Wreck You Read online

  “Wow, check that out. Is that yours?” He motions towards my girl. She is a customized 1970’s Harley Sportster. Dad got her for me when I turned sixteen. Her tank and front fender are hot pink. She is a vintage beauty and I love her.

  “Yeah, I ride. Your bike’s not bad either.”

  “So, you know a thing or two about Harleys?” He asks.

  “Yeah, my dad is into them, and I work at a custom shop. I run the office, but have also been known to tweak an engine or two.”

  I don’t want to tell him about the club. I know right now would be the time to get it out there, but I'm so sick of this town and everyone I meet knowing about that part of my life.

  “I just got the bike.” He offers up this bit of information, but says it with a tinge of hurt. I know I shouldn’t pry, but there is something vulnerable about this man. He is so large and strong, yet I can’t help but feel like he needs a crutch. Sometimes, every good man needs a strong woman to lean on.

  “Well, Corbin, what brings you here?”

  “I’m on leave for a few weeks. Lost one of my guys. Garrett. We were real close. That is his bike. I mean... was.” He motions his head over towards the bike. “He used to talk about spending summers here. I had the time off, so here I am.”

  “Garrett Parker?”

  “Yeah, That’s him. Did you know him?”

  “He was a little older than me, but I knew who he was. Come to think of it, I think I saw him around town a few months back. I’m real sorry about your friend.”

  He nods his head. This is turning into a sad conversation and I’ve seen enough sadness. Growing up in the club, I've seen brothers die, not often but it has happened. I learned from this that despite how strong men can seem on the exterior, losing a brother hurts even the biggest badasses. I’m sure it’s no different for Corbin. I also can’t help but take note of the fact that he said leave which means he will be going back. I feel a slight sadness to this, which is odd since we just met.

  “How old are you, Maura?” I like the way he says my name, nice and slow.

  “I’m twenty. You?”

  “Twenty six. Jesus, you’re young. I’m so going to get in trouble for boozing it up with a minor.” He is halfway kidding, but it kind of annoys me. I don’t want him thinking of me as some young naive girl.

  “Don’t worry about me. There isn’t a cop around that will say anything to me about a few beers. Besides, looks like I’m supplying the booze here.”

  “Don’t tell me your dad is a cop?” I stifle a laugh at that. If he only knew.

  “No, he is definitely not a cop. I’m about out of beer but I have some Wild Turkey. Want some?” He nods and kind of laughs at me. He tilts his head back and finishes his beer.

  “You drink Wild Turkey?” He looks at me with amusement and a little doubt. “You’re 5’4 and can’t be more than a buck twenty soaking wet.”

  “You want to see me soaking wet?” I’m flirting.

  I get up and walk past him, shutting him up with that comment. Inside, I grab two glasses with ice and the bottle of Wild Turkey making a mental note to restock that for Dad. You can do this Maura. There is nothing here stopping you from enjoying this man. I think giving myself a mental pep talk. I stop in my room to quickly change, then grab two black towels from the hall closet and head back outside. My change has the desired effect.

  Chapter 2

  I changed into my black one piece, if you could call it that. It is all black with two triangles over my boobs and then a thin strip of fabric down my stomach that connects to the bottoms. This suit is my favorite, showing off my curves just right. I toss a towel to Corbin.

  “You wanted to get wet! C’mon Marine, let’s go.”

  I see it. The look in his eyes is heated. I know that I'm coming on strong, but let’s face it. I don’t get chances like this. I have to take it, even if he will leave me. It may be my only opportunity with a man. If my dad had it his way, I would walk around with a chastity belt on and if the boys had their way, I would permanently ride bitch on the back of a bike or worse barefoot and pregnant with an army of rugrats. None of these is a good option.

  Corbin looks at me like he is a little confused, so I continue,“The lake is still pretty warm.” I hand him the glasses and Wild Turkey, and take off in a short sprint down the little wooden dock.

