Keep Her Read online

  “Until he finds out,” Derek added with a disapproving shake of his head.

  “Jesus Christ, you two. So much for gloating about my hot piece of ass. You’re taking all the fun out of this.”

  “And Marcus is gonna take the jizz out of your balls.”

  Derek nearly fell off the chair laughing at Ramos’s remark. “Shit, kid. You’re one stupid mother fucker, but do what you want. It’s not like you forced her into it or anything, so I guess just go with it. But, when the shit hits the fan—and it will—just remember… we told you so.”

  Please. I knew what I was doing. I was just having a good time. There was no reason to overanalyze where this was going. Somewhere in between our Cabaret interpretations, we actually talked about not taking anything too serious. She was on board with that and not telling Marcus. We had all our ducks in a row and I wasn’t gonna let these cocks make me think otherwise.

  Me: Don’t you have a cat to rescue from a tree or something?

  Beck: Nope. The only pussy that needs rescuing is yours.

  Me: LOL. You’re right. Come over.

  Beck: Can’t. 12 more hours and then I can finally get outta here.

  Me: Aren’t you exhausted?

  Beck: No. Been doing nothing but sitting around. Not many fires to put out.

  Me: I’ve got one for you to put out.

  Beck: Being a fireman leaves us with endless possibilities for innuendoes doesn’t it?

  Me: Seems that way. Can I play with your big, long hose?

  Beck: LOL. That never gets old.

  Me: So. Have you thought anymore about how we’ll play it cool over the weekend?

  Beck: I’d much rather you ask me about my hose ;)

  Me: Seriously, B. Marcus isn’t stupid. We’re gonna have to keep our distance.

  Beck: He’s so far up Tessa’s ass it’ll give me plenty of opportunities to be all over yours.

  Me: Yeah, or so you hope.

  Beck: Don’t you hope too?

  Me: Mmmmhhhmmmm

  Beck: Oh, baby. I love it when you text-moan.

  Me: Are you wearing your gear right now?

  Beck: That depends. Do you want me in my gear or in nothing at all?

  Me: Gear = sexy

  Beck: You = insanely sexy

  Me: Me = horny

  Beck: Me = really wish I didn’t have to stay at this house tonight.

  Me: I’m about to start a fire just so you can come here. What will cause the least damage but get you here the quickest?

  Beck: LOL. Step away from the matches, Riles. We’re not first responders to your hood.

  Me: Darn it :(

  Beck: You’re cute, sweet thing.

  Me: Just cute?

  Beck: Hot as fuck too!

  Me: Did you ever picture this?

  Beck: What? Texting one of my oldest friends? Sure…totally normal.

  Me: LOL. No, I mean THIS. I know it’s not really a THIS but still. Did you ever think we’d wind up all flirty and sexty, and screwing around?

  Beck: Want honesty?

  Me: Always

  Beck: No

  Me: :(

  Beck: But not because I didn’t want it. I always thought you were hot. Always wanted to jump your bones, but the timing was never right and there were too many things in our way.

  Me: Hate to break it to you, but all that shit still remains true.

  Beck: Yeah, but I just don’t give a fuck right now. Feels too good to care.

  Me: Why, Beckster. You rebel!

  Beck: I HATE THAT NAME!

  Me: Beckster, Beckster, Beckster…

  Beck: Okay, I’m going now.

  Me: NO! Wait. Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.

  Beck: Like I won’t be able to help myself to another taste of your sweet, delicious pussy again the next time I see you.

  Me: COME OVER NOW

  Beck: Sorry. We got a call. Gotta go. I’ll text you when I get back if it’s not too late.

  Me: Bye. Be safe :)

  Beck: ;)

  I clutched the phone to my chest and leaned back in my swivel chair, swooning. These frequent text conversations were killing me. Meaning: I loved every minute of them.

  “What the hell are you so smiley about?”

  I jumped out of my skin when Fallon crept up behind me. “Shit, Fal. Give a girl her space.”

  “That was him, wasn’t it?” he asked, tracing a finger around the rim of his coffee mug.

  “As a matter of fact it was,” I said, adjusting my faux leather pencil skirt and smoothing out a wrinkle in my teal silk top. I turned to stare at my laptop screen as if I could focus on anything but the swarm of butterflies flapping in my stomach.

  “Look at you,” he poked me on the shoulder with a smile. “You’re happy. You’re smiling. You’re in way too deep.”

  Tucking a strand of my choppy side bang behind my ear, I swiveled around to face him and huffed, “Why am I in too deep? I’m just having fun… isn’t that what you told me to do?”

