by Ace Gray
He let his hands explore my exposed skin, circling here, skimming there. Each move settled me more. When his fingers curled to stroke my neck, I couldn’t help my MMMmmm.
Ari’s giggle brought me back to the present.
“Well folks, on that note I’m off. Going out on a Saturday night with the girls!” She bounced off the chair. Before Nick could reprimand, she added, “Frank approved and I’m going.” She took a quick route behind the couch and elbowed his ribs as she passed him on the way to the stairs.
I stayed quiet, sipping my scotch, focused on his fingertips. Ice clinking against glass was the only sound in the room. Nick’s finger traced the dips and grooves of my shoulder as he rounded the couch and kneeled in front of me. Seeing him there, taking all of him in, soothed me even further. I let my fingers wander through his soft, unkempt hair.
He rested his glass on my ankle and I continued to play. His dark chocolate hair was short on the sides and getting long enough on top to almost brush his ears. When he took the time to style it, he looked damn near model-like. When it was left unruly, it waved slightly and had a tendency to fall into his eyes. I thought about how much I loved it both ways as my fingers played.
We sat like that for a while and I smiled serenely down at him. My mind drifted to the night we’d spoken about the sensual skin photographs hanging in Nick’s theater room. The ones he hadn’t known were of me.
“You know when you told me you couldn’t have a relationship like the one in the photos? A real one?” I leaned my head back against the couch and kept playing with his hair. “Any way this is close enough?”
“Yes,” he breathed. “I wish I had a photo of this, us, right now.” He rested his cheek against my leg. “I remember when I thought waking up with you in my arms would be as good as it got.” He kissed my ankle where skin peeked out. “But this? This is better.” He shifted so he could rest his head in my lap.
“You took the words right out of my mouth.” My fingers kept roving.
He finished his scotch then traced his own patterns on my thigh.
“Are you two still sitting there?” Ari came bounding down the stairs.
I just hummed in response.
“Ari, please don’t give Frank any trouble,” Nick didn’t even move as he spoke.
Behind him, her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. I guessed he’d never let her go this easily before. Hell, he probably hadn’t said please before. As soon as the elevator door closed behind her, Nick scooped me into his arms and took me to the bedroom.
“I have to stay up and work, but you look beat.” He set me down softly in the bathroom.
“You should work from bed.” I reached for his hand and smiled. “I mean, if you can.” My voice wavered a little as I laced my fingers through his and leaned my body up against him.
“That can probably be arranged.”
I smiled, coaxing a matching one from him just before he pulled away, kissing my palm as he went to collect his laptop.
My reflection was still worn in the mirror. I tied my hair back and splashed water on my face. I peeled out of my clothes and let them pile on the floor. One Madison’s penthouse was beginning to feel like home.
I curled into bed and was half-asleep before Nick came back to the bedroom. My body knew instinctively and bowed toward him. My dreams alternated that night, sometimes sweet, sometimes scary, sometimes smothering me completely.
Panic welled in my chest courtesy of an empty bed. The sheets were tangled in my legs, wrapped far too tightly after tossing and turning. I lurched up and scampered out only to damn near stumble over Nick. His body was draped over the leather chair he’d pulled close to the edge of the bed. An empty snifter sat next to the leg and his brow furrowed deeply, even now.
Why had he been watching me sleep? The first morning I’d found him beside the bed crossed my mind. He’d been visibly distraught then, like now, but only fractionally so. I’d wrapped my lips around his cock to ease the tension.
A repeat was in order.
I moved off the bed and over to him. Sure enough, I could see the outline of morning wood through his sweats. There was no way for him to fixate on his problems while he crumbled beneath my lips. If he was anything like me, he couldn’t think at all.
This will be good for both of us.
