Guarded, page 18
I pull away from her abruptly, and the look on her face about does me in. Eyes hooded in lust. Lips pink and swollen. It’s all I can do not to throw her on her back right now and take what I want.
Clenching my jaw, I breathe in deeply through my nose before I mutter, “Fuck—we’ve got to get out of here.”
Her lips curve into a smile before she giggles, the sound low and sexy. She then brings her mouth to my ear, her arms giving me a squeeze as she whispers, “I’m so glad you’re here, Lee. I’ve missed you.”
I grunt, thinking back over the day. Since the second I had her alone, she’s done nothing put surrender to me—wholly and completely—with forgiveness and little to no resistance. Nevertheless, I haven’t forgotten what I walked in on, either. I don’t know who that fucker was at the coffee shop, but he was familiar with her, and she didn’t look bothered by it. I know, given the way I treated her, I’m an asshole for bringing it up, so I don’t.
“Food,” I remind her, tapping her ass.
“Okay, caveman,” she says with a laugh, scooting out of my lap and onto her feet. “Let’s go eat.”
I’M SURPRISED BY how busy the parking lot is when we pull in a few minutes after eight, then Jill informs me that Finnegan’s is the most frequented spot in town. Once we make our way inside, it’s apparent, even to the likes of me, that this place is a staple. It’s obviously been around for a while, the décor outdated in that way some would find unappealing, but no one seems to mind. In fact, it’s the people that make this place what it is. The regulars. I know this by the way conversation seems to come to a full blown halt when Jill and I walk in.
“Don’t pay attention to them,” Jill murmurs, looking up at me as she squeezes my hand. “They’ll lose interest in a minute.”
“Right,” I grumble, my eyes scanning over the gawkers.
“Magnolia’s serves the best coffee in town. Everyone knows who I am. You’re new, you’re huge, and you’re totally hot.” I cut my eyes over to her and she smiles up at me as she goes on to say, “They’re curious. Welcome to our small town. Come on.” She tugs on my hand, and I follow her lead. “We’ll sit in the bar.”
We find a vacant table in the far corner, and I make sure to take the seat that allows me full view of my surroundings. A waitress comes over not long after we’re seated, and Jill orders a hard cider before I request a water.
“You always order water. You’re not on duty, you know?” she asks gently when we’re left to ourselves.
“I don’t drink.”
“Ever?” she asks, lifting her eyebrows in surprise.
“Never.” Before she can inquire, I inform her, “Personal preference.”
“Good to know.”
I dip my chin in a short nod and then pick up the menu, glancing over my choices. Jill doesn’t bother looking, choosing to peer around the bar instead. It doesn’t take me long to decide on the raspberry chipotle pork loin, and I’m setting aside the menu when Jill sucks in a gasp. I then watch as she turns her attention down at the table, whispering a curse. Rather than ask what causes such a reaction, I divert my attention behind her, scanning the bar. When I spot him looking our way, I stare at him blankly until he has the wherewithal to turn away and mind his own fucking business.
“I need to speak to him,” she mumbles, as if to herself, her gaze still trained on the table.
“Why?”
Her head pops up, her eyes finding mine as her cheeks color with a blush. “I—this morning, we—I just need to talk to him, okay? If Linea comes back, I’m having the Italian club sandwich.” I scowl at her in response and she gives me a pleading glance before she begs, “Leo, I’ll only be a minute.”
She leaves before I can say otherwise, and I don’t take my eyes off of her as she makes her way to the bar, hesitantly approaching the man I saw flirting with her this morning. She touches his shoulder lightly, and I curl my fingers into a fist, channeling my frustration. Knowing that she’s over there because I pushed her there is irritating as hell, but that’s not what irks me. It’s knowing that when I leave, that fucker will still be here, which really pisses me off.
