Picture Perfect (17 page)

Shaking my head in disgust, I pushed against his chest.

“Jesus Flynn, on top of everything else, you’re a liar.  Let me go!”

Holding me tighter, he looked me dead in the eye.  “I swear on my father’s life Tess, that girl is my sister.  We just found out this week that my dad fathered twins almost twenty-three years ago.  I’ve got twin sisters.  I’m sorry I didn’t text baby, so sorry.  My dad has been a fucking wreck and I’ve been staying at his house.
There were DNA tests, we needed to meet the girls, my grandparents had to be told, and then they had to meet them. Needless to say, it’s been a dramatic couple of days.”

I wanted to believe him, wanted it to be true, but I was terrified.  I
froze in his arms like a statue.

“Sweetness, I fucked up. 
I. Fucked. Up.
  I should have called and explained this before.  Shits been out of control and I’m guilty of putting everyone else but you and me first.  I needed my dad to be okay, needed to deal with what was going on. I never stopped thinking about you, not for one minute.  I missed you like crazy babe.  Wanted you with me in the worst way.  When you texted me back last night and then
changed your fucking number
, I hauled ass to get to you.  Don’t throw us away Tess, I’m begging you.”

I believed him, I did, but
I was also scared shitless.  The past week had cut me to the quick emotionally, and it hurt like hell.  That was how I felt after being wrapped in him for less than a week.  How much worse would it be to open myself up completely for however long this lasted?  To me, it felt as though it would be emotional Russian roulette.  I couldn’t put myself in that position.

It felt like my heart was in a fucking vise.  How fucking dumb was I to let the drama of the last week stop me from keeping in touch with Tessa?  The distance had made me miserable, and the effect of it on her made me feel like the biggest asshole on the planet.  Her uncertainty about our future was written all over her face.

Pulling her to me, I cupped her face in my hands.  “I’m not above begging Tess, at least not where you’re concerned.  So here I am, begging you, not to walk away from us.  Give me another chance to prove to you that we’re worth it and I promise you, I won’t fuck it up.  You’ve got me in the palm of your hands baby.  Don’t throw me away.”

Closing her eyes, she shook her head and let out a sad sigh before speaking.  “You hurt me Flynn.  I’m not jaded or experienced enough to deal with your lifestyle. I feel like a total moron standing here admitting that to you, but I’m not sugarcoating it, so there it is.  You need someone to accept that you’re a free agent, someone who can be accessible on command at your whim and who will understand when you don’t make any attempt at contact.  I’m not that girl and I never will be.  To be perfectly blunt, I wouldn’t want to be, either.  That’s a recipe for a bullshit relationship and I want no parts of it.  You and I aren’t on the same page.  Clearly there’s an attraction between us, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be explored.  Chemistry isn’t always enough to overcome the obstacles between two people.  I’m thankful to you for showing me that I could enjoy being sexual, and I will always cherish that.  But the fact is, we
don’t
go together and we never will.  On a positive note, I’m glad that this was all figured out before this went any further.  We’re letting whatever this was go now, no hard feelings.”

Letting her go, I started to pace as I fumed and tried to collect my thoughts. 
I couldn’t fucking believe the bullshit she was slinging at me, and I didn’t hold back when I responded.

“
Fuck that.  Fuck every
ridiculous
thing you just said.  How about instead of building that fucking wall of yours, you let me in?  When have I ever given you the impression that I wanted you to be my beck and call girl?  NEVER!  I’ve told you time and again that what’s between us is
very
fucking real to me.  I’ve shown you in every way that I can that I want to go all the way with this.  I fucked up over the last week and I admit that, but that wasn’t because I didn’t value you, or because I thought I was a free agent.  I’ve had serious family shit going on that came into my life like a fucking atomic bomb and I’ve been dealing with the fallout.  I don’t see myself as free baby, because I’ve already jumped in, feet first, to what you and I have. 
You
are the one in this relationship that’s sitting on the side of the pool clinging to a deflated life vest.  The irony of the fact that you think that I don’t take what’s between us seriously but you are the one that’s taking the first available out isn’t lost on me.  You changed your fucking phone number in a rage and my response to that was to get my ass on a plane to talk to you in person.  I really don’t know how the fuck else you want me to demonstrate to you that I’m in this, but what I
do
know is that I’m not quitting on us, and neither are you.”

When I stopped pacing, she was standing right where I’d left her.  Her lower lip was quivering and I could see that she was struggling, so I went to her and pulled her into my arms.  “Baby, we’re going to be fine.  Give us a chance.”

Shaking her head, she pushed me back.  “I can’t.”

Putting my hands on her shoulders I said, “It’s not that you can’t Tess, it’s that you won’t.  Give me one good reason why you’re turning your back on something this fucking powerful?”

Glaring at me, she tried to wiggle away from my hold.  “I don’t have to have a reason.  It’s enough that I’m saying that I can’t.  I don’t want this.”

I’d never wanted to put a girl over my knee before, but suddenly the idea of spanking the shit out of her stubborn ass held tremendous appeal.

“Bullshit,” I roared.  “Give me the real reason why you’re taking the nuclear option instead of giving us a chance!”

Stomping on my foo
t, she pushed away as she yelled, “Because I’m fucking terrified of you!”

Before I could respond to that
, her roommate’s bedroom door flew open and she came running into the living room.  Glaring at me, she grabbed Tess.  “Tessa, do I need to call the police because this asshole scaring you?”

This day just kept getting fucking better.
  Now her friend was going to think I was some creeper asshole who was trying to force myself on Tessa.  Beautiful.

Stepping away from the roommate, Tessa waved her hands in the negative.  “No! God, no, Jess.  What I just said had nothing to do with me being physically afraid of him.
He would never, ever lay a hand on me. I’m sorry I scared you.  Flynn and I will finish this discussion in my room.”

