ONE MORE TIME Read online

  “Good morning.” Gia smiles, holding a large potted plant that looks like a braided tree while Colton, standing at her back with his hand on her hip, smirks at me, lifting his chin.

  “Morning.” I step back, pulling Aria with me to let them both inside. “Aria, Gia, Gia, Aria… and I know he’s gotten uglier over the years, but that’s Colton.”

  “Stop.” Aria elbows me in the gut, causing me to grunt and Colton to chuckle. “It’s nice to see you again, Colton, and good to meet you, Gia.”

  “It’s nice to meet you too.” Gia leans in to give Aria a one-armed hug. “I love your house. It’s so cute.”

  “Thank you,” Aria says, taking the plant and hugging it against her chest when Gia hands it over. “And thank you for coming to help today. I know that unpacking isn’t the best way to spend a Saturday.”

  “We’re happy to help,” Colton tells her, giving her a hug. “And with you only being about eight minutes from our place, we can run home if Gino needs us.”

  “Gino?” Aria asks

  “Our son.” Gia smiles. “He’s home with Colton’s mom.” She pulls out her phone and clicks on the screen, showing off a picture of Gino asleep, looking way too adorable.

  “He’s so cute.” Aria takes the phone to study the photo. “He looks just like you.”

  “You think?” Gia questions, studying the picture herself. “I feel like he looks like his daddy.”

  “That hair and nose is all you,” Aria tells her, handing the phone back as the two of them walk into the living room.

  “So you don’t like her?” Colton asks once the girls are out of earshot, and I give him a look that states clearly he should shut the fuck up. “Just asking.” I catch his smirk before I walk toward the kitchen, wanting to pick up the items still littering the floor, including the object that led to our kiss. “I never would have recognized her if I didn’t know who she was.”

  “I didn’t recognize her,” I admit quietly. “She doesn’t look like she did when we were in school.” Like I told her, I should have realized who she was by her eyes, because when we were in school, she hid her cute-as-fuck freckles under a layer of unneeded makeup and starved herself to hide the abundance of curves she has now.

  “She’s still pretty,” he says, and I grunt my agreement, knowing pretty is an understatement. Then again, it’s not just her appearance that is a turn-on for me; it’s her. Aria back in high school was stand-offish and unapproachable. Aria today is warm, welcoming, and a little unsure, which makes her easier to relate to and a fuck of a lot more attractive. I’m also realizing that if I don’t play this just right, she will slip through my fingers before I even have a chance to catch her.

  After I get everything picked up, I move toward the living room, where both women are standing near the bay window, obviously talking about the plant that Gia brought. “Ari,” I call, and she turns toward me.

  “We’re gonna head upstairs to set up your bed.”

  “Oh.” She blushes when her eyes meet mine. “Okay.” She licks her lips. “Do you guys need help?”

  “We’ve got it,” I assure her before heading up to the second floor with Colton on my heels.

  “It’s just a guess, but it seems like something happened between you two,” Colton says when we reach the master, a room I’m surprised to see is spacious and completely remodeled with fresh paint, and carpet that is almost identical to the one I laid downstairs just a few days ago.

  “Something happened,” I agree, dragging the frame of the bed away from the wall, not sure I like the idea of her sleeping in a bed that she shared with her ex.

  “Wanna talk about it?”

  “No.”

  “It will work out,” he mutters before helping me set up the bed and put her side tables in place. Once we have the room together, we head down the hall to one of the other rooms where we set up the bed, that doesn’t have a mattress and put the drawers in the dresser before we go downstairs. Finding the boxes in the kitchen gone, we head for Aria’s office, where we find both women on the floor, sitting cross-legged, surrounded by piles of books.

  “Everything okay?” Colton breaks into their conversation, and both Gia and Aria look up at us.

  “We’re good, honey,” Gia says with a smile for her husband, while Aria ducks her head, focusing on the book in her lap. “Aria is just trying to figure out what to do with all the signed books she has.” She waves her hand out. “I told her that she needs a wall of shelves on the back wall in the living room, but she’s not sure.”

  “I can build that.”

  “You can?” Aria’s eyes meet mine.