Long-distance isn’t something I’ve ever had to concern myself with. Now, realization settling in, I’m beginning to understand that it’s not just her safety that I can’t ensure while I’m traveling the globe—it’s all of it. The longest we’ve been apart is seven weeks. Ashley’s tour has us out of the country for twelve; then his nationwide dates have us on the road for another ten. It took a fraction of that for some other dick to come sniffing around what’s mine. What’s to stop her from taking some other guy’s bait when he’s here and I’m there?
I don’t look at our waitress when she comes back, setting our drinks on the table. Neither do I spare her a glance as she takes our dinner order. I keep my eyes zeroed in on the situation across the bar, not giving a fuck how rude I’m being. When Jill finally turns around, headed back to our table, I narrow my eyes on her when I catch a glimpse of a smile on her lips. She runs her fingers through her hair, tossing the long, ashy blonde locks down her back, as if to hide the expression, but it’s too late.
“What the fuck was that?” I grumble as she takes her seat across from me. She freezes in response to my tone, her eyes immediately seeking out mine. Her silence doing nothing to sooth my aggravation, I lean closer to her and repeat, “What. The. Fuck. Was. That?”
“Leo,” she whispers, pressing her torso against the edge of the table. She extends her hand toward me, but I don’t even so much as glance at it. Sighing, she goes on to murmur, “We went on one date. He asked me out almost right after I met you, and I told him no. Then the wedding happened, and I didn’t see the point in saying no anymore.
“We went out a couple nights ago. He was nice to me. We had a good time. It was nothing, really. Just dinner. This morning, he was in the middle of asking me out again when you showed up. Obviously, I’m here with you now. He saw us, Leo, what was I supposed to do? Ignore him? I try and make a habit of not being a bitch. Our history might not mean much, but I owed him a little, so I went over and explained.”
“Explained what?”
“That you and I are…complicated; that I was sorry if I disappointed him, but you were the reason I said no to him in the first place. And you know what? For the guy who was getting dumped, he took it a lot better than you’re taking it right now.”
“You were smiling.”
“I’m sorry, am I not allowed to do that?” she asks, tilting her head to the side, a small smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth.
I keep my trap shut, feeling equal parts irritated by her smart ass reply, and annoyed by my sudden desire to kiss that smirk off her face.
My silence chases away her amusement and she folds her hands in her lap, looking down her cheeks as she tells me, “He wished me luck. He told me you were a lucky guy and that he’d see me Monday morning, so long as I promised you wouldn’t be there to kick his ass or something.”
I stare at her, willing myself to calm down and breathe deeply. I remind myself that she’s not the one in the wrong here. She never betrayed me because I never gave myself to her. Not to mention the fact that she already informed me the fucker never touched her. Now, given that I’ve had my naked dick inside of her twice today already, I decide that whatever blurred lines we had between us before are about to be made perfectly clear.
“Let’s get a few things straight,” I mutter, keeping my voice low and level. “You belong to me now. It’s not complicated. You’re mine. Period.”
She pulls in a deep breath, lifting her gaze before she semi-repeats, “I belong to you?”
“Yes.”
Eyeing me dubiously, she asks, “And you? You belong to me?”
“Yes.”
“So all those things that you said—”
“I’m here, aren’t I? You think I’ve ever crawled back to a woman before?”
My question is met with silence, and the look on her face makes me feel like a dick for even asking. I close my eyes, shaking my head once before I meet her gaze again and start over.
“I told you why I’m here. I meant it.”
She bites on the inside of her cheek, reaching up to sweep a bit of hair behind her ear before she works up the courage to ask, “So—you’re saying you’re my boyfriend?”
Quirking an eyebrow at her, I answer her question with a question of my own. “I look like a boy to you?”
Fighting a smile, she shakes her head at me in reply.
“You’re my woman. I’m your man. Simple as that.”
No longer fighting her gorgeous smile, she murmurs, “We’re going to do this.”
“It’s already done, baby. I’ve seen to it twice already, by my count.”
“And when you leave?” she asks, her cheeks rosy in response to my last comment.
I extend my arm across the table, palm up, and wait for her to slip her hand into mine. When she does, I inform her, “Nobody touches what’s mine. No one.”
