More Than Lies (More Than #1)(14)

When I finish, I walk back out to retrieve my jeans. Once I have them pulled over my hips, button fastened, I go in search for another beer.

I can hear the pants coming from Misty’s bedroom. Mason has her back there and the door is wide open. I’ll let him have his fun. I’m spent and ready to crash out. If I know Mason, he’ll be another hour with her, so I might as well drink up or get some shuteye before I have to drive us home.

The latter is probably best since I will not drive drunk, again. I’m still pissed off at myself for doing it last night. What the hell was I thinking?





CHAPTER THREE





TARALYNN





Pulling in one long breath of air through my nose, the awful scent of stale cigarette smoke invades my nostrils all the way down into my lungs. My eyes snap open and I want to hurl, or maybe cough up said lungs. Either way, it’s time to get out of here. My shower and comfy bed are calling my name.

I try to untangle Jared’s limbs from around my body, but since I’m lying on my stomach with a larger and heavier frame practically on top of me is not an easy task to accomplish. Soft and gentle movements will never get him off me, so I do the only thing I can, given my circumstances. Planting my palms onto the mattress, I push my body up off the bed. The combination of that and jerking my shoulder backward, I’m able to make him stir.

Unfortunately, I’m not quick enough, and he encases my middle section with his arm. Perfect. Just perfect. “Babe, stop moving. Go back to sleep.”

“Let me up, please. I’m going home.” Please don’t make this a big deal, I chant silently in my head, but I know he will. It’s my fault. Two nights within the same week—let alone consecutive nights—are a big NO with Jared. He wants more; I don’t. Doing this to him only makes things between us worse.

His arm releases from around me and I feel him rise up onto his elbows from behind me. I’m quick this time though. I hop my naked self out of his bed and then start searching the floor for my dress. I know it’s here somewhere . . . Jared isn’t exactly the cleanest person I know, and with the lights off my task is more difficult.

“It’s three-thirty in the fucking morning, Taralynn.” Isn’t he full of the obvious? His alarm clock was staring me in the face when I opened my eyes. I know what time it is. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m ready to go home. Home, so I can breathe normal air.

The sound of sheets rustling signal Jared’s movement on the bed. Seconds later there’s the click of the lamp, and soft light filters the room. I instantly see my black panties, but when I bend to swipe them off the floor, Jared’s palm connects with my butt. I yelp from the quick bolts of pain. I should have expected that. He loves my ass. I have no idea why, but it becomes his obsession when we’re together.

“Was that necessary?”

“Always. Don’t leave.” He leans back against the wooden slats of the headboard. The smooth satin cloth that held my wrists in place a few hours ago while he drove his cock into me is still looped through the center of the headboard. Jared likes to play rough, which is a huge turn-on for me and keeps me coming back for more.

“I’m not staying.” I never stay and he should be used to it by now. Last night was an exception because I was hurt and mad. And by the time Jared and I finished wringing every ounce of pleasure out of each other, I was exhausted and accidentally fell asleep.

“Why not?” Reaching over to the nightstand, he retrieves a half empty pack of Marlboro lights and his lighter. My nose scrunches up as I push myself into gear. The sooner I’m dressed, the sooner I’m out of his room that’s about to smell more like an ashtray than it does now.

“Don’t do this.” I slip my legs into the silk material of my Victoria’s Secret underwear, pulling them over my thighs until they meet my core. I strap on my bra and continue, “It’s just sex. It’s always been just sex, and you told me you could deal with that arrangement.”

I bend once more to pick up my dress, but this time my butt is facing away from him. My ass does not need any more attention tonight. I don’t know what he used on me earlier, but eventually he replaced his hand with a flexible material. Perhaps a belt; I’m not certain since I never asked. I was too lost in the painful, yet amazingly pleasurable sensation.

Does that make me a screwed-up person? Maybe. Hell, do not let my mother find out. She would light my butt on fire. Literally.

“I handle our arrangement just fine, baby. Doesn’t mean I don’t want more of you.” After my dress is in place I look at him. He’s disappointed. He’s always disappointed when I leave like this. “Look, if you’re determined, then let me throw some clothes on and I’ll take you.”

“I don’t think so. You’re still drunk.”

“And you’re not?”

“I didn’t say that. I live a half mile from here. It’s no biggie, I can walk and be there in ten minutes.” I don’t give him a chance to think it over. I bolt from his room without so much as a goodbye kiss.

Once I’m down the stairs, I almost run into large body on my way to the front door.

“Whoa, T.” I look up to see Cole, Jared’s best friend. Hair so blond it’s almost white, baby blue eyes, and a crooked grin greet me. Cole reminds me of Mason. They are both the easy going, go-with-the-flow type of guys. Cole dubbed me “T” when I met him during the first week of our freshman year of college. He and Jared had also met that week and quickly fell into a tight friendship.