Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Raemina
“He kissed you? And you didn’t immediately sleep with him?”
I giggled, like a damn teen with a huge crush. Because really, that’s what I felt like. It was maddening. I tilted my head and shot Trish a look before taking a sip of coffee. “You know I can’t.”
I filled her in on the night before and the so-fucking-hot-I-put-my-vibrator-to-good-use kiss as we had our morning coffee and breakfast. I never drained the battery on the thing, but last night was a different story. I couldn’t get enough.
And I barely slept a wink.
“If I hadn’t known you were alone in your room last night, I would’ve thought he snuck in.” Trish grinned and my cheeks flamed red hot.
“You heard no such thing.”
“Girl, we use the same brand vibrator. I know how good it gets. Especially when you’re already turned on.”
I covered my face with my hands and rested my elbows on the table. “Fuck. This was supposed to get easier. Not harder.”
“Stop making it so hard, then.”
“Your advice sucks.” I said with a smile.
Trish tossed a piece of her muffin at my head.
“I’m not going to tell you something is a bad idea when it brings you happiness.
You’ve been glowing girl and you haven’t even been with the dude yet.
I know it seems impossible but love always finds a way when it’s meant to be.
At least, that’s what I’d like to believe.
Besides, it’s so much fun. I wish I had a romance dangling in front of me.
Maybe I’ll stop in for a drink, try to find a hottie. ”
“I can finally introduce you to the new bartender. I think you two would look great together.” I told her.
Trish groaned. She hated when I tried to set her up.
I still did it anyway. She wasn’t a big drinker, so she didn’t come by the bar much.
She worked from home and needed to get out of the apartment and meet new people.
“I’ll come by. But no set ups, no blind dates, last minute dates, whatever the hell you’ve got planned. ”
I laughed. “Excuse me. I have nothing planned. I’m too busy watching my own life fall apart.”
“It’s not falling apart. You like someone you can’t have. It’s happened to a lot of us. Though I think you should still go for it.”
“How about I make you a deal?”
Trish double groaned. “Ugh, that’s never a good question.”
“We go on a double date. You with Jack, me with Gunner.”
“That’s crazy talk.”
“We can play this risky game together. Why not?”
“And what if one of us falls deep in love and the other gets left behind all sad and depressed and shit? Then what?”
“We figure it out. Together.”
“We sound like hopeless turds.” Trish laughed.
I shrugged with a smirk. “As long as it’s you and me both.”
“Otherwise, we agree to call off men all together.” Trish proposed.
“Ugh, after the kiss I just had?”
“You’re giving me whiplash.”
“Okay, okay. Fine. Men- poof, gone, done.” I snapped my fingers.
“Good. Now I can eat my muffin in peace.”
If only it were that easy with a snap of the fingers.
Instead, I acted like a girl with a crush.
I giggled, my cheeks turned red, I looked for him everywhere, tried to run into him, and sometimes I would even walk by where he was.
Gunner wasn’t a fool. He knew what I was up to. And he did the same things.
A brush of his hand against mine, a sexy smile reserved only for me, his eyes light and glowing as he tipped his head to the cooler so we could sneak a kiss.
Every shift I had, he was there. It had to be intentional, but I said nothing and went on with my business.
One night, while on my break, I curled up inside a hidden booth in the back and studied for an upcoming test, my books and notes sprawled all over the table.
It was a mess, just like my brain was, and honestly, I wanted to quit.
I wanted to climb into my bed, pull the covers over my head, and sleep for days.
I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.
“Need a studying partner?”
His voice ran through me like a hot flash. “Thanks, but I doubt I’ll get any learning done with you around.”
Gunner slid into the booth across from me. “What makes you say that?”
I eyed him playfully. “You know why.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “I’m only here to help. I promise.”
“How much do you know about the names of the bones in the human body?”
Gunner grimaced. “Probably none. But I’m great at holding flash cards.”
I handed him the stack I made earlier. “Have at it.”
Gunner quizzed me, moving through all the cards, picking up speed each round. After a solid thirty minutes of drills, I seemed to have a better handle on the material.
“Thank you.” I said with a smile. “That helped so much. I have a big test tomorrow.”
“I bet you’ll do great.”
“Thanks. Well, break’s over. Back to it. Talk to you later.” I took the pile of cards from him and our fingertips brushed against the other. Like a chain reaction of electricity, my entire body reacted to that one simple movement. My breathing hitched and I couldn’t move.