She gives my fingers a squeeze before she whispers, “I don’t share, either.”
“Fucking settled.”
Silence passes between us, and she looks away from me and down at our hands. I don’t resist her as she flips my palm over before lacing her fingers with mine.
“Lee?” she calls, her voice soft and sweet.
“What is it, baby?”
“You were right.” Bringing her eyes back up to meet mine, she smiles at me bashfully as she clarifies, “We’re not done making up yet.”
SUNDAYS ARE USUALLY my days to sleep in. With my internal clock set to work the opening shift at the shop, it’s not unusual for me to wake up before the sun. However, one day a week, I normally force my body to ignore the instinct to rouse myself and roll over before falling back into a doze. Except, I don’t normally have a six-foot-five, giant of a man in my bed slumbering next to me. Now that I do, the moment my body registers the warmth of his presence at my back, sleep is the last thing on my mind.
Sensing that he’s still fast asleep, I roll over gently, wishing not to disturb him. With no prior knowledge of his arrival, I was forced to work my usual shift yesterday. I hated knowing that he was in town and that I wasn’t with him, but he managed to occupy himself just fine without me, exploring the mountain in his rented Jeep. Also, just as he said he would, by the time I returned home, there was another lock installed on my door. Thinking about it even now makes my stomach clench and my chest warm. I won’t lie. It feels good, having him worry over me.
In all actuality, after the night we had, I shouldn’t even be capable of anything other than sleep right now. We stayed in for dinner, and I made him spaghetti. He devoured it, but it wasn’t until he took me to bed that I really understood just how much he enjoyed it. That said, I’m not surprised that he’s still out, even in spite of his minor jet lag.
As I peer at him through the last of morning’s darkness, I can’t contain my smile. He’s been here for two days, and it still feels too good to be true. I know we’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of what this relationship could be—but the mere fact that he’s here, that he wants to give us the chance I begged for—it makes me think that what Corie said about us, the hope that she fed in me, that it wasn’t far off from the real thing. His warm body next to mine is proof that what we have is worth fighting for, even if it’s new.
Thoughts of Corie remind me that while Leo is here, Ashley and Corie are in New York, taking care of last minute details before they leave the country. I imagine that they’re pretty busy, both of them out and about, all without Ashley’s most trusted bodyguard. Leo told me that he not only took this time off because he wanted to, but at the insistence of Mr. and Mrs. Hicks, which incidentally only makes me love them more.
Suddenly wishing to hear Corie’s voice, I roll out of bed and tiptoe around to the foot of the mattress. Spotting Leo’s discarded t-shirt, I pull it on over my head, then carefully and quietly as possible, I go on a hunt for my phone. Finding it on my dresser, with just enough charge left to make a quick phone call, I silently leave my room, headed for the kitchen.
Upon arrival, I flip on the small light above the sink and help myself to a glass of water straight from the tap. After I’ve gulped half of it down, I find Corie’s number amongst my short list of favorite contacts and hit the call button. It rings so many times, I’m afraid she won’t answer. Yet, before it clicks over to voicemail, she picks up.
“Hello? Jill? I was in the shower! Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe I almost missed you. I’ve only been waiting days to hear from you. Is everything okay? Have you spoken to Leo? Wait—it’s just after five there. What are you—?”
“Corie! Corie, slow down,” I insist with a groggy chuckle.
“Sorry,” she squeaks. “I’ve just—I’ve been worried. We haven’t heard from either of you, and I didn’t know whether I should be celebrating or mourning or what.”
“Mourning?” I ask with another laugh.
“You know how I feel about you two,” she murmurs. “I told him that he needed to talk to you and either work it out, so you could be together, or clear the air and leave it at that. But he’s Leo. I had no idea which way he’d go.”
“Well, he kissed me within the first five minutes of seeing me, so I’m thinking clearing the air was never his plan.”
“You made up?!” she practically shouts.
“I’m a taken woman, babe,” I confess, not even trying to suppress my wide grin.
