thinking about how we both should have been at his funeral. “Maybe they didn’t have a funeral or visitation.”
“We need to get the guys together.” When Tanner says guys, he means the swim team. We’ve all spread out like a spider web across the United States, but at one time, we were one tight group.
“Definitely. Maybe once you become a gold medalist you can rent some island for all of us to party on.”
“Whatever. That island would be for me to screw your sister every which way but missionary.”
“You asshole. That shit isn’t funny when you’re actually with her. Damn, now I’m having visuals.” I hammer my hand against the steering wheel like that can dislodge the images from my brain.
Tanner just laughs in the background. “Seriously though, I’ll have to send something to his parents. I feel horrible.”
“Well, I have two favors, and one might help you with that. The first is come to the center with me on Friday to help me train his brother, Cayden.”
“Done.”
I expected nothing less when it comes to Tanner. He’s always willing to help anyone.
“Second, I’m trying to come up with some ideas on how the center can capitalize their profits. I nee
d to brainstorm because they are in desperate need.”
“You’d be more the man for that than me. Shit, I’m a dumb-ass swimmer. You’re the one with the master’s degree.” He has a point, not sure what made me think he has any expertise in this.
“They could do more lessons, but instructors aren’t cheap.” I begin the brainstorming process myself.
“I’m guessing you’re not. Are they charging enough?”
“They seem to be doing well with the swim lessons, but it’s mostly lane reservations. I met Cayden there Monday and no one else was there.”
“What about parties? Does it have anything for children?”
A light bulb goes off in my head. “See, you’re just good at these things.”
He chuckles. “I don’t know about that, but we can talk at Thanksgiving.”
I bite my lip. “I’m not sure. I might spend it with Taylor and Emerson. I’m going to see if we can do both. I’m on my way to talk to her now.”
“Are you two together?” I hear the apprehension in his voice. Tanner’s the only one who knew I had cheated on her right after it happened. Then my sister found out after they got together, and she cornered me before my wedding to Bayli.
“Yeah.” A smile slowly forms on my lips with the elation that we are in fact a couple again.
“That’s great. So, you’re really trying to make it work?”
“Yeah.” My smile grows wider, especially as I pull off the highway and come that much closer to her house.
“I’m happy for you.” I can hear he’s genuine. Isn’t that the kicker in our relationship? He’s always wanting what’s best for me, and I’m consistently envious of everything he has.
I pass the Welcome to Roosevelt sign and my body itches to see them both.
“I gotta go. When do you get in?”
“Not until Thursday morning.”
“Practice?”
“Yeah.” He’s always short with his answers in regards to his swimming. I know him well enough to know it’s because of me. “Hey, do me a favor? Call her. Talk to her, okay?” I should have known the sister conversation wasn’t at rest. “Try to do it before we leave. She was really upset you hadn’t told her.”
Love Rekindled (Love Surfaced) Page 19
