Strip for Me

by Coffman, Georgia

  At a stoplight, he looks at me with a content expression. “Really was.” When he turns his attention back to the road, he says, “And it’s not over yet. We still need our mid-morning snack. Starbucks?”

  “Or that place around the corner up here. What’s it called? The one we went to last time with Ty and Emma?”

  “Oh yeah. I think it’s called Orgasm in a Bowl.”

  “Is not!”

  “That’s what it should be called.”

  I roll my eyes but can’t help the giggles escaping me, my heart ready to explode at the whirlwind of the morning. The last few weeks, really.

  My whole life has changed for the better.

  When we get back to my apartment with tacos in hand, I’m still riding the high of this morning, my heart racing. Once inside, I check my phone and just about faint. And not from the intense workout, either.

  “What?” Sebastian asks, dropping the keys in the bowl on the entryway table. “What’re you looking at?”

  “My Instagram.” My eyes widen at the number of hearts on my notifications and number of new followers. “What the fu…?”

  He peers over my shoulder. “Holy shit, Kendall.”

  With a trembling thumb, I scroll through my notifications and see that a few people reposted my video of their backflip contest.

  “Holy fuck, Samantha Ray shared your post!” Sebastian yells. “Her one million followers saw your post!”

  I drop my phone to the ground. Shocked, I turn to him while the door to Emma’s room cracks open. “Hey, I didn’t think you guys would be back already,” she says, tugging at her shirt and closing the door quickly behind her. “What’s going on?”

  It’s noon, and she’s still makeup-less? At any other time, I’d ask her if she’s feeling okay, but I’m too shocked.

  Plus, she looks fine. Her hair’s a little tousled, but otherwise, she even seems happy.

  Sebastian picks my phone up, and Emma peers between us at the screen. Samantha’s profile is pulled up, our faces on her most recent post with the caption So fun meeting Kendall and her #gymbae Sebastian this morning for a good old-fashioned backflip contest. Who do you think won? Comment below! Then go follow this beautiful soul @kendallgray. #strongissexy #chickswholift #backflips

  “Oh my God, Kendall!” Emma screeches in my ear before covering her mouth. “You got over a thousand new followers just this morning?”

  Sebastian scoops me up while I bury my face in his chest. Emma joins in on our group hug, and I burst into tears, feeling like this is the beginning of an exciting adventure.

  For the first time in a long time, I’m hopeful for what the future brings. With Sebastian, my family, and finally my career.

  With the people I love most around me for support, this is the beginning of the rest of my life.

  And it’s looking pretty damn bright.

  Chapter 57

  Sebastian

  A squeal from the living room has me shooting up in bed. Movement beside me makes me jump back and hit my head on the wall. “Shit, motherfucker.” I rub my head while Kendall holds my other hand and kisses my cheek.

  It’s been over two weeks since I knocked on her door, and although I’ve slept here the last three nights in a row, I haven’t gotten used to the change of scenery just yet. We stay at my place most of the time for more privacy.

  Because when I have my way with Kendall, I want no interruptions or restrictions. I want her free on top of me, bare and vulnerable. Every night.

  I’ll dance my last show in the fall in Vegas. I’m slowly backing off since I live in LA now, but I still dance every weekend for the extra cash while the hotel gets going.

  Lauren and Rhett plan to come to the show too, and I’m thrilled to see Kendall getting along so well with them. Lauren can still be a snob, but deep down, she has a kind heart. Rhett won’t actually be going to see the show; he already made it clear that “watching dudes get naked” isn’t his thing.

  After Kendall hung up the phone that night, after making plans for them to come out, she and I agreed we’d visit her hometown again, with a better ending to the weekend this time. I squeezed her hand over the popcorn bowl, and she laid her head back against the couch as we continued watching The Breakfast Club since she’d never seen it. Apparently, all she likes are scary movies.

  But I’m slowly converting her as we settle into our new lives, together.

