by E. L. Todd
He kept eating like that information was irrelevant. “I don’t care.”
“You weren’t a little alarmed to see me standing in your hallway?”
“I was only alarmed because you were fully clothed.”
I wanted to roll my eyes but didn’t. “You assumed I came here to sleep with you?”
“Yes. And it was hot as hell.”
The only reason I came over was because I was told he wasn’t here. But judging by the charged energy between us, this would have happened anyway. Whether it was here, at my apartment, or in the bathroom stall at a club, it would have transpired.
I kept eating, aware of the heaviness between my legs. “Thank you for dinner.”
With both arms on the table, he kept eating. He looked up from time to time to stare at me, to give me that fierce gaze with the most beautiful eyes.
I didn’t know what would happen now. We’d spent most of the evening fucking, so I should probably leave. I finished my plate then carried it to the sink. “I should get going. I’ve got to mail out those papers first thing in the morning.”
He rose to his feet and looked at me coldly, like that was the wrong thing to say. “You aren’t going anywhere.”
“I’m not?” I asked, not really wanting to leave anyway. I had no idea what this was. I had no idea what this man wanted. But I didn’t want to make the wrong decision and overstay my welcome. I didn’t want the sex to stop. I would lose my mind if it did.
“No.” He carried his plate to the counter and stood beside me. Tall, muscular, and smelling like sex, he was the most irresistible thing in the world. He could be on a calendar spread, a shirtless picture of him on every month of the year. “You’re going to take off that shirt. Get in bed. Your ass will be up and your face will be down. When I’m done with these dishes, I’d better find you like that, come dripping down your thighs.” He grabbed my neck and forced my gaze on his. “And I’m going to fuck your pussy until you scream.”
When I woke up the next morning, his face was next to mine on the pillow. His five-o’clock shadow had darkened through the night, and the outline of his jaw was less noticeable because of the hair that came through. When his eyes were closed and he was relaxed, he wasn’t the hard and rugged man who barely said a few words.
He was Finn.
His arm was draped over my waist, and my leg was hiked over his hips. He was naked under the sheets, and his dick was hard with morning wood. Slowly, he breathed in and out, his powerful chest rising and falling with his rhythmic breathing.
I could stare at this man all day.
I knew I had to leave the comfortable bed because I had a shop to run. Now I wished I were an employee for someone else. That way, I could just bail and call in sick. But since I was the sole employee, all responsibility fell to my shoulders.
I slid out of bed and did my best not to wake him. I picked up my clothes off the floor and stuffed my old panties into the pocket of my jeans, going commando. I crept into the hallway then approached Colton’s room.
That was the exact moment he called.
Just seeing his name on the screen made me feel guilty. I almost didn’t answer.
I stepped inside his bedroom, found the folder sitting where he said it would be, and then took his call. “Hey…how’s San Diego?”
“Jesus, what the hell have you been doing?”
I stilled beside his bed, the guilt gripping me by the throat. “Uh…”
“I kept trying to call you last night, but you didn’t answer.”
“Well, I—”
“Finn didn’t answer either.”
I was the worst liar in the world, so I didn’t know what to say. All Colton had to do was think a little harder and our affair would be obvious. “You know how it is…work schedules get crazy.” That didn’t answer his question at all, but at least it was something. “Anyway, I have your papers, and I’m going to mail them right now.”
“Really?” he asked. “One-day ship, right?”
“Yep. Got it.”
“Phew. When you didn’t pick up, I was afraid something bad happened.”
Well…something very bad did happen. “Just chill, Colt. I’ve got everything taken care of. And remember, you already got the job.”
“But I can always be fired.”
“You aren’t going to be fired for forgetting some papers.”
“But it’s not a good first impression.”
“Whatever. You’re getting the papers, so it doesn’t matter. Shoot me a text when you receive them.”
“I will. So, everything good there?”
He just left yesterday, so I didn’t know why we needed to make small talk. “Yeah, nothing new.”
“Anything happen with Damon?”
Damon was the last person on my mind. The only guy I wanted was someone I finally had. “Haven’t bumped into him. I’ve got to get to work, so I’ll talk to you later, alright?”
“Yeah, sure. Thanks so much, Pepper.” He hung up.
Thank god that was over. I gathered the folder then left the room, my jeans uncomfortable since I didn’t have any panties on. All I had to do was get home, and then I could change.
I stepped back into the hallway and came face-to-face with Finn.
He stared at me like I’d done something wrong, like I had no right to leave the bed without his permission.
“I’ve got to get these mailed off before I head to work.”
He maintained the same look, dark and hostile.
I stared at him and waited for him to say what was on his mind.
“You can leave when we’re finished.” He grabbed me by the elbow and dragged me back into the bedroom. “And we’re nowhere near finished.”
I stood at the counter in my shop the next day, constantly daydreaming since there were no customers to distract me. I did some paperwork, but my mind kept wandering back to the tattooed veteran who made my toes curl.
Jesus, I didn’t know they made men like that.
He must have broken the heart of every woman he slept with. How could a woman have him then let him go? He was something else…something special. He was the best lover I’d ever had, so selfless and sexy.
