Page 21 of Drawn To You

He drew fingers down his face, and I finally noticed how tired he looked. He had dark smudges under his eyes I definitely hadn’t noticed that outside. I guess I hadn’t been looking for it. I started to reach for him, but I hesitated. Don’t do that. Don’t comfort him, console him. It was so easy to want to, indulge in his pain if only it didn’t cause me to feel my own brand of agony.

I started to pull away to put more distance between us but he grabbed my arm. “Just hear me out,” he said, quick and in front of me. “We just hang out and talk to each other. Vent to each other instead of letting that shit bottle up.” “And what? We just pretend we didn’t almost hook up?”

“Maybe. You game?” “And the almost hooking up?” “Well, I guess we could if you really want to.” “Joshua!” He grabbed my hand, cutting me off, and I let him hold it because I was weak for this man. Because I wanted him to so desperately I could taste it. I think he did too, his long digits playing with the back of my hand. Eventually, he let go, and when he did, he took a step back. He made it so easy to be in his presence, and though I definitely shouldn’t be agreeing to hang out with him, I did notice I craved his presence, feeling alive, only when he was around.

I couldn’t help but notice that my hand still burned despite being absent from his. I looked up. “And Shannon?” “It’s complicated, but I promise I’m working on figuring that shit out.” He stepped forward. “Please. I’m begging you. This is me begging, Abby.” He started to get on his knees before I grabbed him and forced him up. He chuckled. “I’m joking.” “Only friends?” I asked him, needing to be sure. “We really can’t be anything else right now.” “Believe me, I know. Look, next weekend is my weekend to go out. How about we go out and shoot some pool and just hang out, just a couple of friends in a very public place? It can be a trial run, what do you say?” he asked hope shining in his beautiful brown eyes and I felt myself giving in. “OK, but I’m driving.” “Done,” he said and flashed that blinding smile at me and all I could think was:what the hell was I doing?

Eighteen

Strawberry Shortcake & Stolen Kisses

Abigail

The onset of Joshua’s and my friendship started with more text messages. Just texting. He’d send me funny memes throughout the day. Completely silly, but I loved them because they were funny and they made me smile because they were so him. In any case, we were friends now, and only that. Before I knew it, the week had flown by. I was giddy whenever I saw a new text message from him. I loved his silly memes or pictures of him bored at work. He texted me whenever he had time, and I didn’t complain, basically high off the anticipated moments. I was very aware of how this may have looked from the outside. I just didn’t care anymore.

Friday night I got ready and drove to his place to pick him up. I texted him that I was outside as soon as I arrived and waited for him in the car. He scared the crap out of me by suddenly banging on my passenger window before flinging the door open and jumping in. “Ready, buddy?” He grinned like a loon and I smacked him playfully on his bicep. “You scared me,” I laughed. Not really mad because I knew he liked to taunt me, it was our thing, and as it never failed to crack a smile out of me, I let him get away with it. I let him every time.

Smiling a little to myself I settled into my seat more and asked, “So where are we going, buddy?” “That depends on whether you would rather eat before or after we play pool. Ladies choice” “Well, I’m not quite hungry yet so I say we eat after if you don’t mind waiting that is.” “I’m fine with waiting, OK so take us to Scratch in La Mirada. You know where it is right?” I nodded, knowing the place, and set off in that direction.

As it turns out Joshua was pretty good at shooting pool and I not so much. But I had a good time while we played regardless. Mostly thanks to Joshua’s gift for gab and the fact that he was a natural-born entertainer. My face literally hurt from laughing so much by the time we were done with our third game. It was just so easy to be around him.

After we were done with our last game of the night we ended up heading down to Ambrose, a cute little pizza place on the northwest side of town. It was quaint and definitely a popular spot for people to eat pizza and catch their favorite sports game. The whole place was packed since it was Friday night. We ended up sharing a large pepperoni pizza. Joshua definitely liked to eat and I teased him about how fast he inhaled his food. He threw down like five slices before I even got through my first.