  The lake is large enough that the cottages on the other side are only visible when you squint to see them. The water on the lake always looks green instead of blue hence the creative name; something to do with the unique type of algae. Many of the cottages on this side of the lake are grouped together and share small docks. Our dock is long enough that I can tie a few jet skis to it if the weather is nice, but sits shallow enough that a boat would need to drop anchor further out.

  I drop the towel that was in my arms and dive into the cold water head first. I can feel the cold sting of the water all over my body. I swear that even with my eyes closed, I feel the cold soaking in behind my sockets. It’s that cold. I can wear a tight mask when I want to and I’m hiding this feeling securing the weakness as tightly as I can.

  Corbin walks down the deck. He is slow and deliberate in his pace. I watch as he pours himself a glass of Wild Turkey. He brings it to his lips and gulps it down while keeping his eyes fixed on me. I run my teeth over my lower lip in anticipation.Corbin sets everything down and peels off his shirt. The sun is gone now, but I can see his body with the light coming off of my house and the glow of the moonlight. I'm not prepared for what I see. The air whooshes out of my lungs. I gulp losing some of my self-assuredness. Every muscle that could be defined is. His chest and arms are perfect. My gaze trails downward to where his washboard abs meet his waist. I double gulp and realize that I may be in over my head. Corbin Marx is the most gorgeous man that I've ever seen.

  Corbin takes off his boots and then hurries out of his pants, so that he is now standing in front of me in black boxer briefs. If I thought the sight with no shirt on was perfection, this is downright sinful. My girl parts clench and goosebumps spread over my skin. I want to holler at him how insanely sexy he is, but instead I feel my lip quiver and experience a flood of emotions that I shouldn’t be feeling over a man I just met. I gotta get myself under control. I duck under the water and swim for a second, letting the cold water cool my raging libido.

  When I come up for air, I look around, but don’t see him. Suddenly, with such quiet stealth, Corbin is pressed against my backside. The ridges of his muscles forming peaks and valleys that even my back is aware of. My body tingles with excitement as I feel his nearness.

  Corbin’s breath is hot on my ear. “I like you soaking wet, Maura.”

  I turn towards him and put my arms around his neck. Well, I attempt to put my arms around his neck. His height has me straining a little. He scoops his arm under my bottom and my legs instinctively float up and wrap around his waist. He pulls me in close, but is careful not to be too close. As much as I want to feel his body near me, there is still space in between us.

  I find that I'm craving the feel of him, yet somehow still, there is a sexiness in the boundaries he is placing between us. It’s a gesture about building trust.

  My eyes meet his, and I suck in a breath as our lips collide. It’s soft at first, almost pleading. It’s a kiss asking questions; asking if this is okay. And it is. It is so okay. I open my mouth and a whimper escapes. Our tongues dance and my heart sings. We create a silent melody. My nipples, already hard from the cold, become taut pebbles as my body presses against him.

  He pulls away from our kiss.

  “You’re freezing, Maura! This water is warm, my ass!”

  Corbin scoops my legs and carries me back to the dock. He lifts me out of the water and wraps a towel around me. Now that I am out of the water, my jaw starts to quiver. This time, it is because of the cold, and not because of Corbin. He starts to rub my arms to warm me up. His hands are huge and creating the perfect heat as he rubs me. I start to feel a bit warmer.


  “I saw a fire pit in the backyard. C’mon. Let’s go drink some Wild Turkey and I’ll start a fire.” Corbin says ushering us towards the cottages.

  “Sounds good. I’ll see you in a few.”

  We grab our things and both of us go into our separate cottages to change. I throw on a pair of jeans with rhinestones on the back pockets, a harley t-shirt, a zip-up, and my boots. I pull my wet hair into a messy bun on top of my head and put on a little mascara. I can go sans make-up, but what kind of woman leaves the house without mascara?

  As I come around to Corbin’s backyard, I can see him tending to a fire.

  “Hi,” he says with a smile and gently pulls me in close. I snuggle into him and I can’t help but feel so comforted by his warmth. I put my arm around him, and we stand by the fire. There is a quiet calm between us. Eventually, I start to feel warm. He pulls the picnic table closer to the fire and we sit on top of the table facing the blaze. We sip Wild Turkey asking about each others’ lives.

