Chapter 19
The echo of our footsteps on concrete floors was loud inside the storage complex. My footfalls were lighter and more of a slap than Ray’s heavy thuds, my shorter legs taking two steps to his one.
Slap. Slap. Thud. Slap. Slap. Thud.
Our footwear, my flip-flops versus Ray’s combat boots, was just one example of how different we were. But damn, we fit. My pucker flexed with the reminder of how snugly Ray had fit inside me, and I faltered on the next step.
Slap. Thud. Thud. Slap.
Ray’s arm snaked around my waist, and his hand landed low on my stomach, tugging me against the rocking body I couldn’t stop craving.
I pushed my ass against his groin and moaned because he felt so damn good.
I’d just had Ray’s monster dick in my mouth less than an hour ago, milking him to the last drop, and here I was, ready to go again.
My eyes clocked the security cameras in the nick of time.
“You good?” Ray asked.
Twisting in his embrace, I looked up at him with a smug smile that heated his cheeks. “You know I am.”
Ray licked his bottom lip, his pink tongue reminding me of the favor he repaid by bending me over the coffee table and eating my ass while he stroked me off. He had the mouthy and handsy things down to an art form. Lucky me.
“And so are you,” I said.
My compliment made him blush a deeper shade of pink, and I wanted to drag him back to his SUV to do naughty things to him.
Did Ray enjoy anal play on himself? His demeanor screamed top, but maybe he was verse or at least liked a good prostate pegging now and then.
I imagined Ray on his knees for me, ass up and cheeks spread, my finger buried inside his quivering hole as his big body trembled with pleasure from my touch and my filthy praise.
I swallowed hard as my head tilted back to rest on his broad chest. Squeezing my eyes shut, I willed the poorly timed fantasy to go away, but it was no good.
The sexy imagery gripped my brain as tightly as Ray’s pucker would clench my finger when I found his sweet spot.
“Yes,” Ray whispered huskily in my ear at the same time the fantasy version of him cried out with his release. “I want whatever it is you’re thinking.”
My eyes snapped open and locked onto the cameras again.
Pulling myself together, I eased out of Ray’s embrace before we got tossed out of the place.
I turned and smiled up at him. “Not sure you’d be into it,” I teased, walking backward, even though it was a disaster waiting to happen in flip-flops.
But Ray’s affection made me bold. “I’d sure like to try though. ”
“I will do anything you want after…” He paused and gestured at storage units around us. “We accomplish your mission.”
Ray’s steadfast personality was a major turn-on for me. I’d said I needed his help, and here we were. His lobelia eyes sparkled with curiosity, good humor, and more than a little lust.
His allure was too great to resist. “Anything?” I asked.
He opened his arms wide in surrender. “I’m all yours.”
I could’ve taken his hand and led him out of the building, but I turned and headed down the corridor to my unit instead.
“Let’s do this.” My courage waned, and my steps slowed as I neared my unit.
Why in the hell had I asked for Ray’s help when I could’ve just as easily swung by after work to photograph the inventory I wanted to sell?
I stopped suddenly two doors down from my spot and whirled to face him.
Ray was closer than I realized, probably because of my slowed pace, and he plowed into me before he could fully stop his big body.
Wrapping me in a protective embrace, Ray said, “Whoa. I’m built like a freight train and need time to stop.”
“Sorry.” I burrowed my face against his chest and mumbled, “I’ve changed my mind. Let’s go back to your place.”
“Hey,” he said gently. “Look at me.” When I hesitated, Ray slid his fingers into the wavy mess my hair had become and tilted my head back.
I met his gaze head-on because it’s what he deserved.
“What’s in the storage unit you don’t want me to see?
” His mouth curved up playfully on one side.
“Please tell me you’re not stashing bodies in there. ”
“No,” I said with a snort.
“Body parts?”
I laughed and shook my head. “There’s nothing morbid in there, but that might be less embarrassing.” When Ray only blinked, I realized how weird that sounded. “I’m screwing this up like I do everything. There’s nothing sinister in my storage unit, but I’m worried you’re going to think I’m a dork.”
Ray kissed me tenderly. “Enough of that talk.” He cocked his head to the side. “I’m curious as hell, but we can leave if you’re uncomfortable. I won’t pressure you to do something you’re not ready for.”