  “Shelves are easy. Is that what you want?”

  She looks at the books surrounding her then licks her lips before meeting my gaze. “Will it be expensive?”

  I want to tell her that she can pay me in another way but bite the comment back, sure that she won’t think it’s funny—at least not right now.

  “Just a couple hundred dollars for the material.”

  “But what about your time? I know that custom shelves are expensive.”

  “We’ll work that out later.”

  Shaking her head, she stands. “I’ll just put them in the garage for now.” She starts loading the books into one of the empty totes stacked near her desk, and Gia gets up to help her but not before shooting me an apologetic look.

  “We finished setting up the beds upstairs. Do you know where you want the TVs hung?” I ask, wanting to change the subject and put her at ease.

  Pausing, her eyes meet mine before she rattles off where she wants the TVs, and once she’s done, Colton and I put them in place and make sure they’re working. When we are finished, we find the girls upstairs hanging clothes in the master closet and tell both of them it’s time for a break. We order sandwiches from one of the local shops in town and pick them up before bringing them back to her place to eat.

  Sitting at Aria’s dining table, I feel my cell phone buzz in my pocket, and I pull it out. Biting back a curse when I see Anna is calling, I stand without a word and move away from the table, then outside onto the front porch.

  “What’s up?” I answer after putting my phone to my ear.

  “You need to talk to your daughter,” Anna says, and before I can ask if she’s okay or what’s going on, I listen to her shout, “Daddy is on the phone! Come talk to him.”

  “Daddy?” Olivia’s sweet, quiet voice rings over the line, and I take a seat on the top step, watching two squirrels chase each other around the base of a tree by Aria’s driveway.

  “Hey, angel, I miss you.”

  “I miss you too.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Mommy is making me eat brussels sprouts,” she informs me, and I grimace, because even as a grown-ass man, I don’t like eating them. “I don’t want to eat them.”

  “I know you don’t, but they’re good for you.”

  “I don’t like them,” she says, and I picture her pout, which I know is pure torture to witness in person. “They taste like dirt.”

  “Have you eaten dirt before?” I ask her while I fight back laughter.

  “No, dirt is gross, and brussels sprouts are even grosser.”

  Knowing she is not wrong, I press my lips together, hoping some fatherly words of advice or encouragement will come to me, but fuck me, because nothing does besides, “You have to listen to your mom.”

  “Fine!” she shouts, then the phone is jostled and a moment later, Anna comes back on the line.

  “Thanks for nothing. Now she’s lying on the floor pouting.”

  “Don’t make her eat them if she doesn’t want to eat them.”

  “She needs to, and maybe pretend to be on my side instead of being a complete fucking pushover all the time,” she hisses right before she hangs up.

  Tapping my cell on my knee, I shake my head, pissed and annoyed, two emotions I seem to always feel after speaking to my ex. Nowadays, the only time Anna and I seem to get along is when
she wants something from me or is getting her way. The rest of the time, she’s yelling and screaming or shutting me out completely, which sucks, because we have a daughter together, so we should be able to talk about shit like adults. I wish we could get along enough to raise Olivia, but as time goes on, I’m starting to realize that might not ever happen, not when Anna has labeled me the bad guy.

  I stand and tuck my phone into my pocket, then pull open the door to Aria’s house, hearing laughter coming from the dining room. I head that way, and the moment I step through the archway, Aria’s gaze meets mine, making me forget my annoyance with Anna.

  “Is everything okay?” she asks quietly as I take a seat next to her.

  “All good.” I rest my hand on her thigh under the table, giving it a squeeze and watch her cheeks darken before I let it go. Having Gia and Colton here today has been a distraction, which is both good and bad, because the undercurrent of tension running between us is like a livewire, that only needs the smallest spark to ignite.

  “What are you doing tomorrow?” Gia asks Aria while leaning into Colton’s side as he places his arm around her shoulders.

  “Nothing. I was going to unpack, but since there isn’t really anything left to unpack after all your help today, I don’t have any plans.”

  “Then you should come over tomorrow in the afternoon and hang with me and Gino while Colton is at the bar.”

