Hot damn. If this were a wet T-shirt contest, she’d win, hands down.
I can’t help but stare with a lascivious grin.
“You like that, don’t you?” she asks with an arched brow.
“You bet I do.”
She nods her head toward the front door. “Wanna beer?”
“Sure.”
As I follow her I’m mesmerized by how good her curvy hips look in that skirt, and the click of her high heel pumps on the wood floor. “Is that how you dress for work?”
“Yes, I’ve just come from a meeting.”
I imagine all the business men leering at her and it pisses me off. “It’s kind of sexy, don’t you think?”
“You think this is sexy?” she asks, turning to me.
“I do—and especially now,” I say, looking down where the thin fabric is clinging to the top of her breasts like a second skin.
“Well, that doesn’t count. When the jacket is on it’s essentially a business suit.”
I shrug. “Maybe it’s just you. You have this ability to make everything look sexy.”
“So how was Maui?” I ask after settling down at her kitchen table.
“Beautiful. It was good to get away.”
I nod and glance down, resisting picking at the label on my beer bottle.
“So, was it everything you’d hoped with the Viking?”
She shrugs. “It was fine. A mix of good and not-so-good—you know what I mean?”
I nod silently even if though I really want to know what she means by that. I remember my conversation with Patrick that made me think she’d fallen in love. If that’s true she certainly hides it well.
“Did you get your sex on the beach?”
She makes a cute little face. “I had to get him liquored up and really worked into a frenzy to even get down to the beach. I was determined . . . sex on the beach has always been on my bucket list.”
I have to wonder what else is on her bucket list. Is there anything on it that I could give her?
“So you said it was mixed. What was the good part?”
She twists a strand of her long hair in her fingers. “It’s hard to explain. But something about being on the shore made me feel kind of raw and wild. It was like I was on the edge of the earth with the moonlit waves crashing at our feet. It made me feel like an animal in the wilderness. I devoured him.”
My damn cock starts to get hard imagining raw and wild Elle, which is just an abomination since the Viking is involved. Traitor cock!
“Did he like being devoured?”
“Apparently, until in my passion, I kicked up the blankets and coated him with sand. You’d think I’d set his hair on fire the way he leapt up and squealed like a little girl.”
I throw my head back and laugh whole-heartedly.
She smiles at my reaction.
“So was that the end of it?”
“Hardly. No, I taunted him then and we argued which resulted in him fucking me hard, which was really hot. It was so hot and aggressive that I got rubbed raw from the sand.”
I feel annoyed at the idea of it and hold up my hand. “Too much information.”
“Believe me, there’s nothing sexy about sand abrasion.”
“Way too much information,” I groan.
“Well, have you done it on the beach?”
“Does in the ocean count?”
“You did it in the ocean?”
“Yeah, you sound surprised.”
She sighs. “No. Just jealous.”
“Should I be jealous? You’re the one who just had a love connection in Maui.”
She looks up at me with wide eyes. “Are you?”
I shrug. “Maybe, just a little.”
Grinning, she punches me on the shoulder. “Oh you!” She settles down on the stool next to me and takes a sip of her beer. “So I want to ask you a favor.”
“Okay . . .”
“It’s a big favor—really big.”
“Do you have another burned out light bulb in some heavy ass light fixture?”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s a much bigger favor than that. I’d really appreciate it if you could take me to my bestie’s wedding this September. I mean, I know weddings are torture for dudes—”
I jump in before she goes on. “Sure, I’ll take you.”
“And it’s formal . . .” She makes a grim face like she’s really trying to talk me out of it.
“Awesome. I look hot in a tux. Besides, I love weddings!”
Her mouth falls open. “You love weddings?”
“What’s not to love? It’s a big party and everyone’s happy.”
“You’re killing me with this, Paulie. Are you toying with me? I thought all men hated weddings.”
“Not this man.” I glance over at her and watch her wiggle with delight in her seat. She appears so happy and relieved.
“Hey, so why me? Why not the Viking?”
She twists her beer bottle in her hand as she looks down. “You’re more fun.”
I’m tempted to drill her for more information but I decide to let it go. “And I’m extra fun at weddings.”
“Good, I’ll be needing fun.”
I notice the tightness around her eyes. “Yeah?”
“My ex will be there with his new girlfriend. He’s the Best Man at the wedding.”
“Oh, damn. That’s awkward.”
“You have no idea,” she says with a frown.
“Well, I’m your man. I’m going to dote on you like you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. That ex is going to be full of regret for what he lost by being an inattentive asshole.”
“You’re willing to do all that for me?”
“Yeah, I’m a good guy. Remember?”
She lets out a long sigh. “The best.”
Several weeks later I find my mind wandering during my Sex Addicts meeting when it occurs to me that Elle hasn’t mentioned the Viking in well over a week. Maybe that initial thrill of getting laid whenever you have an itch has faded. Maybe his crazy ass obsession with cleanliness has finally gotten to her.
Should I feel guilty that I’m happy and want him out of the picture?
Hell no.
Elle deserves better. She’s an amazing woman and not just because she’s gorgeous and loves sex. It’s because she’s smart, strong, straight-talking, and more fun to be around than any woman I’ve ever known.
She needs a man who appreciates all of that glory. She needs someone like me who understands her.
“Paul!” Jim calls out.
I snap to attention. “Yeah?”
“I just asked you a question.”
“Sorry, got stuff on my mind.” I look around and am stunned to realize that in my stupor the meeting ended and everyone but Jim is gone.
“That broad?” he asks like that’s a bad thing.
“Her name is Elle,” I answer with my jaw so tight that I have to ungrit my teeth. “And she’s not a broad. She’s an amazing woman.”
“Is that so? You were completely checked out at this meeting. I thought you had a handle on this, man. You’ve worked so hard to get control over your obsessive behavior. I hate to see you backslide now.”
“I wouldn’t call this backsliding.”
“What would you call it? You know what she’s about and that she isn’t what you need. Have you gone over the edge already?”
“You want to know if I’ve screwed her,” I say, my fury building. I know my rage isn’t really toward Jim, but myself. What happened to me in my life that I have to sit in this church basement with a bunch of losers wondering when they can get home to their bottles of lube and porn DVDs? I’m better than this, damn it. Surely there can be worse things than being insatiable about having a desirable woman in my bed.
He nods. “Yeah, I do. You signed up for this, man. You know very well what this program is about. Have you been able to control yourself or not?”
I fold my arms over my chest and pull my shoulders back. “No.”
Jim shakes his head and his expression looks tired. “I knew it. Can’t you see that she’s become your obsession? You’re whipped. Pull yourself together, man, before you’re off the program.”