Still Creek (The Cove Series Book 2) Read online

  Releasing my hand as I yank my door open, I lean in to grab the tissues. A guttural sound from behind me helps to remind me I’m bent over the seat in front of Hardy with my cheeks hanging out. Oh, well. I smirk as I wiggle my way back out, helping me to grind against him.

  “Oh, sorry. Didn’t realize you were so close.” I twist to face him. Tiptoeing, I look at his head. “Here, let me get the blood off to see if you need stitches.”

  Leaning in to apply pressure, I lose my balance. As I begin to sway, I place my hand on his chest. No doubt about it, we both jolt from the current that runs through us. Our eyes lock, making me bite my lip to hold back the audible gasp.

  “I’ll, ah, sit down if it makes it easier.” He’s so close he can almost whisper it to me.

  “Oh, yeah. It would make it easier to see.” Snapping out of the trance his beautiful green eyes have put me in, I step to the side, letting him sit on the door well of my truck. No way can he be comfortable, but prying eyes will have a hard time seeing or hearing anything like this. So I step between his legs, holding his face with one hand and apply a little pressure to his cut. Lifting it up every so often to check it.

  “There, it’s just about to stop. You need some antiseptic and a butterfly Band-Aid. Where’s the first aid kit?” I ask, stepping away to look at him.

  “One’s truck.” His face is pulled tight making his eyebrows slant down, forming the v between his eyes.

  “Okay, be right back. Keep pressure on it please.” I hurry to One’s truck, grabbing the kit before this becomes a scene.

  “Got it. Put your head down a little.” Parting his hair as best I can, I apply antiseptic and a small butterfly Band-Aid. “There ya go. Try not to move too quick or hit it again. It may not have needed stitches this time, but I would still be careful.” Taking his face in my hand as I gaze into his eyes that are at war with his heart and mind.

  “It’s not that easy, Thayer. Try to understand.” There it is, the look when he speaks from his heart. Soft, green eyes telling me, pleading with me to not give up.

  “Never said it was, just wanted the chance to try. You do understand you’re worth the effort, don’t you, Hardy?” I find myself searching his face for any sign that he comprehends what I’m saying.

  “How are you so sure?” he asks as he regards me closely.

  “I’m not, but my heart keeps telling me to try. So if you could stop running, I’d appreciate it.” I kick his foot with my own. “All you need to do is be here and be honest. Stop telling me what I need and don’t need. I’m damn well prepared to handle that myself. I want you. We’ll figure out the rest.” I smile at him, in hopes he’ll reciprocate, and he smirks when I wrinkle my nose at him. Gotcha.

  “And your brother? Your family, what are we going to tell them?” He’s crossing his arms like his defense is solid. So I roll my eyes and lean in.

  “My family loves you, as does One. They’ll be fine. One is like any other big brother, but he loves you too.” Close enough to kiss him, I wait. I want to know he wants it.

  “He loves you more.” Narrowing my eyes, I agree but only for a brief second.

  “True. But if I’m happy, he’ll be happy. So make me happy, damn it,” I giggle my response to him.

  Hardy snakes his arm around my waist, dragging me closer. I’m lost. His touch is all I want; his love is all I need. Laying my hands on his biceps to keep from climbing him, I wait.

  “We’re gonna get caught, Thayer, then what.” He’s digging his fingers in the small of my back with every word.

  “We can be free,” I answer with a sly grin.

  Our mouths collide, melding together in a frenzy of desire. Each of us letting the other know our true feelings. My reason to trust. Our reason to love. Kissing him surely is a sin. Thank God I can ask for forgiveness because I’m not asking for permission.

  Breaking our contact, we breathe heavily. Moving his lips up to my forehead, he kisses it sweetly. I’m sure he’s checking to see if anyone is watching. I hope One finds out sooner rather than later, but until then, I’m locking him down.

  “I need to go. Come over tonight, I need to see you.” Pulling away, I make room for him to stand. We exchange places, and he helps me get in my truck, closing the door behind me.

  “Alright. But to talk. We need to talk.” Serious Hardy has returned, yay.

  “Of course, I agree. Bring clothes,” I answer with a cocked eyebrow and a huge grin.