She squeals, making me giggle, and then I listen as she fills Ashley in on the news. He says something I can’t hear, and she hums her amusement before shifting her attention back on me.
“I’ve been instructed not to pry, but I just want to know one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Are you happy?”
I turn to look down the dark hallway that leads back to my room, thinking about the man who sleeps in my bed. He’s nothing like I ever thought I’d want for myself—mysterious, guarded, and dominant—and yet, in the short time we’ve known each other, he’s proven to be more than I’ve ever dreamed I could find. In his own way, he cares for me more passionately than anyone ever has before, and it’s one of my favorite things about us. What we have doesn’t just make me happy. Being with him makes me feel alive. Our relationship might not always be easy, or pretty, or romantic, but that’s what makes it unique.
With Leo, my feelings for him take me to this place deep within myself. He compels me to be strong, brave, and raw. And as hard as he is on the outside, as much as he tries to hide it, and as conditioned as he is to keep himself closed off, I’ve felt the depths of his emotions. In the way he kisses me, in the way he fucks me, even in the way he fights with me—I know that what I have in him is better than anything anyone has offered me before.
“Jill?”
My voice hardly above a whisper, my reply tumbles out of my mouth before I can think otherwise, and I admit, “I’ll fall in love with him, if he lets me.”
Maybe even if he doesn’t…
I FEEL HER absence in bed as sleep starts to fall away from me, the sheets cool in the place she once occupied. I roll onto my back, freeing a heavy sigh as I run my hand down my face, and then I prop myself up onto my elbows as I start to sit up. I pause when I see her—her small, delicate frame swallowed up in my t-shirt as she leans against her shoulder in the doorway. Her hair is wild and sexy as fuck after a night of sex and sleep, but her face is soft and contemplative as she stares at me.
When she doesn’t speak, not so much as even muttering a good morning, I marvel at the exceptional being before me. Never have I met a woman like her before. A woman who doesn’t feel the need to fill the silence with useless chatter. A woman who can look me dead in the eye without squirming uncomfortably or impatiently. I’ve done nothing to deserve her. Absolutely nothing. Regardless of that truth, I intend to take all that she’s gracious enough to offer me. I intend to enjoy her, all of her, for as long as she’s mine. It might be the biggest mistake of my life, but I’m beyond giving a fuck. She belongs to me. It’s done.
In four day’s time, we’ll be saying goodbye again. Four goddamn days. It’s not enough. With us, it’s never enough. Now, in spite of the fact that I fucked her all night long, I don’t hesitate to lift my hand and beckon her toward me with a crook of my finger. Knowing how I like her best, she sets her phone aside and steps into the room. As she walks closer to the bed, she reaches for the hem of my shirt, pulling it off her body and over her head. My dicks starts to harden as she comes closer, completely bare to me. I grunt when she climbs into bed, immediately straddling my lap.
I sit up just enough to yank the sheet down from between us. Her lips part open as she presses her hands against my abs, steading herself as the fabric is thrown from the bed. Laying on my back, I slide my hands up her thighs, slowly making my way to her hips. With my fingers wrapped around her, I press her warm pussy down over my dick and begin to rock her back and forth. She picks up on what I want right away. As she teases herself, I let her go, folding my arms behind my head.
By the time I’m fully erect, her wet cunt has me coated in her arousal. Even without me being inside of her, I can tell she’s on the brink of an orgasm, and the sight makes me ache for her.
“Put it in,” I grunt, pressing my hips up.
She doesn’t hesitate, lifting up onto her knees as she reaches down to take hold of my cock. A long groan sounds from the back of my throat as she envelopes me completely. She smiles at me coyly as she walks her hands along my abs and up my chest. Flattening her body over mine, she kisses and sucks at my neck. I let my eyes fall closed. When she reaches my chin, she grazes her teeth over my jaw, teasing me before she lifts her head to brush her lips across mine.
