I pulled up to a stoplight where a Jeep, the same style as mine waited with me. I glanced over to see I had the attention of the passengers, a group of teenage guys.
“Let’s just hope he doesn’t come out in an apron or want me to R. Kelly his ass.”
“What?”
“Pee on him or some freaky shit.”
The guys burst into laughter as I hung my head. “You just embarrassed me at a stoplight,” I hissed as I smashed onto the gas the minute the light changed.
It was all I remembered aside from the crunch of metal.
IGNORING MY PHONE, I RAN through my list of lectures and made notes. Looking around the expansive beach house, I basked in the serenity of Koti’s bubble. As soon as she got home, I was going to cook her my favorite meal and spend the night making her moan. I wasn’t taking a single fucking minute of our time together for granted. After making sure I had everything I needed I glanced at the clock. She would be home any minute. Warmth spread as I thought of the way she’d woken me up that morning, her lips wrapped around my cock before she lifted herself to sink on top of me. We didn’t utter a word, just reveled in the connection as I pulled her to me so we were chest to chest, hearts pounding as she slowly rode me until we had no choice but to break the silence with words of praise.
There was something to be said about the sex we had, but the connection we shared was what made it so fucking incredible. Koti was a safe haven, and I drank with greed from her never-ending fountain of beauty and warmth. There was always an understanding in her eyes, kindness of her words. Our relationship was effortless, she was a relatable friend and an incredible lover. She gave and gave, and I took without hesitation because even though at the heart of it, I felt selfish, I felt like she too was thriving on letting me have my way. Anything else would have been unacceptable, I knew that I cared too much about her to hurt her. If I felt for one second over the last month we shared that she had suffered in any way, I wouldn’t have returned to St. Thomas. There was no benefit in making her confess she needed me the night before, but my desire to know if the feeling was mutual was too much.
Because I needed her too, and as dangerous as it was to get that admission, I didn’t feel so alone in my ache and maybe, just maybe, my confession that I needed her the same would be enough for us for the moment.
My phone vibrated again, and I picked it up to see a local area code.
“Hello.”
“Ian, it’s
Jasmine.”
My heart sank as every nerve in my body fired. “No, oh fuck, is she all right?”
“She’s been in an accident. Some asshole t-boned her at a light but thankfully he wasn’t going that fast. She’s got a rash from the airbag, but she’s okay. I’m bringing her home now. She just didn’t want you to worry.”
“Why didn’t she call me?”
The silence confirmed my worst fear. “She had an attack?”
“Yes,” Jasmine confirmed with a whisper, “and it was nasty. They gave her some meds and she’s a little loopy.”
“Okay.”
“Just don’t walk on eggshells, okay, or she’ll know I told you.”
“I won’t.”
“Ian, at some point you aren’t going to be there, right?”
Pressing my lips together I tried to push away the burn in my chest. “Right.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing.”
On the defensive but feeling like a bastard, I answered. “I don’t want to hurt her.”
“But you’re going to. And if I’m being honest, I think you already are.”
Pacing the floor, I let out a sigh of relief when the front door opened. Koti appeared with a small red rash on the side of her nose and a larger stretch of it covering her chin.
“So today sucked,” she said with a laugh. “I’m slightly medicated.”
In an instant, she was in my arms. “I’m so sorry.” I pulled away.
“I’m totally fine. Airbags fucking hurt though just so you know, stay as far away from the wheel when you drive as you possibly can. I feel like I got punched by a heavyweight.”