HARDPRESSED (Ocean Falls Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  It was as though she floated on air. She was electric, a live current that still, despite everything, burned through my veins. With her long legs spread wide, she circled her hips, slow and steady. Her eyes were closed, so even though she faced a wide mirror, she never saw my approach.

  I stepped in behind her, gripped her hip with one hand, and cradled her back against my chest as she righted herself. Her gasp barely rose above the track, the melody long forgotten. Our eyes met in our reflection, and for a brief moment, I told myself no. But who was I kidding? I had been a stubborn bastard from birth, and with her warm body pressed to mine, I wasn’t about to change my ways now.

  Still, I paused a beat, two...three. I wanted to give her a window, an opportunity to shut me down, to spin and kick me in the nuts. Only she could stop what was unfolding. Her eyelids fluttered, lips slightly parted, and I ran my hand along the base of her neck into her long locks and urged her head forward.

  She bent before me with ease. Her hair tangled around my fingers. My free hand gripped her hip tight; I couldn’t help but dig in and hold on for dear life. I knew that at any moment, she would come to her senses. The fear created an urgency, an even deeper need. I had nothing, absolutely nothing to lose, yet everything to gain even if just for a moment.

  My hand at her core startled her upright but instead of pulling away, she pressed tight against me. She was still perfect, so fucking perfect. Her body reacted to mine, and her gaze pierced me. I couldn’t look away from our reflection, nor could I ignore the uncertainty in her eyes. As much as I wanted her right then and there, I wouldn’t be that guy.

  My heart dropped to my bare feet, but when I went to step away, Presley had an entirely different idea altogether. She spun towards me and caught my wrist but didn’t utter a single word. She was nervous, I could see that her mind was spinning, and that’s when I took a chance. A chance that maybe, just maybe, she wanted this as much as I did.

  Presley had always been a little timid. She had also always been completely oblivious to just how sexy, mesmerizing, she truly was. I could feel her entire body tense as I bent and leaned in closer. I so badly wanted to take her mouth but first...I needed her smile.

  She always had a way with words, whether they were actual real words or not. I had been raised to call them raspberries. Leave it to the Texas girl to go with zerberts instead. Whatever you want to call them, they always, always made her laugh. I pressed my lips to her forehead, like I always did, and she began to melt into me but froze before giving herself completely. Raspberry time.

  The second the noise hit the air, the tension in her released, and not only was I rewarded with a smile but her laugh as well. My heart cracked in two. I still loved this girl. Come hell or high water, she was still absolutely everything. Her laugh was contagious, and when my own escaped my throat, it was foreign to the both of us.

  “Presley,” I whispered. Her name sounded like a prayer on the tip of my tongue, and I craved my salvation. She didn’t answer me yet didn’t run from me either. Her lips parted, calling me home. She tasted like green tea with a hint of honey, and I wouldn’t stop until my thirst was quenched.

  Without breaking the kiss, my hands slid down the back of her neck, along her shoulders, and down to her wrists. I didn’t miss the sparkle in her eyes when I grasped both of her wrists with one hand and lifted them high above her head.

  My mind drifted to that moment when we first met; I wanted it back and then some.

  I eased her backward until I had her pinned between myself and the heavy bag that hung from the ceiling in the corner of the room. I raised her arms, laced her fingers around the chains, and then leaned in.

  “Don’t let go.”

  Presley

  It felt right. He felt right. Even as the warning signals began blaring inside my head, I didn’t step away. I could see the struggle in his own eyes as well, but it was soon forgotten. He spread his large hand between my shoulder blades. Calloused fingers tickled my skin as they traveled the length of my neck and into the base of my hairline.

  My knees threatened to give way, but before I could sag against his chest, he bent forward. I gave in, so completely. At that moment, I wasn’t a single mom. I wasn’t a dance teacher to a dozen little girls in pink tutus or elderly love birds. I was Presley. The girl, now a woman, who missed his touch. The woman who could still recall the feel of his breath at the side of my neck, the tingle of his fingers dancing across my pelvic bone.

