Taking Risk Series

by Toni Aleo

  Moving my hand onto her knee, I squeeze it as I say, “I think she is right.”

  Her lips curve as her eyes leave the book to look at me. “Really?”

  “Yes, because I do love that about you.”

  Her eyes brighten as she leans into me, her nose moving with mine. “Thank you.”

  I move my hand up her neck to cup her jaw as I smile against her lips. “Another thing.”

  “Yeah?” she asks.

  “I love that quote, too, but also your da was completely right. If I didn’t allow myself to get swept away, I wouldn’t have found mo stór, would I?”

  She giggles as she cups my face. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that. Every time you say it, it gives me goose bumps.”

  “Grand,” I whisper against her lips, “That’s what I want.”

  Without another word, I take her lips with mine. She slides hers across mine before she slowly parts her sweet lips for me to deepen the kiss. Threading my fingers in her hair, I hold her close as I move my mouth with hers. My heart is freaking out in my chest, beating so hard as I drink from her succulent lips.

  Pulling away, I hold her gaze as I take the book from her lap and lay it on the table. Running my hands down her arms, I take her waist and pull her against me before I slowly lean us back against the couch so that we are facing each other on our sides.

  “Is this okay?” I ask since she looks a little worried.

  But she nods, thankfully, and that’s all I need before I pull her against my chest for a long, hot kiss. I can feel her heart pounding in her chest, and I know mine is beating at the same pace. She feels so good against me, and I can feel my control slipping. I know I need to get that in check, but I can’t stop, not yet. Our legs tangle, both of us wanting more from the other as we kiss and tease each other. I want her to touch me, to discover my body, but her hands stay tucked at my neck as she assaults me with her lips. I’m not sure what that means, but I have to have more. I have to touch her.

  Tearing my mouth from hers, I kiss down her jaw to her chin before running my tongue down her neck. She lengthens it for me, giving me more room as her gasps fill the room. Her hands are shaking, but somehow, she snakes them up my neck to my head where she pulls off my hat, throwing it to the side before she is tangling her fingers in my hair, causing me to groan against her neck. My dick is harder than a rock, and I know she can feel every inch of me, but I am too lost to worry about it.

  Kissing down her neck, I run my tongue down the valley of her breasts. I want more, but her dress isn’t allowing it. Pulling away, I look into her heavy-lidded eyes and I swear I could come at the sight of her beautifully flushed face. Taking in a deep breath, I ask, “Can I unbutton these?”

  I tug at the buttons on her dress, and she lets out a breath. “What is gonna happen if you do?”

  I can only blink as my gaze stays locked with hers, not really sure what I should say here. I go with the truth. “I am going to kiss and nibble on your breasts.”

  “Are we going to have sex?” she asks, and my dick strains against my shorts from hearing her say that.

  “I don’t know. Do you want to?”

  She bites into her lip, and I know she doesn’t. She isn’t ready, and that’s fine. So before she can answer, I say, “No, my love, we won’t. We’ll only go as far as you want. Let me know when you want to stop. Okay?”

  She nods, and I drop my lips to hers for a long, lusty kiss. When we part, I ask again, “Can I unbutton your dress?”

  “Only if you take your shirt off,” she whispers. Sitting up quickly, I pull my shirt up and over my head before throwing it on the floor. Her eyes graze over my chest before reaching out to touch me softly. Closing my eyes, I take in a deep breath when her lips touch my burning hot skin. Tangling my hand in her hair, I gasp for breath as she nibbles and teases my skin with her mouth. Her lips are a gift from God, and everything inside me is tight as she licks along my shoulder, tracing my tattoo with her silky tongue. It becomes too much, and I know I need to take this back over. Bringing her mouth to mine, I kiss her long and hard before I lay her back on the couch. Her eyes holding mine hostage as I slowly flick each button open with my fingers until her breasts are unveiled to me. And boy, what a sight they are. Silky, pale skin trapped behind a white, lace bra, her bright pink nipples standing at attention. Cupping one, I run my tongue along it, kissing it before doing the same to the other. My fingers find her tight bud and I squeeze it, making her squirm against me before taking her mouth with mine again. She is so hot, so sexy, and I never want this to stop.

