Past & Present (Love at First Sight Book 6) Read online

  My heart pounded harder than when I was ten years old and kissed a girl for the first time during a game of spin the bottle. Nothing had ever been so exhilarating and my hands clamped down tighter on her hips, pained by the fact that they couldn’t freely explore her body.

  Damn, it felt right to kiss her. Just as right as I suspected it would when I first laid eyes on her and was totally dumbstruck.

  “Ethan,” she murmured against my lips as she broke away. “I thought—”

  “I know,” I interrupted with a sigh. I eased her back to her feet, clenching my teeth when she whimpered from the loss. “We should stop now. Before I’m forced to go back on what I said.”

  She seemed surprised I was sticking to my guns and it made me ecstatic to also see a hint of disappointment. At least I wasn’t the only one with this desperate need.

  “Come on, sweetheart,” I whispered, taking her hand and guiding her to the passenger side.

  I opened the door for her like a gentleman and closed it behind her, taking the brief seconds out of her presence to mentally compose myself as well as adjust the rather uncomfortable hard-on the kiss had given me. With a wince, I realized I was in for a long night with only my palm as company. The price of being a fucking gentleman.

  4

  We waited a week before meeting for date number two. We spent the days leading up to it texting back and forth and by the time I saw her again, I felt like I knew her a little better.

  My cock begged me to take her home, but she seemed to have warmed up to the idea of taking things slow. Instead of embarrassing myself with the possibility of rejection, I didn’t mention it.

  I walked her to her door where I kissed her once again and I swore there was a moment where she looked like she was desperate to invite me in.

  I broke away before she had a chance. Another night spent in the shower with my hand and the fabricated mental image of Juliet on her knees before me.

  The next day, I came up with an idea to avoid a repeat performance. I waited until later in the evening before I called her, flopping back on my bed while I waited to hear her sweet voice.

  “Hey,” she warmly answered. “I was just thinking about you.”

  I grinned up at my ceiling. “Oh yeah? You miss me?”

  “Always,” she said with a smile in her voice.

  I wondered if she had any idea what hearing that did to me. If she knew how fast my heart was beating. How hard my dick got.

  “I had an idea,” I said as I adjusted myself, my aching cock a reminder of why I called in the first place. “You know how we agreed to get to know each other before we let things get physical?”

  “Yeah. Second thoughts?”

  “Not really. But if we keep going out—it’s going to happen. Honestly, I don’t think I’m going to make it through another kiss before wanting more.”

  There was a long pause before she hummed in agreement and asked, “So what do you propose?”

  “So glad you asked. You said you talk to your mom for a few hours every Sunday. I propose we get to know each other better without meeting. At least until we both agree that it’s time to move things to the next level.”

  Juliet made a small noise and I could just picture her nodding to herself, her eyebrows raised in an impressed expression.

  “That sounds like a really good idea.”

  “Of course it is. I thought of it.”

  “Cocky.”

  “You have no idea.”

  She let out a low, womanly laugh that sent another jolt of arousal to my cock. I sighed as I shifted myself again, wondering if maybe it’d be better just to lose the slacks altogether.

  Then again, that might lead to a conversation that would be dangerously close to what we were trying to avoid.

  “So what are you wearing right now?” Juliet whispered in a sultry tone.

  “Fuck. Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Don’t tease me,” I pleaded, resting my palm over the hard length that struggled to escape. “This is already hard enough.”

  “Hard in the metaphorical or literal way?”

  “Both,” I groaned, clenching my teeth when I heard her knowing chuckle. “And if you keep it up—I’m going to end up embarrassing myself over the phone.”

  “Hold on,” she said. I frowned when I heard a muffled noise like she’d put her hand over the speaker and a few seconds later, there was a soft thud. “I’m back. Sorry.”

  “No problem.”

  “So what was that you were saying about us having phone sex?”

  I spluttered, unable to form a coherent answer. Had she really said those words or was my wishful thinking just getting the better of me?

  “What did you just say?” I asked incredulously, my voice hoarse due to the tightness of my throat. Please, please say—

  There was a brief rustle of fabric before she practically purred, “I just took my yoga pants off.”

  The mental image of her ass in tight yoga pants was sexy. The mental image of her bending over to peel them off was something else altogether. Something inside me snapped as I jerkily yanked down my own pants and boxers just enough to free my cock from the confines.

  “Put the phone down. Take everything off,” I ordered as I scooted up the mattress until I was resting comfortably on my bed. I waited until I heard movement before I asked, “You naked?”

  “Yes.”

  “Mmm. Good girl. Now lie down on your bed and spread your legs for me.”

  “How do you know I’m in my bedroom?”

  “Well I sure as fuck hope you’re not in your living room. Don’t you have a roommate?”

  “I do,” she said with a chuckle. “All right, I’m in bed.”

  “Legs spread?” I waited until I heard her hum of confirmation before I wrapped my fist around my cock and growled, “Touch yourself.”

  “No foreplay?” she joked, but there was a breathless quality to it that made me certain she had followed my order.

  “Next time. Promise,” I grunted as I pumped my hand over my cock.

