All the Wrong Choices

by C. A. Harms

  I'm met with silence, but only for a few seconds before the sounds of my asshole best friend's uncontrollable laughter hits my ear. I had to pull the phone away from my ear; it's so loud. Okay, so it seems I'm going to start paying for it now. When will I learn?

  Chapter Fourteen

  Danielle

  I can still feel him everywhere. Sitting in class, staring down at the planner on my desk, I'm lost in thought. My students are deep into their testing, and I'm completely caught up in all things Jonah.

  I've never had such intense, incredible sex as I had with him. Never have I ever just let go and took what I wanted. I'm not the leader, I was the, be happy with what you got, girl. But not last night; I was the take-charge, channel my inner sex kitten and don't hold back, lady.

  My body is still humming.

  I jerk to the sound of a chair being pushed back as it squeaks against the floor. Becca, my prize student, stands and begins walking to my desk. "Finished," I ask?

  "Yes," she places her paper in the basket on the corner of my desk, face down as directed, and offers me a smile. "Can I have a pass to go to the office? I need to take my meds.” I nod, knowing that every day about this time, she has to get her heart medication. Born with a rare heart condition, she never lets it slow her down.

  As she exits the room, I look back towards the remaining students in my class, and lean back on my chair. My computer pings with a new email which has me once again sitting up and leaning over the keyboard.

  I notice the Subject line: We need to talk. And then the Sender:mharrington@ELInvestments.net. I feel my whole body tense in response.

  I stare at the email, refusing to open it. I know it's just another setback, and I don't want to deal with him, my sister or my unsupportive parents anymore. I don't even want to hear their names, their voices, or think about anything related to any of them.

  I highlight the email, and without another thought, I hit junk, directing any further emails from that address to be delivered to my spam folder. After all, it's what Matt is, garbage from my past that needs to be buried.

  After the remainder of my day is complete, I spend the time gathering my tests from each class and put them in my bag. Knowing I have a long night of grading papers and inputting grades ahead of me, I stop on the way home and get a bottle of my favorite wine. Pulling up at my apartment, I grab all my things and start toward my front door.

  I pause a few feet away when I see something leaning up against the door. Proceeding with caution, I lean in closer and smile when I see the note taped to the top.

  Inside the basket is my favorite calming lavender bath salt, a lavender candle, as well as a huge fluffy towel, a matching Bath & Body Works lotion that smells unbelievably good. I'm at a loss for words. Why couldn't I have met this man first? Before everything went to shit, and I'd lost all hope of happy ever afters and falling in love.

  I gather the basket and unlock my door, stepping inside. The couch cushions are still smashed in the very place where Jonah and I shared our night together. I don't bother to clean them up; it's a reminder of one of the most erotic moments I've ever experienced.

  I stand in the entryway, staring at it for far too long, before shaking my head to snap myself out of the haze I've fallen into.

  After I change and have my bottle of chilled wine and my tray of cheese, crackers, and grapes, I sit down on the couch to start my long night. I can still smell Jonah's cologne on my cushions, and I glance over to my phone, fighting the urge to call him.

  I was awful last night, yet he still stopped over to leave me a very thoughtful gift.

  He's a good man, but this is all new to me. I don't know how to be sex buddies with someone. What are the boundaries? Should we also be friends? I'm so unsure of where the lines are drawn and the right and wrong way to do things.

  Deciding I need to reach out, I send a text, hoping it doesn't blur anything.

  Me: Thank you so much for the gift, it's amazing, and I will definitely be using it tonight.

  Tossing my phone to the cushion at my side, I pull out the binder of tests from my bag and my red pen. Settling back, I start reading the essay questions and freeze when my phone sings out I've received a message.

  Jonah: Great, now all I can envision is you in the tub, with bubbles all around you.

