Inked: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World), стр. 41
I stand motionless for a few minutes as everything settles in my head.
Something’s not right here.
I desperately want to ask him about it, but I can’t. It’s not my place or my business. We’ve slept together twice, and he’s already made it abundantly clear that there is no forever option here.
My need to help nags at me, but it’s not my place. I barely know the guy.
Going back to my original mission, I locate the coffee pods and get the machine started. I definitely need caffeine now.
I take my mug and curl myself into the corner of the couch, staring out at the deserted beach beyond. I love my house, but a view of the ocean sure would make it better. I love watching the waves crash in. I could lose a lot of hours if I had it on a daily basis.
I have no idea how much time passes before I hear Corey padding down the hallway, but the mug in my hands is long empty and I’m starting to get a stiff neck where I’m craning slightly to get the best view.
“I thought you’d left again,” he says, dejection clear in his tone, and it throws me for a loop.
Last night he was telling me he doesn’t do forever, then he’s disappointed that I might have left. Surely that’s exactly what someone who isn’t looking for long-term wants, right?
I sigh, feeling like I’m already spinning out of control with my confusion. But I really don’t want to be one of those women who asks questions like ‘where is this going?’ because I already know the answer.
“Sorry, I couldn’t sleep.”
“Am I that bad a bed mate?” His voice is lighter as he jokes, and it makes me wonder if he remembers his nightmare.
“No, not at all.”
“I see you found the coffee machine.”
“It wasn’t hard, there’s nothing else in here.”
“Yeah,” he says, rubbing at the back of his neck. “About that…”
“Are you moving?” I ask when I get the sense that he needs an out.
“Uh… yeah, something like that.”
“It’s a shame, this place is nice. Great view.” I nod toward the window.
“The bedroom has a balcony.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go have coffee out there.”
“We’ll have to share. I’ve only got one mug.”
I shrug, passing him the empty mug in my hands.
I stand and take his hand as he walks away with his shoulders lowered.
“Hey,” I say, stopping him in his tracks. “I don’t care about this place.”
“It’s not exactly the place I wanted to bring you back to.”
“I didn’t come back for your apartment, Corey. I came here for you.”
“Yeah?” The beginnings of his signature smirk start to appear on his lips.
“Yeah. Maybe we should forget about coffee. I can think of something I want more.”
He abandons the mug in the kitchen as we pass before taking both of my hands in his, he begins walking backward and toward the bedroom.
Yeah, the coffee can wait.
It’s two hours later before we’re both dressed and I manage to get him out of the door for breakfast.
“Do you have any preference?” he asks as he threads his fingers with mine and pulls me toward the stairs.
“Nope. I don’t know this side of town very well. Where’s good?”
“I know just the place.”
Ignoring the camper that’s sitting in the parking lot, we head out on foot. We walk in silence. I’m desperate to ask about his nightmare, but I’m scared how he might react. I know from personal experience that someone bringing up something you’re trying desperately hard to forget about is almost worse than the nightmare itself.
“What’s wrong?” he asks as we walk. “You’re tense.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“Do you remember anything from last night?”
He pulls me to a stop and steps into my body so I have no choice but to back up against the wall beside me. He ducks down and stares into my eyes.
“I remember you wrapping your lips around my cock. I remember you coming with my tongue inside you, then my fingers and finally my cock.”
My cheeks burn up as oblivious pedestrians continue to walk past us as if he’s not whispering these things to me in the middle of a public place.
“Corey.” It’s meant to be a warning, but it comes out more like a moan.
“You remember how good it felt?” He closes the space between us and presses the length of his body to mine.
A whimper falls from my lips. How could I forget? He reminded me less than an hour ago.
“T-that’s not quite what I meant.”
“Oh?”
His eyes bore into mine, and I stand no chance of getting myself out of this now.
“Y-you…” His brows lift in curiously as I fumble around my words. “You had a nightmare. That’s why I was up this morning. You woke me and I couldn’t—”
“Motherfucker.” His angry grunt and giant step back cuts off my words.
“Hey, it’s okay. I just didn’t know if you could remember and…”
“Can we not?” he barks, his eyes pleading with mine to stop before he breaks the connection between us and looks away.
“Yeah, sure. I just wanted you to know that I… I understand, and it’s okay.”
“It’s okay?” he asks incredulously. “It’s not… it can’t. Fuck.” He lifts his hands to his hair and tugs. I fear I might have just ruined everything between us, and all because I couldn’t keep my big mouth shut about his damn nightmare.
I stay where I am and give him a moment to compose himself. Even if he can’t remember the nightmare, I’m assuming that he’s aware of what it would have been about and me bringing it up is just as painful.
Tipping his head back, he stares up at the sky for a few seconds. His chest heaves as his breaths race