Fragments Of You, page 27
My ear presses into his chest with the deep breath he takes. I lift my eyes, even though the only thing I can see is his chin. “But?”
“Knowing he hasn’t had you. That what you and I had still meant something to you, even after all the stupid shit I did. I just…” He sobs, and my heart breaks with the sound. “Fuck. I don’t deserve you.”
The words knead their way into my soul. I nuzzle against him, losing the battle with my own tears.
“Nora.” He says my name so gently it could put a soft breeze to shame.
My eyes close at the soothing pitch. “Hmm?”
“I have something I’ve wanted to talk about.”
“What is it?” I whisper.
“Be my girlfriend.” He tightens his arms around me, and my blood hums in my ears. “Please, baby. Be mine. I know that’s a lot to ask of you, but I can’t live another day not having you.”
I crane my head back, a smile lifting my mouth, the full sight of him blurring thanks to my happy tears. “I was always yours. Now, will you be mine?”
“Already am.” His fingers stroke the back of my hair, and he lowers his head.
My eyes close––lips meeting in a gentle, heartwarming kiss. The pressure is faint, but the undercurrents of love infused in it send my body melting against his hard planes. The light groan he tries to hide at the back of his throat unbinds my reservations. I try to deepen the kiss, only to have him frustratingly pull away.
“Bentley,” I say in a near plea, “Please. Don’t stop.”
“Slow, huh?” The gentleness in his eyes and voice steals my words as he tucks a loose tendril behind my ear. “Trust me, I’m dying to go faster, but let me show you how different I am now. You’re mine, but allow me to fully earn the rest of your heart with my actions, and let’s go slow for your heart's sake.”
The first sprout of love blossoms in my heart, and I’m amazed at how perfect he’s becoming. He believed himself to be broken for so long, but the end result is a soul more tender than I could have ever asked for.
And for that? Yes. He’s more than welcome to stop our kiss… this time anyway.
Chapter 34
Bentley
“Did you put enough butter on the popcorn?” Nora’s voice carries through my house and into the kitchen.
Flicking off a light, I return to the living room, shaking the bowl as I go. “Just enough for my taste.” I wink.
Her nose wrinkles. “That means it’s going to be gross.”
“Oh, be quiet.” I plop down on the opposite side of the couch, placing the bowl between us.
“Humph.” She tentatively tries one piece and sticks out her tongue. “Gross. Put more butter on it.”
“No way.” I grab a handful and point to the TV. “Stop griping about my health decisions and start the movie.”
She grabs one of my couch pillows, rests into my arms, and presses play.
We’re watching an action flick, but my focus isn’t geared for that. Tonight, each fiber in my body thrums hard for her––straight down to my heartbeat which is following her rhythm. We’ve been dating for four months, and our time together has been slow but phenomenal. This sensation, however, is different. I’m so in tune, it’s like I’m holding her for the first time.
Any shift she makes robs me of breath. Her slight twitches elevate my pulse, and the scent of her shampoo has my head floating. There’s a heavy temptation to start massaging her shoulders and initiate something more, but I opt not to.
My main focus has been relenting control to Nora and acting only when I think she’s ready. At present, she’s far from doing anything intimate, so that’s out right now. The wait is torture, but I’m fucking hand-over-fist in love with Nora Davis, and I’ll wait two lifetimes if that’s the time for her.
Bearing my focus to the screen, I stamp down the fever crawling up my body. After a bit more struggle, I manage to focus on the movie, and we enjoy the flick in comfortable silence.
Later, I look at the bowl, and the popcorn hasn’t been touched. It seems like Nora didn’t like it at all. I decide to hog it and bring it to my lap.
“Oh no!” Nora’s voice shrills out.
My handful of popcorn falls to the floor with a jerk. “What is it?” I sit upright, juggling the bowl, struggling not to drop it while resting it on the coffee table.
Frantically tugging at her ear, she looks down at the sofa. “My earring. It’s gone. I know I had it on when I got here.”
Oh shit. It sounds like she's about to cry, and I can’t handle that.
“It was a gift from Granny.”
