Crazy Dreams Read online

  I sucked harder on him, letting him know exactly where I wanted him to come. And come he did.

  When I was finally able to take a breath, Stone was standing over me, hands still entangled in my hair, gasping for air. I smiled a little at his lack of ability to move, and when I pulled away, he moved his hands to the vanity, gripping the countertop so hard his knuckles turned white. I got up and stood next to him, watching his face in the mirror.

  His eyes met mine and I was shocked by their intensity. He was still turned on, and I was, too. As much as I wanted to let things go further with him, I was already starting to regret my actions. We were practically strangers, and I was ashamed of my own behavior. I turned away from him to go out the door.

  His hand gripped my arm, not painfully, but he whipped me around, his naked body far to o close for comfort , as he looked me in the eye. “We aren’t even close to done,” he promised.

  Just as he leaned in to kiss me, my phone went off, loud and demanding in my pocket. Silently thanking the heavens, I gave him a sly smile and pulled it out to look at the caller id. My mother. I didn’t actually want to talk to her, but I didn’t want to deal with Stone at the moment, either, so I considered her the lesser of two evils.

  “It’s my mom,” I said, pushing him away. “Gotta answer it.” I opened up the bathroom door and slipped out, leaving him stark naked behind me.

  I sighed in the hallway and then answered the call. “Hey, Mom.”

  “What took you so long to answer? It rang six times,” she barked, her voice clipped and obviously pissed. Great.

  “I was in the bathroom,” I admitted. I left out exactly what I was doing in there, though. “Is something wrong?”

  “Oh. Well okay then. How’s Nashville?” she asked, though I could tell she didn’t actually care.

  “It’s interesting,” I said, thinking about just how interesting it had been so far.

  “Is that all you’ve got to say about it?”

  I laughed. “Mom, it’s my first day here. Everything is fine , and I’m just getting settled in. You barely gave me any time to have anything to talk about.” Except for my smokin’ hot roommate.

  “Fine then,” she huffed. “Call me later this week, okay? And have something to say other than that you don’t have anything to say.” She hung up.

  I had to laugh at her brand of crazy. She always claimed to be busier than she was, as if to talk to anyone was a nuisance, taking up her precious time. I sighed, ducking back into my room. I needed a minute to process what happened in the bathroom. I went to toss my phone on the desk and noticed I had texts.

  I opened them up and smiled. The first was from Baker.

  Baker: Miss you kiddo. Hope things are well in Nashville. I’ll be coming through next week.

  He was so sweet. He did a good job keeping up with me, even if he wasn’t ever around. I was used to it, though. I looked at him at as older brother who checked in once in a while and I knew he cared about me as a little sister. Even with Rainey gone, he made sure to make an effort. His motorcycle trip had turned into him being a bit of a drifter, but I didn’t mind. I knew how hard my sister’s death was on him.

  The second message was from Mallory, who, despite being a new mom, still thought of me.

  Mallory: Checking in. How was your flight?

  I responded to each of them, letting them know how excited I was to be in Nashville, to get away for a little while, anyway. I knew it wasn’t permanent, but it was all so new, so fresh, and I couldn’t wait to get to know the city better.

  Baker responded first.

  Baker: Glad things are going good. You deserve to be happy.

  I sighed. Everyone I knew said that to me at some point or another. I knew it was true, but for a long time, I wanted to be sad. I wanted to live in the depressed state I’d been in for so long. Dad’s death had been hard on me, but Rainey’s was harder, probably because we’d gotten so close after Dad’s death. Not to mention I watched Rainey’s health deteriorate. I was helpless to do anything but hold her hand as she faded away to nothing.

  Just thinking about watching her die brought tears to my eyes. I blinked them away as best I could. With a deep breath, I wiped away the remaining drops off my cheeks and pushed all sad thoughts out of my head. After mourning so long, I realized how right Baker was. I deserved to be happy.