  She tugs at my briefs now, needy for morning sex. Ever since I told her that’s my favorite, this is how we wake up now, with her eager to have me inside her.

  And I always oblige—no need to ask me twice.

  I’ll never get enough of this woman.

  Especially not with her trailing hot kisses down my stomach, toward my throbbing dick.

  Loud shuffling from the living room makes us stop, my head still hurting from hitting it on the wall and from the massive hangover. We went out last night with my friends, including Ty, who had to crash on the couch after too many shots and losing his phone.

  I groan, her mouth two inches from my dick. “This is the biggest tease,” I complain as she crawls to the end of the bed. I let my head fall against the headboard with a thud and give her the biggest pout I can muster.

  But she’s looking elsewhere. Farther south.

  “You like what you see, hmm?” Taking this as an opportunity to tease her as well, I grip my length and slide my hand up and down.

  Her mouth visibly waters, the sight turning me on, especially as she stands there naked, her body on display like the most expensive work of art at the Met. I could stare at it all day.

  She’s perfect.

  And she’s mine.

  She snaps her attention back to my face as something crashes in the kitchen. “What if we’re getting robbed, and we’re in here fucking while they steal my Keurig?”

  I don’t stop what I’m doing, and when she saunters over to me, her hips swaying, I think I’ve won.

  But instead, she slaps me and pulls me off the edge of the bed. “You’re going to let me get taken by the robbers?” She scowls as she puts her robe on.

  “They’ll last two minutes with you and that menacing scowl.”

  She narrows her gaze at me before rolling her eyes and turning toward the door. Just as she opens it, I move as quickly as a cheetah and quietly as a cat toward her. Pushing my length against her back, loving the way her silk robe feels against me, I whisper, “Hurry back.”

  She leans into me but opens the door before I can lead her back to bed. Cabinets are banging, so I grab my gym shorts from the floor and step out as well.

  We open the door just in time to see Emma slap Ty across the face and stalk off toward her room, toward us.

  She jumps back when she sees us, but her body doesn’t stop trembling. She’s fuming. Ty chuckles in his spot in the kitchen, shirtless with his jeans hanging low. He looks like he enjoyed the slap, gently caressing his cheek like there are lip prints on it instead of a hand outline.

  “Why the fuck is he here?” Emma’s angry, but she also sounds breathless. I’ve never seen her so emotional. She’s usually so composed, probably from all that yoga and charity work. She’s like a saint, but apparently, Ty is where she draws the line of niceties. She turns back to him and spits, “This isn’t a hostel. The shelter around the block takes in strays, you know.”

  Kendall and I exchange glances, wondering what we’ve missed.

  Ty sticks his hand down the tub of oats and shovels a handful in his mouth, small specks littering the floor. “Rage is a good look on you, with your hair all wild and untamed. I bet you’re a firecracker in bed.” He grins, more oats falling to the ground.

  She starts toward him, fist in the air, but Kendall grabs her before she can get very far. “Like you’ll ever find out. Only in your dreams, buddy boy.”

  “Buddy boy? Good one.”

  Emma struggles in Kendall’s grasp, her thin tank top strap falling off her shoulder to one side. I make a move to help but c
atch Ty’s gaze instead. It’s on Emma’s bare shoulder, and an idea hits me.

  Emma and Ty?

  Hmm…

  “Like you have anything better, asshole.” She stops struggling in Kendall’s arms and runs into her room.

  Before I can reel Ty in, Emma emerges again from her bedroom. “And stop eating my fucking food. This is not a bed-and-breakfast!”

  We all jump when she slams her door.

  I turn toward Ty, who’s now guzzling orange juice straight from the jug out of the fridge. “Dude.”

  He wipes his mouth and offers us the jug, unfazed by the earthquake Emma just caused. “Oh, you guys want some?”

  I roll my eyes, unable to control the maniac.

  I need to warn Emma against him if what I saw in his eyes was lust.

  She would not be able to handle him, and it would not end well.