“Careful, baby,” I mumble against her mouth. “You fuck around, and I’ll have you on your back before you can even blink.” I dart my tongue out, licking her top lip before I grunt, “Ride me.”
Clenching my jaw, I breathe in deeply through my nose before I mutter, “Fuck—we’ve got to get out of here.”
Her lips curve into a smile before she giggles, the sound low and sexy. She then brings her mouth to my ear, her arms giving me a squeeze as she whispers, “I’m so glad you’re here, Lee. I’ve missed you.”
I grunt, thinking back over the day. Since the second I had her alone, she’s done nothing put surrender to me—wholly and completely—with forgiveness and little to no resistance. Nevertheless, I haven’t forgotten what I walked in on, either. I don’t know who that fucker was at the coffee shop, but he was familiar with her, and she didn’t look bothered by it. I know, given the way I treated her, I’m an asshole for bringing it up, so I don’t.
“Food,” I remind her, tapping her ass.
“Okay, caveman,” she says with a laugh, scooting out of my lap and onto her feet. “Let’s go eat.”
I’M SURPRISED BY how busy the parking lot is when we pull in a few minutes after eight, then Jill informs me that Finnegan’s is the most frequented spot in town. Once we make our way inside, it’s apparent, even to the likes of me, that this place is a staple. It’s obviously been around for a while, the décor outdated in that way some would find unappealing, but no one seems to mind. In fact, it’s the people that make this place what it is. The regulars. I know this by the way conversation seems to come to a full blown halt when Jill and I walk in.
“Don’t pay attention to them,” Jill murmurs, looking up at me as she squeezes my hand. “They’ll lose interest in a minute.”
“Right,” I grumble, my eyes scanning over the gawkers.
“Magnolia’s serves the best coffee in town. Everyone knows who I am. You’re new, you’re huge, and you’re totally hot.” I cut my eyes over to her and she smiles up at me as she goes on to say, “They’re curious. Welcome to our small town. Come on.” She tugs on my hand, and I follow her lead. “We’ll sit in the bar.”
We find a vacant table in the far corner, and I make sure to take the seat that allows me full view of my surroundings. A waitress comes over not long after we’re seated, and Jill orders a hard cider before I request a water.
“You always order water. You’re not on duty, you know?” she asks gently when we’re left to ourselves.
“I don’t drink.”
“Ever?” she asks, lifting her eyebrows in surprise.
“Never.” Before she can inquire, I inform her, “Personal preference.”
“Good to know.”
I dip my chin in a short nod and then pick up the menu, glancing over my choices. Jill doesn’t bother looking, choosing to peer around the bar instead. It doesn’t take me long to decide on the raspberry chipotle pork loin, and I’m setting aside the menu when Jill sucks in a gasp. I then watch as she turns her attention down at the table, whispering a curse. Rather than ask what causes such a reaction, I divert my attention behind her, scanning the bar. When I spot him looking our way, I stare at him blankly until he has the wherewithal to turn away and mind his own fucking business.
“I need to speak to him,” she mumbles, as if to herself, her gaze still trained on the table.
“Why?”
Her head pops up, her eyes finding mine as her cheeks color with a blush. “I—this morning, we—I just need to talk to him, okay? If Linea comes back, I’m having the Italian club sandwich.” I scowl at her in response and she gives me a pleading glance before she begs, “Leo, I’ll only be a minute.”
She leaves before I can say otherwise, and I don’t take my eyes off of her as she makes her way to the bar, hesitantly approaching the man I saw flirting with her this morning. She touches his shoulder lightly, and I curl my fingers into a fist, channeling my frustration. Knowing that she’s over there because I pushed her there is irritating as hell, but that’s not what irks me. It’s knowing that when I leave, that fucker will still be here, which really pisses me off.
Long-distance isn’t something I’ve ever had to concern myself with. Now, realization settling in, I’m beginning to understand that it’s not just her safety that I can’t ensure while I’m traveling the globe—it’s all of it. The longest we’ve been apart is seven weeks. Ashley’s tour has us out of the country for twelve; then his nationwide dates have us on the road for another ten. It took a fraction of that for some other dick to come sniffing around what’s mine. What’s to stop her from taking some other guy’s bait when he’s here and I’m there?
