The Suit (18 page)

Suit is silent all day as we work. I’ve given him a few knowing smiles, remembering last night, but he jerks his eyes away from me every time. I tell myself, he’s tired. After all, we we’re up all night with Night Rider and fooling around in the field, so of course, he’s tired. He also decided to run for an hour in this insane heat when we all took a break so I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. But when the day is done and we head up to the house, he showers, changes, and leaves without saying a word to me.

Around midnight I consider calling him, but I quickly change my mind. I’m not his girlfriend. It’s not my place to check in on him. At one in the morning, I hear heavy thuds as someone climbs the stairs of the porch. I climb out of bed and peek out my window to see the suit leaning on Nikki as they near the front door. I bolt to the door and open it just as they reach it. Nikki gives me a
you owe me
look, while Suit hums
Sweet Home Alabama
drunkenly to himself.

“Found him at Earl’s like this. Thought I’d bring him home.” Nikki grunts as the suit leans on her and stumbles.

I grab his other arm and drape it over my shoulders and together we drag him inside. “Where to?” Nikki asks.

“I guess my room, since
it’s closer.”

Once we manage to get him on the bed, we both set about removing his shoes when his hand grabs my ass. “I swear you have the
greatest ass, Edie James.” His words slur slightly and Nikki and I chuckle. “You’re a good girl,” he says softly, his hand still on my ass.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Suit.” I say as I tug his shoe off and toss it over my shoulder.

His hand falls away and a little snore escapes him. Nikki and I giggle and tiptoe out of the room as if the sound of us walking might wake him. I’m pretty sure a firing squad couldn’t wake him right now. “Thanks for bringing him home,” I tell Nikki. “I guess he was having a bad day.” I plop down on the sofa and Nikki sits beside me.

“Joey apparently caught you two this morning and gave him an earful.”

“What?” 

“He’s so drunk he was mumbling about it on the way home. Joey told him you’re a good girl and he should leave you alone.”

Suddenly it all makes sense. “So that’s why he was acting so cold to me all day?” I shake my head.

“Edie, the guy’s got it bad for you. It’s not hard to see.” Nikki kicks off her shoes and folds her legs under her on the couch.

“Don’t say that, Nikki. It doesn’t matter. He’s going to leave, regardless. If I think he’s feeling even an inkling of what I am and he leaves, it’ll hurt that much more.”

“You should talk to him. Maybe you guys can work something out.”

“If he had feelings for me, he’d never admit to them and I’d just humiliate myself. It’s better to leave things unsaid.”

“Whatever you say.” Nikki pats my leg. She stays fifteen more minutes and even though I offer for her to crash here, she opts to go home. Suit is snoring like a bear and taking up most of my bed so I curl up on the couch and read one of my trashy novels until I pass out.

I awake to the sound of my cell phone chirping.
Another text from Ainsley.

Morning, handsome.
I hope you have a great day.

I groan
. I have to end this. I quickly text back.

I’ll be in town next week
. Can we meet for lunch?

I’ve barely hit send when I get her response.

Yes! I can’t wait to see you! Murphy’s at 1pm—Monday?

I send back
:
Sounds good.

A part of me feels like I should tell Edie about Ainsley, but I remind myself I’m not with Ainsley. I’m not cheating on her so there’s really nothing to tell. But there have been quite a few instances where Ainsley has called or texted while I’m with Edie and when I mute the call or ignore the text, she eyes me a little suspiciously, but she never asks. As I toss my cell on the nightstand, I cringe as my head pounds. I haven’t felt this bad from drinking in a while. Edie let me sleep in, and when I finally crawl out of her bed I find she even left me breakfast in the microwave. All of that after I bailed on her last night without a word. After I almost swallow my meal whole, I head down to the stables and notice Edie riding Night Rider on the training track, warming him up. Trish is standing on the bottom railing of the fence watching, stop watch in hand. Edie is galloping Night Rider and when she reaches the first mile marker she gives him some rein so Night Rider can really open up. It’s a quick breeze, the horse is incredibly fast. Looks like the
black stud is feeling much better and running well. The horse should be my focus, but it’s the rider I can’t take my eyes off of. Edie looks so determined. I know she’s worried about placing in the next race, but I’m not. Night Rider will make top three. I just know it.