I kept counting down the hours until I was released from this professional prison.
And back in the arms of the man I wanted so much.
I didn’t even feel guilty about Colton. I was too happy to feel guilty.
It felt right with Finn. Like it should have been him all along.
The bell rang overhead when someone stepped inside, and I snapped out of my thoughts to look at my new customer.
I must have been daydreaming too much, because the man who walked inside looked just like Finn. With tattoos peeking out from underneath his scrubs, he was sex on a stick. His stethoscope hung around his neck. This doctor could give me an exam anytime he wanted.
I blinked and realized it really was him.
Only one man in the world looked at me like that.
Instead of heading to the counter, he stopped and looked at the lingerie pieces on display. He admired a lacy black bodysuit with a snap crotch. So thin it was practically see-through, it was one of my racier pieces.
What the hell was he doing?
He walked to the counter and set it on top. It was my size. He opened his wallet and pulled out his card.
I stared at it for a moment before I raised my gaze to meet his. “What are you doing?”
“Buying something.”
“Because…?”
“Do you interrogate all your customers like this?”
“No…but the men I’m sleeping with don’t usually come in here and buy lingerie.”
“This one does. Now ring me up.”
I finally took his card and charged him for the expensive bodysuit. I put it in a bag with tissue paper then pushed it toward him across the counter.
He pushed it back. “I get off work at seven.”
My heart started pounding in my chest
when I realized what he’d done. The bodysuit was my size, and he wasn’t buying it for anyone else. It was for me.
“This better be all you’re wearing when I find you on my bed—waiting for me.”
I still had his spare key, so I let myself in and put on the piece of lingerie he’d bought for me.
He was the only man ever to buy me lingerie.
It was such a turn-on to imagine a man walking into my store and picking out something he wanted to fuck his woman in. It was one of my fantasies, a fantasy that never came true. But then that sexy man walked in there looking like a hunk in his tattoos and scrubs and made my dream come true.
I put it on then waited on his bed. The mattress and sheets were so comfortable that it would be easy for me to fall asleep, but I was too aroused to drift off. I’d been pounded good and hard yesterday, but I was so horny, it seemed like that had never happened. I missed Finn. I missed his kisses, his touches, his gorgeous body… I missed everything.
Seven came and went, and he didn’t walk through the door.
He seemed to always work late, so that didn’t surprise me.
He was worth the wait.
When it turned eight thirty, my stomach growled in anger and forced me to go downstairs and raid his fridge. There was some leftover pizza, so I took out the box and ate at the counter. Standing in my slutty lingerie and pumps, I ate with my hair big and curled and makeup all over my face. My lipstick would smear, but I was too hungry to care.
My phone rang, and Colton’s name appeared on the screen.
Normally, I would be happy to talk to him, but considering I was sneaking around behind his back, he just made me feel guilty. I answered because it would be suspicious if I didn’t. “How was your first day?”
“Pretty good. I got the papers, by the way.”
“Good. Now you can chill.” I kept eating.
“Eating?”
“Of course.”
“Pizza?”
I stilled, afraid he was watching me on a hidden camera. “How did you know that…?”
“Because it’s your favorite,” he teased. “And it sounds like you’re tearing through the crust with your teeth.”
He was dead on. “San Diego must be nice. Tell the sun I said hi. I can’t remember the last time I saw it.”
“I’ll pass along the message.”
“And how’s the work so far?”
“I like it a lot, actually. I know I won’t be working with these people, but everyone is nice and easy to talk to. Also, they’re passionate about their work. We’re going out for drinks in a little bit.”
“That sounds like fun. I’ll let you go.”
“Whoa, hold on. Tell me about your day.”
Well, Finn nearly made me come when he bought me lingerie at my own boutique. If only I could say that. “Well…” I heard the garage door open as Finn arrived. “You know, nothing interesting. Just work then went home to a pizza box.” Now I wanted to get off the phone as quickly as possible without making it obvious that I was rushing.
The door opened, and he walked inside with his satchel. He stopped and stared at me, his eyes roaming over my long legs in my heels. He took in the sight of the lingerie, his eyes focused and hard. When he looked at my face, he seemed pissed I was on the phone.
“I should get going,” I said as I watched Finn walk toward me. “My laundry is downstairs and—”
Finn snatched the phone out of my hand and ended the call.
“That was Colton—”
“I don’t give a damn who it was.” He slammed the phone down on the counter and pressed his chest against my back, his hands roaming over my curves in the thin material. He kissed my shoulder as his lips ran up to my neck. “What did I tell you?” His hand slid down my front and opened the crotch.
“I know…but I was hungry.”
His fingers found my clit, and he rubbed the sensitive area with an experienced touch. “You disobeyed me.”
I leaned my head back on his shoulder and felt the magic his fingers created. “I’m sorry…” I gripped his arm for balance and felt his cock pressed against my ass through his scrubs.
He cradled the back of my head with his hand as he kissed me, his fingers still rubbing my clit perfectly. His kiss was slow and sensual, just as it was when he was deep inside me. He chased away all my other concerns because he was the only thing that mattered.