  Nine

  Stone

  I stood there, dumbfounded in the bathroom for a full five minutes before I was able to move or form a coherent thought. I didn’t fully understand what the hell just happened, but I wasn’t going to deny I enjoyed myself. The problem was, I enjoyed myself far too much. Ember was skilled and passionate. I wanted so much more from her.

  Her taking a phone call from her mother, of all people, was just a cop out. She was probably ashamed of her behavior. At the very least, I was willing to bet she regretted it. I wanted to regret it, wanted to say it was wrong or bad, but I couldn’t. We were explosive together, and we were practically strangers, something that struck me as more than a little odd. I wasn’t the type to jump into relationships. I’d been with my high school sweetheart for seven years, she was my first and I never cheated.

  I wasn’t a player by any means, but I knew my way around women. Since moving to Nashville, I just hadn’t had much interest in any of them. Until Ember.

  She was enigmatic and fun, easy to talk to and delightful. I enjoyed teasing her and she seemed to enjoy it, too. I wanted her more than I ever wanted any woman. It didn’t seem real. I never believed I would be one to fall into lust at first sight, but even I had to admit that’s what it was. I’d never be so naïve to call it love, but this girl… There was something about her that drew me in, made me want to please her in any possible way I could. It was ridiculous, but I couldn’t change the way my body reacted to her.

  I hopped in the shower and turned on the cold water. I needed to stay away from her. Sexually, at least. She might want a summer fling, but I had absolutely no interest in that. It was all or nothing for me. Which meant I’d be filling my summer with cold showers and jerking. I definitely needed to invest in a real lock for the damn door.

  After my shower, I dried off and wrapped the towel firmly around my waist. I opened up the door to make sure the coast was clear and then walked into my room. I dressed quickly and went out to the living room. I wasn’t prepared for Ember to be waiting for me.

  She was scantily clad, though I liked to think it wasn’t for me, in shorts and a tank top. Her blonde hair was curly around her shoulders and her legs were crossed as she sat on the couch. She was tan and hot as hell and the sight of her kicked me in the gut. I ignored my rising desire and went to the fridge in the kitchen. Ignoring her altogether seemed like a good idea, too.

  She was messing with her phone, ignoring me just as much as I ignored her, but it didn’t feel right from her. I thought she might be trying to play hard to get. No matter how hard the getting got, I refused to play into her game. I wasn’t about to get my ass kicked by Dallas. I pulled a Coke out of the fridge and sucked half of it down before I took a breath. When I lowered the can, she was standing on the other side of the island, staring at me intently.

  “What happened earlier was a bad idea,” she started, her big green eyes sincere.

  I agreed, but it still stung my ego to hear her say the words. “Of course.”

  “I mean, I’ve been messed up, emotionally, for the last few years. My dad died, and then my sister… I just did it to be impulsive. And because you’re crazy hot,” she said.

  Her admission had my cock rising, but I told myself she wasn’t coming on to me, and I was able to control myself. “I get it. Let’s forget it ever happened.” I hoped she would forget. And never tell Dallas.

  “Agreed.” She stuck her hand out for me to shake.

  I grasped her hand and there it was: a spark of electricity. She jumped but I held on to her hand as the initial pain of the shock wore off. “Agreed.” I let my eyes bore into h
ers and she finally pulled away, staring at her hands.

  “I really want to sing with you, though,” she admitted, eyes still downcast.

  I smiled. “I’d like that, too. We can work on it tomorrow. You must be exhausted from the long day. Want to watch a movie? I’ll make popcorn.”

  She lifted her head and her eyes lit up. “That sounds great.”

  “I’ll get started. Dallas has a huge DVD library. Pick one out and I’ll get the popcorn started,” I directed her to the large bookcase filled with DVDs.

  She walked over to the bookshelf while I pulled out a pan to cook some corn. “What are you in the mood for? Scary, comedy, romantic, Sci-Fi?”

  I laughed. “Comedy.” No way , I was getting pulled into a scary or romantic movie. Sci-Fi wasn’t something I was interested in, either.

