Meeting The Unpredictable (18 page)

LENNIE STORMS INTO MY APARTMENT.
I toss the book I was reading down and immediately jump to my feet when I can tell she’s been crying. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to get out of here.”

My heart drops. I’ve repeatedly told myself this day was going to happen, but nothing I could have said or done would have eliminated the pain her words have caused.

“Are you leaving for good?” Her mouth thins but she doesn’t answer. “I mean, is this it? I’m never going to see you again?” My anger boils to the surface. I want this woman in my life, and I’m no longer capable of pretending otherwise.

“You knew I wasn’t going to stay forever.”

“Bullshit,” I growl. “I knew you planned to leave but that was before.”

Lennie chews on her lip, watching me closely. After a long sigh, she asks, “Before what?”

Our eyes lock as I take a step closer. If she plans to leave, then I’m not going to make this easy on her. “Before I fell in love with you.” I take two more strides until I’m standing only inches away.

“You love me?” She blinks several times with a surprised look on her face.

“Lennie, I tried not to like you, but I couldn’t. I tried like hell not to fall in love with you, but I ended up loving everything about you. You make me crazy in a way I didn’t know was possible, and right now, I’m begging you with everything I am not to do this. Stay. Please.”

Her eyes soften seconds before her shoulders sag. “Will you come with me?” Her eyes turn wild, almost as if she can’t believe she asked me that.

“Where are you going, and how long will you be gone?” I watch her throat move while she thinks of something to say.

“I want to go to Galveston. We won’t stay for long.”

“Galveston? Why Galveston?” I place my hand under her chin and tilt her face back. Lennie licks her lips before she finally answers.

“That was the last trip I took with my family before life became difficult.” She gives me a weak smile. “Let’s go. Just the two of us. We can rent a hotel room and lay around on the beach and soak up the sun.” There’s not a doubt in my mind if I tell her no she’ll leave without me, and I don’t think I can stomach the idea of being here without her.

“Okay. When do you want to leave?”

“Right now,” she blurts.

“Now? Lennie, it’s getting late.”

“I know, but if we leave right now we can get there before midnight. We’ll be able to wake up and head straight to the beach.”

She’s running. Literally. Something scared her, and I guess at this point I should be thankful she came to tell me goodbye. That she gifted me the chance to go with her.

“Okay. We’ll leave now if that’s what you want.”

She rushes into my arms. “Thank you, Tyler.” As I hold her tight, I force myself to remain quiet in fear that I’ll slip up and end up scaring her away.

***

LENNIE WAITED ALL OF TWENTY
minutes for me to gather my things before she started to become impatient. I’m still not sure what’s spooked her, but I’m determined to find out. Chad wasn’t home when we left. I wrote him a note, telling him I was taking a last minute trip with Lennie. I didn’t tell him where we were going or when we’d be back because Lennie was standing next to me while I wrote it. I don’t know what she’s running from, but I’m guessing it includes her sister, and there’s not a chance in hell that Chad won’t tell Jodi where we’re going if I tell him.

After two hours on the road, Lennie starts to relax. “Do you want to tell me why tonight?” She looks over at me, confused. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy to be with you, but why did we leave tonight? Why not wait until morning or even the weekend?”

Lennie twist her finger around a strand of her hair. “My parents wanted me to come to dinner.”

I can’t help but smile. “I take it you expected a similar outcome from when we had dinner at my parents’ house?” I’m joking, but Lennie doesn’t even crack a smile.

“No.” Her voice is sad as she looks out the passenger window. I drive for miles before she finally gives me something.

“I lied to my parents and they found out.” My eyes dart to hers then back to the road. Lennie has never struck me as a liar. If anything, she doesn’t hold back what she thinks...good or bad.

“What you lied to them about...it was a big deal?”

I know it is something big if it sent her running, and as much as I don’t want to push, I can’t get past the idea that she’d lie about anything.

“Yes,” she whispers without looking at me.

