All the Wrong Choices

by C. A. Harms

  "Tony won't tell me anything," she rubs her hands together in anticipation, and I feel my heart sink. I thought for sure she'd leave me alone after my little tidbit of information, but it seems it only intrigued her more. "And I know Jonah has talked to him about you. I've heard your name being dropped a time or two."

  "Don't look more into it," this isn't going anywhere. "We're just two adults scratching an itch." And the scratching process is, blow the top off your head good, but I keep that part to myself.

  "Do you think it could ever become—"

  "No," because I can't let it. Not that Jonah wouldn't be the type of guy any girl would and could fall for, I just know I can't. "It's physical, and it's all I can do."

  She seems disappointed, and I ignore the way she stares at me with a sympathetic look.

  "I'm surprised Tony isn't over here," changing the subject is easy when bringing up Anthony. Suddenly the sad look in her eyes fades, and a huge smile covers her lips.

  "He'll be here later. He's with Jonah now."

  Part of me wants to ask what they are off doing, but then I know she'll take it in the wrong sense. So instead, I grab my near empty glass of wine and get up to go to the kitchen for a refill.

  Opening the refrigerator, I pull out the wine and top off my glass.

  Thursday nights have always been girls night. Addison and I used to stay either at her place or mine, but that was pre, Tony. There is no way I'm going to camp out on her couch listening to her squeal while the bed bangs against the wall in the next room. So now, it's more a few hours here or there, and then she's off, or I am, so she'll have her nights with him.

  I'm busying myself in the kitchen, sifting through the cabinets, looking for a snack, when a strong set of arms wraps around me from behind. I scream and spin around, my fist coming up defensively.

  "Damn," I catch the tail end of Jonah, covering his mouth with his hand as he steps backward and creates a good amount of distance between us.

  "Did you hit him?" Addison comes rushing into the kitchen with Tony standing close behind. She looks horrified as she glances between him and me.

  "I didn't mean to," I already feel horrible. "Are you okay?"

  When he pulls his hand away from his mouth, and I see the droplet of blood on his lip, my heart sinks, or so it feels. "I'm good."

  "No, you're not," I hurry to get a washcloth and wet it before turning back to him. I ignore the way both Addison and Tony watch while I press the cloth to Jonah's mouth, and he winces. "I'm sorry," I try not to laugh when I see it’s swelling.

  "Do you always laugh when you apologize?" He asks with an eyebrow arched.

  I bite my lip, but it does nothing to hide my smile.

  Moving the rag away from his mouth, I open the freezer and grab something frozen off the shelf. "Use this," I don't give him the chance to protest.

  Addi and Tony have now left us alone, which I'm thankful for. I hate an audience.

  "I didn't expect anyone to sneak up behind me." Hell, I didn't even know I was no longer alone in the kitchen. They aren't even supposed to be here.

  "I dropped Tony off, and when I saw your car outside, I couldn't leave without seeing you." Something passes over his face before he looks away and shrugs. "Two days is a long time to wait to touch you."

  "But tomorrow is Friday," our dinner date, or non-date.

  "Yeah," he moves in closer, pinning me to the counter behind me. "But it's been two since our tussle in your kitchen."

  "Tussle?" I try not to react to him being so close, but my body is a treacherous bitch, and she remembers how it feels to be touched by him.

  He places one hand on my hip as he leans in and kisses the corner of my mouth. "Do you think they'll notice if I place you on the counter and have a little repeat of the other night?"

  Again my body hums with the idea of him taking me right here in Addison's kitchen. "I can be quiet, can you?" He is taunting me. "Or I could just slip my hand inside your jeans and let you ride my fingers again."

  My face feels hot.

  "Or my tongue," oh my hell, "I've been dying to taste you again."

  "You're evil," and insanely hot and dirty.

  "Are you trying to tell me the idea of either of those things doesn't turn you on?"

