Needing You Close (Tyler & Gemma duet Book 2) Page 6
Oh, I’ve included a picture of me in my dress too. It’s orange, my favorite color, but I think it makes me look like a pumpkin. I was surprised my dad approved because it’s strapless, and I can’t wear a bra with the low back. Hopefully, I can wear it for you in person.
Until next time,
Gemma
PS: 226 days!
* * *
A few weeks into our relationship, Gemma modeled that dress for me. I also tore it off her and kissed every inch of her body afterward. I’ve thought about that orange gown for years and wonder if she still has it hanging in the back of her closet. The way it hugged her breasts and showed off her smooth skin had me hard as fuck.
We chat between customers and tasks, then eat lunch together. Once I’m done for the day, I head to the gym and train Luke. I shower in the locker room and change into shorts and a T-shirt to get ready for my session.
“Hey,” I greet as soon as I see him standing by Ruby.
“You ready?” I ask, tossing him some gloves. “I’m about to whip your ass into shape.”
“Uh-oh. Blackwood’s in a mood.” Ruby cackles.
“Aw, shit.” Luke’s eyes widen, and I laugh.
“Nah, don’t worry. I’ll go easy on you, kid.” I pat his shoulder, then continue, “At first, anyway.”
Luke and I practice for an hour straight, and by the time we’re done, he nearly collapses on the floor.
“What’d you do to him?” Ruby stands over him, offering some water.
Sweat drips down my chest, and I wipe it away with a towel. “Made him into a man.”
Ruby snorts and offers Luke her hand. She pulls him up, and he chugs the entire bottle before coming up for air.
“You gonna make it?” I shoot him a grin.
He nods, his face red and splotchy. “I need a shower. Same time next week?”
“You got it. Stay hydrated.”
I grab our gloves, then stuff them into my bag so I can wash and sanitize them at home. Checking my phone, I notice it’s almost seven, but there are no missed calls or messages.
“So what’s new?” Ruby moves to the front counter, and I follow her. “How’s your sister?”
“Ha-ha.” I roll my eyes. “She was just complaining that there are no eligible men in town, so hey, you might have a chance after all.”
“Don’t mess with me, Blackwood.”
Laughing, I shake my head, then look around. I was hoping Gemma would actually take me up on my offer and stop in tonight. I’d love to teach her how to take that asshole down in five seconds.
“Are you waiting for someone?” She peers around the empty gym.
“Huh?”
“You keep glancing at the door.”
“Well, I offered Gemma a lesson, but I guess she’s gonna chicken out.”
“Gemma, huh? You sure that fiancé of hers would let her off his leash?”
I smirk and shrug. “Sure do, considering she called it off.”
“Ahh. Now it makes sense.” Ruby’s full on laughing as she moves around the desk. “Swooping in as soon as the ring’s off her finger.”
Frowning, I explain, “It’s not like that. We’re just friends.”
“Yeah, and I like big cocks. Please, Tyler. I’m not blind, and I notice the way you two lust after each other.”
“Maybe, but she’s going through some shit right now, so I’m only trying to be her friend.”
“Well, if that’s the case, then give her my number. I’ll show her a good time. Get her mind off her breakup and show her what she’s missing.”
I shake my head, brushing a hand through my hair. “You really need to get laid.”
“I did last night, thank you very much.”
My eyes widen as she bursts out laughing. “What? I have a no-strings relationship.”
“Oh, really? Do I know her? Is she local?”
“As a matter of fact, you don’t because she lives in the next town. Wanna watch our sex tape?” She pulls her phone from her pocket.
“Alright, I’m out.” I grab my duffel and toss it over my shoulder.
“What? I bet you could learn a thing or two.” She licks her lower lip, and I can’t stop chuckling. “Give Everleigh my number too while you’re at it!”
“Not a chance,” I grumble. “I need new friends. You’re too much.”
“Suck it up, Blackwood. I’m your only friend.”
“Bye,” I call out as I push through the door and leave.
Ten minutes later, I’m home, and Everleigh’s lounging on the couch with a wine glass.
“Hey, bro. You got some mail today.” She gestures toward the coffee table. “A letter from the prison came, and I’ve been anxiously waiting for you to open it.”
Dropping my bag, I furrow my brows, then kick off my shoes. “Why?”
“Well, I don’t know. It just seemed weird. Do they want you to go back?”
I bark out a laugh. She’s probably on her third glass. “Relax. It’s probably from my old cellmate.”
“The hot one with the sleeve tattoos?” She perks up.
“Down, girl. I’ve heard enough sexual shit for one night.”
“Huh?” she asks as I rip open the envelope.
“Ruby,” I say. “Saw her at the gym and now I know way too much about her sex life.”
Everleigh snorts. “At least she has one.”
“Stop,” I say before she continues. “Don’t wanna hear about yours either.”
“Don’t worry.” She chugs her wine until it’s empty. “The only action I get is from Victor the Vibrator in the shower.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Shaking my head, I walk to the kitchen and pray we have a case of beer left. “I need my own place,” I mutter when she’s out of earshot.
