Now Leaving Sugartown Read online

  “Yeah, except you never have any pussy over to see it.”

  “Not true. I have pussy here all the time. Mr Whiskers never leaves.”

  “Know what else is ridiculous? The fact that you have a bastard cat—that’s a girl—and its name is Mr Whiskers. What are you, five?”

  “I always wanted a cat, but Dad would never let me have one.”

  “You know a cat is kind of a girly animal to have. Why didn’t you get a dog, or a fucking wildebeest? God knows you could fit one in this apartment.”

  “Dogs require time; I don’t even have time to myself. There’s something strangely lonely about cats, you know?”

  She arches her brow and shoots me a quizzical look. “How so?”

  “Well, they spend the majority of their lives alone, sleeping the day away while their owners are at work, and then when you come through the door they give you the cold shoulder and they’re content with that. I needed someone, something to break the silence when I returned home at night, and it wouldn’t be fair to have a dog that I couldn’t take to the park. I don’t need another thing I had to look after.”

  “Well surprise. Sammy Belle, you’ve won a twenty-three-year-old who has no direction, the sound mind akin to a ward full of mental patients, and a lifetime supply of Xanax.”

  I glare at her. “Why do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Play your illness off like it’s a random case of herpes.”

  “A random case of herpes?” She laughs. “As opposed to an intentional one?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I know I need another drink,” she says and leans forward, grabbing the bottle from the table and pouring us both a decent-sized glass. She hands me mine and lifts hers to her lip, only she pulls it away at the last second and flicks her finger over the Glenfiddich logo adorning the outside. She stares at it a second, and then carefully turns it around in her hands, inspecting the glass.

  “You don’t drink scotch.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Is this …?” Her questioning gaze meets mine.

  “Yes, it is.”

  “You kept them?” Pepper smiles at me, no doubt remembering all the things that took place that night at the falls, just the way I am. “Didn’t Dave say he was going to charge you interest on every drink until you returned his scotch glasses to him?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “But you still have them?”

  “I still have one.” I point to the glass in her hand. “That one. Jake accidently broke the other a few years ago. I almost broke his nose over it; he’s given that glass a very wide berth since. And yeah, Dave wasn’t lying. The bastard still overcharges me every time I order a drink.”

  Pepper sets down her glass and crawls across the floor towards me. I set down my own glass, and then she straddles my waist. Her pelvis sinks down on my lap and I groan and then she kisses me. Her hands cup either side of my face, her tongue pushes past my lips, and our teeth clash together but I don’t give a fuck because our mouths are determined to consume one another. My hand slides up her thigh, just beneath the hem of my confiscated T-shirt. I feel scars and ink under my fingertips. Too soon, she pulls away. She presses her fingers to her lips and smooths them over the swollen flesh.

  I don’t know what it means … any of it. This is not the same woman who pushed me away when I’d kissed her at her mother’s wedding a week ago.

  “Why did you just kiss me?”

  “Why did you keep that glass?”

  “You know why,” I say.

  “So do you.”

  I didn’t, actually. I know why I kept the glass, but I doubt it’s for the same reason that she just kissed me.

  Absentmindedly, I slide my hand further up her thigh to the crease between her hips and leg. I pause when my fingers glide over flesh, and not fabric like I had expected. Holy fuck. Pepper has been sitting three feet away from me all night in my T-shirt and nothing else. Fuck me. I am going to hell.

  “You’re not wearing underwear.”

  “That’s a very keen observation, Captain Obvious.”

  “Why aren’t you wearing underwear?” I plead. No. I beg, because I can’t know that and not touch her, not take her, now.

  “I never sleep in underwear. Why put something on when you’re only going to be taking it off again?”

  “You’re wearing a T-shirt that you’re only going to take off again.”

  Pepper pulls away and stares down at the offending shirt. “So I am.”

  Her hands grasp the hem and she pulls it over her head, carelessly throwing it behind her. My gaze dips to her gorgeous full tits and my hands have a mind of their own again, because they reach out to cup them, rolling my thumbs over her nipples. I lean forward, but pause just before my mouth connects with her flesh. There isn’t really any coming back from this moment. This is all there is.

