And The Beat Goes On (10 page)

I sucked her bottom lip then moved to her top. I hadn’t felt her tongue or given her mine, but I felt the chemistry spark between us. My hand moved to her thigh and squeezed gently. I wanted to go further but I didn’t. I respected Athena too much to pressure her into a physical relationship she wasn’t ready for.

And to be honest, I was content with this.

Her hand cupped my face as she deepened the kiss. When a moan escaped her lips, I knew she enjoyed the touch as much as I did. Then her
small tongue moved inside my mouth.

God, I loved this.

My tongue met hers and they danced together.

She was an amazing kisser—fucking amazing. My hand grippe
d her thigh involuntarily, and a moan escaped my lips. I tried to control it but I couldn’t. I was hot for her, and I wanted her to know that.

She grabbed my shoulder then guided me down to the couch. When she directed me between her legs, I was surprised. I didn’t want to
lay on her because she’d feel my massive hard-on. But she kept pulling me. I wanted to continue the kiss so I let her guide me.

I was much taller than her, so the couch barely contained my height. Her legs opened around my hips and her dress moved up. Knowing my pelvis was directly touching her underwear was such a turn-on. I’d give my life savings to see it.

Her arms hooked around my neck while she kissed me. I rested my weight on one arm and cupped her face with the other. Our kiss became heated the longer we touched. She sucked my bottom lips then squeezed her thighs together.

What was she doing to me?

Her fingers moved into my hair then down the back of my neck. Her fingertips felt heavenly on my skin. I imagined her nails digging into my back as I moved inside her. But I pushed the thought away. That wasn’t where this was leading.

Her fingers touched my chest, feeling the grooves. I hoped she liked what she felt. I worked out hard every day to achieve physical perfection. Then she moved down to my waist.

What was she doing?

When she unbuttoned my jeans, I almost had a heart attack. Did she want to sleep with me? Wasn’t that too soon? I thought she only slept with someone she was serious with. Did that mean she was serious with me? Did that mean she really cared about me?

I could just let her continue, but not when I was so confused. Every time I was with her, I wanted to give her whatever she wanted. But in reality, she didn’t know me. If she did, she’d want nothing to do with me. I could fuck her and get exactly what I wanted, but I refused to hurt her. I cared about her…

I grabbed her hands and pinned them behind her head, still kissing her. I rejected he
r but at least our kiss made it less awkward. She tightened her legs around my waist and moved slightly. She moved right against my hard cock, almost stroking it.

Athena was driving me crazy. She was so damn sexy.

Hours passed and we continued to kiss on the couch. The last time I did this, I was in high school. I hadn’t had sex yet so I didn’t realize how boring kissing was in comparison. But I loved doing it with her. It was the most intimate moment I ever had with someone else. I felt her heart beat against mine, almost in sync.

What the hell was happening to me?

At three in the morning, her lips finally stopped moving against mine. The muscles in my mouth were strained and tired. My lips were chapped. But I didn’t want to stop. I could kiss her forever. I’ve never been with a sexier woman.

I moved off her then lay
beside her on the couch. She immediately cuddled into me, her head on my shoulder and her arm around my waist. When her leg wrapped around my waist, her dress moved up.

All I had to
do was look down and see her underwear. I wondered if she was wearing a thong or a bikini cut. What color was it? What fabric? In my peripheral vision, I saw the distinct purple color.

Athena sighed
and held me tighter. Her eyes were closed. I could indulge myself and stare all I wanted. She wouldn’t notice. She was probably so tired she didn’t realize her ass was sticking out.

I stared at the ceiling for a long time, fighting the battle of my perverseness. Without looking, I finally reached down and tugged her dress, trying to cover her virtue. But with the way her leg was bent, it couldn’t be done.

I spotted the blanket on the back of the couch then placed that over her waist. Now I couldn’t see a thing.

Damn.

A beautiful sigh escaped her lips. Her face relaxed when she was asleep. Her hair was in disarray from our kiss-fest. Even though I was exhausted and had work in the morning, I was too mesmerized by her face to look away. She was more perfect than any of her paintings. She was better looking than all the models I’d been with.

