Authors: Dawn Pendleton
7
Gabby
It wasn’t such a stretch to think that Wolfe was playing some kind of game to get me alone. I certainly wouldn’t put it past him, in fact. But the letter revealed much more than I could ever have imagined, about me, about Wolfe, and about how the world perceived us. We were meant to be together, or so Rainey said in her letter. She recommended I take a look around once in a while, which was pretty much what everyone had been telling me lately. I wasn’t blind, though. I saw the looks Wolfe gave me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.
The reality was, I didn’t want to see them. Not really. I needed more space from him, not to catch him looking at me with such fire and love that it melted the icy walls I’d built around my heart. But I did see them. And those looks were hardly something I could erase from my memory, much like I couldn’t erase Rainey from my mind.
She’d written most of the letter, so this little setup had been planned for a while. It irritated me and cut to my heart at the same time, making me wish desperately that my friend was still here. I’d give anything to be able to talk to her again. And that was when the tears started. I couldn’t control them, didn’t want to. I needed the emotional release, no matter the ramifications. It wasn’t until I read the last line of the letter that I made a snap decision to enjoy the moment.
Don’t take life too seriously. You don’t make it out alive.
It was a quote from someone famous, to be sure, but with Rainey gone, it made me want to take advantage of being alone, if only for one night, with Wolfe. I knew exactly how hot it would be, and the man didn’t disappoint.
He was almost resistant at first, confusing cluttering his mind. But once he realized I wanted him, he took control, something I expected and enjoyed. His hands gripped my waist, like he was holding on for dear life. His tongue, soft but demanding, invaded my mouth and I opened to him willingly. He didn’t waste any time taking absolute possession.
In seconds, I was Jell-O in his arms, my knees shaking. For a moment, I thought for sure I would fall. But true to his nature, Wolfe scooped me up, his right arm behind my back and his left behind my knees. He never broke our kiss, either. I put each of my hands on his face, keeping all my focus on him. I figured if I let myself get caught up, maybe I wouldn’t regret this later.
Highly unlikely
, my inner thoughts nagged at me. I ignored them, though. I wanted this, whether I would regret it later or not.
Wolfe carried me over to the bed, his body following mine down onto the plush mattress. His mouth left mine to trail kisses down my jaw and to the hollow of my throat. I arched my head back to give him better access. He moaned as my body made full contact with his. Even through our clothes, I could feel the heat and size of him, and it made me hotter. I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in him.
So when he pulled his warmth completely away from me, I groaned in frustration.
“Are you sure?” His simple gesture made me realize exactly how much I wanted him. He was so sweet, so gentle, and even a bit self-conscious.
I smiled up at him. “I’m sure,” I confirmed, putting my hand on the back of his neck and pulling him down to me. I took over then.
I managed to roll us over so that I was on top, ready to take control. When he sat up and began to massage my breasts, I felt everything like it was last year. I sucked in my breath and waited for the pain, the hurt, the fear.
Wolfe froze. “What’s wrong?” He looked up at me with his cloudy eyes, reading me so well.
I gulped. “Nothing.” But it wasn’t nothing, and he knew it.
“You’re white as a ghost,” he murmured, putting a hand to my cheek. I saw the hurt in his eyes when I flinched away from him.
I gulped and moved off him, scooting to the end of the bed and trying to quell the shakes and my heavy breathing. I tried to take deep breaths but the images of last year flooded my mind, taking me back …
Things were a mess. Wolfe was talking about moving to Florida again, and the Lord only knew why. He definitely needed to make up his mind what mattered most: me or moving home. There was no way I was going to move.
The night everything changed happened so fast, there was almost nothing I could do to prevent it. Probably not getting drunk would have been a great first step, though. It was for a friend’s birthday from college. She turned twenty-one and we all decided to surprise her by taking her out to eat and then an impromptu party at her sorority house ensued afterwards. It was fun, but I had way too much to drink.
When I ended up laying on one of the girls bed, door closed but not locked, I started to text Wolfe, thinking maybe he should come get me. In the middle of my typing, a guy entered; I thought his name was Charlie, but I couldn’t be sure.
“Occupied,” I told him, expecting him to turn around and leave.
