Safe With You (24 page)

“God, just fuck me already!” The level of my voice nears a glass-shattering scream and turns this heated Amazonian climate into the Arctic tundra.

No. No, he’s not Braden.

“I’m … ” The tears come again, more from absolute humiliation. “I’m sorry, this isn’t just a fuck. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s okay.” A smile hits his mouth.

“No, it’s not.” Our relationship turns awkward for the eight millionth time as we’re both turned on and having this conversation. “I love you and this isn’t cheap and meaningless.”

His smile could cure every disease in the universe and maybe part the ocean as he leans in to kiss me. “Olivia, I knew what you meant. I wanted to fuck you the moment I first saw you, I wanted to fuck you the first time we kissed, and as much as I obviously want to fuck you right now … ” He nods down the bed, as
every
beautiful part of him stands attentively.

“I can see that.” My legs spasm as he guides them apart and I bite down on my lip so hard I almost draw blood.

“This is not a cheap fuck at all.” He reaches back, leaving me writhing in expectancy as he rips open the foil packet with his teeth. One I didn’t know he had waiting, but I’m not about to complain about his readiness.

The sensation of him pushing inside me kindles me like a flame. I shut my mouth, too incoherent to speak. The idyllic pressure starts to build and I’m sprinting up Mt. Everest as his fluid and rhythmic movements knock every bit of remnant tension out of me. My hips lift to meet his and I’m going higher and higher. All I want is to be thrown off the top and float back down to reality. Kyle moans into my ear and grabs my hips as he picks up his speed.

“More,” I gasp. My brain goes foggy as his muscles tense. He guides my legs around his torso, plummeting deeper and deeper. We roll over a few times; sometimes I take the reins, but mostly he does. His lips glide in tender kisses down my neck, shoulder, and chest. He moves faster, harder. I can’t keep the moans from escaping as he hits spots I didn’t know existed.

The colors of his tattoo melt together as his broad, cut shoulders pulse and my legs release and involuntarily move higher as something switches. I’m in complete overdrive. The experience is never-ending and so sensual as his hands and lips explore my body.

“Please don’t stop.” Running my hands through his hair, I gasp again before hooking my arms around his neck and drawing my body as close to his as I can. I’m reaching for the top, and then I detonate.

My nails dig into his back as my body convulses in an abstract dance, expletives and moans tornado through the room. The mind-erasing orgasm rips through me endlessly and the sedation it provides is heaven. I can’t stop how loud I scream his name as the waves of incomprehensible pleasure crash again and again.

Kyle growls something incoherent in my ear before he thrusts one last time and collapses onto my chest. His hands stroke my sides and he’s breathing hard, smiling against my neck.

Moments later, I’m still soaring through the air like a feather in a hurricane trying to find solid ground. Our bodies are slick with sweat and my hair is matted to my forehead. I blink a few times. I’ve never been so lost in something so intimate.

Kyle tilts my chin up and brushes his lips against mine with unrelenting seduction. His tongue moves with the perfect amount of passion to seal the bone-melting moment we had. I trust Kyle with every cell in my body.

I am no longer afraid.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Murphy’s Law

Kyle

Endorphins slaughter my brain as I shovel my third bowl of Cocoa Puffs into my mouth. I’m famished. Olivia’s still taking a nap after our fourth round of ridiculously amazing sex. Dirty daytime sex will forever be my favorite. Especially dirty daytime sex in the shower. I couldn’t go on anymore without feeling like I might pass out from lack of nutrition.

I can’t keep the shit-eating, kid-in-a-candy-store grin off my face as I think about how good it was. On some levels, I feel superbly awkward for having that much debauchery-ridden sex in my parent’s pool house. Even when I was in high school, getting it on here was never something I did. Not that my parents didn’t give me my space, it just felt weird.

Still does.

So when my mom walks into the kitchen, I kind of want to go hide back in the pool house to bask in peace without her asking me why I look like I won the lottery. But when I catch her holding a small wooden box, my heart constricts.

She looks outside toward the pool house before sitting next to me at the counter. “I want you to have this.”

I know exactly what’s inside, and my heart skips about a million beats.

