Chapter 19
Graham
I t’s the first boy’s night Chris has hosted since he started dating Bre, and to no one’s surprise, Bre is taking care of everything. I don’t mind, though. I need the distraction.
Since football doesn’t start back up for a few weeks, we decided on a poker night with Bre as our fifth player to help keep things interesting.
I was held over with some charting at work and am about an hour late, but from looking around the parking lot, I spot everyone’s vehicles except Paige’s.
Since it’s a Thursday night, she is probably working. I have familiarized myself with her schedule over the past few weeks between late-night Facetime calls and random texting throughout the day.
I exhale slowly before grabbing my backpack and locking up my truck. I am still in my hospital-issued scrubs and need a shower. Pulling my phone out, I shoot a quick text to Paige. Grinning like an idiot by how quickly she replies.
Me: Can I use your shower?
Paige: No Problem. Extra towels are under the sink.
When I send off another message, I knock on the front door, and Bre gives me a warm smile when she answers.
“It’s about time. I need another rational person around.” She pulls me into a hug, and I laugh. “Food is on the counter. Beer in the fridge. I did grab you some whiskey. It’s in the freezer.”
“Bre, you are an angel.” I offered her an exhausted smile.
“Were you on call or something?” Clint asks, nodding toward my scrubs before sipping his beer when I walk into the living room where Bre has set up a full poker table with her sectional pushed against a wall.
A full buffet is set up on the large island. Chris is sitting next to Clint at the kitchen table with several empty plates in front of them. Seth is sitting on the couch with a ball cap on, lost in his phone. He doesn’t even bother to acknowledge me. And I am perfectly fine with it.
The condo is a great size and has an open floor plan, with a hallway to the left and another set of doors to the right. I gather from Paige that each has a master suite. Bre bought the Condo a few years ago from one of the other partners when he was selling it after his wife found out about it.
“No, late surgery. I’m going to take a quick shower. Paige already told me I could use hers. Bre, which room?” I ask and see Seth’s head snap up out of the corner of my eye.
“To the left.” Bre smiles, signaling towards the hall.
“She isn’t here,” Seth says as his nostrils flare.
I roll my eyes in response as I walk toward her room and ignore him completely, opening the door. Immediately drowning in everything, Paige.
I turn on the light switch before closing the door behind me. Taking in Paige’s room, it seems surreal. Like I am invading her space somehow. I have seen it a few times on FaceTime, and it seems to keep happening, yet this is my first time stepping in here. I toss my backpack onto the bed, running my fingers along her unmade sheets before turning my attention to her nightstand with two books. The first is a worn copy of The Shining, and the second is Breaking Dawn. I had to laugh at the ridiculous combination and pull my phone out.
Me: BTW, team Jacob all the way.
I toss my phone on the bed before removing my scrub top. I head to her bathroom and see it is decorated with bats. Looking back toward her room, I take in every bit of knowledge I can about her while I wait for the shower to heat up. Noticing her overstuffed bookcase and recognizing the spines of more titles.
She seems to love to read everything, and I appreciate it since I have loved to read since I was little. Losing myself in everything from comics to epic fantasy novels. Even now, a few of my favorite novels sit on this shelf, staring back at me.
Feeling the bleeding romantic take over, I look at her desk and spot a stack of colorful Post-its and a marker. Picking a few different books from the shelves and leaving a post-it note inside for her to find later. I return the few books in the same spot before, tidying up a bit, discarding the rest of my clothes, grabbing a towel, and heading into the shower.
The hot water warms my skin, and I let out a slow breath, allowing my aching body to adjust. Dipping my head under the water, I run my hand through my loose curls before focusing on the bottles in the shower. Reaching down, I look through them until I find Paige’s coconut and vanilla-scented shampoo.
Just the smell of her has my cock pulsating, and I can’t help my body’s natural reaction to being surrounded by everything, Paige. And the fact that I haven’t had sex in a year doesn’t help the situation.
