Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
JAKE
I watch her body respond to my touch, and it’s all I can do not to drop to my knees in surrender. She has no idea the effect she has on me and how badly I want her to be mine. I know she’s still hiding a lot, but I’m going to do everything in my power to erase this other man's hands on her, replacing every touch he made on her with mine until she no longer remembers a single thing he did to her.
“I’m going to make you feel so good, my little hummingbird,” I breathe against her lips, taking her full bottom lip between my teeth. I know she’s inexperienced, so I hold back as I lightly give it a tug.
Just the thought of being the one to teach her what her body can feel has me straining against the front of my pants with brutal force. It’s not about me today, though…it’s about her and what I can give her.
I push her bra down and expose her breasts to me. They are the perfect size and fit right into my palm. Her pink nipples are tight, and my mouth waters as I bend to have a taste. I flick the tight bud with my tongue before pulling it in deep. I feel her fingers grasp my hair tightly as I feast on each breast .
I let her lead me as I become attuned to what her body wants, listening to each sound that escapes her lips and feeling each deepening touch she gives me. Without realizing it, she’s giving me everything I need to know with her body language, telling me exactly what her body craves. By the time I raise my head, her face is flushed, and those whiskey-colored eyes are flooded with desire.
If circumstances were different, I would be on my knees with my face buried in her pussy, making her cum so hard she wouldn’t remember her own name, but she’s not ready for that. I want to ease her into what her body is completely capable of. She needs to feel so comfortable with me that she won’t think twice about asking me for what she wants.
“I’m going to touch you now, Lyla.” I kiss her until she’s clinging to me before I slide my hand into the waistband of her black leggings. Her skin is smooth as silk as I go further and meet lace. I tease her on the outside first, palming her pussy and rubbing the lace against her clit. Her moan goes straight to my cock when I hear those sweet sounds coming from her lips. She fists my t-shirt and moves her hips against me. I can feel the dampness between her legs and know she’s ready for me.
I slide into her panties, and the moment she soaks my fingers is the moment I know I’ll never be the same. There is nothing on this earth that will come close to what I’m feeling now.
“God, Lyla. You don’t know what you are doing to me right now,” I rasp against her ear. I slowly slide in a finger and groan. “You already feel like the best damn thing I’ve ever felt, and I haven’t even begun to touch you. How does that feel?”
I start to move inside and add another, stretching her wider. Her pussy greedily takes me in as if it’s been starved for someone to finally feed it.
“It feels so good, Jake. Please don’t stop,” she whimpers against my neck.
“You don’t ever have to worry about that. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop now that I know what your pussy feels like wrapped around me.” I go deeper and set a pace that has her moaning and making these little sounds that will forever be seared into my brain.
“Jake…” Her soft plea tells me she’s close as I feel her walls begin to tighten.
“It’s okay, little hummingbird. You’re safe to fall. I’ll always catch you.” Her pussy grips me tightly as she squeezes my fingers. She cries out my name as her orgasm shoots through her. I memorize every detail that I can soak up with how fucking beautiful she is in this moment. I rub her clit hard and feel her tremble in my arms as she gives me the best gift I’ve ever been given. Her complete surrender…her trust.
“How did that feel?” I whisper with my fingers still deep inside her.
“It was…I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s like feeling everything all at once. It was amazing. I didn’t know it could be like that. Thank you.” Her voice is muffled by my shirt as she burrows deeper.
“You don’t ever have to thank me,” I chuckle. “Trust me, it’s me who should be thanking you. That was just a glimpse of what I can make your body feel. I haven’t even begun to show you what your body is capable of.” I rub my thumb over her still-sensitive clit and feel her grip my t-shirt tighter. She may not be ready to open up her heart to me, but there’s no denying who this pussy belongs to now as the last of her tremors float away.
I make sure every bit of sensation is felt before I slowly remove my fingers. Her eyes widen when I suck them clean. A beautiful red is flushing her cheeks, and her caramel eyes have a light to them that wasn’t there before .
“I…you just sucked your fingers clean.”
“Of course I did. I was dying to know what you tasted like.”
“Was it…was it good?” Her inexperience with pleasure just might be the addiction that kills me.
“You are the best thing I’ve ever tasted, just like I knew you would be,” I grin. “Want a taste?” I dive into her before she can respond and tangle my tongue with hers. A moan escapes her, and a thrill races through my body that she’s turned on by sharing her taste with me. When I pull back, she’s in a daze. Her lips are beautifully swollen and pink, begging me to stay here all day and kiss them.
I run my thumb across her bottom lip one more time before stepping back. “I don’t want to leave,” I sigh, “but I need to get to work. I have a client coming in soon.”
“That’s okay.” I watch her adjust her bra and cover those beautiful breasts that I didn’t have near enough time with to satisfy my craving.
“What’s your lease like on where you are staying now? Can you get out of it?”
“It’s month to month.” She glances out the window again and rolls her lip between her teeth. I can tell her thoughts are racing again as she gazes at the horizon.
“Month to month is perfect. You are taking the job, right? I kind of got distracted earlier and forgot to get my answer…not that I’m complaining.” I swipe my tongue across my lips, hoping to get another taste of her because I’m nowhere near satisfied with my thirst for her.