  I missed this. His imprint never diminished, but I wanted a refresher.

  His hand at my center caught me off guard, and while I was sure we both wanted it, uncertainty was etched across his face. I braced myself for history to repeat itself, for him to walk away from me in three, two… No, not this time.

  “Don’t let go,” he whispered. His words felt heavy, loaded. I didn’t want to think too much on it. I didn’t want to think at all. I squeezed the cool metal links tight as my heart rate quickened, and I tried to cast my eyes towards the floor, but he wouldn’t allow it. Greyson slid his tongue along the shell of my ear and caught my lobe between his teeth before he whispered, “Eyes on me.”

  I watched him every step of the way. I watched as he lowered onto his knees, slowly, deliberately, and ran the tips of his fingers across my skin just above my waistline. I sucked in a startled breath when he hooked his thumbs inside my yoga pants and gently lowered.

  My body tensed even more when his tongue made contact. He must have taken it as though I was about to bolt because his hands began to tremble as he dug into my hips and pressed me harder against his mouth.

  Greyson’s mouth was as sinful as ever. He nipped, licked, and savored everything I had to offer. My back became slick and stuck to the vinyl of the heavy bag while I held onto for dear life. I white-knuckled the chain links as he continued to service me and service me he did.

  My body felt heavy, but ever so obedient. I never let go. A shooting flame traveled the length of my spine as the storm built at my center.

  “Give it to me,” he demanded. And so, I did.

  Stars danced behind my lids, and I barely recognized the strained, chaotic voice that filled the air as my own. I was completely undone. Before I found myself flat on the floor, he slid my legs, one at a time, off of his broad shoulders and pressed close, using his own body to keep mine upright.

  My pulse quickened at the feel of him, his obvious want, and yet he didn’t act on it. Instead, he pressed his weight against me, lowered my feet to the floor, but didn’t let go until he was confident I could stand on my own. His eyes searched mine, and while brief, that crooked grin of his was contagious. Suddenly serious, I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I remained still, willing to follow his lead.

  His hand traveled up my side, across my breast, and up the base of my throat to ease my head back. His thumb swiped across my bottom lip, not once but twice before pressing down to part my lips.

  “Taste.” He slid his finger deep into my mouth.

  I wanted, so badly, to welcome him home. Instead, I closed the door to my heart and focused on the lust. That’s all it was, all it could be. Anything beyond that simply wasn’t an option.

  I didn’t speak it aloud, but I wondered if somehow, he knew.

  When he slipped his finger from my mouth, his forehead came to rest against mine, and I held my breath.

  “Always.”

  And with that, he was gone.

  What had I done? What the fuck was wrong with me? I hated myself all over again. Not only for what I had just allowed to happen but also for the void that suddenly filled my space. I missed him, even while I was grateful for his abrupt exit.

  Any energy I may have had was long gone. My legs still tingled and could barely hold me up. A nap is what I needed. Any chance I would wake in an hour or so only to discover it had been but a dream? Never mind; don’t answer that.

 
Still dazed, confused, and the taste of him still on my lips, I killed the light, secured the doors, and checked my phone as I made my way down the hallway. I wasn’t used to having to watch my step in my own home. Not when Paisley was away, at least. Somehow I maintained my balance when I slammed right into his broad chest.

  While I had been completely caught off guard, he seemed thoroughly amused. “Whoa there, darlin’. In a rush?”

  This guy.

  Because I was determined to regain the upper hand, I stood firm. Alright, I’d play.

  “Careful, darlin’, ” I teased, “your Texan is showin’.”

  For the first time in his life, Greyson Tack Thomas was rendered speechless, for a moment anyway. In that rare moment, his eyes twinkled, heated, and then showed nothing but pure mischief.

  “Come here,” he demanded, and before I knew what was happening, my back was pressed hard against the wall with the tip of his nose skimming along the curve of my shoulder.

