I looked into his low, hazel eyes and he revealed a crooked, dazzling smile. With that, I was up for it. Gage wasn’t as much of the stumbling, drunk idiot I thought he would be. He actually seemed to carry himself pretty well as we searched for another pool with no one around. We finally found one a bit smaller than the other.
Sighing, I stepped away from Gage and went for the steps to check the temperature. It was cooler than the other pool, but I didn’t care. I slid out of my flip-flops, shorts, and tank top, stepping into the water and shivering with each step.
But then I realized Gage had been watching me attentively, even while I was undressing. I was embarrassed, but it was already over with so I lowered myself into the water. The light from the pool reflected onto him as he stood in his blue-and-black swimming trunks.
“Are you coming in?” I asked, smiling.
With haste, Gage stepped toward the edge of the pool and jumped in. As he surfaced, the water ran over his gorgeous face and my breath hitched as he brought a hand up to clear it all away. Noticing I was staring, he revealed a small smile and swam toward me.
As he neared me, he reeled me in, but I remained still, although I had the urge to hook my arms around his neck. My feet were kicking in the water to keep me afloat.
“I wanna kiss you again,” he said, his breath warm as it tickled my cheek. He sluggishly licked his lips and I stared at them, slightly aching for those lips to touch mine.
“Weren’t you just kissing Penelope?” I asked instead. I couldn’t seem easy.
He laughed deeply, huskily. The sexy laugh that always made me melt. “It feels a whole lot better to kiss you.”
“How?” I whispered. I don’t know why I’d gotten so quiet. Perhaps it was because no one was around and I knew he was the only person who could hear me. Or maybe it was because I wanted to just shut the hell up already and kiss him. I couldn’t figure it out.
“I can show you.” His eyebrows rose and he pulled me in even closer. The water was still running from his hair to his plush, pink lips and he licked away each droplet. At the sight of his tongue, the pit of my belly heated. “I can show you a lot of things, if only you’d let me.”
It wasn’t worth it to stall anymore, especially as Gage inched closer. His hands moved up the small of my back to pull me in even tighter and first he kissed my cheek and then my neck. He kissed my neck in different areas, all sweet to the touch, and beneath the water my legs effortlessly circled around his waist. He moved forward so my back could press against the nearest wall, but his lips didn’t stop teasing my skin. I was biting and nibbling on my bottom lip, heat bombarding my stomach and moisture building between my legs.
Lifting his hands, Gage gripped the edge of the pool and pressed his cock against me. When he was done tasting my neck, he devoured my lips, and I couldn’t help it; I wrapped my arms around his neck. My legs squeezed tighter around him, wanting to feel the rock in his pants. It was turning me on in more ways than one. His silky tongue, although laced with alcohol, tasted sweet as it ran over mine.
He thrust against me and I moaned, running my fingers through his slick hair. His hard chest was pressed firmly against mine, no space between us. The little nibbles and bites he took of my lower lip were driving me insane. His fingers that snuck beneath my bathing suit to slide inside me caused my moans to grow louder and his lips to fall so he could grunt against my neck.
I was spiraling, bucking against him. “You like that?” he whispered gruffly in my ear. His other hand reached behind me and unhooked the top of my bathing suit. I could’ve stopped him, but I didn’t. A growl came from the heart of his throat as he stared at my full, bare chest.
I nodded my head at his question, my body begging him to continue. Who knew his fingers could be so magical? He was pushing in and out of me, circling his thumb across my clit. I was so close. My fingernails bit into his skin and he went faster, faster, faster, sending me higher and higher… but then he just stopped. Right when I was about to reach the point of it all. Right when I’d just gotten wet and swollen.
“What the hell are you doing?” I breathed raggedly, aggravated.
He smirked, looking into my eyes and pulling his fingers out of my bottoms. I wanted to beg for his fingers not to leave, but I didn’t. It would have been too embarrassing and shallow. “Since we’re only ‘friends,’ I can’t give you the full effect.”
I scowled at him. “You’re kidding.” He raised an eyebrow. “Right?
“No, Ellie. This right here isn’t what friends do to one another. Let’s just do this shit. I swear it’ll be fun. I’ll make it worth it. You have my word.”
“Gage, I—” Damn, what do I say?