All of a sudden Joshua eased out of our booth. “I need some napkins.” He pointed at me. “you need anything?” I told him no with a smile. Shrugging, he headed to the bar and sweet-talked the server. Of course, she gave him what he wanted and then some, giving him stacks and stacks of napkins. I couldn’t help but smirk at the display. We stayed at the pizzeria for well over an hour talking and laughing, and I think Joshua and I only left when we did because he said he wanted to take me somewhere. Needless to say, I hadn’t fought him much.

I was confused when he had me take him to a local grocery store and told me to wait while he ran in. When he came back he directed me to a park nearby and told me to park. The next thing I knew he was opening the door and telling me to follow him. He led me to a couple of park benches and prompted me to sit. When I did he reached for the bag he had come out of the grocery store with and pulled out a box of Strawberry Shortcake Ice creams and I laughed. He remembered they were my favorite.

And so there we were sitting at a park bench together eating strawberry shortcake ice cream bars on a Friday night and it wasn’t awkward at all. I started to think we might be able to pull this whole friendship business off. We ended up talking about our interests and I told him I enjoyed writing in my spare time.

“Knowing you, you’re totally writing a book,” he stated, eyebrows bouncing. “But if you wanna be modest and all tight-lipped about it, whatever.” “I didn’t.” I shoved him and he grabbed my hands and he didn’t move an inch, and all shoving him did was get him to grab me. The next thing I knew he had me wrapped up in a bear hug, which made me laugh until I nearly peed my pants, but that didn’t stop me from fighting back. I pinched at his underarms, digging my fingernails in until he cursed and released me.

“Okay, so clawing is so not fair!” He laughed, grabbing for me, but I was fast. I bolted off, but since his legs were much longer than my wee little ones he quickly overtook me before I could get far, I think I got maybe five steps before one of his large arms caught me. He got me completely around the waist, and my feet off the ground, before I knew it. “Joshua! Oh my God. Let me down!” He didn’t, laughing the whole time as he hugged me to his chest and spun me around. He spun faster and faster while I laugh-screamed my lungs out, cursing very colorfully at him, but that didn’t make him stop. Truth be told, I didn’t want him to stop, and I think he picked up on that.

He spun me until I was thoroughly dizzy. I think he was too because the moment he put me down, we both fell to the ground. We both tumbled onto the grassy lawn like a couple of overgrown kids on the cold, wet ground, but for some reason, I didn’t care.

For some reason, he didn’t care. We just laughed, me with full-on tears at this point, and it took me a second to realize I fell on top of him. That he still had his arms around me. That he hugged me. That he had me there, right against his chest as the laughter disappeared and our breaths clouded the air.

“You’re writing a book,” he said, smiling. “Tell the truth, Abby.” I shouldn’t be on top of him like this. This whole exchange was completely inappropriate. Try telling my body that, he could probably feel my heart racing on top of his. His chest, large and solid, labored rapidly with heavy breaths beneath me. His hand cradled my hip, his fingers dancing over the side of my ass, I shifted a little and braved a look at Joshua. The raw hunger I saw burning in his eyes had me gasping out his name. “Joshua.” It was all I could get out before his lips were crashing into mine. He devoured my mouth, owning me completely with his kiss. In a quick movement, Joshua lifted my body up and rolled us so he was on top of me, my legs automatically wrapping around his waist.

Our lips parted as he lifted off me a bit. My eyes went to his and my heart stopped. I could see the full acceptance of what we were doing solidify in his eyes as he looked down at me. In that same sight, I saw not an ounce of regret or anything of the sort. All I saw in his eyes was appreciation and heat.

