6. Thayer
Chapter Six
Thayer
Don’t cry. Don’t you dare shed a fucking tear. He doesn’t deserve to see you hurt. By the time I have sand under my feet, I’ve pulled myself together. At least on the outside, no one can see my heart is breaking.
I come to a stop at the shoreline, the water laps at my feet. Looking out over the ocean, I watch it roll and dive, pulling wave after wave under. Burying the dying wave before the next is born. Smothering the bolstering tide as it makes its way to the shore.
Taking a deep breath, I pause long enough to grasp just how puzzled I am. What the hell just happened? Hardy pushed me away for this, for a friendship that I had no clue about. He didn’t even know me then, and I didn’t even know he existed.
Wishing the waves would crash in and swallow me up, I stand there in shock. How long had he known? Did he know before the weekend at Clemson? Oh my God. The things I texted him.
None of it matters now, not after everything I just said to him. Not excluding the way he spoke to me like I was nothing. Nothing to him. Every word we shared over our weekend together meant nothing.
I stood there looking like a complete idiot. I felt like a fool as he implied I threw myself at him. The look in his eyes told an entirely different story. The way his face contorted as he delivered each word.
His mouth pulled into a straight line, the ‘V’ formed between his eyes as his words hit me. Hating them as they fell from his lips for hurting me the way they did. Utterly disgusted as he ripped us apart.
I would never have been this angry had he just taken the time to tell me the truth. If he had given us a chance, we wouldn’t be here. Hardy made the decision to not take our relationship any further without my input.
Well, he has it now. I need to get back to my party. People are probably wondering why I’m down here. I should tell them so I can watch Hardy squirm. Maybe ignoring him will do the trick.
Turning to go back, the first person my eyes land on is One. He knows something’s up. Shifting from his face, I find Hardy glaring at me. Oh, what. You’re mad? Too bad, asshole. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on. I don’t need you to save me; I’ll keep my damn self.
Opening the gate, Christy meets me, and we walk side by side. She can tell I’m upset, but instead of acknowledging it, she switches gears. Like only a best friend can, she has my back until I can fill her in.
“Alright, we’ll work on this later. Go fix the corner of your left eye; eyeliner is smudged. Sneeze a few times and go straight to the hall bathroom. Then, we’ll kick someone’s ass.”
She’s deranged. She says the whole thing with a smile on her face, so sweet, sounding like a five-year-old. I fucking love her. Especially when she shelters me from prying eyes, like One and Hardy.
With Christy’s help, I’m up the steps and in the door in a matter of seconds. I straighten my face as best I can and ready myself for the rest of the evening. Exiting the house, my mother calls me over to speak with a few guests.
After pressing some flesh, I work my way around thanking everyone who came. Most are my parents’ friends or business associates. Chord sits alone at a table. I grab a plate and start in his direction when Christy cuts me off.
Bumping into my side, she walks with me to Chord’s table. “What’s up? Who are we killing?”
Chuckling my answer, I give her the basics. “One’s best friend is an asshole. He’s also the man I spent last night with and the one I keep chasing down. Yes, Hardy is all three of those things.”
Her eyes grow wide as I continue to talk right to where Chord sits. “We just shared our dislike for the situation, including his blatant refusal of me. He said I threw myself at him. After, I called him names. It was ugly. My heart’s broken, and we’re done.”
Painting a smile on for Chord, I sit next to him, and Christy falls into the other chair. Chord’s eyes shift between us, slowly registering the shock on Christy’s face and the look of death on mine.
“Ladies, who are we killing?” We burst into laughter in unison which draws the unwanted attention from my older brother and his best friend.
One stands, grabbing his beer, and heads our way. Continuing to giggle as he gets closer, I immediately shut down when I notice he’s bringing company. Son of a bitch. Nothing gets past Chord, though; he’s so much like One.
“What? Is it Hardy? What the fuck? Did you mess around with Hardy?” Chord looks sick. It’s probably from the blood running down his leg where my nails are cutting into his thigh.
“Shut up. Not a word,” is all I manage to get out before they’re standing in front of us. The scrutiny One gives us is more than apparent, but Chord plays it off.
“Hey, guys. What’s up, One? You’ve been weird all evening.” Redirection. I love that tactic. Hardy’s stare is tough to shake, but I do my very best to avoid it.
“Nothing. I’m good. Y’all too cool to hang out with the old people? Too bad we’re joining anyway. Grab a chair, dude.” One motion to the seat behind Hardy.