  “I would love that.”

  “It’s a date,” Gia says, and Colton looks at me, smiling. I know he’s relieved that he and Gia both like Aria, especially since he never liked Anna. No one who means anything to me ever did; my relationship with her was separate from everyone else, something that caused stress in our relationship. I didn’t want it like that, but I couldn’t blame my family and friends for not wanting to be around her, not when she would be rude, demanding, and act entitled. The good thing is, going through what I did taught me a lot about what I want and don’t want in a relationship. It also showed me what I’m looking for in the person I end up with.

  Chapter 8

  Aria

  STANDING ON THE front porch next to Tide, anxiousness flutters in my stomach as we watch Gia and Colton drive off. Having them around all day distracted me from what happened between me and him this morning, but with them leaving, I feel nervous about what might happen, and I’m not even a little excited about the conversation he said we were going to have.

  “I told you you’d like them.” Tide’s words bring me out of my thoughts as his pinky finger wraps around mine.

  “You were right, but then again, they are easy to get along with.”

  “They are,” he agrees, giving my pinky a squeeze. “Are you ready to talk?”

  I tip my head back to look at him. Feeling off-kilter when our gaze meets, I nod when all I really want to do is run.

  Since I have no choice but to get this over with, I turn, head back inside, and go right to the living room with him at my back. Taking a seat on the edge of the couch, I watch his eyes drop to my lap where my hands are twisting, and his lips press together like he’s trying not to smile. When he takes a seat next to me, I turn toward him and shake my head.

  “I know what happened shouldn’t have happened. I like you, and—” My words end on a startled gasp as he grabs my waist and hauls me onto his lap.

  “Continue,” he orders once he has me situated, and I blink at him, shocked he was able to move me like I weigh nothing and that he thinks I’ll be able to focus sitting like this.

  “Umm.” I lick my lips and attempt to move away, only to have him hold me a little tighter.

  “Aria.” He squeezes my waist.

  “I can’t think sitting here.” I try to move away again, and his jaw tightens along with his hands.

  “Maybe we don’t have anything to talk about.” His hand slides down the top of my thigh, making me shiver. “Maybe we should just let things happen and deal with shit as it comes along.”

  Swallowing hard, my stomach flutters as I focus on his mouth that’s just inches from mine. “I don’t know if that… that would be smart.” I lift my hand and rest it against his chest. “It would be easy to let thing happen between us, but—”

  “No buts.” He grasps my wrist, cutting me off as he lifts my hand to kiss my palm. “I want you.” My breath catches as he nips my fingertips. “I know you want me.”

  “Tide.” His name ends on a whisper as he brushes his lips against mine. “I don’t want to ruin what we have by complicating things.”

  “We’ll have lots of time to think about why we shouldn’t do this, Aria, but right now, I need you to focus on why we should. We don’t have to rush shit. We can keep things casual, but I know this is inevitable, so there’s no reason to deny it.”

  I know I should ask him to explain his definition of casual, but instead of doing the smart thing and not wanting to hear him tell me that he just wants to be friends with benefits, I say, “Okay.” Because he’s right about one thing—I do want him, and it is inevitable. I just hope we can keep things separate.

  “Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to kiss you?” He brushes his lips against mine, then pulls back. “How often I’ve jacked off to the thought of touching you?” His eyes darken as his hand moves up my waist and under my shirt, his thumb skimming over my nipple, causing wetness to surge between my legs while a moan passes from between my lips. “Kiss me, Aria.”

  I don’t even attempt to deny him. I turn and place my mouth against his and pull his lip between my teeth, listening to him growl. When his mouth opens under mine, I lose myself in the feel of his rough hands against my smooth skin as he moves me to my back on the couch and settles between my legs. Lifting my foot off the ground, I wrap it around his hip and arch my neck up toward him as he lowers his head toward mine. The moment our mouths meet, I forget about all my inhibitions. My entire being focuses on this moment in time and the feel of his weight pressing against me, cocooning me in warmth and safety. Without a word shared between us, he stands from the couch with me in his arms and carries me upstairs to my bedroom, his lips meeting mine and his tongue sliding into my mouth.