“Are you hungry? We can stop and get something to eat if you are.”

“Yeah, I could eat.” I pull off the next exit and into the parking lot of a chain restaurant. We make our way inside and quickly order.

I pull out my phone and start looking at hotels in Galveston. “Do you care where we stay?”

A small smile plays on her lips. “No.”

“What?”

“There was a hotel there called the Flagship. It was on a pier out over the water. That’s where we stayed when I came with my family.”

“We can stay there,” I reply.

“No we can’t. The Flagship was ruined in hurricane Ike, but I still want to go there. Pleasure Pier was rebuilt in the same place and it has attractions. I heard the roller coaster there is good.”

I groan. Even as a kid, I never enjoyed rides that flipped me upside down. “Oh, you did great at Six Flags. You’ll be fine.”

I look back at my phone and instantly find the hotel I want to take her to. “Hotel Galvez looks good.”

“That’s where my Dad stays when he’s there on business.” Her eyes wander off.

“Would you rather me pick somewhere else?”

“No, that’s fine. I was just thinking how different my Dad was when we were kids. If he had his way, we would have stayed at Hotel Galvez, but he knew how much Jodi and I wanted to stay at the hotel over the water. Back then, it felt like I could do no wrong.”

Her sad face pains me. “What changed?”

Her eyes glass up. “Everything.” Like always, I wuss out and refuse to make her tell me something she’s not ready to.

We’re back on the road in thirty minutes. “We should be there soon.” Lennie perks up with a smile before lacing one of her hands with mine. As we start to cross the bridge to Galveston, her face lights up like a kid at Christmas.

I don’t know why she lied to her parents. I don’t know why she felt the urge to run, but as long as I’m with her, I’m going to let my fears go and concentrate on living in the moment.

WHEN WE CHECKED INTO THE
hotel, it was after midnight. I attempted to give the hotel clerk my credit card, but Tyler wouldn’t let me. I dragged him on this unexpected adventure. I felt the least I could do was pay for it.

“This room is beautiful.”

Tyler shakes his head. “The whole hotel is amazing.”

“No wonder my dad likes staying here.” Tyler grins as I dump my bag on the floor next to the bed.

“I’m tired. Are you ready to go to bed?”

I’d love nothing more than to take a walk on the beach, but Tyler drove for close to five hours and it’s late. “Yes, I could go to bed.” Tyler pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it on the floor. My mouth waters the second I see his flat stomach. He starts unbuttoning his pants when I hear him clear his throat. My eyes snap to his to find him smiling at me.

“Do you like what you see?” His husky voice causes my body temperature to spike.

“I love what I see.” His eyes flash from my comment. He kicks his pants off before making his way to me.

“I think you’re a little overdressed for what I have in mind.” Tyler lifts my top over my head then his hands immediately go to my bra. Once it’s unclasped, he tosses it on the floor with my top and circles my nipple with his fingers. “You have the best tits I’ve ever seen.” He cups one in his hand as he takes the other deep into his mouth.

“Ohh,” I gasp. Tyler takes his time as heat spreads through my body. His mouth slowly works down my stomach until he stops and unbuttons my shorts. He pulls them down my leg and laughs. “Seriously, no panties?”

I shrug with a smile, but my smile vanishes when he shoves his face into my sex and sucks my clit into his mouth.

“Oh shit.” I grip his hair as he thrusts his tongue in and out. I feel my orgasm building as he pulls back. “Don’t stop,” I beg.

“Lay down on the bed.” Like a whore in need, I quickly lie on the bed and my legs open immediately. Tyler takes off his briefs and starts stroking himself. “I could stand here and look at your drenched pussy all day.” His words send another jolt of lust to my core. My hand moves down and starts rubbing my clit.

“God, watching you touch yourself is almost as satisfying as fucking you.”

I lick my lips as I watch him pump his shaft up and down. “I want you...now.”

