15. Cory
Chapter fifteen
Cory
W hen Denise's lips close around a kofta, I have to adjust myself again. She's so beautiful. Sitting this close to her, alone in her apartment, while she eats foods shaped like my dick , when it's been over a week since we hooked up? Yeah, I'm having a hard time keeping things friendly.
Unfortunately, that seems to be tonight's vibe. She's returned a few innuendos, but otherwise, this has been nothing but the thank-you dinner she offered. After the way she clammed up last time, I knew a booty call was unlikely. I clearly got too personal. And you want to cut your losses, remember Cory? Before you get in too deep.
I muffle my disgruntled snort with another bite of grape leaves.
God, I was trying to be good! I thought volunteering at her friend's center would help smooth things over with Maya so we can move past my fuck-up. I had no idea Denise was teaching an entire class there, or that I'd be assigned to help her. Cutting my losses was only going to work if I stayed away from her. I can't be expected to resist her if she's going to waltz right back into my life a week after we had mind-blowing sex I still get hard thinking about.
"So…" Denise looks up at me hesitantly. "Volunteering…" She trails off, and I smirk.
"Was there a question in there?"
She shrugs.
"Just wondering if that's a regular thing for you or…" She sighs.
"Or what?" I prod.
"Or if you came hoping to run into me?"
I rear back.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I already told you I didn't know you'd be there. You think I'm a stalker?" The thought makes me queasy.
"I didn't say that!" she insists, but her tone is defensive.
"So what? You thought I reached out to Maya, since we're such good friends ," I add sarcastically, "and asked her when you'd be at the center so I could surprise you? Then I lied about it, so well I even fooled myself , and helped you with your class so you'd invite me back to your apartment?"
The nerve of this woman! I stand and start pacing, unable to stay seated when I'm this angry.
"The sex was good, but not you need a restraining order good. OK?"
We glare at each other, locked in a standoff, before she blows out a resigned breath.
"OK…My bad, I guess. It just seemed like too big of a coincidence." She raises an eyebrow. "And you're not exactly the volunteering type."
I roll my eyes.
" Not the volunteering type? And how would you know that? From all the revealing conversations we've had about our personal lives? If memory serves, one wrong question has you running for the hills."
I glare at her even harder now, and she glares right back.
"For your information, I am the volunteering type. I already told you I help Damon out with his basketball clinics. I also volunteer helping new Korean immigrants practice their English."
Denise's shoulders deflate.
"I…I had no idea."
"How would you know? I don't go around spouting off my good deeds, looking for extra credit. I guess I should, seeing as how everyone thinks I'm some selfish douchebag who gets off on hurting people's feelings."
I'm used to this shit from my brothers. When you have siblings, it's impossible not to fall into a role that you get stuck playing for the rest of your life. I don't know why it bothers me that Denise makes the same assumptions, but it does.
I rush to gather my empty food containers. Denise stands and puts her hand on my shoulder before I can leave to throw them away.
"I apologize, Cory." When I turn back to look at her, her eyes are sincere. "You helped me today, and I judged you unfairly."
"Damn right you did," I mutter. But her genuine apology makes it hard to stay mad.
"That was very uncool of me," she continues. "I'm the first to admit I can be a tad judgmental sometimes, especially when it comes to people who mess with my girls."
"But that's just it!" I almost wail. "I chose to volunteer at the center to try to fix things with Maya. She's my sister now! The more I get to know her, the more I like her." I slump down onto the couch, defeated. "She really did just catch me on a bad day and I'm fucking sorry for what I said."
Denise comes back to sit next to me, her expression guarded.
"I can tell you're trying and I think that's great, but Maya called me in tears after that night. I find it hard to believe just a bad day had you saying all that."
I drop my head into my hands. Fuck it. Everyone's gonna come to their own conclusions, anyway. They may as well base them on the truth.
"I was seeing someone. Right around the time Adam brought Maya home. It wasn't like us . I was getting serious with this woman."
From the catch in her breath, I know I've caught her off-guard.
"No one knew. My brothers and I had this bullshit pact to stay away from serious relationships, but none of that mattered when it came to Bethany."
"What happened?" Denise asks quietly. The memory brings a bitter taste to my mouth, but I force myself to continue.
"You already know I work in Finance. Bethany works at the same firm. At least, I think she does. I haven't seen her in months. Anyway, when it got back to my boss that we were dating, he was not happy. Apparently, VIP clients expect a certain type of woman to be on the arm of traders and Bethany was not it."
Denise is quick to put the pieces together.
"So when you told Adam he should consider whether he wanted Maya on his arm…"
"I was just repeating what my boss had told me," I finish for her. I shake my head, reliving my shame from that day in Robert's office.
