Part 14 (1/2)

Not wanting to ruin the amazing vibe this evening, I went back to feasting with my eyes before I strolled towards the table, ready to taste tonight's dinner.

”How in the world did you manage to get all of this done when you practically haven't let my side all afternoon?” I wondered out loud, still beaming like an idiot.

Striding towards me, he matched my idiotic grin. ”Cooper had to help me out, or this wouldn't have come as a surprise.” He pulled a chair out for me.

Once I was happily seated, he then sat opposite from me.

”Really? That's sweet of him.” Still beaming from the rush of his sweet surprise, I couldn't help feeling the b.u.t.terflies somersault in my stomach, reminding me how helplessly in love I was with the man.

”Not really. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d kept teasing me until it drove me nuts. Other than that, I was grateful he was willing to lend a hand.”

After pouring us both a gla.s.s of wine, he plucked his off the table then raised it. ”Here's to us. May we have the most extraordinary s.e.x affair that will rival no man, and you'll forever be mine. Amen.”

I had to take a moment, blinking as I stared back at him, not sure if I should drink or throw the wine in his face. Why did he have to make tacky references about our situation? We had an agreement, and I didn't want that to be slapped on me whenever possible. Instead of choosing the latter, I opted to compose myself before making a tight smile.

”Let's eat, shall we?” I said.

My apparent rebuke of his toast didn't even faze him, though.

”Let's, because I can't wait until it's time for dessert and all that comes with it once I have you happily sated underneath me,” he stated with a disarming grin that indicated what he had in store for me once all of this sweetness was over and done with.

He sure did know how to keep me interested and wanting. I knew what I was up against when it came to him, but with myself, I wasn't so sure or secure. Sometimes, the battle I had with myself was pointless. After all, in the end, I would give in to one or two of these urges.

An addiction could be cured with another addiction. And that was the d.a.m.n truth.

Chapter Twenty-Five.

For the duration of our arrangement, I feared he would eventually resort to pus.h.i.+ng the issue about prolonging this impulsive arrangement between us, but thankfully, he had been quite amazing at sticking to our plan. It was just the two of us, living each day without the thought of tomorrow. He even ditched partying with his friends, and if he did mingle downstairs with Cooper and the usual party crew, he would always have me somewhere close by. He didn't want to be too obvious to everyone, because I had warned him that it was between us and Cooper, and as much as possible, I would rather pretend nothing was going on between us once there were people around us. He didn't argue, and I was thankful for that.

One thing I noted with Brody was how he easily he would give me what I wanted just so we didn't have to keep arguing about something he found irrelevant. It was as though he needed to keep me happy at all times.

It was bittersweet to think that was the kind of relations.h.i.+p I had always yearned for with him, yet I knew I had to let this dream go in a few days, because we weren't living in the real world. No, in the real world, there lived a girl named Lindsey, and though he hadn't spoken about her, she had been persistent in my mind.

The best part of sleeping next to him on a nightly basis was the amazing feeling of waking up with him holding me close before he would slowly have his wicked way with me. He would go from rough to slow to intense, all in a span of a minute, and I loved every second of it. He was a lovemaking machine, and I could not utter the word no when he was doing his tongue thing while his c.o.c.k was busy rubbing and tickling my nether region.

My v.a.g.i.n.a was a testament to itself. It was always so d.a.m.n conveniently wet and ready for him whenever he felt like ravis.h.i.+ng me. It didn't even need enticing, sadly. One look from him-the one with a glimmering wickedness to it-and my p.u.s.s.y would start doing what G.o.d created it for, which was the sole purpose of being Brody's little minx.

As the time closed in on us, my heart felt it. On our last night, I felt as though he was packed with emotions that he couldn't put to words, as if he was so overwhelmed with everything he could only convey his thoughts through his actions, starting by ceaselessly kissing me.

We were in bed, surrounded by darkness, while the other side of the room was cast in light from the moon, a perfect backdrop to the perfect end to our relations.h.i.+p, like any short, summer fling.

Our naked bodies were entangled as we kissed, and I felt his heart heavily thud against my palm as my body languished from what would come afterwards. Tomorrow. I knew I had made a decision, and I would never get to have him this way. The only time I could was right then ... in that instant.