  As the oil heated up on the stove, I turned to watch her as she picked one out. She hummed as she searched through the movies , and it took me a second to realize she was humming the tune to my song. I couldn’t help but smile. The single kernel in the pan popped and I knew turned away from her, focusing on making popcorn.

  A few minutes later, she’d put a movie in the DVD player and was sitting on the couch. I brought over a big bowl of popcorn, covered in butter and salt and she looked at it in disgust.

  “Don’t you have an air-popper?”

  “Hell no! This is the only real way to eat popcorn! And don’t try to play like you aren’t hungry, either. We skipped dinner,” I said.

  “We had a late lunch,” she countered.

  I sighed as I sat down next to her. “Shut up and eat the popcorn.”

  She laughed as the movie started.

  The opening credits came across the screen and I was surprised she picked one of my favorite movies. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, along with Joe Pesci and Chris Rock made for a hilarious cast, even if the movie was sixteen years old. I set the popcorn bowl between us, tempting Ember. She shook her head, but as the movie played, I caught her grabbing a few handfuls.

  It was natural, sitting there, watching a movie together. It felt like we were old friends, like we met years, not hours ago. I couldn’t understand it. I had no explanation for the ease of our friendship. Even after the bathroom blowjob, things went right back to the way they’d been before then: completely normal. We didn’t act as if we’d been intimate and there wasn’t any embarrassment.

  As the movie came to a close, I tried not to let my mind wander to things like what she wore to bed, if she wore anything at all. I blew out a breath in frustration. I didn’t want to be attracted to the blonde minx, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. It did help, a little, at least, that she seemed completely unaffected by our close proximity. She kept her head straight, eyes always on the television during the whole film.

  The end credits rolled and she stood up almost immediately. “I’m beat. Goodnight.”

  She was out of the living room before I even had a chance to reply. Odd.

  Ten

  Ember

  The next morning, I slept in, something I hadn’t done for a long time. To my surprise, Stone wasn’t up yet. I had him pegged for a morning person, but what did I know? I’d been so preoccupied last night, focusing all my attention on ignoring him completely. It was hard, too, with him sitting so close. Even with the bowl between us, I could smell his cologne, musky and sweet. He was driving me to distraction. I couldn’t even remember watching the movie. I was such a lost pup, I knew, but the reality was, our situation wasn’t a permanent one. Eventually, I would be going back to Maine, back to college, and back to the life of modeling I didn’t want.

  It was easy to pretend I wouldn’t be leaving, but it was a lie. Which was why I said the things I said to him the night before. His simple and immediate agreement sort of pissed me off, but I didn’t let it show. It was what I wanted. I think. My stupid brain wouldn’t function properly around him.

  I picked up a banana off the counter, peeled it, and then took a few bites, leaning my hip against the marble countertop. Working with him would only make my life more difficult, but no matter what justifications I gave myself, I couldn’t stay away from Stone completely. Something about him tugged at my soul, pulling me toward him in any way shape or form.

  I told myself I could handle the attraction, ignore it, even. Even I knew I was lying, but for the time being, it was all I could do. I tossed the banana peel in the trash and then went to my room to change.

  I put on a pair of running shorts, a sports bra, and a racer-back tank top. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and put my ear buds in my ears. I attached the other end to my phone, starting up my favorite playlist and then tucking my phone into my workout strap. I wrapped the strap around my arm, securing the Velcro. I went back into the living room, ears full of music and ducked out of the apartment.

  When I reached the sidewalk, I did a few stretches before starting. I turned right, away from the apartment and started my jog. Running was such a natural high. It was invigorating. The temperature was already steamy, which meant I sweat so much more than I ever did back in Maine. I didn’t mind while I ran. I loved how it felt, a soft breeze coursing through my hair, whipping my ponytail back and forth across my back.

  The city was gorgeous. I took in as much as I could while I ran. I picked up the pace three blocks away from the apartment and sprinted for another six blocks. I stopped at a busy intersection, decided to turn around, and slowed down. For the final three blocks back to the apartment, I sped up again, running as fast as I could.