"I pushed Bethany away because I was too chickenshit. Too caught up in trying to get a promotion, in fitting in with the other traders at Banks Ripley. Which is impossible, by the way, considering my boss has made it clear many times that he sees me as nothing but a token Asian.
"Then Adam brings Maya home, and…" I sigh. "Now I see what it looks like when you're man enough to stand by your girl, regardless of who anyone else thinks you should want."
Denise is silent for a long time, and the back of my neck starts to sweat. I've never told anyone that. It certainly doesn't paint me in the best light.
"I'm assuming, from your boss's reaction, and then your reaction to Maya, that Bethany was a big girl?"
I nod, and a sly smile spreads on Denise's face. Fingers crossed it isn't her I'm-about-to-murder-you-and-dispose-of-the-body-in-the-East-River smile.
"You have a thing for big girls, huh? How ironic."
I let out a shaky laugh.
"Not just big girls. I like all kinds of women, though I'm partial to those built like Jessica Rabbit."
I openly check her out, my gaze settling first on her magnificent breasts, then the sizable thighs currently pressed against mine. She swats my arm playfully.
"Behave."
She scoots away and bites her lip to hide her smile.
"Whatever do you mean, Denise?"
I scoot until our sides are pressed together again. She glares at me, but there's fire dancing in her eyes.
"Don't get any ideas, Cory. I brought you here to say thank you for helping me out today. That's it."
"Of course," I say, in a mock gentlemanly voice. "And I just want to say thank you for the meal."
I lean towards her, giving her enough time to back away if she wants. When she remains still, I lick the racing pulse in her neck.
"I'm not sure this is a good idea," she practically whines. I don't point out that her fingers are currently tangled in my hair, holding me in place.
"I think it's a great idea. What better way to blow off some steam after a stressful class?"
I trail my tongue from her throat, down her shirt, and bite her nipples through the fabric. She whimpers.
"Nothing too personal, OK?" she breathes as I give the same treatment to the other nipple. "Lets just keep it fun and light."
I nod.
I'm done pretending; I like this woman. Way more than just a fuck-buddy, and it's probably written all over my face. But after last time, she's even more cagey with me. Guarded. She's the first woman that's more commitment-phobic than me. If sex is the only thing on the table, I guess I'll take what I can get.
Rather than continue on the couch, I stand and extend my hand.
"Shall we move this to the bedroom?"
She assesses me, obviously torn between my offer and all the water under the bridge; enough to fill an ocean. My track record with women was already less than stellar, and now she knows about Bethany.
When the silence stretches on, I assume she's decided I'm more trouble than I'm worth. But then she stands and nearly drags me down the hall, yanking her shirt off along the way. OK, then.
Once in her room, I resume control, closing the door and pushing her into it with a passionate kiss. The steel rod in my pants throbs against her stomach, and she arches her back, pressing herself even harder into my length. I reach behind her back, unclasping each of the hooks of her bra. The fabric falls away, and I groan when the velvet warmth of her breasts fills my hands.
"Do you have any idea how incredible you are?" I gasp, suddenly out of breath.
"I have some id—"
I shush Denise before she can finish.
"I was talking to your tits."
I dive between them; the flesh muffling her giggle at what she thinks is a joke. I'm dead serious about her breasts.
I start with the valley between them, then lick outward, along the sensitive—but oft neglected—underside of her breasts. My circles get smaller and smaller as I move in towards her straining nipples. I don't touch them, though. I won't. Not until she's dying for it. Not until she begs . When I start to move back out to the edges, she breaks.
"Come on!" she pleads. I hide my smile.
"Come on, what?"
"Stop teasing me and suck them!" She pouts like a frustrated kitten, and I can't help but laugh.
"I might if you ask nicely." I doubt this proud woman is willing to—
"Pretty please, can you suck on my nipples? I'm dying over here."
My dick hardens further at her boldness, and I give the woman what she asked for.
I swirl my tongue around the dark ring of her areola, making it flat to taste as much of her delicious skin as I can. Once I reach the nipple, I first lick, then suck the tight tips, pulling them deep into the warmth of my mouth.
"Ahh!" she cries out, but her fists in my shirt let me know she's not in pain.
I tease her further, grazing my teeth along her nipples before I gently bite down. She's writhing now, whimpering at the exquisite pleasure I'm giving her.
"Cory," she pants, "I feel like I'm about to—"
I interrupt her with another nip to her stiff peaks and she shatters, dropping her head backwards to the door. I wedge my knee between her thighs to keep her upright, and she rubs herself against it, riding out her orgasm in uncontrolled movements. My dick is aching to be inside her, and we're both breathing hard.
"Jesus Christ, Cory. That's some mouth you have."
I slowly lower my knee and tug her away from the door.
"I aim to please. Now take off your pants and get on all fours on the bed."