Authors: Dee Ellis
“Maybe. Tell Sadie we can Skype this weekend. Tell the boys I love them but I
don’t
miss them. Miss you girls, though.” My voice got thick as a pang home sickness overwhelmed me.
“We miss you too, Charli. You stick your ass right where you are though. Do this for you. We love you, sis.” Maisie was ornery but sweet and I loved her for it.
“Love you too.” With a heavy sigh, I called goodbye and fell back onto the bed.
It was still early and I needed dinner. Thankfully, I had found a few places I liked and there were plenty more to try out. After placing an order for some chicken and veggies and a bottle of wine, I headed into my office. Seeing the office almost completed, most my books on shelves and a few framed photos of my brothers and their wives, or all of us, made me miss home even more.
It also made me glad I was here. I never got the chance to go away to college or even take an exciting vacation anywhere. This was my first dose of being away from home. It was scary and overwhelming but I loved it. Sitting at my desk to wait for my dinner to arrive, I smoothed my thumb over the tracker on my laptop. It came to life and I fussed with my glasses, squinting at the screen.
A new word document was open. Just a few words were there. A Novel. By Charli Dixon. It started out with ‘The skies were clear and crisp, the sun bright over their heads. Callum was more beautiful than Ava’s heart could take....’ That was it. Not only did I not have a title, nor a good idea just how beautiful Callum was, I wasn’t sure I could string together two sentences.
In high school I wrote all the time. On our tiny school newspaper, I wrote the most impressive essays in English lit, and eventually, my own stories. I had a few short stories completed and hoped maybe one day to complete a novel.
I wrote for fun and I wrote because I had stories in me to tell. I read for the same reasons; I liked to read about other worlds, other people and places and their stories. As of late most those tales were of the adult nature, starring an Alpha male and a hot, kick ass heroine. My kind of tale.
Which is kind of where my comfort in story telling lay. I was no J.K Rowling or even Stephanie Meyer. Though I loved the works of both. For very different reasons. The stories I wanted to tell weren’t on such grand scales, and ultimately were about love and relationships. But that cursor sat blinking at me because really, I didn’t know shit about either. Another reason toying with the idea of something with Cage was foolish.
Though I had been in a relationship with Tucker for most my adult life, it was hardly what romance tales are made of. I highly doubted Cage would spend countless days in the back of my truck, talking about movies and nonsense. Cage wanted a whole lot more from me than I thought I could give. At least if those hot looks and even hotter whispers spoke of anything.
A knock at my door halted my attempts to pretend to write for now. Pausing in my bedroom, I slid my robe off and stepped into my pajamas. Which were really tiny boy shorts and a too-long t shirt from the diner I worked summers at back home. It looked like a baseball shirt, scoop neck and long arms, with the number 71 on the left breast and across the back.
Running down the short stairway as another knock pounded, heavier this time, I held a hair tie in my hand as I shoved my damp hair atop my head. Stumbling on the last step, I cursed out loud and raced across the floor to throw the door open.
“Sorry, just let me grab my.... wallet.” Instead of my delivery guy from Jordan’s, Cage Cooper stood on my front step, my dinner in his hand.
“No need.” The darkening skies did nothing to shadow his beautiful face and the sexy smirk at his lips.
“Cage?” I stepped one foot out, glancing around for the delivery guy.
“Yes, Sugar. Jesus Christ,” He let out a breath as I stepped back, “you open your door to strange men looking like that?” I realized he was staring.
Hard
with that heavy look in his honey hazel eyes.
“What? No... I mean...its pajamas. Why, exactly are you on my doorstep, with my dinner?” I tipped my head towards the bag, absolutely aware of how thin my top was and how tiny my shorts were.
“Delivery guy was a coincidence. Took care of it for you. Although,” He frowned, his dark brows furrowing, “not exactly my idea of the kind of dinner I’d like to treat you to.” Cage handed me the bag and I set it aside, watching him in the warm yellow light from the porch light.