I lifted my t-shirt as quickly and quietly as possible and shimmied between his legs. Crouched between his muscular thighs, I leaned forward to kiss the soft skin just below his belly button. He murmured my name when my lips pressed against him. His eyes hadn’t opened, but his hands slowly moved to cup my shoulders. I kissed along his waistband and used my teeth to pull on the loose end of the drawstring. Without hesitation, I took his dick into my mouth and was rewarded with the heady sound of a breath catching in his throat. I swallowed, sending ripples down his shaft. Nick let out a low groan as I rolled my tongue around and started to move slowly up and down.
I let him slide out of my mouth and grasped him firmly, letting my tongue flick back and forth over the sensitive head of his penis as my hand stroked his erection. I shifted so I could look up at his face, wanting to see it contort with pleasure. I got lost in the electric blue that watched me twist and suck. My eyes stayed glued to his as I took him to the back of my throat. His mouth dropped open as I applied extra pressure to the underside of his cock with the tip of my tongue. He groaned and closed his eyes. His head rolled back then shook along the cushions.
Nick’s hands started to stroke my body where he could reach. His fingertips, mixed with my fevered sucking, made me MMMmmm. He shook with pleasure at the vibrations on his sensitive shaft. His muscles tensed and bunched underneath my fingertips.
My jaw began to ache from pulls and swallows. When I switched to my hand, it slid easily with the slickness from my mouth. He made very little noise but the catching and cadence of his breathing spoke volumes. He appreciated every single move.
When he slid back between my lips, I doubled my pace and depth, letting him hit the back of my throat each time. His fingertips dug into my neck and he whimpered slightly. My cheeks hollowed as he came hard, surprising me with salty cum that poured into my mouth and down my throat. I took it all before collapsing against his thigh.
The sound of my heart was like thunder in my ears, but it didn’t compare to his ragged breathing. That sound sent shivers up and down my spine.
“Every day I wake up with you is better than the last,” Nick said as he grabbed me and pushed me back onto the bed, following me down.
He kissed my collarbone and started to work his way up. He rolled his hips teasingly against mine, the feel of supple flesh and soft fabric made me murmur his name into the morning air. He moved slowly up my neck, pausing to linger against my skin when I gasped. My hands reached for his biceps, trying to pull him up to my lips.
He resisted, preferring to toy with me, dragging his teeth along my jaw before kissing the corner of my mouth instead. My nipples beaded against his chest. He growled a downright toe curling sound and shifted down to take my breast between his lips. He bit down and pulled. I moaned before a timid rasp on the door stopped us both short. My nipple fell from his mouth as he turned to yell toward the door.
“Not now, Ari!”
“It’s not Aribella. It’s your mother, Nicholas.”
“Did we start some sort of Sunday tradition I’m not aware of?” he asked bitingly under his breath as he slid off me, adjusting his pants, and shoving his hands through his hair.
Without breaking stride, he bent to the floor, scooped up my shirt, and tossed it to me. I scrambled to land semi-clothed under the comforter. He turned to check on me with a mischievous look as he opened the door.
“I’m sorry you’re put out, sweetheart,” Julia said sweetly. “I needed to see for myself that your darling girl is alright.” Nick’s eyes only left mine when she finished speaking.
I heard heels click-clack, but Nick’s chiseled body had expanded to block the doorway. Even from here, I noticed the temperature of the room change.
“Mother, what happened to your eye?” Nick asked, almost venomously. His tone gave me shivers and it wasn’t even directed at me.
“I fell riding the other day.” Julia’s voice shot up a few octaves. “I just don’t know if I like my newest horse, Baccarat. He was supposed to be an excellent show jumper but he spooks incredibly easy. I was going over the steeplechase and he got skittish at the first sign of water. I practically flew off him into a jump. I’ll never forgive myself for making such a hasty purchase. I knew deep down that I should’ve stuck with Juniper Day.”
Now I knew where Ari got her rapid-fire speech; Julia was rattling on, almost too fast to understand. Her heels were tapping on the floor, trying to find an easy way into the room. I didn’t blame her for not pushing past. Tension was rolling off Nick’s shoulders, and I sensed a full-blown Bryant overreaction on its way. I would’ve stood to help soothe him if I’d only made time to track down pants.