  Running my lips down her neck again, I lick and feast on her breasts as my hand runs up her leg to her thigh. I can feel the heat from between her legs, and I want to bury myself in her, but I know that can’t happen. Not now, not today, but that doesn’t mean I can’t feel her as long as she’s okay with that. Tearing my mouth away from her breast, I pull back some to look in her eyes as my hand travels up her thigh, cupping her ass. She moves her hand up to my face, running her thumb along my jaw as her eyes hold mine. Her movements are jerky and sort of make me think she is nervous.

  “You’re so beautiful,” I whisper, not only because it’s true, but also to ease her nerves. Like I wanted, she smiles before meeting my lips with hers. Kissing her, I press myself into her, causing her to gasp against my lips. She kisses the side of my mouth, then my jaw, and my eyes drift shut as she runs her lips and tongue down my throat. I move my hand to her hip, squeezing her as she nibbles at my neck, teasing me the way I did her. When she rubs herself against my raging hard-on, I almost cry out. Instead, I take her chin in my hand and kiss her long and hard. Our kisses are demanding, hot, and I’m not sure how much I can take.

  Parting only an inch, I whisper, “My love, I have to touch you.”

  “Yes,” she says as a breath.

  Biting into her lip, her eyes lock on mine. I know she trusts me because she lies on her back, her hands coming to her sides as she watches me. Her hand is so close to my dick, and I want her to touch it, but my need to touch her is greater. Moving my hand down her breast, over her belly, I pull her dress up to see that her underwear matches her bra. Biting into my lip, my hand shakes as I trail a finger slowly along the lips of her sweet pussy. She gasps, and I look down to find her watching me. With my eyes locked with hers to watch for hesitation, I move her panties and slowly slide my finger inside her dripping wet folds.

  She gasps again, biting her lip as I find her clit, slowly moving my finger against it. My dick is throbbing in my shorts. My breathing is labored and matches hers as I move my finger in figure eights around her clit. Her moans are deafening and they drive me wild, assaulting every single part of me. I want her so fucking badly that I can’t see straight as I pick up speed, needing to bring her to release. I drop my lips to hers, capturing her moans in my mouth as she squirms underneath my hand.

  Fuck, she is hot.

  It doesn’t take long before her nails are digging into my chest as she seizes up, her body going completely still as she comes. As she pants against my lips, I remove my hand and bring her in close, kissing her nose and her temple before taking her mouth with mine. Slowly, we kiss, and I swear my heart is coming out of my chest it is beating so hard. I’ve never almost gotten off by watching a girl come, but Amberlyn nearly brought me there. My cock is straining and it hurts, but seeing her come like that, so beautifully, makes it all worth it.

  Pulling away, she cups my face as her eyes search mine, and I know this is as far as we are going.

  “I don’t know what to say…” she whispers.

  “Say nothing. Let’s rest here together for a bit.”

  “Are you sure?” she asks, and I nod.

  I know that later I’ll have to take care of myself, but all this was worth the blue balls I’m suffering at this particular moment. Pulling her skirt down, I bring her in closer, kissing her temple before closing my eyes. A moment passes, and I can feel her watching me. When I open my eyes,
she smiles.

  “You really know how to show a girl a good time.”

  My lips curve as I ask, “You think so?”

  “Oh yeah, libraries and an orgasm are the epitome of a good time for a girl.”

  I laugh as I nestle my nose in her hair. “I’m glad you are having a good time, my love.”

  She giggles as she cuddles closer into me. “The best.”

  I couldn’t agree more. As I watch her close her eyes to go to sleep, I can’t help but think the thought I had earlier that I was falling for Amberlyn was completely mad. I wasn’t falling—I already have fallen…

  Completely and entirely in love with her.

  Chapter 19

  Amberlyn

  “So let me get this straight.”

  I look up from where I’m washing dishes and smile at Fiona. She stands before the sink with her hands on her hips and a confused look on her face.

  “Declan O’Callaghan got you off in the middle of his Beauty and the Beast library, and afterwards he said, let’s have a rest for a bit?”