Sitting down across from me, One gives Hardy no choice but to sit beside me. Fuck my life. He smells like sex. And sin. I lick my lips mindlessly before sinking my teeth in my bottom lip. Hardy releases a long breath.
Butterflies erupt in my belly when his warm breath passes over me. Shifting in his seat, his leg rubs against mine, making me squeeze my thighs together from the contact. When he notices, he leaves his leg, so it continues to touch mine.
Chills race up my back, and my nipples pebble as the heat between us rises. I glance at Hardy when he takes a ragged breath. I can feel my face burn from the sexual tension between us. So my brother points it out.
“You okay, Thayer? You look flushed!” One exclaims.
“I’m fine.” My voice cracks, making the words come out high-pitched, making Christy spit her drink across the table at Chord. She begins to cough, playing it off like she’s choking.
Chord and One gape at Christy as she pretends to struggle for air. I side-eye Hardy and find he’s staring at me, smirking. Looking back at Christy, One reaches over to pat her on the back. Hardy’s hand slips from his thigh to mine.
Jumping from the contact, the table tips. Everyone makes a grab for it, except for me; I haul ass into the house. I’ll be damned if I allow him to touch me after the things we said to each other. Well, I’ll be damned if I allow it to affect me like he wants it to.
I hightail it to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. Leaning against it, I steady my breathing. Closing my eyes, I inhale. Hardy invades all of my senses, and I’m pulled back into our weekend together.
Forcing him from my mind, I race to the sink to wet a cold washcloth, hoping to cool myself down. Working to control my body’s reaction to him. It’s impossible; I’ve been lost to him since I first laid eyes on him. I hunted him down and brought him home with me.
He’s playing with me; that’s all this is—a game. I’m not playing; I’ll avoid him like the plague for the rest of the night. I look at myself in the mirror and steel my nerves. Jerking the bathroom door open, I stumble as I find Hardy waiting on me.
Pushing me back through the door, he reaches behind him to lock it. He stands there, two inches from my face. My arms are crossed over my chest to help hide my ridiculous reaction from being this close to him.
Not a word is spoken; we just stare at each other. He pulls his hand from behind his back with one fluid motion, wrapping it around my neck and pulls me to his lips. Holding my lips firm, I refuse him the best I can. Never giving him the access or reaction he so desires.
Hardy tangles his hand in my hair as he seeks to get closer to me. When he slips his right hand on my hip, pressing me into his throbbing erection, he gets his opening. I gasp at the size of his girth and in appreciation of his desire.
He wastes no time as his tongue darts between my lips. Wrestling with mine when I no longer fight him. Hardy devours my mouth, plundering deep with his tongue. Only releasing it long enough to nip at my bottom lip.
Moaning my evident admiration for his delectable mouth, he consumes mine again. His hand moves down my thigh before he hitches it on his hip. It gives him the leverage he needs to twist us around, pinning me to the door in his place.
The opportunity he needs to grind his ever-growing cock against me sends us both into a tailspin. Lifting my leg to hook around him, he holds me between the door and his hard body. The position allows me to wrap my other leg around him. Hardy gladly accepts it as he palms my ass.
Still, not a word is spoken as our bodies connect with sweet friction in my mother’s downstairs bathroom.
The thought alone should send my libido plunging.
The heightened risk we’re taking just throws gas on the fire.
Hardy’s cock thrusting against the seam of my shorts slowly adds pressure until he sends me over the edge.
Squeezing my eyes tight, bright lights explode behind them as my orgasm washes over me. Hardy locks his mouth onto mine, helping to keep my moans from being heard. When I open my eyes, it’s his, I see. Watching me as I come down from my high.
We stand, locked around one another, trying to catch our breath. His gaze never leaving mine, his touch becoming soft. Reaching up, I remove my lipstick from the curve of his bottom lip. He loosens his grip on me, and I slide down his body until my toes touch the floor.
Still pressed against one another, he leans his forehead against mine. After a minute or so, Hardy finally breaks the silence. “Now, do you understand? I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you.”
Stepping around me, he’s gone as fast as he came. Leaving me standing in the hall bath, feeling confused. Feeling wanton. Feeling like I just lost the love of my life.
I fall against the door. My legs feel like a baby giraffe trying to stand. Holy crow, is that what a real orgasm feels like? Oh, no. I just had my first orgasm with Hardy by way of dry humping.