“Julia, are you okay?” I called out, hoping to diffuse the situation.
My words seemed to hit a reset button. Julia’s chin lifted, her smile snapped back into place, and she gently pushed against Nick’s outstretched arm.
Someday a Bryant mood swing is going to give me whiplash.
“Kate, you’re incredibly sweet. Of course I’m fine.” Nick’s arm dropped and she nearly trotted past him to perch at the foot of the bed. The purplish bruising on her cheekbone was obvious, but I thought it should be far worse based on her story.
“How are you is the much more important question.”
“She’s fine, Mother.” Nick edged onto the bed next to me. He was still eyeing his mother’s face. “You’ve seen for yourself, now let her relax. Would you like Romana to make you breakfast?”
Julia’s eyes narrowed, changing to a deep gray that was more gunmetal than Nick’s, but severe nonetheless. The air turned thick again; it stuck in my throat.
What the fuck is going on?
After a heartbeat, her full focus came back to me, and her whole face changed with a too-big smile pulling back into place. “Sweetheart, please, tell me for yourself. How are you?”
“I’ll be fine. Thank you, Julia.” I tried to pull a smile out, hoping it would help ease the tension. “I’m still a little shaken up, and I’m not sleeping well, but I’ll survive.”
“I read the papers. Is their account true?”
“I honestly haven’t picked them up.” I cringed at the thought of reading someone else’s interpretation.
“They’re fairly accurate,” Nick said.
My head whipped toward him and my lips parted with a question. Of course he’d read everything, but he’d never mentioned it. That meant he had seen the picture of me exiting the police car in tattered clothes and covered in thick, red splotches. And that he’d kept his temper despite the photo.
Maybe I didn’t need him to actually say I love you.
“Oh, darling!” Julia threw her arms around me before I could dwell much longer on Nick’s thoughts or emotions. I tried not to wince when she hit the scrapes on my shoulder. “Nicholas, tell Romana that I’m making breakfast today.”
“Mother, you don’t cook. You never have,” he said incredulously.
“I make a wonderful chocolate chip smiley face pancake. I always did it for you when you were sick and I’m doing it this morning for Kate.”
“Mother she’s hardly sick. And she’s a grown woman, I doubt she wants smiley face pancakes.”
“They sound delicious,” I said softly.
They sounded as fine as anything else. As long as I got coffee I’d be satisfied. I hoped putting Julia to work would make one, or maybe both of them, less irritated. I forced a smile. She released me and stood up with purpose. I half expected her to clap she seemed so excited.
“Tell Romana, Nicholas.”
His jaw stayed clenched as he picked up the bedside phone and relayed the message.
“I should see if Ari wants to help. She was always the best helper.”
“Mom, Ari has not helped in the kitchen since she was eight.” Nick was losing patience.
“Which room is she staying in? I’ll go grab her.” Julia was no longer paying attention.
“She got in late last night. If she gets mad at you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Which room, Nicholas?” Julia asked firmly.
“Downstairs, turn right.” He gestured and his mother had an extra spring in her step as she left the room.
Nick rose from the bed to shut the door behind her. He was lost in thought for a moment before fixing his gaze back on me.
“Where were we?” he asked almost businesslike, his eyes vacant, his mind anywhere but here.
I couldn’t help but sigh as he crawled up the bed toward me. Something had transpired right in front of me, but I didn’t understand what. And classic Nick was avoiding it.
He pulled me down and returned to his slow, torturous kisses. There was tension in his lips as he began again at my jaw; his grip was almost uncomfortable. Despite being somewhere else entirely, he wanted to taste and touch my skin.
Slowly his strain melted and I thought he might finally press himself to my lips, but instead he redirected to my opposite shoulder and moved along my collarbone. I groaned as I bucked against his firm grip. That finally drew a smile from him as he kept up his painfully slow kisses.