I don’t know how long I stared at her.
Maybe another hour. Her breathing was slow and quiet. She hardly moved, but her body was still wrapped around mine. I never cuddled with other people. It was too uncomfortable, too intimate. But I loved doing it with her.

I felt the pain in my heart the longer I stared at her. The sensation couldn’t be described. I was happy but I was also in pain. Something about havin
g her in my arms made me feel sensations that were novel. It felt so good, it hurt.

Something very odd happened. I suddenly had the urge to do something I’ve never done before. I saw Cash do it to Prudence countless times. Or couples at the park when they lay on a blanket in the sun. I saw mothers do it to their children. It was a
universal movement but each had different degrees in meaning. But I knew what I meant.

I cupped her face then pressed my lips to her forehead. The touch burned more than her lips did. I closed my eyes and released the breath from my lungs. It stung on the way out. My heart stopped for just a moment in time, making me feel faint.

Athena took a deep breath then opened her eyes. My lips were still pressed to her forehead. I pulled away then lay beside her, realizing I’d just been caught. I didn’t know why I did it. It just happened.

The look in her eyes was different than it had ever been. A slight coat of moisture was in her eyes.
It shined and reflected the light from the kitchen. A look of wonderment overcame her face. It was a beautiful sight.

She grabbed my face and gave me a gentle but sweet kiss. The fiery blaze was still there but different. My heart hurt again. When Athena broke the kiss, she tightened herself around me even more.

And I heard the distinct sound of a sniff.

Chapter Ten

♬

Athena Riley

Every guy I’ve ever dated has been a jerk. I questioned whether they really cared about me. I was ju
st there to be used, a stepping-stone to the next best thing. Guys dated me then found their wife afterwards, their happily ever after. I seriously doubted I’d ever get mine. Then Jasper convinced me there were no good guys at all. Period.

But then Jeremy came into my life…

Like a lightning bolt, he struck the ground I walked on and created a whole new world. Everything was beautiful. The red roses were more vibrant than they were before. The blue color of they sky had a different hue to it. I started singing again.

I was happy
.

A guy never kissed me on the forehead before—other than my father. And he stopped doing that
when I was twelve. I couldn’t count the number of times I saw a man look at his girl affectionately then plant that romantic kiss on her. It showed how deep the love went. It wasn’t just physical, emotional, or meaningful. It was all the above.

And Jeremy did it to me
.

The realization made my eyes burn with tears. But I stuck to my promise and didn’t let them fall.

He held me all night and was still there the following morning. He kissed me like he loved me and didn’t pull me to the bedroom. And when I tried to remove his clothes he wouldn’t let me. I never planned on sleeping with him, just fooling around a little bit, but he was too much for a gentleman for that too.

Jeremy Clearwater was the perfect man.

I didn’t care about his money or his success. That didn’t mean shit to me. He was an honest and caring man. And that made him worth more than all the money in the world. He wasn’t just trying to get between my legs. He actually cared about me.

I knew it was too soon for this, but I knew it was true. I loved him.

I was in love with Jeremy Clearwater.

And call me crazy, but I think he’s in love with me too.

When he left the following morning, I was so sad to watch him go. I never wanted him to leave. But I was happy at the same time. I was finally in a relationship I’d been waiting for my entire life. I thought Chad was the right one, but then I found out he was fucking someone else behind my back. And now he was marrying her.

I always wondered if something was wrong with me. Did I do something to make Chad look elsewhere? Was I horrible in bed? What was wrong with me?

But Jeremy didn’t make me feel that way. With him, I felt sexy. With him, I felt desired. And that was a first.

I went to class and work for the next few days trying not to think about him. I wanted to call him or text him but I stopped myself. We’d already been spending a lot of time together. The last thing I wanted to do was scare him off.

But I had a feeling I wouldn’t need to worry about that.

I went to work that evening and tried to do some homework. No one ever came into the shop after three. I wasn’t sure why we were even open. I brought my sheets and paint supplies. Since Jeremy had lightened up my life, I was inspired to create many things. I laid it out behind the counter and got to work.

