The painting. The one he did of me last night.
He holds it up, and I fight the tears threatening to leak from my eyes.
“It’s amazing.” I touch the dried paint.
I look so incredibly vulnerable, unrestrained, and unburdened.
“Is this how you see me?”
“Noah, I wouldn’t be able to capture the true way I see you, but this is pretty damn close. You are so much more though.”
It’s a pretty incredible feeling to understand even a fraction of how someone else views you. Especially when it’s someone who seems to think the world of you. I will forever try to see myself through the eyes of the person who created this painting.
Brazen.
He sees me in a way that every woman hopes to feel about herself.
Is it too early to say I’m head over heels?
Too much, too soon? Too bad because it’s so true.
Brazen
My week has been great. I’ve enjoyed having Noah at the office, but things have been crazy, and I haven’t had much time for her outside of the four walls where we work. Not once in that time has she held it against me. Girls I dated in the past always gave me a hard time about my dedication to my business. Maybe it’s easier for Noah because she sees me every day at work, but there is so much relief in her understanding.
Today is about us though.
No work. No Sunday. No distractions.
I pull up in front of her home and find Noah sitting on the porch swing, waiting for me.
Immediately, she comes and jumps in my car, leans over the center console, and gives me a quick kiss before buckling herself in. Her comfort with me is something I love.
“What are we doing?” she asks once she’s situated.
“Well, that depends on you,” I tell her, hoping she’s open to what I have in mind.
“What do you mean?”
“I want to do something from your list.”
“Really?” She twists in the passenger seat to get a better look at me.
“Yeah, I’ve been a part of two of the other things on your list. I want to be there with you for the rest. If you’ll have me.”
Noah unbuckles her belt. She practically climbs into my lap and kisses me deeply.
“I’d like that,” she tells me after our kiss. “There are a couple of things we could do.”
“Your pick. Tell me where we’re going.”
She does, and I smile as I pull away from the curb and head downtown. Noah sings along softly to the music while we drive. Her majorly off-tune feminine voice fills the interior of my car. I can’t help but be amused by the girl next to me who has her feet up on the dash.
“We’re here. Any second thoughts?” I ask after parking and cutting the engine.
“Not a one,” she confirms.
“Okay then, let’s go.”
I get out of the car and run around to her side, opening her door. Noah slips out, and I link our fingers together before leading her toward the tattoo parlor.
“Do you know what you’re going to get?”
“I want a quote on my ribs,” she tells me.
I like it—feminine and dainty, just like her.
“What quote?”
She recites a quote about the ability to feel pain being a great strength. Profound.
“Who said that?”
“Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.”
That’s a fucking mouthful. I haven’t read the books or seen the movies, but I don’t live under a rock. I know where that name is from.
“You’re getting a Harry Potter quote tattooed on you?”
Noah stops walking right before we get to the door of the shop. “Are you going to tell me you don’t believe J.K. Rowling is one of the greatest writers of all time? If so, I can find my own way home. The woman who brought us Hogwarts is a total badass!”
She stomps her foot, which makes me want to laugh. Since I’m not a total moron, I don’t actually laugh.
“Got it. You’ll get no Harry Potter judgment from me. I was just asking.”
She eyes me skeptically as I open the door for her and attempt to coax her inside.
“Promise.” I hold up one hand like a Boy Scout, which might or might not be the actual sign.
She relents, and I follow her into the shop.
A heavily tattooed man is behind the counter, and when he sees us, he tosses his magazine aside and stands. “Afternoon, guys. Which one of you is my victim?”
“I am,” Noah speaks up.
“And what can I do for you?” He leans forward, flexing, and the naked woman inked on his arm looks as if she does a little dance.
Noah tells him what she wants, and they go over font styles and size. Before long, she is in his tattoo chair. I sit to her left side and hold her hand while the guy sets up his ink. Even though I’ve never read what must be her favorite books, the quote does seem perfect for her. The way she grew up couldn’t have been easy, but Noah is so optimistic and strong that I never would have known she’d been through a single tribulation in her life.
But that’s Noah.
“Are you nervous?” I whisper to Noah.
“A little,” she admits.
“Don’t be. I’ll hold your hand through the whole thing, and before you know it, it’ll be over.” I would hold Noah’s hand through so much more than this.
“No need for her to be nervous. I’m the best on this side of Florida!” the tattoo artist boasts.