  Backing out of the drive, I take one last look at him watching me, praying he’ll do as he’s promised. My stomach flips as the butterflies whirl around. Being honest with myself, the feeling is about more than him coming over. It’s about trust.

  I’ve never dealt with trust issues, didn’t have to. Hardy’s the only guy I’ve been around to do this shit. I haven’t dated much, and if ever I felt there was a problem, I moved on. There was never a time I felt like I wanted to work on anything with someone.

  Hardy’s feelings of inferiority come from his upbringing, I suppose. It couldn’t have been a good life, at least not for a kid. When we met, he told me of the years he spent on the streets. Most of the time he slept outdoors. Eating every few days, showering or clean clothes came every week or so sometimes longer.

  I don’t think I’ve been dirty a day in my life, I couldn’t imagine being hungry as well. How awful for anyone to have to deal with that, let alone a child. I know most don’t consider runaways homeless, but there are times people have to leave.

  Nevertheless, growing up on the streets is no place for a child, no matter the age. No human being should have to live like an animal. My heart breaks thinking of Hardy without food. Dirty, sleeping in an alley or park. How can people be so cruel to see homeless children in need and not help? It baffles me.

  I’ve never thought about it before, but Hardy must have his own trust issues too. People have always let him down or tossed him to the side as if he didn’t matter. As if his life were expendable. Surely he knows I wouldn’t allow anyone to treat him that way. Hell would freeze over before it’d happen.

  Of course, there’s One. He’s so freaked out that One will have a meltdown. If I know anything about my brother, it’s that he’s a good person. Even if we didn’t work out, One wouldn’t take it out on him. He’s not like that in the least. Hardy and I are adults; One will understand that, at some point.

  Watching night fall on my back deck, doubt creeps in. Hardy hasn’t shown yet. I’m not sure why I keep giving him chances, any other guy would’ve been cut off by now. We don’t have history together to explain this need I’ve developed for him. It runs deep, and for whatever reason, he’s a part of me.

  My phone buzz’s with a text. I rush to look at it, rolling my eyes at my lack of control. I smile wide when my eyes land on his name.

  Hardy: Hey.

  Hardy: Thayer. Talk to me.

  Hardy: I’m outside.

  I make him sweat it a few before answering him.

  Me: Who is this?

  Hardy: WTF? Who’s it supposed to be?

  Me: I have a few friends, so I’m not sure.

  Hardy: Thayer.

  Laughing as I open the front door, he stands there looking at his phone. His eyes snap up once he realizes I’m standing in front of him. He’s freaking hot. Black, beat-up jeans with a black, sleeveless Panthers t-shirt. My nostrils flare when I take a much needed ragged breath, his cologne, clean and masculine, finishing me off.

  His green eyes are dark, although there’s a spark in them, still making them shine. He pulls the side of his mouth into a crooked grin, leaving me breathless and in need. Without a word, he moves inside the door, shutting it behind him.

  It’s then I see he’s brought a duffle bag, and my eyes flicker between it and his gorgeous face. I watch as his smile fades, replaced with a dark desire burning inside him. My mouth goes dry just from looking at him, and the feeling in my core intensifies.

  I hear his bag hit the floor about the time his hands gra
b me. His body presses against mine as he takes my mouth. Forcing his way between my lips with such wanton power, I can only moan my appreciation for his enthusiasm.

  Toeing his Chucks off with little separation between us, he moves fluidly toward me. Pushing me against the wall, his knee wedges between my thighs. The friction ignites a fire in my core, burning me with sexual angst. I need to feel him in me. I want him to fuck me.

  As I wrap a leg around him, he doesn’t wait for another vantage point. He slides his hands under my ass and hauls me up his hard torso. I curl my other leg around his waist as he carries me to my bed.

  There’s no preamble. We drag, rip, and tear away clothes from each other as quick as we can. Needing to be close as soon as possible, we spend no time talking. We both know this is right, it’s what we want. Thayer lays beneath me, breathtakingly gorgeous.

  Her hair is knotted on her head, and I just want it down to twist my fingers in. Reaching up, I pull the band until it falls, spreading across the bed behind her. Her eyes sparkle as her bottom lip grows crimson in color from her teeth sinking into it. She begins to squirm beneath me as I appraise her, naked and wanting.

