Drowning (Tears of Sin Series) (17 page)

I
HIT THE COLD WATER
with barely a ripple and fight my way to the surface. A few seconds later there is a loud splash to my left. I laugh when Seth clears the glassy calm and brushes the water from his eyes.
“What the hell are you laughing at?”
“You made the biggest splash ever.”
He’s probably pissed at me, but I had to calm down. Nothing prepared me for this afternoon. If I hadn’t known before that I was falling for Seth, I definitely knew now. Not that the sex did the trick. Sex was great. Fucking fantastic actually, but it’s the fact that he followed me down. He cared enough to dive over the side of a cliff to take care of me.
“Alice, that was dangerous. I don't know of anyone who's ever made it off Widow's Peak alive.”
“Well, now you know two.” I tread water an inch closer to him.
“Did you know that we'd make it?”
“I've done it before. I checked the waves. I knew we'd make it.” I swim toward him and wrap my legs around his waist. He treads water easily, and I kiss him. “Don’t be mad.”
“I'm not mad. You scared the shit out of me.”
“I didn't scare you too bad. You still put on your boxers.” I slip my hand down the front of his clinging shorts and find his erection. The ride down has done the same for him as it has for me. “Baby, I'm going to make it up to you.” I push them down enough to free him and slip my panties to the side. I twist and seat myself on him, and his eyes roll back. I’m sore, but I’ll take the tiny bit of discomfort to have this with him. To take him with me over the point of pleasure.
“Oh, God.”
“You keep us up and I'm going to take care of the rest.” With little motions, I swivel my hips, gyrating against him until we are both panting. It doesn’t take long, and it’s a good thing. I don’t know how long he could keep doing this.
He cries out my name, and I lock my ankles tighter against his back. When he comes, we slip beneath the waves and sputter to the surface. “I’m sorry, baby.”
I laugh and brush water from my eyes. “For what?”
“I was kind of selfish.”
I kiss him, enjoying the warmth of his lips in contrast to the cold water around us. “It was kind of perfect.”
A wave rocks us sideways, drenching us beneath the surface. “That'll fucking ruin a moment. Come on, I want to get you back to my room. I think you need a spanking.”
Spanking? Hands hitting flesh? Bruising?
As soon as the words leave him, I take off. He doesn't understand what the threat of punishment does to me, and I don't want to see the pity in his eyes when he finally gets it. So it's better that I just swim away and take the short lap to calm down.
We make it back to his apartment, and we're both soaking wet and cold. He grabs my hand and drags me toward his door. “Come in and we'll order take-out.”
“I...I better not.” I untwine our fingers and step back, ignoring the frown dipping his brows down. “I like you, Seth. A lot. But I don't want to go too fast with this. Since I've met you, we've been spending a lot of time together.”
“I know.” He grins, and a light enters his eyes that hadn’t been there this morning. I put that there. I make him happy. Even if it’s only in a sexual way, it makes me feel good. “I like you too. We’re good together.”
I back away from him and search for my keys in my bag. “I'll see you in the morning.”
“Alice? Don't lock me out.”
I glance up, hoping that my eyes are innocent and don’t reflect the truth. “I'm not. I promise. Just let’s go slow, okay?”
Seth flexes his shoulders. “Okay, yeah, whatever you want. If you get lonely, I'll be here.”
“Okay, I know.” I kiss him softly, and hop back before he can take it further. “Thank you for today, I had a good time.”
He nods and steps back into his apartment. “Night.”
I hate the confused look on his face, but I also need the space. I need to decide what I'm going to do about everything.
I'm at home for three days before Molly returns. I've been out with Seth twice, but only for dinner. I won't go home with him, and we haven't had sex again. Staying off of him is the hardest thing ever. It’s so hard, that I’ve doubled my yoga routine and have taken to pushups when I can’t get the throbbing between my legs to stop.
Molly is working in her office when someone knocks at our door. I hurry to answer it before she hears and stops her writing.
Gabe is standing in the hall, tall and foreboding. “Hey, Alice. Can I come in?”
“Sure.” He steps inside and the room instantly feels smaller. “Listen, I won't stay long, but I just wanted to make sure everything's okay.”
I smile. Seeing this big man all thumbs is so sweet. He’s glancing around my apartment, but not looking at me. “Yeah, everything's good. Why do you ask?”
He messes with the chain on his belt loop. “Well, Seth's been acting weird, and when I ask about you, he gets all disgusted and mumbly.”
“I'm pretty sure ‘mumbly’ isn't a word.” Shit. Shit. Shit. I’d hurt his feelings. The first good thing to happen in my life, and I was about to fuck it up.