When the overhead bell rang, I stood up quickly. We never had customers so I was surprised anyone paid us a visit.

“Athena?” It was my father.

I rose to a stand. “Hey, Dad.”

He eyed me suspiciously. “What were you doing?”

“Oh. I have my homework behind the counter.” He approached the counter and examined my face. He was on edge today, for whatever reason. I decided to change the subject. “Did you need something?”

“I forgot to take the cash to the bank.”

Oh. “I’m sure it will be fine until tomorrow. The banks are closed anyway.”

“I feel safer having it at home.”

My father was obsessed with money. Our stores weren’t extremely profitable, but my father had everything he needed. He had a house, a car, health insurance, and food. What else do you need? “Okay.”

He came around the counter and saw the fresh paint on the canvas. “What the hell are you doing?”

Here we go again.
“Homework.”

“You’re supposed to be working!”

“No one is here,” I snapped.

“Ung
rateful little…” He started to mumble. He opened the safe then grabbed the bag of money.

I was getting sick of this argument over and over. “I’m working for you, but I also have my own hobbies and interests. I like to paint. Get over it.” I shouldn’t have said that but I couldn’t keep my anger back. I was
sick of him treating me like a stupid child.

He glared at me. “This hobby of yours needs to stay a hobby. I’m sick of seeing your paintings and sheets all over the bloody place. This is just a waste of time. This dream of yours will
never go anywhere. Every thing is crap.”

Just a waste of time…?
Crap…?

He grabbed all my stuff and threw it in the garbage. “You should be grateful I’m giving you a livelihood you can actually depend on. Stop being a brat and start appreciating what I do for you. Don’t disrespect me by bring
ing this garbage here.” Without looking at me, he stormed out of the door and slammed the door.

I stood there, speechless. Then I walked to the can and tried to salvage what I could. But it was too late. The paint was running into the plastic. The sheet was destroyed. It was gone.

Don’t cry… Don’t cry…
I took a deep breath and controlled my emotions. But I was too upset, too angry. Against my will, the moisture bubbled up and spilled over. The tears ran down my cheeks. And the sobs began.

Why couldn’t my father love me for who I was? Why did I have to choose? Unable to stay there a moment longer, I grabbed my purse and left the shop. I didn’t take the subway home. Instead, I walked until I reached my apartment. People stared at my falling tears but no one interfered with my progression.

When I finally came to the safety of my apartment, the sobs continued. I thought about Jeremy. He was constantly in my thoughts but now he was in the forefront. I wished he were here. He always made me feel better. And he was the only person who understood my pain.
Should I call him?

I grabbed the phone
then made the call.

He picked up after three rings. “Hey.”

I took a deep breath and tried to keep the tears out of my voice. “Hi…”

Jeremy immediately knew something wasn’t right. “Athena, what’s wrong?”

“My dad…” I couldn’t even get it out.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah…”

“Where are you?”

“I’m home.”

“I’m coming.” He hung up.

I didn’t expect him to come over. I didn’t even have to ask. A few minutes later, he was knocking on my door.

As soon as I answered it, he stormed into the room and wrapped his arms around me.

That felt good.

As soon as he held me, I felt a million times better. His chest was press to mine and his hand ran through my hair. He squeezed me like he’d never let go. My arms circled his waist. I didn’t plan on letting go anytime soon.

Jeremy pulled away and kissed my tears away.

Oh…that felt good too.

He gave me a kiss on the lips then pressed his face close to mine. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Baby? Did he just call me that?
“I was at work. My dad came in and saw me painting. He got upset like he always did.” The emotion caught in my throat. “He said my work was crap…that it was a waste of time.”

“Well, he’s wrong.” Jeremy’s voice carried the anger of an insane man. I could see the fury on his face.

“Then he threw away all my supplies. Now I have nothing…”

The anger was still in his eyes. “Don’t listen to him, Athena. Your father doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. He’s a bitter man that only has his business for comfort. Instead of forming a relationship with you to keep you around, he manipulates you through guilt and tosses your dreams aside. Don’t let him do that. You are meant for better things, not running a damn carpet store. Any man who treats his daughter this way is a bloody asshole.”

