“Fine. Keep your secrets.” She dipped a tortilla chip into the salsa and popped it into her mouth.
“If you want to know something, ask. You’ve made a lot of assumptions all by yourself,” I retorted.
Cora looked over at me, curiosity twinkling in her big green eyes. She opened her mouth, but the server interrupted us. She set our margaritas down, big fishbowl glasses filled with the greenish liquid and rimmed with salt. She looked at me expectantly.
“Que quieres para comer?” What did we want to eat?
I looked at Cora. “Do you know what you want?”
She shook her head and grabbed the menu. “I haven’t even looked.”
“Un momento, por favor.”
The waitress nodded and took off again to other tables.
I picked up my menu and scanned it quickly. I had no doubt anything on the menu would be good, and I quickly decided on shrimp fajitas. By the time the waitress came back, we ordered and had finished most of the chips and salsa on the table.
Cora and I fell into a comfortable rhythm, laughing and joking as we ate and finished off a couple margaritas each.
I couldn’t help but stare at her. Her cheeks grew tequila red as the night went on, and when she dropped the wrap from her shoulders, it was obvious it spread down her neck and chest too. Cora seemed oblivious both to her flush and to my gaze.
“Dancing?” She grinned at me as she finished off the last sip of her drink.
I nodded and slid out of my chair, throwing pesos onto the table to cover our meal. “If you’re sure you want to be seen with me out there. You don’t know how terrible I am.”
She laughed and put her hand in mine. “I trust you. Besides, I’m a little buzzed. The margaritas were stronger than I anticipated, so I don’t know that I’ll even notice as long as you don’t step on me.”
I pulled her out onto the floor and swayed to the beat. Cora moved in close, her hips brushing against mine as she moved with me. I had every intention of keeping my distance, but she kept moving back in close, gyrating against me, swaying into my hips every chance she got.
The tequila had definitely released her inhibitions and it eased mine too. My hands slid across her body, over her hips, around to the top curve of her ass, up her sides, my thumbs barely caressing just under her breasts. My cock was hard, and I wasn’t even in the mood to hide it.
I twirled her out and brought her back in, clumsily, but now my chest was pressed her back, my hands on her hips as she swayed from side to side, her ass pressing against my hard-on. The people around us faded until it was just me and her and the music.
We danced together, laughing, touching, and letting go. And for the first time, it felt like the real us since I could remember.
It would’ve been so easy to lean down and capture her mouth with mine. It would’ve been so easy to give into what I wanted. It would’ve been so easy to ruin everything right then and there. But if I took the chance now, only to find out that Cora was just drunker than she thought, or to be pushed away, would ruin our time and possibly destroy me in the process.
6
Cora
Tequila was my party drink. I always wanted to dance when I drank tequila. And Gerard was always willing to dance. But tonight, he wasn’t being the tame, friendly Gerard I was used to. His hands were everywhere. I never realized how big his hands were until I felt them slide over my ass briefly or hold me low on my hips.
When he spun me out, I nearly collided with another couple and then when he pulled me back, he had my backside against him. His hands were clutching my hips, faintly the way I’d been held when a guy fucked me doggy style. And that’s when he pulled me back roughly against him, moving our hips together, and pressing his hard cock against my ass.
Feeling him against me surprised me in a several ways. I hadn’t expected to be immediately curious. I hadn’t really thought about Gerard’s erection or his dick for that matter. But the evidence against me was hard to deny—the man was big.
The music throbbed around us, and he moved me back out to pull me back in again, this time facing him. I wanted to glance down at his crotch and see for myself that he had a hard-on, but I was afraid to look too.
Why was he hard? Was it just the dancing and the alcohol? Was it a girl nearby? Was it me? The last thought sent a thrill through me.
And for once, my brain was too muddled with alcohol and fun for me to over think what I was feeling or to worry about the consequences. We danced. We touched. We moved together in our own clumsily rhythm and I loved every second of it.
By the time we made it back to the room, my head was spinning. And it wasn’t just the tequila.
Gerard was perfect. Despite his claims that he couldn’t dance, I felt completely safe in his arms. Completely sexy.
Nick had always left me feeling not good enough. He’d commented on my weight, my clothes, my hair styles. There was always something for me to improve.
I didn’t feel that way with Gerard. He was always complimentary of me. And tonight, he seemed genuinely appreciative of my dress and my beauty and my body. Even if we were just friends.
Gerard took the bathroom first and he took his sweet time. The tequila and water Gerard made me drink, were now sitting in my bladder.
“Ger, you about done? I’d like to brush my teeth before bed.”
“Yeah, just a minute.” His words sounded strained.
“You better not be taking a shit in there. It would’ve been common courtesy to let me go first if you were going to do that.”
“No, I’m done.” He shut off the water and came out, still dressed in his board shorts and T-shirt. “It’s all yours.”
“Okay… I really don’t want to know what you were doing, if you didn’t even get changed.” I moved into the bathroom, relieved myself, and quickly brushed my teeth and washed my face.
By the time I came out, Gerard was already in bed.