“There's not a better one for him. I know you two did the deed. Good on you.” He drops the chain and stares me dead in the eyes. “So, why did you go all cold feet on him?”
I know they were tight, but I doubt Seth would like Gabe over here doing this. “Gabe, that's none of your business.”
“I'm making it. Look, Seth has spent his life making sure that I never felt the cold treatment from our dad. He's been mother, father, and sometimes teacher to me for more years than I deserve. So, I want him happy. I think you'd make him happy.”
He is being honest with me, so I go for it. “Has Seth ever hit you?”
Gabe grins. “Sure. We used to wrestle all the time.”
“No, like in anger.”
He blanches. “Uh, no.” Gabe's fingers wrap around my biceps and he holds me at arm’s length, his eyes roaming over my body. “Did he hit you?”
“He threatened to spank me.”
“Did he?” Gabe laughed. “I didn't know the old prude had it in him.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was just teasing, Alice. He'd just made love to you and you scared the shit out of him. It's just something guys do. For fun.” I watch Gabe's eye wrinkle while he laughs. “You know? It’s kind of kinky fun.”
Fun? There’s definitely nothing fun about punishment. “Have you ever been caned?”
His shoulders hunch up, and his hands come out in front of him. “Jesus, no!”
“Well, a spanking is not something you joke about.” Spanking was only part of the problem. Yeah, after I’d calmed down, I figured out that it wasn’t so much Seth’s threat as it was his familiarity. We went from awkward friends to making dates for kinky sex in the matter of minutes. I needed the space, and I’m not too proud to use any means to create the wedge.
Gabe taps my nose. “Okay, listen. If it makes you feel better, I'll beat his ass if he ever lays a finger on you. I don't care if he is my bro, you don't fuck with girls.” I smile. I think he
would
beat Seth's ass. “Deal. Does he hate me?”
“Seth has some pretty strong feeling about you, but hate doesn’t even register.” He leans closer. “You’ve hooked him, Alice. Please don’t hurt him.”
I hear Molly's cane before I see her, and she's leaning toward the sound of our voices. “We're in the living room.” I’m so glad she saved me. I have no idea what to say to Gabe’s statement.
She makes her way around, and Gabe straightens. He has a dreamy look on his face. Uh-oh. This could get weird.
“Molly, Seth's brother, Gabe stopped by.”
Molly's polite smile widens. “Hi. I'm so glad to meet you. Are you living across the hall too?”
“No, but I wish I was.” Gabe walks around our coffee table and holds his hand out. “I mean, it's nice to meet you.”
He looks lost, so I hurry to Molly's side and raise her hand. Her smile tightens when she concentrates on the hand shake. “Well, Alice. I better get over there before the wounded bear gets after me. Bring your sister over later. She can listen to us play.”
Molly is shaking her head yes before I can agree. “Well, I guess we're going.”
As soon as Gabe pulls the door closed behind him, Molly starts in. “What does he look like?”
“Gabe?”
“Yeah. He sounds handsome and he's big.” She clears her throat and a soft pink tints her cheeks. “I can tell from his hands.”
“He's cute. Think UFC champion mixed with a marine.”
“Oh. Does he fight?”
I laugh. “I think he's really just a big baby.”
“How old is he?”
“I'm not sure. Maybe a year older than me.” Molly deserved someone like Gabe. It would be nice if the two of them became friends…and maybe more.
“Oh.” She takes a few minutes to spit out her next question. “Will you fix me up?”
“Like make-up? “Molly hadn't let me do her make up since she'd come home from rehab. Granted, she is stunning without it. “Sure, come on.”
The guys are in full swing with Lilith at the ready, blasting her high-pitched soprano to their notes. The sounds are all mixed up and hurt my ears. I lead Molly to the couch and help her settle. Gabe abandons his post at the piano and comes over. Without him to keep the music covering Lilith's voice, the other guys stop.
I wave. “Hey, everyone. Sorry we interrupted.” I lead Molly along which gives me the perfect excuse not to make eye contact with any of them. I don’t know how much they know, but I also don’t want to know. “Gabe told us to come on over, and the door was unlocked.”
Seth hurries around the drum set and kisses me on the lips. Right there in front of everyone. “You never have to knock, baby.”
He just called me baby and not in the middle of sex. I can feel the heat rise in my cheeks. That light is back in his eyes, and his hands are roaming over my back. My nipples tighten, and I want to double at the waist. Damn, he’s so fucking beautiful. No matter how many times I look at him, it never eases the shock of how beautiful he is.
