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~Dixon~
MY HAND WARMED CORA’S back as we walked into Jake’s. She was still in a daze from whatever happened at the office. I’d found her in the lobby of the corporate offices, taking shaky breaths and swaying on her heels.
“Come on. Wendy’s waiting.” My words rumbled in her ear, and I directed her to the back wall.
“I—wait—what? I didn’t call her, did I?” She looked back at me.
“No. I figured you needed some extra support, so I checked with Wendy to see if we could all meet up and figure out what’s going on. Or at least hear from you what’s going on.”
Wendy was waving and getting out of the booth as we were talking. She grabbed Cora in a big hug. “What the hell is going on? Dixon called and said your father is selling your grandmother’s house? Is that right?” She pulled back and looked her in the eye.
“Yeah. It’s been a hell of a day.” Cora dropped her head and sighed. “I still can’t believe it. I mean, he’s been overprotective since Mom died, but this...I don’t know. I can’t get through to him. He insists that I either live by his rules, under his roof, or I was out—out of the apartment and out of the business. Oh, he’d ‘let’ me marry Mark, but other than that, it’s his way or the highway. So now I have no job and no apartment.”
She looked up. “Oh God. I have no apartment! Where am I going to go?”
Wendy answered immediately. “My place. It’s small, but we’ll make it work. When do you want to pack up your stuff? How quick is your father going to shut you out?” She nibbled on a fingertip. “And what should we do with your stuff? It won’t all fit in my apartment—we’ll need to get a storage unit. First thing tomorrow. And I’ll take the day off—help you get out of the penthouse and settled at my place.”
She looked at me. “Time for those muscles to be of use, Dixon. You can help, right?”
Wendy’s question circled in my brain. Of course I’d help Cora any way I could: lifting boxes, moving furniture, a shoulder to cry on...arms to hold her with...lips to kiss.
I shook myself out of my daydream. There’d be time for that later. Right now, Cora needed reassurance that everything would work out. Even though I had no idea how. But first steps included a beer, some wings...a salad...and hearing what Cora’s father said to her. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as she thought. Maybe there was some way to stop the sale of the house.
“Of course. So let’s get started with some strategy. Tell us what your father said and let’s figure this thing out.”
We all sat at the table and listened to Cora’s retelling of her conversation with her father. It was as awful as she made it out to be. Not only had he shattered her dream by selling her grandmother’s house out from under her, he’d also shut her out of the family business when she tried to stand up for herself. When he kicked her out of the penthouse, too, he put the final nail in the coffin in his relationship with Cora. Damn.
I could relate to getting shut down by someone who should have been on your side. When I was a kid, I had Jake to prop me up whenever his father cut me down. Cora didn’t have that kind of support. Except from Wendy—and now me, too.
“Well, I can’t say I’m too surprised, Cora. Your dad has always been domineering whenever it comes to you. But now we’ll get to be roomies, like back in college. Although this time, no third roommate.” Wendy smiled at Cora, and the two let out a small laugh.
Cora turned to me. “When Wendy and I roomed together at Cornell, we had a third roommate who played the tuba for the marching band. A wild Friday night for her was practicing her field maneuvers with a few other marching band geeks...marching every square inch of the dorm room and then up and down the hall, tooting her horn. Needless to say, we tried to be anywhere but our room on Friday nights.”
“Sounds like a fun time. Does that mean that I shouldn’t break out my accordion and bust out a polka for you?” I grinned back at Cora, happy to see the smile on her face at my teasing.
“Accordion? Yeah, that’s a hard pass, Dixon.” Wendy laughed.
“Okay, no accordion serenades outside your window. Noted. But, now, seriously...what’s the plan? You need to move out right away, right? You’ll need to find a storage place, and then we’ll need to get your essentials to Wendy’s. How far away are you from the hotel, Wendy?” I took a sip of the beer that had arrived, although we were still waiting on the food to show up.
Right then, Shayla came over with the wings and another round of drinks. “Jake says you guys look like you need another round. Here you go.” She looked at Cora. “You all right, honey? When you first came in, you looked so upset. I see that Dixon here has worked his magic and you’re looking better. He wasn’t the reason you were unhappy in the first place, was he? Men can be idiots.” Shayla moved her gaze to me, a sharp-eyed look to put me in my place—and then one in Jake’s direction.
Cora jumped in. “No, it wasn’t Dixon. I’m having some issues with my dad, and plans I thought I had are kind of up in the air right now. Dixon and Wendy are helping me figure things out. I don’t know where I’d be without them right now.”
A warmth of satisfaction flowed over me, and I reached out to grab hers. “Anytime, jelly bean. Anything to help.” Without a second thought, I leaned over to give her a kiss. It was supposed to be a quick peck on the lips, but when we touched, that zipping-zapping spark shot off and I couldn’t resist taking the kiss deeper, wilder.
Wendy cleared her throat. “You know, there are other people here.”