  "I'm not saying that at all." I don't honestly think there is a thing about him that doesn't turn me on. In his presence, I’m a hussy.

  When his mouth seals over mine, I give in to the kiss and let him devour my mouth. The way he does gives me the impression he is imagining doing something much more intimate with his tongue than simply kissing my mouth. I try to press my thighs together to keep from dry, humping him right here in the kitchen but the sound of something falling to the floor in the living room breaks us apart.

  My thoughts are clearing as I suddenly remember I'm in my best friend's kitchen, and she and her guy are just on the opposite side of the wall. Stepping out from in front of Jonah, I manage to place a good distance between us before looking up at him once again.

  "Where am I meeting you tomorrow?"

  "I'm picking you up at seven." He holds my stare, and the idea of being difficult crosses my mind. I nod accepting his offer so I can experience a little fun in his car, it won’t be a bad thing, especially after he just got me all worked up, and I'll be left to tend to myself tonight. Some dirty talk and an even dirtier kissing, I was seconds from letting him have his way with me in someone else's kitchen.

  I have turned into a raging nympho, and it's his fault.

  By the smirk on his face, he knows it too, and he seems very pleased with himself.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jonah

  Dani is right. My car isn't made for car sex. Even though she is wearing a killer short dress, and a skimpy pair of panties, it's next to impossible. There is no place to put her legs. Believe me, we’ve tried but all we managed to do is fog up the windows. It is the most difficult task I've ever attempted to perform.

  Not to mention we've been caught by a little old couple who are parked next to me in the parking lot of the French restaurant. The old man gives me a go get 'em thumbs up, and his wife doesn't seem too impressed. Dani buries her face in the crook of my neck, and when she laughs uncontrollably, the moment is definitely over.

  Crawling across the front seat, she sits down next to me, and I don't know what I'm thinking, when I take her hand in mine and bring our now joined hands to my mouth. Kissing her knuckles, I notice her tense, and then I bite her finger and suck on it to break the awkwardness.

  The problem is it's almost impossible for me to treat Dani like she is nothing more than a warm body. She is so much more, and I'm not saying I've never had a one-night stand or a fuck buddy, but the more I try to place Dani in that category, the harder it becomes.

  "Do you wanna go back to my place?"

  "I don't think I should stay over," she says and I bite my tongue to keep from saying something I'll regret. "But we can go get my car, and I can follow you."

  "I will take you home," I'll admit, I hope to get her there, so I can change her mind.

  "Are you sure?" I nod, already backing out of the parking space with the intention of going straight to my place. On a mission to wear her out enough to get her to fall asleep in my bed already being etched out in my mind. Whatever it takes, I'll give it to her until she is comatose and too tired to remember she is in my bed instead of her own.

  The ride is quiet, only the radio playing low to break the silence.

  Rounding the large curve, I flip on my blinker and turn into the first driveway on the left. Tall Evergreen trees line the drive, hiding the house up ahead. The house is much too big for me alone, but from the first time I saw it, I knew it was mine.

  "Wow," I hear her mumble as soon as my house comes into view. The porch light is highlighting the handcrafted oak door, and the landscaping out front is giving it that homely feel. Floor to ceiling windows throughout the entire entryway, leading to the rest of the house. "You liv
e here?"

  "Yeah," I can imagine what she feels because I feel it, too, every time I pull up to the front.

  I hit the button on the opener, the garage door starts to lift, and the motion lights come on, bringing the rest of the house into view. The other side of the garage is sitting empty, and I find myself wondering what it would be like to come home and find her car parked there.

  I park, open my door and have every intention of walking around to open her car door too, but she doesn't wait. She meets me at the front of the car, and before I let her pass, I grab her waist and move her body in front of mine. The garage door starts to close, and I back her up until her legs make contact with my bumper.

  My heart is getting involved, and I know I'm most likely going to be picking myself up off the floor in the end, but I can't seem to slow down. She made no promises, she more than once ensured me this is nothing more than physical, yet I still let myself believe it can be more.

