Take (Need #2) (17 page)

An itch I scratched and shouldn’t have, because I knew my body has always known I’d want more.

I can’t be here when he wakes.

I spot my phone under a makeshift table and reach for it. Waking it up, I sigh in relief. There isn’t much power left, but it’s enough to contact someone. My fingers fly on the screen as I text my girls.

911 I need a ride.

I glance down again and groan. Years of pent-up lust is painted all over my skin, and I’m still naked with nothing to wear.

Across the room is Brayden’s duffle, the one he always travels with, and I pray it has something I can wear inside.

As I unzip the bag, I sigh with relief
—
everything is neatly folded. Clean. Sitting on top is a Purdue T-shirt I’ve seen him wear, and I slip it on before digging down further.

Pants are out of the question
—
he’s a foot taller than me. I luck out with a pair of basketball shorts. They still hit mid-calf on me, but at least there’s a drawstring to help keep the waist up.

My phone chimes beside me, and I grab for it to silence the ringer.

Recon mission? I’m in. Where are you?

Jenna, my savior.

I type back, needing out now.

Columbus.

I love my friends. It takes seconds for her to respond. I swear Jenna has the fastest fingers I’ve ever seen.

Damn. Sit tight. Text me the address and I’ll get my speedy ass there ASAP.

Address? Shit. I was too absorbed by Brayden to pay attention to where he was taking me. All I knew was that it was taking too damn long to get his cock back inside me.

I walk quietly around for anything that might tell me where I am when a yellow slip of paper catches my eyes. It’s a delivery form. Lady luck seems to be siding with me, and I text the address to Jenna.

Just hit Wilmington. GPS says 50 minutes. I say less.

She’s already to Wilmington? At the rate she’s going, less is right. My phone beeps, letting me know there’s only ten percent left on the battery.

Phone’s almost dead. Meet you at the entrance.

I find my wristlet and do everything I can to keep the keys from jingling, then pick up my shoes as I head to the door. There are a few bottles of water sitting on the counter near the door, and I swipe one.

With ninja skills, I open the door, turning the lock before just as gently closing it.

I grimace as I look down at my bare feet, the four-inch heels in my hand, and the stairs. I’ve never liked walking around barefoot outside, but options are limited.

The second I’m outside and walking away, the itch returns.

His tattoos . . .

He permanently marked his body with bits of me.

Happiness floods in, but is quickly drowned by ice.

He hurt me, so many times. How can I trust him with my heart ever again?

I can’t.

I know it.

I’ve said it a thousand times arguing with myself. It would destroy me.

And the fear returns. Because I’m feeling something more than hatred. Different from the rage of the past six months. More than friendship. A feeling I buried long ago, one he damaged beyond repair.

It scares me.

I don’t want to be that naive little girl again.

I refuse.

I need to control this feeling before it spirals out of control, before he has a chance to hurt me again.

My eyes squint against the bright sun as I walk. A flare of light catches my eye, and I spot a familiar Toyota Camry across the parking lot. It still has the Class of 2012 bumpersticker on it, in our school’s maroon and white letters. There’s a dent in the bumper from when Dana backed it up into our mailbox as she stormed off after a fight with Ryan last summer.

I forgot that Brayden said he was a few buildings down from them.

I think about going over for about two seconds. Ryan’s there. I haven’t seen much of him this summer. He’s barely been home.

Not that I blame him. That place is
not
a good environment. Toxic.

Then again, if he came, he might see how unhappy Mom’s become and convince her to do something about it.

And that’s why I won’t go over. I don’t want him to see me in Brayden’s clothes, sneaking out of Brayden’s apartment, thinking too much about what it means.

It means nothing.

Sex.

And that’s all it’s going to be.

Yeah, no denying it. I already admitted to myself I want more. And I
really
want more.

But just for the sex.

Fuck. The sex.

Better than every fantasy of it I’d ever had.

I can do it
—
use him. A few more times to get him out of my system, and then bye for good.

I make it to the entrance of the apartment complex and sit on the brick landscaping wall.

The wait is killing me because all I can think about is Brayden. Why can’t I stop? Over and over.

One second with his skin on mine held more pleasure than every second I’ve ever had with Austin combined.

It’s so strong I know I can easily get lost in it, in him.

But I won’t.

I set the rules.

I set the time.

I’ll use him and when I’m done, I’ll walk away.

As I take a sip of water, a car turns in and pulls up next to me. I jump up and open the door, sliding in next to Jenna.

“What are you wearing?” she asks.

I roll my eyes. “Just drive.”

She eyes me up and down, grinning so big it almost looks maniacal. “Team Brayden for the win!”

I shake my head. “No winner. Just a really good fuck.”

She stares at me for a minute. “I’m not one to begrudge a girl a booty call.”

“But?”

The car slows down and as we stop at a red light, she turns to me. “Is it really that bad to be his girlfriend?”

I shake my head. “Brayden doesn’t do commitment. He’s a human Pokemon collector when it comes to women.”

Her brow furrows. “What the hell does that mean?”

“He’s gotta have them all.”

