Underestimated (53 page)

of course my lady parts had to agree.

We kissed for, I don’t know, two maybe three

minutes before he left my lips and trailed my jaw line with

his lips. His spellbinding hands found their way to the

bare skin beneath my shirt as my head dropped back on its

own accord. My breathing became shallow, my heart felt

full, and my panties dampened.

“Jesus, Daw.” I finally said pulling away. I was

about ready to bend over his desk.

He snorted and kissed me one more time. “I’m

sorry. I just can’t get enough of you.”

“I’m going to get out of here before I start taking

my clothes off,” I teased, stepping away from him. “I’ll

see you when you get off.”

Lauren showed up while I was putting away my

groceries. She pulled one of the bananas loose and sat at

the table. I sat with her, and we talked about more than I

had planned on talking to her about. She too knew that I

was in love with two men, maybe I was just fishing for

someone to make sense of all of it for me. I needed

someone to tell me what to do. Unfortunately, she couldn’t

give me the magic answer either.

“Does Dawson know about Drew?” she asked.

“Yes, he knows. We don’t really talk about it

though. I think he is afraid of me not choosing him.”

“You can’t keep them both, Ry.”

“I know, and Dawson makes the most sense, and I

do love him.”

“But?” Lauren said, knowing that there was a
but
.

“But, I don’t know, Lauren. Drew and I are just

different. It’s so… I don’t even know how to describe

what we have.”

“Intense?”

My eyebrows rose. “Yeah, that undeniably fits.”

“Are you staying in Misty Bay?”

“I don’t know that yet either. I want to find my

mom and visit her, maybe just get away from everything

for a few days.”

Lauren was so easy to talk to, and I knew that what

I said to her would go no further than that table. I didn’t

tell her everything. She knew that Drew was abusive to me

before, she knew that my mother left us, and I told her

about how I was raised in poverty, but I didn’t tell her

about the money. I still didn’t know how to process that

one.

Lauren abruptly had to go when Dawson got there

dressed in jeans looking way too fine for someone who

hadn’t had sex in almost two weeks. I wasn’t sure about

the look the two of them exchanged. Was it pity? Was it

relief? I wasn’t sure. I assumed that the two of them had

spent a lot of time trying to find me.

Dawson grilled burgers outside, and I made

roasted and garlic potatoes and corn on the cob. We sat on

the back deck overlooking the immense ocean. We didn’t

talk about anything serious. I think he was avoiding it as

much as I was, and we both spoke of nothing but trivial

day to day events.

I wondered all night if he was planning on staying.

I wanted him to, and I didn’t want him to. That was the

state of my fucked up mind. I wanted him to take me to bed

and make slow passionate love to me, just like he would

have before. I also wanted him to leave so that he didn’t

do just that.

I didn’t have to worry about it when my cellphone

rang, and Dawson looked down seeing Drew’s name

displayed on the screen.

I gave him an apologetic smile when I answered.

“Hey, can I call you back in a little bit,” I

answered.

“Why, Morgan?” Drew asked cautiously. He

already knew why. He was just playing dumb or hoping

that his intuitions were wrong.

“I have company right now.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. You do know that you

are still my wife don’t you?”

What a dick…

“Really, Drew?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, Morgan. Don’t pay any attention to me.

I just hate the thought of you in his arms.”

“I’ll talk to you later,” I said hanging up. I didn’t

want him to tell me that he loved me with Dawson sitting

there with his head down right in front of me.

I dropped my phone to the table and shook my

head. This whole situation was unbelievable. Dawson

stood and took me in his arms.

“You know that I love you, don’t you, Riley?”

“Yes. Dawson. I do know that, and I love you too.”

“I’m going to go,” he said, shocking me a little.

Was this how he was going to fight for me?

I looked up to him confused. His eyes looked just

as mixed up as mine.

“I know that you are going through a tough time

right now. I also know that it wouldn’t be fair to you for

me to beg you to choose me. I am trying my best to give

you your space, and let you work through this, just know

that I am right here, and I love you.”

I smiled and kissed him. “Thank you, Dawson.” I

was glad that he was giving me my space. I don’t think I

could have handled two of them pleading their cases.

Dawson left me with a kiss, and I dialed Drew

back.

“You know, you’re kind of a dick,” I said as soon

as he said hello.

“Yes. I have been told that a time or two. Did your

boyfriend leave?”

“Shut the hell up.” I demanded. I almost said that

he wasn’t my boyfriend, but I really wasn’t sure what he

was. I left that part out.

This became my routine for the next nine days. I

would spend my days with Star, and then Lauren when she

got home, then Dawson, and Drew would call every night.

I did have dinner with Dawson and his parents a couple of

times, and once at his house. He never stayed at my house,

and I didn’t stay at his. He wasn’t even trying to get past

second base. I was sexually frustrated and was tired of

taking care of things myself.

Dawson came over on Friday night, and we

barbecued chicken with Lauren and Joel. I knew I had

drunk too much beer, and was feeling it. I even sent Drew

a text lying to him. I told him that I was going out with

friends and would talk to him the next day, not wanting

him to call with everyone there. I was getting laid. I

needed to get laid, and the evening make out sessions with

Dawson wasn’t helping.