I knew he was seeing the very same thing in my eyes. I was filled with a hunger for him and I whispered out his name. “Joshua.” It was a plea for him, and I couldn’t deny what we were about to do. It was the only acknowledgment I would give out loud to let him know that I knew what we were doing and that I was too weak to stop it by myself. I needed Joshua to understand how unfair this was and how sorry I was. I had tried. We had both tried so hard. In the end, trying was useless.

We both lost to our lesser baser selves in the end anyway, and now we would burn for it. “I know,” Joshua whispered back, nodding with understanding. “Trust me, baby, I know.” And then his lips were on mine again. His kiss knocked the breath out of me.

The night’s air was cold against my skin, but Joshua’s own hot skin warmed me. There was nowhere that he wasn’t touching me on my body and soon enough, I was on fire from Joshua’s burning illicit touch. Both of his hands slipped beneath the underside of my shirt, and a moan escaped my throat. I needed more. More of him. I needed more of this man I knew I shouldn’t want. With my brain shut down and my lust calling the shots, I reached down and grabbed the hem of my shirt. Our lips broke apart for just a second to allow my shirt to rise up in between us before I discarded it to the ground. I saw appreciation flash in Joshua’s eyes just before my greedy mouth was back on his.

In the next second, Joshua was pulling away from me. My eyes shot open in upset as I didn’t immediately understand. Yet the image I was met with as I opened my eyes dashed it all away. Kneeling right above me, I caught the last few precious moments of Joshua pulling his shirt over his head, revealing his naked torso to me and I was stunned speechless. How could anyone be expected to form a coherent thought when faced with so much beauty in front of them? He was all tone sinewy muscles, defined solid forearms, his body golden and perfect. Joshua captured my mouth in his once again, sealing our fate.

Passion fueled our kisses as our lips moved in wild abandon together. His kisses were pulling my breath right out of me. Joshua sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, biting down hard on the tender flesh and ripping another moan straight from my mouth. “Fuck,” Joshua cursed, flicking his tongue over my swollen lips.

I loudly moaned against him again and was now shamelessly grinding my hips against his hardened erection. Joshua trailed his mouth down my stomach, dropping slow, tender kisses the entire way down. His lips worshiped my bare flesh, loving every inch of my body his mouth could reach. Next, his hands were at my hips again gripping me firmly there before sliding up my skirt and exposing my lacy red thong to him.

He growled, pressing his lips to mine, his hands hugging my ass before he eased my legs apart. I spread my legs to hug his hips, but he pulled back, studying me. “Not so fast,” he said, almost growling. He smirked. “I can make you wait longer. Do you want that?” “No.” He pulled my lips apart with his thumb. “Let me set the pace, then?” He demanded. “Let me take care of you, baby.” “OK” His entire hand encircled my neck, but not in a creepy threatening way. It was more possessive, stating mine. It felt like he was staking a claim on me and I maybe liked that a little too much.

“Now give me that beautiful pussy,” he growled, forcing my legs apart again. He got them as far as they could go, hooking my panties over to the side. He used his finger to play at my sex. “You are already so wet for me, baby.” Growling Joshua worked my panties off me while using his finger to tempt and tease my clit. I expect that he was going to fuck me now, but was surprised when he buried his face between my legs. He gently kissed me first, hot sensual kisses. He was so slow and teasing with it. I arched off the ground. Never having felt this before, being mostly untouched like I was. I stared at the stary night sky while he made my toes curl, his fingers circling and preparing my entry while he tongued me. He latched onto one of my breasts in a single palm while he licked and sucked, and I cried out.

I elbowed up to see him, his head lost in the material of my skirt. It was the most erotic sight I’d ever seen, my legs quivering around him. “Can I touch you?” I asked. In answer he took my hand, growling into my sex, before moving above me and guiding my fingers down to his hard cock, letting me undo his pants. I hadn’t seen a cock in person before, but from what I knew from reading erotica and the few pornos I’d watched I knew he was gifted in that department. Holy Shit. He was angled long, erect, and oh so thick. Seriously, the man is huge.

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