She turns to me and crosses her arms with determination. “I’ll take the job, but I have conditions.”
“Why does that not surprise me,” I laugh, running a hand over my scruff. “Shoot.”
“I don’t want you to pay me.” She throws up her hand when I start to speak. “You are offering me a place to stay, a kitchen to use for my business, and a vehicle. I won’t have those expenses anymore while I’m here, so I’ll be saving money and able to build up my business more. The least I can do is clean and cook in exchange for that. Plus, this place,” she points out the window to the view of the ocean. “I know if you rented this apartment out, you could make four times the amount than what I’m providing you in service. I won’t have you pay me on top of letting me stay here.”
“Okay, I’ll agree to that if you accept my conditions.” Her mouth quirks up, and I fight my smile. “I take care of all the groceries. The meal planning is for two, well, three if Miles is here. I don’t like eating alone, so anything you want to cook, we share between us.”
“You really are stubborn, aren’t you,” she mutters.
“When it comes to something I want…yes.”
“Fine. Meals are included with the job.”
“Perfect. Welcome to Blue Haven, Lyla,” I grin. She breaks out into a smile and looks out the window. I can see the excitement on her face starting to creep in even though she’s hiding it. This is exactly the place she needs to be. The ocean has a way of healing you and putting back together what has been broken.
I wipe the ink away and continue along the lines, bringing my vision to life. It never gets old seeing your artwork etched permanently on someone’s skin. After high school, I had no direction with what I wanted to do. Thankfully, my parents have always been understanding in not pushing college onto their kids and letting us find our passions in life. I’ve always believed that if you love what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life, and it’s true.
The day I got my first tattoo, I was hooked. It turns out all the sketching I loved to do as a kid came in handy. The moment I put the tattoo gun in my hand and brought my first drawing to life, I knew I had found myself. Travis had the same experience, and it was a no-brainer to start a business together. We worked our asses off and perfected our art, becoming sought-after tattoo artists. I get people from all over the world wanting me to ink them. I’ve trained everyone who works here and won’t hire anyone but the best.
“I think you will be very pleased with this one.” I wipe the last of the blood away and sit back to look at my finished art. Ethan has been slowly adding to his piece since I’ve been open. His whole back is now covered with several designs and pictures that tell his story.
You learn a lot about someone from the ink on their skin. It’s a map into their soul, revealing the hardest times they’ve endured and the strength they’ve had to overcome them, all the way to the happiest moments they never want to forget.
Pulling out my phone, I take a picture for him so he can see all the added details.
“Wow, Jake. This looks fucking unbelievable,” he grins, zooming in on the screen to study each line and design.
These sessions are my favorites because I know how much thought and meaning is behind each image, down to the tiniest detail. It’s what drives me to always put one hundred percent into my work. I’m constantly perfecting my art, wanting only the best for my clients. I don’t take it lightly that they trust me to permanently mark my work on their body.
“I’m glad you love it,” I grin. “Let me wrap this up for you, and you’ll be good to go.”
He sits up when I’m done and puts his t-shirt back on. Once he’s paid, I lock the door behind him and start cleaning up my station.
Travis and I got lucky with this place. It used to be a barber shop, so it was the perfect setup to divide it into separate working areas. Besides me, I’ve hired three other artists. We all work our own hours and do it by appointment only so we can make schedules to fit each of our lifestyles.
It’s right in the downtown area, so we get a lot of traffic walking by and a lot of curious people coming in from off the streets to see our work. Framed pictures feature some of our best works throughout the place. I made sure to put some of the celebrity work I’ve done in the front display window to draw people in.
I redid the floors myself, and the light wood is a nice contrast to our black walls. In the back, we have an office and two private rooms for people who want work done in areas that require more privacy. I’ve been doing this for almost nine years now, and nothing can surprise me on tattoo placements. I’ve seen it all.
I pride myself on being very professional at my work. I never mix business with pleasure and haven’t once taken what was clearly being offered when I have them up on the table. It’s strictly business. If they can’t accept that, out the door, they go. I won’t have my business smeared in any way, especially over a quick fuck.
I finish cleaning my tools and wiping down the chair. It’s almost ten by the time I lock up and walk to my truck.
My thoughts immediately go to Lyla as I pull onto the main road in the direction of my house. She’s been in my head all evening, and even the familiar sound of the ink gun couldn’t lull me into a trance like it usually does.
Part of me still can’t believe that I got her to agree to live with me. Until I know exactly what happened in her past and what we are dealing with, this is the only way I know how to keep her safe.
Just the thought of someone putting their hands on her makes me what to hunt the fucker down and see how he does when he comes face to face with someone his own size instead of getting off on hurting women.
For the first time, I want to end someone and ask for forgiveness later. My fingers start to ache, and I glance down at my white knuckle grip on the steering wheel, which I was unaware of doing. I loosen them and force myself to take deep, calming breaths. I need to focus on what’s most important now…making sure Lyla feels safe with me. I’ll deal with him later and make it very clear to him what will happen if he ever touches her again.