I walk down to the fence as Edie nears and I hold the horse for her as she slips off. “Good morning, sunshine,” she greets and smiles.

“More like afternoon, isn’t it?” Trish jokes.

“Trish, will you take him?”

Trish grabs Night Rider’s lead and takes him away.

“He’s looking good,” I note.

“Yeah.” Edie grins. “He’s looking real good. You…not so much.”

I snort. “I feel like ass.”

We start walking towards the barn and an awkward silence looms between us. I know she’s wondering what happened last night and why I came home in such a way. When we reach the stables, Edie begins loading her truck with tools and wood. I join her in her effort and close the tailgate when we’re done.

“Do you want to help me mend some fences?” she asks as she heads to the driver’s side.

“Sure,” I shrug and climb in the passenger side.

We head down to the far side of the pasture where a few of the top boards of the fence are broken. “Damn horses jumping them,” she grumbles as we begin pulling out all of the materials we brought with us. We get busy working, the sun beaming down on us, making us sweat. I can’t help but stare at her when she stops and grabs a bottle of water from the cooler she packed. Her hair is up, but there are loose strands slicked to her skin. When she finishes her first gulp, her gaze meets mine and
she smiles meekly. “Like what you see?” She fights a grin, quoting me from the first time I caught her checking me out.

I stare at her a moment and her smile fades as she tilts her head to the side. She’s stunning and I realize I don’t want to leave her. I want her to be mine. I know it goes against everything I thought I wanted, but I think I
need Edie James to be mine. Swallowing hard, I take a deep breath. Should I tell her how I’m feeling?

“I think I’m falling for you, Edie.” The words have left my mouth and there’s no turning back.

Edie squeezes her eyes closed and sighs. That’s definitely not the reaction I was expecting.  “I’m sorry, Suit. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you I haven’t developed feelings for you, too. Feelings that go beyond what we agreed to. But I know you and I are different. As much as I’d like to see where this could go, I know it would never work.”

We pause and stare at each other and I’m at a loss for words. Part of me believes she’s right, but another part doesn’t care if she’s right. I want her. I want her to be mine. But I don’t want to pressure her or force myself on her.

She approaches me slowly, placing her hands on my chest as she stares into my eyes. “I’m yours until the day you leave…if you want me to be.”

I nod, unable to speak.

“Let’s only think of today, not the end of the summer. Okay?”

“Okay,” I say, huskily. With that, she kisses me tenderly and I can’t help but wrapping my arms around her and pressing her to me. She’s right. Maybe we only have the summer, but I’m going to squeeze every drop of happiness out of it.

When Suit told me he’s falling for me, my heart soared. But then I realized that no matter what either of us might be feeling, it could never work. I won’t leave the farm. It’s my life and if he stayed for me, he’d end up hating me. Maybe we could attempt a long distance relationship, but those never seem to last. So it is, at the end of the summer, no matter how much it will hurt, John Wilson will leave my life, leaving me devastated. But right now, while he’s here, I’ll soak up every drop of him I can. I’ll make every memory count so that when he goes, maybe those memories will hold me over until I heal and can move on.

We spend the week working and preparing Night Rider for his race. We’re both confident that he’ll place in the top three so I try to relax. Two days before I leave with Joey to take Night Rider to race and Suit leaves to head to New York, we decide to stay in and cook dinner together. A few days ago, I challenged Suit to pick through my books and find one with a scene he’d like to play out. He must’ve sat on my bedroom floor for hours skimming through pages trying to find one that he liked. He’s supposed to present his choice tonight after dinner so we can act it out.

“So, what did you come up with?” I ask him as he dices a cucumber for our salad.

“I’m sorry?” He feigns being clueless.

I roll my eyes. “The book, Suit. Which one did you pick?”

“You’ll see. Patience is a virtue, Ms. James.”

“Can
’t I at least know the name of the book?” I beg, surprised by how excited I am.

Suit puts down the knife he’s been dicing with and pulls me so that my back is to the counter and his body is pressed against my front. His gorgeous brown eyes beam into mine and I have to bite my lip. This man can make me wet with just a look. I think about saying the hell with dinner and asking him to take me on the kitchen floor. But before I can make my request, he kisses me hard and passionately, his tongue dipping between my lips. I fist his T-shirt and kiss him back, greedily, letting him know just how badly I want him.

