*Downtown Seattle, in one of the fancy high-rise buildings on 8th overlooking the freeway, Chloe led Doug to her apartment. Doug wanted to bolt, but he decided to see where the night led.
He had a feeling she’d put another hole in his heart. Was that enough to stop him? No. Clearly, he hadn’t learned his damned lesson yet.
She stopped to open the door and let him inside. Sleek, modern furniture, colorful art on the walls. The room didn’t feel like her. Not that he knew her now. One more sign this was a really bad idea.
Chloe turned to him, her head cocked to the side. “I moved in a few days ago. The furniture and decorations came with the place.” She rolled her amber eyes. “Sometime soon I’ll be redecorating.”
Nodding, he shrugged. “It’s your place.”
“The current stuff lacks personality.” She walked to the kitchen and pulled out an icepack, then to a drawer with a basic first aid kit.
She looked over her shoulder. “Wash your hands, please.”
Without a word, he walked to the sink and soaped up. He grimaced every time he moved his fingers. His knuckles were sore, definitely bruised, hopefully not busted. He relied on his hands.
After shutting off the water, he dried his hands carefully with the offered towel. As soon as he set it aside, she gently took his right hand and turned it palm down. She probed the bones. “Going to scab up, and bruise, but no breaks.”
“Could’ve been worse.”
She took alcohol swabs and cleaned the still-bleeding knuckles. “You really hit them hard, didn’t you?”
Ignoring the sting, he kept his face stoic. “I suppose. You going to give me a lecture on how I should have been smart like you and called the cops?”
“Nope. Someone needed to do something. I’m glad you aren’t hurt worse.”
She dabbed on some ointment, covered it with loose bandages, and gave him a cold compress. “Go sit. I’ll make some coffee. You still like hazelnut mochas?”
Surprised, he smiled. “You remember?”
“I never forgot anything, Doug. I may have been stupid and walked out when I didn’t want to, but I’ve thought about you every day.”
He frowned, and sat down, facing away. Plopping his elbows on his knees he stared at his hands as he pressed his knuckles into the rigid ice pack. Seeing her brought back everything he’d locked away.
A million questions plagued him. Maybe it was his fault all those years ago. He never told her how he felt until it was too late to change anything. Her plans were always in Rhode Island and he was never leaving Seattle. They were doomed before they ever started.
The whoosh of steaming milk made him smile. The moment he realized he was falling for this girl came back.
To get out of the cold, Doug stepped into Cappa Java. His eyes locked on Chloe Mae and the world stopped. Chopsticks held her red hair in a lopsided bun. A fuzzy charcoal sweater and holey jeans caressed her curves. She chewed on a pen while staring at her notebook.
He couldn’t resist a smile. She’d always been his unobtainable temptation. Her parents were snobs, expecting her to run with all the popular rich kids, but she preferred to hang out with Roxy, Jackie, and Skylar, which meant he saw her often.
His hands itched to reach out and smooth a stray lock of hair behind her ear, maybe run his thumb over her juicy bottom lip before claiming a kiss. He wanted to feel her against his body, taste her lips, explore every delectable inch.
He cut those thoughts off before he had a tent in his pants.
Finally moving his feet, he leaned against the counter. “Whatcha working on?”
His eyes were drawn to her breasts as they rose and fell with her sigh. He had to force his gaze back to hers.
“English,” she grumbled. “Have to write a poem. So, I’m sitting here staring at the paper. Why can’t I be like Roxy and have words come to me?”
His brow arched. “I’ll make you a deal.”
A single corner of her mouth tipped up. “What’s that?”
“Help me study for the chemistry test and I’ll help with the poem.”
Her smile brightened. “You’ll help me write the poem? How do I know you can write one?”
“Because English is my best class. I always ace it. Science is yours. It’s a win-win.”
“You’re on. When and where?”
“How about my place. After you’re off work?”
“I’ll be there.” Her head tipped, her smile quirked. “Want a drink?”
He glanced at the menu and randomly picked a flavor. “Hazelnut mocha.”
“You got it.”
From then on, they were study partners, and he always drank the same coffee. It wasn’t until senior year, after she went through a bad breakup, that they snuck out of grad night to make their own memories.
Chloe stepped in front of him and sat on the coffee table. She held out his mug.
He accepted and looked into her eyes. “You even remembered the whipped cream.”
*
His sad puppy dog look twisted Chloe up. She almost admitted his favorite drink had become hers. A daily reminder of the boy who could cheer her up with a single smile.
Doug laid his bruised hand, and its ice pack, on his knee then took a drink. His expression softened. “Thank you.”
“Sorry I got you into a fight.”
He laughed. “You didn’t make me charge around the building and jump in. That was all me.”
“Always doing the right thing.” She drew a breath and let it out.
His eyes closed and he shook his head.
Hoping to get him to open up, she said, “Talk to me. Tell me what you do with your days.”
A real smile finally stole across his lips. “I opened a music store. Selling instruments, music, giving lessons, that sort of thing. Because I’m the boss, I get to take the time off I need for Nights Embrace. Though, we’ll be on hiatus for a while. Tonight was the last show until after Roxy has the baby.”
“Jackie told me about Roxy.” She half-laughed. “Roxy was firmly in your court. She stopped talking to me after the last time I—chickened out.” She looked away. “You know, it’s been more than four years since I last talked to my parents. Or Pierce, for that matter.”
All through high school, and most of college, he was her on again, off again boyfriend. Her mother was convinced Pierce was everything Chloe could hope for.
Doug sneered. “Didn’t he go to Brown with you?”
