Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
S carlett stood at the stove, cracking eggs into a bowl. The coffee pot hissed and sputtered as it finished pushing out the last of the water to flow over the grounds, filling the tiny apartment with morning smells. It was actually close to noon, and Scarlett couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so peacefully, despite her bedroom feeling colder than ever before.
It was because of Kyle.
Moments later, he stepped out of the bathroom, wearing his jeans and socks. He’d obviously finger-combed his hair and splashed water on his face. “I hope you don’t mind—I used a little toothpaste and rubbed it all over my teeth.”
“Yeah, no problem. Want some coffee?”
“You’re speaking my language.” From head to toe and every word from his mouth, Kyle was even cuter this morning than he’d been last night. And today she could see his tattoos better—but she didn’t want to stare. After all, they’d only been intimate once, last night for the first time.
“Um…coffee cups are here,” she said, pointing to one of the few tiny cabinets next to the stove.
“Thanks.” As Kyle began pouring coffee, he said, “Sun’s out.”
“Yeah.” But considering she hadn’t yet bought snow boots, a walk was out of the question.
“I’ll get out of your hair pretty soon here.”
“No hurry—unless you need to be somewhere. I’m making breakfast.”
“Yeah, I see that,” Kyle said, a smile in his voice. “Can I help?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t have a lot. I have a couple of oranges in the fridge if you want to cut them up—and I can make some toast too.”
“I could do both oranges and toast if you want.”
Scarlett grinned, placing a pat of butter in the warm skillet. “Overachiever?” She could have said that about his performance the night before as well.
“I aim to please.” It was almost as if he’d read her mind. But she knew he was only talking about this morning.
“Did you need any cream or sugar?”
“Nah. I’m okay with black.”
Scarlett much preferred hers with a little of each, but she wanted to wait until she had the eggs cooked.
Meanwhile, Kyle got the oranges out of the fridge—but he didn’t return to the small counter right away. When he spoke, it was from across the room. “Looks like the snow’s melting on the street as cars drive over it. The highway’ll probably be pretty good.”
“Oh, that’s good.” Finally, the butter was melted and sizzling, and Scarlett poured in the bowl of eggs.
“Do you have a cutting board?”
“Behind the dish drainer.” There was hardly room for anything in the kitchen so she made use of every inch—but she didn’t have a lot, so it worked out okay. While the eggs began cooking, she dropped two slices of bread in the toaster.
“I thought you wanted me to do that.”
“The eggs are gonna be ready in a sec—you can still butter them if you want.”
He gave her a playful scowl but she enjoyed the whole business of working closely together in the kitchen. When she announced breakfast was ready and she poured herself a cup of coffee, Kyle pulled her close and kissed her softly. “I had a good time last night. I hope you did too.”
Good time was an understatement. She’d had an amazing time—and she was completely rethinking her stance on relationships. Maybe a boyfriend like Kyle would be nice. “It was wonderful. Thank you for staying.”
“Thank you for inviting me.” He kissed her again and then said, “I guess we should eat, huh?”
“Yeah.”
Soon they were seated at the small round kitchen table, and Scarlett took a bite of the eggs. Somehow, they seemed like the best she’d ever tasted. Kyle ate as if he hadn’t had a meal in days. He wasn’t rude or sloppy, but there was no denying he was hungry. “This is really good, Tink. How come I can’t make eggs like this?”
“It’s no secret. It’s pretty easy.”
Kyle shook his head, swallowing another bite of toast. “No. I’m tellin’ you, you have the magic touch.”
“Maybe it’s because I made it with love.” She laughed at her stupid joke. “I can’t make a lot of things, but eggs just always seemed easy enough. I didn’t really like ‘em as a kid, but when I was a teen, I started cooking one each morning for breakfast. I liked it better than sugary stuff.”
“Are you saying a Monster for breakfast is a bad idea?”
“For me it is.” As Scarlett watched him eat, she couldn’t help but reflect on her first morning with Tommy and it finally dawned on her just how eerily similar it was. She’d still been living in her parents’ house, but she’d been selling items she didn’t need to pay the bills, and she had a few boxes in the kitchen full of said items. Tommy had been pursuing her for some time and he’d said something the night before that had melted her heart, and she’d invited him over—and it had been nice having a man close as she slept. With Tommy’s reputation, she’d expected to see him gone the next morning, but he was still there…and she asked if he wanted to have breakfast with her.
Eggs, of course.
He, too, had eaten like he’d been starved.
She tried to remember…had those moments with Tommy seemed this idyllic the first morning? Was she allowing herself to be lulled into another bad relationship completely unaware?
“I’m sorry. What?” she asked, realizing she’d missed whatever it was Kyle had just said.
“Do you care if I eat another couple wedges of orange?”
“No. Help yourself. I won’t be able to eat all that. Do you want to polish off the eggs too?”
Kyle grinned, his expression making her entire body clench, reminding her that she liked him far more than she’d already admitted to herself. “Don’t mind if I do.”
And, with that, she pushed the doubts to the back of her consciousness. After all, she’d been wrong before.
She knew he had to go…but she wasn’t ready. After they finished washing the dishes together, she asked, “Do you want to grab a shower before you go?”
After pondering it for a second, he said, “Yeah, sure. Why not? That’d give the roads more time to melt.”
With a nod, Scarlett led the way into her bedroom. “Would you like some company?”
Kyle’s face lit up as he pulled her close, his hands cupping her butt cheeks. “If I ever answer no to that question, have my head examined.”