I just nod at him. I don’t doubt his abilities; I’m just concerned for Noah’s pain. She knows what I am saying, so she ignores him, too.
“Thank you, Brazen. I’m happy you’re here for this.”
I lean over to taste her lips.
“Enough of that! No one is getting off in my shop unless it’s me.” He shakes his head and laughs as he lifts Noah’s shirt up to right below her bra line.
This is the first time I’ve seen her in something other than a dress. She looks a bit older in her jeans and worn out T-shirt. I miss the sight of her legs though. I shift in my seat as I think about those legs wrapped around me. Noah isn’t a girl I can jump into bed with. I want it—badly—but it’ll be better once I’ve waited for it, earned it. Noah and this thing between us mean more to me than sex. How could it have only been a few days ago that I was so headstrong about staying away from her? That was a fool’s mission.
The tattoo gun buzzes in the man’s hold, and Noah squeezes my hand a little tighter. She looks away from what he’s doing as he begins, and she stares up at me. I see so much in her eyes. Strength. Passion. Openness. In this moment, Noah looks as if she wants to give me the world. Things are happening quickly between us even if we haven’t voiced it or cemented it physically or discovered all of each other’s innermost workings yet. There is a perfect storm brewing between us. She knows it, and I damn sure know it, too.
Noah barely makes a squeak while the tattoo guy works on her. She gives her focus to me, crossing off another item on her list. When it’s over, she gets bandaged up, and despite her protests, I pay the guy for her tattoo.
“Come over,” I say as Noah gets buckled into my car.
“What?” She is more than edgy with nerves.
“Come over to my house before I take you back.”
“Okay.” Her voice is low as she breaks the connection we’ve had all day and drops her eyes to her hands.
“Noah, there isn’t some hidden meaning in my request. I just want to spend more time with you. Alone. I’ve shared you enough for the day.”
“Oh.” She closes me out further.
Damn it. This isn’t coming out like I wanted.
“I want you, Noah, in every way imaginable. I’ve wanted to rip off those cute little dresses you wear since you first looked at me that day on the porch. I want to touch you and mark your skin with my hands and kiss every inch of your body. I want that so fucking bad that I go to bed each night, aching for it. More than that is that I w
ant you. That other stuff will come later. Once you’re comfortable. Once you trust me. Today, I want to spend some time with you when it’s just you and me. I’ll behave, but it isn’t because I don’t want you.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you have a way with words? J.K. Rowling, watch out because Brazen is coming for you.”
I laugh, and some of the tension lifts.
“I have a way with you. My words are important because I want you to truly understand my intentions. Are we good?”
She practically gives me a riddle as her answer. Something about words being a great source of magic and the ability they have to hurt and heal.
I sense I’m missing something about what she just said. “Huh?” It’s about the only response I can give.
Her smile grows, and relief hits me.
“We’re good. Sorry, I forgot I was speaking to a muggle. You really need to brush up on your Dumbledore quotes.”
Harry Potter. I should have known.
“So, to my house then?” I double-check.
“Yes, to your house.”
And we’re on our way.
I told her in my big speech that I’d be the perfect gentlemen, and I mean it, but not laying her down in my bed will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. As we pull into my driveway, I know my willpower will be tested.
Noah follows me inside after I unlock the door. My home seems quieter, larger, and sparser today with her so close in proximity. Our talk about taking things slow has me a little on edge. I don’t want to screw anything up. I take her on a short tour of the house and have every intention of avoiding my bedroom, but Noah pulls me to a stop.
“Where’s your room?”
If she wants to see it, then I won’t deny her.
I take her hand. “Come on.”
She follows close behind me as I lead the way. After I open the door, I allow her inside first. She makes a lap around the room and touches everything. Her fingers brush photos of me with Sunday and my mom, and her hands cascade off surfaces that have only ever been furniture to me before. Her eyes bounce from place to place, but my sight stays with her. She sits on my bed, and I fight back a groan at first, but then I notice her discomfort as she shifts and messes with her shirt.
“Is it sore?” I ask, referencing her freshly inked tattoo.
“Yeah, a little.”
“I’ll get you some Advil.” I need the breather anyway after seeing her on my bed.
In the kitchen, I count to ten and try to remember how to breathe again before bringing the medicine and a glass of water back to Noah. She accepts both and swallows the pills. I sit on the bed next to her, and my hands move before I can process what a bad idea it is. My fingers skim up her ribs as I lift her shirt, stopping before I get to her bra. Her flesh is like a beacon to me. I lean in and kiss the skin around her bandage.