I quickly rinse my hair, ignoring the dirty thoughts I want to act out rattling through my brain before grabbing and applying the shampoo. When I wash my body, I somehow have a picture of Paige, naked, spread out across my sheets. Her long blonde hair falls off my bed like a waterfall as I am buried deep inside her. Her deep emerald green eyes lock on me, giving me that look that only she has ever given me, captivating me with every bit of her soul.
Our moans of pleasure are my focus, and I begin to stroke my cock, needing release. I start slowly, imagining exploring every bit of her skin. Kissing her passionately as I slide my fingers over her clit. Lingering just long enough to hear her moan for more. More of me.
I can feel my breath catch in my chest as I envision how beautiful she would look as I slowly kiss her clit with my hands roaming over every bit of her. God, the fucking idea of having her so exposed in front of me like that has me increasing my speed. I hate having to hold back this type of need.
I put that growing hunger to use and imagine tasting her from ass to clit, causing her to come before sliding up her body and into her starved pussy that I know is meant to wrap around my cock. I wish I could taste her lips as I worship her soul.
I can feel myself getting close as I imagine she is building again with me buried inside her. I focus on kissing her as we both reach our release, as I milk my cock. Before I know it, I feel lightheaded. I haven’t come like that in a while.
I go to turn back towards the water and lose my balance, landing flat on my ass with a loud thud. Ripping down her bat shower curtain and rod in the process. Then, I notice the sounds of shampoo bottles spinning from outside the tub.
All I can bring myself to do is laugh before turning off the water and begin to clean Paige’s bathroom.
“Do you boys need another round?” I hear Bre say loudly from the kitchen as I open the door to Paige’s room. Only really paying attention to my phone as I order a new shower curtain and rod for Paige. Somehow, the shower is usable, but she will notice.
“Please,” I hear Chris say in a playful tone towards the kitchen from the poker table, and I realize Bre has offered drinks.
“Whiskey for me, thanks,” I say, sliding my phone into my pocket before heading towards the kitchen. I sit beside Clint with a bright smile and look over the food on his plate.
“You know it’s not healthy to bottle everything up. You’ll give yourself a heart attack.”
I hear Bre say to Seth, who isn’t even paying attention to her. I shake slightly before stealing a chicken wing from Clint’s plate. This must be Bre attempting small talk, and I just sit back, watching it play out.
“Love, that’s not why people have heart attacks,” Chris adds playfully, sipping a beer. She glared at him before returning her attention to Seth.
“Don’t worry, beautiful, that’s what I have your sister for. We talk.”
I don’t fully believe his lie, and I know she doesn’t either.
“Don’t bullshit a professional bullshitter, Seth,” she says, sipping her wine before leaning back in her seat at the table. I just let out a small laugh before grabbing a plate of food. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I smile like an idiot again when I see it’s Paige.
Paige: Important question? Star Trek or Star Wars? Both are powerhouses on their own, but it comes down to whether you are a Patrick Stewart or James Earl Jones fan.
I let out a soft laugh, which caught Clint’s attention.
“Kat?” Clint asks.
I just glared at him. I can tell by his tone he knows it isn’t.
“Work.”
I clear my throat and try to hide the grin that has been living on my face since I met Paige a little over a month ago now.
I only know I am making a face because more than once since Paige and I started talking, I have been asked if I am seeing someone new because my smile gives me away. Yesterday, while dictating, I texted Paige, and a few of the nurses even started asking questions.
Clint let out a laugh.
Shit, is it that obvious that I am into Paige?
My mind begins spiraling, and I stand from the table with my phone in hand to get food. And maybe put some distance between me and Clint before texting back.
Me: I can’t. I grew up on both and refused to compare them. Counter question: Marvel or DC?
Paige: Marvel all the way. And when I say Marvel, I mean Patrick Stewart and the X-Men.
