Second Chances (30 page)

His expression grows serious again.“Most of all though, I'm so sorry for walking off on you and letting that bastard get a chance with you alone,” his voice is low and riddled with pain. “I've never felt fear as gripping as when I couldn't find you and I'd never felt pure anger and hatred like when I opened that door and found him on you.”

I pull myself up, half on top of him to press my lips to his. We've said our piece and the whole incident is behind us. I just want to move forward and be happy again. He brings his hands up, framing my face as he lifts his head to deepen the kiss. That burning desire begins to unfurl inside of me. I don't feel the aches and pains that linger within me when he kisses me like this. I can just lose myself in his kisses until all these bruises heal. I'm not even aware that I'm doing it, but I slide myself up, completely covering his body. I desperately want to be closer to him. I want to feel his hands all over me. I let my legs fall on either side of him and lift my torso slightly as I trace his lower lip with my tongue. He groans as his hands slide down my sides and come around between us to get their fill of my breasts. 

I gasp, and suddenly his hands are down on my hips, sliding me back to break the kiss. He's panting for breath and squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. “We gotta stop,” he sighs. “I didn't come here tonight to hurt you. I just wanted to sleep with you in my arms so that I could know you are safe.”

“You're not hurting me,” I say softly. I sit back, straddling his legs and he props himself up on his elbows. His rejection stings me and I don't hide it quickly enough. He reaches over to grab the TV remote and hits the power button, darkening the room. 

“Don't take this the wrong way,” he whispers and lets his fingertips smooth over my thighs. “I would love nothing more than to be with you that way right now and I can't hide that fact.” With his hands on me, he slides my hips just a bit farther up his lap until I'm straddling the very rigid length of him right where I want it so desperately. I feel like I'm losing my mind with need. “But you need to rest tonight, and I'm not going to be the reason that you wake up looking more exhausted than when you went to bed.”

The room is bathed in darkness now, but my eyes have begun to adjust and I can see the half smile on his face. I still feel. . .I don't know. . .lost in my desire for him. I try to put what I'm feeling into words. “I just. . .I want to feel
your
hands on me. I want to be close to
you
like this. I want to erase the feeling of
his
hands on me.” I don't even notice it, but tears are sliding down my cheeks and I feel ashamed of my wantonness.

“I know, Hayles. . .I know,” he says softly as he pulls me down against him and wraps his arms around me. I bury my face in the base of his neck as I cry. I hadn't even realized that I'd felt that way until I said it. I hadn't realized that what happened with Parker affected me so much emotionally. “We'll do that, Hayles. I'll help you erase every memory you have of him. Just not tonight. Just let me hold you tonight.”

“Okay,” I whisper as I slide back down beside him and mold myself to his body.  

“Get some sleep for me, and I'm here with you so think of happy things and not him. Don't give him any more power over you,” he says, his voice low and comforting. I close my eyes and remember the way I felt when I'd seen him waiting on that dock for me.

Waking up the next morning with Haylee's sleeping form curled up against me, our legs intertwined, makes me a feel a contentedness inside that I haven't felt since I lived in Wake Forest years ago. She is my rock, my anchor. I have no doubt that we belong together. Her breaths are still slow and deep, and I just take this time to watch her beautiful face, so peaceful in sleep. I'm grateful that she slept last night and she'd only jolted awake once in the night. I have no doubt she'd been dreaming about that bastard getting his hands on her. She breathed a sigh of relief at seeing me there with her and settled right down beside me again. I can appreciate that after all the mistakes I've made, I'm at least able to be here and help her now.

I let my fingers glide along the satiny smooth skin of her arm and can't help but think about how I want to wake up like this every day. The thought slams me in the chest. I've never once thought about a future with any of the girls I've been with, but then again, I've never even given thought to a second time in the sack with them. Haylee is different. She always has been. I never before believed that it was possible to be with just one girl for the rest of your life, but I know now that it is. I don't even look at other girls anymore. 

She stirs a bit beside me and stretches her arm out all the way across my chest. I know that I will do anything for her. I will stand up for her, let her cry on my shoulder, celebrate with her, or just listen to her when she needs me to. Someday I know that I will ask her to be my wife. She's young yet though, and I guess I am as well. There's plenty of time for that. We need to just spend some time together without craziness, go on dates and whatever. That will be a new world for me, but knowing that it will be with Haylee, I look forward to it. 

I watch with a grin as her eyes flutter open slowly, her lids still heavy from sleep. Even with a black eye, black and blue throat, and sleep tossed hair, she still overwhelms every one of my senses.

“Mornin',” I say softly as she props herself up on her elbow and looks up at me. She looks happy and that makes me feel so incredible. 

“How long have you been awake?” she whispers and brings her hand to cover her mouth as she yawns. 

“Maybe a half hour or so,” I reply. 

“You should have woken me.”

“Nah, you needed the sleep and I got to lay here and look at your beautiful body curled up with me.” Her eyes widen and a sheepish grin breaks out on her face.

