The Taste of Redemption

by I. A. Dice

  I devoured his lips again, and he picked up where he left off, one hand in my hair, the other on my cheek.

  “We’re getting out of here.” He bit my lower lip. “There’s nothing I need more than to watch you fall asleep in my bed.”

  He took my hand, laced our fingers and squeezed gently, leading me out of the club. The pace of his steps rushed; the pace of my heart close to a cardiac-arrest range, but my body weightless.

  “I’m not sleepy,” I said once we walked out the door.

  Thomas pushed me against the wall and closed my parted lips with a lustful kiss.

  “You will be once I’m done showing you how much I missed you.”

  CHAPTER 18

  THOMAS

  Again

  Running a marathon and crossing the finish line after over four months of celibacy had the same probability of success as my resolution not to forgive Nadia.

  My body tingled at the mere thought of seeing her naked body. I was bound to collapse soon after the starting horn, but I couldn’t deny myself the pleasure of watching her mouth part in a barely audible gasp and her petite body tremble with the effects of a powerful orgasm.

  Watching her come was the best part of sex. Knowing I brought her to the state of ecstasy, that it was me who induced the feeling of weightlessness and made her lose the grip on reality for a few intense seconds was empowering.

  I held my hand on her thigh the whole ride back to my house, changing gears and steering with one hand. Nadia’s apartment was closer, but my bed was bigger.

  Besides, Nadia wearing my t-shirt in the morning was a sight to see. Me wearing hers… not so much.

  Silence dripped with lust for the better part of the ride, but the atmosphere changed to heavy halfway there. Nadia tensed under my touch, turning her head to the side so I couldn’t see her face.

  “Are… are you,” she swallowed hard, “are you and Chrissy over?”

  The insecurity in her voice gripped my throat.

  “We never began. She wasn’t more than a distraction.”

  Nadia wrinkled her nose, probably imagining the kind of distraction I favoured before we met, but she contained the disgust quickly. I was both ecstatic to see her jealous and annoyed that she was scared to speak her mind and afraid to push me away. I stopped the car at the traffic light, and turned her way, placing my finger under her chin.

  “The last girl I slept with was you.”

  Two vertical wrinkles marked her forehead. “You don’t have to lie. Four months is a long time…”

  “Yes, it was,” I smirked, leaning over to kiss her. “But it wasn’t enough to resurrect the asshole side of me you so kindly tamed.”

  Her mood lifted, and the four months’ worth of pent up sexual tension were suddenly worth it. I put the car in gear and crossed the junction, my hand back on her thigh, covered with Nadia’s small palm, our fingers interlocked.

  See? Mine to hold.

  “I think you should speak to her. The way she looks at you… I don’t think she understands that she’s just a distraction.”

  “If it’ll make you feel better… Fine.”

  I pressed a couple of buttons on the steering wheel but stopped short of dialling Chrissy’s number when Nadia scowled.

  “I meant in person, Thomas. You don’t dump a girl over the phone. That’s low. Call her tomorrow, take her out for lunch and be gentle.”

  I shook my head, amused. “You’re extraordinary, you know that? Why do you care if I hurt her feelings?”

  “Why not? Chrissy did nothing wrong. She got caught in the middle, and she deserves to be treated with respect. Speaking of which, I should call Chase. I left my bag at home. Can I use your phone?”

  “No need. I told him that I’m taking you home.”

  The moment I stopped deluding myself that I could lock my feelings in a black box and toss the sucker to the bottom of the ocean, I went back to Nadia’s apartment, but she was already gone.

  Impatient and unable to wait until the morning, I called Charles to check if he knew where Chase planned to take Nadia. Of course, he did, and half an hour later, I leaned over the balcony railing, scanning the dance floor to find my girl.

  No need to rewind.

  Barely a few weeks with her, four months without her, a week of pretending I no longer loved her, and finally, as if at a touch of a magic wand, everything fell back in place when I spotted her dancing with Chase. The smile on her face was so genuine that it made my chest hurt for two different reasons. I was happy to see her smile, but furious it wasn’t me who brought that smile to her face.