“Nothing between us has to change,” he assured me. “It doesn’t have to be serious and I think if we try to continue this little battle going on between us, someone’s gonna get hurt. I want you; you want me. Let’s do it.” He gave a lazy smirk, kissed my neck, and I snickered.
I thought it over, replaying the conversation Montana and I had just moments ago, knowing he was right. I wanted to do more things with Gage than I thought, and with him giving me an orgasm the night before, I was desperate and in need of more. Gage’s touch was addicting, and I constantly craved more.
It was bad, but it felt good to be satisfied—to reach the point of bliss and not come down for hours. Gage was the closest I’d ever gotten to a guy and he was also my best bet, so I shrugged and thought to myself, Fuck it. Montana was right. I had to take risks and I was going to be taking a huge one with Gage Grendel.
“Okay,” I said right before kissing him and allowing him to finish what he started.
CAREFUL
Although the boys had a small gig the following day for a few high school students, they performed better than usual, and I never thought it was possible. Okay… maybe Gage performed better than usual. He was so energetic, so full of life, and his voice was so powerful that I actually thought he was singing to me. His deep voice was alluring and I couldn’t help but cheer and bounce on my toes when he would break down with a slower rhythm and his voice filled the stadium. The crowd (the girls especially) would go crazy, reaching their hands above for a feel of him. A blush crept up on me when I realized how bad I actually wanted to touch him myself.
The boys hooted and hollered as they stepped backstage, Gage coming back last and stealing a kiss from me. “You did great.” I grinned at him.
He lit up, his hazel eyes wide with astonishment. “You think so?”
I nodded and he stole another kiss. I melted.
“Did it for you.” Winking, he stepped around me and followed the boys, each of them going to separate dressing rooms. I couldn’t help but notice the familiar man with the peppery hair and business suit following Deed into his. Once again, his face was stern and Deed took glances over his shoulder, as if the man was going to do something to him. It weirded me out a little, but then my mind circled back to Gage again. For a moment, I thought his statement about singing so well for me was true. Was he really glad I’d agreed to this fling thing with him?
I sighed, spinning around and heading for the exit door. There were a few things I had to grow accustomed to. For instance, the girls who would rush to the back, eagerly waiting to have their thigh, ass, or tit signed. I didn’t want to be a witness to Gage signing boobs, so I stepped out and took in the steamy Orlando breeze. It was our last night, but we weren’t going to be leaving until the next day, which meant another night for the boys to go out and get wild.
I needed to skip out on the fun this time. I missed painting and drawing and wanted to get back at it. My ideas were running wildly, all a mix of Gage, waterpark slides, and spark-filled kisses in the pool.
I knew it was going to take the boys a while, so instead of waiting up to try and tell Gage I was skipping out, I found the truck and told Marco to take me back to the bus. The sun was still sitting high in the sky, and I cracked the window, indulging in the warm, fresh breeze.
Marco pulled up to the front of the bus and I told him to wait while I gathered my supplies. As soon as I was packed, I told him to take me to the nearest beach, gave Ben a call to tell him where I was headed so he wouldn’t panic, and then sat back to relax.
I arrived at the beach within an hour and found a good spot beside the pier with a perfect view of the setting sun. The wind was picking up, but it wasn’t too much to blow away my papers. It was best to go with drawing. When my hand started, it wouldn’t stop. It’d been a while and I felt rejuvenated.
After I was worn from drawing, I stood and snapped a few pictures of some of the seagulls at shore. Some were sitting perfectly in front of the rippling water and the setting sun, and I knew once I developed the pictures, it would be a beautiful sight to revisit. It would definitely be something to add to the collage of pictures I’d already taken.
The sun sank behind the horizon, making it harder for me to see. I packed my things, tucking them beneath my arm and walking along the shore. A few couples were walking by, hand-in-hand, and at the sight of them, I couldn’t help but think of Gage.
I’d shocked myself last night when I told him we could try more. I swore up and down I would never do it, but I just couldn’t say no. I was tired of lying to myself and tired of holding off. Plus, knowing no feelings had to be involved and that I could still do whatever I wanted was the best part. The worst part about it was Gage could still do what he wanted, and even though I knew it was going to upset me, I wasn’t going to be able to do or say much about it. It was his life and I was just a minor part of it. I had to keep looking at it that way—just as he was a minor part of my life.