When he pulls away, I know my cheeks are pink because I can feel the heat on my skin. Giving me a wolfish grin, one full of promises of what he plans to do to me tonight, he turns, picks his knife back up and begins dicing the cucumber again, leaving me still leaning against the counter, hot and bothered. “Tease,” I huff, forcing myself up.

Since our discussion the day we were mending the fence, things between Suit and me have been cozy. We flirt and hold hands and snuggle on the couch. He no longer sleeps in the guest room, but in my bed with me every night. It’s been amazing.

When we finish dinner, after we do the dishes, Suit instructs me to wait for him in the living room while he grabs his selection. I do as I’m told, anxious about what he has in mind. When he returns, he’s holding the book behind his back, a devilish grin on his face.

“So tonight, you will narrate. If you stop, I stop. Got it?”

I smirk at him as curiosity claws at me.
What has he picked?

He hands me the book, already opened where he wants me to begin. I scan the page and bite my lip.

“Before you start, go ahead and undress. Leave your panties though.”

I do as he said and strip down. When I’m done, I pick the book up and clear my throat. “Are you ready?” I ask nervously.

“As I’ll ever be.” He nods, his gaze lingering on my breasts that now feel swollen and heavy.

Archer was unlike any man I had ever been with. He was raw sex, emanating a power that would likely bring me to my knees.

I stop reading momentarily to glance at Suit who has already pulled his shirt off and is beginning to unbutton his jeans. My gaze hangs on him longer than I intend, but I can’t help it. He’s so damn sexy. “Keep going,” he encourages me.

When I woke up this morning, I never imagined I’d be standing practically naked in front of Archer King, but here I am. Wet and ready for him.

“Touch yourself, Kayla. Tell me how wet you are for me,” he orders, and my knees nearly buckle beneath me.

I glanc
e up at Suit as he steps toward me. When he’s only an inch or so away and I can feel the heat radiating from him, in a husky voice he says, “Touch yourself, Kayla. Tell me how wet you are for me.”

I’m so turned on right now I can barely breathe. But I do as I’m told. My free hand that isn’t holding the book slowly ventures down, slipping beneath my lace panties until my fingers feel the warm slickness. I whimper at my own touch as I rub my clit in circular motions.

“You better keep reading if you want me to keep going,” Suit reminds me. “Don’t stop touching yourself,” he adds.

My eyes, which I can barely keep open enough to read, scan the pages for the place I left off. I continue rubbing myself, my climax building as I begin to read again.

I do as Archer tells me. I had heard from other girls in school he liked to watch the women he bedded get themselves off. I hated myself for doing it, for becoming just one of many of his lovers, but in that moment, I’d have done anything he told me to.

I stop reading and throw my head back as my first orgasm spirals through me. Reading erotica and getting off to it simultaneously is equal parts torture and pleasure.

“Continue,” Suit orders.

With a somewhat shaky voice I proceed.

After I come, by my own hand, Archer is behind me, his body pressed to mine. My skin feels like electricity zinging everywhere he is touching. Without a word, his fingers loop the sides of my thong and rip them.

As I read, Suit follows my narration and when he rips my thong, I have to squeeze my legs together.

Now I’m naked, completely exposed to the man I both want and fear. I swallow hard as he rounds me, my shredded panties in his hand. His gaze locks to mine and I bite my lip as he raises the destroyed garment to his nose and inhales deeply.

I have to stop reading. I absolutely have to watch him do this. Holy shit, this is hot. He follows the book verbatim and when he inhales my panties, he closes his eyes as if it’s the most wonderful thing he’s ever done. Wow. Just…wow. I have never wanted someone more than I want him right now. I need him inside of me and I need him now. But I know he will make me read, so I tear my eyes away, frantically searching for the place I left off.

Archer smiled wickedly at me before he growled, “You smell so fucking sweet. I’m going to ruin you, Kayla.”

His words were like a shot of adrenaline and before I realized what was happening, he guided me to the couch, forcing me to bend at the waist in front of it, using my hands to support myself.