“He did, but he focused on law, and I went into medical school. We veered paths, and after I caught him cheating, we were done. My freaking mother tried to convince me I should give him another chance.” She raised one finger for each point made. “He was on the fast track to politics. I wouldn’t have to work. I could focus on being the perfect wife, since I’d already given up on her idea of the perfect career.” She groaned. “The thought of marrying that prick always made me sick.”
Doug grimaced. “Never did understand why you kept going back to him.”
She winced. “He was safe. Most of the time it was easy to be around him. I had an excuse not to go out partying and could focus on school.”
Doug shook his head. “Sorry about your parents, and Pierce. Look on the bright side, you followed your heart anyway.”
“Not about you. I’m sorry I was a fool.”
“Stop. We’re both in different places. We aren’t even the same people. How can you possibly know I’m what you want?”
“I want a chance—an opportunity—to find out. Is that too much to hope for?”
He groaned, drank down the rest of his mocha, and set the mug aside. His eyes bored into her, looking for some answer.
She reached out and carefully captured the fingers of his injured hand, curled over his knee. “Am I crazy?” she whispered, scooting closer. “Am I the only one who feels this?”
His eyes dropped to her lips with a groan. “I’m going to regret this,” he muttered, before threading his good hand into her hair and drawing her to a stand with him.
Doug’s mouth crashed over hers, frantic, heated, maybe even angry. His wounded palm drifted up her side, pulling her against his body. His hard length pressed into her stomach.
She wanted to promise it would be different, but he kissed her until she had to pull back, panting. Lack of oxygen didn’t deter her from pulling his shirt over his head.
Damn, he’d filled out. Hard muscle everywhere.
“Sure you aren’t a personal trainer?” she teased breathlessly.
He looked down with a chuckle. “Been working out with Mike. His routine has benefits.”
Her eyes trailed down the chiseled muscle to the ridged-V disappearing into his pants. Wasting no time, she opened his belt and fly, hooked her fingers into the waistband of his boxer briefs, and pushed it all down. Yup, still thick and proud, even better than she remembered.
She couldn’t tear her eyes from his cock.
“Hey now,” he quipped with a smirk. “Greedy much? You’re wearing far too many clothes if we’re doing what I think we are.” He kicked off his boots and lost the rest of the clothes while she stood there staring.
*
A twinge of fear raced through him. The dumbstruck look of lust did nothing to dissuade his concern that she wanted nothing more than another hot night. He stood there, naked, while she stared like she was starving but didn’t know where to start on the buffet.
Still, Doug couldn’t resist. He closed the distance and caught her shirt, pulling it over her head. He winced at his sore hand but got the garment off somewhat smoothly.
Chloe finally snapped out of it, and looked up into his eyes. “You can say that again,” she breathed.
“Hmm?”
“Greedy. Looking at all that hard muscle makes a girl stupid.”
That sentiment drove home how moronic this path was. Didn’t deter him. “Honestly, Chloe, I’m not sure how to take that. You just going to stare, or are you going to touch?” Please, touch me already.
She nodded. After pushing her pants down her legs, she reached behind her, unhooking her bra. He helped slide it down her arms before removing the silky scrap of panties.
More gorgeous than he remembered.
Blushing, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the hall, toward a room at the far end.
At least three bedrooms, and two baths. I’m back to feeling inadequate.
She shoved him onto the bed and he caught himself, wincing at the jolt of pain.
“Careful, don’t want to hurt you, just want to take a ride,” she warned.
Once again, he questioned his sanity. His dick didn’t want this to end though, no matter what his brain was yelling. And his heart, well his heart had always been a fool.
“Come here,” he whispered, staring up at her sassy smile.
She climbed into his lap, rubbing against his cock. Damn, that felt good, but he wanted inside her.
He gripped her hips and rolled her to the bed as he stood. “Wait, need something.” He left the room in search of a condom. There were a couple in his wallet, courtesy of Jordan, who had them stashed throughout the house from his groupie banging days. Doug indulged here and there, but more often than not, he preferred getting to know a woman before jumping into bed.
Walking back, he thought about the way she looked at him. Until his clothes came off, there was real emotion behind her eyes. After, it was all lust. Doug didn’t know what to think, but he was afraid to hope things would be different this time.
He stepped through the door and found Chloe propped on her elbows, her legs hanging off the bed, with a wicked grin.
All thought flew out the window.
He tore the package and rolled the condom on before striding to the bed. Pushing her legs wide, he rubbed his head through her folds, then pressed in. Her heat surrounded him. She felt so damned good but the last piece of him still argued about the sanity of opening this door.
She fell back on a moan. He gripped under her knees, driving into her with hard, steady strokes, watching her breasts bounce with each thrust.
Right there, that blissful look on her face, that’s what I want to see every day.
His heart thumped in his chest, and he pumped her harder, trying to silence the feelings stirring, and let his dick do all the thinking. Squeezing his eyes shut didn’t help.
“Need more of you. Come here,” she begged. He stopped, panting as he crawled up the bed. She pushed him to his back and took over, leaning down to lick across his lips. He opened for her, caressed her tongue with his. Unable to resist the allure of her body, he trailed his hands over her silky skin as she slowly rode him.
Chloe’s sounds turned from eager to needy, and he rolled her to her back, taking over as he deepened the kiss, rocking into her body with force. Her hands gripped his hair as her body moved in perfect tempo with his.
Wrapping tighter around him, her legs shuddered as she came, bringing him along for the ride. He fell to her side and she rolled into him, wrapping her arms around his chest.
How long will this last? he wondered morbidly.
“You’re the only guy I could ever be myself around.”
And you still walked away—twice.
Doug held her close, unable to voice his fears.
“I’ve missed you so much, Doug.” She let out a yawn and tucked her head under his chin.
Hating himself, he rubbed her back, wishing he believed, but she’d said that last time, too.