Chapter Three
It had been three days since the kiss. She sat at her desk and wondered why he’d sent her away, something she’d done every five minutes since he’d kissed her. She’d never been kissed that way before.
It had knocked her off balance. She wasn’t getting as much work done as before because all she could think about was the way his lips had taken hers. How much she wanted him to do that with her whole body.
It was past six, and she should be going home, but there was a torrential downpour outside, and she hadn’t brought an umbrella. She’d be soaked like a kitten in the gutter within seconds.
Trevor came out of his office, shutting off the lights behind him. “Go home, Laken. You’ve put in a good day’s work.”
“I can’t.” She frowned. It bothered her to admit she’d had to sell the car her dad had bought her. When her stepmother had kicked her out, she’d needed a deposit for an apartment and money to live on until she started bringing home steady paychecks.
“Sure you can.” He paused by her desk and gazed at her. When he did that, it was like he was looking straight into her soul. “What’s wrong?”
He could read her too well. She cleared her throat. “Well, it’s raining, and the bus stop is over a block away.”
His brow puckered for a moment as he looked at her, then out the window. “You need a ride home.” He said it as a statement—he wasn’t offering. It didn’t surprise her, he’d avoided being alone with her since their kiss. “Why not? I’ll take you home.”
“Are you certain? I don’t want to be any trouble. I can just wait out the rain. Or call a cab.” The idea killed her—so much precious money gone for one trip home.
“I’m sure. Let’s go.” He handed her his umbrella while she grabbed her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk.
By the time they reached his car, they were both soaked through from the whipping rain. The wind had carried it up under the umbrella, rendering it useless. He turned the heat up and angled the vents so they blew on her. She shivered, waiting for the car to heat up.
There was intimacy in being so close to him, like this. She glanced over and he dragged his gaze away from her and back to the road. Water dripped from the ends of his hair and she had to fight the urge to run her fingers through it.
She directed him to her little bungalow-style house. “Right here.” He pulled up to the curb and put the car in park. The rain had died down some, so it wasn’t an outright downpour any longer. “Come in and at least dry yourself with a towel before you head home. I hate to think of you driving home, freezing and wet,” she said.
“You’re sure that’s okay?”
“I’m positive. It’ll be fine.” She climbed out of the car, clutching her purse and ran for her front stoop. She unlocked the door, and by then he’d caught up to her. She let them both in.
Laken went to the bathroom and came back with towels. They were thin and cheap, so she brought two. “I’m going to get out of these wet clothes. I’ll be right back.”
She went into her room and stripped down naked. Even her underwear was wet from the rain. Grabbing her lavender terry cloth robe, she slipped it on. It was modest, coming down all the way to her ankles, and she didn’t want to be rude and leave Trevor sitting in her living room while she looked for something to wear.
Grabbing a towel from the bathroom, she started towel-drying her hair and joined Trevor in the living room. He’d removed his jacket, a sodden mess, and his white shirt clung to his broad chest.
“I must look like a drowned raccoon,” she said. It dismayed her, all the time she’d spent trying to look good for him, only to have this storm undo everything.
Trevor just stared at her, his eyes dark and unreadable. What could he be thinking about? “You look perfect to me,” he said hoarsely.
***
Trevor’s mouth went dry when Laken came out, toweling her hair. She was wrapped up in a robe, belted at her waist, and even covered top to bottom, he wanted her.
Her lips would still be cool from the rain. Her scent—a combination of oranges and vanilla—struck him when she got close.
“I should go.” If he didn’t get out of there, there was no telling what would happen next.
“I could make some coffee.” She tilted her head and gave a little shrug, eyes wide. “I guess you want to get out of those wet clothes, though.”
He was fucked. She could feel the desire sparking between them, just like he did. Those eyes gave it away. “Yeah. I do.”
He stalked across the room and took her face in his hands, a little rougher than he intended. He stroked one chilled cheek then pulled her close, his mouth descending on hers.
This time, she opened for him right away and their tongues danced together. His hands drifted down, over her shoulders and her tiny waist, to grab her ass and pull her close. She came closer with a whimper in his mouth, crushed hips pliant against his unyielding erection.
Her hands drifted up and began to tentatively unbutton his wet dress shirt. She peeled it off him, never breaking contact, then ran her hands up to curl in the smattering of hair on his chest.
When he separated her robe, to caress her neck and collarbone, her skin was scorching hot under his hands. She arched up to his touch, and he tugged the top of her robe apart. Her breasts were full and perfect. He took one in each hand, kneading it as he found her mouth again.
Laken pulled back and swallowed. “Take those clothes off.”
“You want this?” he asked.
Her eyes drifted closed as he rolled one nipple between his fingers. “God, yes. I’ve never been this sure.”
She unbuckled his belt, and he did the rest, discarding his wet clothes in a pile on her floor. Taking his hand, she led him to the bedroom.
Her bed was made. Her bedroom was very bohemian with different styles of art and scarves over the lamps. While they walked, she’d pulled her robe together.
He took her by the arms and turned her to face him. “Don’t ever cover yourself. I like looking at you.”
Pink spots of color rose high on her cheeks. She let her hand fall and the robe gaped open, exposing her beautiful, pert breasts. Her nipples were like dusky pink points, hard like diamonds. He backed her up against the wall, used one hand to encircle her wrists and pin them above her head. He yanked at the sash of her robe until she stood gloriously nude in front of him.
He brought his head down to feast on her breasts and used a finger to circle her clit, dive inside of her, then toy with her clit again. In moments, she quivered against him, like a live wire. “Oh, God, don’t stop. Please don’t—”
Her words ended as an orgasm ripped through her. Hips bucked against his hand, and he sucked harder on a nipple.