Gesturing toward the hallway, Tessa motioned for me to follow her. Giving the roommate and apologetic look, I went and followed Tess to the bedroom.

After closing the door behind me, she sat on the bed.  I didn’t wait for an invitation to join her before I sat right down next to her.  “Babe, what the fuck do you mean you’re terrified of me?”

Running her hands through her hair, she looked away before she blurted out her answer.  “I’m terrified of the way you make me feel.  It’s been no time at all, Flynn, and I shouldn’t have cared as much as I did that you didn’t call.  You make me feel things that I have no defenses for, and I know that if I let you in I’ll only get more attached.”

Finally, we were getting somewhere real. 

“Sweetness, you aren’t alone here.  It’s scary shit
, what’s happening between us, and the reason it’s scary is because
it’s for fucking real
.  You’re scared for your reasons and I’m scared because you’re pushing me away like it’s your goddamn job and I can’t lose you.  Neither of us would be scared if we didn’t know that what’s happening between us is huge.  Tell me what you need to do to make you feel more confident about this.”

Sighing, she looked me in the eye and asked, “If I agree to this, what are we?  Are we fuck-buddies?  Are we
exclusive?  Will you tell people that we’re dating, or is dating to exclusive for you?”

There wasn’t even a question about it anymore.  Sometime soon, s
he was getting spanked for torturing me.

“I swear to Christ babe, if you ever even hint to me again th
at what we are is fuck-buddies I’m going to put you over my knee, no matter where we are. First, we haven’t fucked.  Second, we won’t be just fucking when we finally do go all the way. So sorry if you had your heart set on it, but my answer is
no
to fuck-buddies baby. We also aren’t just going to be dating. This is more than that.  You want to know how far into relationship territory I’m willing to go?  Let’s review my actions today and see if you can figure it out.  I got on the first available flight out of LA after you changed your phone number and I realized that I was losing you. I was randomly selected for a body-scan and carry on search, I flew coach on a packed flight
and
I had a three-hour layover.  I could have waited six hours to get on a flight that went straight through and had first class available, but I didn’t take that option because getting to you as quickly as humanly possible was the
only
thing I cared about.  I was stuck on two different flights in aisle seats, which means I spent seven hours being slammed into by people walking in the aisles.  When I got into the Chicago airport, I got recognized and chased because I didn’t have any security.  I’m pretty fucking far into relationship territory with you babe, but to give it to you in no uncertain terms I’ll lay it out like this.  From this second on, you’re my girlfriend and I’m your boyfriend.  Yes, we’re fucking exclusive.  If some asshole touches you, I’ll break his hands.  And finally,
fuck yes we’re telling people
.  Does that answer your questions?”

Her mouth had opened in shock about a third of the way into my speech, and she continued to stare at me wide-eyed for a moment before collecting herself enough to speak.  I was as patient as I’ve ever been as I waited for her response.  At that point
, my only hope was that I’d gotten it through that stubborn head of hers that I was with her all the way.

“Flynn, don’t you think it’s too early for us to take that jump to being girlfriend and boyfriend?  Dating is one thing, but…”

My hand covered her mouth before she could say something else ridiculous.

“Tess, babe, you’re talking bullshit. 
Too soon?  You either feel it or you don’t.  I feel it, or I wouldn’t be standing here right now.  You feel it too you stubborn ass, or you wouldn’t have been as upset as you were.  Answer this question.  When you were with boyfriends in the past, at any point in time in the relationship did you feel like this?”

Her answer was immediate and it put my mind at ease. 

“No. My
stubborn ass
,” she paused and smirked at me, “never felt anything like this.”

That told me in no uncertain terms that we were on the same page.

“I’ve never felt like this either.  Nothing’s even gotten near it.  I want us official.  From here on out, I’m your man baby.  And there’s no doubt that you’re my girl.  Do you feel me?”

I got my answer when she reached out and cupped my cheek with her hand and smiled at me.  “
I surrender.”

Pulling her onto my lap so that she was straddling me, I smiled at her.  “Good girl.  Now give your boyfriend a kiss.  He’s missed you something awful.”

I was still scared, but everything that Flynn said had broken through my barriers.  The fact was that his point of view not only made sense; it also went a long way toward making me feel more comfortable with him.  I wasn’t feeling things toward him that weren’t being reciprocated and that was huge.  What scared me now was the certainty that I was going to have to make a conscious effort to keep from building any more walls.

Being in Flynn’s lap again was both a relief and a torture.  I wanted him so much that it literally hurt.  The ache in my core had never been so pronounced or so extreme.  Sliding my fingers through his hair, I rubbed against him in the most provocative of ways.  When he growled low in his throat, my arousal drenched my panties. 

I couldn’t hold off another moment, so I didn’t.  Dropping my lips to his, I sucked his lower lip into my mouth as I ground myself against his erection.  A shiver went through me when he grabbed my ass in his hands and started rubbing me back and forth against him as his tongue slid into my mouth.  This was no sweet lovers kiss.  It was fiery and carnal, sexual to the extreme.  He fucked me with his tongue and I took it and gave it right back.

We kissed like that for an eternity as he worked me back and forth on top of him.  I was on the razors edge, seconds away from exploding from the inside out and he knew it.  Breaking our kiss, he looked into my eyes as he started to speak.

“Fuck… babe.  Your pussy is on fire.  I can feel your heat through our clothes and it’s making me wild. If your roommate weren’t out there right now I’d have my cock out and buried balls deep in your beautiful cunt.  I wouldn’t stop fucking you until I was positive that you’d still be able to feel me in you days from now.”

An involuntary whimper erupted from my throat at his words.  “I don’t care about her being out there.  I just want you.  I need
you so much that it hurts.”