  I shrug as the smile from the night before still plays on my lips. My heart hasn’t slowed down in pace since Declan walked me to my door and kissed me goodnight. After our nap, we got up and had dinner. I was still on my little orgasm cloud, but even so, I couldn’t help but feel weird throughout dinner. It wasn’t how it was supposed to be, all romantic and just the two of us. It was like being in a restaurant. There was no privacy, and Declan seemed to be all tensed up when his staff was around. He didn’t smile once the whole time we ate. I tried to make him smile, laugh, anything, but it didn’t work. It was like he was shielding himself from his staff, and I hated every second of it, but once they were gone, he was my Declan again. Holding my hand, kissing my knuckles and whispering sweet nothings to me. I’m still not sure how I feel about that, and a part of me wants to question him about it, but for now, I’ll enjoy gushing with my cousin.

  “Yeah, it was sweet. It’s like he knew that I wasn’t ready to go forward.”

  Still with a scrunched-up face, she asks, “So you didn’t suck him off or anything?”

  I drop the dish I’m holding, suds flying everywhere as I yell, “Jesus, Fiona! I have never even touched a penis, and you want me to suck it?”

  Fiona laughs as she nods. “Well, yeah, he got you off, you get him off. Turnabout is fair play, ya know.”

  “No, I didn’t know, and the mere thought of it scares the living shit out of me,” I say dryly, and she rolls her eyes.

  “It’s not a big deal. You just take his dick,” she says, grabbing a cucumber and holding it up for me to see. “And you put it in your mouth, like this—”

  Before she can do it though, I reach for the cucumber, throwing it back in the bowl. “Fiona, I love you, I do, but I am not in the mood to learn how to give head by watching you suck on a cucumber. Let me bask in the goodness of my first orgasm brought on by a guy, please. We can do lessons later.”

  Her laughter follows me as I go out to the bar. I swear she is crazy. Reaching for all the condiment holders, I bring them to the back to refill them with Declan flooding my thoughts. I still can’t believe it happened, and above all else, I can’t believe how patient and sweet he was with me. I was nervous, scared, and a little freaked out, but he took care of me, asked for permission, and pleased me in such a beautiful way. It was perfect. He was perfect. I’ve never felt that good in my whole life. I’ve had an orgasm before, brought on by a good romance novel and myself, but the way he felt, his strong arm, skilled fingers between my thighs, still has my toes curling in my shoes. But my favorite part was still touching my lips to his beautiful body. He was so hard, so hot…

  My body feels all tingly, and I love the feeling. I can’t wait for the next time we do it, and maybe I’ll do what Fiona has suggested. The thought makes me shiver with anticipation, but I’m sure that Declan will be patient and coax me through the experience. He was just so amazing afterward. When I was tucked in my bed, still giggling over it all, he texted to wish me goodnight, and I swear another piece of me fell completely for him.

  I know, it’s insane, but he is making it so easy to do it, and that scares me. I don’t want this to be some quick romance, and it’s over. I obviously like this guy, a lot, and I can see myself falling head over heels in love with him. I know I can, but I’m worried that I’m rushing this and that he won’t feel the same in the end. I could throw all my chips in while he folds. It’s a scary thing, this love shit, but I can’t help but want every single scary part of it… As long as it’s with Declan.

  Cutting up the limes, lemons, and oranges, I put them in their respective areas while Fiona preps the stuff for the salads. Aunt Shelia should be in soon to start cooking for the dinner rush, but for the time being, both of us work quietly, lost in our own thoughts. While I think of Declan, I know Fiona is thinking of Kane. She’s still hurting, and as much as she tries to act like he doesn’t matter anymore, I know she is lying. I heard her crying when I got in last night, and I think her feelings are deeper than she has let on. I think she does love him.

  “Have you spoken to Kane?” I ask.

  She glares over at me, shaking her head as she angrily cuts the cucumbers. “Fuck no, fuckin’ eejit.”

  I smile even though she is upset. I just love how thick her accent gets when she is angry. “Has he tried texting you?”

