Page 23 of Just A Kiss

“Because you’re making me that way,” I tell him as he drops lower down my abdomen. When he reaches the edge of the lacy thong, he runs a fingertip over the fabric. My clit throbs at his touch.

“Yes, more,” I whimper.

“You want me here?” he asks, circling the nub again before blowing on it. Even with a scrap of fabric between us still, I can feel the air hit me. My body aches for this man to be inside me. To make me feel like I’m floating on cloud nine.

“Yes.” I finally answered his question, the one that I didn’t even comprehend he was asking.

He lowers his head further, sliding the fabric to the side so he can lick up my slit and around my clit. My back arches off the bed in anticipation and need.

“Easy.” He chuckles and places his arm across my hips to hold me down to the bed before he goes back in, sucking my clit into his mouth as he slides two fingers inside me, pumping with a mission. It doesn’t take long for that mission to turn into my coming on his tongue and calling out his name as I do so.

14

ALLISON

One week later

I pacearound my living room as I wait for Lee to arrive. He texted me ten minutes ago, saying that he was up and ready to get together. I’ve been rehearsing what I’m going to tell him all day. I need to lay all my cards on the table, so to speak, and let them fall where they’re going to fall. Our friends with benefits agreement has been going on for months now, but I can’t do this anymore. I need more. I’ve started to fall in love with Lee, and I need him to know.

I know I’m about to blow up what we’ve had going on, but my heart can’t take it anymore. I see how happy my best friend is, and I want that. I want someone to come home to most nights. I want someone I can call when I’ve had a bad shift or someone to celebrate with when things are great.

I suck in a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before I let it out in a whoosh. I look out the window again and see Lee getting out of his truck. He is that quintessential southern boy. He has all the swagger in his jeans, boots, and a tight T-shirt pulling across his biceps.

I open the front door before he can reach it, leaning against the jamb as I watch him close the distance from my driveway to the porch.

“Hey,” I greet, holding my hand up in an awkward-as-fuck wave. I mentally smack myself in the forehead for being so nervous and stupid.

“Hey, yourself,” he greets, stopping just inches in front of me. All that separates us is the threshold of my front door. “Can I come inside, or are we talking out here?” he asks, motioning to the two chairs on my porch.

“Sorry,” I say, stepping aside and letting him in.

My front door leads right into the living room, so I head for the chair I have, leaving the couch open for Lee to take a seat on.

“Everything okay?” he asks after taking a seat.

I wring my hands, realizing that I probably look like a lunatic right about now.

“I can’t do this,” I spit out, almost tripping over my own words.

I can tell I’ve caught him by complete surprise when his eyebrows just about disappear into his hairline.

“Do this…what?” he asks for clarification.

“This…us,” I try and clarify, pointing between the two of us. “I thought I’d be okay with the casual, friends with benefits thing, but I’ve realized that I’m not. I want more. I want the commitment. I want a real relationship. I want to know you’re not out fucking some random woman you meet at the bar.”

“I can’t offer you more, Allison. That’s just not who I am,” he states matter-of-factly. He’s so strong in his conviction, almost as if he’s had to give this speech a time or two before.

“I disagree. You’re an amazing man, Lee. You don’t give yourself enough credit. Even though we’ve known each other most of our lives, I’d like to think that I’ve gotten to know you even better these last few months, and I think you’re a great guy. You have so much love to give and a hell of a lot to receive; you just have to let it happen.”

“That’s just not me,” he states again as he stands from where he sits across from me. “I’m sorry, Allison. I’m going to go before I say or do something to hurt you more. I’m sorry what I could offer wasn’t enough. I hope you find what you’re looking for,” he says before heading out the door. He pauses long enough to pull the door shut behind him. Our eyes lock for a second as he looks over his shoulder just before it latches closed.

I don’t hold back my tears as I sink against the chair. I let it all out, crying until I didn’t think I could cry another drop. I finally force myself up, stopping in my kitchen to pour a glass of wine, the middle of the afternoon be damned. One glass will not cut it tonight, so I bring the entire bottle with me as I head for my bathroom and turn on the hot water to fill up my jacuzzi tub. I light a couple of candles, placing them around my bathroom to give a soft glow of light. I set my wine glass down on the bath tray before I toss in a bath bomb and then go snag my Kindle from my nightstand before I strip and slip into the hot water.

I sink into the water up to my chin, allowing the heat to relax my tense muscles. My head lulls back on the bath pillow—another gift from Lindsay—and I enjoy the swirling water as the jets keep things moving and hot.

I reach for my glass of wine, gulping down half of it before returning it to the tray. My cell buzzes against the wood of the tray, and I almost want to ignore it. I don’t think I can stomach talking to Lee right now. I don’t really care what he has to say to me; my heart is battered. Just in case it is someone or something important, I flip my phone over and see a text from Lindsay.

Linds:Hey! How are you holding up? Lee showed up here a little bit ago, and Tucker’s been outside with him since. Didn’t appear to be in a good mood.

---