He’s looking at me all dreamy in his gaze, and I’m overwhelmed by the attention all focused on us. I didn’t think of the friends being a package deal with him, but they were all close, so why wouldn’t they be curious?
I smile and try to turn the focus on Molly. “Everyone, this is Molly, my big sis.” Gabe is eyeballing the rest of the crew like they better not dare touch her, and I'm secretly thrilled that he likes her. Gabe's a good guy. I think Molly could find happiness with someone like him. He's light and fun. And she's serious, and well, serious.
Molly fiddles with the ends of her hair. I think she's very nervous about being out with a group of people she doesn’t know.
I sit and take her hand, and she relaxes a bit. “Evan plays bass guitar and sometimes the keyboard. He's to the far right, and he wears liquid eyeliner and has more piercings than me.” Evan smiles and winks at me. Molly nods and withdraws again. “Deacon is closer to you but still to the left. He reminds me of a fifties sitcom. He wears slacks and button-down shirts a lot. And glasses with dark frames, but he's still hot, so he pulls it off. He plays lead guitar.” She nods in his general direction, and I can see that his interest is peaked. “And well, you've met Seth and Gabe. And their singer is Lilith.”
“Yes, I heard her when we walked in.” Molly raises her hand to wave at them all. “You'll have to bear with me. I haven't been blind long, and it's still hard to meet new people.”
Gabe crouches down. “Honey, you are at home here. No one will fuck with you while you're with us. And, just so you know, we're all crazy about your sister, so I'm sure we'll love you soon too.”
She laughs, and I mouth the words “thank you” to him. I could hug that big brute right now.
Lilith steps forward, completely pissed that we're stealing the show. “Are we going to rehearse or not. We have like three days until the concert.”
Seth squeezes my shoulder, but I duck away from his grip. I’m not all that into the PDA now that we’ve had sex. It doesn’t make any sense, other than I’ve never had a boyfriend. Usually after I play my games, they want nothing more to do with me.
He gives me a tight smile and makes his way back to the drums. “Let's do this.”
They begin playing, and Lilith sings. Molly leans over to me and tugs me close. “She sucks.”
Lilith alternates singing to Seth and twisting to watch us. I laugh because Molly is not normally this blunt.
“You are far better than her.”
“Shhh...” I don't know why I want to keep this secret. I want Seth to like me for me, and not for what I can do for him.
“It's true.”
“I know that, but I don't want him to know that.”
Molly’s frown says it all. She hates that I don’t put my talents out into the world. But sometimes, special gifts are better kept hidden.
We listen for several hours of practice, and after Lilith leaves, everyone heads into the living room. Seth passes a round of beers out, and Molly surprises me when she takes one. I refuse as usual and Seth sweet talks me into checking out his new drumsticks for the show. Of course, they are in his room.
I pat Molly’s hand. “I'll be right back.”
Molly startles and begins to rise. “I can just go home.”
Gabe grabs her by the waist and pulls her back down to the couch with him. “I think my bro wants some alone time with your sister. Stay here with me, finish your beer, and we'll get to know each other better.”
Deacon and Evan glance at each other and then back at me and Seth. Whatever is going through their minds, I don’t care anymore. “Hey, we know when we’re not loved.”
Evan winks at me and grabs Deacon around the neck. “Ah dude, I love you.” He plants a big fat peck on Deacon’s cheek. “See?”
Deacon swats him in the back of the head, and they burst into laughter.
“Let’s go.” Seth grabs my hand and tugs me to his bedroom. He shuts the door and draws me toward his bed.
I’m breathing harder from him dragging me across the living room. And possibly from the excitement of being alone with him again. I’ve missed him. “What are you doing?”
He’s not grinning, but there’s definitely mischief behind his heated glare. “I'm going to show you my stick.”
I laugh. “Is that what you call it?”
He leans down and pulls a box from beneath the bed. Inside are two black drumsticks with green stripes swirled to the bottom. “The green is great with a black light.”
I finger the wood and hand them back to him. “That's cool.”
Seth sits on the edge of his bed and puts the sticks away. He glances up at me. “Gabe told me.”
I knew he would. “He did?”
“Yeah, baby, you got to talk to me. I told you we were going to fight. But I'd rather be fighting with you than against you. Got it?” I nod and he leans forward, catching the hem of my shirt and tugs me to stand between his thighs. “Can you stay?”
I glance back at the door and for the first time since Molly’s accident, I regret my role as her caretaker. Seth is offering me fun-loving, and I want nothing more than to say yes. “I have to get Molly handled for the night.”