  “Yeah, a bunch, and I’ve ignored it all.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, screw him,” she mutters before going back to work. I do the same, and I’m almost done when she asks, “Have you told him?”

  I look up from where I am stuffing cherries in the little bins. “Told who what?”

  “Declan…have you told him that you’re a virgin?”

  I shake my head. “No, why should I? I don’t want to admit that I’m extremely inexperienced. That’s embarrassing.”

  “It would probably be a good idea. It is something you share with someone you’re involved with.”

  “It’s only been a month though.”

  “He got you off, Amberlyn. He’ll expect more and more and so will you. Then you guys will get to the moment of penetration, you’ll freak out, he’ll be like, what’s wrong, you’ll start crying, and then your first time is a fuckin’ mess.”

  I can only blink at her. “You’ve given way too much thought to my first time.”

  She smiles. “Of course, it should be magical—rainbows and sunshine and unicorns doing it or something.”

  I roll my eyes as I scoff. “Oh my goodness, Fiona.”

  “No, really, you need to tell him. Give him time to prepare.”

  “Prepare?” I ask, confused.

  “Yes, he has to make sure to ruin you for the rest of the male race.”

  My eyebrow cocks. “Is that what happened with your first time?”

  She laughs. “Fuck no, he did me in the girls’ bathroom and thrust so hard that I hit my head on the bathroom mirror, shattering it! Everyone called me ‘thrust and bust’ after that.”

  I can’t even hold in my laughter. “Thrust and bust?”

  “Yeah,” she says, shaking her head. “It was horrible. Thankfully, I moved on from the horrid experience and had some pretty great ones. Kane was the best, though. He could have me screamin’ in two-point-one seconds with just a little touch. Jesus,” she says, her eyes falling shut some.

  “Wow,” I say, and then she snaps her eyes back open.

  “Fuckin’ eejit! We are having sex and we aren’t together? I’m no fuckin’ slag, damn it!”

  “No, you’re not,” I agree.

  “Arsehole.”

  “For sure,” I say.

  When she glances up at me, she grins and I smile back, but then her smile drops as she sets me with a look. “You have to tell him though.”

  I shrug my shoulders before I pick up both trays. “I don’t see a reason to tell him that I’m a virgin. It isn’t like we are having sex.”

  “Yet,” Fio
na adds pointing a knife at me.

  “Yet,” I say with a smile. “When the time comes, I’ll tell him.”

  She nods and goes back to cutting, but when I turn to head to the bar to put everything up, I see the last two people I want to see at that moment. Declan is standing with wide eyes, looking completely gorgeous with a jar of what looks like Goober. While I am excited to see him and even more excited to see a jar of Goober, I can’t help but assume he heard what I said. And judging by my aunt Shelia’s expression, it’s safe to say she did, too.

  And there go the trays.

  Fuck me.

  Crashing at my feet, fruit goes everywhere as Fiona yells, “What the hell—oh crap.” I look back at her with wide eyes, my legs drenched in the juices while my face burns with embarrassment, and all she does is shrug.

  “Hiya, Ma! Declan.”

  Declan doesn’t say anything as Aunt Shelia comes to my rescue, fussing over me and helping me clean up. I can’t look at him. My heart is pounding in my chest, my hands shaky, and I have no clue what to say. I planned this to be different. I thought we’d be lying in the afterglow of my first time, and I would tell him that way. I’m beyond embarrassed by my inexperience, and I sure as hell didn’t want my aunt and boyfriend to know this.

  I feel him near before I see that he is helping clean up the condiments. He grabs both trays and stands as I do before placing them on the table. Sparing a glance, I find that he is watching me, his face as red as mine. His lips are in a straight line, and I’m not sure what his expression means. There is no reason for him to be mad, maybe shocked, but I don’t know. I hate the way I feel. I hate that all eyes are on me. It’s like I have a huge, red V on my chest that everyone is staring at. That I’m some kind of fucking alien. Blah, it’s mortifying!

  “Well, this is awkward,” I mutter, and Fiona laughs.

  “What is?”

  I swear the look I give her could kill her on the spot. She laughs again and before I could throw something at her, Declan says, “Can I please talk with you, Amberlyn?”