There's a knock on her door then and her eyes get huge, and I feel her stiffen up with fear beside me. “Haylee, honey, are you awake?” her mom asks quietly through the door and I hear her jiggle the knob. I really couldn't care less if her mom sees us or not. I'm sure she can assume certain things, but I know Haylee would be mortified. The door is obviously locked anyway.

“Yeah, Mom, I'm awake. I'm just still tired,” she calls, glancing back over at me. “I don't feel like getting up to unlock the door.” I throw my hand over my mouth as I chuckle at that one. Her mom will probably believe it though after all Haylee has been through. 

“I'm about to head into work, but if you want me to stay with you, . . .”

“No!” she says a little too quickly. “I'll be fine and I'll probably sleep a little while longer anyway,” Haylee tells her and I reach up to smooth her hair back behind her ear. She turns and glares at me as though her mom has x-ray vision and can see us through the door. Would it really matter if her mom saw me touch her? I mean we are in bed together after all. I grin and let my hand travel slowly down her neck, making sure to stay away from the bruises, and over her collarbone.

“If you need anything just call my cell phone,” her mom insists and I let my hand brush lightly over her nipple beneath the thin cotton of her tank. I smile as she sucks in a breath and bites down on her bottom lip. 

“Okay,” Haylee's voice cracks as she holds still, listening for her mom's retreating footsteps. Once she hears the front door close, she relaxes about getting caught and throws herself down to kiss me. Her hands dive beneath my head to weave into the hair at the nape of my neck and then she's completely on top of me. I moan as her tongue darts into my mouth. I guess it doesn't take much to turn her on. Her body feels so good pressed firmly against mine and her skin is on fire. It takes every ounce of willpower that I have to pull away from her kisses and capture her face in my hands. Damn if she doesn't look fucking incredible, all flushed and eyes heavy-lidded with desire. 

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “What are you trying to do to me, Hayles?” I sigh. She looks at me perplexed as though to ask me, um, don't you know? Oh, I know the answer; it was a rhetorical question. “I'm not gonna take advantage of you.”

“How is this. . . ” she pauses, looking down at the fact that she is on top of me, “. . .taking advantage of me? You said last night that you just wanted me to get some sleep, and I slept like a baby beside you.” Her voice is still rough and husky from the swelling in her throat. Before I even know it, she leans forward and starts kissing and licking down the side of my neck.

I groan and instead of doing what I want to do, I gently push her up with my body. Her eyes are wide as she now sits astride my lap. Damn, my little Haylee is a nympho. That makes me smile and I smooth her hair back again. “Let's get you some breakfast and a shower and then maybe. . .”

She leaps off my lap and holds her hand out to me. I laugh at her eagerness and put my hand in hers as I stand up. “Breakfast then,” she says with a glance over her shoulder as she tows me down the stairs. I can't help but smile as I watch her hips move across the living room and into the kitchen. She has on another pair of those sinfully short shorts that I am quickly falling in love with. I'm going to have to find out where she gets them and go buy the store out of their stock in them. 

“Oatmeal okay?” she asks as she opens the door to the pantry. I nod and pull open the fridge to get some juice. I don't care what we eat at this point as long as I see her eat something. I'm stunned by the contents of the fridge. It looks like a bachelor lives here. There is an almost empty gallon of milk, some ketchup, a package of cheese slices and a bag of salad. My heart clenches as I understand how things have been for her these past few years with her mom basically checked out of everything mentally. I know she hung out at Griff's quite a bit, but still. She must have noticed that I'm staring into the fridge. “Sorry, I've gotta get some groceries later,” she tells me and I grab the milk and close the door. I want to do everything in my power to protect this girl and that includes making sure she eats properly. I want to drive her to the grocery store right now and buy a cartful for them, but I know she won't let me. Eventually though. . .

She makes us each a bowl of oatmeal and we sit down at the table together. “Do you want me to make some coffee?” she asks and I just shake my head. I'm very much awake and don't need caffeine to get my blood pumping. Her little stunt upstairs has more than taken care of that. Sitting here eating breakfast with her, I can imagine doing this every morning. It's nice having the house to ourselves. 

“So what do you feel like doing today? Are you still real sore?” I ask. 

“I'm much better today,” she says as she absently raises a hand to her throat and trails her fingers along the darkening bruise. Just looking at it makes my blood boil. I don't know what made that asshole think he could put his hands on my Haylee like that. Saying it was the drugs just doesn't fly with me. I've been pretty messed up before and have never acted even close to the way he did. I suspect it was just something buried in Parker's psyche that has been hidden beneath the surface all this time. All the more reason to make sure he stays far away from Haylee. I haven't even noticed that she's taken the empty bowls and put them in the sink. She stands in front of me now with her hand out and those big blue eyes locked on me. 

