Touch [GALATEA]

A/N:

Hi everyone,

Touch is, in its entirety, on GALATEA.

This means, this is only a sneak peek.

Thank you to those who had the chance to read it here! Thank you for all the likes and comments! You motivated me to continue writing. As a pantser writer, I was able to feel as a reader and, just as much as you, not know exactly where the story was going.

Much love,

Ana

Emily

I threw myself onto the bed and looked at the ceiling.

Shit. What is wrong with me?

Raising my hand to feel my nipples hardening, I couldn’t understand why the hell I was so restless.

Seriously though. Stop thinking. Stop touching yourself. Just stop!

I had just been at the beach. Which is nothing new. I should've just been that - a day at the beach, right?

Nicole had begged for my company and I had never been able to say no to my best friend. Am I a people pleaser? Maybe. But to her credit, nothing ever stops her from her plans anyways, not even the fact that I actually had to meet my boss today.

Once we arrived at the beach, Nicole threw her bag onto the sand, took her pink tank top off just before pushing down her white mini-skirt.

“What are you waiting for? Let’s go for a swim!” Nicole sounded impatient and started pulling my strapless dress down.

She knows I’m a bit insecure when it comes to my body. It doesn’t matter how many times people say I’m beautiful, I still feel like someone’s looking at my flaws and taking notes.

Cellulite? Check.

Boobs that could be bigger? Double check.

Hour-glass figure? Item not found.

Eye roll? Check.

Ugh.

I’m 29 years old and still have body issues. I do love myself, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that some days, I just don’t like what I see in the mirror, you know?

“Oh, shut up! You look beautiful! I’d kill to have those legs!” Nicole crossed her arms for a second, as if hearing my thoughts, and smiled.

She cupped my face and looked me straight in my olive green eyes.

“Do I need to slap you out of it?”

“I hate you”, I smiled.

“Only because I’m right” Yep. No one knows me better than my childhood friend Nicole.

“Alex just texted.” I changed the subject while putting my phone back in my bag. “He’ll be here in an hour. And I have a meeting with my boss in a couple of hours so is it okay if I leave when he gets here?”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Why do you need to meet your boss? Doesn’t he usually just call?”

“I’m guessing the Pascoal Villa is going to be rented out for the month. Maybe he needs to give me some details about what the new tenants will need.”

I have what most think is the weirdest job. Well, even I can’t really explain. I’m pretty much a hotel hostess, except it’s not a hotel, it’s a bunch of houses and villas. My boss, Mr. Torres, a 78-year-old retired lawyer, has dozens of houses and Villas which he occasionally rents out. Making money without moving one finger. That’s what people think he does.

My job is to do whatever it needs to be done to keep the estate in good condition for the tenants, and get them everything they need to feel at home.

I’ve had this job for 5 years now and rarely see Mr. Torres in person. I know he trusts me, and we usually only talk on the phone before new tenants arrive.

“That means Alex is giving me a lift home? Shit, Em, you know what that crazy ass Colorado something truck does to me!”

I smirked because I know she’s not talking about the truck.

“Yeah, you’ve made sure I do know! And you’ll thank me later, after that libido of yours has quenched her thirst!”

Yep. She’ll thank me later and she’ll definitely tell me about all the ways Alex fucked her in that truck. Ugh. I need a fuck buddy like Alex.

Without a second’s thought, Nicole jumped in the water. I kept walking along the shore, feeling goosebumps every time a wave hit my ankles.

“It feels so good, Em! I swear I can feel my soul getting lighter!”

Nicole’s positive energy was so contagious that I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and dove in the water.

Fuck. It’s fucking freezing. You fucking liar, Nicole. And my soul just got the meaning of hell freezing over.

As I’m coming up for air, my lungs ready to give up, my face abruptly hits something hard. I place my hands forward so that my chest doesn’t hit it as well, and then I realize my palms are against a bare tattoed chest.

A very sculpted, very dreamy, tattoed chest.

Oh. My. Did I just moan?

I don’t know for how long, but I just stood there, staring, my hands still on those hard tattooed pectorals, surprised at how soft that skin was and feeling how hot my hands were getting.

Oh my holy mother of holy souls. My vagina just unfroze!

My hands started sliding down and my eyes were taking in every single inch of that sun kissed skin till I felt my waist being held by two strong hands, and my whole body was quickly pushed up and back against a wave.

What the...?

Losing my balance while trying to straighten back up, I finally looked up.

This gorgeous man... This gorgeous man has just pushed me?