Before I know it, Suit is behind me and my ass in the air, making me completely exposed and at his mercy. I flatten the book between my hands and continue.

I wasn’t experienced in the sex department and for a moment I thought maybe Archer was working toward some anal play.

I glance back at Suit with a questioning brow. He shakes his head letting me know that’s not what’s going down. “Not yet anyway,” he adds. I’m glad I’m facing away from him so he doesn’t see my eyes about to bug out of my head. I decide not to question it. That’s a conversation for another time.

Minutes passed as I waited nervously, wondering what Archer would do next. Suddenly, he slapped my ass and the sting, although slightly painful, was also completely hot. I whimpered and he shushed me.

“I can’t wait to taste you, Kayla,” Archer growled, falling to his knees directly behind me, his hands grabbing my ass, squeezing hard as his face pressed between my cheeks.

Oh my God. His nose is…

My thoughts or insecurities vanished as his tongue began stroking and pumping my core, his nose applying just the right amount of pressure to my posterior area.

The suit is on point, his face exactly where Archer’s is. Although, unlike Kayla, I have no reservations about it. It feels fucking fantastic. His hands grip my ass tightly and he’s rocking me slightly as he thrusts his tongue inside of me. I close my eyes, moans escaping me as my orgasm builds. I’m so close…almost there when he suddenly stops.

I jerk my head to him, agony flooding me at the loss of my almost orgasm, to find him staring at me.

“Why did you stop?”

“Because you stopped reading.”

“Are you serious?” I snap. “Do you know how hard it is to try and read and come at the same time?”

“Keep reading.” He ignores my question.

With a groan, I find my place and continue. Actually, I backpedal slightly so he can start over.

Once we’re back in position…

“Oh God, Archer,” I moaned, and then it happened. My orgasm exploded and I cried out. Archer didn’t stop until my body relaxed, falling against the couch. When he backed away, I moved to stand, but he bent me back over.

“I’m not done with you yet.” His voice was husky and rich with promises of wicked things. Moments passed, my behind in the air, waiting for his next move and when I felt him behind me again, I closed my eyes, praying he would take me.

With that thought, he plunged inside of me. I was so wet, ready for him, he slid right in, but his entrance made me shriek, the fullness such a shock.

“Oh fuck....Kayla,” Archer hissed as his hands gripped my hips tightly.

The moment Suit enters me, I moan, and I can’t help the, “Thank you,” that escapes my lips in a whisper.

Suit growls and after a moment manages to recite Archer’s line, but I can tell he’s struggling and he’s not even the one trying to read a damn book while doing this. He doesn’t move and I realize he won’t until I continue. Talk about strength?

Archer pulled out slowly until just his tip was inside of me before slamming back into me. Nothing had ever felt this good. His thrusts picked up, but each one was hard, ramming into me, reaching me so deeply my belly ached. But it felt amazing. Archer kept going until I was lost in another orgasm, then his thrusts became faster and he released inside of me.

I toss the book as Suit thrusts into me. If he stops again, I vow I will kill him. I raise one hand so that I’m holding the back of the couch, trying to steady myself. We’re both moaning and growling and as my orgasm unfolds, so does his, and we come together. His fingers dig into my hips and I hold myself steady despite the urge to collapse face first on the sofa cushions.

“Fuck, Edie,” he breathes heavily. His hand gently rubs up and down my back for a moment before
he withdrawals. He pulls me up, wrapping his arms around me as he gently kisses my neck and shoulder. I tilt my head to the side allowing him easier access.

“Shower?”

“Bath,” I answer.

He leads me into the bathroom and starts the water as I watch, appreciating his body. Once he’s found the right temperature and placed the stopper, he guides me into the tub and sits me between his legs. We don’t say much at first, but I know I look ridiculous because I can’t stop smiling.

“That was amazing,” I finally say, needing to break the silence.

“It’s always amazing with you,” he whispers in my ear. “Are you nervous?”

He’s asking about the race. “A little, but I think he’s a strong horse and he’ll do well.”

“I agree.”

“What about you? Are you nervous about passing the Bar?”

He takes my loofah sponge and sinks it in the water before bringing it to my neck and squeezing it. “Not really. I’m a pretty good test taker, but if I bomb it, I’d have to wait six months to take it again.”