“So, I had an idea of something to do for Paige’s birthday next week,” I hear Bre say to Seth, and I look up from my phone. Seeing the panic in Seth’s eyes. He had no clue.
Fucking idiot.
“I was thinking we could go out to a nightclub. She loves to dance, and they are having an R&B night.”
“I’m not much of a dancer,” Seth says, clearing his throat and taking a large gulp of his beer.
“Well, Paige is, and I think it would be good for the two of you. So, it’s settled, the three couples next week?”
The three of us snap our heads towards Bre, who, much to her credit, doesn’t even flinch before reaching her hand towards Chris.
“I guess we’re going dancing, boys,” Chris says with an impressed smile, looking over to Bre before kissing her.
Fuck. I wonder if Kat will be home or want to go.
“When is your trip, Bre?” Clint asks after clearing his dishes and heading over to the poker table. I linger on the conversation, trying to figure out how I want to play this as I finally begin to eat some more food myself.
“A little over two months,” Bre excitedly says. “But I’m not looking forward to leaving this man-child unsupervised for a month.”
She lays her head against Chris’s chest as he rolls his eyes, laughing at her softly.
They are always so affectionate around each other. Even when Kat and I were strong, we never craved each other like that. When we met, we were high on mushrooms. It is the only time I have ever done drugs, besides smoking the occasional joint throughout college and medical school. I was at a music festival with a few guys from my surgical residency program, and things bloomed from there.
I let out a frustrated sigh and tried not to focus on the decision my cock had made when I was an immature idiot. Now I am just a sad, broken, and horny idiot.
“Don’t worry. I plan on talking your sister into going somehow. I already put in for the leave.”
Everyone seemed to have the same shocked reaction, and I let out a small laugh, not at all surprised.
Chris hasn’t stopped talking about the trip for weeks. Bre’s smile is near angelic when she pulls Chris’s face to her and begins to kiss him like we aren’t all in the room.
Clint lingers on it longer than I expect before clearing his throat, forcing Chris to break the kiss. Bre turns six shades of red before fanning herself in embarrassment.
I laugh, and I can’t help but feel happy for them. Happy for Chris. A weird emotion rolls through me, and my jaw muscles dance in response before my phone catches my attention again.
“What about we all go?” Bre says in an open-ended matter, and my head shoots up. I take my plate and head to the poker table, sipping my whiskey before sitting in the empty spot beside Seth. A thick tension fills the space between us just like it always has, and I try not to wrinkle my face in disgust when I sit down.
“I’d be interested in going. It’s been a while since we took a good vacation,” I say, and I can’t help but notice the confusion on Seth’s face. Bre lights up like Christmas morning.
“Oh, a couples trip could be fun!”
Bre’s excitement peaks, but something about a couple’s trip makes my stomach churn. I don’t want to take this trip with Kat. When I say I need a vacation, it is also supposed to be from her, and maybe drown myself in single women who aren’t dating Seth.
“I don’t think I could miss that much work,” Seth said with slight panic.
Chris’s eye darts towards Seth’s immediately. Pity shows before he said, “Love, maybe you should talk to Paige before you plan this all out.”
Ah, Chris is probably paying Seth’s bills again. He only looks pitiful like that when he is.
I take another sip of my whiskey as Bre pulls out her phone and focuses on that instead of Seth.
“Seth, how is business going?” Clint asks, and the question seems loaded with Bre darting her eyes between the men.
“Fine.” Short, sweet, and to the point.
We both know that won’t do.
“I heard you’ve been busy, so business must be good,” I chime in, and he looks over his shoulder, pissed, and I am not entirely sure why. According to Paige, Seth has been working long hours, and with Kat gone in Arizona, I have been taking full advantage.
“Like I said, business is fine,” Seth snaps with a glare before grabbing his phone. I just roll my shoulders before Clint chimes in.
“Who’s ready for some poker?”
I just give Seth a smug grin before reaching for the deck of cards in the middle of the table before starting to shuffle.