And that’s when I knew I was ready. “I want to do this. Selling off my inventory is part of my big plan to get my life together.”
Ray furrowed his brow. “But these things must mean something to you if you’re paying for a climate-controlled unit.”
“They did once. I think I’m hanging on to things because they remind me of a simpler time, when I really need to focus on my future.
The money I got from Chad is a good start toward buying a reliable car, and listing these items on eBay could generate the rest of the money I need.
I might even have enough left over to pay down some college debt and possibly lease my own apartment.
” I tilted my head to the side and said, “The last two things might have to wait until I find a permanent job after Cammy comes back from maternity leave.”
“You really do have a lot on your mind. No wonder you felt so overwhelmed this morning.”
“I do, but the overriding emotions this morning were happiness and hopefulness.” Gesturing down the corridor, I said, “Come on, while I still feel brave.”
Ray dropped his arm and swatted my ass. “Fine, but no sudden stops.”
“Don’t power up to full speed because my unit is close,” I cautioned.
“Got it.”
We walked the short distance and stopped next to the door so I could enter the code.
I waited for the keypad numbers to change from white to green before turning the knob.
Flipping on the light, I stepped into the unit and waited for Ray to join me.
He said nothing when he walked in, just quietly looked around.
What did it look like through his eyes? A graveyard of old gaming systems, games, DVDs, and records?
I’d carefully organized these things when I rented the unit, so it wouldn’t take me long to snap some photos of the things that would sell fastest and bring the most money.
“Wow,” Ray said. “This is impressive. It’s like stepping back in time. Did you buy this stuff when you went yard-saling with Emma and Ramona?”
I adored a man who freaking listened. “Most of it, yes. We also hit up flea markets, swap meets, and estate sales too. I had my own neighborhood lawn-mowing business when I was a kid. I used the money to buy gaming systems with minor issues. The goal was to repair them cheaply and resell them.” Shrugging, I said, “But as you can see, I collected more than I sold. Newer systems with cooler graphics replaced these, and no one wanted to buy them. I saw their value and hung on to them. And guess what people are looking to buy now?” Looking around the unit, I said.
“Nostalgia, I guess. The graphics are still outdated as hell; maybe that’s part of their charm. ”
Ray moved further into the room, stopping at the shelving unit with one of the Nintendo GameCube systems. “Damn, I haven’t seen one of these in ages.
” He reached out and reverently touched the box.
“My mom worked her ass off to buy me one of these for my eleventh birthday.” Ray tipped his head back and laughed heartily.
“She ended up playing the GameCube as much or more than I did. Damn, she loved the Scooby-Doo games. She used to laugh and curse that cartoon dog like it was his fault the missions failed when she was the one holding the controller.” Ray smiled, lost in a memory I couldn’t see but somehow felt.
Just as quickly, his joy was gone. “After she died, the social worker told me to shove my clothes in a trash bag and take nothing else. I was too devastated to even consider taking my gaming system anyway. I never even wondered what happened to it. It probably ended up at someone’s yard sale. ”
I had never felt a connection like this with another person, and it was terrifying. I joined him at the shelving unit and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Which game was her favorite? Night of 100 Frights?”
Ray jolted and looked at me as if remembering he wasn’t alone. His smile was big and immediate. “Yeah. That’s the one.”
“It was my favorite too.” I moved deeper among the shelves to find the rotating racks of games I had for the GameCube. Half a spin later, I lifted the treasure over my head victoriously. “Got it! Pick out a gaming system, and we’ll take it and the Scooby-Doo game back to your place.”
“Seriously?” Ray asked. “Modern televisions aren’t compatible with these old systems, are they?”
“No, but they make adapters.” I stepped over to a plastic storage caddy with a variety of cords, adapters, and accessories. “Aha!” I returned to his side and showed him the adapter kit. “This is all we need to play. Grab the console color you want, and we’ll set these things aside.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. I really want to relive this memory with you.” But then I reconsidered. What if he didn’t want to share it with me? “Or not. I can, um…”
“Leave me alone to game with my mother’s ghost?” Ray shook his head. “No way. This will be a fun way to honor her memory.” He leaned forward and kissed me hard. “And I want to do it with you.”
“I would love that.”