Twisted Perfection (17 page)

Della

    
Woods would have carried me inside if I would have let him. He was hovering over me so carefully that if I didn’t love him I’d be annoyed. He was worried about me and he deserved to understand some of this. Maybe not all of it but he needed to know something.

    
“I had an older brother once. I’ve only seen pictures of him and my father. I don’t remember them. I was too young when it all happened.” I wasn’t sure telling him this wasn’t going to send me into another tailspin but I had to try. He sat down beside me and put his arm around my back and pulled me against his chest. It was like he knew I needed him for this. His hand threaded with mine and he squeezed it. I was going to be okay. He was here with me.

    
“One day they went to run errands. I was a newborn and my mother was nursing me. We didn’t go with them. They never returned. They were shot along with several other people in a local grocery store. A guy had gotten angry or something and shot ten people before he was shot and killed himself. My dad and brother had been standing in the checkout line when he walked in. They were the first two killed.” That was a story I had heard many times from my mother as she explained the dangers if we went outside. I knew it well. I burrowed back into Woods’ arms and kept my mind from losing focus and getting lost in my memories.

    
“I’ve got you. I’m right here,” he assured me. His other hand found mine and he held it too.

    
“My mother’s mother had been mentally ill. I never met her. She was in a special home. We had no other family. My father had grown up in foster homes. Neither of them had siblings. My grandmother lost touch with reality shortly after my mother’s birth. Her father hadn’t stuck around to raise her for long. Mom was raised by her father’s mother who died when she was sixteen. She and my father met in a foster home when they were seventeen. From the pictures we had I could see a healthy woman and good mother. My brother seemed to love her. She seemed happy. But I never knew that woman. We moved after my dad and brother were killed. She moved us from a small town in Nebraska to an even smaller one in Georgia. My earliest memories were in that house in Macon. My mother’s wild eyes and screaming fits were all I knew of life. She could be so sweet at times but other times she was frightening. She talked to my brother a lot. I didn’t understand for years who she was talking to. It was just the two of us. But she saw him, I think.”

    
I closed my eyes against the memory of my mother speaking to my dead brother as if he were there. The plate of food she would fix him with his favorite snacks left uneaten and moldy on the table. Once it had gotten so rotten I’d been unable to go into the kitchen without getting nauseated. She would finally throw it away and fix him some more.

    
“Did no one see she was unwell?” Woods asked as his thumb traced circles on my hand.

    
“No. No one saw us at all. No one knew I existed. We didn’t leave the house. Ever. My mother believed there was danger outside. She was keeping us safe.”

    
Woods sucked in a breath and I waited for the questions. The ones I’d answered a million times since her suicide.

    
“Where did you get food?”

    
“There was a local grocery store that delivered it. She called and ordered it.”

    
“Where did you get money?”

    
“My father had a very good life insurance policy. My mother sold the house in Nebraska and used her profit to buy one much smaller in a cheaper location so she could pay for it in cash.”

    
“School?”

    
“I was home schooled.”

    
“You never left your house?
Ever
?”

    
This was what was so hard for people to accept. It was a foreign idea to them and it had been my reality.

    
“My mother suffered from a severe case of agoraphobia. Because of mental illness ran in her family it made her case so much worse. The death of my brother and father triggered it and she became desperate to protect us. To the extent of taking away my life. I knew nothing of the world until I was old enough to sneak out at night. Braden, she’s my best friend and the reason I’m on this quest to experience life, lived next door. She was curious about us because she and her parents had realized we never left the house.

    
The night I snuck out the first time she saw me because she had been watching my house at night when she was in bed to see if we ever left. She was convinced we were vampires and she wanted to prove it to her parents. I didn’t get far. I only stood in my front yard and looked up at the moon and touched the grass. Simple things I’d always wanted to do. Braden came out and talked to me that night still thinking I was possibly a vampire. Our friendship grew over the years and my sneaking out changed and got more intense as I got older. Braden knew more about me than anyone. She was the only person who really knew I existed. She also knew I worried about losing my mom if anyone ever found out. So she kept my secret.”

    
I couldn’t tell him anymore. I needed to stop. This was enough. The other was too dark and it hurt too much.

    
“Where’s your mom?”

    
“She’s dead.”

    
He didn’t reply. His arms tightened their hold on me.

    
“I can’t talk about it anymore tonight. That’s enough.”