  Leaning in, I run my tongue across her lips until she opens them and her legs. She moans in unison with me as I growl when I slide a finger into her. Wet and pulsating, she grinds down making my palm rub against her clit. She pants when I slip a second finger in, working her against my palm as my fingers explore her deeply.

  Moving from her mouth, I suck her pebbled nipple into my mouth and increase the friction with my hand on her pussy. Whimpering, she grips the sheets trying not to bite a hole in her lip. Needing to hear her come, I bite down on her breast when I place a third finger in her wet center.

  Thayer’s hips rise from the bed, increasing the pressure on her clit. I take the cue and lap at her hardened nipple with my rough tongue. My eyes are glued to her as she comes undone at my hand. Her fingers straighten as she bucks. Letting go of her lip, my name rolls from her mouth like a religion.

  Laying over her just as she begins to come down from her orgasm, my cock bobs, licking her wet core with his head, purple with need. I waste no time, entering her slowly until I’m fully loaded, deep in her. Her orgasm helping me to slide without resistance. Her hymen breaks as I push my steel-laden head through her depths, sinking in to the end of her.

  Her eyes slowly open, finding mine locked on hers. Her face is flushed, bringing a smile to my face. I did that to this incredible woman, who, for whatever reason, believes me to be worthy of her. Her future. Her love. I’ll be damned if I let her down.

  “Are you going to move or do I need to roll you over and do it myself?” she chides as she traces my features with her finger.

  “Slowly, baby. I was letting you acclimatize before starting. I hope I didn’t hurt you.” Taking her mouth before she can answer, I move my hips, circling inside her as she loosens so I can slide in and out of her, covered in her orgasm.

  “Oh, God. Hardy, that feels so good. More,” she demands as she drags her well-manicured nails up my back while her heels dig into my ass. Right now, I’d do any damn thing she asked of me.

  “Are you sure, hun? We can go slow.” I’m a man, of course I want to fuck her brains out, but this is her first time. Anything she wants is what we’ll do.

  “I’m sure. I need to feel you, please, fuck me.” She squeezes her thighs against my ribs when she moans from my cock jumping inside her.

  “This time, but next time I plan to savor every inch of you,” I say, taking her mouth as I lift her hips, wedging my thighs under her.

  Sliding into her slowly, we build a rhythm as she pulsates around me. Pulling me deeper with every clench and release of her wet pussy. I grunt as my thrusts become more predominant, sliding out so that my head barely sits inside her until I push fast and hard, deep into her. Filling her completely.

  Our frenzied desire making us race for release. I want to stay inside her all night, but there’s no way I can hold out a minute longer when she convulses beneath me as her second orgasm rips through her body. Latching on to me, she finds my mouth and begins to suck on my tongue. Her warm cream spreads over my cock making me spill into her, pumping my long awaited orgasm into her pussy. I’m greedy, so I dig into the mattress forcing her clit to rub against me, igniting another orgasm from her, singing praises as my name escapes through her moans and my grunts. Her body twitches as she comes down, popping her eyes open to meet mine.

  “Fuck, that was so worth the wait.” A smile lights her face bringing the same reaction from me.

  “Glad to hear it. Thank you.” Kissing her deeply, I roll to my side bringing her with me.

  “For what?” she queries.

  “Giving me the honor, although I’m not sure I deserve it.” She tightens her arm around my waist.

  “I love you. No matter how scary that sounds to you, it says to me, you were more than worthy.” Releasing her grip, she sighs.

  We lay there, silent and sated. Her warm body snuggled into the crook of my arm, hair a mess and smiling. I’m lost in the memory of being inside her when she moves away.

  “I need the restroom,” she says with a lopsided grin, making me chuckle.

  “Okay.” I nod my understanding.

  It’s not until the sheet is pulled from me that I register my biggest fuck-up to date. No condom. Son of a fucking bitch. What the fuck was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking, I was so caught up in being with Thayer, I let her down. Not a day passes, and I’m already fucking up. I’ve got to tell her. Mother fucker.