After I grab a bottle of Bud Light, I go back to the living room and sit down next to Everleigh. She’s watching some dating reality show, but I’m too tired to complain.
“So what’s the letter say?”
I unfold it and begin reading. Meeting and getting to know Archer was the only silver lining while being locked up. I thought of him as the younger brother I never had. He’s five years younger than me, only a year older than Everleigh, and has a lot of life left to live once he’s out.
“He’s asking how I’m adjusting after being locked up for five years. Says he’s proud that I started over and that he wants a fresh slate too but refuses to go home. Then he mentioned some ideas of what he could do when he’s released in a few years. I’ve already told him he could come here if he wanted.”
“Three more years? Geez. That sucks. He totally should move here. Noah will be out by then too. You guys could start an ex-con’s club or something.” She giggles as though it’s the best idea she’s ever had.
“Har har. Time to cut you off.” I reach for her glass, but she quickly pulls away.
“Don’t you dare!” She presses it to her chest, then gets up to refill it. “I’m not driving anyway, and I’ve had a rough day.”
“Oh, yeah? Hard day of gossip and folding shirts?”
She glares at me, which causes me to laugh. “What’d Archer do anyway?”
I brush a hand over my scruffy jaw and debate whether I should say. It’s not my story to tell, but he’s not a bad guy either. She sits back on the couch and leans forward, waiting for me to continue.
“He took the fall for his sister so she wouldn’t go to jail for shooting and murdering her abusive boyfriend.”
“What? Seriously?”
“They grew up poor and knew it’d be believable if the kid from the wrong side of the tracks was the one who did it. There was a fabricated story about how he tried to get him off her but couldn’t because the boyfriend was high on something and uncontrollable. Archer explained that he walked in on the guy beating his sister and knew where the gun was kept and took the blame. When he realized what his sister had done, he wiped off her fingerprints and planted all the evidence needed, then called the cops.”
“A hundred percent. Archer loves his sister more than his own life. She’d gone through so much already, and he wanted to protect her. It worked out because a few weeks later, she found out she was pregnant.”
“Oh my God.”
“Yeah, it was messy. I met her during visitation hours while I was waiting for Maddie and Liam.”
“So how long was his sentence?”
“Six years. His lawyer did a good job at claiming defense and unintentional homicide. It helped that the guy’s tox report showed he was loaded with drugs and alcohol.”
“Wow. That’s awful. I can’t believe he did that.”
“Once you meet Archer, you’ll understand. He’s loyal to a fault and basically raised his sister while working and going to school.”
“Hmm…kinda sounds like you.” She smiles.
“He’s a good person. I hope he really does take up my offer because Lawton Ridge isn’t so bad. But don’t get any ideas in that horny head of yours.”
“Me? Why not?”
I chuckle at the last line he wrote but keep it to myself.
PS: Make sure your sister is single in three years. Hahaha.
Goddamn bastard.
“Because the last thing he should do once he’s released is get into a relationship. He needs to find work, save money, and get settled again first.”
“And he can’t do that while relieving six years’ worth of sexual frustration?”
I groan. “Nope. I’ll be forcing you as far away from him as possible.”
“That’s rude and hurtful!”
“You really think you’ll be single in three years anyway? You’ll probably be married and knocked up by then.”
Everleigh snorts. “Do you see what I’m doing on a Thursday night?” She gestures around the room and wiggles her toes in her fuzzy socks.
“Well, Ruby’s been begging me to give you her number so…”
Everleigh bursts out laughing. “Reminds me of that one summer after graduation with Layla Monroe.”
“Wait, what?” I look at her with wide eyes. “Never mind. I do not wanna know. I’m gonna take a shower, then pass out.”
“Oh, come on! We can have a friendly brother-sister chat! In fact, you’ve been without sex for five years. How are you not jumping every single woman in town? Is that why you shower so much now?”
I stand and finish my beer. “Good night, pain in the ass.”
“Fine, fine. I already know the answer anyway.”
“Sure, you do,” I say, grabbing my bag off the floor, then walking away.
“It’s because you’re waiting for Gemma. Duh! I wasn’t born yesterday! You two are a canceled-wedding day away from banging. Oh wait…” She laughs at her own ridiculous joke.
“Go to bed!” I shout as I step into the hallway, trying to escape her.
It’s impossible not to think about Gemma while I’m under the hot stream of water. My cock hardens at the thought of her and the sweet way she looks at me. When we lost control with each other, I was ready to tear off every inch of clothing and make her mine forever. I don’t give a fuck that she was still engaged to that asshat because she was never his in the first place. I want her as badly as I did before, but this time, I want to do it right.
I fist my dick and stroke it hard and fast. Squeezing my eyes tight as images of her flood my mind, I desperately need the relief. Thinking about how tight her cunt squeezed my fingers and how sweet she tasted brings me over the edge in minutes. Whispering her name with a grunt, I feel my orgasm take hold. I imagine Gemma on her knees licking me clean.
Once I’m in bed and under the covers, I grab my phone to text her. I won’t be able to sleep without checking on her first.
