Dark Love (The Two Sides of Me Book 3) (15 page)

“I have known that man almost his entire life, I think that’s earned me the right to call him by his first name.” With that he pushes off the table and his chair scoots back scraping against the tile. “I’ll be in his office.” He speaks to Cecelia purposely avoiding any further contact with me.

Shit, I thought we were finally getting somewhere. And double shit that he thinks Isaac is in love with me! We have gone over this more than once; we’re friends, nothing else. At least that’s what I thought, and that’s what he said. I bow my head into my hands, propping my elbows on the table to think. Have I been giving off the wrong vibe? I’ve never been friends with a guy before, it just seemed so natural with Isaac, I can tell him anything, and he understands Evan and we both love him. Cecelia lays a hand on my shoulder and without thinking I reach up and cover it with mine.

“I didn’t know; I thought we were friends.” Looking up into her warm, loving eyes I see doubt. “Really Cecelia, I had no idea!” She squeezes my shoulder quickly before turning to finish cleaning up.

“You’re a beauty; you have to be careful with your love. Save it all for your husband, he needs so much; there can be none left over for any other man, not even a friend.” She works at wiping down the granite counter top as she speaks.

“I disagree. There are different kinds of love. I can love my friends too.” I argue

“You tell yourself that but loving that boy like a friend is hurting him.” She waves her towel toward the door Isaac just left through. “You know he’s a dead man if he even thinks…”

“Ahh stop! Nobody’s a dead man; nobody’s in love!” I’m exasperated, God I can’t think about anything happening to Isaac, no no no! She looks knowingly at me for a second before turning to put the dishes away from the dishwasher.

“Ok, I’ll talk to him.” I can’t risk anybody misconstruing my relationship with Isaac, including Isaac and especially Evan.

“Good,” she says Why can’t anything just be easy?

“I’m going for a swim,” I announce and take my plate to the sink, but she doesn’t allow me to wash it snatching it from my hands as I turn on the faucet.

“You go; I wash. Your suit is in the changing room by the pool.” I wish she would let me do something around here; I’m not used to someone washing my dishes and my laundry.

“Go, shoot!” I turn and flop my arms in defeat. “Ok ok, geese.” I make my way to the back of the house to the basement stairs and begin to smell the chlorine half way down. I wonder if he’s awake, he’s got his phone, I’m sure he will call me if he needs me. I haven’t left the house, after all; I’m just downstairs.

The sight of him lying next to me in bed asking me never to leave him flashes through my mind. I can’t sit watching him every minute; surely he wasn’t asking me to, was he? No, he was referring to the future. I stayed by his side when he was in the hospital almost every minute, but he’s finally making his way out of the woods and I need to get off my ass. The warm air and humidity hit me when I enter the pool room, and I breathe it in, now if I were outside somewhere baking in the hot sun, this would be perfect. I’m here to exercise though, not to get a tan. I am so pale, I haven’t seen the outside of an ICU room in weeks let alone the beach or even a tanning bed. I change into one of dozens of bikinis in the dressing room. The suit is lilac, every one of them is within the wide range of purples on the color wheel, I hope I don’t grow to hate purple, I don’t think I could knowing how much Evan loves it and why. Standing at the end of the pool I cock my head to look at the photograph of myself mid orgasm at the opposite end of the pool. It makes me uncomfortable; I’m not interested in seeing myself coming every time I take a lap. Maybe I should find the footage of that night and have my own picture made for this end of the pool. I smile to myself and dive into the tepid water, cutting through it without a splash I let my mind go blank. It’s just me and the water; I concentrate on the rhythm of my strokes, my breathing, and the feeling of weightlessness. Soon I’m lost in a zone, oblivious to anything around me but the comforting water. I’m startled out of my skin when I’m getting ready to do a flip turn, and a hand reaches into the water grabbing my arm.

“Hey there, flipper, you coming out of there anytime soon?” I choke and sputter nearly breathing a mouthful of water into my lungs.

“You scared the shit outta me!” I say between coughs.

“Sorry baby, I didn’t think you would ever stop, I’ve been watching you with surveillance for an hour.”

“An hour? Really?” I hadn’t realized I’d been at it so long.

“Hey! Why are you out of bed? And down here, this is too far to be going, Evan! Damn it! Can’t I leave you alone for an hour without you getting into trouble?”

“No.”

“Agh, you’re impossible,” I say to move to the edge of the pool and pulling myself out, water sloshing all over the deck. He’s ready for me with a thick bath sheet, wrapping it around my shoulders he starts to pat me dry.

“Stop it, I’m taking care of you remember?”

“Well, you’re not doing a very good job. I woke up with two furballs and no wife. I got lonely.” he’s playing with me.

“Mmmhmm.”

“You keep leaving me.” His face has gone serious, the playfulness in his eyes is gone, I look down at my bare wet feet feeling guilty, I keep disappointing him. “I’m sorry…I..”

“Shush, I wasn’t looking for an apology; I just want you to know how much you mean to me, I want to wake up every morning looking into this gorgeous face.” He cradles my face bringing my eyes back to his. “I should be the one apologizing. I’ve monopolized your entire life, saturated you with my problems, and dragged you along this ludicrous journey with me.”

He pulls me to his bare chest, still only dressed in his boxers I can feel every part of him, the soft patch of chest hair brushing against my cheek, every ripple of his abdomen against my wet breasts and his growing arousal against my sex. I feel so small in his arms, in my bare feet I have to stand on my tippy toes just to kiss him.

“We need to get you back to bed.”

“You keep dragging me to bed but not for any of the reasons I want to be there.” I hold onto his waist and let my head fall back

“Behave.”