My body still hummed with the memory of his touch and the heat brewing between us. It was just alcohol and dancing, but my pussy ached, and my breasts liked the way my tank top brushed against my sensitive nipples.
Fuck. Apparently, tequila also made me horny.
I crawled into the vacant side and turned off the light. The curtains were open just a crack, and in the moonlight, I watched my best friend’s profile.
“I can feel you looking at me. What’s going through that head of yours, Red?”
I smiled softly. Gerard had called me Red since pretty much the first time we met. From anyone else, it would’ve bothered me. But he never used it as something derogatory or rude; it was just a term of endearment from him, and I couldn’t help but smile when he used it. “Just thinking that this is probably already a better trip than I would’ve had with Nick.” I reached out and cupped his cheek. “I’m glad you came with me.”
He leaned closer and kissed my forehead. “You know, I’m glad I came too.”
I shifted in the bed, curling into him. It felt so normal to be in his arms, so comfortable.
Gerard had held me like this so many times, but for the first time, I started thinking about him as something more than just a friend. He had always been there. Through every new boyfriend, every breakup. Through job successes and stresses. He was more constant in my life than anyone else I had. Had I missed something? The way he held me on the dance floor, how attentive he always was, didn’t feel like just friends. His erection certainly didn’t feel like just friends. But I had no way of knowing it was me or just the night. I’d always liked that we never had romance together. We were friends. Stable. Lasting.
Unlike the men in my life who always found some reason I wasn’t good enough and some reason to leave me. A fourth-grade teacher who was happy with the status quo, who wasn’t exciting, who didn’t long for adventure, what was there to love? I didn’t know why Gerard had stuck with me all this time, but I was grateful for it. For him.
But I did want things out of life. I wanted some adventure
. I wanted to see the world. I wanted mind-blowing sex. I’d heard of multiple orgasms, but certainly had never experienced them. And most of the ones I did have, were self-made.
I bet Gerard didn’t leave a woman wanting. As attentive as he was with me, I could only imagine it was more so when he was attracted to, interested in, dating a woman.
I squeezed my thighs together, willing the ache to dissipate.
I laid in his arms long after he fell asleep, thinking back on years of memories, years of inside jokes, harmless flirtations. Were they harmless, or did I just miss it? Did I miss out on years of what could’ve been love, because I was too dense to see Gerard as more than a friend?
By the time sleep claimed me, I was so torn up mentally that there was little chance of peaceful sleep.
Gerard was already up and dressed by the time I woke. There was a moment of disappointment not waking up in his arms, which only confused me further.
“I was beginning to think you were going to sleep all day.”
I stretched my body from toes to the tip of my fingers, enjoying the way my tight muscles clenched and then relaxed. I pushed myself up into a sitting position as he came toward me with a cup of coffee.
He grinned and handed me the cup. I almost missed the quick glance to my cleavage that was a little more exposed after twisting and turning and tugging my tank top askew.
“I guess I needed a little extra sleep, now that I don’t have to answer to an alarm.” I sipped the coffee without any concern that it would be perfect. Gerard always took care of me, without expecting anything back. “What should we do today?”
“Now that you’re awake, I thought you might want to go to the beach. Make the most of this not Nebraska weather.” He sat on the edge of the bed and patted me on the knee. “I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday. And I would like to make a plan for you to come with me sometime. We can look at my schedule and when you see a place you want to go, we’ll go. The trip will be on me this time.”
My eyes met his, and I felt the zing of connection between us. “You really want me to come with you? I won’t be in the way or cramping your style somehow?” I slipped out of bed and grabbed a fresh change of clothes from my suitcase.
“Cramping my style? Hardly. I would love to see more of the world with you. We always have a good time. And you could see what I do for a living.”
“Maybe we can find a handsome model for me,” I teased.
Gerard’s expression darkened, only for the briefest of moments. “Most of them are gay, but if you want a model, we can find you a model.”
“Gay?”
“Okay, not most of them. Some of them are.”
I chuckled. “I don’t really want a model, Ger. Plus, it’s not like I would ever attract a model’s attention.”
“Wearing the dress you wore last night, you were attracting all sorts of attention. You don’t give yourself enough credit. I thought I was going to have to beat them away with a stick. You were mine last night.” The growl in his voice was almost possessive.
“I was all yours last night,” I agreed.
He clapped his hands together. “You good with going to the beach?”
I glanced over my shoulder. He looked a little tense. “Yeah, as long as my sunscreen applicator is willing to help make sure I don’t burn.”
He nodded at me. “You know I got your back.”
I pulled out my bikini and headed to the bathroom. “We just doing the buffet for breakfast?”
“Whatever.” There was strain in his voice.
I turned around, and his eyes were on my hands where I clasped my swimming suit. “You okay?”
His gaze lifted to mine. “I’m great.” He smiled as if to reassure me.
“Okay, weirdo.”
