When We Break

by E. L. Todd

  She cringed like that didn’t sound appetizing.

  “But we can go somewhere else…” The conversation normally flowed with Dee but now it was tense and awkward. Did being on a date really change everything? “Anything you want, we can make it happen. There’s Italian, Chinese—”

  She grabbed my jacket then pulled my lips to hers in an unexpected embrace. Our mouths collided and she immediately took the lead. Her lips were soft and full of gentle passion. Her aggression was in her restraint, not her forwardness. She slowly broke apart from me, her eyes full of the same ground-shaking chemistry that I felt. “I’m nervous too.”

  I allowed her to pull away even though I didn’t want to. I wanted to speak but my voice was caught in my throat. I cleared it then managed to find the right words. “Well…you definitely broke the ice.”

  She smiled then tucked her hair behind her ear. “How about we get Mega Shake then set on my roof and look out at the city?”

  That sounded awesome. “Yeah…that sounds cool.”

  “I’m not really a hoity-toity restaurant kind of girl.”

  “Neither am I.”

  “Then shall we?” She stepped toward the hallway.

  I smiled before I walked beside her. “We shall.”

  ***

  We got the food then sat on the roof. We had our burgers and shakes, and we stared out across the city. The lights burned bright and twinkled like they were on fire. The sound of the traffic was muted at this height. It was a bit chilly but Dee brought a jacket. We sat together and enjoyed the view.

  “Much better than a French restaurant,” I whispered.

  “Right?” she asked. “Now we don’t have to awkwardly stare at each other across the table and feel uncomfortable the entire time like every other first date.”

  I smiled. “Well, you have a point.”

  She continued to stare at the city.

  “But I definitely wouldn’t mind looking at you.” I turned her way and stared at the side profile of her face.

  She turned my way, fearless.

  “I’m really glad Slade asked us out.”

  She released a laugh from deep in her throat. “Me too. He makes an excellent cupid.”

  I leaned closer to her, thinking about the kiss we already shared. “So…you don’t think I’m a pussy for not asking you out myself?”

  “No.”

  “So, I can ask you out again?”

  “Why don’t you just ask me instead of being a pussy?”

  Now it was my turn to laugh. “I’m all man, sweetheart.”

  “Yeah?” She leaned closer to me. “Prove it.”

  “You want some of my moves?”

  “Yep.”

  I leaned my face toward hers but didn’t kiss her. Instead I stared at her lips. I held the position so long she started to fidget. Then my hand gently cupped her face and I pulled her hair from her cheek. I made her squirm in anticipation and she knew it. Then I leaned in but still didn’t kiss her. Instead, I brushed my lips past hers in a teasing way. Her lips automatically opened like she wanted me, but I still made her wait. “Still think I’m a pussy?”

  “Ooh…good dirty talk.”

  I chuckled then pressed my lips to hers.

  Man, it felt good.

  Her lips were soft and full, and I loved feeling them against mine. I didn’t give her any tongue because I was satisfied with what we had. Just feeling her lips was enough. My hand dug into her hair and I felt the softness. Her fingers moved to my neck and I felt the calloused skin of her fingertips. She sucked my bottom lip before she gave me her small tongue.

  My spine wiggled.

  I gripped her more possessively as the kiss lingered on. The affection she gave me was explosive and powerful. I loved every second of it. When I felt myself get carried away, I managed to back off. I wasn’t sure what I wanted before we went on this date, but now I knew I wanted a second one. That wouldn’t happen if things happened too fast.

  Her lips were still parted when I pulled away. “So…?” I tried to think of something to ask her. I’d known her for months so I already knew her pretty well. I was drawing a blank.

  “So what?” she asked.

  “What’s your favorite color?” Damn, that was lame.

  “Do you really want to know?”

  “Why would I ask if I didn’t?”

  “Or would you rather keep kissing me? Because I know I want to kiss you.” She pressed her fingertip to my lips.

  “I just don’t want to rush into anything.”

  “It’s not rushing. You know what I believe?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You should always live in the moment, not the past or the future. Otherwise, you’ll only know it as a memory.” She tilted her head to the side as she regarded me.

  “You really are a musician.”

  She didn’t laugh. She didn’t even smile. “Theo, if you want to kiss me then kiss me. I feel like we’ve known each other long enough. Now we’re exploring each other physically.” Her long, black hair hung over one shoulder.

  “Sometimes when you rush into things—”

  She grabbed my face and kissed me again.

  That shut me up.

  We eventually lay back on the blanket, my body leaning over hers. We made out on the rooftop under a starry sky. The world seemed to fade away around us. The stars didn’t shine as bright and the city was finally quiet.

  “I’m a little cold,” she said between kisses. “Are you?”

  “You want my jacket?”

  “No.” She paused our kiss. “Let’s go back to my place.”

  Did she mean what I think she meant?

  Dee read my mind. “Live in the moment, Theo. Stop thinking. You do it far too much.”

  She told me to stop thinking.

  So I did.

  ***

  When she was naked on the bed, I saw the ink on her body. Along her ribs were lyrics from a Foo Fighter song, and her belly button was pierced. A tiger’s face was inked over her hip.

