by E. L. Todd
She placed her hand on his. “Please don’t worry about that.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank god.”
“I’m not going anywhere. You can calm down now.”
“Okay. But you don’t deserve that.”
“She’ll back off when she knows we’re together. I doubt she’s going to bother me again.”
“She better not. Otherwise, I’ll make her regret it.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I wasn’t trying to be.” His eyes shined with determination. “I don’t want you to be harassed. It’s unacceptable.”
“I can take care of myself. You know I can.”
He smiled. “That’s true.”
“Now forget about it, okay?”
“It’s forgotten.”
“So, another make out session?”
“Come here.” He pulled her onto his lap and started to kiss her passionately. Their kisses usually started out gentle, but his embrace was intense from the beginning. She didn’t mind it in the least. His tongue felt wonderful against her mouth.
“I could kiss you all day,” he said as he breathed into her mouth.
“I would love that.”
His hands moved up her shirt and squeezed her breasts, making her even more excited. She didn’t touch him in a more sexual way because they were in the library. They would probably never get caught but it was still best to avoid anything too scandalous. After an hour went by, Coen pulled away.
“Do you have ChapStick?”
“I have some in my purse,” she said as she rubbed his chest.
“Good. I’m in desperate need of it.”
“Come over to my house.”
He rubbed his nose against hers. “I have to work.”
“You get off sometime.”
“Then, I’m having dinner with my family.”
“And what about after that?”
“Then I’m yours,” he said with a smile.
“Good. I want to feel your body against mine.”
He cupped her face. “We’re taking this slow. Remember?”
“I know.”
“Just don’t forget.”
“I’ll try.” She rose from his lap then handed him the ChapStick. He smeared it on then grabbed his backpack.
“Let’s go.”
They walked to their cars in the parking lot, not touching each other.
“I’ll see you later, baby,” he said as he put his hands in his pockets and looked at her.
“I look forward to it.”
He rocked on his heels as he looked around, seeing if anyone was watching. “Fuck this,” he said as he grabbed her face and pushed her against her Jeep. He kissed her while running his hands over her body, feeling her rounded hips and her flat stomach. She returned his affection with equal intensity, risking the chance of being spotted, but she didn’t care at the moment. He kissed her neck then pulled away. “Now I can say goodbye.”
“Bye.”
“Now get in your car so I can’t rape you.”
“You can’t rape the willing.”
He growled. “Don’t even go there.” He grabbed her ass and pushed her into the seat. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Okay.” She started her Jeep then drove back to her house. She sat on the couch and waited anxiously for Coen to get there. When she wasn’t with him, she missed him like crazy.
13
After Coen changed into his workout clothes, he went into the studio and waited for his client. He didn’t check the paperwork because people always lied on their application about everything. Their height, weight, medical condition—everything. It was better if he saw them in person so he wouldn’t be biased about them. He kept his shirt on because he didn’t want to show his body to anyone now that he had a girlfriend. It was an effective way to motivate people and intimidate them, but he felt uncomfortable now that he was in a relationship. He wouldn’t want other men staring at Sydney with lustful eyes. He respected her too much to do that.
When the door opened, he turned around.
“Hey, Coen,” she said with a smile.
“Audrey?”
“I thought you could teach me some basics.” She strolled over to him, rolling her hips. She wore spandex shorts that were practically underwear and a sports bra that pushed up her cleavage. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders. She looked like she was about to do a photo shoot, not a workout.
He was immediately annoyed. “I’m not training you.”
“Too bad. I already paid.”
“I’ll reimburse you for it.”
“No,” she said as she stood in front of him. “Train me.”
“Fuck you,” he snapped.
Her eyes widened. “Do you want me to tell your boss how you’re acting? You want to get fired?”
“Do you always threaten people you profess to love? Go ahead and tell him. I would rather lose my job than spend an hour with you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you have a thing for that ugly girl, Sydney?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know an ugly girl named Sydney.”
“That girl you had lunch with.”
“I know a Sydney that’s beautiful—on the inside as well as the outside.”
“Are you into her?”
“Does it matter?”
“Well, you’re supposed to be with me.”
“I thought the same thing when you fucked that other guy.”
“Would you stop throwing that in my face?”
“No. We’re over—done.”
“You gave me a second chance before. Why aren’t you giving me another one now?”
“Because my feelings for you are gone.”
“Impossible.”
He laughed. “You’re really full of yourself, aren’t you?”
“You haven’t been sleeping around.”
“And how would you know that?”
“You haven’t been going out.”
He didn’t comment to her statement.
“Because you can’t get over me. I’m the best sex you’ve ever had, I’m the girl that your parents love, and I’m the only one who can understand your pain. I was there for you when Elaine died. Face it, I’m the one,” she said as she stepped toward him, pressing her breasts against his chest.
