Just a Number (Thirst Trap #2)

8. Alex

Chapter eight

Alex

I don’t have a clue what I’m doing, but I want to push this woman’s buttons. Actually, I want to undo her buttons. Specifically, the buttons of her blouse so I can see more of that creamy flesh and blue lacy bra.

I want to get a reaction out of her that isn’t politeness. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful that she’s letting me stay here and I don’t want to overstep, but I get the impression she doesn’t realise how fucking hot she is. And that seems like a crime.

She should be strutting around with confidence, owning her innate sensuality. Fuck, now I’m getting all poetic.

Her blush sits prettily on her cheeks and she’s lowered her gaze, staring at the floor and avoiding my eye. Without thinking, I take several steps closer.

Her home office is small, and it’s been torturous not looking down when I noticed the flash of colour of her lingerie peeking through where her blouse had ridden low.

What I’d give to close the distance between us. I’d slowly unbutton that silky blouse and get a good look at her. She shivered yesterday when my fingers touched her hand. I want to see her reaction when I run my fingertips down towards her breasts.

I want to hold them, feel their weight in my hand. I want to pluck at her nipples while I run my lips over the pulse point on her neck. My cock starts to pay attention to my thoughts, and the joggers that Zack loaned me are starting to tent. She’s not looked up, even as I moved closer.

I want her attention. I want her looking at me. I try to see sense, to hold myself back. This is Zack’s mum. Except I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen her as that. She’s Mel. And she’s attractive. And I want to fuck her. There, I admitted it. But what am I going to do about it?

“I’m attracted to you.” Arousal curls around the edges of my voice, lowering my tone. Her hands twist in her lap.

“You can’t say things like that.” She still won’t look up at me.

“It’s the truth.”

“Alex, it’s not right. I’m way too old for you. I’m forty, for goodness’ sake.”

Interesting, it’s the age difference holding her back. Surely, if she’s not attracted to me, that would be the first thing she’d say.

“How old do you think I am?” I ask, tilting my head as I await her response.

“I don’t know, but not anywhere near forty,” she mumbles as she continues to stare down at her hands.

“I’m twenty-five,” I tell her, hoping that’s older than she thought. “Look at me.”

She shakes her head in a defiant no. I take the final step, bringing me to within a foot of her. I lower to my knees .

“What are you doing?” The red flush on her cheeks is angry in its intensity as her pale blue eyes finally meet mine.

“I’m letting you see you deserve to be worshipped.”

She closes her eyes and her chest heaves as she tries to draw in deep breaths. “We mustn’t.”

She’s not saying I don’t want to. Another positive sign.

“We could.” I reach out a hand and caress her knee, squeezing gently. She squeaks but doesn’t move. Her eyes track the movement of my hand as I smooth it over her grey trouser leg, wishing she was wearing a skirt and her legs were bare. I desperately want to push it up her thigh, but she seems flighty and I don’t want to scare her.

I keep that hand on her knee and reach the other one up to rest against her cheek. She closes her eyes and lets out a sigh as I touch her.

“Do you want me?” I rasp. My heart pounds in my chest.

“I shouldn’t.” She whispers it so quietly I wouldn’t hear it if I wasn’t waiting for her reply.

“But you do.” It’s not a question this time. It’s a declaration I know to be true.

“It’s not right.”

“What’s not right about two people who are single and attracted to each other acting on those feelings? Who would we be hurting?”

“Zack.” Her soft answer halts my hands. Her eyes spring open and pain radiates in her gaze.

“He doesn’t have to know. We can keep it between us.”

She doesn’t reply and I try to gauge her reaction.

“Can I kiss you? If you hate it or don’t want more, I’ll walk away. I won’t try again. But please, let me try.” It’s like I’m begging, but it doesn’t feel wrong. I meant it when I said she deserved to be worshipped, and I will happily kneel at her feet and do so for as long as she’ll let me.

Her eyes darken and her nod is barely noticeable. I strike while I have her agreement, pushing my hand to rest at the back of her neck as I lean forward to brush my lips to hers.

We are hardly touching, and yet, it’s like the most intense experience of my life. An electricity starts in my lips where our mouths meet and it spreads until every cell in my body is celebrating this moment. I take her mouth with more greed as I brush my tongue over the seam of her lips. I want to devour her. She finally seems to give into it, her hand tangling in my hair.

My elation soars as she kisses me back, our lips roving over each other and I can do nothing to hold back the groan that rises from deep in my belly. I worry the noise will frighten her, but she surprises me with an answering whimper.

I let her ravish my mouth, enjoying the sensation of being so close to her. My hand on her knee begins moving now, smoothing slowly up her thigh. She lets her legs fall apart, and it’s the only encouragement I need to scoot forward, placing myself between them as I suck up the needy moan she gives.

