Trusting Stone

by Alexa Sinclaire

  They walked the few blocks to her office in silence. Joachim’s usual jovial mood had been replaced with something severe, and he was scowling as they arrived.

  “Have dinner with me tomorrow night. We’re not done talking about this.”

  “I think we’ve talked enough, at least for now. Dinner’s not really a good idea and I’m seeing Sebastian.”

  “You don’t know anything about him, Eden. For Christ’s sake, he doesn’t even know you!”

  “It’s none of your business, Joachim. Just like it’s not any of my parents’ business.” In light of what he had just told her, she knew it would sting him to hear her say it. “I’m happy with him, he makes me happy. I have to go.” As she turned to leave, Joachim caught her elbow, turning her toward him and wrapping his arms around her. It was the most physical contact they had had in years and Eden leaned into him, remembering how much he meant to her at one point.

  “I can make you happy again, Eden. But you have to give us a chance,” he whispered in her ear.

  She stepped back, not wanting to hear any more, but he held her shoulder with one hand while his other hand reached up and touched her cheek, his eyes focused on hers so intensely for a moment she thought he was going to lean in and kiss her. Instead, he moved his hand slightly and tucked a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. “Don’t shut me out again. He doesn’t know you like I do. He’s not good for you.”

  With those last words, Eden abruptly pulled away. “You have no idea what’s good for me.” And she turned and quickly walked into the building, flashing her security card past the front desk, knowing that if Joachim did try to follow her, he wouldn’t get far. She finally turned around when she arrived in front of the bank of elevators, but Joachim had already left.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Eden couldn’t focus on her work. The enthusiasm she’d felt yesterday was gone and she kept thinking of the ring, relieved that she had felt nothing when she looked at it, but still worried about what do about Joachim and her parents. Despite the lack of relationship between her and Joachim, her parents were still trying to push them together. Joachim clearly wasn’t going to give up so easily either. She realized that while she had managed to find out more from Joachim about her father’s situation, she still wasn’t any closer to resolving the situation.

  She wanted Sebastian now. She didn’t care about the secrets or his control issues. She just wanted to feel his arms around her, to make everything else go away. She had wanted so much to start over in New York and it seemed like Joachim was determined to drag her back into their past. She finally texted Sebastian, slightly surprised that he hadn’t already been in contact to make plans for the evening. He was obviously still annoyed with her for some reason, but she didn’t care.

  When are you back? I miss you xx.

  Sebastian usually responded quickly, but it was still over an hour before he texted back. Just landed, what’s the earliest you can get off work? I need you now.

  Eden checked the time. It was only 3 p.m., she had at least two more hours before she could legitimately go home. She decided to push her luck and stuck her head around her manager’s door. Trying her best to look run down, which was easy after her sleepless night and upsetting morning, she asked if she could work from home the rest of the day, she thought she was coming down with something. Her manager looked concerned and, after yesterday’s display of enthusiasm, she knew he’d say yes.

  Sitting back at her desk, she texted Sebastian. I’m free now, text me when you’re outside xxx.

  Half an hour later, she was opening the door to the town car and getting in. Usually, Sebastian would have been already waiting on the sidewalk and helped her in, but she hadn’t even given him the chance to get out of the car. Whatever glacial barrier Sebastian had put between them before his trip, she was determined to break through it. He obviously felt the same because as soon as she had pulled the door shut behind her, he grabbed her around the waist and dragged her onto his lap, pulling her face toward his with her hair.

  His kiss was coarse and Eden felt a desperation in it that matched her own needs. She moved now, straddling her legs on either side of his lap. Sebastian’s hand moved from her hair, down to her breasts, kneading them roughly, causing her nipples to harden. She gasped as he pinched them through her bra. She could feel his erection under her ass. He was already hard for her.