Tyler: Missed you at the gym tonight.
She replies moments later.
Gemma: Sorry, I fell asleep right after work and just woke up. Rain check?
Tyler: Absolutely. Whenever you’re ready. Even if you just want to hit the punching bag, it’s a nice stress reliever.
Gemma: I’d like that. Maybe this weekend when I’m not so exhausted.
Tyler: Sounds like a plan.
Gemma: How was your night?
Tyler: It was good. Nothing special since I didn’t get to hang out with you.
Gemma: Smooth. Haha.
Tyler: Just telling the truth ;)
Gemma: I’m gonna make some dinner, then take a hot bath so I can hopefully fall back asleep.
Tyler: Okay, if you need someone to talk to later, I’ll leave my phone on. Otherwise, sweet dreams.
Gemma: Thank you. See you tomorrow.
Gemma’s going through an emotional time right now, and I wish I could hold her. But I’m giving her the space she needs to process the breakup with Robert in her own way. But if there’s one thing I can do, it’s letting her know I’m here if she needs me.
This time, I’m not going anywhere and will wait as long as it takes for Gemma to be ready.
Chapter Six
GEMMA
I’m glad it’s finally Friday. This week has been a roller coaster of emotions, and I’m ready to have a relaxing weekend. I want to open the windows, enjoy the cold front that’s moving through, and clean my house. Adulting at its finest.
I’m extra excited this morning since Mrs. Wright delivered maple bacon donuts. She only makes them a few months out of the year, and I nearly die when the aroma fills the room.
“I know you love them, so I threw in a few extra.” She winks.
“Dad’s gonna be really happy,” I tell her. “Thank you so much.”
“Welcome, hon. Have a good day.” Mrs. Wright leaves with a smile and a bounce to her step.
When I take one out of the box, I’m surprised it’s still warm. I pour a cup of coffee, then enter the garage.
“Daddy!” I shout.
“Yeah?” he answers, standing by his toolbox. As I walk over to him, his eyes widen in excitement.
“It’s already that season again?” He grins and takes them from my hands. “Thanks, sweetie. You deserve a raise.”
“You should tell that to my boss,” I tease just as Tyler comes through the door with wet hair.
“Good morning,” he says, then quickly gets to work.
“Mornin’,” Dad says around a mouthful.
“Morning,” I mumble softly, studying him. He must’ve worked out this morning because he’s freshly showered. Our eyes meet, and I smile before heading back to the lobby.
It’s insane how much he affects me with just one look.
I try to push the thoughts away and concentrate on my to-do list. The schedule is jam-packed today as usual on Fridays.
The morning passes so fast that I’m shocked when lunchtime rolls around. Tyler comes in and hands me a set of keys for a customer’s vehicle. His fingers brush against mine, and I try to hold back a smile.
“I parked it on the side,” he tells me, lingering for just a moment. He glances down at my hand and lifts an eyebrow when he notices I’m still wearing my engagement ring. While he doesn’t say anything, he also doesn’t have to. The expression on his face and the way he tilts his head show me exactly what he’s thinking.
“I’m telling my dad this weekend. Tomorrow, actually. That way he can have some space to process the news. It’s not something you drop during a workweek,” I explain.
Tyler shrugs. “It’s not my business, Gemma. You have to do what’s best for you when the time is right.”
“Any plans for lunch?” I ask.
“Who’s asking?” Tyler leans against the counter, throwing me a smirk.
Damn. Has he always been this sexy?
“I’m thinking about going to the pub for a burger. If you wanna join…”
“Let me text Ruby and ask.” He barely gets the words out before chuckling.
I’m tempted to reach over and smack him. “You’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?”
“Nope. It’s
filed away next to you stripping down naked in your cottage after the bar that night.”
I tuck my bottom lip into my mouth and blush. “You suck.”
He leans in a little farther. “I lick too.”
My breasts rapidly rise and fall, and the only thing that pulls me away is my father coming inside. He looks over at us, and Tyler immediately straightens his position.
“Daddy, I’m running down to the pub for lunch. Want anything?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, thought I’d go down to the deli and get a turkey sandwich. Thanks, though.”
“Alright, sounds good,” I say as Tyler goes back into the garage.
My dad stares at me as he pours a cup of coffee. “Gemma,” he says, and I can hear the warning tone in his voice.
“Don’t.” I stop him before he can continue. “It’s not what you think.”
He studies me, but I stand my ground, not wanting to have this conversation right now. Thankfully, an older gentleman walks in and steals my attention away. I’m happy for the interruption as Dad leaves the lobby.
I don’t like him thinking poorly of Tyler, who should be the least of our worries in my current situation. Robert has been too quiet, which is more frightening than his vicious threats.
Soon, it’s time for lunch, and I wait for Tyler, but when he comes into the lobby, he’s frowning.
“Gem, I think it’s best if I don’t join you for lunch. I’m sor—”
“Don’t apologize. I completely understand. How about I bring a burger for you instead? I mean, it’s not shrimp and grits, but it’s a hot meal.” I smirk, hoping to lighten the mood.