    
He didn’t argue. He just continued to hold me. We sat there in silence for a long time until my eyes got heavy and I slowly drifted off to sleep.

Woods

    
There were no words.  I had held Della all night and she hadn’t woken up screaming one time. Now that I knew the horror she’d lived through, I wondered what she was dreaming that caused her to scream. I knew it had to do with her mother. There was more to that story than she’d told me but for now that was all she wanted me to know. It was enough.

    
I watched her sleep peacefully beside me as the sun rose and the early morning daylight began to dance across the water. Having her in my room and in my bed was perfect. Nothing had ever been this perfect. But my chest was tight and my heart felt heavy. There was so much pain and emotional abuse that Della had suffered and I wasn’t sure how to help her heal.

    
She stirred in my arms and I kissed the tip of her nose. She was mine. I would take care of her. I wanted to help her forget all this pain and darkness in her eyes. Her long lashes fluttered as her eyes opened and she looked up at me.

    
“Good morning,” I told her as she stretched in my arms with a sleepy smile.

    
“I don’t think I’ve slept that hard in a very long time,” she said then stifled a yawn.

    
“It’s because I’m so damn comfortable,” I teased.

    
“I agree. All this softness is comfy,” she said and grinned wickedly at me.

    
“Softness? I’ll show you softness,” I said flipping her on her back to press my morning hard-on against the crotch of her panties. “There’s nothing soft about that.”
     She made a purring sound and opened her legs so that I’d fit comfortably between them. “No, nothing soft at all,” she agreed and lifted her hips to rub against me.

    
I could feel the wet silk of her panties through my underwear and I groaned in pleasure. She was already wet.

    
“I was gonna get up and make you breakfast,” I said as she continued to rub her damp pussy against my cock.

    
“Hmmm, that’s sweet. Why don’t you make love to me first,” she said, reaching for the bottom of my tee shirt I’d dressed her in last night before bringing her to bed. I’d also taken the liberty of taking off her bra because those couldn’t be comfortable to sleep in. This morning both round globes bounced freely in my face and I forgot about the breakfast and my good intentions. Even the words ‘make love to me’ that had startled me at first no longer mattered. Della was in my bed and she was getting naked. She started shimmying out of her panties when I decided to catch up and jerked my shirt off and then pulled my boxers off and tossed them aside.

Della opened her legs and smiled naughtily up at me. “Put it in bare. You can
pull out,” she said, lifting her hips up to me in invitation. Pulling out wasn’t always safe but fuck me I didn’t care right now. I wanted inside her without a barrier and the sweet nectar dribbling out of her opening was more than I could handle. I pressed her knees open and plunged in.

    
We both cried out in pleasure as I filled her in one swift move. The heat was so soft and tight around me. I’d never felt it like this before. I was so close to coming already that I had to hold still.

    
“Woods, this feels so good. You feel so good. I need you close. So close,” she panted as her chest rose and fell under me.

    
I reached down and rubbed her clit with my finger using the juice from her pussy to stimulate it. She began to buck under me and I moved in and out of her slowly. Once she lost it and the walls of her heat started squeezing me I was going to have to pull out. I was too close. The sensation was killing me.

    
“Just like that. Oh, Woods, yes, rub it, yes, ohmygod, yes.” Her begging and cries came to a halt right before she shuddered underneath me and cried out my name.

I
moved in her one more time before jerking out and coming all over her stomach. Seeing my spunk pooled up on her flat stomach only made my chest clench tighter. Mine. I’d marked her again. She was mine.

    
I slowly got up then went and got a warm washcloth to clean her off. She was staring down at my mess and grinning when I got back.  I started to wipe it off and she giggled.
     “What’s so funny?” I asked. I loved hearing her laugh.

    
“I’ve never had a guy come on me like that before. I think I liked it.”

    
The idea of any other guy’s cum getting anywhere near her pissed me off. I didn’t want visual images of Della and some other guy. How many guys could she have been with? She missed most of her life locked up by her mother.

    
“You look upset. What did I say wrong?”

    
I finished cleaning her off then looked up at her. “You didn’t say anything wrong. I just… I just don’t like thinking about you and another guy.”

    
She sat up on her elbows. “I’ve only been with three counting you.”

    
Two more than what would make me happy. But it wasn’t fair to get pissed. I had slept with more girls than I could count.