Jenna’s head falls back and she lets out a loud laugh. I laugh a little as well, but then there’s that itch at the back of my mind.

He’s changed, I’ve seen it. He says he hasn’t had sex in many months, and I actually believe him.

But belief isn’t the same as forgiveness. While I believe some of the things he says, it doesn’t change the past.

June 16th, 2015

Three days.

Three fucking days since I’ve seen her.

Kissed her.

Fucked her.

Three days of absolute torture. Of keeping my distance, giving her space.

I woke to an empty bed and no messages. She wouldn’t answer my calls or texts. She regrets it, but at the same time, I know she wants more.

If sex is how I’m going to get through to her, to reconnect with her, then so be it.

I told her she was mine.

Showed her I was hers.

Now the challenge was to make her believe both.

I’ve listened to Dana’s damn whale song CD since Kira left as I put together all my furniture. Anything to help keep me calm and from going after her.

Not anymore.

I gave her space, breathing room, time to think about it. I’ve been patient above my normal tolerance. But after having her, I can’t stay away.

As cheesy as it sounds, I need her like I need air. She’s my everything, and I can’t live without her.

I’m also out of projects and clean clothes. Plus, I have to work tomorrow. It’s only part time, but being in marketing, it pays pretty well.

The drive home seems longer than normal, but it’s just over an hour from my apartment to home. With only a few exits left, I’m getting antsy.

My cock is already hard.

Days of nothing but me and the memories of fucking her
—
which was all over my apartment
—
had me so horny for her. If she’s in the kitchen, I want to bend her over right then and slide in. Hanging in her room? I’ve always wanted to fuck her on her bed.

If I didn’t already know I’m ruined for any other woman, it’s obvious now. Kira owns all of me. I don’t want anything from any other female.

There are two cars parked in front of the house when I pull up, but the garage is empty.

“Hello!” I call out as I step into the kitchen from the garage.

Silence.

The backyard is empty, but there is evidence that Kira was out there with her friends from the towels and bags spread out on the chaise loungers. That explains the extra cars.

Fuck. She’s not alone. Dad and Sonia are still at work, and my perfect opportunity to corner Kira is gone.

Giggles float in the air as I make my way upstairs. I swear I hear my name as I throw my duffle onto my bed.

“You have to tell us!” Someone squeals as I walk across the hall.

“No!” Kira says.

With her resistance, I’m pretty sure I did hear my name and that I’m the current topic of conversation.

I push open the door, and four heads snap my way and a couple of shrieks are let out.

“Oh, shit!”

I smirk and lean against the doorframe, my arms crossed in front of me. “Ladies.”

They’re still in bikinis, hair hanging damp down their backs. Kira’s cheeks and shoulders are pink. She probably forgot sunscreen again.

“You scared us!” one of the twins says. I think she’s Ashley, but I’m not sure.

“Sorry. What are you girls up to?” I stare at Kira and her mouth, which had been hanging open in surprise, snaps shut and her gaze hardens.

“Get out,” Kira says. Her friends turn to look at her, then back to me.

“What? I can’t hang with you?” I ask, my bottom lip jutting out a little bit in mock hurt.

Her expression is neutral, giving me nothing. “No boys allowed.”

“Payback? We were kids, and that was your brother.”

“Well, as an adult, I can say I don’t want to play with you.”

Ooh, my snarky girl is out. “Oh, I doubt that, baby.”

Her eyes widen, jaw clenched tight. By the giggles of her friends, my suspicions were right
—
they know. In fact, one of them probably came and got her the morning she left me.

Kira lets out a huff, and my gaze zooms down in reflex to watch her tits give a little jiggle.

I really hope she doesn’t wear that thing in public, because I’m two seconds from throwing her friends out and ripping it off her. If I’m like that, I can imagine the reaction she receives, and it makes me homicidal.

She adjusts the strap, and I groan at the pale line on her pink skin. Does she have similar pale triangles on her chest? I
really
want to find out.

“Are you going back in the pool?”

“Yes,” her friend Jenna pipes in. “Want to join us?”

I push off the door and grab the bottom of my shirt, yanking it off. “Let’s go.”

“Oh my God, is that a
K
on his chest?” one of the twins gasps.

“Look at that tattoo on his side. Don’t tell me that mermaid’s hair isn’t the same color as Kira’s,” the other twin says.

“Yo, this man is
so
owned,” Jenna pipes in.

Kira glares at me. “We’re not going now, dipshit. We just got out.”

I give them a pout. “We used to have so much fun in the pool.”

She rolls her eye’s and I know she’s reaching her boiling point.

“Fine. Have your girl time.”

“What are you doing?” the twin that commented about the
K
on my chest asks me.

“Packing.”

“For your apartment?”

I nod. “I think it’s missing a woman’s touch.” I wink at Kira, who flips me off.

“Oh, really?” Jenna turns to Kira, who is now beyond pissed.

“Out!” She points to the door as she glares at me.

I hold my hands up and back away. “Yes, mistress.”

After passing into the hall, I pull the door closed and wait. There’s giggling, but it’s silenced by Kira.

“Shut up! You three are terrible.”

“Seriously, Kira, how can you turn that down?”