  But instead of getting involved, I do myself a favor and haul Kendall back into the bedroom to finish what we started.

  Chapter 58

  Kendall

  I try to check on Emma, but she’s already in the shower.

  Rolling my eyes in Ty’s direction in the kitchen, I open the door to my room and crawl back into bed with Sebastian. He nuzzles my neck, ready to pick up where we left off before Emma and Ty’s scuffle. But I have other thoughts on my mind, ready to burst if I don’t talk to him. And in the name of being open with each other, I have to ask him. “So, when am I going to meet your mom? You’ve met my whole family. I’d like to meet yours.”

  He told me about their strained relationship, how they haven’t spoken in two months. Not since she tried making him attend his whore of an ex’s wedding to his uncle. But me reconciling with my family has me feeling like I could do more to help him with his situation.

  I don’t expect him to forgive and forget with his uncle anytime soon, if ever, but his mom is all he has now. I wouldn’t be a good girlfriend if I didn’t meddle.

  Which is what I tell him, making him back up and chuckle.

  “I know you want to help, and I appreciate your big heart.” He turns me to face him and holds both my hands up to his chin. “But that’s not going to happen for a long, long time. If ever. She’s not very nice, so I’m doing you a favor.”

  “But she’s your mom. She’s part of what makes you you.” I pout, but he only takes my bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger, nostrils flaring.

  His voice is low and barely audible when he says, “Not falling for it.” He looks up from my lips. “We’ll probably be married way before you meet her.”

  I laugh. “We haven’t even said ‘I love you’ yet, but sure, let’s talk marriage.”

  He grows serious, but he beams toward me. “I haven’t said that to you yet? I feel like I did.”

  I match his smile and shake my head from side to side. “No.”

  “Must’ve just been in my subconscious since I met you, and you refused to dance with me.”

  I shrug. “Have to have something to tell the grandchildren.”

  “So we’ll have kids someday?” His smile falters, not because he doesn’t look excited but because he wants a serious answer from me.

  And the truth is, two months ago, talk of marriage and kids would’ve freaked me out. Like sent me running to Hollywood Hills and hiding behind the giant H.

  But things have been going well with Sebastian—really well. My Instagram has picked up since meeting Samantha. I’ve even run into her once again a few days ago and had another great workout together.

  I’ve even made good use of my collection of pictures on my phone, mixed in with the not-so-glamorous ones of my cheeks puffed out while doing squats. People seem to enjoy both kinds of posts, and my following is growing every day.

  I’ve had positive responses, and the negative ones haven’t bothered me as badly as I thought they would’ve.

  Maybe it’s because I have Emma and Sebastian to lean on. Lauren too. She called yesterday to gripe about one of the negative comments, and I appreciated her “wanting to slash their tires” for calling me unoriginal.

  My friends and family loving me for who I am makes those nasty comments bearable. They help me focus more on the positive ones, the ones that reflect the good I’m doing by being transparent with other people who are insecure about themselves.

  Some of my old classmates have even reached out to thank me for sharing my journey, that it’s helped them make their health a priority too.

  Sebastian broke ground on the hotel. I was in awe when we visited the site last week. It’s going to be a nice boutique hotel in an amazing location. From what he told me, he had to fight to outbid the others interested in the lot, but with Leo’s help, they made it happen.

  I couldn’t be prouder.

  Smiling, I snuggle closer to him. With Lauren married and having a baby, I’ve warmed up to the idea of marriage. She always talks about the glories of both, and I think it’s because Rhett is the right person for her to be enjoying the journey with.

  Sebastian feels like mine.

  With his goofy grin and smoldering eyes, I could get used to all of him.

  But I can’t tell him that. Not first, anyway. I need him to take the plunge first.

  Or…

  An idea hits me.

  “Yes, but first things first.” I pause with my hands in his like we’re at the altar already, the pillow acting as the minister. “We say it at the same time.”