  "So Corbin, how long have you been a Marine?"

  "I just re-upped for a third time. I’ve been in since I graduated high school. I was born at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. My dad is a Marine. He's retired. Growing up, I moved around a lot. I spent some time in the South, but I’ve lived just about everywhere. You name it, and I’ve probably lived there. It’s hard on a family. Eventually, my mom got tired of it and just left. The Marines have been my life. It’s shocking when your mom just up and leaves, ya know? I didn't get it at the time. Hell, I still don't, but my dad was all right."

  "That sounds lonely moving around so much?"

  "It was and it wasn't. Being around all that stuff when I was young felt like I was a little G.I. Joe. It was hard leaving friends though."

  "What’s your rank?" I ask, trying to change the topic from anything sad.

  "I'm a Platoon Sergeant." Knowing a little bit about how important rank is from the club, this must be a big deal. The pride when he says Platoon Sergeant shines through.

  "How about you, Maura? What is your story?"

  "My dad is Mickey, not like the mouse,” I chuckle. “He moved here from Ireland when he was twenty-three and met my mom at a party. Dad probably wasn't thinking when he decided to shack up with ‘Racey Lacey’ aka Mom. She was a junkie. The worst kind and had no qualms about sticking needles between her toes to hide track marks. Dad wouldn’t have even believed that she was pregnant with me if he hadn’t found the busted condom himself. Dad, being the stand up guy he is, decided to stick around to raise me. She died when I was two. So motherless, we have that in common. If we’re looking for some depressing shit to have in common.”

  “Was it hard for you, being without her?”

  “I guess... I didn’t know any different. If I dwell on it, I mourn what I didn’t have, so I have learned to just keep trekking on.”

  “I understand. I’ve thought about looking for my mom, but then it’s not really worth it. I figure if she left me, then what good is she?”

  “Moms suck.” I try to lighten the tone. “Dad raised me around a lot of his friends so it sometimes feels like I have ten dads, all of whom are very protective of me. But, he taught me a lot about life and I wouldn't trade him for the world."

  “That’s good. I’m glad you have had people watching out for you. Them being protective just means they love you.”

  “Ugh!” I sigh. “You have no idea.”

  We talk about music and books. Him having much more time to read when he is traveling, and me staying up all night on book blogs chatting and reading. With two thirds of our bottle of Wild Turkey gone, I let out a yawn. I don’t want to be tired. I don’t want the night to end. Corbin has been so sweet, either holding my hand as we talk or rubbing my thigh. We haven’t had the intensity from earlier but the simplicity of getting to know one another has had its own sex appeal.

  He catches me yawning. “I guess we better say good night.” A look of disappointment flashes across my face. I try to turn from him so he doesn’t see it, but I’m not quick enough. “Hey," he turns my face towards him, “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I guess. I just wasn’t expecting today, ya know? It’s like I really don’t want it to end.” Damn Wild Turkey. I think that made me seem more desperate than I intended, but I’m a little drunk, so I'm trying to play it off.

  “Oh Maura, I can’t tell you how badly I want to be with you tonight. I’ve loved tonight and getting to know you. This has been one of the best days I've had in so long, but I’m drunk. Really. I have no idea how you are standing.” He starts to stand but stumbles a little as he does. “Seriously, how are you standing?”

  See I can out drink them all. It may just be my God-given talent.

  “Whoa! How about we get you inside, Marine?”

  We lean on each other and stumble into his cottage. I get him to his bed and he falls against it. I come down with him but regain my footing. I’m left hovering just above him on the bed. I kiss his lips, but at this point, he is barely conscious.

  “You’re so beautiful, Maura.” He mumbles, and then is out cold. Corbin has to be at least 225 pounds, so to see this beast of a man passed out is a sight. Admiring his beauty, I find that I can’t help myself and plant a few more kisses along his jaw. I take his boots off and close the door.