There’s heat emanating from her pussy, and I need to get closer. I break apart from her lips, intent on laying my mouth on every inch of her skin. She throws her head back, her breaths coming out in fast pants. I know how she feels. I’ve been so intent on kissing her that I forgot I needed oxygen to exist.

I trail my mouth down her neck, nipping at her skin and lathing her with my tongue as she pulls me close to her.

A noise distracts me and I try to work out what it is. Mel pulls back and raises a hand to her face, her fingers pushed against her lips as if she can’t believe we were just kissing.

From downstairs, the sound of the door slamming shut echoes towards us.

“Alex? Mum?” Zack’s voice calls.

“Fuck,” comes Mel’s pained whisper.

“It’s okay. I’ll go and see him. I need to get to work anyway. Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” Her eyes brim with unshed tears.

“We didn’t do anything wrong.” I try to comfort her, but her panic is evident in the shake of her hands and her teeth biting hard on her bottom lip.

I rise from my place between her legs, brushing my knuckles across her cheek, before striding over to the door.

“Hey, I’ll be down in a sec,” I shout to Zack, listening out to see if he’s coming upstairs. “I can’t hear him. I’ll go and head him off while you take a moment. Okay?” She’s looking calmer now as she sucks in a deep breath and her eyes meet mine, which I take as a good omen.

I will my rock hard cock to calm the fuck down as I swing by the guest bedroom and grab my hoodie. I hold it in front of me as I make my way downstairs. Am I a shit friend for kissing his mum? Something that could be guilt swirls in my stomach, but I refuse to regret what just happened.

“Hey, you want one?” he asks, holding out a can of Coke.

“Nah, thanks, I was just getting ready to head to work. Your mum gave me the spare key.”

He nods. “Where is she?”

I shrug. “In her office, I guess.”

We chat for a while, Zack complaining about a college assignment. It’s like we’re a million years apart in age when he talks about college life. I’ve been out of that space for a few years now and it’s difficult to relate to how difficult the college work is when I don’t know where I’m living beyond tomorrow. But that’s not his problem, and I think I’m probably salty because he interrupted my make-out session with his mum.

“I gotta head. I’ve got some training at the bar and then a shift.”

“Maybe I’ll see if Rich wants to meet me there for a drink. We can come and heckle you.”

“Ha, sure. As long as you leave a decent tip.”

“You think I’m made of money?” he asks with a chuckle.

“I’ll catch you later.”

The house was empty when I stopped at my mum’s to get some more clothes. I was able to get in, get changed, and pack up a rucksack with some things before heading to The Thirst Trap.

I pull the bike up at the back of the pub so it’s tucked out of the way. I lock it up and take my helmet and rucksack inside with me.

“Hey, it’s Alex,” I shout as I enter, not wanting to give Abby a fright. She was opening up at lunch today and offered to walk me through the till and ordering system, as well as mixing up the most popular cocktails in the quiet hours this afternoon.

It’s going to be a long night, but I should be able to get an hour’s break and on the longer shifts, there’s normally a meal on offer for no charge. I’ll get fed and trained up in the hope I can start taking more shifts.

I steer down the back corridor to the staff break room. There’s a wall of lockers on one side and I manage to fit my stuffed rucksack, hoody and bike helmet in one, taking the time to lock it given my laptop is stashed inside. I’m wearing a band t-shirt, jeans and my biker boots. Tom and Abby haven’t mentioned a dress code, but the permanent staff tend to wear tees or polos branded with the Thirst Trap logo.

The door opens and Abby walks in, a big grin on her face. “Hey Alex, how are you doing?”

“Good, thanks. Is this okay to wear behind the bar?” I gesture to my outfit. She looks me up and down with a quirked eyebrow.

“Hmmm, we can do better than that. Men’s medium for the shirt?”

“Err, yeah, maybe a large.” I watch as she opens up a locker at the end and rummages through some packaged items. She tosses one to me and I realise it’s a branded t-shirt.

“Try that. See if it fits.”

“Okay.” I think nothing of it when I whip off my current t-shirt and then rip the packaging open on the one she threw at me. She has an assessing look in her eyes as she checks me out, although it doesn’t seem to be sexual. “Looked your fill?”

“It would be rude not to check you out when you stripped off so nicely for me.” She winks, and I can’t hold back my chuckle.

I pull the medium black top over my head and down. It’s snug. I frown. “Maybe the large would be better?”

“Nah, it’s perfect. You want some tips, don’t you?”

Shaking my head, I can’t help but chuckle. “You think this is gonna earn me some tips?”

“I know it will. Especially if you’re on shift on Friday. We’ve got a live singer in and he’ll be drawing the ladies in. Let’s get you trained up so you can make all their cocktail desires come true.”