  Thoughts of Parker disappear as she leads me back upstairs and into her bathroom. “I'll wait back in your room,” I tell her as she turns the water on in the shower. I've just turned to leave when she snags the back of my t-shirt, stopping my retreat. “Shower with me,” she says and then her lips are on mine. Holy hell, she is insatiable and I know I'll never get enough of her. I kiss her like my life depends on it and then pull back just a bit. 

“We're only getting clean in there,” I tell her. “There's no way I'm gonna nail you in the shower with all those bruises.” It sure isn't from lack of wanting to though, but I watch as her eyes glance down and away from me then. “Hey,” I say, pulling her face back toward me. “I didn't mean it like that. The bruises don't bother me or make me want you any less. I just don't want to do anything that will hurt you.”

She nods and then she reaches down and pulls her tank top over her head, letting it fall onto the floor. Next she wiggles her hips as she slides down her shorts and panties, all while keeping her eyes locked on mine. She has to be able to see what her body does to me. I reach back and yank my t-shirt off and gasp in surprise when her hands grab around my waist and pull my shorts and boxers down. She has all the evidence she needs now, and I see her cheeks flush. She pulls open the glass door and steps beneath the spray of hot water. Her heavy-lidded eyes beckon to me and I step in behind her putting my hands on the top swell of her hips. This is going to be the most difficult shower I've ever taken. 

We take turns scrubbing each other's bodies and I am sure I'm going to explode as I slowly let my soapy hands glide all over her perfect body. I'm ever careful of the many bruises though. Once we are clean, I turn the water off while I stand with my arms wrapped around her and reach out to grab two towels from the shelf. I wrap one around her before I cinch one around my waist. 

She bends over to pick up our discarded clothes and I suck in a breath. I've been a gentleman just about as long as I can stand it. I grab her arm, startling her and pull her down the hall into her room. I close and lock the door behind us. Her mom isn't home, but Griff or Brynn could just walk right in. When I turn back to her, she lets the towel spill into a heap at her feet and she is chewing on her bottom lip to keep from smiling. I walk quickly over to her and lean down, wrapping my arms around her lower back as I kiss her and pull her against me. She lets her hands glide down my back and around to my stomach and then she tugs the towel around my waist until it lies at my feet like hers. I don't break the kiss as I walk backward until I feel her bed at the backs of my calves. With my hands now on either side of her face, I sit down on the bed, bringing her with me. As I lie back, she straddles my waist once again in order to keep kissing me. She shifts her hips, bringing my aching cock to rest right between her hot, wet folds. I groan loudly and then she's kissing and licking along my jaw and down my neck. I need to be inside of her now or I'm not going to last another second. 

“Shit, condom,” I mutter as I remember. I've never forgotten before. She shifts her hips again, and I clench my teeth against the sensation.

“I'm on the pill,” she whispers, and I think I have to be hearing things.

“What?” I gasp. My brain is not functioning properly right now with all my blood pounding inside my cock.

“I went on the pill after you went back to California,” she replies as I look up into the sea of blue in her eyes, her hair spilling down onto my chest. Holy hell, I almost lose it right then as I process this information.

“Are you sure?” I ask, trying once again to make sure she isn't going to do something that she'll regret. “I've never not used a condom before and I'm clean. They tested me in the hospital after. . .and I've only been with you since.”

My heart melts into liquid heat inside my chest as I watch a smile spread across her beautiful face. I know that smile is just for me and I have never been happier in my entire life. “I'm sure,” she whispers and leans forward again to press her lips to mine. I lift my head to deepen the kiss and reach down around her bottom to see if she's ready.

“Mmm, you're so wet,” I groan against her mouth.

“I want you so bad, Chase,” she whispers, and that's it -- I slide all the way inside her in one quick thrust. She gasps and throws her head back as her nails dig into my chest. Her body slowly adjusts to me and I have never felt anything so incredible before. I can feel all of her tight, wet heat squeezing my cock without the thin layer of latex separating us. I am lost to this girl forever. “Tell me what to do,” she moans as she looks down into my eyes.

There is no way I can talk right now. I'm fighting so hard not to let go already. Her innocence and her open desire are fueling my passion to new heights. I grab firmly onto her hips and lift her up slowly, tilting my own head back as she begins to move around me. She slides back down slowly, and using her hands on my chest as leverage begins to pick up her pace as she grows more confident. There is nothing in this world sexier than looking up to watch Haylee Weston riding my cock, her tits bouncing up and down. I grab both of her hands and weave my fingers into hers. I pull her down so that her breasts are on my chest, and I raise our joined hands above my head. I begin to thrust in and out of her and she sucks in a breath at how different it feels this way. 

I roll us over so that I'm on top of her. I keep our hands on the pillow on either side of her head as I quicken the pace. I can hardly see the blue in her eyes anymore they are so dilated.  

“Chase,” she pants my name as she squeezes her eyes shut and comes apart beneath me. Her body clenches tightly around me and I can't hold on any longer. I quickly follow her over the edge.