  She was beautiful.

  I never had a particular thing for chicks with ink but now I did. I understood what Slade was talking about. Instead of thinking about it, I just went for it. My face moved between her legs and I found her clit piercing. I kissed the area then circled her nub with my tongue. She groaned like she enjoyed it.

  After I spent a few minutes between her legs, she yanked my jeans and boxers off. Then she pulled me on top of her. “Have you ever gotten head from a girl with a tongue piercing?”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat.

  Dee rolled me to my back then moved on top of me. Her mouth immediately took me in and the metallic ball attached to her tongue slid across the base of my dick.

  Head was already good, but a tongue piercing just made it amazing.

  When Dee reached my head she rubbed the ball against the tip before she kept going. She knew how to use her piercing without getting it caught on anything. And she knew how to make it feel good against my cock.

  I wanted another date after this but Dee told me to live in the moment. Instead of protesting that we should wait I just let it run its course. I wanted her—very much. She looked sexy as hell with all that ink.

  She fished a condom out of her nightstand then rolled it down my base with the precision of someone who did it for a living. Then she straddled my hips and pointed the tip at her entrance.

  My hands squeezed her tits and pinched her nipples. I was eager to be inside her, to feel her tightness.

  She grabbed one hand and moved it between her legs. “Touch my piercing.”

  Nothing was hotter than a woman saying exactly what she wanted. Dee knew her body well because she explored herself, and she understood what got her off. The fact she was open about it was sexy.

  I rubbed her clitoris and slightly touched her piercing, stimulating her the way she wanted.

  She slid down the base of my cock until she completely sheathed me.

  Fuck
, this was hot.

  She gripped both of her ass cheeks and spread them apart, making herself wider and giving me more room.

  Oh shit.

  She bounced on my dick and flipped her hair everywhere. The subtle noises she made were sexy. The fact they weren’t over-the-top screams made them better. They were real and true. She rocked her hips as she took in my dick repeatedly.

  This was amazing.

  I rubbed her clitoris harder until she started to writhe on my lap. She slowed down her pace and breathed hard, her moans becoming louder and more prominent. Then she gripped my hips and hung on as she came loudly and all over my dick.

  That was hot.

  The moment passed and she caught her breath. Stars were in her eyes like she couldn’t see straight.

  I rolled her to her back then pinned her against the bed. Her feet were near my head and I pinned her down to the mattress. Then I thrust inside her hard, feeling her tightness and warmth.

  She dug her nails into my forearms and moaned as I pounded into her. Her tits jiggled in my face, her nipples hard.

  I didn’t last long before I fell apart. I came undone and filled the plastic tip of the condom. It was such a strong orgasm and it seemed to stretch on forever. When I was finished I leaned down and kissed her, tasting the salt on her lips. Then I pulled out and cleaned up.

  I assumed I was staying there tonight so I got back into bed and snuggled with her. “I really hope that wasn’t a one-night stand. Because I want to see you again.”

  “Why would it be a one-night stand?”

  “It certainly wasn’t a date.”

  She turned my way and draped her leg over my hip. “Why can’t people have sex on the first date? Why do there have to be rules for that? We both felt something and acted on it. And I don’t have any regrets.”

  Dee was cool in a hippy-like way. “I see your point.”

  “And it’s not like we haven’t been dancing around each other for the past few months.”

  I was definitely dancing.

  “But there’s something I want to know…” Her fingers moved down my chest.

  “What?”

  “Did you think about your ex?”

  Alex? She hadn’t crossed my mind. My eyebrows furrowed in misunderstanding. “No…why?”

  “Then you’re over her?”

  “I guess…” I hadn’t realized I stopped thinking about her. Every day she came into my mind in one way or another. I told myself to stop thinking about her. She stopped thinking about me. And then one day…I just stopped. And I didn’t even notice.

  Dee watched my face.

  “I can’t remember the last time I thought about her…”

  A small smile spread across her lips. “Good. Then you can definitely take me on a second date.”

  “You mean a real date?” My arm hooked around her waist and I pulled her closer to me.

  “Dates are overrated. Hanging out is more fun.”

  “I guess.”

  “Do you think Trinity and Slade go on dates?”

  “Well, they’re married. That’s a little different.”

  “No, every day is a date to them. But they don’t do dinner and cliché things. They spend time together, just the two of them.”

  The thought of Slade made me chuckle. “Your adoptive brother is gonna kick my ass when he hears about this.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Slade isn’t involved in my sex life.”

  “But he’ll ask me about it.”

  “Tell him you rocked my world and made my toes curl.”

  She loved my performance—excellent. “Your ink is really hot. I’ve never been a girl with so many tattoos before.”

  “You’d look good in ink.” She felt my bicep. “Something with a falcon…”

  “I’ve never thought about it.”

  “Well, you should.”

  “I’ll consider it…to keep your around.”

  “You’re a sweet guy. That’s why I stick around.” She kissed the corner of my mouth in a slow and tantalizing way.

  My dick hardened all over again. “Hand me a condom.”

  She giggled then retrieved one from her nightstand. “I like your thinking.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sean

  I kept hoping all of this was just a bad dream.