The teasing in her tone was enough to have me pulling back. “Sorry. Not sorry. But I’ll try to contain myself in public...just for you, Wendy.” I teased her right back, grateful Cora had such a friend in Wendy. “And yes, Shayla, you can tell Jake that I’m behaving myself...mostly. And thanks for the drinks.” I raised the glass in her direction.
“Sure thing. But, Cora, you let me know if this guy treats you bad. Between me and Jake, we’ll straighten him out. Don’t you worry about that.”
Cora leaned over to look more directly at Shayla. “Thanks, but I don’t think Dixon needs any straightening out. He’s just fine the way he is.” She winked.
Shayla headed back to the bar—either to pick up her next round of drinks or to report to Jake...maybe both—and we got back to our conversation.
By the time we finished the food, we had a plan. We’d get a storage place in the morning, spend the late morning and afternoon packing Cora’s place up, get everything over to Wendy’s that Cora needed for the immediate future, and anything left—including furniture—would go over to the storage unit. I texted Ryan, and he agreed to help move the heavy stuff with me, so neither of the women would need to worry about that. He also said he’d work it out with George to take the day off, so that was all set, too.
Wendy left, winding her way through the bar until she got to the door. She looked back at us and waved once more. We waved back and then stared at each other.
“Well, you ready to head back to your place for your last night there?” I intertwined my fingers with hers, lightly rubbing her palm with my thumb.
“Yeah, I guess so. It’s so weird to think about. I mean, I’ve been there since college and it’s really become my home. On the bright side, though, I won’t have to worry about who’s watching me come and go and then reporting it to my father.” She tightened her grip. “And my overnight guests will no longer be subject to scrutiny from afar, either.”
“Wait—what? Someone tells your father every time someone spends the night?” I was consumed with the thoughts of other men in her apartment overnight, and I wasn’t liking the road that was taking me down. I wasn’t one to be jealous, but that nasty green-eyed monster was taunting me with the idea of a rotating circle of men going through her door.
Not that I had any room to point fingers. I’d never been much for relationships, and my door had plenty of action over the years. The steadiest relationship I’d ever had—outside of Jake—was with Ryan, not a romantic one.
“No. Well, maybe. It’s not like there’s ever been a line of men going in and out. It’s just that he always seemed to know when anyone came by my place, even if it was Wendy spending the night after we’d gone out for drinks and then came home to commiserate about the lack of men in our lives. And now I won’t hear those ‘what were you doing’ comments from him.” She sobered. “I’m not sure I’ll be hearing anything at all from him. He’s never been one to just call and chat. We mostly talked at work, and it was almost always about work. Unless he was bothering me about Mark. And trust me, I’ll be happy not to have to have those conversations anymore.”
I lifted her chin. “Well, I’m happy you won’t have to have those conversations, either. And I hope I’ll be the only man coming in and out of your door.” The words flew out of my mouth before my brain could stop them. I meant them, but I sure didn’t mean to say them out loud.
Cora leaned into me, a breath away. “It’s just you, Dixon. Just you.” And then there was no space between us. Her kiss was fierce, and there was no way I wasn’t going to respond the same way.
We stood there...could have been a minute, could have been an hour...lost in each other. Someone jostled into my back, disrupting the moment and bringing me back to reality.
“Sorry, dude.” The guy who’d bumped into me offered his apology and continued on his way to the table behind ours.
“Well, I guess we should get going. My apartment won’t pack itself, and if I get a head start tonight, it won’t be so much for tomorrow. And I feel like tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
––––––––
WE GOT TO CORA’S PLACE. By the look on her face, the reality of the situation was sinking in. In the space of hours, she’d lost her business dream, the connection to her grandmother, any chance for a relationship with her father, her home, and her job. If I’d been in her shoes, I don’t think I would have been holding it together as well as she was.
“Well, might as well start thinking about what’s going and what stays as company property. Don’t want to have my father after me for illegally taking the TV or something.” Cora choked out a sad, gasping laugh.
“Where do you want to start? Maybe the main rooms will be easier to go through. Most of the big stuff isn’t yours, is it?” I walked toward the kitchenette area. “Did it come furnished with the pots and pans and stuff? Or did you buy some on your own?” I opened the cabinets to inspect the quantity of items hiding in them. It didn’t seem too packed, so if she had bought them, it shouldn’t take more than a few boxes for it all.
“It’s a bit of both, I guess. I found some stuff I liked at some tag sales and added to what was already here, so there’s not a lot in the kitchenette. But definitely the teapot.” She picked up the ceramic pot decorated with blue flowers of some sort.
We worked quickly, sorting between hotel and personal equipment. Eventually we had a small pile on the counter—about four boxes’ worth of stuff, I figured.
“Hey, where are you thinking you’ll even find boxes at the last minute? I know this isn’t much, but there’s bound to be more in the next few rooms you need to box up, right?” I watched Cora as she stared at the pile.
Absentmindedly, she said, “Oh, they have plenty of boxes down in housekeeping. I’m sure I can get some there. Or maybe Benny in maintenance. He’s always been pretty helpful when I need something like that.” She nibbled on a fingertip, and I was riveted by the way her lips wrapped around her finger.