  “Tack.” My voice was all but gone. I wasn’t sure if he even heard me until he bit down. It wasn’t enough to hurt but surely enough to get my attention. He hated it when I called him anything but his birth name. I hadn’t done it on purpose for once, though. It’d been years, and I had gotten to a point where he was no longer Greyson. Or at least that’s what I had tried to tell myself. In all honesty, I still held him sacred.

  His lips formed a straight line, no doubt biting his tongue. He wanted to say something, I could all but taste the words on the tip of his tongue, yet they never came.

  Instead, he pushed off the wall and started to step back. His eyes never left mine, not even when his back bumped up against my front door. With another crooked, pained grin, he reached around, turned the knob, and saw his way out.

  I stood there, stunned, and suddenly feeling very much alone. I had forgotten all about the death grip I still held on my phone until it began to chirp, signaling a text that was accompanied by a pic of Carter and Paisley cuddled up in his bed with a huge bowl of popcorn and the TV remote between them.

  Carter: The only thing missing is you.

  Me: Cute!

  My single word reply would surely grate his nerves, but thankfully, he let it slide. My mind began to race. Flashes of what had just taken place in my garage flooded my thoughts and guilt started to set in.

  Belle. Girls night. I made the call.

  Our little podunk town held few options when you wanted a night out. We could have headed to Houston for the night, but neither of us was really up for it. Instead, we headed to a little hole on the coast where the people were friendly and the beer, ice cold. We were lucky enough to snag a table on the patio, and just beyond the Tiki torches, the waves rolled in.

  Belle looked as gorgeous as ever. She wore a coral tank that showed off her rich mahogany skin tone brilliantly. Her tight, spiral curls created a halo effect around her face. Only I knew better. Something was up. She was a bit anxious and throwing back shots as though they were her last. Sure, I had my own shit to hash out, but she was my best friend.

  I sat aside the fact that I hadn’t heard a word from Greyson, nor had I grown a pair to have a one on one with Carter. All of that would have to wait. Something weighed heavily on Belle, and I wanted to help in any way I could.

  “Spill, girlie.”

  She actually tried to ignore me. She just grinned and continued to bounce around, dancing and somehow managing to not slip right off of her stool. By the time she reached for her brightly colored, fruity drink, my patience had run out.

  “Belle. What is it? You know you can tell me. I mean, I’ve shared my dirtiest of secrets with you. Trust me with yours.”

  After ordering yet another round of drinks, she finally fessed up. “I love you. You know that, right?”

  At that, my heart dropped. Still, I nodded and sat sipping while giving my best friend in the entire world the opportunity to explain why she would betray me. And all for a man she had just met. A man she knew had broken my heart.

  Her words, excuses, came tumbling out, and she admitted to creating the atmosphere for Greyson and I to have more time alone. She told me how he watched Carter and I through my window as we said our goodbyes before he headed back to Austin with our daughter. She even confessed to planting the seed that there was more to Chip and I than there actually was.

  I couldn’t hate her if I tried. She was my best friend and godmother to my daughter, neither of which I took lightly. Once it was my turn to talk, all I could ask was, why?

  “Because you’re the best friend I’ve ever had. The best mom Paisley could ever ask for. You’re such an adult, always making the rest of us look bad.”

  I started to look away; I never did do well with compliments. Belle, of course, wasn’t having it.

  “You’re like Wonder Woman or some shit. You always have it together. I don’t know how you do it. I can barely take care of myself, let alone a mini.”

  Monday through Friday, Belle drove a two hour back and forth commute all for the career she loved. She’d worked her ass off to land the position of her dreams. To me, she was always this bubbly, quirky, cool as fuck chick. And then she set up a private tour behind the scenes at NASA for Paisley and I. I was in absolute awe of her and so proud to call her friend. She took pride in her white coat, as she should. To witness her in her own element and how Paisley hung on her every word as she explained exactly what we were looking at was amazing, and I thanked her over and over again for showing Paisley that women can accomplish anything. On the weekends, though, we were chill. Family. It was time for a toast.

