“I’m thinking about how amazing you and Briar are,” I say, letting him tug me into his arms. The protective jackets squeak as the material rubs against the other, and I grin up at him happily.
“There’s more, right?”
“Always is. I was also thinking about how well our dates have been going. Our temperaments match, you don’t mind the crazy you’ve gotten to know, and you’re both pretty easy going,” I add.
There’s a lot more crazy than he may be comfortable with, and that’s what I’m concerned about.
“I think I can handle all of your crazy,” he says, his lips pressing against my temple. “Let’s go break some shit, Hummingbird.”
Nodding, I bounce happily into the room, finding a sledgehammer that’s calling my name.
“Are you working out any specific rage?”
Adjusting my goggles, I swing my weapon at a group of ugly lamps. “My client needs an update on her website, and I’m having trouble getting into a creative groove.”
“So you’re going to beat the shit out of things to…”
“If I’m tired enough, my brain will have no choice but to work,” I say, shrugging. “It’s also why sometimes I’ll have a dance party before working. I’m willing to try anything once if I think it might work.”
Nodding, Atlas hefts an axe in his hand before going to town on a door laying propped up on its side. It’s a comfortable silence, we break shit with the kind of intensity I can usually only find with Jude. I first started coming here with him when he was having nightmares of what happened to him.
Later, came frustration and anger because he lost control of his life, and no one would hire a broken dancer. The Rusty Pipe is good for Jude. It allows him to stay in the habit of stretching and exercising so he can dance, and he has creative freedom to do whatever form of dance he wants.
Ballet was an incredible opportunity for him, but it was very structured in its creativity. He’s considering going to an aerial dance studio soon to learn how to use silks for his dance routines, and he’s taking me with him. I may suck at it, I’ll never know until I try.
It’s the same thing I told him before I signed both of us for a class next week. I simply haven’t told him yet.
Atlas and I are both breathing hard by the time we finish our hour long session trashing the room.
“Fuck, I didn’t realize how much fun this would be,” he says, chest heaving.
“There’s a cortisol release that happens when you break things. I read an article about it before I first decided to try it,” I explain helpfully, pulling off my safety glasses.
Atlas tears off his goggles, his lips pulled into a wicked twist as he begins to stalk toward me.
“Down boy!” I squeal as he picks me up. Atlas can’t do it the normal way, oh no. His hand squeezes a palmful of my ass, and he lifts me until my arms can wrap around his neck.
“I want a kiss first. Do you have any idea how sexy you look when you use a sledgehammer?”
“It’s because I shouldn’t be able to—mmmmhmm.”
I have no idea what else I was planning to say, because I’m being consumed by soft lips which don’t give a fuck about my lipstick. His tongue slides over mine, and his breaths feel as if they give my lungs permission to breathe with him. It’s a hot fucking kiss that slowly destroys my panties. I’m wet and needy, and I moan into his mouth, knowing he’ll muffle it as he squeezes my ass harder.
I want his fingerprints all over my body as soon as possible.
“You taste exactly as good as I thought you would,” he growls, nipping my bottom lip. “How much of a mess am I?”
Taking off my heavy gloves, I rub a smudge of red lipstick off his bottom lip.
“It’s not too bad. Maybe there’s better staying power on this lipstick than I thought there was.”
“I still need a dick sucking test,” he says, carefully dropping me back on my feet. “Are you hungry?”
“I am. We definitely worked up an appetite.” I ignore the double entendre of my words as Atlas gives me the sexiest uptick of his lips. It’s not quite a smile, but it bleeds smugness.
The mountain man definitely knows how sexy he is.
“Are you in the mood for pizza or something else?” he asks, helping me out of my protective coat when I begin to struggle a bit.