His kiss was passionate, causing all her body’s systems to wake up. She loved how his mouth tasted like orange mingled with sweet coffee, and she sucked on his lower lip. “C’mon.” They entered the small bathroom and she turned on the water to the shower to warm it up. “I don’t take showers early in the morning, because it always runs out of hot water, but any time after ten is usually okay.”
Kyle smirked. “I don’t think we’re gonna be that long in there.”
“I plan to surprise you.” When the temperature was perfect, she turned the shower on, pulling the curtain partially closed to keep water from spraying on the floor. As she pulled off her robe, she asked, “What are you waiting for?”
“Nothin’.”
With a giggle, Scarlett jumped in the shower, holding the curtain aside so that Kyle could enter right behind her.
Already, she was eager to feel him inside her again, but this time she wanted to make sure to repay his favor from last night. Grabbing the bar of soap from one of the small shelves in the shower, she lathered it between her two hands, looking up at this man she’d begun to feel something for…something that she maybe shouldn’t have. After the last few months of getting to know him and falling for him, she found herself trusting him, believing he was one of the best men she’d ever known.
But that had to be due to emotions…and hormones. Although he’d never given her a reason to doubt his intentions, had her ex sent off signals at the beginning? When had his real nature revealed itself fully?
Kyle’s hands cupping her jaw pulled her back to the present. His eyes seemed so sincere, but the wide pupils told her he had nothing but lust on the brain at the moment. And so would she if she could stop her brain from going to a darker place. When he kissed her, she forced all the negative thoughts out of her head and let her body take over.
Quickly, she, too, filled with lust and raging desire.
As Kyle’s lips moved to her neck, causing her pussy to clench, she began focusing below. He barely opened his eyes as she pulled back a bit, questioning for a moment until she put the soap back and took his cock in her hands. The way he bit his lip in response was so sexy, it made her want to touch herself, especially now that she thought she’d be better at it.
But she’d get off soon enough.
Kyle’s fingers drifted to her breasts where he teased them, until she began lowering herself to her knees. With her back to the showerhead, she was now getting the full force of the warm water on the top of her head, with much of it hitting Kyle’s belly. She moved so that the sudsy lather on him would rinse off, because she didn’t want to taste soap.
She wanted to taste him .
Thanks to Tommy, Scarlett could give head like a porn star—only better. After they’d been living together for a month or two, he’d shown her clips of porn blowjobs and he’d analyzed the act, giving her pointers. At first, she’d been eager because Tommy still hadn’t fully revealed his true colors, and she’d wanted to please him. She’d never known what do to other than suck on a dick, so learning other things to do was fun. One thing Tommy had told her not to do was slap his dick on her face.
“That’s fuckin’ stupid,” he said…and she hated that she could still hear his voice in her ears.
Refocusing, she tickled the tip of Kyle’s cock with her tongue as she held the shaft, noticing the difference between him and Tommy immediately. Kyle had at least an inch on her ex, and his girth was larger as well. Had that been part of why she’d orgasmed again last night when he’d been inside her?
Circling the tip of his cock with her tongue, she tried to look up at him, but water dripped into her eyes. She blinked, pulling him into her mouth as his hands touched her hair, pushing it back off her face. As she drew him in again, she could feel how his cock throbbed in response, marveling at its rigidity against her tongue. Even over the splattering water, she couldn’t miss the groan he let out, and she slid one hand around to squeeze his firm ass.
Was he already close?
By instinct, she sped up the in-out motion, sucking him in and then sliding him out with equal pressure, all while working her tongue, hoping it added variety. After a couple of minutes, he said, “I’m gonna come. Are—”
She eased him out for just a second. “Do it.”
Soon, he let it all go, filling her mouth with force as his fingers tightened against her scalp. While he finished, Scarlett’s pussy clenched itself, needing her own release.
As she stood, his hands resting on her shoulders, he opened his eyes. When she flashed him a devilish smile, he said, “Your turn, baby.”
“I can give you a minute if you need it.”
She couldn’t read his eyes but he pulled her close, kissing her hard as if his tongue were his cock. After that, she knew her panties would have been drenched, but in the shower, all evidence was quickly washed away. He flicked her left nipple but his other hand was drifting down her side, causing her to shiver. Then he hooked his foot under her knee and pulled her leg up, resting his foot on the edge of the tub. His tongue assaulted her mouth again as his hand moved between her legs, his index finger quickly finding her engorged clit, greedy for him.
“How’s that feel?”
“Mmm.” Her voice was nothing more than a breath, and she doubted he could hear her over the splattering water. “Good.”
As his finger continued pulsing against her clit, she felt her legs begin to quiver, as if they were going to turn to jelly. She sucked a deep breath in through her nose as Kyle began nibbling on her ear. Jesus…she was close.
“You are so fucking sexy.”
His words up against her ear made her completely let go. The leg Kyle was holding up began pulsating against his hand in coordination with the rhythm he was delivering to her clit with his finger. It was as if she was losing her mind, her identity as she gave herself completely over to pleasure.
Finally, it ended, and then her senses returned. Again, she could hear the water, could feel drops hitting her back, could smell the scent of the soap she’d used on Kyle moments earlier. And, when she opened her eyes, Kyle completely filled her vision. He was so sweet, so loving, and she could feel herself almost trusting him with all of her being.
She wanted to. God, how she wanted to.
But she buried her head against his chest, letting the water fall on them like rain, as she tried to snuff out the voice inside telling her she should never give up control ever again.
And that meant trust would always be out of the question.