“I’ve been searching every room in this damn house, hoping to find you alone, Gabby,” he said, his words confusing me in my drunken state. By the time I realized what he meant and the panic set in, he was on top of me on the bed, pushing my spaghetti straps off my shoulders, his intent clear.
Before I could scream, he formed a fist and smashed it into my head, causing me to black out.
No one knew what happened to me that night, not even Rainey, and especially not Wolfe. When it happened, I’d felt so alone, so worthless, I couldn’t keep up with a marriage to Wolfe and I started to pull away from him. I used whatever excuses I could to keep him at bay, and here he was, getting under my skin again. I wanted to be with him, I really did. The problem was, I didn’t know how anymore. It’d been so long, I couldn’t keep the memories away and enjoy a night with him.
“Talk to me, baby,” he pleaded, taking both my hands in his. My hands were like ice and he cupped his around mine. He blew into our hands to warm them. When he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, just like he always did when we were together, I broke.
I brought my hands to my face and sobbed into them, the movement racking my entire body. I felt Wolfe move away for a second and I thought he was going to leave me alone, but he returned a second later with a blanket from the hotel closet, draping the soft fabric across my shoulders and then sitting on the bed next to me, an arm around my waist.
He pulled me close but didn’t say a word. He just let me cry, let me use his shoulder to lean on, and comforted me. I took as much warmth from him as I could, letting myself feel for him for the first time in over a year. I wanted him, whether I was ready or not.
I slipped away from him, into the bathroom for a private moment, and then cleaned my face, washing the makeup off. I stared at myself in the mirror, seeing myself as more than just the girl who was used at a frat party – I was a strong, independent woman. A woman who was in control of herself, her life, and her destiny. I wasn’t going to let some asshole’s actions from over a year ago torment me for the rest of my life.
With my resolve strengthened, I decided to take what I wanted from Wolfe. One perfect night. I tucked my hair behind my ears and then undressed, letting all my clothes drop to the floor and stay there. I was ready for this. I opened the door and went back into the hotel room, finding Wolfe lounging on the bed, his back against the pillows. He was so hot, so amazing, all I wanted was to lose myself in him, in the pleasures I knew he could give me.
“Gabby?” he started, but then cut himself off when he saw I was naked. I watched as he took a deep breath, preparing to speak again.
But I didn’t want to talk. To shut him up, I walked over to the king-sized bed, hopped up on it, and then straddled him. I lowered my mouth to his and just let myself get lost in the sensations. I needed to remember what it felt like to be loved, not used and abused.
I was ready.
8
Wolfe
I was so hot for her, ready to return to our normal life, that I was willing to do whatever it took to get her under me. After her outburst, I was worried but kept quiet, knowing she needed a moment. When she came out of the bathroom, though, I knew she’d made up her mind about what she wanted from me, and I was more than ready to deliver.
I put my hands on her hips when she kissed me, determined to let her set the pace. She wasn’t as calm. Her fingers pulled at my hair, causing me to growl from beneath her. Just as I decided to take the next step, she tugged on my T-shirt. I sat forward a little so she could get it off. She tossed the shirt on the floor and then returned to me, kissing her way down my chest, not letting me enjoy her body at all.
When she got to my jeans, I couldn’t stop my hips from thrusting up at her. I thought of every mundane thing I could think of while she unzipped me to help me stay level-headed.
Wrestling. Football. Brake pedals. Working out
. Nothing worked, especially when she pulled me out of my jeans and wasted no time with caresses, choosing instead to engulf the head of my dick in her mouth.
I moaned, letting my fingers trail gently through her hair. She knew exactly what I liked, how fast I wanted it, and she brought me to the edge several times.
“Please, baby,” I begged.
She licked the tip. “Will you be able to go again? I don’t want to get left behind.”
“Of course I will,” I promised her, knowing that after a year of only masturbation, I would be able to get it up again in no time.
She smiled wickedly and resumed her motions, letting me come in her mouth, the sensation so amazing, my brain went blank.
