Page 14 of Throttle Me (Men of Inked 1)
“Ma,” I should hate her calling me her baby boy, but my mother could call me anything in the world. I adored the woman. “She isn’t jumping on the Joey train. I don’t think she really wants to see me.”
“What? Why not?” she leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “You’re perfect.”
“That’s cause I’m your kid. I’m hardly perfect, Ma,” I cleaned the last dish and placed it in the rack to dry. “You don’t really know everything about me, no matter what you think.”
“I know more than you think, sweetheart. Iz has loose lips, you know.” I could beat my little sister’s ass. I’m sure she doesn’t tell my ma about all her love affairs. “I know you’re quite the ladies’ man. I’m not judging you, Joey. You never bring any girls around, but I know you.”
Fucking Iz. “When and if I find the one, Ma, you’ll be the first to know.” I kissed her cheek and her radiant smile lit up the room. “Suzy sees me as a tattoo artist that rides a motorcycle and hangs out in shit hole bars. I don’t exactly rank up there on her boyfriend material checklist.”
“I kinda like this girl already,” she giggled. I loved hearing the sound of her laughter. “She doesn’t know everything about you and our family?” she raised her eyebrow.
“No, I don’t tell anyone about us, Ma.”
“Checklists are made to be changed. She needs to know the Joey I do. Are you going to ask her out? Makes her yours?” she asked.
“That’s what I was trying to do at the table, but she has class.”
“Ah, a smart girl too. Joey, don’t ask a girl out through text message. That’s what’s wrong with you kids today. She needs to hear your voice when you ask. Texting is too impersonal and I’ll never understand it. Call the girl.”
“I will. I’ll call her later. Happy?”
My ma wrapped her arms around me and said, “Very.”
Broken Rules
I couldn’t get him out of my mind and it had been less than twenty-four hours since he dropped me off with a soul-stealing kiss. His cocky smile, his muscles, the way he touched me, stayed with me long after he left. No one had made me want to break a rule more than he did. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate on my lesson plans for the upcoming quarter, my mind drifted to him.
Trying to quiet my brain I flipped on “Catfish” as I crawled in bed. It had been my guilty pleasure since this show began. I loved watching the train wreck and the broken hearts of those that thought they fell in love with someone only to find out that they weren’t who they pretended to be.
I used to tease Sophia and Kayden, my old roommates, mercilessly about how different their little tryst in New Orleans could’ve turned out. Their situation was different; they had mutual friends and had checked each other out, so they felt it was a sure thing.
On paper Kayden and Sophia didn’t work – it wasn’t a match made in heaven, but their love was undeniable. It was electric. Sophia followed her heart and his pull was inescapable for her. She fell for him hook, line and sinker. I never understood it until I got to know Kayden. He wasn’t anything like I thought – his heart was pure, but his path in life had been different than mine. I’d never believe Sophia would find a guy without a college education and a criminal record to fall in love with, but they’re the happiest couple I know and I want that kind of love.
My checklist had been realistic in theory, but City had me questioning my method and requirements. I’d dated men that fit on paper but the chemistry lacked. City was just so City. I was approaching the end of my twenties, sitting in bed, eating bon bons, and watching “Catfish” alone.
I am happy, aren’t I?
My phone began to move across my nightstand. I popped the last morsel of chocolaty goodness in my mouth, “Herlo?”
“Hey, Suzette.” The vibration of his voice through the phone made my heart skip a beat as I swallowed the chocolate slowly. Damn, why did I have to eat that last piece before I answered? Herlo? I sounded like I had a speech problem.
“Oh, hey. How are you?” I grabbed the water on my nightstand and washed down the last bit of candy.
“I’m well, sugar. Whatcha doin’?” I heard rustling in the background. Were those his sheets? Was he naked?
“Just watching television and I’m about to go to sleep, you?” I wiped the chocolate from my lips and licked my finger. These little bitches are so damn tasty.