  Suddenly, she stopped. “Wait.” Eden pushed herself off him, sitting on the seat next to him, holding up her hands between them. “You were such a jerk when you left, Sebastian. Not only did you tease me and give me all that delayed-gratification talk, but then you hardly texted or called on your trip, then you yelled at me about not being at home. You owe me. Now you just have to wait until we get to your apartment.”

  “That’s not funny, Eden. You have no idea how much I want you. I’ve waited over three days for this.”

  “Exactly, so what’s another twenty minutes?”

  Sebastian made a noise similar to a growl. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

  “I’m sure I’ll figure it out.” Eden nudged away from him a few more inches to prove her point. “So, how was your trip?” As she spoke, she gently parted her legs, placing her hands on her knees, just touching the hem of her skirt.

  Sebastian glanced at them before answering. He adjusted his erection that was clearly causing him discomfort. “It was very productive.”

  “That’s good to hear. How was the weather in Florida?” Eden continued, using all her willpower to keep a straight face. Her hands now brushed along her thighs, pushing her skirt just a few inches from her cunt. She let them linger there, waiting for his answer.

  “The weather?”

  “Yes, Sebastian. How was the weather in Florida?”

  He sighed, his jawline hardening as he moved his gaze from between her legs to her face. “The weather was hot, as you’d expect for this time of year.”

  “Really? I can imagine it was unbearable.” She moved her skirt further so now he could just see the dark blue material of her thong. “Did you see lots of girls in skimpy bikinis and think of me?” Her finger grazed the silk, already slightly damp from her arousal.

  “No.”

  Eden’s fingers stopped moving. “No what?”

  “No, I didn’t see any girls in bikinis. I went straight from the airport to my meetings and then back. And I thought of you the whole time.”

  Eden smiled at him, even though he was glaring at her now. She slowly moved the small patch of material to the side and slid one finger inside her. Sebastian exhaled and she started to slide her finger in and out, using her thumb to touch her clit. “What did you think about me? Tell me, Sebastian.” She closed her eyes now as he spoke, his voice low and controlled.

  “I thought about fucking you. I thought about how amazing you feel when I’m inside you. I thought about how your stomach tightens when you’re about to come and how you call my name. I thought about my fingers being inside your cunt, my mouth on your tits, sucking those amazing nipples. I thought about fucking you until you could hardly stand. And then starting over again.”

  Eden stopped now and opened her eyes. She was about to come, but wanted to wait for him. She had lost all track of time and had no idea how much longer until they arrived at his apartment. He was right, she had no idea what she was doing, completely lost in his words. Her eyelids were heavy and she was panting slightly.

  “Seb,” she whispered. He slowly moved over and took her hand that was between her legs, pulling her finger out of herself. He brought it, shiny and wet, to his lips and licked it.

  “I thought about tasting you, Eden.” He put her finger in his mouth and sucked it gently before taking it out, “And how I hate the idea of you having an orgasm from anything but my touch.”

  Eden groaned as his hand moved down between her legs, replacing where her finger had been with his own. He leaned into her, his mouth on her neck, not kissing her, but simply breathing her
in as his hand moved rhythmically between her legs. He pushed another finger in and Eden’s hands grabbed her skirt, bunching up the material into her fists. She could feel herself getting close and leaned her head back now, thrusting her hips forward to meet his fingers, groaning his name softly.

  The car stopped and Sebastian pulled his fingers out, growling into her ear. “You have no idea how much I want you. Get. Out.”

  Eden yanked her skirt down, smoothing her hair as she stepped out of the car. Her legs felt like jelly and she held onto the doorframe, waiting for Sebastian. As soon as he was out, he grabbed her around the waist, walking quickly into the building, ignoring the doorman. Eden tried hard not to stumble and she remembered trying to do the same when he had practically dragged her out of the Acer Club. She looked at him now, as they waited for the elevator, but he ignored her, his face a stony mask.

  Once inside, she expected him to reach for her, since they were alone again. But he flinched as she made to push herself against his body.