  Pepper’s gaze sears into mine as she says, “I need you, Sam.”

  And that’s all it takes. Four little words that ruin me completely.

  Forgetting her pink, upturned nipples for a moment I grasp the nape of her neck and tilt her head down to mine. I crush my lips to hers. Pepper opens for me and her tongue tangles with my own. I come up on my knees, my forearm supporting her arse, dragging her with me as I flip us over and lay her down on the floor. Only “laying her down” is sort of a stretch, because in my haste to get this perfect, crazy woman beneath me, I stumble and we fall onto the floor, smacking her head against the hardwood.

  Pepper squeezes her eyes closed, her hand flying to the back of her head. “Ow!”

  “Shit, I’m sorry.”

  She blinks and then winces. “Jeez, Sammy, you really know how to show a girl a bangin’ time, huh?”

  I feel the back of her head, and sure enough, there’s a huge lump. I sigh. Just once I’d like to take this woman without it being a complete fucking disaster. I come up on my knees, because she’s still naked, and I’m still hard as fucking granite, and I can’t not touch her while being so close to her in this moment, so I separate our bodies and move away. “I’ll get some ice.”

  “It’s fine. Just a bump.” She frowns when she sees me standing and throws her hands up in the air. “Where are you going?”

  “To get some ice,” I reply, and then make my way over to the kitchen.

  “I don’t need ice, Sammy. I need to be fucked.”

  I groan. Jesus, when she talks like that it makes me want to retrace my steps, bury myself inside her and fuck the shit out of her until it’s more than just her head hurting, but we will both regret that decision in the morning when there’s a contusion the size of a grapefruit on her head warring with her hangover.

  “Let’s just make sure you’re not going to pass out first, okay?”

  Pepper lets out an exasperated groan. “Fine, come and play doctor/patient with me. I’ll be the patient with amnesia and you can be my yummy fuck-worthy doctor who’s been secretly sticking it to me while I’m in his care. Go get your scrubs.”

  “That’s not the way I remember playing doctor/patient with you.”

  “We were doing it wrong.”

  I come back with an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel, and help her sit up. I press it to her head and she flinches, and then pushes against the cool fabric. Her hand rests on my chest, warm and small, just like the rest of her naked body in front of me.

  “I think it’s fine now,” she says and pulls the pack from my hand, tossing it on the beaten up, redwood coffee table.

  My hand is still cupping her face and I brush my thumb over her swollen lips. Pepper’s eyes hood over and she exhales sharply, her nipples forming two hard peaks beneath the weight of my gaze. “Take me to bed, Sammy.”

  I grin, rising to my feet and pulling her up with me, then I bend down and flip her lithe little body over my shoulder in a fireman’s hold. Pepper shrieks when I slap her naked arse and carry her to the bed, tossing her down on the mattress. She protests, but
I quickly cover her body with mine, and her lips with my mouth. Her moans kill me. I want to devour her. I want to smash our bodies together until there’s nothing separating us anymore, until we’re merged as one and we are just flesh, seeking the pleasure of more flesh.

  Pepper’s fingers make light work of my button and she unzips me, pushing my jeans down my hips. “Take them off. I need to feel you, Sam.”

  She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I slide my jeans down my hips, exposing the length of my hard cock to her slick flesh. Pepper squeezes her muscles tight as she welcomes me into the space between her thighs. I thrust my cock head against her clit, seeking sensation but not daring to slip inside. She moans. I grunt as I thrust upward again, and then some arsehole is calling my phone.

  “Ignore it,” she commands as she writhes beneath me. And god, do I want to, but it could cost someone their life.

  “I can’t. I’m not on call this weekend, but the station’s phone diverts to me if they don’t pick up.” I swipe the phone from the bedside table and answer it without looking at the number. “What?”

  “Is that really any way to talk to your oldest friend?”

  I cover the receiver and mouth, Jake.

  Pepper grins up at me as she whispers, “Tell him you’re busy fucking me.”

  “I’m busy, Jake. What do you want?”