  The problem is I can't let go. The idea of anyone else having even this small part of her drives me out of my mind. I can't stomach another man's hands on her, so I push aside the feelings I've begun to develop, and I keep giving her what she needs.

  "Are we going inside?" She asks, biting her lip while I start to lift the bottom hem of her dress. The memory of her tiny red panties comes back to me as I feel her bare ass against my hands. I'd only gotten a small peek of them earlier, and had I not already been sitting, I would have most likely dropped to my knees. There was barely anything there, just a small scrap of material covering very little.

  "Not yet," gripping her hips, I lift her and sit her on the hood of my car. I don't give a shit if she dents it. It's worth taking her right here and now. To have the vision of her sprawled out over the hood of my car, with her legs wrapping around my head as I taste her sweetness, is something I need. Every time I get behind the wheel, I'll remember what I did to her. "Lay back," I direct and watch as the realization of what is about to happen fills her eyes.

  My first taste is heaven all over again. The way she shifts her hips while I trail the tip of my tongue over her clit is hypnotizing. Her back arches, and she fists my hair so tightly I think she's going to rip it out, but I keep going. Pressing my hand to her lower stomach, I attempt to hold her in place, and when she slaps her hand to the metal of my hood, I know I'll most likely find a dent there later. But it is definitely worth it to see her throw her body around in pleasure. I continue to devour her. I don't let up, even when she begs me to. I keep going, driving her out of her mind.

  I want her weak from an orgasm, I want her screaming my name, and I want her leaving here tonight to be the last thing on her mind when she's exhausted from the pleasure I've given her.

  Standing, I look down at her as I start to unbuckle my belt.

  I used my last condom in the parking lot during our failed attempt at car sex. I know in her current state, I can take her raw, and she'll likely not notice until we are done. But I can't do it without her knowledge. So instead, I stroke myself, seeing the way her eyes wander to that very spot and smoulder while her legs fall open a little more. Jesus, she is a goddess, the red of her dress, against the dark charcoal color of my hood.

  "Are you on the pill?" She looks away from my hand, and her eyes lock on my own. "We used my last condom at the restaurant, and I really don't want to break the moment to run inside. I will if I have to, but—"

  "I get a shot," she holds my gaze, "and I'm clean."

  I half expected her to give me all the reasons why this would be a mistake, and hooking up shouldn't be so intimate, but instead, she appears to be just as desperate as I am to feel her bare.

  "I'm clean too," the fact is I've never been with a woman without a condom. I've never had the desire to take that step, but as I said before, Dani is different.

  Gripping her thighs, I pull her closer to the edge of the hood and lean in, pressing myself against her wetness. Instantly my knees weaken, and her lips part.

  The heat of her body wrapping so tightly around mine, the slickness as I slide in deeper takes my breath away. How can this not change everything? How can this moment not mean so much more than sex?

  Dani's legs grip me tighter as I pull back and then slowly reenter her once more. She closes her eyes, and I grab her hips holding her in place.

  I have to look away from her face, focusing on where we are joined instead. Something is shifting inside of me, something I already knew was hidden there, but I've ignored for weeks now.

  With each stroke, I feel myself falling apart slowly, my control slipping.

  The way her nipples pebble against the silk fabric of her dress and the soft moan that falls from her lips urges me on. Then there is the way she meets me with each push, grinding her pelvis to mine, seeking, even more, it is all too much.

  I grip her waist tightly, pushing inside of her hard and fast, chasing what I know we are both so desperate for.

  The entire car is shifting beneath her, rocking with the movement of our bodies. It is so erotic, sweat dripping down my chest and soaking into the fabric of my shirt. This is it, and I can't fight it. Dani has changed everything. How can any man not fall for her?