“Oh, God.” I plunge my hand down into the cushions, my heart accelerating. If she’s talking about her mom’s mom, Granny Norrie, then it’s a big deal. Nora was named after her and loved her even more than her own parents. She saved everything she got from her, straight down to the envelopes that Norrie sent to her on birthdays. We have to find that earring.
“It’s alright.” I force my hand deeper, hitting the wooden frame. “We’ll find it. I’m sure it’s in the couch.”
She scrambles to her hands and knees, searching with me.
We’re both digging, poking, and prodding, sweeping our hands back and forth. Anything to find that piece of jewelry. No luck, but the lack of it doesn’t seem to discourage us. If anything, our panic increases. I’m sitting sideways on the couch, elbow deep, praying to find this item when Nora gasps.
I look up.
Fuck.
We’re nose to nose, eye to eye. We both still.
In the midst of our search, we’ve navigated toward one another again, and the adrenaline is heavy. My arm is extending past her body, and my eyes have a clear view of her luscious lips as they pant.
That sight is testing every ounce of willpower I have. I glue myself in place and hide how turned on I am from being so near to her. I don’t want to push Nora away by being forward because from now on, we’re going at her pace. We went at mine once, and I fucked it up.
I keep my eyes locked on hers, but when hers dip to my mouth and her chest strains for a breath, I know she feels it too. She feels what’s been chasing down my blood all fucking night. That sets my heart ablaze and sends my head humming.
We’re both huffing for the smallest amounts of air. When her lower lip trembles, she steals the rest of my willpower, causing it to shatter.
My throat goes arid. “Nora…” I gasp, and I’m almost whispering. “Nora, I-I…I’m going to kiss you. I’m going to kiss you so fucking hard you’re going to forget whose air you’re breathing.”
She takes a broken breath, and her voice is a whisper too. “Do it.”
My mouth collides over hers. I moan, cupping her face, gripping my fingers in her hair. The connection isn’t gentle, it’s greedy, but God, how I love it—love her. But tonight, even with my long agonizing wait… even with the impulse pounding through my blood begging me to strip her bare and lay her beneath me, I make the choice to only kiss. This is all about Nora.
But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Another moan leaves me, and my fingers tighten in her locks. I battle away the thought of tugging her onto my lap. It’s hard, but I’m winning, just barely. Thank God, I don’t have to fight long.
She moves, and I find out I’m not the only one wanting more.
In one fluid motion, she pushes me till I’m seated on my ass, with my back against the cushions. She climbs on top of me, straddling my thighs, throwing her arms on either side of my shoulders. My eyes squeeze shut while I relinquish control and focus on her.
She’s wild—grinding me, moaning against my mouth, her hair cascading around me. Her chest rubs against mine. I feel every curve of her. Her build molds against me perfectly, and I want to explode. Long fingers dig into my neck, and she breaks our kiss to nip at my ear lobe. Gripping my hands around either of her thighs, I dig my fingers into Nora’s jeans. It’s small, but I’m at least taking the liberty of caressing her beautiful legs. She peppers supple lips up my neck, and my heart pounds between my collar bone. I moan, wanting to pop off in my jeans. Instead, I praise her.
“God. Nora. Yes. Your mouth feels so good, baby. Kiss me just like that.” My words spur her on, and she whimpers, clenching her legs around my hips. “Sweet Jesus, you know what makes me feel good.”
Her fingers grip into my shirt. She pulls my shoulders off the cushions and turns my torso, angling me so I’m nearly lengthwise with the couch. Her palms press against my chest, and I know she wants me to lay down. I comply.
Her hair curtains around us in our descent. I see the dark passion flooding her gaze, dilating her pupils, burning out the nutty color, making it pure hickory. She looks so lost and consumed, but I still don’t want to push her––I want to be different this time. Better.
I shift my head back, exposing my neck, and she rubs against me. When her hands snake under my shirt and connect with my abs, I grit my teeth, searching for restraint. Her soft lips kiss, nip, and lick, making a delicious trail from my collar bone to my ear. She repeats the pattern, ice-picking away at my control. I grip her middle harder and groan.