  “Yes. And I’m glad you’re listening for a change, but I know you, leopard. Your spots are still in season… you wear them well.”

  I swatted him on the shoulder, laughing. “Would you just shut it? I know what I’m doing. We know what we’re doing. I don’t expect anything from him… we’ve talked about this. He’s still got Marissa on the back burner, we get along great, and the sex… well, that one time… was insane.” I smiled thinking back to that night. A tingly hot flash washed over me, causing me to shudder. “Oh, never mind. Fal, just let me enjoy this while it lasts without making me worry about what comes next.”

  Pointing a finger in the air obnoxiously, he shouted, “Bingo, doll! That’s what I want you to do. So keep up that attitude and don’t get sucked over to the dark side. As long as you keep telling yourself what you just told me… you’re safe.”

  And that’s what I’d intended to do. Stay safe—guard my heart, protect my emotions, and defend my actions. But with every string of texts, my safety and security was being hacked into by a clever thief.

  Beck was the smoothest of all criminals of his kind. Half the time I didn’t know if he even knew how good he was at what he did. Or was he even doing it intentionally? He was perfect parts smoldering sexy beast and sweet talking teddy bear. It was confusing because I’d always known guys to be either one or the other. Not Beck. He was the total package. He’d matured a lot over the years and grown into a man that possessed all the qualities I’d ever looked for. He even had the one quality no one I’d ever meet after him would have—he’d known my mom.

  Even better—she’d loved him.

  Growing up, he was a permanent fixture at my house, like a third Grayson kid. Not that his parents weren’t great too, but Marcus and Beck always spent more time at our house. I guess that’s why I never looked at him as anything other than a brother. Especially when he started coming into his own. He was one good-looking kid, even at fifteen when he was still growing into himself. But by the time he’d reached seventeen… damn. I’d find myself staring at a shirtless Beck, all sweaty and panting after shooting some hoops with Marcus and really liking the view. But staring was as far as it went. Well, except for the flirting.

  Yeah, come to think of it, there’d been a lot of red flags in the past, but still… I never imagined this. I never pictured myself actually going through with the fantasy.

  And the fantasies continued that evening, when Beck was back at the firehouse after his run and I was curled up on my bed watching HGTV.

  I muted the television at the sound of the incoming text.

  Beck: Wanna come ride my pole?

  The fireman jokes were endless, but I didn’t always have to give in.

  Me: I’ve always wanted to slide down a firehouse pole! It’s on my bucket list.

  Beck: Bucket list, huh? Guess what, sweet thing?

  I loved when he called me that. It was even better when it rolled off his tongue. But I’d take what I could get for now.
/>   Me: What?

  Beck: I marked quite a few things off my own bucket list with you the other night.

  Me: Oh yeah? Like what?

  Beck: Like kissing your gorgeous lips, licking the smooth skin of your neck, tasting your perfect tits, playing with that perky ass, making you scream my name.

  Memories came flooding in, causing a pleasant tug of tension in my core and a dampness pooling in my panties. I played along as if he wasn’t having any effect on me.

  Me: I’m sure you’ve done that all before.

  Beck: Not with you.

  Me: I was on your bucket list?

  Beck: Yup

  Me: Well, well, well.

  It wasn’t exactly unexpected, but getting the confirmation that he’d wanted me in a sexual way for some time made me feel good.

  Beck: Yes, you do it very well.

  Me: So do you ;)

  Beck: How well?

  Playful Beck was one huge turn-on, even through text messages.

  Me: So well I want more.

  Beck: How bad do you want it?

  Me: Real bad.

  Beck: Bad enough for you to take off your panties and pretend I’m there.

  And there we went.

  Me: Hmmm… maybe.

  Beck: Don’t be a tease.

  Me: How do you know they’re not already off?

  They weren’t, but now they were going to be. I hooked my thumbs inside my Victoria’s Secret sweat pants and boy short ensemble and slid them down my legs.

  Beck: Ah, just how I like it. Now, bring your finger to your lips.

  Me: Which ones?

  Beck: Not so fast, sweet thing. Mouth first.

  Me: Ok

  Beck: Suck your finger into your mouth, and twirl your tongue around it to make it nice and wet.

  Me: It’s definitely wet.

  Beck: Now take that finger and trail it from your mouth, down your neck, to the center of your chest.

  I still had on a ribbed tank top, so I quickly removed it and tossed it aside. I was lying on my bed, completely naked. And practically panting.

  Me: Ok

  Beck: Roll your hard, rosy nipple between your fingers, pulling gently. Feel good?