When next I was aware of anything, Gabby was beside me, her fingers playing with the hair on my chest. I turned to her, not quite ready to go, but willing to give her the same pleasure she just gave me. I rolled on top of her, kissing her lips sweetly before trailing a line of kisses down her jaw. I licked a pert nipple for a moment before suckling it into my mouth. Her moan of pleasure was enough to keep me there all day, but I knew what we both wanted.
I continued downward, my tongue and teeth leaving tiny marks along her skin. When I reached the juncture between her thighs, she spread her legs farther, opening herself to me willingly. I kissed each of her thighs, taking my time and driving her wild. If her restlessness was any indication, I was doing a great job.
“Wolfe, please,” she begged me, her hands fisting in my hair.
I gave in to what she wanted, though only because it was what I wanted, too. Without denying either of us for another second, I leaned down to taste her. Her hips bucked against me and I wrapped my arms around her thighs to keep her somewhat still while I ravaged her with my mouth. My tongue swirled around her clit, bringing her to the brink with just one touch, her moan letting me know just how much she enjoyed it.
It wasn’t long before she was writhing beneath me and I was ready for round two. So I pulled away, certain that I could have stayed there all day tasting her. Instead, I kissed my way up her stomach. I put my weight on my fists as I rose up above her.
I wanted to say something, those three little words that meant the world, but the truth was, I was afraid to. She must have been afraid of me saying it, too, because she pulled my mouth to hers and kissed me. I couldn’t wait any longer and sheathed myself inside her. She was so tight, so wet, and sweeter than I ever remembered.
We came together just a few minutes later and I collapsed on top of her, knowing that this was the beginning of us getting back together.
* * * * *
When next I opened my eyes, it was dark, the days cut short by lack of sunlight. Gabby was tucked into my arms, her body curled delicately into mine. It was perfect, but I definitely needed the bathroom. I rolled away from her gently and closed the bathroom door behind me. I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment when I finished before looking at the counter.
There on the marble vanity was the letter Gabby read from Baker. I couldn’t stop myself from picking it up and glancing at the words. But I didn’t stop there.
Gabby, I’ve asked Baker to give this to you after I’m gone, when they set you and Wolfe up. I’m sure you miss me, but don’t be stupid. Give yourself one reckless night with Wolfe, a perfect night to enjoy each other one last time before you split up forever. Don’t let the past haunt you anymore. You’ve got to move forward. And don’t take life too seriously. You don’t make it out alive. Love you! –Rainey
I couldn’t quite believe what I was reading, anger bubbled up inside me and a rage I’d never known was unleashed. Still holding the letter, I threw open the door and made my way into the hotel room. Gabby was still sound asleep, but she was about to get a rude awakening.
I flipped on the light. “What the hell is this?”
“Wolfe?” Her eyes flickered open, reacting to the tone in my voice. “What’s going on?”
“You tell me.” I set the letter on the blanket.
“That wasn’t meant for you to see,” she sputtered, sitting up.
“Obviously. Just one last night romp, huh? Hope it was worth it.” I turned away from her, finding and then pulling on my boxers and jeans. I left the button undone while I searched for my shirt.
“No, Wolfe! That’s not what it was at all. Please, just listen to me.” She pulled at my arms, desperate to get me to hear her out.
I wouldn’t. I needed to get the hell out of that room so I could think. I picked up my Jeep keys and tossed them on the bed.
“Take the Jeep. I’ll take a cab back home,” I grit out, trying to keep my anger in check. She backed away from me, finally realizing that I wasn’t going to be swayed. She sat on the bed, pulling the sheet up over her breasts while I put on my shirt. My shoes were in the far corner, having been thrown there at some point during our several lovemaking sessions throughout the day.
My coat was on the arm of the desk chair. I shoved my arms into the sleeves before turning to face her again. “Do me a favor and leave the Jeep at Luke’s. We’ve only got ten days before the divorce is final. I’ll sign the papers and you can have whatever you want. Don’t contact me between now and then. It’s been over for a long time, and I didn’t want to let go, but now I wish I agreed to everything last year. Then maybe I could have moved on and not been hanging on to the hope that a woman like you could change her mind. I don’t appreciate being used. Have a nice life, Gabby.”
Before she could reply, I turned away, leaving the room and my wife behind, finally realizing that it was over. I wasn’t going to hold on to her anymore.