  I laugh out loud at his response and settle back with my phone in my hand, typing out another message. Quickly we are lost in the back and forth, being flirtatious and maybe a little vulgar, but it's exciting. Promises of getting together real soon and showing him how soft my skin is after a long soak. I spend my night with a smile on my face and feeling less stressed about this thing between him and I.

  He seems to understand I can only give a little piece of me. He says he's okay with something casual, so I have to trust that this will work. I have to trust that things won't get complicated and he and I will remain friends.

  Me: Well, maybe we can hit replay this weekend, and you can join me for a bubble bath.

  Smiling, I sink back into the couch surrounded by his smell, awaiting his response. It’s nice to relax and have fun—no expectations or demands.

  Jonah: Weekend is so far away. Why are you teasing me?

  Contemplating my next move, I look over to the papers piled before me. I then look toward the basket of goodies, and my pulse quickens. My body is instantly remembering the way it felt when Jonah had his hands on me. The way he moved against me, giving me everything I needed and him taking what he needed in return.

  Immediately I'm pressing my legs tighter together, shifting around on the plush cushions. The same cushions that took one hell of an assault just last night.

  Jonah: Something to look forward to, though.

  I realize I've left him waiting without a response, and I hurry to type out a message before I have the chance to talk myself out of it.

  Me: Or, you could come over now, and I can grade papers later.

  It's my turn to wait, and I find myself growing nervous from his silence. Maybe I've been too forward?

  Me: Way to leave a girl wondering!

  His response comes in the form of a phone call, and the nervous energy soars through me, making my heart race.

  "Hello?" I say cautiously.

  "Sorry," he sounds out of breath. "I was so eager to get over there I rushed out the door and forgot to reply." I can hear the sound of music playing, and I assume it's from the radio in his car. Suddenly I am, up and spinning in circles as I attempt to gather up my mess. "You offer me a night with you, and there's no thinking it over."

  I bite my lip to stifle my laugh. His eagerness is adorable, and it does wonders for my ego. It's an amazing feeling to be wanted.

  "Do I need to bring anything?"

  "Nope," finding my voice, I stop myself from freaking out and decide that being brazen and strong are my two new most favorite things. They are both something I've not been in my past relationships, I've settled, and I am no longer doing that.

  This new take-charge attitude is addictive.

  "All you need to bring is you." I pick everything up off the couch and move it to the coffee table. Then without pause, I grab the hem of my shirt, lift it over my head and then hurry to remove my shorts. Standing in my living room wearing nothing more than a pair of panties and bra, I walk to the front window and look out over the parking lot.

  "I'm pulling in now," his voice shakes, and I know he is feeling the excitement of the moment too.

  "The doors unlocked," and with that, I end the call and step back toward the hallway, staring straight ahead. What feels like hours pass before there is a light knock on the door, followed by it slowly opening.

  I watch Jonah’s reaction as he steps inside and sees me standing there. He then hurries to close the door behind him before flipping the lock. Shifting back around to face me, he slowly takes me in from head to toe.

  His throat bobs as he swallows hard, and I reach around my back, popping open the clasp on my bra. Confidence
is something I've struggled with for so long. I guess a part of me has always felt as though I lack some special quality. I'm sure it's more related to being second best my entire life, but with Jonah, I don't feel the same. For the first time in my life, observing the way he looks at me, the attention he provides me makes me feel desirable.

  Allowing my bra to fall to the ground at my feet, I enjoy the lustful look which consumes his face. "You're killing me," the words take on a growl-like tone that sends chills throughout my body. "You are incredible."

  I watch in awe as he, too, lifts his shirt up and over, tossing it to the floor at his side. His jeans following close behind, and the outline of his erection in his boxers makes my nipples harden. Remembering what it was like taking him in my mouth and seeing his eyes practically roll back as I glided my tongue over his hardness. It was empowering.

  Jesus, this man is so unbelievably gorgeous.

  "I'm not sure I can wait for a bath." He confesses, closing the distance between us.

