Redeem Me: Oakville Series:Book Four (5 page)

“I would like a ride home. Thanks,” I tell him without making eye contact. The entire ride home is silent. A few times, I think he’s going to say something, but he never does. I’ll let things go tonight, but something inside me tells me not to completely give up.

Angel

F
or the last couple weeks, all I can think about is Chelsie, and I can’t figure out why. I’ve never worried about whether I’ve hurt a girl’s feelings before. Never worried about any fallout from sleeping with them…so why now? Why this one? The only thing I can figure is she reminds me of Katie. She’s sweet and innocent—just how I picture Katie would have been at that age.

Chelsie has this naivety about her I find extremely attractive for some reason. I want to sleep with her. Well…I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t. For the first time, however, I’m concerned about the consequences of my actions. No matter what she says, Chelsie doesn’t seem like the kind of woman who would be okay with a casual fuck. I’ve been racking my brain, wishing I knew why she’d be so eager to settle for that. I see guys checking her out all the time, and why wouldn’t they? She’s beautiful, inside and out. Any guy would be lucky to have someone like her.

Maybe I’m just over thinking the whole damn thing. If she says that’s what she wants, who am I to question her? Besides, she would never see a guy like me as boyfriend material. She’s too smart for that. So there’s nothing for me to worry about…or is there?

“Fuck,” I yell into my empty apartment. All this thinking is causing my damn head to hurt. I need to get out of here and get my mind off Chelsie. I slip on my boots, grab my keys, and head out the door. As I pass Chelsie’s apartment door, I hesitate for a brief second. I wonder if she’s in there, and if so, what she’s doing. What the hell is wrong with me? Shaking my head, I quickly move along.

As I drive toward the lake, my mind races, filled with thoughts of Chelsie that confuse the hell out of me. I can’t figure out why I’m feeling this way. I’ve never been hesitant to sleep with a willing woman, so why am I when it comes to her? Is it the fact that I think of her as a friend? If something went wrong, it would be very uncomfortable when we’re all hanging out. I sure as shit don’t need Holly and Amber pissed at me for fucking things up.

It’s a perfect day to visit the lake. A blue cloudless sky hangs above me. A cool breeze blows just enough to ease the Florida heat. Coming here always seems to calm me. I walk over to the large Oak tree, sit back against its trunk, and look out over the little lake. Before long, I’m drifting off to sleep.

A car door slamming startles me awake. I open my eyes and see Chelsie walking toward me. The way the sun shines behind her makes her look like an angel. I can’t help but smile. She’s so different from the girls I usually find myself attracted to. Her beauty is completely natural, and she has no idea how truly beautiful she is, which is the most attractive quality of all. She smiles back at me, and it sends my heart racing. A thousand tiny butterflies flutter around in my stomach, a foreign and very unwelcome feeling. But I don’t have time to dwell on it. She’s right in front of me, looking a little surprised to see me.

“What are
you
doing here?” Chelsie questions. Realizing she sounded a little harsh, she begins to back pedal. “Not that you shouldn’t be here. I mean, I just didn’t expect you to be here.” Her cheeks turn a sexy shade of pink and she takes a deep breath before beginning again. “What I’m trying to say is I didn’t expect anyone to be here.” A shy smile crosses her face before she stares down at her feet. She’s even cuter when she’s embarrassed. Why do I keep having these sappy ass feelings whenever I’m around this woman?

“I usually come here to think. I like the quiet. What about you? Why are you out here all alone?” I ask.

“The same. It’s so peaceful and beautiful out here. There are a few things I’m trying to figure out,” she answers, still not looking me in the eye. If I had to guess, I’d say I make her nervous. And that thought pleases me. I like that I have an effect on her.

“You are welcome to join me. That is…if you want to. I don’t bite, unless you like that sort of thing,” I offer. I scoot over and pat the ground beside me. She looks from me to her car, seeming unsure. If I were her, I’d be getting as far away from me as I could. I’m not worth her time. Not that I have feelings for her—at least, not those kind of feelings. I don’t think I do, anyway. Who’s to say she even has feelings for me beyond wanting to be plain ole fuck buddies? This is so not like me. I shouldn’t care what she wants or thinks. But…I do. I have a strange feeling Chelsie Amell is about to seriously fuck up my entire world.

Her sweet southern twang pulls me from my internal battle. “I could sit for a while, but I’ll hold off on the biting for now,” she teases, and I can’t help but laugh. One second, she acts like a scared little bunny, and the next, she’s totally comfortable and teasing me. She truly fascinates me. Everything about her makes me want to know more.

“I’ve been told I’m a really good listener. What do you need to figure out? Maybe I can help.” That sexy blush colors her cheeks again, and suddenly, I’m hard as stone. She bites down on her bottom lip and the action makes me wish it were me biting and sucking on it.