I don’t look at our waitress when she comes back, setting our drinks on the table. Neither do I spare her a glance as she takes our dinner order. I keep my eyes zeroed in on the situation across the bar, not giving a fuck how rude I’m being. When Jill finally turns around, headed back to our table, I narrow my eyes on her when I catch a glimpse of a smile on her lips. She runs her fingers through her hair, tossing the long, ashy blonde locks down her back, as if to hide the expression, but it’s too late.
“What the fuck was that?” I grumble as she takes her seat across from me. She freezes in response to my tone, her eyes immediately seeking out mine. Her silence doing nothing to sooth my aggravation, I lean closer to her and repeat, “What. The. Fuck. Was. That?”
“Leo,” she whispers, pressing her torso against the edge of the table. She extends her hand toward me, but I don’t even so much as glance at it. Sighing, she goes on to murmur, “We went on one date. He asked me out almost right after I met you, and I told him no. Then the wedding happened, and I didn’t see the point in saying no anymore.
“We went out a couple nights ago. He was nice to me. We had a good time. It was nothing, really. Just dinner. This morning, he was in the middle of asking me out again when you showed up. Obviously, I’m here with you now. He saw us, Leo, what was I supposed to do? Ignore him? I try and make a habit of not being a bitch. Our history might not mean much, but I owed him a little, so I went over and explained.”
“Explained what?”
“That you and I are…complicated; that I was sorry if I disappointed him, but you were the reason I said no to him in the first place. And you know what? For the guy who was getting dumped, he took it a lot better than you’re taking it right now.”
“You were smiling.”
“I’m sorry, am I not allowed to do that?” she asks, tilting her head to the side, a small smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth.
I keep my trap shut, feeling equal parts irritated by her smart ass reply, and annoyed by my sudden desire to kiss that smirk off her face.
My silence chases away her amusement and she folds her hands in her lap, looking down her cheeks as she tells me, “He wished me luck. He told me you were a lucky guy and that he’d see me Monday morning, so long as I promised you wouldn’t be there to kick his ass or something.”
I stare at her, willing myself to calm down and breathe deeply. I remind myself that she’s not the one in the wrong here. She never betrayed me because I never gave myself to her. Not to mention the fact that she already informed me the fucker never touched her. Now, given that I’ve had my naked dick inside of her twice today already, I decide that whatever blurred lines we had between us before are about to be made perfectly clear.
“Let’s get a few things straight,” I mutter, keeping my voice low and level. “You belong to me now. It’s not complicated. You’re mine. Period.”
She pulls in a deep breath, lifting her gaze before she semi-repeats, “I belong to you?”
“Yes.”
Eyeing me dubiously, she asks, “And you? You belong to me?”
“Yes.”
“So all those things that you said—”
“I’m here, aren’t I? You think I’ve ever crawled back to a woman before?”
My question is met with silence, and the look on her face makes me feel like a dick for even asking. I close my eyes, shaking my head once before I meet her gaze again and start over.
“I told you why I’m here. I meant it.”
She bites on the inside of her cheek, reaching up to sweep a bit of hair behind her ear before she works up the courage to ask, “So—you’re saying you’re my boyfriend?”
Quirking an eyebrow at her, I answer her question with a question of my own. “I look like a boy to you?”
Fighting a smile, she shakes her head at me in reply.
“You’re my woman. I’m your man. Simple as that.”
No longer fighting her gorgeous smile, she murmurs, “We’re going to do this.”
“It’s already done, baby. I’ve seen to it twice already, by my count.”
“And when you leave?” she asks, her cheeks rosy in response to my last comment.
I extend my arm across the table, palm up, and wait for her to slip her hand into mine. When she does, I inform her, “Nobody touches what’s mine. No one.”
She gives my fingers a squeeze before she whispers, “I don’t share, either.”