“I never… I didn’t know.”
He grasped a leg, pulling it around him, giving him better access. He readied himself, poised near her entrance. He was panting like a man in a marathon, but he was dying. The more he touched her, the more he wanted her.
“Didn’t know what, darling?” At that moment, he pushed himself inside until he filled her completely.
She cried out, but it wasn’t from pleasure. At least, it didn’t sound that way. He thought he might just explode from how damn tight she was. He pulled back, then thrust inside of her again.
Her head fell back against the wall. “Trevor, wait.”
He couldn’t wait much longer, but he stopped moving to hear her out. If he didn’t have her soon, he’d go crazy.
“Don’t be mad, okay?” she asked. Her hands came down on his shoulders when he let go of her and backed away.
“You want me to stop.” He’d die if he didn’t come soon. She’d made him wild with desire for her tight little body.
“No. I really don’t.” She pulled him over to the bed. “But could we go a little slower at first? I-I’ve never done this.”
“Done what?” She couldn’t possibly mean what he thought she meant.
“This.” She gestured at their naked bodies. “Sex.”
He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid you’d change your mind.” She wouldn’t meet his eyes, staring instead down at her long, lithe legs.
And he would’ve. But Christ, he needed her. If she still wanted him… he’d already taken her virginity. Was he any more damned if he finished the job?
He pushed her back on the bed, climbed on top of her, and took his time, easing himself into her entrance. He used a finger to stroke her clit so she wouldn’t notice the discomfort, and soon she was shaking with pleasure. “I think it’s okay. I really think it’s okay. I want you now.” Her words all ran together.
With that, he began to pump his hips in and out of her, and in only a few more minutes, she came again, moaning so loud that he wondered if someone on the street might hear.
Wondered, but didn’t care. He quickened his pace, moving faster, and his own pleasure built until shudders wracked his body.
What had she done to him? He’d been so overcome with passion, he hadn’t even used a condom. He rolled off her, trying to catch his breath, and she curled up at his side.
He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, without another word. He didn’t have any at the moment.
***
This was one of those rare nights she wouldn’t see Trevor. He had a business thing tonight, and she could hardly show up on his arm.
They’d been seeing each other for six weeks now. Christmas was days away and he'd helped her put up a tiny tree. He'd brought ornaments from his house to decorate it with.
They’d made love at his place, her place, his desk, the shower, and once he’d pleasured her in the kitchen. Just plopped her up on the counter and made love to her with his mouth until she’d come so hard, she’d wailed.
They’d been secretly carrying on a torrid affair for about six weeks. Just long enough for her to be very worried, because she hadn’t had her period since before they’d made love that first time.
Jen was on her way over with her son, Jason, who loved playing with the stuffed animals Laken kept here for him. Laken needed Jen to give her moral support.
Her gaze traveled once again to the bag from the drugstore on the corner. She didn’t want to take the test, but she did. Wanted it to be done and negative, but the very real possibility that it could be positive kept her from going into the bathroom and just peeing on the stupid thing.
She’d bought two different kinds. This way if she got a positive, she’d have a backup. She figured she’d just use them both because she couldn’t screw them both up.
A knock on the door alerted her to Jen’s presence. She went and opened it, and Jason pounced on her. She grabbed him up in a big hug and carried him inside.
“I’ve told you not to do that, Jason,” Jen said. She sounded tired.
“No way. Jason’s hugs always make me feel better,” Laken said. Before she could get any more cuddles, Jason hopped down and attacked the box of stuffed animals in the corner of her living room.
As soon as he was busy playing, Jen pulled her into a hug. “Thank you, again, for saving my ass at Coffee Hut.”
“It’s not a big deal. I got another job offer so it worked out for both of us. Stop thanking me.”
Jen shrugged out of her threadbare jacket, too light for the chilliness of the day. It was probably all she had. “So, what’s going on?”
Blushing, Laken handed Jen the bag so she could look inside.
“Oh. Oh! Are you—do you really think you are?”
Laken took Jen’s hand and held it tight. “That’s why I need you here, so I can figure it out.”
They both stared at the innocuous bag in Jen’s hand for a minute. Finally, Jen spoke up. “Why don’t you go ahead and take them. Cap them, and bring them to me. I’ll set a timer on my phone.”
Relief flushed through Laken. “You’ll be in charge of watching them? And then let me know?”
“Well, honey, it’s not that hard to watch them. They just sit there.”
“Of course. I know that, it’s just… let’s hope for a negative, all right?” Laken picked up the bag and made her way to her bathroom. She took both tests, then washed her hands, and carried them back to Jen.
“Okay, five minutes starting… now.” Jen gave her a once-over. “So who is he?”
Oh, who was he? What a loaded question. Just her boss, just her dad’s best friend of twenty years. Just someone who’d leave her once he found out he’d gotten her pregnant.
He’d probably assumed she was on some kind of birth control. But, why would she be? Before him, she wasn’t having sex. “I can’t tell you his name,” was all she would say to Jen.
“Will he, you know, be a dad?” Jen sent a pointed look at her son playing quietly in the corner. His dad was nowhere to be found. Didn’t even bother sending child support, birthday cards—nothing.
“I don’t even know if he would want a child.” Laken ran a hand through her hair, staring at the test sticks on the table.
“It’s not whether he wants one. It’s whether he’ll do the right thing.” Jen picked up one stick, then the other.
Her face fell, and then the bottom collapsed on Laken’s world. She knew before grabbing the tests what they would say, and she was right. They were both positive.