Chapter 6

I don’t know how to feel after dinner when the girls leave me alone with the man I love but can’t have. I want to ask all the questions they asked about moving to South Carolina again, but I’m a coward.

It’s a ridiculous notion. Why would Aiden move to Magnolia Point? I’m not his girlfriend. We’re only friends. What happened last night was a mistake, and I’m still praying that it didn’t ruin our friendship. As much as I want to be with him, risking what we have is not negotiable. It was stupid of me to go to his bedroom last night.

When the kitchen is clean, I back away from the sink.

He’s drying the last wine glass. His strong hands are so gentle and it reminds me of how he touched me. As he puts it in the cupboard, I can’t help admiring his muscular back and arms.

“I’m going to bed.” I run from him as fast as I can and close my bedroom door.

A minute later, he knocks. “Joy?”

“Yes?” My pulse is pounding so hard he can probably hear it from the hallway. My heart is screaming for him to come in here and make love to me, while my head commands me to keep him on the outside of that door.

“Are you alright?”

“Yup. Just tired.” Standing next to the bed, I stare at the door. I’m so torn between what’s right and what I want, my feet seem to close the distance to him of their own accord.

“It’s not wrong to find moments of happiness. Your mom wouldn’t want you to be miserable.”

How can he know what I’m thinking? I pull the door open. “Maybe not,” I bark out. He’s close, as if he was leaning against the door and I surprised him. He takes my breath away and it takes me a few seconds to regain the ability to speak. “But she wouldn’t expect me to be partying right after her funeral.”

One side of his beautiful mouth pulls up. “Partying? I don’t think that’s what you’ve been doing.” He kisses my forehead and his lips linger on my skin for a second. “Good night, Joy. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I watch as he goes into my guest bedroom and closes the door. I’m the one making this awkward. He’s been the same warm, wonderful friend that he’s always been. It’s me who keeps pushing away.

The fleeting thought that I should have finished what I started last night shoots into my brain and my entire body floods with desire. No. It will only make things worse and they’re bad enough. My nipples tighten, as does my clit. Low in my belly, yearning pools and grips me. “Why can’t you let this go?” I whisper to myself.

I take two steps toward his door and stop. Is it possible to miss someone when they’re only a few feet away? “I’m an idiot.” I back up a step.

The door opens and he steps into the hallway. “Are you talking to me or yourself?”

“Myself.” My cheeks are on fire and I wish the floor would swallow me up, never to be heard from again. “Sorry if I was bothering you.”

“You do bother me, but not because you talk to yourself.” He closes the distance between us.

At least he’s not naked. I don’t think I could take it if he was. “I’ll be quieter.”

“Not what I meant.” He cups my cheek. “You are the woman who I compare every other to. You are my best friend. Having you in the next room about to put on those little shorts and see-through white tank drives me crazy. I’ll spend the night jerking off just to get a few minutes’ sleep.”

“Oh god.” It pops out of my mouth with a moan. “Don’t say things like that.”

The outline of his thick cock is clear under his shorts. “Why not? It’s the truth.”

“We already agreed that last night was a mistake.” I should back away, but I’m rooted in place with him close enough to touch.

“No. You said that, not me. I’ll never regret feeling you naked against me or tasting your sweetness. It’s burned into my memory for life.” He runs his knuckles along my jaw.

Squeezing my thighs together does nothing to help my growing state of longing. I lust for his touch and ache in ways only he can soothe. “I shouldn’t have left you unsatisfied last night. It wasn’t fair.”

“I was happy to give you a few minutes of pleasure.” He brushes my hair out of my face with the palm of his hand, then threads his fingers in my curls. “I’d love to spend more time making you feel good. Seeing you come apart is the single most beautiful moment of my life.”

Feeling vulnerable and exposed isn’t usually something I like, but this is the person I trust most in the world. “I was afraid last night.”

“Of me?”

I shake my head. “No. Of being happy. Of forgetting my mother. Of losing you.”

“You can’t lose me, and you’ll never forget your mother.” He sounds so sure of himself.

“When you touch me, I forget everything.”