  Thayer walks back into the room, naked. Her body a glorious temple: her full, swaying hips making her breasts jump as she takes each step. Her thighs slightly rub as she walks toward me with her hair moving from the draft of the fan. Her face falls as she gets closer to me, making me fearful to tell her.

  “What is it, Hardy? Are you okay? Don’t even say it.” She takes a warning step back when I reach for her.

  “Thayer, I fucked up. I can’t apologize enough. We shouldn’t have done this; I wasn’t wearing a condom. I’m sorry. God, am I sorry. I told you. I told you I wasn’t good enough for you. I can’t even protect you not a day into this with you.” I bury my head in my hands as I fall back on the bed.

  “Hardy. Hardy, look at me.” The bed moves as she crawls over the bed to get next to me. “Please, look at me.” Tugging at my hands, her soothing, calm voice convinces me to trust her. The only thing between us is her silver flower and starfish necklace.

  “I’m sorry.” My voice cracks as I push the words out. Her eyes are as soft as her voice when she speaks to me.

  “Babe. It’s okay, we’re protected. I’m covered. You just had a physical and blood test for insurance. I know you wouldn’t put me in danger, so we’re good. Stop fretting.” Ducking under my arm, she kisses me ever so softly on the lips. Lingering until I return her gesture.

  “I should have taken care of you, Thayer.”

  “Well, I didn’t know at first because I didn’t have a clue what to expect. But you were tender and understanding with me, taking me slow and as gentle as possible. When you started to move, I felt your piercing in every way possible. I’d like to add my appreciation for that, by the way. Thank you.” She giggles as she hides her face in my side. It’s adorable.

  “I’m happy you like it, but it’s not the way I wanted you to find it. I’ll do my best to never put you in a situation like this again, where you could get hurt.” Holding her close against my body, she squeezes me tightly.

  “So when can we do it again?” I can’t stop my belly shaking with laughter at her sweet question.

  “Anytime you want, hun. We just need to be careful, you’ll probably get a little sore. But believe me, I’m up for it anytime you want.” Rolling her over, I hover again, just above my favorite place.

  Thayer’s insatiable, who the fuck am I to complain? In the early morning hours, she lays in my arms, sated and sound asleep. Her hair pulled to the side oppo
site me, spread across the pillow. Her chest rising and falling is the only movement from her as she lay with her lips slightly parted.

  At no time did I believe in love at first sight. I can’t say that’s what happened here, but I can tell you, I love Thayer. More than my own life, I love her. Some people spend a lifetime with someone and can’t say they were in love with the other. After spending a weekend with her, there was no doubt how I felt about her. You may call it silly, I call it destiny.

  Early in life, I made as many mistakes as the so-called adults did. Leaving foster care at such an early age wasn’t easy, but living in that home wasn’t any better. Abuse comes in many different forms, and I’m a stranger to none. Feeling I had no other choice, I left. Classified as a runaway, no one ever checked in to why I ran away.

  Sometimes, I wonder who I would’ve become with the right people in my life. Or if my parents had lived long enough to help me grow up in a safe environment. Things would have been different; I would’ve been different. I’ve done okay in life, but for a while there it was touch and go.

  The closest I’ve ever come to trusting someone has been One. He’s never judged me or treated me differently. Although, that might change when he finds out I’m with Thayer. Without a doubt, she has a right to know everything. It wouldn’t be fair for her to find out from her brother. She wants the truth; I’ll give her that. Or at least as much as I’ve given her brother. The rest, I’m afraid will make her leave.

  Settling in next to Thayer, I sleep comfortably, although lacking from the rest we both need. The buzzing of the alarm two hours later wakes us with a startle. Thayer knocks it off the nightstand as she turns it off.

  “Damn. I’m sore. I’ll not function properly today.” Thayer crashes back to the bed next to me. She’s still gloriously naked.

  “We need to move, and not in the way my body wants to with yours.” I lower my voice as I run my finger along the hollow of her neck.

  Her eyes flicker open, moving from mine to my hand. Trailing it down over one breast to the valley between them, she begins to purr from the contact. My cock grows solid in a split second when her nipples peak from my touch. Tracing her belly button, my fingers play on her skin with a feather-light touch. Goose bumps cover her body as I reach her pelvic bone, following its line to her bare pussy.