I wanted to ask him more pointed questions, but I wasn’t entirely sure I wasn’t just imagining it, projecting my own tension onto him. Instead, I just closed the bathroom door and quickly changed. When I was dressed, I took a minute to apply a light layer of waterproof mascara and some lip gloss. It wasn’t a lot, and I doubted Gerard would even notice, but the sexy feelings I’d been having last night, that I thought for sure were tequila driven, were still pulsing through me today. It wasn’t just attraction and affection, it was a desire I’d been suppressing or completely unaware of, I wasn’t sure which. It didn’t matter.
While I was in the bathroom, I pulled out my phone. There were now three texts from Nick. I made myself open them.
Nick: You went over my head to my boss about some stupid vacation and try to use my valuable PTO time? For what? A fucking trip to disease-ridden Mexico? You had no right.
Nick: Where are you? I came by to talk to you.
Nick: Did you go on that trip? Did you go with someone else?
Damn straight I went with someone else! Ugh! The nerve of him. Why was he still communicating with me? Why did he care who I was on the trip with or where I was? It was none of his fucking business!
I hit the back button and opened another text stream.
Cora: Do you think I have feelings for Gerard?
Colton: Good morning to you too.
Cora: Was that rude?
Colton: Giving you shit, Cora. Plus, I needed a moment to compose my thoughts.
Colton: Yes, I think you have feelings for Gerard.
Cora: Like this whole time!?
Colton: As long as I’ve known you.
Cora: Why didn’t you say something?
Colton: It wasn’t my place.
Cora: Whose place was it?
Colton: Yours.
Cora: How the hell do you take a long-term friendship and make it more than friendship?
Colton: You have a conversation, try having sex, and then figure it out from there.
Cora: And if it all goes to hell?
Colton: It went to hell with Nick. Things go to hell. No amount of protecting your heart works if you’re going to put yourself out there. You can keep your heart in a box, but that’s how you end up alone.
Cora: At least I’ll still have my good friend, Colton.
Colton: Don’t let fear ruin your heart.
Cora: You’re shrinking me again, jerk.
Colton: Force of habit. But it was minor, I promise. Angela also thinks you have feelings for Gerard, and she thinks you should go for it.
Cora: You told her?
Colton: You’re not a client. I can blab to her all I want.
Colton: She also says I should apologize for talking about you without your knowledge. I’m sorry, but seriously, Cora, take a chance. Take a chance on someone who really deserves it.
Cora: I’ll consider your apology.
Cora: Thanks for being my friend.
Colton: Any time.
I came out of the bathroom, and for just a second, I froze.
Gerard sat on the bed where I left him, but he wasn’t wearing a shirt anymore. I took in all of his warm umber skin. His abs made me want to run my fingers down them. His pecs were just begging to be touched. And then there were his arms. I could’ve just let those thick, muscular arms hold me for days.
God, give me strength or more tequila.
“You ready?” He smiled at me, one of his easy-going, almost lazy smiles that I’d always assumed were the kind he used to get women into bed. They were affective, more so than I realized until right now.
“Yeah.” I slipped on a pair of sandals and swallowed hard. My mouth suddenly felt as dry as the Sahara. “You decided you didn’t need a shirt for breakfast?”
He got up and crossed the room. “It’s not like I’ll be the only one down there who’s ready for the beach. Does it bother you?” He winked at me, a flirty move that before I would’ve just written off. But now I wasn’t so sure.
“I just don’t want you making people sick.” I picked up my coffee again and walked out of the room, trying to will my heart to stop beating so erratically as I leaned against the wall.
“Never had any complaint
s before,” he teased back.
Where did he get off, sitting there like that? I knew he took care of himself, and I wasn’t completely oblivious to his muscles any time we hugged or touched, but seeing him like that just added to the newfound light I saw my best friend in. Even if my brain hadn’t fully caught up, my body was certainly reacting.
When had I become this horny harlot who couldn’t seem to stop thinking about sex?
Gerard came out wearing a white tank top and I silently cursed the covering. I knew what was under there now, and it was like his flexing arms and bulging pectorals were just mocking me. “You feeling alright, Red? You’re a little flushed. You didn’t get more sunburned yesterday than we thought, did you?”
I made myself busy looking in my bag, just to keep from gawking at him. “I’m fine. Let’s get breakfast.” I kept my eyes up, focused on his face, so that I didn’t have to see his body. Although his face wasn’t making things much easier, with his mischievous eyes and devilish grin.
Gerard wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked down the hall, holding me in close next to him. It was an easy move he’d done a hundred times, but this was the first time I didn’t feel completely comfortable being held. I leaned into his touch and wrapped my arm around his waist. I didn’t usually return a hold, but I wanted to be touching him as much as I wanted him touching me.
By the time we got to the beach, I was sure it was all in my head. Gerard wasn’t acting any different than he always did. No touch was too tender, too flirtatious. He didn’t try to push anything. Gerard had been acting like this for twelve years; I didn’t have any reason to think it had suddenly changed just because I was seeing him in a different light.
“Come on, let’s take this cabana.” He pulled me to a tent set up with two beach chairs and a small table.
Love Struck Page 6