  Me: So good. But it would be better if you were doing it.

  Beck: Close your eyes.

  Me: Done

  Well, at least he thought so. I couldn’t exactly text with my eyes closed.

  Beck: Now it’s me. Now, move that hand down lower. Over your smooth, tight stomach and down to your throbbing clit.

  I continued to do as he said. I felt so self-conscious even though I was alone and no one could see.

  Me: Still wish it were you.

  Beck: Me too, baby, believe me.

  Me: And what am I supposed to do when I come? It’s not exactly like you can hear me.

  Beck: Your texts are awfully wordy. You sure you’re doing this with one hand?

  Me: LOL. Yes. Okay. No more talking. I’m playing.

  Beck: Good… me too.

  Oh, I liked that. I just hoped he wasn’t doing this with an audience of rowdy fireman. Would he do that?

  Me: Where are you?

  Beck: In the bathroom.

  Me: Ok, continue…

  Beck: Now, close your eyes again and pretend your wet finger is my tongue flicking your clit and finger fuck yourself, Riles. Hard and fast.

  Beck: You there?

  Me: Mmmmhmmmm… thank you. You were wonderful.

  Beck: LOL, but I’M not done yet.

  Me: Well I’m spent. Go jerk it. TTYL. ;)

  I couldn’t have thrown the phone out of my hands quick enough. It hit the floor with a soft thud and I took a deep breath, allowing my lingering release to finish its delicious decent through my nerve endings. There I lay on my bed, alone, sprawled out, naked, and breathless. What was Beck Matthews doing to me?

  Wow! I laughed to myself. That was certainly… fun. I’d told him I did this sort of thing all the time, but… consider that another item to check off the list.

  Jerking off with my cell phone in the other hand, while definitely fun, was getting a little… lonely. Riley was working late tonight so she could have the rest of the long weekend off for the Fourth, but I wanted to actually see her instead of texting or talking over the phone.

  I thought long and hard about the message it would give to Riley and her co-workers—especially that Fallon dude who was always all up in my grill—if I showed up unexpectedly at her job to take her out for lunch. It seemed like a boyfriend thing to do, and I definitely wasn’t her boyfriend, but friends could grab lunch together too. Right?

  Throwing on a fitted grey V-neck and a pair of my favorite worn jeans, I plucked my keys from the hook by the door and donned my tattered Yankees cap. Casual and comfortable—nothing about my attire would make her think I was trying too hard. In fact, I hoped it made her think I was just in the neighborhood, happening to pass by her office, doing the nice thing by dropping in to say hi.

  And that’s exactly what I’d tell her when I made my way across town and whisked her away for her lunch hour. I just had this need to see her again. Alone. Only the two of us. I’d see her again this weekend at the lake house, but there’d be too many eyes watching us. We wouldn’t be able to be our normal selves—well, our new normal selves.

  As I rang the intercom to be buzzed into her building, I gulped down the nerves that stood as a warning. Play it cool and let it be. It’s just two friends enjoying each other’s company.

  The door swung open and Fallon’s eyes roamed my body from top to bottom, making me squirm uncomfortably. “Well, hello there, handsome! Oh, Riles, look what the cat dragged in,” he called over his shoulder. “What a pleasant surprise.”

  “Nice to see you too, Fallon. Can I come in?” As if it weren’t weird enough being scrutinized like some piece of fucking meat, he blocked my entrance into the office like a drooling guard dog.

  “Depends. Are you here for business or pleasure?” He brushed his palm over the top of his spiky Mohawk, grinning.

  “I’m here to take Riley to lunch,” I said, exasperated. What was taking Riley so long anyway?

  He slapped his tongue against the roof of his mouth and threw his hand on his hip. “Bitch didn’t tell me she had a lunch date with a hot fireman. She’s holding out on me.”

  That made me laugh. He was good people, even if he was a bit eccentric at times. “No she’s not. She didn’t know. I thought I’d surprise her.”

  Fallon’s cat-like green eyes popped open to triple the size. “Oh mister, you just scored mucho points with the BFF,” he sang, as he patted me on the shoulder. “Come on in. She’s on the phone with a client.” Fallon hooked a plaid-covered arm in mine and escorted me into the bright, spacious office.

  The place screamed Riley. It was eye-catching and contemporary. Classy. Bright yellows and turquoises accentuated the white washed furniture. A few of the pieces were paneled in mirrors and elaborate crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Her office made me want to redecorate my drab apartment. I could see why RG Interior Design was becoming the name on everyone’s lips. It made me proud for her. She deserved this kind of success.