Hearing those words and feeling him next to me made me feel immediately better. “I know I shouldn’t let it get to me…but it does.”

“I know. I know.” He cupped my cheeks and his eyes softened. “I see my sister go through it over and over.” He sighed. “And I hate watching it.”

I placed my hand on his and closed my eyes.

“Let’s sit down,” he said gently.

“Okay.”
I’ll go wherever you go.

He scooped me into his arms and carried me to the couch. It was nice to be carried even though I’ve never been before. He pulled me into his lap then held me to his chest. His affection had increased by tenfold.

It was hard to be upset about my dad when Jeremy was here. I was just happy to be with him. It made everything else pale in comparison. He held the back of my neck and gave me gentle kisses at random times. We didn’t speak but we didn’t need to. This was enough.

“What did you do today?” I asked.

He pulled out his phone. “Could you hold on a second?”

“Okay.”

He typed a message then returned the phone to his pocket.

What was that about?

He returned to showering me with kisses. “I worked all day. Meetings and boring stuff.”

“You’re a professor by day and a CEO by night.”

He smiled. “But I won’t be for long.”

“You say that a lot.”

“I just want to make sure you understand I won’t be your teacher forever.”

I knew what he meant. “I know.” I gave him a gentle kiss and shivered at the touch.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. But I wasn’t expecting anyone.

“I’ll get it,” he said. He moved me to the side then reached for the door. When he opened it, his driver stood there, carrying bags.

‘Thank you,” he said. He took them then came inside.

“What is that?” I asked.

He pulled out an easel with fresh canvasses, and an assortment of paints and brushes. “You’re an artist. You need your tools.”

My eyes watered when I realized what he did. “You didn’t have to do that…”

“I know.”

He se
t them on the table then returned to his spot on the couch. “I hope this makes you feel better—at least a little.”

“You always make me feel better.”

His eyes softened. Then he did the thing I loved, the thing I wanted him to do over and over. He grabbed my face and placed a kiss on my forehead. Like being stung, I took a deep breath and breathed through the sensation.

Then he pressed his face close to mine. “I like making you happy.”

“You do a really good job.”

“I’ll keep it up.”

While I loved the gesture, I didn’t care about the tools. I just cared about him. I cuddled beside him and treasured the feeling. Every bad thing that ever happened to me was non-existent, at least when Jeremy was in my life.

When my phone rang, I sighed in annoyance. I had a strong suspicion
who it was.

“Don’t answer it,” Jeremy said. He predicted the caller too.

“Then he’ll just come here afterwards and yell at me.” I rested my head on his chest and listened to the phone ring. I knew I needed to answer it.

“Let’s go to my place,” Jeremy offered.

I’ve never been to his house. “Okay.”

“I have to get up early in the morning for work anyway. This will be easier.”

Did that mean I was spending the night…?
I could get on board with that.

We took Jeremy’s car to his house a few blocks away. He held my hand while we drove. My phone rang again. I stared at the screen and saw my father’s name. Even though he pissed me off, I felt bad for ignoring him. But before I could answer it, Jeremy snatched it away and turned it off.

“If you talk to him, you should wait until he cools off. Otherwise, your conversation won’t be productive whatsoever.” He handed it back to me.

I didn’t turn it on. I put it in my purse and tried to forget about my father.

The driver pulled up in front of a two-story town house. It was quaint and small. I was expecting Jeremy to live in a mansion. But the house was cute, hidden. I immediately liked it.

We went inside then entered the parlor.

“Do you ever drive yourself anywhere?” I asked.

“Yes. But rarely.” He removed his jacket and hung it on the rack. His collared shirt was tight on his body. I could see the lines of his muscles in his stomach and chest. I really hoped I got to see those up
close and personal tonight.

He reached for my ja
cket next and hung it up beside his.

Always a gentleman.

I looked at the antique wallpaper of the house. Hardwood floors lined the kitchen, living room, and hallway. I eyed the staircase and wondered where it led. To his bedroom? “Your house is lovely.”