  I focused back on the road. The anticipation was killing me. My foot pressed down on the pedal while I took shortcuts that I usually avoided due to potholes. Tonight, the possibility of damaging the alloy wheels was the last thing on my mind.

  We arrived at my house minutes later. I jumped out of the car, rounded the hood, and pressed another desperate kiss to Nadia’s lips the moment she stepped onto the concrete drive.

  “You’re trembling,” I said, putting the key in the lock.

  Click. The door stood open. Nadia walked inside, bending down to unzip the long boots. She shrank three inches when her bare feet rested on the marble floor. I lifted her off the ground, enjoying the way her legs wrapped around my middle. It felt right. It felt like she belonged in my arms all along.

  “Are you sure that I’m what you want?” she asked, her voice small. “I’m trying to sort myself out, but it’ll take time.”

  “I’ve got nothing but time, baby doll.” I pinned her to the nearest wall to free my hands and gripped the hem of her jumper on both sides, pulling it over her head. “You’re perfectly imperfect, and you’re mine. That’s how I like you best.”

  She cupped my face, pressing her fingertips to my cheekbones.

  “Shut up. Please.”

  “I’ll shut up when you start moaning.”

  I sank into her lips, my arms back on her waist for support when I aimed for the stairs. It was chaotic. Her kisses were designed to showcase how much she loved me and cared about me, while mine tried to calm down her anxious mind. I laid her on the bed, aware that I had to up my game to make her come tonight, because the second I would slip inside, there was no stopping the primal instincts.

  I reached behind me, gripped the t-shirt at the back of my neck and pulled it over my head, tossing it to the floor. Nadia sat up, kissing my chest and stomach. Her small hands fiddled with the belt and the zipper of my jeans. I kicked them aside, rediscovering those fucking perfect, cherry lips, and pushing Nadia back until she rested comfortably on the queen-sized bed. Black sheets complimented her olive skin bathed in the orange hue of dimmed lights.

  “Tell me to stop,” I muttered, watching goose bumps erupt on her skin as she recalled the first time I spoke those words. “Tell me to stop, baby doll.”

  I slid the blue skirt down her legs, then pushed my hand under her back to unclasp her bra. She tossed it over her head, and it hit the balcony door. The sight of her naked breasts reduced my brain to a mush of desire. I missed her more than I thought possible: the scent of her skin, the darkness of her hooded eyes filled with nothing short of serenity…

  Witnessing her torment give way whenever we were close filled me with pride and strength to keep going; to keep chasing her demons away; to keep her grounded, at ease and happy.

  I buried my head between her legs, kissing the inside of her thighs. She arched back when my thumbs hooked the lacy fabric of her white panties.

  I took time scanning her naked body lying on my bed—the best view in the city.

  I dived back between her legs, and the moment my breath fanned the most sensitive part of her body, Nadia squeezed her thighs together.

  She sat up abruptly, her eyes wide.

  “Don’t tell me no one ever did that for you,” I muttered, resting both hands on either side of her waist.

  The dimmed lights somehow amplified the faint blush that crept onto her ch
eeks when she shook her head no.

  “Wow,” I muttered. “I’m sorry I hadn’t done it sooner, baby,” I closed her parted mouth with a kiss, pushing her back down.

  My mind did all kinds of victory dances when I returned to the previous position. Here I was, worried that the excruciatingly long celibacy would strip me of the ability to watch my girl come, only to find an ace up my sleeve.

  I hooked her thighs in my elbows, pressed my lips to the soft, tender flesh and heard Nadia gasp.

  Jesus, why the fuck hadn’t I done it sooner?

  She was so sensitive, squirming with every delicate lick of my tongue, moaning softly into the back of her hand. A few circles were enough to bring her to the brink of an orgasm, giving me another idea.

  I brushed my lips against her stomach, travelling north, tasting exposed skin and simultaneously, I slipped one finger deep inside.

  Nadia’s lips parted, eyes fluttered closed, and all I could do was watch in awe as the new sensation elevated her pleasure to another level. She laced her hands on the nape of my neck, forcing me closer for a brutal, lustful kiss.