“Mom … ” I sigh, flicking the clasp before opening the lid.

“Olivia is a wonderful girl. She loves you. Your grandmother would have adored her.” My mom covers my hands with hers. “The way you look at each other is enviable, sweetheart.”

I stare at the rose-gold locket covered in flowers with a matching chain. My grandfather bought it for my grandmother before he left for the war and she passed it on to my mom. It’s one of my mother’s most prized possessions, but I still can’t understand why, after only knowing Olivia for a few days, she wants to give it to me.

“I’m not saying give it to her immediately.” She tips my chin up. “Even if you wait two weeks or two years, I’m saying I want you to have it for now.”

I hold the box like it solves every answer in the world. “I told her about the accident.” The words come out, and I’m not sure why I’m even telling her this.

“Everything?” She rubs my arm back and forth.

Nodding, I sigh. “Yeah, after our first date. I still feel like it wasn’t the right time. But I’m not sure if I waited I ever would have told her.”

“Why?”

Olivia and I both have big demons in our past. We both want revenge and retribution somehow, some way. We want something to believe in. As fucked up as it was, I only told her because I want her to keep doing the same for me, telling me about her past, no matter how bad it is so we can move on together.

“I felt I owed it to her. The trust factor. Aside from Natasha, I feel like no one else believes in her and I do, so much.” The slow and steady creep of chocolate-y bile rises in my throat. I don’t know if I’m about to break down, finally, after two years of keeping every single fucking emotion locked away.

“Do you feel like she owes you anything?” my mom retorts, swiveling on the stool and placing the mahogany box on the counter.

I shake my head. “Of course not. It’s just weird because yesterday she got all upset. Like she thought I was mad at her for not telling me everything about her life yet. I’m not, I just wish she wouldn’t say anything at all rather than ramble about how she thinks I feel about things.”

“What I think you need is a solid night to sort things out.” She winks at me and places the box in her sweatshirt pocket as the patio door slides open. “Come get it later.”

Dale slides through the kitchen, barking and pawing at my legs. I pick him up and furiously scratch behind his ears, turning to see Olivia in a hoodie and those sexy-as-fuck leggings I bought her. Her hair is an absolute mess and she has this adorably content lazy smile plastered on her face.

“There she is!” My mom gives Olivia a big hug and wraps her arm around her shoulders. “Just the pretty young lady I wanted to see.”

“What’s going on?” Olivia smiles, petting Dale. She has this look in her eyes like it’s taking every ounce of self-restraint not to pin me to the kitchen floor.

“I was wondering if you and Miss Natasha would like to accompany me to Ladies’ Night at Saks. We have a few sample sales going on and spa treatments to die for. I would love to treat you girls to a little pick-me-up after everything you’ve been through the past month or so.” My mom winks at me. “I know you were thinking about leaving today, but I figured, what’s another night?”

“Mrs. Avery … I mean June.” She smiles. “Thank you so much for the offer, but I have to work tomorrow, and my friend already switched shifts with me once. Not to mention, Kyle and I have a lot to talk about.”

Ninety-nine percent of the women in this situation would be downright offended by Olivia’s rejection to such an offer. But not June Avery. The smile on her face is still as bright and she nods.

“Well, I’ll see what I can scoop up for you anyway.” She smiles and Olivia turns bright red.

And I love it.

When I’m sure I can’t possibly tolerate her being three feet away from me any longer, I reach out and grab her hand, laughing as Dale grunts at me for disturbing his twelfth dog-nap of the day. Olivia snuggles into my chest and my mom looks between us and then down to Dale.

“You okay?” I ask my mom as she fans her face, warding off tears.

She skirts a laugh and nods. “God, you three are so cute it makes my heart swing!” The twang in her voice comes out twentyfold and she waves me off.

“I think it’s mostly this one.” Olivia leans down and kisses the top of Dale’s head. He immediately perks up, licking her cheek.

My mom sighs, walking over and rubbing behind Dale’s ear. “Sweetheart, take him back to New Orleans with you.”

