Page 30 of Sexploration

Elias is the more sensible choice. He’s fifty-five. His life is settled. And yeah, okay, there’s a bit of irony there. But he was married once too and isn’t looking to remarry. They also had a daughter together, so he doesn’t need to check that off his bucket list. The best part, though, is he doesn’t know anyone in my family. There’s no attachment, no muddied waters. He’s the kind of no-strings hookup I was supposed to have.

Still, the past month has been one of the best of my life when it should’ve been one of the hardest. And that’s all because of August. Being with him makes me feel happy and carefree. At first, I thought I was becoming this whole new person. But now I think maybe he just helped me find the old Josie again.

When you’re married to a man who doesn’t appreciate you, who makes you feel like you’re not good enough, you gradually become someone else. You warp and change yourself, chipping away at the person you once were until there’s nothing left.

August makes me feel seen, even those parts of myself that were lost for so long. The man looks at me like I’m running water and he’s dying of thirst, like I’m something he can’t live without. It’s terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

“Jesus... what the fuck are you doing, Josie?”I mumble to myself, grabbing my phone from my purse.

My teeth dig into my bottom lip as I hitCall, my stare locked on the entrance to the restaurant. I can’t believe I’m about to do this. It could either be the best decision of my life or the worst.

“Josie?” Parker answers after the first ring, her voice dripping with worry. “What’s wrong? Shouldn’t you be on your date with hot bartender guy?”

“About that... I need your help.”

AUGUST

A victorious smile spreads across my face when I hear the front door slam, followed by heavy footsteps as she storms up the stairs. I prop my hands behind my head, relaxing back on my bed as if the past half hour hadn’t been torture for me. There’s probably a path worn into my bedroom floor from all the pacing, my stomach in knots thinking of her with someone else.

It took three days of avoiding her and trying to figure out my shit before everything became clear to me. After years of daydreaming about the perfect girl, I was finally so close to calling her mine. Giving up on her now would make me a real idiot. And I like to think I’m a pretty smart guy.

To be fair, the twins helped me put things into prospective. My sisters had plenty to say when they figured out the real reason I’d been hiding out at their apartment. June called me a dumbass and said Josie wouldn’t be pushing me away if she didn’t care about me. Mae just told me I was stupid as hell and then passed me a carton of ice cream.

Josie throws open my bedroom door without knocking, the force causing it to smack against the wall. She looks sexy as hell, like a fury filled vixen, her chest heaving with heavy breaths, her wild red curls floating around her face like a fiery halo.

“Back so soon?” I ask, my voice dripping with feigned innocence. “Does that mean the date didn’t go well?”

When I came home this afternoon and heard her getting ready in Milo’s room, my chest tightened with dread. There was no way I could just let her go on a date with that dude. But stopping her wasn’t going to be easy. If I pushed too hard, it would only send her right into that fucker’s arms. Josie is nothing if not stubborn, and she was set on the idea that we shouldn’t be together. The only person who could change her mind was Josie herself. All I did was make her fully aware of where I stood.

Getting her off? Well... that was to make sure she didn’t go on her date all frustrated and horny. Reminding her of how good I make her feel was just a bonus.

“Fuck you.” Her response is laced with anger, but there’s a twinkle of amusement in her blue eyes.

“Yikes.” I chuckle, hopping off the bed. “That bad, huh?”

Josie huffs, unbuttoning her shirt. “Don’t play dumb.” My brow knits with confusion as she takes it off, tossing it on the floor before continuing to fuss at me. “This is all your fault.” She kicks off her shoes, her hard glare pinned on me as she works to remove her jeans. “You just couldn’t leave it alone, could you?” Her jeans are flung next to her shirt as she steps out of them, leaving her in nothing but a floral bra and matching panties.

"I'm sorry.” I laugh, my steps cautious as they move toward her. “Am I being punished or rewarded right now?” By the time I reach her, she’s already discarded her bra as well. “Actually, come to think of it, can both be an option?”

Her eyebrows twitch as she tries to hold back a smile, her hands yanking my shirt up my body. “This is serious.” She pulls it up over my head as my arms lift and adds it to her pile on the floor, her palms floating down my chest. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“No...” I palm her breast and run the pad of my thumb across her nipple, pinching it gently between my fingers. “But please tell me so I can be sure to repeat the offense.”

She moans, low and breathy. “You made me fall for you.”

The words knock the breath from my lungs, pure elation spreading through me like wildfire during a drought. A part of me wants to beg her to repeat those six words over and over again.

“Well...” My heart swells in my chest as I cup her face in my hands. “As the person who spent a decade being head over heels for you, I can’t say I’m the least bit sorry.”

Her lips spread into a shy smile, her hands diving into my hair, bringing my mouth to hers. Our tongues dance together, the kiss both carnal and tender at the same. I spin her around, walking her toward the bed. The back of her thighs hit the mattress, and her mouth leaves mine as she flops down on the edge. Hooded eyes find mine, and her hands tug my pants down my legs, my cock bouncing free inches from her face.

Her gaze slides down my body, her tongue wetting her lips. “God, it’s so pretty.”

I chuckle, ripping her panties from her body as she scoots back on the bed. “I’m still failing to see the issue here.”

“This could get really messy,” she pants as I crawl onto the bed, settling between her thighs.

Her back arches as my hand explores her body, over the mounds then through the valley of her breasts. It moves down her stomach, dipping between her legs. She’s soaked, the evidence of her arousal clinging to her thighs.

---