  I've managed to do just what I set out to do. First, I took her in my garage, then the stairway that led up to my room, before I carried her the rest of the way and took her in the hallway outside my room. Four hours after we arrived at my house, I took her for the third time, finally in my bed, and it’s also where she gave in to the exhaustion and fell asleep on her stomach. Her bare ass peeks out from under my dark blue sheets, and one leg hangs off the side of my king-size bed.

  I sit in the chair beside my bed, fighting against the urge to wake her up and tell her I can't do casual with her. The fear of losing her is the only thing holding me back.

  I'm not even sure what time it is, but I know it's well after midnight. The moon is high, the glow spilling through the windows on the far side of my room. I can't take my eyes off her. She is perfect. Her hair is covering half her face, and if I didn't fear waking her, I'd move it so I could see her fully.

  This woman is incredible, and what she's gone through, how she feels like she doesn't deserve anything more than a physical connection alone infuriates me. I want to spend every day showing her what it could feel like to have a real man in her life.

  A soft sigh escapes her, and she rolls over, turning face up. I hold my breath, fearing this is the end coming much too soon. But then she stretches out her legs and arms, only to relax once more.

  I hurry to move in beside her, craving the feeling of her body against my own. I lay still waiting for the opportunity to wrap my arms around her without waking her, and when she rolls once more, placing her hand on my chest, hoping this doesn’t wake her. But instead, she simply cuddles in close, and a sigh escapes her lips.

  I'm dying here, but I'll go through this pain just to have moments like this.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Danielle

  I know the minute I open my eyes, I'm not in my own bed. I freeze, looking around the room without alerting Jonah I'm awake. My muscles are sore, and I swear I can still feel him in the most intimate places. We tore at one another last night, and what he did to me on the hood of his car was insanely hot.

  But even after all that, I've broken one of the few rules I set for myself. No sleepovers because it’s something couples do and we are not a couple.

  With one strong arm tossed across my midsection, I know the chances of escaping unnoticed are going to be difficult.

  Shifting my body away from his inch by inch, I have just about succeeded when he squeezes my hip. Again I freeze, closing my eyes tightly. I remain silent, and yes, I may have prayed a little.

  When I feel it's safe once again, I continue to slide over, and when he's no longer touching me, I roll off the bed and begin looking around for my clothes. The room is empty. I only had two articles of clothing due to the fact my dress wasn't really one you should wear a bra with.
>
  Stepping out into the hallway, I see a flash of red on the landing halfway down the steps and remember Jonah taking my dress off the rest of the way when he took me on the stairs before finally carrying me up to his room.

  Tiptoeing, I grab it and lift it up and over my head. After further inspection, I find my shoes in the garage in front of his car and my clutch on the ground near his tire.

  Hurrying to search for my phone, I open the side door and step outside. This is ridiculous, I know, but I'm panicking. The idea this could mean something more than a hook-up is more than I want to deal with right now.

  My legs are shaky, and I know it isn't just because I'm sneaking out of a man's house at seven-fourteen in the morning.

  I'm a mess. I just hope no parents of any of my students live anywhere near Jonah. I can imagine the conversations, and I cringe at the idea of how uncomfortable they would be.

  "It's so early," Addison complains when she finally answers her phone after my third call.

  "I need you to come to get me."

  I'm already halfway down the driveway when I look back at the house to see if there is a number anywhere on it. I have no freaking idea where I am.

  "Why?"

  "Because I broke a rule, and now I'm stranded, and I need you to get your lazy ass up out of bed, stop asking me questions, and save me." I'm starting to freak out a little bit.

  "You broke a rule?"

  "Yes," I practically growl at her, and all she does is laugh. "It's not funny Addi, I spent the night, and that blurs the lines. Absolutely no staying over, just sex and gone, that's what I agreed to."

  "Is that what he agreed to?"

  I take in a deep breath, knowing again she is hoping for something more, and I really don't have time to do this with her again.

  "Where are you right now?"

  Hanging my head in shame, I mumble my next sentence. "Walking down Jonah's driveway and turning onto the main road." I'm met with silence. "Just come and get me."