  “Look at me,” I whispered, introducing a second finger.

  Her eyes popped open; cheeks heated even more. I kissed her forehead, then moved my lips to her neck and breasts, as she got closer to a spectacular release.

  Nadia gripped the sheets, arched her back, and her walls began to tighten around my fingers. Sweet moans amplified. I retracted my hand, and rose to my feet, watching as the bliss on her face morphed into confusion.

  “Patience, baby.” I grabbed a foil packet from the nightstand before climbing back on the bed.

  I eased myself between her legs looking down at her beautiful face. Her eyes were closed, but that wasn’t how I liked it best.

  “Look at me, baby doll.”

  Her eyes popped open, and a rush of heat ran through me. I pushed my hips forward, unable to hold off any longer. A low growl escaped my chest when I rested on my elbows to reach those fucking perfect lips. I kissed, nibbled and sucked on every inch of her exposed skin I reached, but it wasn’t enough.

  Four months without her were pure hell. Now I was back, buried deep inside heaven, and I couldn’t get enough of her warmth or the sounds she made. With every thrust, I was closer to losing sanity. I was on a verge of overloading with too many emotions running through me all at once—emotions only Nadia could trigger.

  A low growl came from deep within my chest, the anticipation, tension and desire erupted under my skin. There was no holding back.

  Nadia moaned, and a barely audible “oh” was the closest she got to a word. I couldn’t speak either, too focused on lasting more than five minutes, but the frantic pace of my thrusts, and the way her boobs bounced and eyes glistened, were too arousing.

  The second Nadia started pulsating around me was the second my restrain came back to bite me. We climaxed together in perfect sync, bruising each other’s lips as an outlet to the overwhelming, long overdue orgasm. Nadia dug her nails into my back and her delicate body trembled beneath me for the longest time.

  She opened her eyes, a blissful, fulfilled look on her gorgeous face, skin glistening with a mist of sweat.

  “Again, please.”

  I kissed her temple, smiling. “I’ll give you everything you ask for, but for this, you’ll have to wait half an hour.”

  She chuckled, pushed me to rest on my back and nestled her cheek on my chest. I stroked her back, careful not to touch the still-fresh tattoo. The bruises faded to light green, but I did my utmost not to look directly at them.

  I hoisted myself up when my heart rate slowed and walked over to the master bathroom, trading the usual post-sex shower for a hot bath with Nadia. I turned the faucet, set the right temperature, and poured too much of the Lavender bubble bath in the water.

  If it weren’t for Amelia, I wouldn’t even know shit like that existed.

  She had one rule when it came to buying birthday gifts—choose something that absolutely doesn’t suit the recipient. Back in May, she bought me a Deluxe Bath Time Pamper Hamper. Since I moved into the house, I took a bath a total of three times, just because I had strained my back working out and the warmth helped with the pain.

  “Come on,” I said, entering the bedroom.

  Nadia laid under the duvet, eyes closed. For a second, I thought she had fallen asleep which would have been a total waste of bubble bath, but she opened one eye, peeking just a little.

  “I can’t move; my legs are too weak.”

  I pushed my chest out proudly and lifted her off the bed, carrying her into the bathroom. I didn’t let go until she was in the tub.

  Two bucket loads of water spilled onto the floor when I joined her, raising the water level. Nadia giggled, turning the faucet off. Bubbles were everywhere, reaching as high as her chin.

  I caught her shoulders, and she rested against my chest. I couldn’t get enough of her closeness. Our friends were in for a few weeks of feeling uncomfortable in our presence before I would be able to control the need to touch Nadia.

  “This is perfect,” she whispered, eyes closed. “I missed you.”

  A kiss to her temple was my first answer. “This is… uncomfortable. We need a bigger tub.”

  “Do you want to talk? Is there anything you want to know?” She sprawled her legs forward until her feet rested on the other side of the bathtub. “I don’t want you to act like everything is fine if…”

  I pressed a kiss to her head. “Everything is fine. I understand why you went back to New York, and as much as it hurt, I admire your strength even if I think you’re too strong for your own good.”