  By the time I walked through Dallas’s apartment again, I was breathing hard but I felt great. I grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and downed half of it without taking a breath. I made my way to my room, grabbing some clothes for the day. I went into the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day.

  I kept the water cool; the spray felt so good against my body, washing away all the sweat I’d worked up on my run.

  By the time I stepped out of the shower, I felt refreshed, vibrant. I wrapped a towel around my hair and then dried off my body. I pulled on my jean shorts, the new ones I bought on my shopping spree and paired them with a pale yellow top. The chiffon material was light and airy on such a hot day. I had no idea what I was going to be doing, but it was hot outside, so if I did anything outdoors, at least I wouldn’t die of heat exhaustion.

  I grabbed my dirty clothes and towels, piled them in my arms and walked out into the hallway, nearly running into Stone.

  He mumbled unintelligibly, slipping past me into the bathroom. Definitely not a morning person. I bit back a laugh as he slammed the door shut. I tossed my laundry into the basket in my room, unwrapping my hair and tossing that towel in the laundry, too.

  I ran my fingers through my hair, detangling it. I always styled my hair like Rainey. Not on purpose; it just sort of happened. Especially now that she was gone. The length was similar to hers, too, which made it difficult for so many people, like Baker and Dallas, to look at me and not see her. I was tempted to dye my hair on a number of occasions, but I loved my hair. Blonde might be a cliché, but I didn’t care. I was smart; my hair color didn’t determine my brain capacity.

  I could hear the shower in the bathroom turn on, so I grabbed a comb out of the top drawer of the dresser and ran it through my hair. I plugged in my hair dryer and then leaned forward to flip my hair. I blow dried my hair completely. When I shut it off, the shower was off. I tried not to think about Stone, naked in the bathroom. Yeah, right.

  He was too damn good-looking for his own good. And mine. All I wanted was to lick his sexy body, from his tantalizing abs to his exquisite pecs, and then back again a few times. I definitely wanted to suck his dick again. He was bigger than most guys I’d been with, but not scary big. He was perfect. And I loved how he tasted. I licked my lips, remembering how delicious his semen was.

  I wanted him too much. At some point, I was going to let my attraction for him slip again, even if I didn’t mean for it to happen. I
sighed, hoping it wouldn’t be any time soon.

  Forcing myself to ignore the quietness of the bathroom, I made my way to the kitchen. I wanted to make a healthy breakfast, so I started pulling items out of the fridge and cupboards. I set out enough for two, though I wasn’t sure if Stone even ate breakfast. I didn’t want to be rude.

  “Something smells good,” he said from behind me, a few minutes later.

  “At least you’re coherent now,” I commented.

  “Huh? Oh. Yeah, sorry about that. I’m not much of an early riser. Did I hear you leave the house at six?” He sat on one of the barstools, not stepping into my little domain.

  “Yeah. I went for a run.”

  “Why?” He looked so confused.

  I laughed a little. “Exercise is good for you that’s why.”

  “I don’t work out unless I have to,” he mumbled.

  My brow rose. “Liar.”

  “Okay, my trainer says I have to three times a week,” he said.

  I let out a full laugh that time. “You have a trainer? I’m a model and I don’t even have a trainer.”

  “Yeah, what’s up with that?”

  “What, me not having a trainer?” I asked, flipping two omelets in the pan. It did smell good and my stomach growled.

  “No, I mean you being a model, period. Why would you go into that kind of profession?” He choked a little on the word profession, but I chose to ignore it.

  “I didn’t really choose, I guess,” I explained, sliding each omelet on to a plate and then setting the fruit I’d sliced up next to each egg. I put a plate in front of him and I stood across from him with my plate, not wanting to sit.

  “Thanks,” he said, digging in.

  “It was more like I didn’t have a clue what I wanted, so my mother chose for me,” I continued, using my fork to push the fruit back and forth across my plate. “I never fought her or anything, so it became a routine. It wasn’t until Rainey died that I realized it wasn’t what I wanted.”