Silently saying goodbye to someone I had loved all my life felt like death. I could taste it on my tongue, seeping way deep into my bones, into my heart, leaving a hollowed sensation that hadn't been there before.

Knowing what tomorrow would bring, I vowed to consume him as much as I could until I was out of breath, pa.s.sed out from too much consumption of memories, of his lovemaking, of his kisses.

”Make love to me...” I whispered, begging against his lips. ”Touch me as if you're in love with me, please ... Just for tonight, I need you to pretend you do.” It was the lowest I had ever been in my life, yet I didn't feel a drop of embarra.s.sment from the request. If choosing to let go of him and my love for him was death, then I would rather have it with the sweetest memories of him, of tonight, to keep me warm on the nights that would test me the most. The nights where I would cry myself to sleep thinking of him as I willed myself to believe I was doing the right thing, that moving on was the best thing I could ever do for myself.

My wish was granted with him saying my name in a way that was loaded with emotion, throaty with words left unsaid, yet I knew he was going to give me everything I asked of him tonight-even borrowing his heart.

It brought me to tears due to immense sadness and joy.

This was our last night, our last goodbye.

~A~.

Trista was arriving sometime in the afternoon, so I decided it was best to leave sometime before noon because I had to do a week's worth of laundry and other errands, like filling the fridge with groceries.

Brody was fast asleep when I decided to get up and get ready. Since I had packed most of my belongings the night prior, I had little else to do but leave.

For a moment, I contemplated if I was doing the right thing or if I should even wake him up to say goodbye, but then I stopped myself. It seemed like a silly notion, knowing I lived only five minutes from him. Instead, I opted in giving him a slight kiss on the back of his neck, enough to content my conscience without having to wake him. I supposed it was easier with him asleep. After all, had he been awake, I would have probably resorted to tears, and quite frankly, I didn't want to shed any more of those suckers. I'd had enough of those from the past week to last me a lifetime.

Upon arriving home, I didn't have much time to dwell on my feelings, and for that small blessing, I was grateful.

Since it was her first day back and I had no doubt Taylor was going to come and sleepover, I decided to order in for dinner.

The food barely arrived before Trista and Taylor came through the door. However, the usual sunny, annoying personality that I was so accustomed to seeing was lost on Trista's rather sullen face.

”Welcome home?” I frowned as I strolled towards her before giving her a tight hug. Something was up with her, and I wondered what it was.

”Hey, boo. I know I look like c.r.a.p, and I seriously feel it, too. Would you two mind if I leave you guys for a quick shower? I feel icky.”

She did looked way past exhausted. The jet lag was catching up to her.

”Yeah, go on ahead. I ordered Chinese for dinner.”

”Do you need me to come up with you?” Taylor asked her, but she instantly declined, looking as if it pained her to even smile at him.

Okay. She was acting weird.

Both Taylor and I watched her go. Once she was out of sight, we both quietly went into the kitchen where he then proceeded to sit behind the counter while I took the takeout boxes out of the bag.

”Did you two fight?” Raising my brow at him, I noted his casual shrug.

”No, not that I'm aware of.” Though he stated that, it was rather obvious he wasn't confident in his answer and just as confused as I was by Trista's odd behavior. It was so unlike her.

I would have probably known what was going on with her had I not been busy with Brody and his rather remarkable traits and anatomy, and I was now regretting my decision to stay with him. I mean, how many missed calls and text messages had I ignored because I was too ”busy” getting it on?

After I had texted her that I had moved into Carter's home, I had practically stopped communicating with her, with Emma, too.

This odd behavior of mine wasn't uncommon. My mercurial personality was one of the hated ones which they liked to point out, but I couldn't help it; I simply had days where I couldn't deal with anyone. My emotional capacity couldn't handle an emotional overload, so it was my method of dealing with things without going bonkers. If the heat got too much after that... Well, I had ways to sort that out, which was one of the main reasons I had always gotten in trouble in the past with drugs. Of course, after this time with Rob, I sure as h.e.l.l wouldn't be touching any illegal narcotics, guaranteed.

Since we didn't know what was going on with her, I knew I had to deviate from Trista to a different subject, something neutral.