As if choreographed, Ari picked the exact moment he kissed my jaw to burst into the room.
“Don’t you knock, Ari?” Bryant shouted over top of my “You have got to be kidding me.”
Her mouth dropped open and she started giggling like a teenager when she saw her brother sprawled above of me.
“Seriously? Mom had to be in here not two minutes ago.” Ari was laughing harder now. “I really should start looking for my own apartment, shouldn’t I?” she managed in-between giggles.
“It would seem so,” Nick said flatly. He sat back on his heels, letting my wrists free. I propped myself up so I could see Ari.
“What is it?” Nick asked, exceedingly short.
“You told mom I’d help with pancakes?” she whined.
“I told her nothing of the sorts. I told her you got in late and most likely wanted to sleep.”
“Well, I don’t want to help with pancakes!”
I almost died when Ari crossed her arms and stomped one foot. My chuckle came out all on its own and for a moment Nick’s eyes brightened as they turned their focus on me.
“As far as I’m concerned, Ari, you’re a grown adult. If you don’t want to make pancakes, then don’t fucking make pancakes.”
Despite the moment of lightness, Nick was headed past exasperated—and quick. I reached for him, letting my hand brush down his arm. He sighed. “Either way, Ari, this is something you should take up with Mom.”
Ari made a grumbly sound from the foot of the bed but didn’t leave. “Did you see her face?” she asked quietly after a minute.
“Of course.” He whirled to finally look at Ari.
Whatever look he gave her had her turning on her heel without another word. She shut the door behind her and Nick swirled back toward me.
“What did I miss?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Nothing.” His response was sharp and his eyes narrowed all over again.
That look told me not to push. I did anyway.
“That wasn’t nothing, Bryant. What’s going on?” I sat up, nose to nose with him.
“How many times do I have to tell you it’s none of your business, Kate.” He pulled away.
“But you told me about Victor. About Vesper. I thought that meant…” My shock forced me to trail off; my face contorted wit
h a whole new hurt.
“That pertained to you. This does not,” he said as he shoved off the bed. I recoiled like I’d been slapped.
Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry.
One single tear got away from me.
“Kate.” He backpedaled when he noticed. “I…”
“Don’t. And don’t you dare lie to my fucking face.” My voice was sharp and a little shaky all at once. “I’ll be down shortly.” I scampered past him to the bathroom and slammed the door behind me.
I’d been foolish enough to believe we’d gotten past this. That the incident in the park had made him realize so many things, like the need for honesty, or perhaps how much I really meant to him. It certainly snapped things into perspective for me.
My knees wobbled when I realized not even my near-death experience could change him—change us. It left me wondering if anything ever could.
I couldn’t bolt out of the apartment like I wanted. My legs were too wobbly. Nor could I bear to be without him. And that was more sickening than anything. Knowing I couldn’t cope, that I’d become dependent, made me nauseous.
Slumping over the countertop, I splashed water into my mouth then looked in the mirror. I shuddered at the sight and slammed off the faucet. Shouting drifted up through the apartment. Julia’s sharp voice mixed with Ari’s screechy one, both moving a mile a minute. Then there was Nick’s, booming as it interlaced with the others.
Nothing my ass.
I trudged over to the shower and flipped on the cold water before stepping in, hoping it would wash away the hurt. But memories of scrubbing Trevor’s blood off my forearms slammed back into me, taking away my breath faster than Bryant’s harsh words. I scrambled away from the drain, vividly seeing the red that had swirled around it as my chest constricted. I let out a ragged gasp before tumbling to the floor and slumping to hug my knees.
Breathe, breathe, breathe.
Part of me wanted to call out for Nick but I wasn’t sure I wanted him to come. I bit my lip and tried to fend off the bone-chilling bout of emotion on my own. Focused on my skin, I counted goosebumps across my legs to soothe myself, but never got past six or seven before being consumed by panic.