“Mmmmm.” He slides his fingers down my spine until he reaches the edge of my bikini bottoms. I shake my head slowly back and forth but he’s relentless, continuing his trail under the wet material splaying his big hand over my entire ass he presses his middle finger between my cheeks and strokes a most forbidden domain. I suck in a sharp breath as we lock eyes; his are dark with only a rim of bright green around his dilated pupils, full of desire. Mine, I can only imagine are emanating anxiety and surprisingly curiosity. My heart pounds in my chest so hard I’m positive he hears it but that’s not what stops him, it’s my hesitation, he’s reading my mind again.

“Mia? Are you ok, baby?”

“Yea,” I whisper “I just…I’m not sure…” He slides his hand back up to the small of my back, his breathing slows but the desire never escapes his gaze.

“I will always be careful with you, I promise. I will never forget what you have been through. I will never push you to do something you aren’t ready for.” I close my eyes for a moment and gather the courage to respond.

“That was the worst part, the most painful and degrading.” His lips interrupt my explanation with a soft tender kiss.

“Shush. Put me to bed, Mrs. Lawson.” We stand by the pool while the water laps against the sides softly for a moment before I take his hand and lead him to the elevator.

“Let’s go.” He sweeps his hand toward the open doors.

“I’ll follow you anywhere,” I say smiling lovingly

“I’m counting on it, baby.” He winks. I melt. God I love this man.

“Black Widow.” By Izzy Azalea featuring Rita Ora

“You know, we have spent probably seventy-five percent of our relationship in bed.” I pull the duvet up over his beautiful dark skin noticing the stark difference between our completions.

“I’d say more than seventy-five, more like ninety percent,” I say rounding the bed nearly tripping over Yes.

“Oh! Hey there, little lady, watch it!”

“Playful little rascals aren’t they?”

“Yea, with
you
.” I snort. “I don’t think they even notice me anymore!”

“Aww, feeling neglected?” I stand with my hands on my hips; still in my bikini I know he’s watching me intently.

“Actually…” I tease and roll my lips in against each other, switching my gaze up and left trying not to laugh, but I can’t help it, a giggle escapes me.

“You think you’re funny do you? Keep it up and I’ll fuck you until my stitches burst, lady.” My jaw drops to the floor, and I drop my arms from my hips in shock.

“I cannot believe you just said that!”

“No? Come over here and I’ll prove it.” I almost do when he looks across the bed at me through his thick eyelashes, smirking, daring me to give in. I step back until I’ve backed myself into the doorway between the bedroom and the bathroom, bumping into it clumsily he chuckles.

“Thought so,” he continues to bait me, knowing I hate being unable to call him out on his challenge.

“Stop. Damn it, Evan. I want you too but not enough to put your life in danger!” He’s not giving up on this, no matter what I say. Pulling the sheet back, he hits me with a look of pure lust before reaching into his boxers and pulling out his cock. Stroking it slowly, never breaking eye contact with me. I squirm and wrap my arms around my waist to hold myself back.

“Mmmm, this could be you, baby, I would much rather it be you.” My lips part and I break eye contact to watch his hand pumping his silky hard length, I can’t help myself, he’s beautiful and so fucking sexy, I’m soaked and it’s not from my wet swimsuit.

I take a long shaky breath and bite my lip hard before dragging my eyes away from his busy hand but not before he thrusts his hips up off the bed slightly his lips part, and his jaw tightens. He fucking moans for that little added effect, luring me a step in his direction before I grasp the last tiny fiber of willpower that I possess and turn briskly away from
him. I run
into the bathroom slamming the door and pressing my back against it. I feel my way along the wood and lock
the door just in case.
I can hear him laughing on the other side, fuck he’s so cruel! I stomp my foot and bend at the waist, hands on my thighs trying to slow my heart and calm my breathing. The combination of anger and desire is heady, what am I going to do now? I’m so fucking turned on, and he’s out there trying to drive me into a nut house!

I’ve never had many light bulb moments, but something in me snaps, and I have an idea. Two can play the torture game. Smiling mischievously I take my phone from the pocket of my robe and tap until I find the video button, my turn to chuckle now. This bathroom isn’t anywhere near the size of the one upstairs, but there is still a cushioned bench against the wall, I drag it over to the tub and pile a stack of towels on top. I start the water and add some of the body wash Cecelia has stocked the bathroom with.

Turning I consider the angle from which I’m going to shoot my video from. I can’t believe I’m doing this but he asked for it! First,
I scroll through my iTunes music searching for just the right thing to play, oh yes yes! Black Widow by Izzy Azalea and Rita Ora! He wants me to kill
him, this song couldn’t be more appropriate. I cue up the song before I prop my phone with a washcloth adjusting and tweaking it until the lens is lined up perfectly with the spot I intend on occupying in a moment.

First a little strip tease, I press play, it’s hard to look sexy and sultry when I want to laugh so bad, but this is going to be epic, so I roll my neck and loosen up letting the music take over. It’s a claw foot tub, so I’m able to walk all the way around it. When I’m on the opposite side with my back to the camera I look over my shoulder and blow a kiss at my intended target before I drop my satin robe letting it slink down my arms and to the floor leaving me in my skimpy lilac bikini.

Crossing my arms around my waist like you do when you're a kid trying to make it look like your making out with someone, I tap my hands on my own back to the clapping beat of the intro. I say a quick thank you mentally to my mother for forcing me to stick with gymnastics and dance all those years; I’m kind of looking forward to showing off some of my skills. I sway my hips keeping time with the lyrics and slide my hands out of the cameras view, pressing them between my legs and bending slightly at the waist before smoothing them around to my ass. I slip them under the edge of my bottoms and work them down slowly alternating my knees in a minor rhythmic bend. Ha! I’m doing it! He’s gonna flip!