  “Don’t bloody move, Eden, or I won’t be able to control myself.”

  She grinned, biting her lip, but she obeyed, slightly nervous at the idea of Sebastian losing all control, especially with the build-up he surely would have felt if their distance had done anything similar to him as it had to her.

  Finally in the apartment, he held her by her upper arm, gripping it hard enough that Eden knew it would leave bruises, as he marched her down toward his bedroom, throwing his keys on the hallway floor. He didn’t say a word as he pushed her toward the bed, turning her around so she faced it. He pushed her shoulders down and she bent over the mattress, face down with her thighs pushed against the edge. He pushed his feet between hers, signaling to her to step her legs apart, which she did quickly.

  Sebastian lifted her skirt and pushed it up her waist. With a quick yank, he ripped her silk thong off and ran his hands over her bare ass. She heard the zipper on his trousers and, without a word, he pushed into her hard, causing her to gasp, not from pain but from the exhilaration she felt as he filled her. There was no slow build up like usual, no foreplay that she had come to expect from him. Sebastian grabbed her hips to keep her from sliding up as he rammed into her again and again. Neither of them made a sound, the only noise coming from their contact—a rhythmic, wet beat that filled Eden’s ears as she felt her orgasm building. There was something brutal and primitive about the way he had taken her and now, as she felt him push into her, with no self-control, it made Eden quiver with pleasure.

  In that moment, she was his and there was nothing she could do about it, even if she wanted to. It was this thought that drove her over the edge. The pressure that had been building in her with every thrust suddenly burst and she closed her eyes, biting the sheets as her body hardened, every muscle contracting to such a degree she could hardly breathe. As it passed, she grew limp and her legs lost all strength. Sebastian held her up as he continued his onslaught. He quickened his tempo, grabbing the waist of her skirt to hold her up as her knees buckled from her orgasm. With one final thrust, he fell onto her back, panting. Eden felt his erection spasm inside her as he emptied himself into her. Sebastian’s hands moved up the bed, finding hers still grasping on the sheets, forcing his fingers to intertwine between hers. Eden wanted him to know what she had felt, how much she was willing to give him.

  “I love you, Sebastian,” she whispered, not caring in that moment if he responded, or if he had even heard her. She had to get the words out.

  Sebastian slowly started kissing her neck before working his way down her spine. He knew how sensitive she got after sex and his touch was gentle and tender, especially in comparison to what had just happened.

  He rose and pulled out of her, taking her skirt down over her ass before helping her off the bed and turning her around. He pushed her gently so she was sitting down, looking up at him. Sebastian took her face in his hands and gently kissed her mouth. He fell to his knees suddenly, burying his face in her skirt, holding her waist. Eden thought for a moment he was crying. She had never seen him in such a position before and it made her uncomfortable. He turned his face to the side, still resting his head in her lap.

  “I lost control there for a moment, Eden.”

  She placed her hands on his shoulders, alternating between stroking the back of his neck and his hair. “I liked it, Seb.”

  “Please forgive me. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” His voice was pleading now.

  “No, of course not. Believe me, I’d tell you if I wanted you to stop. I promise, Seb, I liked it. Couldn’t you tell how much I liked that?”

  He ignored her question. “I don’t like losing control, but you do something to me. I can’t even explain it.” He stopped talking and they sat in silence as Eden gently stroked his hair, running her fingers through it softly, reassuring him with her touch that she was alright. He hadn’t pushed her too far. She knew that there was nothing Sebastian could do that would push her too far.

  He stood up after a few minutes, looking composed again. “I almost forgot. I got you a present. Come.” He led her over to the large closet that, up until now, Eden had never really paid much attention to. Sebastian opened the door and led her in. She had never realized how big it was—one side was full of Sebastian’s suits, with shoe racks running underneath. In the middle stood a low island with drawers on either side, but it was the left hand wall that Sebastian was pulling her toward.

