Getting Over Edie Ch. 06

His hands cupped her face, drawing her deeper into the kiss.

Kissing Arden was quickly becoming one of his new favorite activities Her lips were full and soft and made him a little dizzy. She captured his lower lip between her teeth and gently tugged, nibbling on his flesh and making him groan. All her little tricks, her sighs of satisfaction when his tongue slid inside her willing mouth...it drove him crazy. It was all so new to him, kissing someone who was sexy, fearless, and a little playful. He was definitely digging it.

His hands traveled from her hips around to the impossibly round curves of her derriere. He lightly squeezed the ample globes and she moaned into his mouth, her tongue exploring his taste.

"Mmm, are we going to do this all night?" she murmured against his lips. Her fingers tightly gripped the shirt fabric at his shoulder as he moved his kisses to the curve of her neck.

"Why do you ask?" he rumbled into her skin.

"Ohh," she breathed. "Because we should move to a place where I can sit down. You keep kissing me like that and my knees will give out."

Grady smiled, bringing his lips back up to meet hers in a simple peck. "You okay?" he asked.

"Mmm-hmm." Her eyes were bright with lust and it made him swell with manly pride. She was so pretty, and those doe eyes of hers would be his undoing. It'd been so long since he felt this stable with someone. He still wasn't sure what they were officially doing, but there was a level of comfortable in their relationship that soothed his spirit and put him at ease.

Grabbing his hand, she led him past the living room and down the hallway into her bedroom. It was dark, save for the tiny twinkling lights above her bed. Coupled with the tree branches that served as the bed posts and the sheer gauzy curtains, it still had that 'fairy forest at midnight appeal'.

Arden turned to him, casting a shy smile in his direction. "Are you okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "Actually, I think I am." And he was. His mind was completely clear of anything except for her and this moment.

She stepped closer to him, sliding his hands around her waist and he let out an audible gulp. Her eyes met his and she smiled. "We don't have to do anything more than this," she husked, lips pressing against his in another gentle kiss. They traveled to the bed, lips still moving together.

Grady sat down, bringing her to rest on his lap.

There was a familiar burn in his body, a sensation he thought was long gone. He had the urge to do more, to go further in his exploration of her. Unlike the last time they were intimate, the panic of being close to another woman was lessened considerably. Lessened, but not completely gone.

When her hands clutched at his dirty blond curls, he had a flash of deja vu. Grady jerked, moving away from her lips.

Arden studied him quietly, her eyes filled with concern. "What's wrong?"

Grady shook his head. He didn't know what to say or how to explain to her that pulling his hair was a trigger for him. He really didn't want to bring up Edie, especially given his current location. "It's nothing," he replied.

He saw that look in her eyes, like she didn't believe him at all, and he hoped she wouldn't push the subject further. But then again, this was Arden. "Did I do something wrong?" There was a gentle vulnerability in her tone.

Guilt washed over him and he wrapped his arms around her waist, lips brushing softly against hers. "No," he reassured. "I guess I got a little freaked out when you touched my hair."

Arden frowned in confusion. "Your hair? Really?"

Grady hid his face in the crook of her neck, his blond scruff scratchy against her smooth skin.

"This is really stupid, and kind of embarrassing...but it just triggered some memories for me."

"Oh," she murmured. She still had that same quiet tone to her voice, as if she was walking on eggshells around him. "Memories, as in stuff about Edie?"

His blue eyes met her gaze and he nodded. "Yeah. Fuck, I'm sorry. Up until that point, I wasn't even studying anything about her. I really wasn't trying to ruin the moment."

She reached out, cupping his face in her hands as her eyes studied him. "You're not the only one with triggers, Kade." Her smile was sad and it clenched his chest something awful.

"You know...you can open up to me, too" he said. "I can't be the only one always swimming in an ocean of feelings."

Arden smiled, kissing his cheek. "I know. Thank you for offering." Her lips touched his again and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He noticed she didn't actually offer any kind of explanation, but he wasn't going to press her on the subject, especially since she was really understanding about this Edie business. Grady tilted backwards, his upper half resting back on the bed, bringing Arden with him. Her strong thighs straddled his hips, gripping him tightly and he groaned.

