Page 8 of Enough Isn’t Everything (Everything Trilogy #1)

Chapter Five

STRETCHING LIMITS

When I arrived home, I rang Alfie from the safety of my apartment bedroom. “Hi, gorgeous, well, I’m glad you rang back.” The tone of his voice sounded gravelly and seductive.

“Hey,” I responded shyly, my voice getting stuck in my throat. I didn’t know what else to say. I hadn’t really thought this part through, so I almost got cold feet and hung up. My heart was pounding wildly in my chest.

Alfie took the lead, “Give me your address, and I’ll come over.” My heartbeat kicked up yet another gear and it felt like it was bursting out of my chest. Too soon! I fought my nerves.

“Whoa,” I insisted, stopping him before he started dictating terms. “I think we may have a few things to hash out before we get down to… sheesh… anything.” I didn’t know what to call it and giggled. I heard him snicker sexily as I huffed. Damn this isn’t easy.

“Is this an equal relationship or a dictatorship? What I mean is, do we call the shots or is it only you who does that?” I said playfully.

“Equal all the way, babe, tell me what you want,” he replied, and I sensed a smile in his voice. It made me tingle, the way he said it, and there was a sudden rush of wetness between my legs. Just talking about this was arousing me.

Finding my courage again, I spoke. “Okay, we need a few rules. I need to know what I’m getting into.”

Alfie waited and when I didn’t say anything else he prompted me. “Hmm, okay… shoot.” His voice sounded relaxed.

“First, we’ve established that it is equal, so that means it isn’t only me at your beck and call. My needs are to be considered as important as yours. I may want to call you for this too.” I placed my hand over my mouth because I couldn’t believe what I’d just said.

“Dang, that’s an excellent idea, honey.” Alfie agreed, enthusiastically. Of course he did, I had just confirmed that I wanted him.

He encouraged me to continue, and I thought most guys would have done the same with the prospect of getting into a woman’s panties. “Go on,” he coaxed.

Calmer, I said confidently, “Safe sex practices, and regular checks for both of us.”

“Done!” he agreed.

“One more thing, I share an apartment with two other girls. We need to think about where it will happen between us. You can’t just turn up here. I don’t want you here when they are home.” I waited for his reply.

“Deal, I have my own place, and I don’t share, so you might feel better here in that case.”

There was an awkward silence as I thought about what to say next, as I had exhausted my list. I cringed as I said it but sounded confident. “Okay, your address?”

I could hear the excitement in his voice at the prospect of me getting over there soon. “It’s on its way.” My cell beeped with a text alert. Sure enough his home address and zip code were on there. “You’re coming over now? He sounded excited.

This wasn’t my intention when I asked for it, but I really wanted to see him again. Shit, I should just go before I chicken out.

I heard myself say, “Make yourself pretty, I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” and hung up.

I clutched my cell and sat trembling. My palms were sweating, and I was in denial that I had just agreed to it. I gave myself a pep talk. I was fed up with being a good girl. Therefore, my mind was made up, I was doing this.

I convinced myself that this would be reckless, but fun. Alfie was a hot guy who turned me on and if it felt horrible, the arrangement could be scrapped. I wanted to find out if I could really go through with this.

I took the fastest shower on record, pleased with myself that I had shaved this morning. All the while still muttering to myself that I couldn’t believe I was going through with it.

I quickly picked out a blue satin and lace underwear set, the cut of them was square like boy shorts, but they showed a little of my ass cheeks, and the bra held my breast cleavage to perfection.

I stared at myself in the mirror. Dear God, what have I just signed up for? I pulled on a little purple dress that hugged my figure beautifully, accentuating my curves. It looked tailored, and the hem ended mid-thigh.

Brushing my hair, I pulled it to the side in a low ponytail halfway down the length of it, making a mental note to free it when I got there.

I had left details of where I was going in my drawer in case for some reason the girls couldn’t find me, or he kidnapped me. I knew this was crazy, but I wasn’t thinking that straight. A flood of doubt began to creep over me. Yet still, I felt compelled to go through with it.

Driving to his address, the neighborhood he lived in wasn’t what I expected at all. It was a family subdivision, with a gazebo and a fountain near the entrance.

There were some yellow colored lights in the tropical plants around a beautiful lake. It gave the place a welcoming feel. The houses were all single family residences, and it looked very well kept by the residents.