  She shifted, pressing her back closer to my chest, and her bum closer to my… well, my dick. Way to throw me off-topic.

  “There is something I want to know, though,” I said after a moment of consideration. “Why did you take my t-shirt with you?”

  “You calm me down,” she said matter-of-factly. “For a while I slept okay while your scent lingered on the fabric, but it faded quickly…” Embarrassment was clear as day in her voice. “At some point I was so desperate that I bought a bottle of your cologne.”

  My heart squeezed again, the thought of Nadia, scared, clutching my t-shirt close to get a hint of peace was too much. I hated that she was so vulnerable and felt the need to push her fear aside to help someone who hurt her.

  “Did you…” I tilted my head back, looking into the ceiling. “Were you close with Adrian during the four months?”

  I couldn’t even ask straight up if she had sex with him as if it was some ancient fucking spell capable of waking the dead. The idea of them together gave me a migraine. My hands balled into fists, but Nadia chose that moment to shake her head a firm no.

  “He kissed me twice,” she confessed, and although the images that popped into my head were the last thing I wanted to see, I was grateful for her honesty. “I’m sor…”

  “Don’t,” I snapped, cutting her off short. “I don’t want you to keep apologising. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t be yourself around me because you’re scared that you’ll push me away. You won’t.” I caught her hand and brought it to my lips. “You couldn’t if you tried. Drop the mask and understand that I love the darkness you hide underneath.”

  She relaxed under my touch, and for a moment, we enjoyed the silence. I reached behind me to grab more of the fancy pampering items from the shelf. A unicorn-shaped bath bomb landed in between Nadia’s legs. I squirted some luxurious vanilla body wash onto my hand, then lathered it onto Nadia’s neck, arms and chest, taking extra time and care when it came to her breasts.

  She arched, tilted her head back, and kissed the sensitive spot behind my ear. I submerged my hand under water, ghosting my fingers down her stomach until I reached ground zero.

  Nadia parted her mouth right next to my ear, letting out a faint sigh. I cheered inside when she pushed her legs apart a little more to give me better access instead of squeezing her thighs to s
hut me out.

  “I want you exhausted,” I muttered, pushing two fingers deep inside.

  I held my other arm across her chest, while she nibbled on my earlobe, moaning ever so softly—the sounds a hundred times more stimulating than any ecstatic screams I ever heard. Nadia was delicate, gorgeous and so sensual that I was ready to take her again even though I normally needed twice as much time to recover from an orgasm.

  She shuddered, pushing her hips forward, and letting me in deeper.

  “You’re perfect,” I whispered, devouring her mouth. “Again?”

  She smiled against my mouth, gripped my hand to stop me from bringing her too close to release.

  “Patience, baby.”

  She turned around, draped her hair over one shoulder and scooted back, bending down to reciprocate.

  I caught her arms before she had the chance. A—it would be pretty uncomfortable if she had to hold her breath. B—after years of using women as blow-up dolls, I associated blowjobs with the kind of girls who spread their legs nice and wide regardless of my efforts.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy plump lips wrapped around me, but it would take time before my brain re-wired and I could let Nadia explore that option without feeling like I was exploiting her innocence.

  “No,” I clipped, my voice stern. “You’re not doing that, baby doll.”

  She frowned. “Why?”

  “Because you’re not my distraction.”

  More water spilled out of the tub when she sat on me astride, as much as the confided space of the tub allowed. I never had sex in water before, and oh my God, I was missing out big time. Despite the awkward position, Nadia’s knees banging against the tub and the limited moves, it was something else.

  Wet hair stuck to her neck, face and chest; her naked body was covered with bubbles here and there; and the special kind of acoustic in the bathroom amplified her moans. It sounded as if they were coming from all directions. Coupled with the sound of water spilling out of the tub whenever she fell on top of me, it created an erotic background noise.

  I caught onto her hips helping her rise and fall so she wouldn’t bruise her knees. It was like a scene from some high-budget, sensual porno. I had the urge to throw my head back and close my eyes, but there was no way I would willingly miss out on watching Nadia come on top of me.