  "Sex first, bath after?" Arching a brow, I wait for him to agree, but instead, he hooks me around the waist and pulls my body in tightly to his. His mouth is covering mine; my feet are now barely touching the floor.

  When he cups my ass and lifts me, I wrap my legs around his waist, and he turns us toward the kitchen, placing me on the countertop.

  Pulling back from the kiss, he places his palm to my stomach and slowly guides me to lay back. Tracing over the waistband of my panties, he slips his finger beneath the side and, without effort, enters me.

  My back arches, and my body shakes.

  I've known Jonah for less than two weeks, and he knows my body more than the man I spent years with. I've never felt this alive, never craved another the way I crave Jonah.

  Leaning in, he begins to kiss along the inner part of my thigh and when he pulls my panties to the side and descends onto my core, I’m lost.

  The feeling of his tongue is incredible.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jonah

  Sprawled out on Danielle's kitchen floor, her body half over mine, my ass stuck to the tile beneath me from my sweaty body, I'm exhausted. I swear, for a few minutes there, I may have blacked out. Fuck, my head is foggy; my entire lower body feels weak and jelly-like.

  I've realized something very fast with Dani. She is the most addictive woman I've ever met. One taste and I'm a madman with uncontrollable urges and desires. It's like I lose all sense of control.

  Neither of us speaks. My boxers are still hanging on my ankle and her panties are somewhere around here. Finding her standing inside her house in nothing more than her panties and bra felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. But then she added a little more ammo and removed her bra, and I was done.

  The sound of a soft giggle echoes through the kitchen, and I lift my head just enough to look down at her. She has her hand over her face, her knees pulled up, with another arm draped over her chest.

  She is peeking at me through her parted fingers, and I can't help but smile at her.

  "What in the hell happened?" Her words rattle with her laughter.

  I know what she’s talking about, and everything is a blur. She ignited two minutes after I slid my finger inside of her, and something snapped inside of me. In record time, I was sheathed and slamming inside of her within seconds.

  We started on the counter, and for the life of me, I have no idea how in the hell we ended up on the floor. One stool is tipped over a few feet away, and a few other things are scattered on the floor around us.

  "I have no idea," and honestly, I don't. "But I can barely feel my legs."

  Her laughter grows louder, and I roll to my side to get a better look at her.

  "At one point, I heard something crack," she arches her neck, looking left and then right. "We need to be careful when we finally move. I'm pretty sure something broke when it hit the floor."

  We are like two little old people, as we both try to get up off the floor. Both of us are searching around for clothes, I watch as she walks into the other room and pulls her shirt over her head. Foregoing the bra and panties, shimmying into her shorts, she covers her body, and I pull up my boxers.

  Still searching for my jeans and shirt, I hear her clear her throat and find her standing in the living room holding them in her hand.

  She is so fucking beautiful, her hair all sexed up and her face flush. My chest tightens, and immediately I have to remind myself to keep feelings out of this scenario.

  Moving closer, I reach out for my clothes, and she moves them behind her back. With only a few inches separating us, I lean closer and press my lips to hers. Feeling the way she reacts to me, her body sagging forward, gives me more satisfaction than I can ever explain.

  She wants this to be nothing more than casual, keeping feelings and commitment out of the equation. I know it is what she needs for now. But I knew going in; I had one set goal in my mind, to change hers.

  When she is less distracted, I reach around and tug my clothes from her grasp. She attempts to regain control, but I spin around and press her back to the wall. Pushing my body against hers, I slip my thigh between her parted legs and her lips part.

  I could go again, no doubt about it. Yes, I'm exhausted, but Danielle is worth feeling like shit tomorrow. I'd gladly drag ass all day to stay up with her all night.

  "You have papers to grade," when she groans in protest, I apply a little pressure with my legs and feel her push back, shifting her lower half against me. "Friday," I kiss along her jaw, and she arches her neck, allowing me full access. She is so responsive, so insatiable, and I love it. "I have an early day," nipping her ear, I relish in the whimper that escapes her. "Let me take you to dinner."