Her hips shifted a little, the warmth at the apex of her thighs coming into contact with his growing erection. Her dressed was bunched around her hips and the heat coming from her pussy made him ache.

Grady's hand gripped her thigh tightly as his other hand traveled to the warmth between her legs. Fanning out his fingers, he cupped her sex, giving her a slight squeeze.

"Oh," Arden moaned, her breath hot and sweet against his skin. "Do that again."

He obliged, squeezing a bit harder this time and she whimpered. "You like that sweetheart?" he cooed, his voice thick with lust.

She groaned softly, nodding her head. "Yes," she breathed. Her lips crushed against his, their kisses heated and almost messy. Arden pressed her pussy tighter into his hand, practically grinding against his palm. Her breathy whimpers made him shiver.

Grady pressed the heel of his hand against her clit and she cried out. She rode his hand harder as her legs opened slightly to give him access. He was tempted to dip his fingers inside her wetness, but something held him back. Besides, she was so close to her climax just from dry-humping alone.

"Oh fuck," she moaned. Her hands gripped his biceps tightly as her whole body began to tremble. Grady reach up, his teeth nipping gently at her earlobe and she uttered a sharp cry as she hit her peak. He could feel her juices leaking against her panties and his mouth watered for a taste of her.

Arden's breathing was steadying as she tried to come down from her orgasm. He peppered her face with gentle kisses as his hand continued to rub and squeeze her pussy through her panties.

She hid her face in his neck, and he could feel the heated flush of her cheeks. "Are you okay," Grady whispered. His hand moved from her hips to around her waist, gripping her tightly to him.

"Yeah," she replied. She was breathing heavily and he could feel her heart racing. "I just...that was kind of unexpected."

Grady chuckled. "I'll say. I guess it's just payback from our first encounter."

Arden grinned as she pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss. "I guess so. It's just been awhile since...you know..." her sentence trailed off.

"Since someone else made you come?" he supplied, purposefully choosing those words. He got the response he was looking for when a low moan filled his ear.

"Something like that," she said. Her hips gave an involuntary thrust and he closed his eyes against the sensation.

He was so conflicted; his body was revved up, screaming at him to move forward, but he couldn't seem to dead the lingering doubts. He was starting to suspect his hesitation wasn't about Edie, but with himself. Once he crossed that line with Arden, there'd be no going back. And for once, he was actually enjoying the relationship he had with a woman. There were no expectations, no 'where is this going' feeling.

It felt really natural, being whatever they were.

And it was scaring the hell out of him.

As if she could feel him tensing underneath her, Arden rolled off him before cuddling to his side.

Grady stroked her hair, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

She closed her eyes, savoring the feeling. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" she asked; her wide brown eyes filled with concern.

He shot her a weak smile. "I think I'm just living too much in my head, you know? I think so much, about every detail of my life, and it's like I'm not giving myself a break at all. Sometimes it's fucking exhausting." Grady wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer. "I like you, Arden. Clearly from this case of blue balls that I'm currently sporting. I'm not sure how to progress things, or if I even want to at all."

Arden was quiet for a moment. Her slim brown fingers stroked the exposed skin from where his shirt lifted up, tickling the soft dirty blond hairs of his happy trail. "I know what you mean," she finally said. "I like you too, Grady. Probably more than I should, given your situation. But I guess I just see how much we have in common and it speaks to me. We've both been hurt, and that hurt is still fresh."

Her eyes met his and he could tell she was almost at the point of tears. But she quickly shook her head and continued on. "I'm not asking for any more than what you're willing to give. And I'm hoping you feel the same."

In lieu of answering, his lips captured hers in a deep kiss. Their tongues danced playfully, teeth nipping, lips sucking. It was overwhelming but felt so right and when her hands moved lower, sliding inside his jeans and boxer briefs to fist his cock, he moaned into her mouth. "Arden," he bit out as his eyes rolled back. "You don't have to do that."

She smiled, running her fingers down the length of his smooth shaft. He was so hot and heavy in her hand and she gripped him with the right amount of pressure. It'd been a long time since he had a woman's touch on his body. Grady inhaled sharply when she started to stroke him faster.