His smile is contagious. “That’s a good thing and good for my ego.” He chuckles.

Lifting to my toes, I press my lips to his.

The way he cups the back of my head makes me feel cherished as he makes love to my mouth. His other hand caresses my back before settling on my hip. Sliding his tongue along the seam of my lips, he waits for permission.

I open for him with a soft moan and wrap one leg around his. The touching of our tongues shoots heat directly to my pussy and I arch to get some friction there. There’s no awkwardness when we kiss. I don’t worry about anything or think about where to put my hands. It’s easy and sensual, as if our kisses were destined by a higher power.

Holding my ass, he grinds his straining cock against my slit.

I tighten my hold and lift my leg higher to open myself to him. My pussy gushes with readiness to have him deep inside me.

Moaning into my mouth, he breaks the kiss and presses his forehead to mine. His breath comes hard and fast. “Sweetheart, I don’t want you to regret anything or for this to be an impulse. I’m going to go into the bathroom and if you”re in my bed when I come out, I’ll be happy to continue this. If you’re not there, I’ll see you in the morning.” He kisses the tip of my nose, turns, and goes into the hall bathroom.

I lean against the wall between the two doors. To my right is the safety of my room and all the things I know about. If I go that way, I’ll still have my friend Aiden in the morning and it’s possible to go back to the way things have always been. To my left is a new world filled with possibilities and risks. I’ll have what I’m certain would be the best lovemaking of my life, but I could lose my friendship. At the very least, it will change the way we relate to each other.

The water is running in the bathroom. I don’t want to lose Aiden, but going back to the way things were isn’t possible. I’m in love with my best friend. Maybe I have been since we were eight years old. Turning left, I step inside my guest bedroom. The bed is still made. It’s only ten o’clock because I rushed the evening after the girls left. I sit on the edge of the bed and toe off my sandals.

The room is painted a pale blue that’s almost gray and I did a nautical theme without being too kitschy. A white blanket with navy sheets, and I painted an old dresser white with a navy top. I did the same with recycled nightstands and had glass cut to fit the tops. I made the lamps out of glass jars by putting sand and shells inside and installing a lighting kit for each.

Across the hall, the water stops running.

My pulse speeds up, but I’m not afraid anymore. I want this, him. I strip out of my shorts and underwear, then pull my shirt off. As I’m unhooking my bra, the bathroom door opens and a moment later, Aiden steps across the threshold.

I freeze with my bra unhooked, but still resting on my shoulders and watch him as he kneels in front of me. “I’m so happy you’re here. You know that, right?”

Do I know? I hope. “I’m glad you’re not horrified.”

Shaking his head, he laughs. “That is the furthest emotion from what I’m feeling.” Reaching both hands to my bra’s straps, he pulls the lace away and places it on top of the pile of clothes I made on the floor.

Easing my knees apart, he places his body between them, wraps his arms around me, and rests his head between my breasts.

His hair tickles my skin, and I thread my fingers through the soft, dark-blond strands. I caress his back and shoulders. “I’m glad I’m here too. I’ve wanted this for a long time, but I began to think we’d never meet in person. There was safety in the distance.”

He nods, traces a line with the tips of his fingers down my spine, stopping at the top of my ass.

It’s wonderful to have his hands on me. I never even knew my back was sensitive to a man’s touch, but it seems like wherever he touches me, I’m on fire.

Unable to sit still, with need building between my legs, I arch my back.

Aiden kisses his way to my nipple and sucks it into his mouth.

“Oh, god.” My clit pulses and aches, longing for attention.

Releasing my flesh with a pop, he blows on the wet tip, sending a delight of chills over my entire body.

As crazed with want as I am, I need his pleasure. My actions of last night still haunt me. “Will you stand up?”

Easing back, he looks into my eyes for a long moment before standing. He pulls his shirt over his head and drops it to the floor.

I unbutton his shorts and pull the zipper tab. Slipping my fingers under the elastic of his underwear, I tug them both down his muscular legs and follow them so that I’m on my knees.