Lauren and Joel left around eleven, leaving

Dawson and me alone on the deck. We stared attentively

at each other while he sat at the table, and I leaned against

the banister facing him.

“Take me to bed, Dawson,” I said in a low raspy

voice.

He came to me and took me in his arms. “Are you

sure, Ry? I don’t want to pressure you, but I would love

nothing more than to do just that.”

“I’m sure,” I assured him shoving my tongue down

his throat.

He led me to my room. I felt awkward around him,

and wasn’t sure what to do. Thank God he picked up on it

and took matters into his own hands or took me into his

hands, I should say. He lifted my shirt over my head, and I

slid out of my bra. He kissed soft kisses around my chest

and to my nipples giving them both the much needed

attention. I moaned as his hands slowly unzipped my jean

shorts. I was with him one hundred percent. My mind was

on nothing but the sensations that he was causing

throughout my entire body. That is until we were both

naked in bed.

Damnit, why didn’t I just turn my cellphone off? I

knew it was Drew. Dawson looked over to my phone and

then back to me with a lost look. I didn’t answer it, and

continued to kiss him, trying to regain the passion. It

worked briefly until my phone rang again. Dawson knew

that he had lost me, and the hunger along with it.

He rolled off of me with a heavy sigh. I didn’t stop

him and lay beside him naked staring up at the ceiling.

“I’m sorry, Daw,” I said. I didn’t know what I was

apologizing for, I guess everything. Mostly for making this

so difficult for him, he didn’t deserve any of it.

Dawson rolled over and kissed me. “Me too, Ry.

Me too,” he said and removed himself from my bed. “I’ll

talk to you tomorrow,” he said, getting dressed and

leaving me alone.

As soon as I heard the door close I grabbed my

phone.

“What is your fucking problem?” I asked, angrily

as soon as I heard Drew’s voice.

“I can’t sleep,” he replied. I laughed. What else

was there to do? It was funny. It was a funny sick fucking

joke.

“Why?” I asked, pulling on my panties and a

nightshirt.

“Because I haven’t talked to you today. I need to

hear your voice. Were you in bed already? Why didn’t you

answer?”

“Which of the ten times are you referring to?” I

asked, eluding the question.

“All of them. Is he there?”

“No. Drew, he’s not here. You ran him off.”

“Good. Did I run him off in time?”

“You’re such a dick.”

“And you are avoiding my questions. Did you

sleep with him?” he asked, bluntly.

“No. Drew. I did not, thanks to you. Now I am

going to have to take care of it myself.”

“You know there was a time that I would have

spanked you for that.”

Are you serious? Stupid fucking vagina
.

I didn’t reply. I couldn’t reply. I wanted him there

doing just that. What the hell was wrong with me?

“You want that, don’t you, Morgan?” he asked in

that dominating tone. I have no idea what was conspiring

in me, but my core throbbed like mad at the tone of his

voice.

“Yes,” I rasped a breathy reply.

“Come for me, baby.”

My fingers had already found their way through the

elastic of my panties, and I let the stupid bastard talk me

through one hell of an orgasm. It was settled. I was surely

losing my mind. I should have been put into a straitjacket

and locked up.

Chapter 20

I called Dawson the next day and apologized

again. I invited him over for supper and of course he

accepted. That was just how Dawson was. He wasn’t

going to make me feel bad for my issues, and I loved him

for that.

I had my salad chilling in the refrigerator. I had

gone into town earlier to buy fresh vegetables from the

local fruit market. My homemade spaghetti sauce was

simmering on the stove, and I had just gotten a shower. I

did my hair, makeup and spritzed just a dab of perfume. I

pulled on my nice fitting jeans and wore a white, v neck

shirt that showed my midriff. I looked hot, I decided,

looking into the mirror behind my bedroom door. I smiled

a big smile when I heard the knock. I was determined to

have a good night with Dawson, and keep Drew in Las

Vegas where he belonged.

Holy fuck…

He too was wearing nice fitting jeans that hung

low on his hips, a tight knit shirt with the sexy as hell

pecks peeking out from the three unbuttoned buttons on his

chest. The only problem was, it wasn’t Dawson. Drew

stood at my door with a sexy smile and a dozen red roses.

Shit…

I was speechless. Dawson was going to be there

any second. What the hell was he doing here?

“Drew?” was all that I could manage to get out in

my shocked state. I looked over him toward the road

searching for Dawson’s police cruiser that would be in my

drive at any time.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said, holding out the flowers.

I took them and ushered him inside not wanting

Dawson to see him on my porch, not that he wasn’t going

pass the fancy black car backing out of my drive.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, not

leaving the door. I had to intercept Dawson.

“Is that any way to greet your husband?” he asked,

and had me in his arms in a split second.

Son of a bitch…

“You could have warned me. I have company

coming for supper.”

“Do you want me to leave,” he asked, kissing my

forehead. Did I?

I didn’t have time to answer his nor my question

when I heard the car pulling into the gravel drive.

“If I told you not to leave this house, would you

listen?” I asked, shoving the roses back into his arms.

Dawson saw me coming and slid his hands into his

jean pockets as he leaned against his car. I heard the door

behind me open and close. “Of course not,” I said turning

to Drew on the porch.

“I guess I’m eating at Millie’s tonight,” Dawson

said with a defeated smile.