“Just laid down too. What are you wearing?” he asked in a smooth and deep timbre.
Omg, he didn’t just ask me that. Looking down I had my ratty go to clothes when I lounged around the house. “Um, a tank top and flannel pajama pants.”
I could hear him laughing, “Really?”
“Yeah, why? What are you wearing?” Please don’t say you’re naked.
“Nothing, sugar.” Damn it all to hell. “You still there?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I knew he could hear the change in my tone as it came out all breathy and quiet.
“When can I see you again?” he asked.
“I don’t know, City.” I wanted, god how I wanted to scream now, but I needed to think about him – us.
“Don’t deny you want me, Suzy. I can hear it in your voice. You’re thinking of my cock inside you and your lips on mine.”
My breath hitched as the images played like a movie in my mind. “I won’t deny it, but that doesn’t make it right,” I said moving down in the sheets and turning off the television.
“I’m not asking you to be my girlfriend, Suzette. I remember you having an earth shattering time yesterday. I can still hear the sound you made when I made you come against my fingers.”
A small moan escaped his lips. My heart ached when he said he didn’t want me to be his girlfriend. What the hell? Stay on course – do not waiver from the list. “It was the sexiest fucking sound I’ve ever heard, sugar. The way your eyes rolled back and your body rocked into my hand. Fuck.”
I squeaked. Omg, lemme die. “City.”
“The taste of you on my tongue after. Fucking perfect. I’m rock hard thinking about you.”
“You are?” I whispered.
“Rock fucking hard.” His breathing changed like it had when he fucked me. I could never forget the sounds the man made when he came. “Friday night, Suzy. No excuses this time.”
“Okay. Friday.”
“Good. I’ll be thinking about that sweet pussy all week, sugar. Sweet dreams.” His words were drawn out and his tone was sexy as hell.
“Night,” I whispered back before the phone went quiet and his harsh breath disappeared. Listening to the man turned me on and I wanted to run to his house and have sex with him, but I didn’t. Reaching into my nightstand, I grabbed my trusty battery-operated boyfriend for the last five years and thought of City as I climaxed. The orgasm didn’t compare to the one I had under his deft fingers. He fucking ruined one of my simple pleasures.
Fuck Monday mornings. I never wanted to get out of bed. I pulled in the school parking lot five minutes late, before throwing my bags down in my classroom and headed to the copier to be prepped for class that started in ten minutes. Damn. I hated being rushed.
I taped my finger against the copy machine as it slowly churned out each piece of paper. People walked in and out of the teacher work area with a quick hello and happy Monday.
“What are you grinning about? It’s Monday and you never smile, bitch,” Sophia said behind me.
“I wasn’t smiling.” I turned around to see her grinning like a loon that just escaped the funny farm.
“Oh, you were, sister. What happened?” Sophia always looked so put together and breathtaking and today was no different.
“I have so much to tell you. I’ll come see you during my planning period.”
“By the look on your face I’d think you got laid this weekend. I’m not talking about a boring bullshit fucking either. You got fucked,” she whispered in my face. I felt my face flush. “You did, don’t lie, and I want every last detail.”
The homeroom warning bell blared and I started to panic, grabbing my papers in a crazy heap. “I’ll be up third period. I’m going to be late, Sophia. I gotta run, babe.”
“I’ll hunt your ass down if you don’t show up,” Sophia said as I reached the door.
“I’ll be there, whore. Shut it.” She smiled at me like a proud mama.
Sophia shut the door to her office. “Tell me and I mean all of it.”
Sitting on the comfy old couch in her office I rested my head against the wall. “What do you want to know?”
“Don’t play coy with me. You know more about my sex life than anyone else in the world. I want all the information start with who and when.”
Sophia sat at her desk and rested her head on her hand. “I met him Friday night.”
“Friday night? I don’t remember you meeting someone,” she interrupted, her eyes looking upward replaying our time at the martini bar.
“After I left you. My car crapped out and this drop dead gorgeous man stopped