Her kisses moved to his neck, biting and lapping at the sensitive skin under his jawline, her smooth cheeks rubbing roughly against his scruff. Grady unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them off his hips a little, giving her more room. He brought her closer to him, palming her ass with one large hand, moaning at the sensations of her softness gripping his cock, and the wet heat of her panty-clad pussy rubbing against his leg.

"Fuck, baby yes," he growled. "Harder. Yeah, just like that. Mmm." He couldn't hold back. It felt so fucking good. Brief images flashed in his mind of him fucking her from the back, his pale hands rubbing the luscious curve of her ass before giving a hard slap to each cheek. His mouth watered as he imagined tasting her pussy, licking her cream from her thighs as she cried out his name.

Grady's breathing grew heavier as her hand moved faster and he came with a deep grunt, coating her hand and a bit of his stomach with his essence. He grabbed her chin, lifting her face to his for a kiss that made his toes curl.

Arden moaned, pulling away for a moment, only to bringing her hand to her lips. Her pink tongue snaked out, licking her fingers clean. "Sweet," she said in an almost reverent tone. "Like strawberries and pineapples."

A low growl rose in his throat as his dick jumped at her words. "Baby, I can't think straight when you say shit like that."

She smiled. "Sorry. But you taste amazing. Must be all that healthy food you're eating."

Grady chuckled as his heartbeat finally returned to normal. He accepted her lips once more, his tongue swirling gently with hers. His hand kneaded the soft flesh of her ass, while the other cupped her face.

"Jesus," she whimpered. She was still straddling his leg, grinding against the corded muscle of his thigh. "I feel like a goddamn horny teenager."

He grinned, sucking on the tender skin below her ear. "I know what you mean," he rumbled, his voice vibrating low in her ear. "You keep rubbing against me like that, and I'm about ready to bust again."

She let out a loud laugh. "Aww, poor baby." She placed a soft kiss on his chin. "You're just so big and cuddly. Like a giant blonde bear."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment," he said.

"With you, I can never tell."

"Oh it's definitely a compliment." Arden nuzzled his neck, taking in the woodsy scent of his cologne. "You look really good, all big and burly like a lumberjack. The shirt helps too." She fingered the soft material of his black and blue plaid shirt.

"You're not too bad yourself, Finch. This ass..."

He slapped it for emphasis, enjoying the small hitch in her breathing. "I especially like watching you dance."

"Really?" the look in her eyes was one of uncertainty, and he was puzzled.

"Of course; now I'm not an expert on dancing, but you are fucking stellar. You might be brash, sarcastic, and unfailingly obnoxious..."

"Jeez," Arden interrupted. "Don't hold back on my account." She poked him in the stomach.

Grady smiled. "But there's no denying how amazing of a dancer you are." The look on her face confused him; she seemed unsure of herself, and he wondered why. "You don't seem to believe me."

"No, it's not that" she said, shooting him a weak smile. "I know that I'm a good dancer. It's just strange hearing those words from someone other than my girls or my peers. He thought dancing was a waste of time." The last part was said so softly, Grady wasn't sure he heard her correctly.

"He?" he asked "Who's 'he'?"

Arden looked taken aback, and Grady assumed she thought he didn't hear her. "What?"

"You said 'he' thought dancing was a waste of time, and I asked who 'he' was."

"It...it's nothing," Her full lips set into a firm line.

Grady studied her for a moment, picking up on the defensiveness in her tone and the way her body slightly shifted away from his. "It's clearly far from nothing," he stated.

She shot him a look, before sighing heavily. "He was my Edie. And he was an asshole." There was an undercurrent of bitterness in her words which shocked him. He'd never heard her sound so...broken.

He was silent, waiting for her to continue.

"We dated for nearly three years. He hated dancing; said it was a foolish hobby that wouldn't amount to much in the end. He was constantly discouraging my dreams and trying to force me to find a 'worthwhile career'." Her voice was hard and she chuckled bitterly.

"Dancing isn't a career for me; it's my fucking passion. The one thing I wake up in the morning for. But he was too focused on building the perfect life and grooming some sad, desperate woman into a future housewife. Dancing didn't fit into that life."

"What happened?" Grady whispered, even though he knew what was coming.

"While he was busy grooming me, he was fucking another woman. Guess she already fit the mold." Her eyes were glassy, and he cuddled her closer to him.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart" he said softly, kissing the top of her head.