If I didn’t get my mind out of the gutter, there’d be no more packing tonight. Although, a little distraction wouldn’t hurt. I stepped closer to her. “I am so sorry, Cora. I know this isn’t how you wanted things to go.” I wrapped my arms around her, drawing her in closer. I could smell that beautiful spring scent of hers, and I wanted to get lost in the promise of that spring day, with the sun of her smiling face warming my heart. Somehow, my dirty mind and hurting heart joined forces, and the gentle kiss I’d planned on morphed into the over-the-top, passion-filled kiss that had my heart ready to burst from my chest.
Cora put her hands on my chest, burning through the thin fabric of my shirt. As the kiss intensified, they tangled in my hair. Her chest heaved against mine, and I tightened my hold on her, savoring every taste of her in our kiss. My hard cock pressed into her, ready to go at a moment’s notice. Hell, all of me was ready for Cora.
She pulled back from my embrace. Cora lifted the hem of her shirt, and I was faced with the bounty of her bra, holding back her luscious breasts. Then she was right back up against me, kissing me with a fervor about to set me on fire. With gentle nibbles and hot breaths, she worked her way from the base of my neck to my ear. “Dixon, I need you.”
I’d never heard anything sweeter...or hotter. “I need you, too.” I reached for the edge of my T-shirt and tossed it to the floor.
Cora kissed me again, walking backward toward the bedroom and pulling me along.
As if I’d let her go now...
Once the backs of her legs hit the bed and stopped her momentum, our kiss broke off and she met my gaze. A soft smile came over her face. “You’re on my turf now, Cub Scout.” She sat on the edge of the bed and unbuckled my belt. She sank her hands between my underwear and skin, and shimmied them to free my rock-hard cock from the confines of the fabric. Cora lowered her head; her silky lips covered the head and her sweet tongue lapped up the drop of pre-cum.
“Oh...” Not the most intelligent response, but it was all my brain could manage as all the blood rushed to that one point of my body. “Oh, God, Cora.” The suction of her lips over my length overwhelmed me, and I sagged toward her. “So good. So, so good.” I reached for her head and guided her as she continued to suck and lick.
Cora hummed her response, and the vibration was pure ecstasy. Much more, and I was gonna burst, right into her mouth. The thought alone almost had me at that edge, but I wanted more. More of Cora. More of us, together. I found some strength and pulled away. “Cora. I need to be inside you.” With a slight push on her shoulder, I pressed her down to the bed. I worked at the button of her pants while I toed out of my shoes, and tossed her pants and panties on the floor.
Cora opened her nightstand and pulled out a foil packet. Then she scooted back, giving me room to join her.
I tore open the package and rolled the condom down my length before getting on the bed. I held myself up on my arms, staring into her beautiful eyes. Her black hair fanned out around her, just like in my dreams. I couldn’t resist the vision in front of me and swooped in for another kiss. One that turned into a full-fledged inferno as our bodies rubbed against each other. The movement had my cock right at the edge of her entrance, teasing her with light pressure.
“Oh, Dixon.”
The whisper escaped when I pulled back to look at her again. I couldn’t wait any longer to feel the heat of her pussy, and I notched myself at her opening. With one forceful thrust, I was enveloped in the wet warmth. Heaven could not have felt any better. With a rock of my hips, I had Cora join in my rhythm. We stared at each other, just feeling our bodies move together. Every motion drew me in further, losing myself in that emerald lake of her eyes. A man could drown in them... I willingly would.
Sooner than I expected, her back arched and a low moan tore from her throat. She clenched, and it was more than I could handle. Not able to hold back, I called out, “Cora! Oh God, Cora!” and exploded inside her.
I was careful not to collapse on top of her and rolled off to the side. I grabbed a tissue and wrapped the used condom in it. I pulled her close, her back to my front, and nuzzled her neck. “Cora, baby, that was...I’m not sure there are words. The things you do to me...” I nibbled her earlobe. “I mean, I’ve been with plenty—”
“I’m not looking for your number, Dixon.” Cora interrupted what was probably going to be some stupid shit spilling from my mouth.
Thank God. No need to go there. But...she needed to know that this was unusual for me. More than unusual...unheard of. I’d never been in a monogamous relationship before. It was new territory, and I was sure I’d fuck it up somehow. I didn’t know the rules of how to do this. I knew the rules of one-night stands and hookups.
“Oh, okay. Anyway, I’ve never had a serious relationship with a girl...a woman.” I wet my lips and debated how honest to be. “And...well...I kind of like how this feels.”
Cora brushed her hand over my arm. “I do too, Dixon. More than kind of. I really, really like it.” She climbed into my lap and the heat from her body had my dick thickening.
“I’ve never felt this way before.” My heart was still thundering, but now it wasn’t because of any physical exertion. Nope—it was the feeling of my heart opening after being closed off for so long. “What I mean is—”
Cora stiffened against me.
Shit. Did I fuck this up?