  I’ve never felt more desired than I do right now. Teeth gnashing and hands roaming, I know this is what uninhibited desire is supposed to feel like. Franticly, we strip each other of our clothes, and once we reach my bed, we are both undressed. Lying back against my pillow, I watch his heated gaze roam over me and fight the urge to hide myself from his view. Where I’m soft, his body is hard and toned.

  “You’re perfect.” His knee hits the bed, his muscles flexing as his hands roam up to the top of my knees, spreading my legs open. “So fucking perfect.” He kisses my belly, between my breasts, my chin, and then my mouth. Wrapping my arms around him, I lift my hips as he nudges against my entrance. His hand comes between us, and his fingers slide through the wetness that he’s built before his fingers slide inside me, causing my back to arch off the bed and a moan to escape my lips. “Christ, you’re tight.” His thumb circles my clit. “Next time, I’m gonna drink from here.”

  He thrusts his fingers harder while he manipulates my clit. Digging my nails into his skin, I cry out as an orgasm starts to build within my center that spreads through every inch of me, making me feel like I’m coming apart at the seams.

  “Jesus,” he groans against my mouth as I come around his fingers, then I lose his touch as he grasps his cock, only to sink into me with one smooth thrust. With my recent orgasm still skimming the surface of my being, I hold my breath and ride the wave as Tide sinks into me over and over, his hips thrusting and thumb working my clit. I know it shouldn’t be possible to come so soon after just orgasming, but I’m no longer in control of my own body. He plays me like a fiddle, bending his head and sucking first one breast then the other into his mouth, transporting me to another dimension and sending me over the edge.

  I come harder than I ever thought possible, with his name on my tongue and lights flashing behind my closed eyelids as h
e growls, losing himself inside me. I hold him tighter, not wanting to lose our connection, and he collapses on top of me, then rolls to his back with me panting against his chest. I probably should pull away, but instead of doing what will probably be best for my mental health, I slide my hand around his waist, nuzzle into his chest, and drift off to sleep in his arms.

  ________________

  “Aria.” I open my eyes the next morning when my name is called and wake to find Tide sitting sideways on the side of my bed, fully dressed. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” My insides twist when he runs the back of his fingers against my cheek.

  “I hate to say it, but I gotta go. I’m meeting my dad to help him with some stuff, but I’ll be back here with dinner, if that’s good for you.”

  “Oh, okay, sure. That sounds good.” I sit up and tuck my hair behind my ear as I hold the blankets up to my chest.

  “Good.” He stands and rests his fists on the bed on either side of my hips before he kisses me, then leans back to search my gaze. “Have fun with Gia and Gino today.” I nod, not sure what to say, then watch him smile up close before he pushes back to stand and walk to the door. When he reaches it, his eyes come to me and warm. “I’ll see you later.”

  “See you later,” I agree, watching him tap the doorjamb twice before he disappears out of sight. When I hear the door downstairs close, I look at the clock on my nightstand and do a double take when I see it’s after nine. “Holy cow.”

  I rest my head back against the headboard, not believing I spent all night with Tide obviously sleeping next to me. When I was with my ex-husband, I would wake up off and on all night, and every time I did, I would find it more and more difficult to get back to sleep. It wasn’t that he did something to wake me; he didn’t snore, and we slept apart, him on his side and me on mine. I never knew what it was that kept waking me up, but I guessed it was just having him in bed with me. The only thing good about those times was I would eventually give up on sleep all together and get out of bed to go write.

  Unsure if I should try to dissect why I was able to sleep last night with Tide, I toss back the covers, go right into the bathroom, and start the shower. Once the water’s warm, I get in and wash my hair. As my fingers dig into my scalp, a movie starts to play behind my closed eyes, and I shout, “Finally!” I rip open the shower curtain and jump out of the tub, soaking wet. I wrap a towel around myself but still end up dripping water and soap on the floor. I run into my room, right for my bedside table, to grab the notebook and pen I keep there. Franticly, I jot down the series idea that just came to me and end up filling three pages with notes, before I go get back into the shower to finish up, doing it with an excited smile on my lips.