  Eden silently took it all in—hangers full of dresses and skirts, with a range of shoes, mostly high heels, filling the shoe racks that matched the right side. He gestured toward the island drawers, pulling open a few to show her the contents—lingerie, slips, stockings, and even socks and gym clothes. She didn’t dare let herself think this was what it looked like. Sebastian had cleared over half his closet for her and bought her a whole new wardrobe. This was more than just allocating a drawer for a spare change of clothes.

  “I sneaked a peek at some of your labels to find out your size and then had a personal shopper do the rest. This way you don’t have to worry about packing overnight bags. It’s ridiculous you having to go back and forth to your apartment.”

  Eden still hadn’t spoken. She was taken aback by this display of affection, and also slightly freaked out, if she was honest with herself.

  Sebastian didn’t do anything in small measures. Was this Sebastian trying to ask her if she wanted to move in with him? Eden pushed the thought from her head—they’d barely been dating and Sebastian was direct about everything. If he wanted her to move in, he would have asked. Or probably just told her it was happening.

  “You bought me socks?”

  Sebastian nodded, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to fill a closet with clothes for a woman he’d only been seeing for a few weeks.

  Finally, she couldn’t keep her suspicions to herself. “Is this your way of asking me to move in with you?”

  “Yes.”

  Eden realized that he hadn’t actually asked her. It was, once again, simply a statement of fact. “What if I say no?”

  “Why would you say no?” Sebastian’s question caught her off guard. Surely it was obvious why she might say no.

  “Well, for starters, we haven’t been seeing each other that long.”

  “So you don’t want to move in because you think we haven’t known each other long enough?”

  “No, I’m just pointing out the facts. It seems rushed.” Eden was feeling flustered by his obstinate refusal to see what she was talking about.

  “Are you saying that you want to move in, but you think you need to wait a longer period of time before you can agree because you’re worried about some archaic social norm?”

  “I don’t know what I’m saying. I think you’re deliberately ignoring my point.”

  “I’m not. I’m simply pushing you to address the fact that what you’re worried about has nothing to do with us, and everything to do with appearances and people’s perception of our relationship. I don�
��t give a damn about that and I’m trying to help you get to where I am. It’s a simple yes or no situation. Either you want to move in or not. The time frame seems irrelevant because, frankly, all you’re doing is delaying the inevitable, and we both know that.”

  “I…I guess. But what about my apartment? I mean, I have a lease and all my things. I’ve only just decorated it.”

  “It’s not that complicated. Movers have been arranged for tomorrow and I’ll deal with the lease arrangement.”

  He’d deal with the lease arrangement? Who did he think he was?

  “God, Sebastian! You make everything seem so simple, as if it’s just a matter of practicality. You can’t just take over. You’ve hired movers without even asking me what I wanted! What if I’d said no?” Eden crossed her arms now, annoyed that he was taking charge again and simply expecting her to tag along.

  “Well, I try to be practical. I can’t see why that would upset you. And yes, it is simple. You should be here, with me. I’d been thinking about it before the trip and then being away from you those three days confirmed it. From your text and the way you were in the car, I can only assume that you missed me, too. So what’s the problem really?” Sebastian looked at her with confusion. He was clearly trying to figure out what she was thinking.

  Eden uncrossed her arms, frustrated how easily his words soothed her temper. He wanted her with him as much as she wanted to be with him. Why was she fighting him? He was right, as usual. She was simply afraid of what people would think. Feeling the anger start to ebb away, as it frequently did when Sebastian was involved, she glanced down at the drawer full of lingerie.

  “Is this practical?” She slowly pulled out a rose-colored nightgown from one of the open drawers. It was short and would barely reach her thighs. “Is this supposed to keep me warm at night, Seb?” She looked at him, trailing her fingers across the material, ignoring her irritation at him for taking such a bold step with her.

  “No, it is most certainly not meant to do anything practical. I’ll show you.”