  Belle paused for a moment before leaning further across the table to make sure I heard her clearly.

  “When your drunken blast from the past came knocking, I saw a side to you I hadn’t seen before. He’s not just under your skin girl, he’s in your bones. Any fool could see that. Give it a minute, Presley. That’s all I’m saying.”

  I didn’t agree with her interfering, and I wasn’t sure about telling her that her little plan had worked. Kind of.

  “God, you’re such a bitch. Nosey ass.”

  Her face lit up, and I was quick to let her know that she was family. I trusted her with everything, and I needed to know she would never lie to me again, not even for my own benefit. She winked and gave my hand a quick squeeze; that was all I needed.

  “Not only are you paying for the next round, but I don’t think you deserve to know what happened today with Greyson in my garage.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on her face. She, of course, wanted every single detail ASAP. My tongue loosened as the drinks continued to flow. I may or may not have snorted through a couple of her pearl-clutching moments.

  Belle, even after all this time, was still a bit of an enigma. She was a brilliant woman, highly respected in her field, and at the same time, so street smart. My little badass. The girl could really handle herself in any situation. But there was a sense of naivety about her. Her eyes danced as I spilled all the sordid details. Or maybe it was the whiskey. She, of course, had more questions than I had answers. What did it all mean? When would I see him again? Who knew?

  The lack of a dance floor never seemed to matter as everyone spilled out from the patio. Even with a chill in the air, there was nothing better than the feel of the sand between your toes.

  With Heinekens in hand, we danced the night away, and for those precious moments, I let loose with my best friend at my side. I couldn’t hear a word she was saying any more than she could hear me. Funny thing, though. It didn’t matter.

  Chapter 14

  Greyson

  “What part of ‘don’t do anything stupid’ did you not understand?”

  Apparently, telling Dax what happened with Presley was a bad idea. I sat on the edge of the bed while he paced back and forth, wearing a hole in the carpet of my hotel room. He was beside himself bu
t trying to find a solution all at the same time. He was like an over-caffeinated cartoon character. I even cracked a smile a couple of times.

  “What is the big fucking deal, man?”

  I got it. I mean, I understood I wasn’t the easiest of clients to manage, and I’d fucked up more times than I’d like to admit, but how? How did what happened with Pres somehow fall in line with all that other shit?

  “I should have known,” he grumbled, before sucking down what had to be his third bottle of water since I’d walked through the door. “You come strolling in with that goofy ass grin, eyes all glazed over and shit. Damn it, Tack. This isn’t good. This girl? I mean...okay, I’m just gonna ask you outright. Have you continued to take your meds? Since we got here, I mean?”

  Wait, what?

  “Are you fucking kidding me right now? You act like I went and split my fucking knuckles on some guy who looked at me wrong while pumping gas! Why are you freaking the fuck out over this?”

  “Triggers, Tack!”

  Dax grabbed a chair from the corner of the room, spun it around, and flopped down. He white-knuckled the back and glanced towards the ceiling a couple of times. This wasn’t new. I’d seen it before. He was giving himself a second to choose his next words carefully. Only this time, I wasn’t sure what I had done that earned his wrath.

  “We can’t afford any episodes right now,” he pressed. “I thought coming here would help soften the press to you a bit, and it has! There’s a bit circulating online. Not a lot, mind you, but it’s there. If seeing that girl again fucks with your head, though, then it’s not worth it. We’ve accomplished all we sat out to. We can pack our bags now, load up, head to Houston, and hop on the next plane.”

  With barely a single thought, I shut him down. “No.”

  He was right, though. There was no real reason to stay any longer. No reason outside of her. But while I wouldn’t say it out loud, not to Dax anyway, I wasn’t quite ready to walk away from her. Not again.