“Maybe you can help me out. After all, my dilemma is all about you,” she confesses. My eyes widen in shock. I turn my body slightly so I can see her better. She sucks in a deep breath before continuing. “I’m just gonna be completely honest. Lay it all out there. If I look like a total idiot, so be it,” she states with determination. Her hands are in her lap and she’s staring down at them as if they’re her lifeline. “Okay, here goes nothing.” She takes a deep breath. “I want to sleep with you. At least once, maybe more,” she spits out. Her body instantly relaxes, obviously relieved to get that off her chest. This confession doesn’t stun me. She already told me as much the night at KC’s. Reaching over, I take her hand in mine, thinking it may put her more at ease. Her head snaps up. She looks between my eyes and our hands before quickly pulling hers away. Not wanting her to see the disappointment at the loss of her hand, I look out at a group of ducks in the water.

“So, what is the dilemma? What do you need to figure out?” I question.

“Well, for one, I wasn’t sure how to ask. That’s now taken care of.”

“And two?”

“Two is I want it to be just sex, nothing more. No feelings other than friendship. You’re just not the kind of guy a girl would bring home to the parents,” she says. It shouldn’t, but her words sting a lot more than I expect. I play it off, hoping she doesn’t see the affect it has on me.

“I most definitely am not the ‘meet the parents’ kind of guy. However, I have been introduced to a few moms for a little group fun.” When I see her look into her lap again, I know I went a little too far. “Look, we find each other attractive, and let’s face it, I am the king of no commitment. My concern is that you would end up wanting more. Something I can’t give you…or anyone.”

“If we did go through with this, could you be with only me?” she asks, a hint of her shyness coming back. It’s easy to see she’s not very experienced when it comes to sexual relationships. If she were younger, I might think she’s a virgin, but I know that’s not possible.

“I can agree to that as long as the same applies to you.” Shaking her head yes, she confirms we’re in agreement.

“There won’t be any types of PDA at all. If we’re in public together, we’re to act like we always do. No hand holding, kissing, or touching of any kind. Nothing that can be mistaken for us being in a relationship,” she states firmly. She’s given this arrangement some serious thought. Her demands are sexy. The more rules she sets, the more turned on I get.

“That works for me. Affection is not my thing. Fucking amazingly well, on the other hand,
is
my thing,” I tell her, internally high fiving myself when I see her jaw drop. I’ve totally got her flustered, and I love it.

“So, how does this work? Do we make a schedule or does one just call the other when they want to get together?” she asks. I guess I was totally off base thinking she had any feelings for me. Her business like attitude toward all this proves this is an arrangement, nothing more. Why does this revelation sting as much as it does? This is a good thing, isn’t it? I’ll at least make her think it is.

“No schedule. I’m a spur of the moment kind of guy. It makes things more interesting. Of course, we are also able to say no if the timing isn’t convenient for the other person,” I explain. I don’t want her to feel pressured into anything, but I know I won’t ever turn her down if she calls me. Hell, I wouldn’t turn her down if she decided to straddle me right here, right now…which gives me an idea.

I ease my hand over her bare leg and slowly glide my finger along her smooth skin. She shivers as goose bumps break out all over her skin, and her chest rises and falls faster than before. Her body’s reaction doesn’t come as a surprise to me. Mine, however, does. The second my skin touched hers, an electric shock traveled through me. Never have I felt like this around a woman—especially with just the slightest of touches. What is it about her that makes her so different than the hundreds of girls before her?

Chelsie

M
y heart is about to beat out of my chest. The slightest touch of his finger running along my leg causes me to break out in goose bumps all over my body. Every spot he touches sets my skin on fire and sends a need right to my core. I have nothing to compare this feeling to, but I have a strong idea this isn’t typical—this is so much more.

I’m not sure whether to tell him I’m a virgin. Will it turn him off? Or will it turn him on more to know no one else has had me? At this point, it doesn’t really matter. I can’t think straight with him caressing my leg. His fingers skim along the bottom of my shorts, and every now and then, the tips slip underneath the jean material.

Without warning, he leans over and his lips graze my ear, sending chills down my spine. I close my eyes, allowing the sensations to take over. “I have a feeling the two of us are going to have a lot of fun together,” he whispers. His warm breath tickles my ear, causing me to shiver. His words and closeness are awakening parts of me I never knew existed. “My apartment or yours?”

My heart starts beating a mile a minute. He wants to do this now? I...I don’t know if I can. I thought I was ready, but now with it being so real, I’m not so sure. Angel takes my face in his hands and turns me to face him. Slowly, he inches toward me and my body starts to tremble. When his lips gently skim across mine, a fire rages through my veins. The kisses start slow, but quickly become needier. His tongue brushes against my lips, asking for entrance. Eagerly, I part my lips and grant him access. His tongue slips into my mouth and explores every inch of it. I reach up and pull his head even closer to mine. If just kissing him is this good, anything else might just make me explode.