  It was the worst thing that could have possibly happened.

  My daughter asked for my help but I couldn’t give it to her.

  I failed my child.

  I was a ghost of what I used to be. If my child was sad, I was depressed. All I could feel was the coursing pain throughout my entire body. My whole purpose in life was to make my family happy.

  But I fucked that up.

  Scarlet lay beside me in bed and rubbed my back. It was the early afternoon but I didn’t feel like watching TV or reading. Scarlet and I usually took a walk on the beach but I didn’t feel like doing that either.

  I didn’t feel like doing anything.

  Scarlet grabbed my arm and gently rolled me to my back. She moved close to me, her warm skin near mine. “Sean?” She leaned over me and her soft strands of hair kissed my skin.

  “Hmm?” I stared at the ceiling.

  “Don’t beat yourself up over this.”

  “Our daughter is going through the most difficult time of her life. Can you really blame me for feeling like shit?”

  “Not at all. But you aren’t responsible for her pain either.”

  “I should have convinced her Cayson was innocent the second I found out about it. I should have just known. But I believed that letter just the way she did.”

  “It’s not your fault, Sean.”

  “Look…I fix things. That’s my purpose in this family. I fixed Roland and Heath and now I need to fix Skye and Cayson. But I can’t…Cayson isn’t himself.”

  “Cayson will go back to her. Just let him deal with his anger in his own way.”

  “But I don’t think he will.”

  “I do.”

  “Why?” I finally made eye contact with her.

  “Because I know how much he loves our daughter. When the anger passes, only love will be left. And he’ll realize how empty his existence is without her by his side.”

  “But how long will that take? He’ll probably divorce her in the meantime.”

  “Just have faith, Sean.”

  I wasn’t the type to sit around and just wait for a miracle to happen. I had to get my hands dirty in order to move mountains. But there was no trick up my sleeve. There was no way I could convince Cayson. My relationship with him was ruined because I was stupid. “Baby?”

  “Hmm?” She kissed the center of my chest, wordlessly telling me she loved me.

  “Can you talk to him?”

  “Me?” She pulled away. “Why me?”

  “Everyone listens to you.”

  She released a quiet laugh. “You never listen to me.”

  “Yes, I do,” I said firmly. “Try talking to him.”

  “What makes you think I’ll have any influence?”

  “Because you didn’t believe he did it. You had doubts.”

  She shrugged. “That won’t be enough, Sean.”

  “Just…please. For Skye.”

  “You know I would do anything for her. But I honestly think pestering Cayson is only going to make it worse. Let him calm down and understand what his life will be like without her. Then he’ll come around.”

  “I don’t have time for that…at least talk to Cortland.”

  “He’s your friend too, you know.”

  I shook my head. “He’s mad at me for not believing Cayson. Not really mad…just disappointed. You guys have always been two peas in a pod. Talk to him for me. He can make Cayson see reason.”

  She bowed her head in doubt.

  “Scarlet, please.”

  “I can try but I really don’t think it’ll make a difference.”

  “Just try. Do that for our daughter.”

  “I’d g
o to hell for that girl. And I think infiltrating Cayson’s inner circle will only make him more upset. But if you really want me to, I will.”

  “Thank you.”

  She moved further up my chest. “Now…be with me.” She crawled on top of me.

  “I’m not really in the mood…” I hardly said that to her. My wife was a very desirable woman, and making love to her was spiritual more than physical. We’d been together for over twenty years but the sex never felt stale. Love was responsible for that. Never once did I fantasize about having someone else, even if it was a short-term affair. Scarlet was all I ever wanted. My body only reacted to her because it was made for her. But my heart was broken at the moment.

  “You haven’t been in the mood for over a week.”

  “And I suspect I won’t be for a long time.”

  “Sean Preston, have some faith. Love will always find a way.”

  “Not everyone are soul mates like you and I.”

  “No…but I think Skye and Cayson are. And they’ll work it out, Sean. Whether they do or not shouldn’t affect us. Now make love to your wife. She’s getting very anxious…” She straddled my hips and pulled her hair over one shoulder.

  I stared at her big tits and felt my cock start to come to life.

  “I need a distraction.” She rubbed my chest. “That’s what I do when I’m upset. Now distract me.”

  I still wasn’t fired up like I normally was. The melancholy weighed on my heart like an anchor. But I felt like a shitty husband for not being there for my wife. Only a broken heart could kill my mojo, especially when my wife was the most beautiful woman on the planet. And she had the nicest legs. I tried to focus my thoughts on her so I could be what she needed.

  She rocked her hips slowly and felt my dick grow through my boxers. “There he is…”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Scarlet

  I entered the building then rode the elevator to the second to the top floor. Cortland worked in the IT department, so he didn’t share the same area as the infamous Prestons. I didn’t tell Sean when I was coming, or even what day, but he somehow knew I was there.

  My phone lit up with a text message. Stop by before you leave.

  Seriously, how did he know?

  He didn’t have a GPS on me or my car so I couldn’t figure it out. And he didn’t check the cameras in the building. Sometimes I wondered if Sean should have pursued a career with the CIA instead.