Chasing the Sun (A Rebound Novella Book 2) (6 page)

“Yes. Some friends and I are going to float the river and you, my friend, are coming with us.”

“When?”

“Now.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now! Go get your suit on and let’s get going. You can’t sit around here moping all weekend.”

“Why the hell not? I don’t feel like floating the river. I haven’t done that since college.” He walked away and threw himself on the dark leather couch. He reached for the remote only to have it snatched away.

“Do you mind? I have golf to watch.”

“This broody, depressed side of you in very unattractive, I’ve gotta tell ya.”

“Well, then you might as well leave, because I feel depressed and broody.” Ian tried to grab the remote, but Trey held it tightly.

“All the more reason to sit in an inner-tube, drinking beer on a hot summer day.” She went back into his room and took the remote with her, earning a groan from him.

“What can I do to get you to give me my fucking remote?” he yelled at the ceiling.

Her only response was to throw his swim trunks at his head.

“Put these on. I’m not taking no for an answer. Now move it, mister!”

“How did you find these? You went through my drawers?” He wasn’t sure why his voice was taking on a shrieky quality.

“Pu-lease. You’re so freaking organized, I only had to open two drawers…And you fold your underwear? That’s just OCD…are your condoms in alphabetical order? Ribbed, Thin, Ultra-thin…”
 

“You open a man’s drawers without his permission and you lose all room to judge.”

“Fair enough…Now come on, handsome. I promised my friends some eye candy and I plan to deliver.”

He huffed. “Fine. Just let me go take a shower.”

“Shower? Just dunk yourself in the river.”

“Look, you want me to go, then I want to shower first.” He was being an asshole, but she didn’t seemed phased. Most women would’ve gotten defensive. He liked that she knew why he was being pissy and rolled with it.
 

“Deal. I’ll just watch some TV,” she said wiggling the remote in his face. He buried the smile that threatened to break out. He didn’t want to encourage her.

Two hours later he found himself laying in a tube floating down the Guadalupe River with a group of people he didn’t know. He had to admit it
was
relaxing. The water was clear and cold. The trees provided shade when you least expected it and needed it most. Trey’s friends were laid back and friendly. There was a guy and girl Trey went to law school with and two girls that worked at the Royal.
 

When he’d walked up to the group, the girls froze. He thought they might have been shocked that Trey had brought a guy, that is until Trey said, “I told you he was hot.” He rolled his eyes and elbowed her in the ribs.

“What? You are.”

Ian knew he wasn’t ugly, but he never thought himself above average despite being told the contrary time and time again. It wasn’t a lack of self esteem, he just didn’t see what the big deal was. But the girls, and guy included, were eying him up something serious. He thought about putting his shirt back on, but Trey promised eye candy and he was just too numb to care.
 

He knew he was depressed when he didn’t even notice her friend from work was showing ample side boob. Well, maybe a little, but he didn’t enjoy it.
 

They were floating with the current in pods— a hand on the other’s tube kept them connected. There were large black tubes with bottoms, which was convenient when you needed to get a cooler of beer down the river. The other guy with the group, Lance, was in charge of “beering” people. They’d yell,” beer me,” and he would launch a can. He seemed very mellow, grin on his face, soaking it all in.
 

Ian found out later it was from the fat doobie he’d smoked

Trey was having a great time and her smile and laughter improved his mood. The beer helped too. She caught him smiling at her and floated over to him, putting her ankles over his tube so they now faced each other.
 

He set his head back onto his tube and gazed at the sky.

“God, have you ever seen anything so blue?”

“No,” she said quietly. The way she said it made him look up at her. She wasn’t looking at the sky, she was looking at him.
 

“They’re the bluest I’ve ever seen, actually.”
 

She grinned a small grin and released her feet from his tube. She swished her hands in the water and it gently propelled her towards her friends. He was left to wonder what she meant. Okay, she was obviously talking about his eyes, but she was looking at him in a very non-friend way. It was almost as if she was coming on to him, but that would be crazy. They flirted all of the time, but it was harmless. That look…not so harmless.