  “Who are you doing?” Not what, but who. Jake’s timing is im-fucking-peccable.

  “None of your fucking business. What do you want?”

  “Is it the hot librarian? And where’s the little emo ranga? Did you send her home to her mummy and daddy already? Maybe I should go and keep her company.”

  I sit up so Pepper can’t hear my douche knuckle mate. From the look on her face, though, she heard everything. There’s a pounding on my front door and I close my eyes.

  Is it too much to fucking ask for one hour alone with a naked Pepper?

  When I open my eyes she’s looking up at me with a sad, and frustrated expression.

  “Listen, Jake, there’s someone at the door. I gotta call you back.”

  “Fine, but when you get herpes and your dick falls off, don’t come crying to your old friend Jake, ’cause I’ll be off screwing the hot, punk-arse, pink haired bitch in town.”

  He really needs to stop fucking talking.

  Realising I can make that happen, I hang up the phone and throw Pepper’s shirt at her, mouthing for her to get dressed.

  “Why?”

  “Because I need to answer the door, and no matter who is standing on the other side I’m not comfortable with them seeing you half-naked.”

  “You owe me, Sammy Belle.”

  “I know.” I stare at Pepper, my mood darkening as she slips a T-shirt on over her head and covers those delectable tits, then I readjust my cock and stalk towards the door, flinging it wide in agitation. “What the fuck? What are you doing here, Jake?”

  “Watch your tone, Mister, or no booze for you.” He pushes past into the loft and sets down a carton of beer and several bottles in brown paper bags. “Where’s this hot piece of arse you’re boning?”

  “I’m not boning anyone,” I snap, and then add mentally, I might have, if your cock-blocking arse hadn’t shown up.

  Pepper stumbles out from behind the bedroom partition, looking hot as fuck even though she’s now fully clothed in one of those short skirts of hers, another of my T-shirts, no bra, no shoes, mussed hair, and I hope to god still no panties. She rubs her eyes, as though she’s just been sleeping.

  “Aww, how cute. Hello Kitty just woke from her nap.”

  “Eat me,” Pepper says, making a V from her fingers and thrusting her tongue between them.

  “Lead the way, Little Ranga. It’ll be the best head of your life.”

  I know he’s just fucking with her—and more than likely me—but I have the sudden urge to punch my best friend in the face, and while that’s not that different from my regular urges when it comes to Jake, the image of him going down on her makes me want to inflict a lot of pain on him. My hands curl into fists and a snarl twists my features. Jake doesn’t notice because his back is turned as he stocks my fridge with stubbies from the carton, but the knowing smirk on Pepper’s face tells me she knows exactly what I’m thinking, and what’s more, she’s revelling in it.

  “Not that it’s not nice to see you stocking my fridge with beer, since you seem to drink all of mine all of the time, but what the fuck are you doing here, Jake?”

  “It’s sweaty as a nun’s cunt out there, and I don’t have air conditioning, except in my car, and there’s only so many doughies you can do of the supermarket parking lot while chugging back beers before the cops are all over you like a hooker on a billionaire’s cock. So, I bring the beer and spirits, you supply the air-conditioned entertainment.” He grins. “And a place to crash once the well has run dry.”

  “Give me a god damn beer.” I sigh, and hold my hand out before muttering, “My blue balls are going to need it.”

  “Feeling a little frustrated are we, Sammy?” Pepper asks quietly, but the smile behind her eyes is anything but quiet. It’s out and out naughty.

  “I would be too, if I screwed shit up with the only hot available woman in town.” Jake moves to the opposite side of the breakfast bar and leans over the counter, running his fingers along the deep gouges Pepper had made. “I ran into Olivia today. She was stockpiling ice cream in her shopping trolley. What the hell did you do to her, man? And what the fuck happened to your counter?”

  “Nothing. Can we not talk about this shit?”

  Jake holds up his hands. “Jesus Christ, man. You need to get fucking laid.”

  Ya, think?

  “I think Sammy needs a little alone time, Jake.”