“Fucking settled.”
Silence passes between us, and she looks away from me and down at our hands. I don’t resist her as she flips my palm over before lacing her fingers with mine.
“Lee?” she calls, her voice soft and sweet.
“What is it, baby?”
“You were right.” Bringing her eyes back up to meet mine, she smiles at me bashfully as she clarifies, “We’re not done making up yet.”
SUNDAYS ARE USUALLY my days to sleep in. With my internal clock set to work the opening shift at the shop, it’s not unusual for me to wake up before the sun. However, one day a week, I normally force my body to ignore the instinct to rouse myself and roll over before falling back into a doze. Except, I don’t normally have a six-foot-five, giant of a man in my bed slumbering next to me. Now that I do, the moment my body registers the warmth of his presence at my back, sleep is the last thing on my mind.
Sensing that he’s still fast asleep, I roll over gently, wishing not to disturb him. With no prior knowledge of his arrival, I was forced to work my usual shift yesterday. I hated knowing that he was in town and that I wasn’t with him, but he managed to occupy himself just fine without me, exploring the mountain in his rented Jeep. Also, just as he said he would, by the time I returned home, there was another lock installed on my door. Thinking about it even now makes my stomach clench and my chest warm. I won’t lie. It feels good, having him worry over me.
In all actuality, after the night we had, I shouldn’t even be capable of anything other than sleep right now. We stayed in for dinner, and I made him spaghetti. He devoured it, but it wasn’t until he took me to bed that I really understood just how much he enjoyed it. That said, I’m not surprised that he’s still out, even in spite of his minor jet lag.
As I peer at him through the last of morning’s darkness, I can’t contain my smile. He’s been here for two days, and it still feels too good to be true. I know we’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of what this relationship could be—but the mere fact that he’s here, that he wants to give us the chance I begged for—it makes me think that what Corie said about us, the hope that she fed in me, that it wasn’t far off from the real thing. His warm body next to mine is proof that what we have is worth fighting for, even if it’s new.
Thoughts of Corie remind me that while Leo is here, Ashley and Corie are in New York, taking care of last minute details before they leave the country. I imagine that they’re pretty busy, both of them out and about, all without Ashley’s most trusted bodyguard. Leo told me that he not only took this time off because he wanted to, but at the insistence of Mr. and Mrs. Hicks, which incidentally only makes me love them more.
Suddenly wishing to hear Corie’s voice, I roll out of bed and tiptoe around to the foot of the mattress. Spotting Leo’s discarded t-shirt, I pull it on over my head, then carefully and quietly as possible, I go on a hunt for my phone. Finding it on my dresser, with just enough charge left to make a quick phone call, I silently leave my room, headed for the kitchen.
Upon arrival, I flip on the small light above the sink and help myself to a glass of water straight from the tap. After I’ve gulped half of it down, I find Corie’s number amongst my short list of favorite contacts and hit the call button. It rings so many times, I’m afraid she won’t answer. Yet, before it clicks over to voicemail, she picks up.
“Hello? Jill? I was in the shower! Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe I almost missed you. I’ve only been waiting days to hear from you. Is everything okay? Have you spoken to Leo? Wait—it’s just after five there. What are you—?”
“Corie! Corie, slow down,” I insist with a groggy chuckle.
“Sorry,” she squeaks. “I’ve just—I’ve been worried. We haven’t heard from either of you, and I didn’t know whether I should be celebrating or mourning or what.”
“Mourning?” I ask with another laugh.
“You know how I feel about you two,” she murmurs. “I told him that he needed to talk to you and either work it out, so you could be together, or clear the air and leave it at that. But he’s Leo. I had no idea which way he’d go.”
“Well, he kissed me within the first five minutes of seeing me, so I’m thinking clearing the air was never his plan.”
“You made up?!” she practically shouts.
“I’m a taken woman, babe,” I confess, not even trying to suppress my wide grin.
She squeals, making me giggle, and then I listen as she fills Ashley in on the news. He says something I can’t hear, and she hums her amusement before shifting her attention back on me.
