Page 57 of Fifty
“I won’t go into detail, but things didn’t turn out as dreamy as I had imagined. The first few months felt like a vacation, but then I had to face the real world. I didn’t want to stay, but I had left on such a bad note that I thought my parents would be angry, and he told me that there was no way they’d ever let me come back home. I had nowhere else to go, or at least that’s what I thought. So, I stayed, too afraid to leave. I had suspicions that he had been cheating for a while, and then I caught him in the act. After that, I finally felt strong enough to go out on my own,” I admit. I fill my lungs and push out another cleansing breath, knowing that I’m getting close to the end.
“And that’s when I came to Rock Hill. I met Gloria and Dave at the diner and they helped me out. But the job at the diner just wasn’t enough to cover my rent, even at that shitty studio apartment. I met Kandi in the laundry room. She took one look at me and told me I could make a killing at the Foxx DDen if I had any dance experience. I decided to check it out and I was shocked, to say the least. Even in the years I had been away from home, I had never set foot inside a strip club. And the stripping was never easy. The music and the choreography came easy, but the act of actually taking off my clothes felt like an out of body experience. It was the money that kept me going back. Then I met you, and it gave me a reason to stop. I’m sorry that I never told you,” I tell him before finally stopping.
“I’m sorry too. Sorry I let my fucking pride stop me from talking to you sooner. I was so angry and I took it all out on you, and I never even tried to listen to what you were trying to say,” his deep voice touches me.
“But you’re listening now,” I offer him forgiveness. His hand lifts, holding my cheek and the contact has my heart racing.
“I fell into the darkness without you. I was a fucking shell. But being here, being near you and seeing you, I feel alive. I feel whole again,” his words fill my ears as he stares deeply into my eyes.
“Does this mean you forgive me?” I whisper.
“The real question, darlin’, is can you forgive me?” he says and I bite my lip to keep it from trembling as a glassy coating grows, tingling my eyes.
Thirty-Six
Fifty
Her soft full lips are on mine without another word spoken. My tongue pushes through, exploring the soft warmth as her mouth moves slowly with mine. A low groan vibrates from my chest as I give in.
I move forward, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her into my chest. She releases a muffled giggle into my mouth and it only fuels my desire to have her. My lips move from hers, kissing a long trail down her neck. Her shallow breaths fill my ears as I make my way down to her collar bone. I run my tongue over her skin and my cock is instantly rigid, pulsing in my jeans. One tiny fucking taste and I’m already feeling like a man possessed.
“Let’s go into the bedroom,” her breathy whisper hits me and I can’t believe my ears. This better be real and not another fuckin’ dream. If I wake up sweaty and hard and alone in my own bed, I’m going to lose my shit.
“Are you sure?” I ask, not wanting her to feel pressured.
“I’m positive,” she stands from the couch, holding her hand out for me to take.
???
I notice her bed as soon as I step into the bedroom. It’s new, and bigger. It looks like a king, and she’s got a pile of pillows sitting on top of the blankets. She turns, facing me and her hands lift to my shoulders.
My hands move to her waist, feeling the smooth curves of her skin against my palms. The image of her body moving in the dance studio returns to my mind, and my dick twitches.
“Are you sure you want to do this tonight?” I ask again, fighting my own urges.
“I do,” she answers, chewing lightly on her bottom lip, and I can tell that she’s holding something back.
“But…” I prompt.
“I have one condition,” she starts and I feel my eyebrows lift. “I don’t want to share,” she smirks and a deep laugh breaks from my chest.
“Damn, darlin’. You actually had me nervous for a second,” I grin back. She’s got nothing to worry about because there is no way in hell that I intend to share anything. I’m hers and she’s mine and that’s all there is to it.
“Alright, no sharing,” I playfully agree, once again wrapping my arms around her. This time I lift her from the floor and she squeals out in laughter as I drop her softly on the large waiting bed.
God damn, she is perfection.
I knew I missed her, but admitting just how much had been out of the fucking question. It had been easier to push the memories away and try to pretend she never existed. But now, being here with her, everything feels right again. A fresh wave of warmth spreads through my chest, practically choking me as it hits me.
I fucking love this woman.
And tonight, she’ll know it.
I move forward, letting my fingers curl under the top of her soft sweats and she pulls a sharp breath through her teeth. The sound has me fucking buzzing. I was already hard, but now I’m solid as a God damn rock.
I give a quick pull, stripping them completely from her body. My eyes widen and my body vibrates in anticipation as I watch her sit up and pull her sports bra up and over her head. Her ample chest now bare before me.
“God damn, sweetheart. You are so fucking sexy,” my words are raspy and full of want as I fumble to remove my own clothes, trying my damnedest to look smooth and confident. As my hands grip the fabric, a sudden realization smacks me right in the fucking face. I don’t have any protection with me.