Parking the truck in the garage, I head inside and immediately spot the note on the kitchen counter. I smile when I see perfect cursive handwriting, immediately knowing it’s Lyla’s.
Jake, I know I don’t start until tomorrow, but I didn’t want you to have to endure another frozen meal tonight, so I went to the store and made you a chicken pot pie. This meal is on me as a thank you for hiring me, even though I’m still not convinced you didn’t make it up right there on the spot.
Smiling at her words, I continue to read.
We didn’t discuss any foods you dislike, so I hope you don’t have an aversion to chicken and vegetables. The pot pie is in the fridge, so all you have to do is warm it up. I’ll see you in the morning.
Lyla - the girl whose heart may beat a little faster, too
Grinning widely, I open the refrigerator and get out the casserole dish. I can already tell, by the way it looks, that it’s going to be amazing. I scoop some out and throw it in the microwave to warm it up. The smell that fills the kitchen has my mouth watering.
I grab my phone and wait for the FaceTime call to go through. I smile when her face appears. She’s wearing her hair in a high ponytail and has on a guy’s worn-out t-shirt. I ignore the jealousy that shoots through me, wishing it was my shirt that she was wearing instead.
“I wanted to thank you for dinner,” I say instead of asking who the shirt belongs to, which is on the tip of my tongue.
“You’re welcome,” she smiles. “Did you like it? I forgot to ask if there is anything you don’t like.”
“I’m just about to try it,” I say, propping her up on the island. I reach for my oven mitts and pull the pot pie out of the microwave. “Did you make yourself some?” I ask, looking over my shoulder at the phone.
“And not follow my boss's orders on my very first meal?” She laughs. “I made some extra for me, too,” she nods her head.
“Good girl,” I grin, pleased that she listened to me. “Have you had dinner yet?” I sit down on the barstool and close my eyes as the smell of the dish hits me. “Damn, that smells good.”
“No, I haven’t eaten yet. I got busy packing and forgot to.”
“Go heat some up, I’ll wait.” She just sits there and blinks at me. “What?” I ask when she doesn’t move. “I told you I don’t like to eat alone.”
That’s not entirely true. I’ve gotten used to eating a lot of late-night meals alone, but suddenly, it’s not something I want to do anymore. Maybe it’s because I finally found someone worth spending dinner with.
I had a couple of fleeting relationships in the past, but no one has ever gotten under my skin like she has. She makes me feel things that I never knew existed inside me, things that make me question if I ever will again if she leaves.
“You’re not going to take a bite until I eat with you, are you?” She raises her eyebrow at me.
“Nope,” I grin, crossing my arms across my chest.
“Fine,” she sighs. “I’m done for the night anyway. I don’t have a lot of things that need packing. ”
She props me up in a tiny kitchen that has seen better days. Some of the paint from the cabinets is peeling, and I notice the countertops are chipped and yellowed from age. I’m hit with sadness as I watch her get her food ready. She deserves so much more in life than what she’s been given.
I plaster on a smile for her, trying not to let the sadness show, as she sits cross-legged on a worn-out couch with a bowl in her hand.
“You can eat now,” she says, gesturing toward my food and taking a bite.
Satisfied that she’s eating, I take my first bite and moan as the flavors hit my tongue.
“So you like it?” I see the excitement in her eyes that I notice she gets whenever someone enjoys one of her dishes.
“Don’t tell my mom, but you just put her chicken pot pie to shame.” I take another bite and savor the taste. She blushes at my compliment, and it goes straight into my heart.
“Your secret is safe with me,” she giggles. “I’m glad you like it.”
“Like is an understatement. It’s the best damn pot pie I’ve ever tasted.”
“Thank you,” she beams and eats another spoonful. “So, is there anything I should be aware of that you don’t like the taste of? I want to meal plan tomorrow and need to know.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ve made it quite known that I already love the taste of anything that involves you or your cooking,” I hide my grin when her face turns beet red, as I knew it would. She remembers me tasting her earlier, and it’s nice to see that it still affects her.
“There’s got to be something. Everyone has that one thing they can’t stand.”
“Cottage cheese,” I say without any doubt. “Just the thought of that lumpy wet cheese…” I shudder, causing her to laugh .
“You can actually make a lot of things with cottage cheese, and you won’t even notice it’s in there.”
“I doubt that.” I finish my last bite and push my bowl away. “What’s yours?”
“Peeps. It should be illegal to do that to a marshmallow.” She sets her empty dish on the cushion beside her.
“Peeps?” I chuckle. “I’m actually with you on that one. They are disgusting, and in second grade, I made the mistake of swapping my fruit snacks for a peep out of curiosity. Worst mistake of my life.”
“If that was the worst mistake you’ve ever made,” she laughs, “then you’re winning in life.”
“I feel like I’m winning pretty big right now. I just had dinner with the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on,” I say softly. I hold her gaze, but she nervously breaks away too soon and heads back to the kitchen to wash her dish.
I do the same before turning off the lights and walking with my phone to my bedroom. I’m not ready to let her go, so I prop her up on my bathroom vanity and turn on the shower.