    
“You were my second if that helps.”

    
Her second? What the fuck… did that mean? Ah, hell. I didn’t want to think about this. She’d had sex after our first time together. I had with Angelina. But fuck me if it wasn’t hard to swallow. She’d gone to Dallas and hooked up with her married boss there. Why had I walked away from her that night? Because she was a one-night stand. A one-night stand that completely blew my mind but still. I’d done what we both expected me to do. Or had she?

    
I couldn’t think about this. I shoved off the bed and stalked back to the bathroom to calm down. This was not her fault. I was becoming a complete possessive bastard and she didn’t deserve that.

    
A small hand touched my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

    
I turned around and she was standing completely naked with a worried frown on her forehead. She’d woken up in a happy mood and I had ruined it with my need to own her. What was wrong with me?

    
I pulled her to me until her breasts brushed my chest.  “I’m sorry. I’m an ass. I got all pissy thinking about someone else… about some… shit. I can’t even say it.”

    
Della stepped closer, ran her hands up my chest, and locked them behind my neck.

    
“No one’s ever been inside me without a condom on. Only you. When this week is over you’ll be the only man to ever fill me with his cum.”

    
The caveman was beating his chest at the idea of finding my release deep inside her and letting my seed coat the tight little hole I was obsessed with.

I brushed the hair in her face away and tilted her chin up until I could press my lips firmly against hers. This girl was going to consume me.
 

Della

    
The rest of the week Woods brought me to work and sat at an empty table while I worked. When my shift was over he asked me to tell him something I’d always wanted to do but hadn’t gotten the chance. Every day he made it happen.   We had gone boating, taken a helicopter ride, gone parasailing, and eaten raw oysters. He rarely left my side. The sex was amazing and it just seemed to be getting better and more intense. I wasn’t having night terrors anymore either. I slept deeply and woke up relaxed and rested the next day.

     Tonight was the staff’s bon
fire and I was expected to be there. I still wasn’t sure taking Woods was a good idea. Other than Bethy and Jimmy no one knew we were dating. I hadn’t run into anyone else on our dates. I had dressed in my bikini and put a matching sundress over it. I wasn’t sure I was brave enough to swim but Bethy had said everyone at least got their feet wet. I was prepared for that and more.

    
Woods parked his truck and came around to get me because he was determined I shouldn’t open a car door by myself. It was cute really.

    
His hand slipped into mine and he held it. This was it. If any staff member was curious about the two of us, Woods was about to make it very clear.

    
“Sure you don’t want to turn and run?” I asked, smiling up at him.

    
“Nope.”

    
“They may treat me differently,” I replied, thinking it could cause some hard feelings with other workers.

    
“I’ll fire them.”

    
I stopped and looked up at him. He was grinning. I slapped his arm. “That wasn’t funny.”

    
“Yeah, it was. Besides, if they upset you I will fire them.”

    
Mental note: don’t tell him if anyone upsets me.

    
The smell of burning wood and the sound of music filled the air as we walked into the gathering of people. Some were dancing. Others were roasting something over the fire and then a few were playing volleyball in the moonlight.

    
“Thirsty?” Woods asked, leading me over to the keg that was sitting up on blocks.

    
“I don’t much like beer from a keg. I had it once and got sick,” I told him.

    
He frowned. “How much did you drink?”

    
“I funneled it actually so I’m not sure.”

    
Woods’ eyebrows shot up. “You funneled beer?”

    
It had been one of the items on my checklist of things to do. ‘Go to a party and    drink lots of beer.’ I hadn’t known about funneling but it hadn’t been hard to get me to try it. Braden had warned me I’d get sick but I’d tried it anyway.

    
“Yeah. Dumb decision. Frat party,” I explained. It had been at that party I’d met the guy I’d given my virginity to. Three dates later he’d talked me into sex. I’d been so naive and stupid.

     
“You’re here,” Bethy said, smiling as she walked up with a large red solo cup in her hand. “Drink up. The beer’s free.”

    
I shook my head.

    
“Della doesn’t drink beer from kegs. Anything else to drink around here?” Woods asked.

    
Bethy nodded and walked over to a cooler and threw me a bottle of water.    Perfect.

    
“Thank you,” I told her and she saluted me before walking back over to the people dancing and Jace stepped out and wrapped his arms around her.

