“Mmm-hmm.” A peaceful stillness falls in the tent and she holds me close.
Tonight was about her. I don’t need to get off. I accept her affection. If you’d told me I’d be satisfied with making out all night without getting my dick wet, I would’ve laughed. Now all my hope is hung on the woman in my arms. Only she can save me from the emptiness that had begun to eat me from the inside out and hollow my heart.
Chapter Five
I pull up in front of the potential storefront and park. Wizard is waiting for me inside. The thought of him sends butterflies dancing around in my belly. Things have changed so much between the two of us since the night at camp. Smoothing down my skirt, I take a deep breath. He makes me feel like a teenager with her high school crush. With one last check in the mirror, I exit the car and walk to the address he sent via text.
The sun feels amazing on my skin and I tilt my head to enjoy the rays. The life I’m living now is leaps and bounds from the old days. It’s full of sunshine, happiness, and purpose. Some days, it felt like it’d been months since I saw the sun when I worked the nightshift. A light breeze blows my skirt around my knees. I catch a glimpse of myself in the display window and smile. I look downright respectable in a black pencil skirt and white button up blouse.
At my school, it’s all about dressing for success as they groom us to enter the world of gems. It’s been fun switching things ups. I can’t remember having a chance to experiment with clothing, make-up, or jewelry. High school was all about blending in and avoiding torment. Kids were cruel and people made assumptions based on your background. They thought bikers were a group of drunks who did nothing but have orgies in the clubhouse and stay bombed. Which automatically made club kids like me whores. Never mind all the fundraisers we have, or the money we give to those who need it in our community.
I walk up to the door.
Wizard is there with a sultry smile and enough heat in his eyes to melt my panties off. He opens the door and lets out a low wolf-whistle. “You’re looking good.”
Heat fills my cheeks. “I came straight from class. This is a great location.” I glance around the large store imagining cases. “I can already picture where the cases would go, and we’d have plenty of room to display the odds and ends most pawn shops offer.”
“I agree. I figure that space along the back of the wall, closest to the back room, could be used for the jewelry display. I want to make it separate from the day-to-day transactions. We can keep a man posted back here at all times.”
“That’s sound logical.”
“I’m good at problem solving. Enough business for right now. I haven’t seen you since this morning.” His voice is gentle and his eyes are soft as he snakes an arm around my waist.
I step into the shelter of his arms, tilting my head back to accept his kiss. He traces the seam of my lips and I open eagerly. Our tongues tangle. Streaks of excitement race through my body. Dampness gathers between my legs and my nipples peak. When I push my chest into him, seeking relief, he moans. The sound echoes through his chest, vibrating my body. My center pulses. We come up for air and he studies my face.
Little by little, he’s been opening up to me and I’ve seen a softer side of him. What was once a childhood crush has grown into something I haven’t completely figured out. I know he’s committed to our relationship, but he’s still cautious. Moments like this, when he watches me with those all-seeing eyes, I can all but see the wall he keeps up between us. “What is it?” I ask breathlessly.
“You’re happier now, I can tell. I like you happy.”
Those four words melt me.
All of the care and concern he’s poured into me is nourishment to a starved soul. He’s the sun and I’m a flower soaking up the rays. I’ve never felt more important than this. Even now, he’s focused on me, intent on what I have to say. I sway toward him and he wraps an arm around my waist.
“You have a good day?” he asks.
“Yes, did you?” I tilt my head back and get lost in his eyes.
“It’s better now that you’re here.”
I glance down.
He chuckles. “Still so shy.”
The heat expands to my collarbone. “I’m not,” I protest.
“No, then what is it?”
I shrug my shoulders.
He places a finger under my chin and forces my gaze to meet his. “You don’t have to hide anymore, Nevada. I see you. I’ve always seen you.”
I lick my lips, suddenly in desperate need of moisture and courage. The words are stuck in my throat, yet I force them up. “And I’ve seen you,” I whisper, then hold my breath.
His eyes dilate. “And do you like what you see?”
I nod my head, unable to speak around the massive lump clogging my throat.
“You want to take this final step with me? Because once we start, there’s no going back. You won’t have any one on the side, and I won’t go back to the role of benevolent caretaker. I’ve been holding back, Nev. I’m done with that now.”