Pulling up outside his house, I was confused. The area screamed middle-class, American suburbia, not at all in keeping with his image. I was surprised to find him living in a house and not an apartment like most guys his age.

It seemed strange that he lived somewhere like this alone. I checked again that the satellite navigation had brought me to the right address. My fingers trembled as I reached for the key to kill the ignition after I confirmed that this was the correct place.

Looking out from the dark interior of my car, I could see warm lights glowing in his sitting room window. He stood up and walked across the room inside, playing his guitar, and now that I was here, I felt scared.

My heart thumped in my chest, and my mouth went so, so dry as the adrenaline rush came at me like a tidal wave. I could hear blood swishing in my ears. It was kind of flowing in time to my rapid heartbeat.

Pushing myself out of the car, I hesitated and almost wigged out. I was about to climb back in when just at that moment, he looked up and noticed me through the window.

He headed to the door and when I saw him looking at me, I knew it was too late to back out. He swung the door open. “Fantastic, you found me.”

As soon as I laid eyes on him again, there was no question in my mind about backing out. I pasted on a smile to hide the half frightened, half thrilled feelings I fought with.

Alfie looked even more beautiful than he had that morning. He was casually dressed in a navy-blue T-shirt that hugged the contours of his torso with promises of a hard, toned body underneath.

Faded jeans, that were looser than the tight skinny ones he’d been wearing that morning, were hanging low on his hips with a button fly, and his feet were bare.

He had damp hair from the shower he’d obviously just taken.

I could smell his bodywash, and his stunningly handsome face seemed clean shaven.

Smelling so clean and fresh, Alfie’s scent was almost overwhelmingly seductive. The urge to grab his T-shirt, pull it to my face and inhale him was almost too tempting.

Slowly he gave me a panty-melting smile, his dimple showing, and although panties didn’t exactly melt, the material between my legs became saturated. I had the most amazing attack of butterflies, and Alfie hadn’t even touched me yet.

Closing the door, Alfie placed his palms on my upper arms and stilled me. The rush of chemistry from that little action between us at that moment was undeniable.

Hazel eyes turning green roamed up and down the length of me as Alfie checked me out. They twinkled in the low light of the room—his pupils were dilated, and his eyes were darker, the green hue in them brighter now.

“Damn, Lily, you are even more beautiful than you were this morning. I can’t believe you’re here,” he told me, smiling widely, his husky voice slightly cracked.

“You’re not too shabby yourself.” I replied.

Curving his lips into a smile he began to grin playfully.

“Oh, you like what you see?” He was nodding playfully again, the tone of his voice seducing me all over again.

Moving closer, his face stopped only an inch from mine. Turning his face from side to side, Alfie brushed his nose over mine. Adjusting his head, his lips brushed lightly against my mouth. The way he was handling me felt intimate and sexy.

He stepped back locking his arms straight and tilted his head back to look at me again. “God, I’m…” he whispered shakily, his words trailing off, the sentence unfinished. His eyes narrowed, showing the slightest concern. “You’re sure you’re okay with this?” I nodded slowly.

“Yeah, I think so… I’m here aren’t I?” I swallowed hard and he watched me. “I need to warn you, I’m not that sexually experienced, so I probably don’t have much in the way of technique.” I laughed nervously, slightly embarrassed to be telling him that I was basically a novice, but not a virgin.

Alfie smiled slowly, drawing me into his side and hugged me with one arm. “Leave the imagination up to me. You are all that I need to work with,” he said playfully.

Bending his knees slightly, he swept his arm under my legs just above my knees. He picked me up, as he swept me off my feet and into his chest, holding me tightly in his arms.

The incredible smell of his skin on his neck was close to my cheek, so I boldly brushed my nose against his smooth, silky skin there because it was too irresistible not to. Alfie’s arms tensed when I did it and he inhaled sharply in reaction to what I had done.

“I thought you didn’t do romance,” I teased.

“I don’t,” he insisted in a low growl. “This… isn’t romance, this is lust… and the quickest way to my bed,” he said seriously, then chuckled.

Pushing the door of his bedroom open wide with his hip, Alfie set me down on my feet, still holding my hips. He gazed into my eyes and smiled slowly as he walked me backward, until the back of my legs hit the bed.

He guided me down slowly, laying me gently on the bed. Alfie stood motionless and silent as his eyes raked over me. He was thoroughly checking me out again.