“Not really an answer, Cage.” The door fell softly against my back as I stepped into the threshold, waiting for him to answer.
“Yeah. Um, right. Jesus Christ Sugar,” He husked again, closing the distance between us as he pressed close, “These scraps you call pajamas are killing me right now. I came because I promised you something. I don’t intend to ever break a promise to you.” Cage’s voice was low and threatening in the most sexual fucking way I had ever heard.
Frowning, I backed up against the door, absolutely confused. Then all at once, heat flooded me, bursting from my center out as I understood. He had left me at my door and I had been upset, in fact, that he hadn’t kept his promise. It was late, but it was still today. Cage had promised he would taste me today.
I had waited for it earlier, had anticipated it. His full, delicious mouth claiming mine. Hot tongue invading my mouth and tasting me like he promised. I had waited for the press of his muscled chest against mine, the feel of his hands tangled in my hair. Instead he had been a gentleman. Seems he was here to correct that.
Before I could react, he moved. Swifter than I expected someone so large to move. Cage pressed close, his hardness heavy against my belly, the sound I let out giving away how good he felt. Keeping his eyes on me, he tore my hair down to let his fingers weave through it.
Tugging hard, his hands rough at my skin, he tipped my head back. Then he was moving and my eyes closed and I arched into him. Once. Twice. Cage barely touched his mouth to mine and I saw bursts of white behind my lids, felt the wetness between my legs. Then he changed it completely.
Pinning me to the door, he slid his knee between mine and claimed my mouth completely. His tongue slid past my lips, hot and wet and I moaned into his mouth. Despite my resolution to not let something happen, right then he could have had me if he asked.
His lips and teeth and tongue devoured mine, as if it was all the sustenance he could ever need. My taste, my lips, my moans as he pressed against me.
His tongue lashed mine, twisted and roiling, fucking my mouth like it was a promise. A promise of more, of what he would do to the rest of my body when I let him. Because we both knew, right then, I was going to let him.
No matter the walls I put up or how I tried to shutter myself from him. He would take me. I wanted him to then, to end the buildup that was already too much. But I knew he wouldn’t.
Even as I pressed into him, my arms lifting to circle his neck and tangle in his thick dark hair. As I moaned and whimpered his name into his mouth, his kisses swallowing my pleasure up, it wasn’t enough. Still I knew Cage would not take me.
Even if I begged him, which as one hand slid to the back of my head, the other wrapping around my waist and lifting me close, I wanted to. Cage wouldn’t because he knew that would be too easy. To get lost in this need we lit a fire in each other and let it burn away.
Though I felt his cock, hard and solid and throbbing at my belly, he wouldn’t risk more. I should think that was enough; that it told me that he truly wanted me. Instead it pissed me off.
“Fuck,” Cage swore savagely when he finally tore his mouth from mine, “you taste sweeter than I imagined. I want to be inside you so bad. So fucking bad. Never felt an ache like the one you give me, Sugar. You told me today you wanted me. Until you say it to me again. Until you mean it; mean that you want me and every fucked up part of me, I won’t take you. You set the pace, baby.”
“Then go. Don’t tease me with something you don’t intend to give.” My words were icy and he stiffened, lifting away to frown at me.
“Oh, I intend to give it to you, baby,” He thrust his hips, hands going rough in my hair, “just not until you ask. Which you will. Because as much as you want to run from us, you want to let us have it more.” Cage wasn’t breathing right and I realized shamefully neither was I.
“Do I? I don’t think so, Cage,” I worked hard to steady my voice as I pushed away, “I can’t give you what you think you need from me. I don’t.... I don’t have any more room for heart ache and disappointment.” I was being harsher with every word, shoving at his broad shoulders.
“Don’t lie to me. You want me as bad as I want you. I can battle your ghosts, baby,” I gasped when he yanked my head back, staring down at me as a slow smile formed on his face, “I am the man who will do that for you. As long as it takes, I will slaughter every fucking one. One day you won’t even remember a time before me, I promise you. Soon. Till then, don’t lie to me.” I shoved back against the door but he pressed closer and I whimpered as he brought me against him.