    
“Are you against me drinking beer from a keg?” Woods asked.

    
I shook my head and took a sip of my water.

    
“Good, I need something.” He walked over there and I stayed where I was. I couldn’t follow him everywhere he went. I was becoming too needy where he was concerned. I didn’t want to be codependent. My psychiatrist had talked to me about that. She said I needed to work hard to be independent and that it could be hard for me after the life I’d lived.

    
“Hey, Della, right?” a guy I didn’t recognize said with a slight slur.

    
I nodded. I wasn’t sure who he was or how he knew my name.

    
“Nelton, I’m the tennis pro at the club,” he said with a wink.

    
I nodded and glanced over to see Harold from the kitchen talking to Woods.

    
“Nice to meet you,” I replied.

    
“I’ve been watching you. Wasn’t sure if you were available or not.” He took a step closer and I managed to move to the right without looking like I was trying to get away from him.

    
“Oh,” was all I said. I wasn’t sure I needed to announce that I was in a relationship with Woods or not.

    
“You a friend of Mr. Kerrington’s? I saw you show up with him.”

    
“Can I help you Nelton?” Woods said just before he moved in behind me. I let out the sigh of relief. I hadn’t wanted to answer that.

    
“No, sir. I was just getting to know, Della.”  Woods’ hand slipped around to the front of my stomach and he left it splayed there in a possessive gesture. Nelton didn’t miss it. His eyes widened and he nodded.

    
“Good to meet you, Della,” he replied. “See ya Mr. Kerrington.” Then he sauntered away.

    
“I can’t leave you alone for three minutes,” he said before taking a small nibble on my ear.

    
“Your tennis pro is creepy,” I told him.

    
Woods chuckled. “I agree but the cougars love him. I know for a fact he sleeps with several of them but it keeps them happy so we don’t let him go. Not good for business.”

    
I wasn’t sure what the cougars were but I didn’t ask. I needed to pee. I glanced around and there were no restrooms anywhere. I found Bethy and decided to go ask her. “I need to ask Bethy something. I’ll be back,” I said before hurrying off. I didn’t want to tell him I had to pee. I preferred to just ask Bethy.

    
She saw me headed her way alone and stepped out of Jace’s embrace and walked over to me.

    
“Hey, you okay?”

    
“Yes. I just need to pee. Where do we do that here?”

    
Bethy grinned and nodded her head out to the water where people were splashing around and swimming in the waves.

    
“In the gulf?” I asked confused.

    
She nodded.

    
Crap. I was in trouble.

    
I walked back over to Woods who was watching me closely. I was going to have to tell him, as frustrating and embarrassing as it was. Maybe I could walk down the beach a way then pee. No one would see me get in and know what I was doing.

A girl screamed that she had to go pee and ran out to the water. That was just gross.

I stopped in front of Woods and felt my face heat up. Discussing bodily functions with guys was just not something I was good at.

    
“What’s wrong?” he asked.

    
I ducked my head and took a deep breath. “I have to pee.”

    
He didn’t say anything at first and then he chuckled. “That’s why you ran off to find Bethy?”

    
I nodded.

    
“Why couldn’t you tell me?”

    
I kept my head down. “Because.”

    
He laughed harder and threaded his fingers through mine.  “Did she tell you where to go?”

    
I nodded again.

    
He pulled me over to him. “Do you want me to take you home so you can pee?”

    
I did. I didn’t want to use the ocean. But I didn’t want us to have to leave either.

    
“Maybe I can go down the beach a ways and use it so no one sees me,” I suggested.

    
“Can I come with you?” he asked.

    
I shook my head. No way. That was just as bad.

    
“Just let me take you home.”

     I could d
o this. “I’ll be back in a minute.” I assured him.

    
“I don’t like the idea of you getting in the water by yourself in the dark,” Woods said tightening his hold on my hand.

    
“But I need to pee. I’d be getting in by myself here and moving away from everyone if I did.”

    
Woods didn’t let go of my hand. “I don’t like it.”

    
I frowned up at him. “But I gotta go,” I told him.

    
“Then I’m taking you somewhere. Either I get to go down the beach too or I drive you to a restroom.”

    
I thought about it and decided I wasn’t going to be able to go out into the water and pee. I sighed in defeat. “Take me to a restroom.”

    
He grinned. “The closest one I can get you into is the house.”

    
“Then take me to the house.”