I didn’t budge even though my break was over and I should’ve been working the floor.
How did he have so much power over me?
“Wait, before you go…” Gunner leaned closer. “Just one kiss.”
I looked around with a panicky feeling. “No, not here. Someone could see us.”
“No one’s around and it’s dark.”
“Fine.”
“I don’t need to pull your arm much.” I smiled mischievously.
I met him across the table and as our mouths moved towards the other, Grizz appeared at the table. I jumped back with a yelp, immediately pulling my hands back and shoving them into my lap under the table.
“Raemina? Gunner? What are you two doing back here? I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Sorry, Grizz!” I scrambled to my feet, grabbing my notes and cards and shoving them in my bag. “I was just heading back.”
Grizz’s piercing eyes looked at me with skepticism. “Okay, good. We need you on the floor.”
Phew.
“Got it. Sorry.” I hurried away, but not without sneaking a glance back at them.
Grizz didn’t look so happy talking to Gunner, which only made me feel like shit. He didn’t deserve to get in trouble on my behalf.
Maybe I could talk to Grizz later and let him know he was helping me study. So what if we kissed a few times in the cooler?
We hadn’t gone out on a date or anything.
Yet why did it feel like I was already falling hopelessly in love with that man?
After my shift ended, I hung up my apron, grabbed my bag, and punched out. I headed to my car, not looking forward to the night of studying I had ahead of me. Hopefully, I’d manage some sleep before the eight am testing time.
As I walked closer to my car, I could make out the shape of a person leaning against it. Not just any person, otherwise I’d be running back towards the bar, but a familiar shape. One I’d often dreamed about one too many times lately.
Gunner.
“Hi.”
“Hey. What are you doing out here?” I looked around, checking to make sure Grizz wasn’t about to pop out on me.
“I’m sorry about earlier. Especially knowing Grizz was around.”
“It’s okay. I know it’s hard to resist.” I grinned.
He pushed off the car and moved closer, his frame mere inches from mine.
We hadn’t dared yet put our hands on each other.
Only quick kisses when we could get away with it.
But right now, in this moment, all I wanted was for him to grab me by the waist, throw me against the car, and kiss the shit out of me.
“Raemina…” Gunner said softly as he lifted his hand and ran it through my hair. “I…I can’t keep doing this.”
His words caused my heart to slam against my rib cage. “What do you mean?”
“This.” Gunner motioned between us. “Whatever this is. I need to be all in. And don’t tell me it’s not possible…
please don’t.” He closed his eyes for a brief moment and when he opened them again, they blazed with fire.
“I can’t breathe when you aren’t near me, Raemina.
I am desperate for you. I want you. Need you. Please. Come home with me.”
I panted like a damn dog in heat.
Your job…your test…your career…your life.
It was noise.
All noise.
And then it went silent.
I grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him. “Take me home. Now.”
Gunner didn’t hesitate. He grabbed me by the hand, and we ran to his truck. He sped down the road, neither one of us saying anything, only holding hands, somehow trying to hold on to the moment.
Once he parked his truck, he carried me inside, not stopping until we reached the foot of his bed.
My chest rose and fell with rapid succession.
It was happening.
This was really happening.
He laid me on the bed gently.
Stripped me of my clothing, piece by piece and then of his own.
He climbed above me on the bed and slowly began kissing me all over every inch of my skin.
As if I were his goddess that he vowed to worship forever.
Most men I’ve been with in the past only cared about their pleasure, but not Gunner.
He dragged his tongue along my hot, burning skin, leaving behind the coolness only the air could bring. A mixture of hot and cold erupted over me, and it was both tantalizing and intoxicating.
If I had my way, I’d let this man worship me for the rest of my life.
He stopped when he reached my chest, kissing the skin between my breasts as his hands massaged the sides and brought them against his cheeks.
He rubbed them against the sides of his face before kissing each one.
When his mouth clasped onto one of my nipples, I nearly bucked off the bed, cries of pleasure slipping from between my lips.
Gunner lifted his head and brought it level with mine. With a whisper of a smile and a gleam in his eye, he held me captive in his arms. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Rae.”
He kissed me. Soft. Slow. So achingly good.
“I know you’re going to look so fucking pretty when you take in all of my cock like a good girl.”
There went my ovaries. Poof.
Complete explosion.