  It was embarrassing to admit, but Juliet had been getting me worked up without even trying. The memories of our two dates combined with the knowledge that she was currently touching herself while thinking of me made it nearly impossible for me to form words.

  When she moaned, I bit back a curse and closed my eyes, working my hand faster.

  It was probably a good thing we were doing it this way. Had she really been in my bed, I wouldn’t have been able to control myself enough to make it good for her.

  “Put a finger in. Let me hear it,” I panted as my cock started to throb. There was rustle before I heard the unmistakable sound of fingers sliding in and out of her wet heat and a long groan rose from my throat.

  She moaned my name and my balls drew closer to my body. Damn it. Not yet.

  “Ethan,” she repeated. “Are you—”

  “Jerking off? Fuck yes.”

  There was a breathless laugh followed by, “No. A-Are you... big?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How big?”

  I didn’t want to openly admit to measuring my cock before, but I was indeed a man. A man with a rather impressive dick in comparison to the other dicks I’d seen both at the gym and in porn.

  “Pretty big,” I grunted, not wanting to give her an exact length.

  The unfortunate part of being well-endowed was there were some women who couldn’t handle it. Or at least thought they couldn’t. I’d only ever had one woman actually back away in fear after seeing my size, but there was always some general uncertainty. The last thing I wanted was to freak her out over the phone.

  “I want it,” Juliet moaned and I nearly fucking lost it. “I like them big.”

  “Then you’re with the right man,” I said with a chuckle that died when she sucked in a shuddering breath. “You’re close.”

  It wasn’t a question. I could tell just by her breathing.

  “Y-Yeah.
I... oh, Ethan. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while.”

  Rational thought was escaping me as I approached my own climax, but I was determined to hold on long enough to talk her to it.

  “Yeah? You want me to touch you? Want me to rub your clit until you’re about to come then fill you with my cock?”

  “Yes!”

  “I want to feel how wet you get just from my fingers. Want to feel your walls clamp down on me as you come. After you soak my cock, I want to pull out and do it over and over again until you’re begging me to really fuck you.”

  I wasn’t even finished with my thought, but Juliet’s cries rose to a crescendo and I felt my balls tighten as I listened to her call my name as she came. I clenched my teeth and tightened my fist, trying to imagine that she really was coming on me.

  It was enough. Stars flashed behind my eyelids as the pressure released and a stuttering moan came out of my mouth as I worked every last drop out of my cock and onto my abdomen.

  As the post-orgasm haze faded and I realized I was laying on my bed with my pants half down and my softening cock still in my hand, I was struck by the need to go to her—to feel her beside me. The satisfaction of my release suddenly felt like... nothing.

  “Friday night,” I breathed out. “We’ll talk this week. Every night. But on Friday—”

  “We’ll do this for real,” she finished for me. “I’ll be counting the days.”

  “So will I.”

  5

  We spoke every night as promised, the anticipation growing with each conversation. We’d spend well over an hour talking about ourselves and our days before ending with a session of phone sex that progressively got better than the last.

  It got to the point that I couldn’t even hear the word Friday without feeling my dick twitch.

  On the day itself, I shocked the shit out of everyone in the office when I said we’d be cutting out two hours early. I rarely ever cut a work day short. I ignored the questioning whispers as I frantically wrapped up everything I needed to get done and I took off as soon as I was finished, not bothering to say goodbye to anyone.

  Rude? Maybe. But I had more important things to worry about.

  Like scrubbing myself clean in the shower and jerking off in the vain hope that I’d be able to last longer later that night. It’d been a long damn time since I had sex and I was determined to make sure the first time with Juliet would out-do the fantastic phone sex we’d been having for the past week.

  I still hadn’t told her my size, but she asked every night. I didn’t want to ruin the surprise. Especially not after she told me how big her favorite vibrator was and I realized I was just slightly bigger. My girl like big men and big dicks, it seemed. I was all too happy to oblige her with both.

  I froze as I reached for a shirt, trying to figure out when I started thinking of Juliet as my girl. Was she my girl? I wasn’t sure, but I intended to find out.

  If she wasn’t yet, I’d just have to make sure I had her screaming my name by the end of the night. I’d fuck any doubts about us out of her pretty little head.

  I got dressed with a frown. Maybe the better question was—when the fuck did I get so territorial? I never had such possessive thoughts about Sarah.

  My ex was the last thing I wanted on my mind, so I shrugged off the entire train of thought. It was a lot easier when my doorbell rang just as I was sliding into my black slacks.

  I jogged downstairs, groaning when the door swung open before I even got to it. That could only mean one thing.

  “Hey, hey, hey,” Layla greeted, spreading her arms wide and doing a twirl in the foyer as my brother closed the door. “Your entertainment for the night has arrived.”

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding. You couldn’t call first?”

  “You’re not happy to see us?” Layla asked with a pout. “I’m shocked. Shocked and offended. We brought scotch.”

  Mason held up the bottle and I sighed, wishing they had called in advance but appreciating the gesture nonetheless. Not even a month ago, hanging out with my brother and his wife were the only weekend plans I ever had.