“Lance, beer me!”
 

Ian caught the beer mid-air. Whatever it was, he was going to get so drunk that it didn’t matter. So drunk that when Trey floated over to him again and ran her foot up his leg, he thought fucking her behind a tree was just what the doctor ordered.

But he shouldn’t fuck a friend. That would be stupid as hell.
 

Wouldn’t it?
 

Chapter Thirteen

Could-a, should-a, became a definite when they arrived at his apartment.
 
It was strange, there was no kissing, no discussion. He could tell by the look in her eye that she wanted him and he was feeling
 
pretty worked up himself. Between the beers and her soft foot rubbing his leg, he was thinking dirty thoughts about his new best friend.

They were both still damp from the river and peeling off her jean cut-offs proved to be a little difficult.

“The couch…hands and knees,” he whispered gruffly. He sometimes liked it rough, and if she was game, this time was going to be no exception.

Trey blinked and her chest rose. She may have hesitated, just for a second, but that was it. She climbed on the sofa and looked over her shoulder at him. He was still dressed when he walked over to her and pulled down her bikini bottoms. He ran his hand underneath her tank top, tracing her spine, then he pushed the material above her chest. Her skin was soft and she smelled like the sun and coconut.

“Don’t move.”

He went back to his room, took off his clothes and grabbed a condom from his drawer.
 
He smiled when he saw that she hadn’t moved and stroked himself slowly as he watched her on all fours. She was game, all right. Ian had wondered if her spitfire transferred to the bedroom. He was about to find out.

He didn’t say a word as he knelt behind her and spread her legs apart. The only sound that could be heard was between a whimper and a moan when he put his mouth on her. She arched into his mouth, giving him the right angle to pull her bikini top aside. The cool air hardened her and he twisted it with his free hand. The other was holding her in place. He only took his hands off her skin to roll the condom onto himself. She protested when he stopped, but was immediately satiated when he slid inside. Ian unpinned her hair and took hold of the thick curls. Trey gasped, then moaned. He wasn’t thinking about anything except how good she’d tasted, how good she felt, and knew he was getting close. When he felt her muscles squeezing him, Ian was relieved. He could let go and he did, hard. His head fell back as he cursed.

He laid his head on her back as they panted in unison.
 

“Damn, I needed that,” Ian said, as he pulled away.
 

Trey was pulling her bikini top back on as he walked to the bathroom to clean up.
 

“It’s all yours.”
 

“Thanks,” Trey said, as she brushed by him, clutching her shorts to her chest. He smiled and lightly slapped her butt.

Ian stood in the kitchen and drank a tall glass of water, wearing only a pair of boxers. He was still on the high from his orgasm and couldn’t keep the satisfied smile off his face. He always felt a bit smug after sex. Like he’d conquered something, the male ego and all. He put the cup in the sink and thought a shower was in order.
 

He just had to wait for Trey to leave.
 

He wanted her to leave. Did that make him an asshole?
 

Maybe.
 

He cared for her, but had the feeling this was just a one time wham-bam type of thing. But if she wanted a repeat on occasion he wouldn’t protest. That had been hot as shit.

“Well, I’m gonna head home,” she said from the living room.

Relief filled him but he schooled his face.

“Ya sure?” Feeble attempt, but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

“I have to work tomorrow, so yeah…um…well…see ya.” She rushed to the door.

Was she embarrassed? She shouldn’t be. That had been amazing and they both wanted it. Maybe she was second guessing herself.
 

Should he do something? Yes. He walked up to her and kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. It’s weird that was the first time he kissed her, well her face anyway.

“Thank you for today. It took my mind off of everything. You really know how to make a guy feel better,” he teased. Her smile was thin. Maybe he’d said the wrong thing.
 

Fuck! This is why you shouldn’t have sex with friends.
 

“Hey, you okay?” he asked with genuine concern. He didn’t want her to feel ashamed.