His thick, gorgeous cock at eye level sends another gush of juices to my pussy.

Staring down at me, he steps out of his clothes.

Taking hold of his shaft, I skim my hands along the soft skin to the bead of moisture at the tip. I lick that tangy bead and moan as my clit tightens. Unable to bear the desire, I reach between my legs to smooth my juices over my bud while I suck him deep inside my mouth.

He calls my name on a low moan and gently holds the back of my head.

I release him, then suck him deep again, rubbing myself slowly, steadily. I need release. I’m painfully turned on, but his pleasure is as important. I want to give him what he gave me.

Sucking harder, I give up my own growing release to grip his tight ass and take him deeper. When the head of his cock hits the back of my throat, I open and take more, then release him and do it again and again.

Rough, grunting noises from him send a thrill through me. Aiden grips my shoulders and steps back. “So good, sweetheart, but I want you to come too. Let me give you pleasure.”

The burning tightness between my legs forces me to nod. I stand and kiss him. “I’m too close to orgasm to fight you about it.”

I expect him to press me into the mattress, but instead, he lies down on his back and offers me his hand.

Taking it, I aim to lie down beside him, but he grips my waist and moves me to straddle his waist. Smiling up at me, he continues to maneuver lower on the mattress, while lifting me over his chest. Soon I’m clutching the headboard and straddling his face.

He opens his mouth and licks me in a slow circle around my clit, then dips inside me and repeats until I’m crying his name and grinding against his wicked mouth. “Aiden.” My body tightens as he sucks my clit hard, then suckles again and again.

I explode with pleasure and a long scream escapes with the release. “Oh, god. I. Fuck.”

Chuckling, Aiden moves me to the mattress and covers me with the hard planes of his body. “I love to hear you come. I’ll bet the neighbors love it too.”

My cheeks are on fire. “Oh, god. I hope not. I’m glad I have air conditioning and I hope they have theirs on too.” I wrap my legs around his and lift my hips so his cock rests in the cradle of my pussy.

We both laugh.

“I’m safe and on the pill.” I arch again and he slides along my slit, rubbing my already overly sensitive clit.

Lowering his mouth, he kisses me senseless. The taste of me still on his lips is erotic and sexy. He worships my mouth and my body as if I’m a treasure that he’s spent a lifetime searching for. “I’m safe, and if you’re sure, I’d love to feel you without any barrier.” He leans on his elbows, brushes my unruly hair out of my face, and stares into my eyes.

“Yes.” My voice is breathy and hardly sounds like me. I can only manage one word. I’m afraid if I say too much, I’ll break the spell or wake up from this dream. I close my eyes, waiting for him to move.

“Look at me, Joy.” His voice is gentle and loving, and still, there’s no doubt this is a command.

I open my eyes and meet his gaze. I want to scream that I love him, but I bite my tongue.

“I want to see you and for you to see me.” Strain tugs at his voice.

“I see you, Aiden. I want you.” I lift my hips, tilting my pelvis so that his cock notches at my opening. As he stretches me with every inch, my pussy clenches with another orgasm.

He muffles my cries with kisses and stills while the orgasm takes me. “God, you feel so fucking good. You’re going to drive me crazy.”

“I never come more than once. This is, incre…dible.” As I catch my breath, he fills me.

His groans of pleasure are more than satisfying.

I bend my knees and take him deeper.

Slowly, he pulls almost free, then sinks deep again. I’ve never been loud in bed, but I can’t keep the cries of pleasure from escaping. Every time he fills me, he touches a place that is pure ecstasy. The base of his cock rubs my clit.

The stirring of another orgasm tightens inside me. “Aiden, I’m going to come. Oh god.”

He pounds harder and faster, calling my name and sending me over the edge as he fills me.

Our breathing is fast but seems oddly synchronous. Every molecule inside me quakes in the aftermath of spectacular rapture. “Wow.”

His chuckle while he’s still inside me draws another wave of pleasure.

It’s almost too much. I groan. “I think I need a break.”

Kissing my forehead, then my cheek, he eases out of me, rolls to one side, and wraps his arms around me.