“She can’t!”

I step away with a smile. No, she can’t.

I’m really beginning to like her friends.

As I enter my room, I close the door and lean against it. My dick is so fucking hard and I’m sure they noticed, especially when I took off my shirt. I rub my palm against my jeans, right over my shaft. A shiver runs through me and my hips rock against my hand as I let out a hiss.

I need to get off, but I don’t want to do it without her.

Instead, I pick up my laptop bag and climb onto my bed. I started a list of things I need to take back with me this weekend so I can continue getting my apartment set up. Right now, it’s just a shell with furniture, but at least I’ve got that.

As I scan over the list I notice there’s one thing missing
—
Kira’s name at the top.

I’m turning into such a pussy for the girl, but I’m perfectly fine with it.

Most everything I moved home last month is stacked up in the basement, and a good majority of it will go with me. There’s the rest of the summer to get it all there, not that there’s a ton. Every week I have to spend half of the time here for my job, but I have a feeling more than that will be spent here.

This is where Kira is.

I pull out a notebook and begin writing down the boxes that are higher priority. I’d love to simply print it off, but my printer is somewhere in one of the boxes.

There are still giggles going on in Kira’s room as I head down to the basement. Once there, it doesn’t take long to pull aside what needs to go back with me and sort out what isn’t going at all.

On my way back up, I hear Kira’s friends shouting and Kira replying. She’s at the bottom of the stairs. I didn’t even hear her on the steps above me.

I stay hidden in the basement doorway and crane my head around the frame. She’s walking into the kitchen, and I nearly bust my blue balls all over my shorts.

Kira in a bikini does so much more to me now than it did six years ago, before she had tits and ass to fill it. Before she morphed into the petite, sexy woman I want to pin to the wall with my cock. I can’t help but follow the sway of her hips.

She turns and jumps a little before glaring at me. “Are you following me?”

“I just came upstairs and I’m thirsty.”

She eyes me, then notices the paper and pen in my hand. I set them down on the counter and take in her fuckable body in the most blatant manner. My lips pull up in one corner, and I reach down to adjust my dick. Her gaze darts down, staring, transfixed, for a beat too long.

Yeah, I know what you want, baby.

She huffs, then turns around, throwing the fridge door open, blocking me.

But it doesn’t hide all of her, and I’m stuck staring at her perfect ass.

So easy. All I have to do is slip a tiny piece of fabric aside and I’m home. The one place I’ve always belonged.

After pulling out some sodas and closing the fridge door, she continues trying to ignore me.

Not a good idea in my state. I’m left staring, unable to rip my eyes away from every square inch of exposed skin begging to be licked.

Begging to be covered in my come.

So entranced, I’m not even paying attention to what she’s doing, only her movements. I move without direction. Pure animal instinct leads me until I’m standing behind her.

She stops moving, stops breathing as I grab onto her hips with both hands, unable to stop from grinding into her sweet ass.

“Brayden.” She chokes out my name. “Stop.”

It’s such a feeble request. No strength at all, especially when she pushes back against me.

“There you go, vibrating again for me. I can feel it. I know how much you need it.”

I trail my hand along the edge of her suit and slip under, right at her mound. She draws in a shuddering breath, and my hips jerk against her.

Slick and smooth skin lies between her legs, and I’m salivating for a taste. It’s been way too fucking long since I’ve eaten her out that I have to force myself to stop from dropping onto the floor and sucking on her pussy until she’s juicing all over my face.

“Do you miss me here?” I ask as I slip between her pussy lips, pressing in.

“N-no.”

I growl at her answer and shove two fingers in. “No lying, baby. You wouldn’t be this wet for me.”

She shakes her head. “That’s from my swimsuit.”

Her protests are so cute.

“Nice try. This . . .” I slide her juices over her clit, flicking it, making her squirm. “. . . is not water.”

I trail my other hand up her stomach and under the flimsy piece of cloth hiding her nipples. Her breast is so soft in my hand and a contrast to her nipple which is hard and begging. The moan Kira lets out as I pinch her nipple between my fingers is exactly what I need.

That sound tells me she needs this as bad as I do. These three days were just as hard for her as they were for me, despite her words.

I slide my fingers out of her pussy and rub up against her clit. At the same moment, I flick her nipple. She bucks against me, another moan slipping out, and her head falls back onto my shoulder.

“That’s it, Kitty. Feel what only I can do to you.”

No protests, but I don’t let her.

She’s trapped by me. One hand fucking her pussy, hips rocking into her, the other hand groping her. My mouth is latched onto her neck.

I need to mark her. A reminder for her to see every time she looks in the mirror.

“B-Brayden.” Her hands latch onto me
—
one in my arm, the other in my hair. She moves against me in a rhythmic, desire-driven pulse.

I’m so close to bending her over and fucking her.

“What do you want?” I ask as I nip a trail up her neck.

Her eyelids are heavy, her juicy lips hanging open. So far gone, so close to coming she can’t even respond.

I let go of her tit and slide up to her jaw, grabbing hold and tipping her face toward mine.

As soon as my lips find hers, she searches out my tongue.