  “I appreciate you coming down here to keep me company—and the scotch—but you guys got to go. I’m heading out in a few minutes.”

  Mason’s eyebrows raised in a knowing way, but Layla frowned. She looked like she was going to argue with me when her eyes lit up with recognition.

  Oh shit.

  “You have a date, don’t you?” she asked accusingly. When I didn’t reply, she started to laugh. “Please tell me it’s with the waitress.”

  “Waitress? What waitress?” Mason asked, looking between the two of us with a frown.

  “You know. The waitress from Edelman’s? I’m sure I told you,” Layla said, her face flushing when he just shook his head. “Oh shit! I can’t believe I forgot to mention it.”

  I finished the walk down the steps and tried to guide them back out the way they came while Layla gave Mason a quick rundown of our lunch together a few weeks prior. Once they were out the door, Layla reached up to drag me outside with them.

  “We’ll go, but tell me first.”

  “Yeah, it’s her.”

  “I’m so excited for you!” I could tell by the way she was bouncing on her feet. “First date?”

  “Third.”

  The bouncing stopped and an eyebrow slowly raised. Fucking hell.

  “Oooh. Tonight’s the night, eh? That explains why you’re dressed so nicely.”

  “Please don’t pry into my brother’s sex life, baby,” Mason pleaded as he took her elbow and gently tugged her toward the car. “At least not in front of me.”

  “Hey. Don’t give her any ideas,” I warned, pointing at him.

  “Too late. I’ll be calling tomorrow to see how it went.”

  “You’re a nosy little thing,” I muttered. “I’ll be sure to turn my phone off.”

  “Well, will you at least tell me how things have been in general? Is she nice?”

  Layla seemed so genuinely interested that I couldn’t deny answering her. Her concern for my well-being was touching, if not sometimes annoying as fuck.

  “It’s been great. I really like her,” I told her honestly. When a soft smile stretched at her lips, I felt a surge of gratitude. “And thanks. For pushing me to ask for her number.”

  “Anytime. Have fun tonight.” Layla grabbed the bottle of scotch from Mason and waggled her eyebrows. “We sure will.”

  Mason chuckled as she dragged him away and I watched as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair as they left. I grimaced when a memory suddenly sprang to mind—one of many nights where we all got drunk and Layla and my brother got so loud I had to sleep on the downstairs couch.

  I was happy for them to be in Miami, but even more happy when they finally found a place and moved out.

  I checked the time as soon as they left, cursing under my breath as I rushed back inside to finish getting ready. I was out the door within five minutes, unable to keep the grin off my face as I sped down the highway to Juliet’s house.

  The grin didn’t fade until I knocked on her door and found myself face-to-face with a guy. Even though I was straight, I could recognize when a man was attractive and the motherfucker who answered Juliet’s door looked like he stepped out of a cologne ad.

  I hated him immediately.

  “Hey, man. You Ethan?”

  “Yeah. Who the fuck are you?”

  So much for keeping things civil. His eyebrows ticked up a little at the hostility, but his grin told me he found it amusing. Little asshole.

  “I’m Jamie. Juliet’s almost ready. Come on in.”

  So this was Jamie. The best friend she lived with. The one she moved across the country with. The one she told all her secrets to. The one who was apparently a man with what I considered to be a feminine name.

  When he offered me a beer as a friendly gesture, I hated him more.

  “Was that Ethan at the door?” Juliet’s voice trickled th
rough the apartment. “I’m almost ready, I promise!”

  Jamie seemed to sense that I was done as fuck with him, so he shrugged and gestured to the couch before disappearing into another room. I gingerly sat down as I glanced around the room, noticing the massive amount of DVDs the two of them owned. I wondered how often they sat on this very couch and cuddled up together while watching them.

  What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn’t recall ever feeling so envious of anyone. Especially not in regards to a woman.

  Juliet emerged a few moments later, saving me from the sour turn of my mood. I smiled as soon as I saw her, relief washing over me when I realized how much work she had put into her appearance for our date. She was just as excited and nervous as I was.

  Take that, Jamie. You motherfucker.

  “You look beautiful.” I stood up to approach and realized I had to look down a little more than usual. “No heels?”

  “Not tonight. I didn’t want my feet to be sore and I was kind of hoping there would be another walk on the beach,” she said hopefully as she pulled the floor length dress to the side to reveal her sandals.

  “We can do anything you want.”

  Juliet smiled and I nearly lost myself in it. Which was when her roommate burst back into the room and broke the spell.

  “Damn. Looking good, girl,” Jamie said with a smirk as he leaned against the doorway. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  Juliet nodded and led me to the door by my elbow while I scowled at her friend. I nearly growled when I saw him give me a mocking salute just as we stepped out the door.

  “Little shithead,” I muttered at the wood, jumping when Juliet laid a hand on my shoulder.

  “Who’s a little shithead? Jamie?” she asked with a confused frown.

  I narrowed my eyes at her and nodded solemnly.

  “You didn’t tell me your roommate was so… good-looking,” I muttered, pained that I had to admit that my brand new rival was attractive. “Or that he’s a man. A man with a penis.”