My cock hardens, and my breath is labored as I fight not to feel her up. Then… she grinds on me—grinds on my cock and fucking moans. Her beautiful body rocks against me, and she creates the most gorgeous pressure that has me singing her name.
It’s also battering my sanity, ravaging it to Hell. Much more of this, and I’ll be flipping her underneath me and stripping her down, and that’s not what tonight is about.
“Nora,” I say her name just before I’m pushed off the cliff of control.
She doesn’t stop at first. She bucks against me, creating more pressure. I cup her face and force her attention.
“Hey.” I smile, loving the way she nuzzles our noses together. My thumb strokes over her cheek, and I sigh. This moment is heaven, but I won’t go fast with her. Never again. “Let’s find that earring, huh?”
Long delicate fingers trace along my jawline, and she licks her lips. “Forget the earring.” Her lips overtake mine before I can refuse.
At first, I give in, clawing at the control I almost lost. But then she bites my ear lobe, and I want to buck and thrust against her. I reclaim myself with a grunt, then slow her down. This time my voice isn’t as soft. “Nora, if we don’t stop now, I won’t want to stop at all.”
Her chest raises, and her eyes search mine, but only for a moment. Two dark eyes trail down to my mouth, and she leans in. “Who said anything about stopping?”
If that isn’t a green light, then I don’t know what is. This time when she kisses me, I give in. I kiss her back desperately, allowing my tongue to dip in, tasting her exclusive sweetness. My fingers skim up and down her body, burning me as I feel her. I catch the hem of her top and slide my hand under it. I stroke the skin around her hips. Each brush against her elicits a moan out of me and makes my cock jerk.
She tugs at my hair, sucks my lower lip between her teeth, pressing her chest into mine. The way we fit against each other completes my soul, and I shiver. She nips my lip one more time, then undoes the first two buttons on my shirt. Her tongue glides over the exposed area, and my cock overloads. I become rock hard and yank her down by her hips, moving her over the bulge in my jeans, overloaded with the need for her to ride it any way she likes.
Our kiss breaks, and we’re panting. When our gazes meet, they’re both fire. I can see hers––feel mine. Brushing fallen hair away from her face, we stare motionless. It’s like we know we’re about to plunge into the waters of no return together, and our anticipation is going to drown us.
My chest struggles for a breath, and my question is a whisper. “Bedroom?”
She nods, sliding off me.
I stand up, cradling her in my arms as I walk the length of the hall. Her laboring breaths trail down my neck as she tucks her head under my jaw.
Her soft lips trail kisses along my heated skin, hardening my cock some more. I think what follows is going to be easy—that when I place her down on the bed, we’re going to fuse into each other with zero reservations.
Until I cross the threshold of my room.
Her frame stiffens, and all breathing has stopped. I know she’s afraid of what happened last time. The silent fear is practically seeping out of her skin.
I place her down gently, knowing that if I place her down on the bed, replicating our last time together, her fears will deepen.
After her feet hit the floor, her breathing kicks up again. It’s choppy, with each ragged intake cutting at my heart. Fuck, I messed things up the last time.
Standing in front of her, I put one hand on either side of her shoulders and meet her gaze. “Nora,” I draw her in close. “I promise you. I’ll still be here in the morning.” Her head drops, but I hook my index finger under her chin and tilt it up. “I’m not going anywhere.” The resolution coursing in me works itself in my voice. “Not ever again. The first thing you see when you open your eyes tomorrow will be me.”
She rests a hand on one of my biceps and nods. “Okay.” I can hardly hear it, but there’s a smile on her lips when she accepts my hand and follows me to the bed.
I reverse our circumstances by laying on my back first. She makes a slow approach, and I widen my legs apart, letting her straddle me. My blood rushes when she yanks my shirt up and rakes her nails down my stomach. I lurch halfway off the bed, hissing at the glorious marriage of pleasure and pain.
I murmur her name, sinking into the way it sounds. “That’s it, Nora.” I grasp around her waist, bearing more of her weight down on me. “Pin me down. Take whatever you want, baby.”
