Risk (Gentry Boys #2)(35)

“Got to have you,” Creed groaned as his hands dove between my legs.

I tried to pull my senses together. We couldn’t very well screw right here on the banks of Tempe Town Lake.

Creed saw my sudden hesitation. He jerked his head to the nearly empty parking lot. “Car?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He kept a firm arm around me as we walked back to my car. Creed took his shirt off and got in the backseat. I climbed in after him and he pulled my legs around his waist while yanking his pants down at the same time. He whipped out a condom and had it unwrapped and rolled on within seconds. The speed with which he managed to get it done was almost poetic.

“That’s some talent you’ve got,” I told him, impressed yet at the same time trying not to think about why he was such an expert at condom application.

Creed reached down and pushed the fabric of my panties aside. He was so hard and he was right there.

“I’ve got a better talent,” he growled and then pushed into me.

I swiveled my head around, looking out the windows to make sure no one was around.

“Hey.” Creed gently turned my head back to him. “Just look at me. There’s nothing else you need to see.” He pushed my skirt over my waist and clutched my bare hips.

“Oh shit,” I moaned as he went deeper. “Goddammit to hell and everywhere above, I need to ride you Creed!”

“Damn right, baby. So do it.”

Creed helped me get the rhythm. My hips screamed from the effort but I didn’t let up. He pushed my shirt up impatiently and unhooked my bra. I could feel the frame of the car shaking as our bodies moved together. When I came it was to the feel of my bare breasts sliding up and down his hard chest.

“Creedence,” I moaned as I was overcome by the explosion.

“One minute, honey. Keep going strong. Aw f*ck yeah, like that.”

I held him to me, kissing his forehead, his cheeks, his lips, as he shuddered to a stop. After he withdrew he leaned back with a sigh and smiled. My hair was damp with sweat and he pushed it behind my ears as he lazily stared at me.

“What?” I asked, feeling a bit self-conscious that once again Creed was able to bust right through any wall of propriety I tried to put up.

“Nothing. I don’t need to ask permission to look at you.”

I rolled my eyes. My hands fumbled over the buttons of my shirt as I got everything back where it was supposed to be. I looked outside but saw only empty darkness beyond the steamed up windows. My legs were a little cramped. Creed watched as I climbed off him and smoothed my skirt out. His pants were still wide open. He didn’t seem to mind.

“You want to know something?” I blurted.

“About you? Yes.”

I bit my lip. “There was a time in my life when it wouldn’t have bothered me at all to climb into the backseat of a car the way we just did.”

He frowned slightly. “Does it bother you now?”

I shook my head. “No. I mean, not with you. But I’ve done some things that weren’t very bright. I’ve trusted men I shouldn’t have. And sometimes I paid mightily for those risks.”

Creed was silent.

I took a deep breath. “What am I risking, Creed? With you?”

He pointedly slid the condom off. “Nothing.”

It was like pulling teeth. He just stared at me with a flat expression and kept his thoughts to himself. Saylor had once described Creed as impenetrable. It was a good word for him. With a hiss of disgust I started to climb into the front seat. Creed grabbed me and pulled me back into his lap.

“Don’t go,” he whispered. He held me tightly. “Tell me more about the ocean.”

“What for?”

He sighed into my hair. “Because I’ve only ever seen it once. And because I like the sound of your voice.”

I closed my eyes and allowed him to cradle me against his chest. It was hot in the car but we stayed there for a long time. I told him about the perpetual music of the seagulls and the sharp pain of stepping on a broken seashell. Then I talked about falling sleep in a sand dune and awakening to my sisters’ screeching terror as the tide rolled through the darkness and found the lot of us.

Creed lightly ran his fingers up and down my arm. I knew he heard every word I said. At one point he turned my head and kissed me with such gentle sweetness it brought tears to my eyes. I rested my head on his shoulder and tried to quiet the private scream inside my head so he wouldn’t know what I was really thinking just then.

Damn you, Creedence. What are you doing to me?





CHAPTER FOURTEEN


CREED



When Truly shyly asked me to come back to her place I was glad. She wasn’t sure if her roommate would be around but even if she was that was still far less people to deal with than at my apartment.

When she had started in on a heavy topic earlier I wasn’t prepared. I’d never spoken a word about the shit hanging over my head with the fight and all. Since she hadn’t brought it up I figured Saylor didn’t tell her either.

Even aside from all that, I didn’t know what kind of conversation she wanted to have. Whatever was going on here was new to me. That’s where I sensed a wide difference between us. Truly had been hurt. I understood that much. She’d given her heart away and then suffered for it. I’d never given my heart to anyone other than my brothers. I wasn’t sure I could.