He stepped away from her, putting distance between them. “I can’t stand you, Audrey.”
“You love me.”
“I did love you. Not anymore. I’m over you.”
“Who are you trying to fool?”
He shook his head. “Just go, Audrey.”
“No.”
He leaned against the wall. “Then we are just going to stand here for an hour while I ignore you.”
“You won’t train me because you don’t trust yourself with me. You still want me.”
“No. I can’t stand you so the idea of touching you repulses me.”
“Liar.”
He looked away. “If you have any respect for me, you’ll leave me alone.”
“I love you and I’m not giving up on you.”
“If you love me, you’ll let me go,” he snapped.
“This isn’t over until I say it’s over.”
“Fuck you,” he snapped. “You’re fucking crazy.” He grabbed his bag from the floor then walked toward the door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she said as she followed him.
“Away from you.” He burst through the doors and walked to the front desk, looking at the man behind the counter. “My client has asthma. I can’t train her.”
He raised an eyebrow. “She does? Her paper says she doesn’t.”
“Well, she lied.” When she reached him, he grabbed her bag and pulled the inhaler out. “There you go. I can’t train her.”
The worker looked at Audrey in disapproval. “Lying on your application makes you unqualified to receive specialized training. I’m sorry.”
She glared at C
oen with hatred. He smiled back before walking away. She followed him to his car.
“Stop walking away from me,” she said as she chased him.
“Then stop following me.” When he reached his car, she grabbed him, pinning him against the door.
“You aren’t going anywhere.” She pressed her breasts against his chest, trying to seduce him. Her lips were near his.
He smiled at her the whole time. “I’m as soft as a wet fish.” He pushed her away then got into the car, turning on the engine while ignoring her. He pulled out of the parking lot without looking at her and drove to his parents’ house near the base of the mountains.
He shook Audrey from his mind and focused on Sydney. When he thought about what they did the night before, it raised his sail. He wasn’t attracted to anyone in the way he was attracted to her. He missed having sex on a regular basis but he would wait until she was ready. He wanted a relationship with her, not a short term fling. Also, he was afraid to give himself to her because he couldn’t stand to lose her. He wanted to be there the next morning, sharing breakfast with her at the table. He was in this for the long haul. She was amazing and he wasn’t going to let her go. Audrey was hideous in comparison to Sydney.
When he arrived at the house, he walked inside without knocking then joined his family at the dinner table. His brother, Jordan, was already seated next to their dad. They were two years apart and Jordan was in his freshman year at the university. He still lived at home.
“Hey,” Coen said as he sat down.
His father nodded to him. “You’re off work early.”
“My client had asthma. I had to cut it short.”
His mother placed the food on the table. “Well, that worked out. We were too hungry to wait.”
His Uncle Gilbert looked at him. “How is the tutoring going?”
“Good. I aced the quiz today.”
Coen’s father nodded. “I’m glad my money isn’t being wasted.”
Coen said nothing. It definitely wasn’t being wasted. “Uncle, I heard you have a research exhibition you are going on.”
“Yes, in just a few weeks.”
“Need any help?”
“Would you be interested?” he asked in surprise.
“No. But I know someone who would be a great asset to you.”
He shook his head. “I hate undergraduates. They’re totally clueless.”
“Uh, thanks,” Coen said with a laugh. “But this girl is wicked smart. You won’t regret it.”
“I’ll pass, Coen.”
“Please? She really wants to be a part of it. Just let her watch. That’s all.”
He smiled. “So this girl is really pretty, huh?”
He rolled his eyes. “That isn’t why I’m recommending her.”
“But she is, isn’t she?”
“She’s drop dead gorgeous.”
“That’s what I thought,” he said with a laugh.
“Come on, Uncle. Do this as a favor to me.”
“If you’re failing your zoology class, I doubt you know any smart people.”
“She’s my tutor.”
“I don’t know anything about the girl. She’ll probably just get in the way.”
“You do know her. She works as a custodian at the aquarium.”
He was quiet for a moment. “Stacy?”
“Sydney,” he corrected.
“I don’t know,” he said hesitantly.
“I’ll mow your lawn and do housework for a month if you just take her with you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Wow. Someone’s in love.”
Coen ignored his comment.
“So Audrey is history?” his uncle said.
“She’s been history,” Coen said. “So, will you take her?”
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” he said as he shook Coen’s hand.
Coen nodded, pleased that he could do this for Sydney. “And invite her yourself. Don’t tell her I asked you to.”
“Got it.”
Coen smiled, happy that he got Sydney a position on the boat. He knew how much she wanted it. Also, he knew his uncle would be happy that she was there once he got to know her.
During dinner, they talked about school and work. Coen focused on eating his food and stayed out of the conversation. His mind was on Sydney. When he finally left, he went by his apartment and changed before he parked in front of her house.