A sigh leaves her, and she places her hands over mine, guiding them down to her shirt, like she’s asking me to take it off. I help peel it over her head then toss it to the side.
Moonlight shadows over her body, and my pulse accelerates. I haven’t forgotten how beautiful she is during this time of not having her, but seeing it all over again obliterates my restraints. I coast my fingers down her midsection and curse. “Holy fuck. You’re so damn gorgeous.”
A paled-out crimson hits her cheeks, but my excitement falters when she jerks her head to the side and frowns.
My brows pinch together, fresh worry bubbling in my chest. “What is it?”
“Bentley…” Her voice trembles. She doesn’t look at me, and her head hangs forward. “I’m scared.”
Her words shoot right through me like I’m made of paper.
I made her feel this way.
If I hadn’t been a coward, she wouldn’t be here, preparing to give herself away while scared shitless. I reach up, tangling my fingers in her hair.
“That’s my fault, Nora.” She finally locks eyes with me. I can see the sadness even in the muted pale light. “I’ll never be able to apologize for that enough. But…”
Gently grabbing her hand, I unclench her fingers and place her palm on my chest, over my heart.
Her eyes widen.
“Feel that?” I ask her. “Do you feel how fast my heart is racing?” I smile when she nods.
I secure my hand over hers. “I’m scared too. I’m opening up in a way I haven’t done in so long, and that scares me.” This isn’t a one-night stand. What we’re about to do is a commitment… one I plan on keeping for life. Reaching up, I soothe my thumb over her cheek. “Let’s be scared together, huh?”
Her shoulders loosen, and a smirk paints across her mouth as the fear rubs out. When she speaks, it’s the voice of a vixen and not my sweet Nora’s. “Undo your pants, pretty boy. Let me see that cock.”
Whatever I said, I said it right, and thank fuck, because I like this version of Nora. My heart hammers hard against my ribcage. When she yanks down my jeans and boxers, I hold my breath. The sheets fist in my grip when she frees my cock, and glides down, positioning between my legs. With sin lighting up her eyes, she holds my dick in her palms and gives it a few pumps. I hiss in anticipation.
Those sugary lips I love so much wrap around my cock, and her tongue hugs the underside. It feels like a dream. My head falls back as she slides down the entire shaft, and I feel my tip touch the back of her throat. I twitch underneath her, sealing my eyes shut.
Her head bobs up and down, drawing me up more and more with each pass. She sucks up to the tip and swirls her tongue around the head, and moans.
“Shit, Nora. Fuck yes.” My body tenses as she repeats the whole sequence—bobbing for a moment, then slowly coming to the top to savor me. Each time she does it, more of me unhinges, and she doesn’t stop.
I feel like I’m her damn instrument, and she’s playing me, drawing out the sounds she wants to hear while I grunt and sing back to her, telling her how amazing she is.
My spine arches when her mouth sinks down, and she takes in all of me again, her nose hitting my skin. With gentle hands, she cups my balls and flares out her mouth, somehow taking me in a little bit more while she massages my nuts.
A groan spills out, and my fingers thread through her hair to hold her in place. “God, baby, you suck so good.”
My voice gradually raises until my shouts echo in the room when she deep-throats me at a rapid pace, making it grow until that familiar tingle takes hold of my balls.
“Nora.” I apply some pressure to her head with my one hand slowing her pace. “Nora.” It’s all I can do to say her name as that tingle churns to a hardening that’s begging for release. “I’m about to cum.”
She releases me from her mouth, wrapping her hand around my length. “And? What’s wrong with that?” The fear I heard moments ago is gone. Now, all I hear is a mistress who’s in control.
I fucking love it.
My chest tightens with affection as I pass my fingers across her cheek. “I don’t want to go off in your mouth, sweetheart. I want you.”
I can barely comprehend what happens. She moves so fast, it could be a blur, but she’s up on me in a second.
“Fuck!” I shout when she slams down on me, taking every inch available. My cry nearly drowns out her own squeal of pleasure. However, the twinkle of a lust dancing in her eyes grips itself around my heart.
