Why Lie? (Love Riddles #2) (29 page)

Sydney changed all of that for me. In my quest for perfection, I almost lost her. That was the wake up I needed to stop living my life for other people and to start living it for myself. Now, when the pain of losing my mom is still so raw, there isn’t anyone else in the world I’d want by my side.

She leads me through my dark apartment, already so comfortable in my space. It isn’t mine anymore; it’s ours. She ignores the light switches as she goes, taking me right back to our bedroom.

Quietly, in the dark she undresses me. This is different, not that she’s never undressed me before. No, we’ve undressed each other. I lift my hands to the zipper of her black dress but she pushes them away. They fall to hang by my sides. My tie is gone, dropped by her slender fingers onto the floor. One button after another, my shirt comes undone. She lifts my hand to her lips and kisses my knuckles as she unbuttons my cuffs. Her fingers push under the fabric then continue to push it up, over, and off my shoulders. It falls to the floor behind me.

My undershirt is tugged from my pants and I lift my arms as she pulls it up and over my head. It too falls to the floor, this time beside us. She presses her lips to my chest, her fingers pulling my belt free. The button comes next, the zipper lowered after it. She crouches down, now untying my black dress shoes.

I don’t fight her.

When she moves to lift my foot, I do it for her. She slides off my shoes and then my socks. Looking up at me, she reaches for my slacks and gently tugs them down my legs. Still crouched in front of me, she pulls my boxers down. I’m not hard. The way she undresses me isn’t sexual. She presses her cheek to my thigh and hugs my legs before standing.

Again my hands reach for her zipper but she pushes them away. I stand in front of her and watch as she lowers the zipper of her dress. With a shrug of her shoulders, it falls forward, opening for her to peel it from her body. She steps out of it and stands before me in one booted foot, one flat black slipper, and her underwear. Reaching behind, she unclasps her bra. The straps slide down her arms before she lets it fall to the floor.

She steps out of her slipper and bends forward to undo the Velcro straps of her boot next before stepping out of it as well. Then she eases her panties over her hips until they fall to the floor with the rest of our clothes.

Taking my hand, she leads me to the bed, pulling back the covers and then crawling in beside me. She tugs the covers up and over us before wrapping me in her arms.

“You can let go now,” she whispers.

As if a dam bursts, I crumple, clutching her to me. I let all the pain I’ve been burying within me out.

To see someone so big and so strong fall apart was heartbreaking. I cried with him.

It was wrong of me to assume that the strain he was under would go away once his mother passed. It didn’t. It only changed to concern for the mental wellbeing of his dad, combined with his own grief.

Since his mom was sick for so long, people around him only see her death as a blessing, as an end to the physical suffering she endured for so long. It’s all she was to them, and before I fell in love with Heath, to me.

None of us were there for the booboos she kissed or the bedtime stories she read. Sick or not, she was his mother, a bond even illness does not erase.

Putting myself in his shoes, I’ve tried to be for him what I would want the person I loved to be for me. We haven’t discussed the night of her funeral. If and when he wants to talk about it, I’ll be here for him. Right now, he’s more focused on his dad than himself. He’s spent years being a partial caregiver to his mom, now that attention is focused on his dad.

Mr. Mackey stayed with my grandparents the night of the funeral, and the night after it as well. Today he’s meeting with Heath and a realtor to list their house.

I’m at Lola’s working on our weekly order. He’s going to call me when he’s on his way back to his place. Then he’s packing up some stuff to come stay with me at mine. His dad is going to take over his apartment until his house sells and until he’s able to find a new place. As great as the house is, Heath doesn’t think it will take long to sell.

When I told him I would be staying at my place, he tried to talk me out of it. He did not succeed. Then I tried to talk him into staying with his dad so he could be supportive. I did not succeed. He was pretty clear he’s certain he can be supportive of his dad while sleeping at my place. I couldn’t come up with an argument against that.

Besides, I want him with me.

It’s strange how much has changed for the both of us. We haven’t used the words boyfriend or girlfriend. It’s like we jumped past that into something more serious than either of those terms. We live together. Sure while I was staying with him my mailing address was still technically Lola’s and he isn’t changing his address while he’s staying with me. All that aside, there is no question that when we go to sleep at night, it will be together. There’s also no question that our plans for the future now include each other.

There’s a knock on the side of the office door and I look up to see Clarey leaning there.

“Hey, Clarey,” I greet.

Her eyes move to the computer screen than back to me. “Are you busy?”

I shake my head and ask. “Someone covering your section?”

When she nods, I gesture for her to sit down. “What’s up?”

“I was wondering if I could rearrange my schedule for next week?”

I click the mouse a few times to pull up the schedule. “What days do you need to change?”

Clarey isn’t full time, but she’s still scheduled three days next week.

“If I can, I’d like to trade my Thursday with Alex for her Wednesday and then see if I can get someone to take my Friday.”

I lean back in my chair. “Have you already talked to Alex?”

She nods. “Yep, she’s on board with switching.”

“That works for me. I can cover your Friday since I won’t need to wear my boot anymore by then.”

“Really?” She grins huge through her question.

I shrug. “Of course. I need to get my butt back out there so you’re doing me a favor.”

“Thank you so much, Sydney.”

I wave her off. “It’s no big deal. Just make sure to update the schedule on the door.”

She stands, still smiling and nods.

“Are you doing anything fun those days?”

Pulling a pen out from her apron, she makes the changes on to the sheet pinned to the door. “Yep, I’m going up to visit Cecil.”

Leaning toward her, I excitedly say, “No way. That’s awesome.”

She sinks back down into the chair. “I really like him.”