  "You don't have to buy me dinner," I pull back and find her looking up at me, her hands pressed firmly to my chest. Again I take in her flushed state, knowing her body is ready for more. Her nipples are hard beneath her thin shirt, and whether she is aware of it or not, she is still slightly shifting her hips, seeking pressure from my thigh.

  "I know I don't have to," I can play this one of two ways. One, to be honest, I want to tell her I'm not the kind of guy who can fuck her and then leave her, but I know it will only force her to push me away. So I go for option two. "I thought you could put on one of those hot little dresses of yours and tease me through dinner."

  "Oh, is that so?"

  Reaching around her, I cup her ass and use it as leverage to move my thigh against her needy center. Her lips part, her chest rises and falls as her breathing picks up. She is turned on, and nothing is more beautiful than Dani in this state.

  Instead of replying, I nod, still moving her against me. I sense she is close, and part of me wants to strip off my boxers once more and sink inside of her, but I hold back. This isn't for me. It's for her.

  Okay, so maybe it's for me a little, too.

  "Dinner?"

  She nods, her eyes drooping as her fingernails dig into my shoulders. "Oh," she pants. Sensing her frustration, I can tell she is close but unable to get there. Pushing my hand into the back of her shorts, I continue on my path until I'm at her entrance. She is so incredibly wet, my finger slides right in, and she moans. Suddenly her movements are quick as she thrusts her hips, grinding against my thigh, hitting the perfect spot as my finger moves inside her.

  "You are so incredibly sexy," I'm testing the waters, hoping my words don't throw off her stride. "Mm," I'm rethinking my idea not to join her, feeling her wrapped around me so tight. I crave her. Then her orgasm hits her hard, and she leans into me, biting my peck. The sting clears my thoughts, and I keep my finger inside her, feeling her pulsate as she slows her movements.

  "You cheated," she pants.

  "Are you saying you would have said no otherwise?" Carefully I pull out of her, feeling her wetness coating my finger. Tasting her was incredible, just as I thought it would be. She is exquisite, the way she shifted against my mouth as I licked along her wetness. Everything about Dani is incredible, a
nd the need to taste her once more consumes me.

  Yes, the sex is explosive, the way she ignites, her body is addictive, but so is her smile.

  This is killing me; I want this all the time. I want to witness every single reaction from her, even those that don't involve sex. I want Dani. I want all of her.

  "Just let me know when and where to meet you."

  "How about I pick you up?"

  I can see she wants to argue, and I have to once again play things her way. "I keep having this dream of you and I in my car." Wagging my brows, I instantly feel my stomach tense.

  "That could be very difficult, considering you drive a sports car with little room." Lifting up on her tiptoes, she kisses the corner of my mouth. "But I'm willing to give it a shot."

  And once again, I'm hard and ready.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Danielle

  "It's just fun," I insist for the tenth time in the last hour. I sit on Addison's couch, ignoring the way she is staring at me. Wondering what I'm doing, getting involved with a guy that is friends with her guy. It really makes things a little more complicated. She has an inside scoop I don't want her to have.

  "How fun is it?"

  I take a chance and look up to find her wagging her eyebrows suggestively as she sits down on the couch next to me, turning her body to face mine. Eagerly awaiting details, it seems.

  I know if I don't give her something, I will never get her off my back. "He's extremely adventurous and energetic." I have never in my life had the kind of sex I'm currently having. It's exhausting but in the best kind of way. Muscles I didn't even know existed ache tremendously, and who knew getting fingered in my hallway could be so erotic.

  Addison has been seeing Tony for a couple of months now, and seeing the two of them together is sweet. Just in that short time, she's managed to wrap him around her finger, and the guy adores her. I'm happy for her, and I don't think there is anything he won't do to make her happy. I love seeing her happy, she deserves a good guy.