He heard her sniffling into his chest, and he tilted her face to his. "It's been over a year since it happened," she said, giving him a watery smile. "He's married to her. They have twin boys.

Guess I really fucked up those chances."

Grady frowned. "Do you regret not taking him back?"

Arden was quiet for a moment, her plump bottom lip caught between her teeth as she pondered his question. She let out a small sigh. "No. I think in the long run, we would have been absolutely miserable together. But sometimes it's easier to accept the misery than to face the unknown. At least that's what I thought back then. I'd like to believe I know better now."

She glanced up at Grady. "So you see, Kade...I know exactly how you feel. We're both on the Island of Relationship Misfits."

He chuckled at her dark humor. "It would seem so." He brought his lips to hers, pressing them together in a soft kiss filled with understanding and all the emotions and sympathy he was too afraid to say. "Thank you for sharing your story with me," he said, his voice gravelly.

Arden smiled, kissing him again. "Thank you for being so understanding. Us rejects have to stick together."

********

Grady awoke to the sounds of music playing faintly somewhere in the distance. He lifted his head from the pillow, which smelled of night jasmine and honeysuckle, slightly opening one cerulean-colored eye.

There was a brief moment of 'where the fuck am I?' before the last night came back to him in a wave of flashback. Kissing, touching, rubbing.

Arden.

He was at Arden's place.

Rolling over onto his back, he realized he was alone in the bed. Grady sat up, rubbing the brownish-blond scruff on his face. He shirtless and pants-less, clad in nothing but red boxer briefs. Swinging his legs around the side of the bed, he rose and followed the sounds of music. It was coming from the kitchen.

Grady padded down the hallway and peeked his head into the brightly colored kitchen. She was wearing his plaid shirt, and as far as he could tell, nothing else. "Well at least I know where my shirt went," he said, his voice still rough with sleep.

Arden, who'd been at the stove stirring something in a pan, jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Jesus!" she exclaimed, pressing a hand over her heart. "You scared the hell outta me."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I kinda woke up in a daze. I don't even remember falling asleep last night."

She smiled, and he couldn't help the flutter in his stomach. Her face was completely scrubbed of makeup, her smooth dark brown skin practically glowing. Her loose curls were piled on the top of her head in a sloppy bun. And she was wearing the hell out of his shirt. She was so damn pretty.

"Well, it was really late for you to head out, so I suggested you stay the night."

Grady nodded. "Oh yeah, it's coming back to me now. I was a bit knackered out from all out extra activity last night." He grinned madly at her and she ducked to hide her own wide smile. They'd spent another two hours talking about any and everything. Between stories there were fervent make-out sessions and a whole lot of rubbing and grinding.

He felt like a damn teenager, with all the fingering and handjobs, but it was thrilling at the same time. Arden walked over, planting a kiss on his lips. She attempted to turn back to the stove, but he grabbed her arm. Grady's lips slanted over hers, his tongue licking her plush lips, seeking entry. "You taste so good," he murmured.

Arden chuckled, her hands pressed against his bare chest as she pushed him away. "And you taste like morning breath," she joked. "I have a couple of spare toothbrushes in the bathroom cabinet. Make friends with one of them."

Grady rolled his eyes. "Ouch, Finch. That hurts. But as you wish." Giving her a sharp slap on her ass, he headed towards the bathroom.

After quickly brushing his teeth, Grady caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. What a difference a few months make, he thought to himself. His body, while not as muscular as before, was solid and burly but in shape. His arms had definition and the spare tire around his stomach was almost gone.

He felt like a new man.

Almost.

Grady frowned. Something was holding him back. He could feel it. Something was in the way of his progress. His eyes focused on his reflection as realization hit him like a freight train.

The hair.

He reached up, fingering the shaggy, corkscrew curls. His hair wasn't the end-all source of his misery, but it was the last leftover relic from his time with Edie. It was her favorite thing about him, the one thing he hadn't changed. Maybe that was it; the reason things couldn't move forward. He hadn't rid himself of everything, not yet.

When he left the bathroom, he found Arden seated in the living room watching television, two plates of food on the coffee table.

"There you are," she said. "I thought you were taking a dump."

He rolled his eyes before plopping down next to her on the couch. "You are such a classy broad."