“He wouldn’t have invited you up if he didn’t feel the same way,” I reply, my smile as full as hers.

Her smile falters a bit. “He didn’t invite me. I’m surprising him.”

Oh no.

Cecil hates, and I mean hates surprises.

I can’t help it. I cringe. “Are you sure about this?”

She bobs her head decidedly. “Positive.”

I reach out to cover her hand with mine. “I’m not going to ruin your surprise so I promise not to say anything to him but I’ve known Cecil a long time, and I’m telling you as a friend, you should text him or call him to let him know you’re coming.”

Her mouth tightens. “Do you think he’s already seeing someone else?”

I shake my head emphatically. “No, I do not and I do know he likes you.”

She grins at this so I go on, “I also know surprises are not his thing.”

She considers this, pausing before replying, “I’ll call him first.”

Oh thank God.

“That’s a good idea.”

Once she’s gone, I have to stop myself from texting Cecil. I also cross my fingers and toes she wasn’t joking when she said she’d call him.

I update the electronic schedule and finish placing this week’s order. Then I glare down at my booted foot. Only four more days to go. It’s not like I have plans to run a marathon or anything. I’m just so sick and tired of wearing it.

With a sigh, I stand and make my way past the kitchen to the entrance to the seating area.

Gigi walks over as I slide onto a stool. “Order done and I’m taking Clarey’s shift this Friday.”

She frowns. “Will you be okay that long on your feet?” Says the woman who was supposed to retire months ago.

“I can stop wearing my boot on Thursday. I’ll wear my most supportive shoes and take breaks to put my foot up if it starts bothering me.”

She rests a hand on the top of the counter and leans toward me. “No, what you’ll do is call me and I’ll come relieve you.”

“Gigi,” I argue.

She shakes her head. “I don’t want you hurting yourself.”

Lifting my eyes to the ceiling, I thank heaven that my mother lives on the east coast. I love her and I love seeing her but if she was here hovering over me as well, I’d lose my mind. I take a moment to choose to be grateful my Gigi loves me the way she does, instead of being annoyed by it. “All right.”

She grins like she didn’t already know I would cave. “Are you hungry?”

My phone lights up with an incoming text from Heath letting me know he was on the way. “I’m going to wait for Heath,” I reply.

She gives me a small smile. “All right, honey.”

A few minutes later, at the chime of the door, I swivel on my stool and watch Heath walk in.

It still hits me how beautiful he is. He worked a half day before meeting with his dad so he’s still wearing his suit for work. Watching him undress is like opening a Christmas present.

He comes right to me and presses his lips to mine. “Hey, baby.”

As he sits on the stool next to mine, I ask, “How’d it go with your dad?”

“The house is officially listed. I told him not to worry about Mom’s clothes, that you and I would go through them. He’s going to hold off on downsizing anything else until he knows where he’ll end up.”

“That makes sense,” I murmur.

“Did you want to eat here?” he asks.

I shrug. “I’m flexible.”

He grins, clearly not taking that the way I meant it.

He then slides off his stool and offers me his hand. “If it’s alright with you, I can make something upstairs for us.”

My hand slips into his. “You okay?”

One side of his mouth tips up. “It’s been a long day.” He gives my hand a squeeze. “But, it’s better now.”

He waves to Gigi and I blow her a kiss good-bye as we make our way to the stairs to my apartment. Once we’re in and the door is closed behind us, he lays a hot and heavy kiss on me. My hands move up his chest, over his broad shoulders and into his thick hair.

God, this man can kiss.

When he pulls back, I blink up at him. “What was that for?”

He smiles wickedly, the look in his eyes searing. “I’ve been waiting to do that and more since I had to leave for work this morning.”

“That long?” I tease.

His grip tightens on my hips. “Yep, how hungry are you?”

I feel the question and all it entails all over and tremble in response. It’s all the answer he needs. His hands move down to cup my ass and then I’m up, holding on to him as he carries me to the sofa.

“The bed is right there.”

“I haven’t fucked you on this couch yet,” he replies against my neck.

Cue another full-body tremble.

He lowers my back to the sofa and then pushes the skirt of my dress up. Then, his mouth is on me, right over my lacey panties.

“Heath.” I gasp, my hips bucking.

He lifts his head and locks eyes with me as he pushes my legs together and peels my panties down them. He leaves one side dangling over my boot and pushes my legs open again.

“I’ve been fighting going hard all day thinking about tasting you,” he murmurs, before lowering his head.

He does a whole lot more than taste me; he devours me. He adds his fingers to the mix, and my climax builds.

“I’m close.” I groan, my fingers threading into his hair as I push up against his mouth.

He eases a third finger inside me and I come hard. His hand moves away but he continues to lap at my clit. I hear the zip of his pants seconds before he thrusts inside me.

Being full of him, still coming, is so fucking good. He leans over me, taking my mouth as his hands grip my breasts through the fabric of my dress and bra.

“You feel so fucking good.” He groans against my lips.

I push at his suit jacket, half annoyed that he was in such a rush we’re still almost fully clothed, and half turned-on that he couldn’t wait.

Pulling back, he takes over for me, quickly taking off everything from the waist up. He then gets to work on the top of my dress, shoving his hand under my back to reach the zipper. He drags it down, still driving his thick cock into me. His hands move, pushing the top of my dress down as I help, tugging my arms from it until it pools around my waist. His hands then move to the cups of my bra, tugging each down as his mouth descends. His lips close around my nipple and he sucks hard.

My back arches as I exhale. “Yes.”

His mouth still at my breast, his hands move again, this time to my thighs. He spreads me wide, pushing my legs down as he thrusts deep.

Oh my God.