“What?” Olivia and I respond simultaneously. We both look at each other, and it’s taking the same amount of restraint to not bring back the shit-eating grin of excitement from before.

“I think you both could use a little puppy comfort and love in your lives right now. Your father and I talked about it last night.”

Olivia tears up, scooping Dale into her arms. The squirmy dance he was doing immediately stops when Olivia tugs him into her chest. His little head rests on her arm and Olivia rocks him back and forth. Maybe my mom is right. Maybe we do need this comfort. So, I hug my mother, who is way too good to me, silently thanking her for saving us both a little more.

***

Olivia squats down and pets Dale as we ride up the elevator to my apartment. I’m exhausted and can’t wait for a quiet night with her after this long weekend. As the door pings on my floor, Dale whimpers and won’t budge from the floor, even after Olivia gives his leash a gentle tug. She bends down again, soothing him, and picks him up.

“Buddy, we’re home. It’s okay.” She pecks his head and he cries again.

I stop dead in my tracks as we get into the hallway, protectively holding my arm out in front of her and Dale.

“Go downstairs. Now,” I whisper, rage building when I see the door to my apartment is ajar.

Olivia gasps, holding on to my forearm. She stands cemented and Dale starts to growl. A cute sound, more mewing than ferocious, but still a growl. I spin and take her face in my palms.

“Darlin’, go downstairs and see George, the doorman. He’ll keep you safe. Call the police.” I kiss her quick.

“No.” She shakes her head, clutching Dale to her chest like a stuffed toy. “Just come with me.”

“No, I’m sick of this. I’ll be fine.”
I fucking hope I’ll be fine.
I push the call button for the elevator again and again.

My apartment door flies open and I turn as Braden walks into the hall, his face still clearly fucked up from Cam. Olivia shoves Dale into my arms and storms past me before I can stop her. The moment she gets to Braden, she smacks him across the face so hard, I feel the burning sting. She pushes him again and he stumbles backward. He winces in pain, grabbing his arm as he steadies himself along the wall. His arm was broken in three places and I’m sure it’s still not healed.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she demands, shoving him again. I catch up with her and pull her away.

He laughs once, getting in her face, and I propel him back so hard he falls to the floor. Dale won’t stop squirming and barking in my other arm. “Don’t even think about getting up.”

“Bitch has an arm on her,” Braden mutters, rubbing his face.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Olivia seethes, trying to launch past me.

“Stop! He isn’t worth it.” I hold her back.

“No!” she screams, pushing away. “He doesn’t deserve to be here. He doesn’t get to ruin my life again!”

“Stop being so fucking melodramatic.” Braden pushes to his knees and stands. “I can see nothing’s changed.”

“You move a millimeter and I’ll snap your fucking head off,” I snarl, ushering Olivia and Dale toward the elevator. “Trust me. What happened to you outside that bar would be a walk in the park.”

“Ri-iight,” he drags.

I finally get them into the elevator and I kiss her again. “I love you,” I mouth and she nods, whispering the same.

“I should have figured she’d turn into a gold digger,” he scoffs, still leaning on the wall.

“Who bailed you out?” My voice is like acid, my limbs concrete and ready to throw down.

Braden barrels in my direction, but I duck and ram my shoulder into his chest, twist his fucked up arm, and flip him onto the floor. My hand is around his throat before he can take another breath, my grip suffocating the wasted life out him. He screams in agony and I pull his arm tighter.

“I’m only asking you one more time. How did you get out?” Venom and seething hatred course through me as my grip tightens.
His bail was like a hundred grand.

Braden thrashes around, not saying a word. Somehow, he kicks out my foot and I lose my stance, sending me a few steps backward. His boot lands into the back of my knee as I fall to the ground, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he fucked me up. I push myself up, ignoring the stabbing sensations.

He swings once again, with the accuracy of a gnat, and the edge of his fist catches my lip. My stomach lurches as the skin tears, but it only heightens my rage.

“I didn’t know I was up for competition.” Braden raises an eyebrow, almost impressed.

“You have no idea.” My arm flies through the air with more force than the furthest throw I’ve ever attempted. My fist burns as it makes contact with his cheekbone and we tumble into my apartment.