“I’ve been instructed not to pry, but I just want to know one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Are you happy?”
I turn to look down the dark hallway that leads back to my room, thinking about the man who sleeps in my bed. He’s nothing like I ever thought I’d want for myself—mysterious, guarded, and dominant—and yet, in the short time we’ve known each other, he’s proven to be more than I’ve ever dreamed I could find. In his own way, he cares for me more passionately than anyone ever has before, and it’s one of my favorite things about us. What we have doesn’t just make me happy. Being with him makes me feel alive. Our relationship might not always be easy, or pretty, or romantic, but that’s what makes it unique.
With Leo, my feelings for him take me to this place deep within myself. He compels me to be strong, brave, and raw. And as hard as he is on the outside, as much as he tries to hide it, and as conditioned as he is to keep himself closed off, I’ve felt the depths of his emotions. In the way he kisses me, in the way he fucks me, even in the way he fights with me—I know that what I have in him is better than anything anyone has offered me before.
“Jill?”
My voice hardly above a whisper, my reply tumbles out of my mouth before I can think otherwise, and I admit, “I’ll fall in love with him, if he lets me.”
Maybe even if he doesn’t…
I FEEL HER absence in bed as sleep starts to fall away from me, the sheets cool in the place she once occupied. I roll onto my back, freeing a heavy sigh as I run my hand down my face, and then I prop myself up onto my elbows as I start to sit up. I pause when I see her—her small, delicate frame swallowed up in my t-shirt as she leans against her shoulder in the doorway. Her hair is wild and sexy as fuck after a night of sex and sleep, but her face is soft and contemplative as she stares at me.
When she doesn’t speak, not so much as even muttering a good morning, I marvel at the exceptional being before me. Never have I met a woman like her before. A woman who doesn’t feel the need to fill the silence with useless chatter. A woman who can look me dead in the eye without squirming uncomfortably or impatiently. I’ve done nothing to deserve her. Absolutely nothing. Regardless of that truth, I intend to take all that she’s gracious enough to offer me. I intend to enjoy her, all of her, for as long as she’s mine. It might be the biggest mistake of my life, but I’m beyond giving a fuck. She belongs to me. It’s done.
In four day’s time, we’ll be saying goodbye again. Four goddamn days. It’s not enough. With us, it’s never enough. Now, in spite of the fact that I fucked her all night long, I don’t hesitate to lift my hand and beckon her toward me with a crook of my finger. Knowing how I like her best, she sets her phone aside and steps into the room. As she walks closer to the bed, she reaches for the hem of my shirt, pulling it off her body and over her head. My dicks starts to harden as she comes closer, completely bare to me. I grunt when she climbs into bed, immediately straddling my lap.
I sit up just enough to yank the sheet down from between us. Her lips part open as she presses her hands against my abs, steading herself as the fabric is thrown from the bed. Laying on my back, I slide my hands up her thighs, slowly making my way to her hips. With my fingers wrapped around her, I press her warm pussy down over my dick and begin to rock her back and forth. She picks up on what I want right away. As she teases herself, I let her go, folding my arms behind my head.
By the time I’m fully erect, her wet cunt has me coated in her arousal. Even without me being inside of her, I can tell she’s on the brink of an orgasm, and the sight makes me ache for her.
“Put it in,” I grunt, pressing my hips up.
She doesn’t hesitate, lifting up onto her knees as she reaches down to take hold of my cock. A long groan sounds from the back of my throat as she envelopes me completely. She smiles at me coyly as she walks her hands along my abs and up my chest. Flattening her body over mine, she kisses and sucks at my neck. I let my eyes fall closed. When she reaches my chin, she grazes her teeth over my jaw, teasing me before she lifts her head to brush her lips across mine.
“Careful, baby,” I mumble against her mouth. “You fuck around, and I’ll have you on your back before you can even blink.” I dart my tongue out, licking her top lip before I grunt, “Ride me.”