My fingers found the drawstring on his bottoms, and I tugged on the string so it would come loose.
He kissed me harder and slipped two fingers inside me, moaning when he felt how damp I was. “Baby.” He breathed into my mouth as he spoke, so much desire packed into that single word.
He could fuck me right against the counter I would be perfectly fine with that. We didn’t need to make it upstairs.
His arms hooked behind my knees and back, and he lifted me to his chest. His lips found mine once again, and he kissed me as he carried me upstairs to his bedroom. When he dropped me on the bed, he shed all his clothes until he was down to his skin and ink.
My version of lingerie.
He moved on top of me and spread my legs with his thighs. His muscled mass weighed me down, and he slipped his hand into the back of my hair. His lips lowered to mine, and he kissed me as he slid inside, sinking nice and slow.
My legs locked around his waist, and I moaned into his mouth like I was having a climax then and there. “God…yes.”
He sank until he was balls deep. A deep breath issued from his mouth, and he paused as he enjoyed me, like he’d forgotten how good it felt yesterday. His lips were immobile for just an instant before his kiss continued.
Then he started to move inside me.
I got lost in the lust and the desperation, the need and the desire. This man was all I wanted, all I needed. Anytime he was inside me, everything else in the world stopped. I couldn’t think about anything else besides the two of us. “Finn…”
I dozed off while he was in the shower, and his return disturbed me from my nap. I watched him grab a fresh pair of boxers from his drawer and pull them up his chiseled legs before getting his sweatpants on.
This man was six foot three of perfection.
I was still in the slutty lingerie, the material riding up on my waist because the crotch was still unfastened. Stuffed with two loads of his come, I felt the weight sink toward my entrance and spread across my lips.
He sat at the edge of the bed and looked down at me. His blue eyes were naturally stoic, so it was difficult to read his thoughts. But when he was angry or focused, they were so expressive that his mood filled every corner of the room.
Every time I walked into his bedroom, it was perfectly maintained. The bed was made, the carpet was vacuumed, and his clothes were in his drawers or hanging in the closet. He didn’t leave his dirty socks everywhere the way Colton did. And he didn’t leave his shaver and toothbrush on the bathroom counter. This man was meticulous with his hygiene and overall cleanliness. That was a nice change. “I know I need to get dressed, but I’m just so comfortable…” There was something magical about this mattress and the ultra-soft sheets. His pillows had the perfect support. Not to mention, his bed smelled like the hottest man in the world.
“Why would you get dressed?” His hand moved into my hair, and his thumb gently brushed the hair that started at my scalp. For a masculine man, he had the softest touch when he was in the mood to give it.
“I can’t go home dressed like this.” In my black lingerie and matching pumps. I would definitely get a free ride back home, but I would be harassed along the way. “I mean, I could. I’d definitely get a free dinner out of it.”
“Why would you go home?” His hand moved to my neck next, his fingers lightly touching the skin.
“Because that’s where I live…”
“Not this week.” He rose from the bed and opened his drawer. He fished out a fresh t-shirt and a pair of boxers for me to wear. “And I’ll get you that free meal.” He tossed everythi
ng on the bed before he walked out.
I didn’t want to go home anyway, but I didn’t want to overstay my welcome either. But this week was our only opportunity to enjoy each other without Colton catching us. When this week was over, I suspected we would be over too. Might as well enjoy it as much as possible.
I joined him downstairs and had a real dinner. He whipped up chicken, rice, and vegetables, and then we worked together to clean the pots and pans along with the dishes. Once everything was finished, we sat on the couch together and watched the game.
Just like a couple.
With his knees apart and a scotch in one hand, his other arm was wrapped around me as he held me into his body.
My face rested against his chest, and my arm was hooked around his muscular stomach. I didn’t even care about the game because all I cared about was this beautiful man beside me. Being there with him was so inherently comfortable, I was surprised this didn’t happen sooner. I got the best sex of my life, and when we were finished, we didn’t need to fill the silence with conversation. Finn was a man of few words, the kind that could convey most of his feelings just through his stare.
When a commercial aired, I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair.
He drank his scotch then set the glass on the end table.
“I want to ask you something.”
“Anything.” He turned to me, his blue eyes innately intimidating because they were so powerful. His hand moved to my thigh, and he gave me his full attention, just the way he did when he was between my legs. He didn’t make me feel like another conquest. He made me feel like a woman, a woman who belonged to him.
“Anything…that’s a lot of things I could ask.”
“I have nothing to hide.”
He was quiet about his time in the military. When I asked him about it, he always deflected the question. It made me wonder if he would answer them now. But I didn’t want to discuss something he was so uncomfortable talking about, so I didn’t broach the subject. “Do you not wear condoms with a lot of women…?” When he refused to put on a condom the first time, I was too aroused to really fight it. I’d been on the same birth control my entire life, so I wasn’t worried about getting pregnant. But this man was a known manwhore, so his dick had been everywhere. I should have been more responsible, but in hindsight, I was simply too deep in the situation.