Page 38 of Side Hustle
The weight that had sat on my shoulders my whole life sagged a little heavier at the mention of my mom. I had thought about her in all this, but I couldn’t let her reaction sway me from my plan.
I nodded slowly. “She’s both a victim and a conspirator. She let my father treat me horribly. She should have stepped in, but she didn’t. She could have left him. She could have done a lot of things.”
Hazel leaned across the table and put her hands on my forearm. Her eyes were sad even as she tried to smile. “You deserved so much better, Rip. And who knows? Maybe this will be the push your mom needs to divorce him.”
I huffed out what passed for a laugh, though nothing was funny about this conversation. “You always see the bright side, don’t you? I used to hate that about you.”
She tilted her head. “Why?”
I shook my head, looking down at her hands on my arm. “I lived in the darkness for so long, I hated people who only saw sunshine. I was jealous. Pissed off, I guess.”
She squeezed my arm and then abruptly stood up, the chair tipping dangerously behind her. “I love this song!”
Hazel came around the table and pulled me from my chair. “Dance with me.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I dragged my feet until she spun on me and clasped her hands below her chin. She might have only been trying to cheer me up, but with that face staring up at me, it was working.
“Come on, Rip. Live in the moment just this once. Please, please, please?”
I scrubbed a hand over my forehead, sure I’d make a fool out of myself trying to dance. But how could I deny her? She looked like that cat in Shrek when Titus and I babysat Roxy a few months ago. Big eyes and a tremble to her nose I couldn’t resist.
“Fine…”
Hazel squealed and I felt like an ass for not being more excited over something she clearly wanted to do. She grabbed me again and steered us into the living room. I certainly did not mind pulling her into my arms, her short frame fitting against my body like I was made to shelter her through life’s storms. Funny how it was the opposite, though. She was getting me through this transition in my life and I wasn’t quite sure what I’d do without her. Wasn’t sure what I’d do when she realized what a weirdo I was and dumped my ass for someone more fun.
The song was slow, thank God, and I knew enough to sway back and forth with her. It wasn’t fucking ballroom dancing. I could sway with the best of them despite never going to any dances in high school. Hazel laid her cheek on my chest and I was sure she could hear my heartbeat kicking up a notch. When she shifted left, her thigh brushing mine and her stomach pressed against the front of my pants, I knew she could feel that. There was no hiding what being pressed up against Hazel did to my cock. I could no more control it than I could control my father. Not that I wanted to think of my father right then.
“Why are you frowning?” she whispered.
I looked down to see her peering up at me, her eyes gone lazy and heated as we danced. A strand of her dark hair stuck to her lips and I wanted to tug it free. No one got to touch those lips but me. Which was the last thought—rational or not—I had before my hands left her waist and thrust into her hair, keeping her right where I wanted her. She didn’t hesitate even a second, just opened to me the moment my lips hit hers. She let me consume her with far more gusto than I’d shown our dinner.
Her hands traveled up my neck and into my hair where she grabbed a fistful and held on tight. For once in my stupid life, I didn’t shun the person basking in the sunshine. I leaped to join her, wanting that little bit of happiness all for myself. Wanting it with Hazel. Only her.
We’d kissed quite a few times before, but this was more. This was a frenzy I’d never felt before with a woman. A belief that if I couldn’t consume her right then and there, I might actually break an essential body part.
Hazel pulled back to gasp, her eyes as frenzied as I felt. “Rip. Take me to bed right fucking now.”
15
Hazel
My hands were tingling, my toes were already curling, and my skin was on fire just from dancing with Rip. I loved kissing him, but I was so done with the part where we backed off and went our separate ways without addressing the obvious desire between us. I was older and wiser than the last time we’d made out in high school. I wasn’t asking him to hand me his heart, but goddammit, I wanted his dick. Was that so wrong?
“Rip. Take me to bed right fucking now.”
His eyes widened, but he didn’t hesitate. In a blur of motion, he picked me up and ran toward what I hoped was his bedroom. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I laughed as I bounced my way through his house. Anytime I could get Rip to do anything with spontaneity, it was a thing to behold.
He threw me down and I held my arms out wide, knowing something soft and cushy would catch me. Rip was too cautious to not aim well. That and he wouldn’t hurt a fly. He ripped his shirt over his head and threw it to the ground as I settled on the bed. I was all too happy to be the fly in this scenario, watching Rip strip. There was that chest again, the one I wanted to lick from collarbone to nipple, just to see his muscles bunch and jump. His hands found his pants, and the next thing I knew, they were kicked off and he stood in front of me with just a pair of black boxer shorts and an intense expression that lit a fire in my panties.
He put one knee on the bed and hovered over me, the dark hair on his leg sending a tickle up my spine. I bit my lip to keep from surging up and tasting his tan chest where his muscles flexed with every movement.
“Promise me you won’t regret this?” His voice was already raspy with need, yet he gave me the choice.
I shook my head. “Pinkie promise.” That shit was airtight.
His hand dropped to my leg and ran up my skin, from my knee to just where the hem of my dress lay against my thigh. I sucked in a breath and squirmed, waiting to see what he’d do. He stopped and I thought I might pull an Amelia and demand he hurry it up and get to the good stuff.
His head dropped. “Shit.”