  Back in my bed, I lay awake for awhile thinking about Corbin. Everything about him has me all kinds of turned on. Let's face it. I'm horny. Twenty years without loving, except for the occasional DIY job, and I'm ready to burst at the seams. I may have come off strong today, but I had to put myself out there. Being around Corbin leaves me with little doubt, I need to get laid. And not just by any man, but that man. Every single time he brushed my legs with his fingertips, I felt the throb between my legs. I've been turned on before, but nothing like this. Is there such a thing as girl blue balls? That's how I feel, like I’m blue jayed, a blue balled vajay jay.

  I know. Some might think, wow you just met this man? I don’t care. I've needed to let go of the sacred V for years, but it’s not just that any more. I'm learning so much about Corbin. The way he smiles. The way he towers over me. The way he is strong but compassionate. All of these attributes have me knowing that this thing with him is right. Everything about the two of us feels destined. Is fate such a thing? Could this be fated for us to meet here where no one from my life can permeate into this real life fantasy? What are the chances of him showing up here while my dad is away? I know, in my heart of hearts, that I can’t let this opportunity slip away from me.

  Thoughts of the sexy beast known as Corbin penetrate my dreams. By the time I wake up, I am more than ready to see him and take care of this problem once and for all.

  I wake up around 9:30, which is late for me. I feel surprisingly good for the amount of alcohol I consumed last night.

  Mickeyism #4

  The real luck of the Irish is the ability to drink like a fish but wake like a man, or in my case a woman.

  My smile is enormous on my face. I can't believe the night I had last night. Jenny is going to flip her lid when I tell her. I start a pot of coffee, and take a quick shower. I throw on my robe, grab my mug of joe and head out front to call Jenny. I love sitting on my porch watching everything start to come alive on the lake. I dial Jenny and she picks up on the third ring.

  "Morning, Sunshine," I greet Jenny.

  "Wow! Someone woke up on the right side of the bed this morning. Did my babe finally let Daws diddle her hoo-ha?"

  "God, no! That’s not even funny. Dawson is never getting near my hoo-ha, as you put it."

  "He could get near my hoo-ha anytime," Jenny says laughing.

  "Eww, Jenny! Do you know where that fiddle stick has been? I have something to tell you, if we can stop talking about hoo-has for five seconds." I say, in an irritated tone, but I'm not really irritated.

  "You know I love to talk about Daws and vajayjays".

  "Jenny, I’m serious! I met someone. He is so sexy and I love him. Oka
y, I don’t love him, but I could love him. He is the sexiest and sweetest man I have ever met."

  Just as I start rambling on and on about Corbin, I spot him running around the lake heading back this way.

  "Wait, Jenny. I gotta go. He is running down the beach and headed this way."

  "Oh my God! Maura, you have to let him see your hoo-ha."

  "I gotta go! Stop with the hoo-ha talk."

  "Okay, but seriously, call me later. I can’t wait to hear more."

  "Okay. I’ll talk to you in a bit."

  As I hang up the phone, Corbin’s pace slows as he approaches. By the calculated way he slows, you can tell he is gradually calming down his heart beat.

  “Morning, Marine.”

  “Morning. Who are you talking to that’s got you in such a good mood?”

  “You. But a few seconds ago, it was my best friend Jenny."

  “Can I see your phone?” he asks.

  “Sure.” I hand him my phone and he hits some numbers and his pocket begins ringing.

  “There. Now, we have each other’s numbers." He winks. “So, what are your plans for today?”

  “Not sure. See, I met this really hot Marine and I'm hoping that he’ll want to spend the day with me?”

  “Have you eaten yet? I’ve been up for a while, and stopped at the grocery store already. Are you hungry? I can cook.”

  “Wow. You’ve been busy. I just made coffee. No breakfast yet.” I hold up my cup for him to inspect. “You cook?”

  “I’m a man of many talents.” Gah, somehow I don’t doubt that.

  “You want a cup?”

  “I can't even tell you the last time I had a decent cup of coffee.” He says.

  “Well then, you are in luck because I've been told that I make amazing coffee. Come on in.” I hold the screen door and wait for him to follow me in. I can see he notices that I have a robe on because his eyes roam over my body as he brushes past me.