“Yeah, of course.” She sounded weird.

“That was amazing,
you
are amazing. It was unexpected, but I don’t want things to be weird between us…okay?”

“Okay. I think I just need to go home and feel like a slut for a while.”

He laughed and tucked a curl behind her ear.

“Please don’t. You are the furthest thing from a slut…trust me on this one.”

She smiled and nodded.
 

“Well, I’ll see you later.”
 

“I’ll call you,” he called after her. She didn’t turn her head, but she waved.

Shit, that’s what you say to a one-timer you’re never going to call.
 

Well, she knows better.

I hope so anyway.

He didn’t worry about it much longer. He had a date with the shower and his bed.

When he went into the Royal several nights later, Trey seemed to have recovered. She was back to her sassy self, ribbing him and flirting with her regulars.
 

Later, when she gave him his Beefeater sandwich, he asked if they were okay.

“Sure…I’ve just never been fucked without so much as a kiss before. I kind of felt like a whore.” Her voice had that “I’m trying to sound like I’m kidding, but I really want to punch you in the face,” twinge to it.
 

He must have had a strange look on his face because she quickly followed up with, “I guess after the fact, I was surprised that it really happened and that it went down like it did. You seem like the sensitive type, that’s all…but if you have any delusions of a friends with bennies type situation, you can forget it. Now I remember why I stopped smoking pot—it makes my pants come off.”
 
He laughed and she smiled a real smile, throwing her towel over her shoulder.

“I’m sorry if I upset you. I’ve had one night stands and sex with someone I’m seeing, but never with a good friend. I guess I didn’t know how to act.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed.

“I know. Normally I wouldn’t drop all this info on a guy, but we
are
friends…And hey, at least it took your mind off of Ruby, right?”

“Yes, it did, and I’m glad you were honest.” Not really. “I hope that wasn’t a pity fuck. That would definitely be a first for me.” She grinned and started to retort, but didn’t get the chance.

“Hey, Trevia,” someone said over his shoulder.
 

Why did that voice sound familiar?

“Hey, Rory. What brings
you
in here, girl? You’re not playing tonight, are you?”

“Nah. I need to talk to Walter about my set in a few weeks. Dudley has to leave town for a while, his dad passed.”

“Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, he was in a nursing home and died in his sleep. If ya gotta kick it, that ain’t a bad way to go, ya know?”

“Don’t you have a back up guitarist?” Trey asked. Ian was watching the whole exchange. Well, watching Rory’s luscious mouth press together when she talked. His faded jeans were getting tight in the front and her voice had him thinking dirty thoughts, very dirty.
 

Guys had a knack for humping on the inside, but straight facing it on the outside.
 

Women had it wrong, men could multi-task.

“Yeah, but he’s having surgery. I need to find some younger guys to play with.” She had a husky laugh. It reminded him of whiskey and sex.
 

“I hate to cancel. I need the money,” Rory admitted. Her clothes
were
a little hippy rag-tag, but Ian thought it was more taste than monetarily motivated.

Trey nodded and then her eyes went wide.

“Hey, what about you, Ian? You play amazing…really, he does.”

“You do?” Rory turned her attention to him. Her web of hair was unruly and sexy at the same time, begging to be pulled.

“I play a little.”

“Can you sing?”

“I can carry a tune.”

“He has a beautiful voice, Rory…don’t be so modest,” she said to him and slapped his hand. Rory looked between them and smiled.

“You two make a cute couple,” she said.

“No!” they said at the same time.

“We’re just friends,” Trey said, which sounded weird considering he had eight inches, give or take, inside of her just a few days before.
 

Dudes always round up.

“Well, Mr. Just a friend. Do you have a name?”

“Oh sorry. Rory this is Ian. Ian…Rory.” Trey did the intro and they shook hands. Her handshake was firm and sure.
 

“So, you interested?” Rory asked.

Interested in getting you naked? Fuck yes, I am.
 

“In playing guitar, on stage, with you?”