When he got out, he saw her sprinting toward him with a smile on her face. She jumped into his arms and started to kiss him passionately, gripping his shoulders. His heart melted. It was a moment he would remember forever. Seeing the bright look on her face when she saw him was priceless.
“You missed me?” he asked as he put her down.
“So much.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“I’ve been looking out the window like an obsessed teenager.”
“That’s adorable,” he said as he kissed her on the head. “Wanna get some ice cream?”
“I like ice cream.”
“Good.” He opened the passenger door for her. “Let’s go.”
He came around the other side and sat beside her.
She wrapped her arm around his and placed her hand on his thigh, leaning against him. “How was your day?”
He was quiet for a moment. The incident with Audrey immediately came to his mind. It wasn’t something worth mentioning but he felt like a liar if he didn’t. He wasn’t a liar and hated being deceitful. It wasn’t in his nature. “Audrey was my client today.”
“What? You trained her?”
“I asked her to leave and when she didn’t, I told my colleague that she had asthma so I wouldn’t have to train her.”
“So she was trying to get you back the whole time?”
He sighed. “Unfortunately.”
She said nothing, unsure what to say.
“Are you mad at me?”
“No.”
“You got quiet.”
“I’m annoyed but I’m not mad. I wish she would just leave you alone.”
“That makes two of us. I wish I could tell her I have a girlfriend. It would make my life easier.” He looked at Sydney expectantly.
“Not yet.”
He growled and kept his eyes on the road.
“Coen?”
“Baby?”
“I appreciate you being honest with me about Audrey but please keep it to yourself from now on.”
“What?”
“I just don’t want to hear about her. It bothers me.”
“Are you sure?”
“I trust you. All it does is make me jealous and angry. I would rather not know about it if it just makes me upset.”
He nodded. “Okay. I won’t say anything anymore.”
“Thank you.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “You’re really amazing, Sydney. Any other girl with your abilities would hunt her down and knock her out.”
“Well, you did love her at one point. How can I do that to someone you used to care about?”
He laughed. “She’s a fucking bitch and I hate her. Don’t ever hold back a punch on my account. I couldn’t care less about her. Once she insulted you, I lost all respect for her. In fact, I would enjoy seeing you beat her senseless.”
She smiled. “I still couldn’t do that. That isn’t why I started training.”
He kept his mouth closed. Sydney knew he wanted to ask why she started training but he held it back.
He pulled into the parking lot then climbed out. Sydney followed behind him. After they got their ice cream, they headed down to the beach and started walking.
“What did you do while I was at work?”
“I thought about you.”
“Were you touching yourself at the time?”
“No,” she said as she blushed. “You still haven’t shown me how.”
“That’s right. How could I forget?”
“I have no idea.” She picked at her ice cream whil
e he devoured his. After he threw his cup in a trash can, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her close. The sun was setting over the horizon, making the sky splash with blue, gold, and orange. The seagulls flew overhead, looking for any leftover food in the sand. Palm trees lined the beach and provided long shadows of shade. When the waves crashed against the shore, it stilled both of their hearts.
“It means the world to me that you trust me,” he blurted.
She looked at him. “You’re very trustworthy.”
“Well, I know you didn’t always feel that way. I’m glad you changed your mind.”
“I was wrong about you. I had it completely wrong, Coen.”
“Not really. I’m not the nicest guy. I’m only nice to people I care about. The rest of the time, I’m short and sarcastic.”
“So you are a heartbreaker?”
“To a few—not to you.”
“That’s gives me some hope.”
“I’m wrapped around your finger, Syd. Don’t ever worry about that.”
“I won’t.” She tossed her ice cream in the garbage.
He grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. “You’ve been the most amazing person I’ve ever met. You make my heart beat like never before. I can’t explain it. I—”
“Hide!” She pushed him toward the tree then dragged him behind the stump.
“What the hell?” he whispered.
“Henry and Nancy are walking by,” she said as she looked past the tree.
He followed her gaze and watched them. Henry was kicking the sand below his feet and Nancy had her arms crossed over her chest. “So?”
“Well, I don’t want them to see us.”
He gripped his hair in anger. He thought he was okay with this secret relationship but he wasn’t. It pissed him off. Being someone’s secret made him feel unwanted and ashamed.
When her friends returned to the sidewalk and disappeared, Sydney breathed a sigh of relief. “They’re gone.”
“So I can come out now?” he snapped. “I can actually hold your hand and act like your boyfriend because your friends are gone?”
She looked at him and placed her hands on his chest. “Coen, I—”
“Let’s go,” he said as he pulled away. He returned to the sand and walked back to the sidewalk with her following behind. They were both silent as they walked to the car. When they got inside, Sydney sat by the passenger door, not in the girlfriend seat.