His dick is hard and swollen, but when he gets to the end of the bed, he pauses. “Oh shit.” His face is scrunched up.

“What?”

“We left in a hurry. I didn’t grab any condoms.”

I gather up as much confidence as possible, hoping like hell the painful words I’m about to say don’t show on my face. “It’s okay. I’m clean and I can’t get pregnant.”

His eyes darken. “You can’t have kids?”

My stomach turns. I didn’t plan to share this with him, but right now, I want him more than I want to protect my secret. “No, I can’t conceive children.”

He loudly swallows. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I force a smile. “What I want is for you to fuck me like I desperately need.”

Knowing he can’t resist, I start touching myself again. His eyes dart to my hand, and whatever hesitation he had moments ago melts away.

“I want you, Tyler. Please.” At hearing me beg, he climbs up the bed and hovers over me. Our eyes lock as he rubs the head of his dick up and down my slit.

“You’re so damn wet.” He groans seconds before he thrusts deep inside me. His mouth devours mine as he alternates between hard and fast and slow and sweet.

My nails dig into his ass as my senses go into overdrive. He pulls his mouth back and lifts his gaze to mine. His pace slows down as he holds my stare. “I don’t think I can get enough of you.” His words cause my heart to pound in my chest. He slowly withdraws only to ram straight back inside of me. “You belong to me.” A knowing smile forms on his face. I force my eyes shut. “Open your eyes, Lennie.” His frantic voice makes me do exactly what he asked. “We belong together.” Tyler grabs my leg and wraps it around his waist as our bodies continue to move as one. I arch my back, taking him even deeper as my body coils tight. I scream his name as I succumb to the pleasure he’s giving me.

With a deep groan, Tyler pulses inside me. When his hips finally stop thrusting, he drops down on top of me. I lie here, listening to him trying to catch his breath. How did I allow this to happen? How did I allow myself to become attached to someone? I’ve mastered the ability of avoiding relationships, and now when there couldn’t be a worse time to have one, I fall head over heels for a man I’m going to destroy.

Tyler kisses my cheek before pulling out of me. “You are the most amazing person I know, Lennie. I don’t care what you’re running from because whatever it is, we’ll face it together.”

I can’t stop the tears from forming. If it were only that easy...

***

I WAKE UP WITH A
smile on my face and Tyler wrapped around me. I stretch, causing him to moan behind me. “What time is it?”

I glance at the clock. “It’s after ten.”

“Really? I don’t remember the last time I slept this late.”

“I’m finally corrupting you.”

He chuckles. “Lennie, you’ve been corrupting me since the day you asked me for that fucking oil.” His lips find my neck as he starts kissing his way down my shoulder. “Let’s start the day out right. Then we can go do whatever the hell you want.”

“Including the pier?”

His lips pause. “I’ve fallen for you. I’m willing to do just about anything.” He presses his dick into my ass.

I roll over and look him in the eyes. “Well, in that case, there’s nothing you can’t do to me.” I smirk as his eyes light up.

“Is that so?”

“You better get started because we have a lot to do today.” His mouth crashes down to mine as I deliver on my promise.

***

“THAT WILL BE THIRTEEN DOLLARS.”
I open my bag only for Tyler to push my hand away as he gives the hot dog vendor a twenty.

“I’m capable of paying for lunch.”

“I never said you weren’t, babe.” If he only knew the amount of money I have wasting away in my savings account. “Where to?” I look both directions before pointing to my right.

“Have you ever been to Galveston Island before?”

He nods his head. “Yeah, I came down here a few times in high school with some friends. It doesn’t hold the same nostalgia for me as it does for you.”

I smile, remembering the time Jodi almost stepped on a jellyfish. “See, that right there is what I’m talking about. You’ve been in Dallas for how many weeks now and I can’t recall you smiling that way unless you were at the shelter.”

“I used to love Dallas, but it doesn’t feel like home anymore.”

His face drops. I know he’s expecting me to stay. “Where are you going after you leave Dallas?”