  He nods in understanding, another reason we’re good together. Not just anyone can read me as he can, and vice versa. “On three.” He counts down, mouthing the numbers to me, barely able to contain the excitement rolling off him and swirling around us in a cocoon of happiness.

  On three, we both say, “I love you,” and smile at each other like we spent the last hour getting high and now have the munchies.

  We’re hungry for one thing, at least.

  Sebastian slowly peels my clothes off me, his fingertips grazing my bare skin. We hold each other’s gaze, unable to look away as we strip the barriers between us.

  Facing each other, free of our clothes, we simply exist. Exist in our love and attraction for each other.

  He tentatively grazes my cheek with his rough hands, and I close my eyes, letting myself feel everything he gives me. I part my lips, needing him like I’ve never needed anything else. Needing this moment, where the world stops just for us.

  Before long, he has me pinned beneath him on the bed. Cupping my breasts in each of his hands, he slides inside me with slow, sensual movements. He lights me on fire as he kisses me and whispers he loves me with every thrust.

  “I love you, Kendall Gray.”

  Thrust.

  “You are my everything.”

  Thrust.

  The words and feeling of him all warm me. I’m content and bursting with joy as we move in sync. He’s everywhere, clouding my senses, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Not with this man I love. A man who fought for me because he saw beauty in me—something not many people stick around long enough to uncover. Even though I pushed him away, made it as difficult as possible to let him close to me, he stayed. He fought. He loved me, anyway.

  And when we fall off the cliff together, we watch each other, admiring the unfiltered love between us as our light shines as one.

  Epilogue

  Seven months later…

  Sebastian

  I run my hands down my crisp button-up shirt. Ty said it was the right choice for tonight. White shirt with gray slacks and matching jacket—classy but not too aging.

  He forgot to mention hot as fuck.

  This thing traps heat and kills me slowly. Or maybe it’s because it’s LA, and even during the winter, it’s not really winter.

  Even so, it also has to do with the fact that I’m about to change our lives forever tonight.

  Hopefully.

  I gulp, using the paper with my speech on it to fan myself. Then Ty shows up, slapping me on the back. I shoul
dn’t be startled—it’s his signature move—but my nerves are unpredictable at the moment.

  “Ready, man?”

  I don’t move. I don’t say anything. All I can hear is my breathing. All I can smell is the faint salty scent of the ocean close by. That and Ty’s cologne. That snaps me out of it. “Dude, did you swim in a pool of cologne? What is that?” I cover my face with my hand, the other still fanning us.

  He shrugs, pulling at his collar. “Waitress and I got a little handsy in the liquor closet. Had to use my backup cologne to cover up her pussy on me. You know my backup is shit.”

  I blink several times, mostly angry that my staff is already wandering on such an important night. And the fact that I thought Ty and Emma would be together by now. Their constant flirting hasn’t gone unnoticed, but they deny any attraction to the other anytime it’s mentioned.

  Ty’s the only one who knows what I have planned for the hotel’s grand opening. That in itself has me near tears, but I’m more nervous about Kendall.

  Ty sniffs his red button-up, pulling it through his dark gray vest, then smooths it back down. “You ready?” His hands move to his hips, and he looks toward the door. “Party’s in there.”

  I gaze back out at the ocean in front of me, much like I had the night in San Francisco after I left Kendall. After I almost ruined my chances with her.

  How she pushed me away for weeks after I tried to make it right with her.

  I clutch my chest, though not out of anguish, not this time. It’s only been full—happy—since I showed up at Kendall’s apartment to win her back.

  Her Instagram took off after she finally met that Serena girl—I mean Samantha. Oops. Glad she can’t hear my fumble. Kicking a small rock, I chuckle at the scowl she would’ve made had she heard me.

  Since then, she’s gotten some momentum going, growing her influence. She’s an affiliate for a couple of apparel companies, marketing their gym clothes to her followers. And she’s entered a contest by a major supplement company for a sponsorship. We’re still waiting for her big break, the industry not easy to get into, but we hope to hear good news from the contest soon.