“That was quite unnecessary.” I sounded annoyed because I fucking was, even though the man standing in front of me was quite possibly the hottest man I’ve ever been so close to. The blue in his eyes matched the colour of the sky, it may be the dark brown hair that makes them stand out even more. Which should be irrelevant. I know. But still.

Sweet Jesus... What those lips could do to me. Mmmm...

The thought that he had pushed me away from him because he was obviously not interested crossed my mind.

So I instinctively attacked before showing any king of embarrassment.

Defense Mechanism: Activated.

“I’m very much capable of walking away, thank you very much. No need to push me.”

Asshole. Sexy as fuck asshole. Ugh.

He opened his mouth just as fast he closed it. And I did my best to ignore those lips.

I could see his Adam’s apple going up and down as he raised his right hand to smooth his hair back.

Stop looking, Emily. Stop. Looking.

He didn’t seem to care about what I'd just said and just looked at me while I frowned and turned around to walk back to shore.

“What just happened?!” Nicole was again her romantic self, the kinky kind of romantic – you wouldn’t see it if you didn’t know her. “Did he ask you for your number? Did he give you his number? What’s his name? How hard are those abs?” Nicole was all giggles and I’m pretty sure she was looking at him, sizing him up, and back at me.

“Nic! Please.” I’m heading back to my towel and Nicole can’t let it go.

“It’s been too long, Em. If you don’t put yourself out there to meet a guy, even if it’s just for a bit of fun, then I might take it into my own hands to help you. Biblically, even.”

“Nic. It was embarrassing, okay?” I laid on the towel and ignored her offer to help me. Don't even ask what she means with Biblically..."It was an accident and we barely spoke. Well, he actually didn’t. At all.”

He didn’t say a word. Not one. Am I that unappealing?!

Asshole.

As soon as I closed my eyes I feel my body being pressed against the towel.

“Alex! What the hell?!”

After he kissed my forehead, Alex jumped up and repeated that attack on Nicole. Every time I see them together I can’t help but wish they were more that fuck buddies. God knows I’ve tried talking them into actually being boyfriend and girlfriend!

I’ve known Alex for as long as I’ve lived here. He was the first guy I met here and even though I had at first considered hooking up with him, I realized we would be better off as best friends.

Let’s be honest here. It wasn’t easy. Him being a blue-eyed, with sandy blond hair, muscular, 6′3, paired with an awesome laidback personality definitely made me question that realization.

Turns out, just because a guy is hot as hell, doesn’t make him your type. Whatever that means.

So that’s Alex. My not-my-type-hot-as-hell friend.

“I got you invitations to that Black and White Masquerade Party.” He smiled at both of us and winked at Nicole.

Of course he did. He owns the freaking nightclub...

“And you" Nicole squinted at me “are getting laid tonight. With or without me!” She laughs though I know she was being honest.

Sigh.

“It’s been that long, uh?” Alex said, smirking and looking at me. I could see the wheels turning behind his look. I just don’t know if he was thinking about my forced celibacy or Nicole’s threat to play an active role in getting me laid.

“Shut up you two.” They’re right. It’s been too fucking long. But they do not have to make that the focus of this or any conversation. “I have to meet my boss in about an hour so I’ll leave you guys now.”

“Be ready at 9pm!” Alex says while picking up Nicole bridal style and walking towards the water.

“I’ll be at your house early so we can get ready there!” Nicole yelled just before being thrown in to the water with her arms still around Alex’s neck.

And now, here I am, looking at the freaking ceiling, touching a nipple with my left hand and slowly moving my right hand down my stomach, under the hem of my bikini bottom.

Why can’t I get that guy out of my mind? Why the fuck did I have to touch his fucking delicious chest? Why the fuck did he not just grab me there and kiss me and take me like I was the last woman on Earth?

Libido 1- Brain 0

Ugh. I need a shower. That’s what I need. I do not need to fantasize about a guy that actually showed no interest in me and literally, literally, threw me away like a freaking unwanted frisbee!

Libido 1 - Brain 1

Nicole is right. I do need to get laid. I can’t even remember last time that happened. And I’m not talking about a relationship. Nope. That was a year before I moved here five years ago. From then on, I’ve been totally fine with occasionally going out on a few dates and having casual sex for a while. Not that it happens often.

Well... Two guys in 5 years to be exact.

I do remember the last guy though. James. Made me come as many times I needed release. Well, maybe a few more times than that actually. Damn, I miss that feeling.

I am so in need to have sex it's not even funny.

Libido 2 – Brain 1

Well fuck.