  Jake’s eyes roll over Pepper from head to toe, and he licks his lips before taking a swig from his beer and saying, “What about you, Little Ranga? You need some alone time, too? And if the answer is yes, can we watch?”

  “Nope, I’m good.” Pepper winks and then sashays around the counter, bending over in front of the open fridge so that her bows are on full display. Her pussy is also on full display too, and I suck in a breath through my teeth and close my eyes in order to keep from bending her over the island bench and fucking her senseless.

  When I open my eyes, Jake’s staring just as much as I am. I throw my bottle cap at his head. He blinks and slumps back against the counter, muttering, “I must not look at the sexy, emo ranga.”

  “You need to put on underwear,” I snap.

  Six words I never thought I’d say to Pepper.

  “Are you wearing underwear, Sammy?”

  I glance down at my Johnson. It’s hard as fuck, and attempting to poke a hole through my jeans. “That’s beside the point. I’m not flouncing around in a scrap of fabric in place of a skirt with my pussy on show.”

  “And I’m not walking around with a boner the size of a fucking telegraph pole tenting my jeans, so I guess we are even.”

  “Why are you tormenting me?” I hiss, forgetting for a second that Jake is even in the room.

  Pepper grins, and casually brushes her hand over my cock as she reaches for the drawer. She takes out a bottle opener and pops the bottle cap off her beer. “Because you’re so much fun to torment.”

  “Alright, kiddies, in your corners,” Jake says looking back and forth between us. He’s watching us too closely. Pepper moves off toward the couch, and I start to follow when he steps in front of me, and whispers, “Dude what the fuck?”

  I glare down at his hand on my chest and he removes it. “What?”

  “You, her, the lack of panties, the ten-foot erection almost busting out of your jeans? Did I step into the fucking twilight zone, or are you boning the ranga?”

  “I’m not boning anyone,” I whisper back, which is true. Thanks to this jackarse, I’m not sticking it to anyone right now.

  “You know you can’t go back there, don’t you?”

  “Shut up,” I say, and I he
ad for the couch.

  Jake has other ideas. He gently pushes me back and then he gets all up in my face. “Sam, did you forget what happened last time?”

  “Leave it, Jake,” I hiss, shoving him with my shoulder as I pass.

  I take a seat next to Pepper on the futon. Too close. My thigh is flush with hers and it would be nothing to slide my hand up her skirt and make her come in three seconds flat. I remember every inch of her body and every erogenous zone. I discovered them all in those crazy couple of days we spent together after her graduation, and I haven’t forgotten a single one. I take a deep breath to temper my frustration.

  Proving he can cock-block even my mental fucking of this woman, Jake flops down on the other side of Pepper. Snatching up the remote, he unfastens his top button and slides his hand down his pants.

  “You had better not be touching my shit after fondling your junk, Jake.”

  “Oh please, you would be lucky to have my junk touching your things. It’s not like this couch has seen any action since the ranga moved in.” He props his feet up on my coffee table, and stares pointedly at me.

  If only he’d been here ten minutes ago. Oh wait, he was. Cock-blocking me from the other side of the door.

  “Dude, where’s your porn?”

  “No!” I shout, and it may have been just a fraction too loud, and a little too speedy a response. “No porn.”

  “She’s been living with you for weeks, Sam. It’s not like she doesn’t know you jack off daily.”

  “You jack off daily?” Pepper asks, and a grin tips the corners of her mouth. “Wow, Sammy, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

  “Can we please watch something else?”

  “No, I’d really like to watch the porn,” Pepper says, smiling at me. I gnaw my bottom lip, so hard it feels as if it might fall off.

  Jake stares gape-mouthed at Pepper. “Fuck me.”

  “We’ve been over this.” Pepper gives his knee a condescending pat. “Never going to happen.”

  Jake flicks the remote from TV to media and selects the Blu-Ray. The same video Pepper had been watching the other night lights up the screen, and I wince. There was a reason I liked those movies, and it had nothing to do with the plot. Jake rolls his eyes towards me with one eyebrow raised, and then pointedly looks at Pepper. Fuck. I shake my head. The move is infinitesimal, but Pepper glances in my direction all the same.