Then he was kissing me again and I was molten between my legs. My nipples ached and I knew I’d be visiting with my rabbit later. I was burning up from the inside out. I kissed him back, bit at his bottom lip like I had wanted to all day, and let my tongue tangle with his.
When he groaned, his large hand slipping to my ass to roughly cup a cheek, I moaned into his kiss. Then he set me aside, clearly making an effort to put distance between us. I ached at the loss of him, at the coolness that replaced the heat of his body. Cage reached out once more, swiping his thumb over my swollen lips as his eyes held mine.
“Night, Sugar. Get your ass inside and lock your door. Don’t you answer your door looking like that again. You get me?” My head nodded and I watched him back away before I turned to head inside.
“Goodnight, Cage.” I tossed over my shoulder before I fell against the door, my knees nearly giving out.
What in the actual fuck did Cage Cooper do to me?
1
Three orgasms should have left me sleeping like a baby, and yet I was running late today. Rushing from the house, still tugging on my boots as I went, I held a bagel in my mouth and cursed the busy streets. Instead those orgasms, two courtesy of my rabbit and one an aftershock of that life altering kiss, left me wired.
Which was why I had ended up at three when one is always enough to have me passed out. Again, what the fuck has Cage Cooper done to me? Besides leave me wet and needy for him in a way I didn’t know was possible. Kissing me then walking away like that was messing with my head.
I spent most the night pissed off because he left me there like a fool. In between images of teasing him until the seams of his zipper burst and then denying him, I had plenty others. Ones of him in my bed, but not fucking me, though those were a plenty too.
No, just of him in my bed, holding me and listening to me talk about books and the library. About my mom and my dad, my brothers, and maybe even Tucker. Someday. The images assaulted me the entire night, leaving me restless, horny and frustrated.
I was more attracted to Cage because of the promises he seemed so intent on. He was my future and I was his, he said. After he kissed me stupid, I kind of thought he might know exactly what he was talking about. Didn’t mean I was ready to accept that, though.
My walk to the library was slowed by congested traffic on the sidewalks and in the dirty streets. It was cooler today and I regretted not grabbing a jacket about four blocks from my place. I was trying to enjoy the fall weather that was lingering for as long as I could. The skies overhead were clear and cloudless. The air was crisp, the winds fluttering my hair, down again today, and my long skirt around my legs.
Yesterday I had dressed for him, even if I told myself otherwise. I wanted him to look at me the way he did. It did things to me in places no one had ever touched. Maybe not even me. Today I was a woman on a mission, so my long flowing floral navy skirt and off the shoulder peasant top were strictly business.
So I wanted him. And he wanted me. So what if he didn’t need to touch me to turn me on until I ached everywhere it mattered. I mean, so what his kiss literally had me in the throes of a mind numbing orgasm. So what. And I mean, so what I wanted to buy into his promises as much as he did. I didn’t, not really. Even if I felt like I was connected to him in a way I didn’t know was possible.
That didn’t mean he got to tell me how things were. That didn’t mean Cage got to sweep into my life and reroute my plans for it. No way. I was here to find myself, to find something for myself, and even if Maisie and probably Sadie were on Team Cage, I wasn’t. I was on Team Charli and in fact, I was pissed that no one else was.
“Morning sunshine,” Lola greeted me with a chipper smile as I stepped behind the main reference desk, “what’s the business?” Blinking, I tried to tear my focus away from Cage and how he was ruining things.
“Morning. More mentoring for me today. How did the interview prep program go yesterday?” The library was quiet today, just a few students from the university wandering around.
“It went really well. Great turnout, we have some of the kids coming back for some computer courses next week. How did mentoring with sex on a stick go?” Lola wiggled her dark brows, her bright red pouty lips, smirking.
“The kids enjoyed the visit to the station. We have one kid, Devon, who seems to be leaning towards following up with the career actually. So that’s exciting.” I left out any mention of Cage.