My lips linger on her skin.
My kisses cover her side.
I get a small tease of her body, but it’s more than enough.
She shivers as my tongue sneaks out for a taste.
My hands touch her flat stomach, and she sucks in a breath.
I’m torturing us both, but it’s the best kind of torture.
Noah purrs, and I bite down just to the side of her belly button.
The action is a bit rough, but it aids in keeping my control from slipping.
She leans back, and her hair fans out around her face against my sheets. Her shirt is half-raised, and her chest rises and falls rapidly as she bites her lip. My eyes lock on the movement, and I can’t stop myself from crawling forward, caging her in.
“Please, Brazen,” she begs.
My forearms start to tremble despite my locked elbows.
“What are you asking me for, Noah?”
“You. I’m asking for you,” she reveals with nothing but honesty.
My arms give, and my body weight covers her. I’m careful not to put any pressure on her freshly inked skin. My knees straddle her hips, and my hands frame her face. Noah seems so small beneath me as her hands cling to my shirt.
“Kiss me, Brazen.”
Our mouths connect, and then everything becomes a blur. I get lost in Noah.
Our kiss is sweet and slow. We explore one another with gentle touches and soft caresses. We’re two people, slowly learning each other’s bodies until Noah rocks against me. My dick hardens and sits heavy between us. She moans into my mouth, and I tightly grip on to her hips. The groan that leaves me echoes throughout the room, and suddenly, things are a lot more frantic.
“More,” Noah moans, sounding pained.
I want to give her everything. Everything she’ll ever need.
I peel Noah’s shirt from her body before pulling my own off. I gently blow on her cleavage and watch her skin pebble up with goose bumps before slipping her bra off and tossing it to the floor. Her fingers trace the definition on my abs, making my muscles jump and flex. Our bodies move together in hurried but not rushed synchrony. I kiss along her neck, down her chest, and across her stomach. She arches beneath me, and my synapses fire at full speed.
Her body. Her desire. Her. I want all of it.
“More. I need more,” she insists again.
Her hand travels down her stomach and breaches the top of her jeans.
“Baby, what are you doing?” I can’t take my eyes off her as her hand disappears, but I pull away from her physically. This is going too fast. I promised her we’d take this slow. This is anything but slow. This is us barreling through steps.
“I need … I need . . .” She trails off, panting and frazzled.
“What? What do you need? Say it, please, baby.” I can’t take hearing her say it, but I can’t resist having those words as mine, always.
“I need to come. I need to relieve the tension building inside me.”
Fuck.
I sit up above her while she lies flat on the bed. My hands swiftly undo the button on her jeans before I pull them from her legs. Her hand is already wedged beneath her panties. Roughly, maybe a little too suddenly, I yank the fabric that’s hiding what she’s doing. Her lacy pink panties remain in my hand as she plays with herself on my bed.
Fuck.
This is all happening so quickly. I am supposed to be a gentleman, and now, Noah is on the verge of an orgasm. Two sides of me war within. The part that promised her I’d be good versus the part that can’t take my eyes off her. In the end, our connection wins out.
“Listen to my voice, Noah,” I demand as I position us, so her open legs face me.
Her wetness makes a sound as she runs her fingers across her pussy, making me salivate.
“You’re going to make yourself feel good. You’re going to do exactly as I say, baby.” My hands run up and down her calves, itching to roam further. “Spread your legs more.” With this, I help her, gently pushing them open. “Good girl,” I praise her.
That view. Nothing could be more fantastic.
My cock aches to be inside her.
“Use two fingers, Noah. Get them nice and wet. Use your wet pussy to coat them good.” I find myself leaning forward, closer between her legs. Her scent hits me full force, and I palm my dick through my jeans. “Play with your clit. Rotate those wet fingers over yourself until it starts to feel like too much. I want to feel your legs shaking.”
Without an ounce of hesitancy, she follows direction. I can’t stop myself from spreading her legs even further. She moans, and with my hands on her thighs, I feel her legs start to shake.
“Put those two fingers inside and move your thumb to play with your clit. Massage inside yourself, and curve up to find that G-spot. Don’t stop until I say so.”
I move even closer to the action. I blow out, fanning my breath against her pussy, and her body jumps.
“Now, look at me. Give me your eyes.”
“Brazen! Oh God, Brazen!” she calls out my name while she finds her high and looks into my eyes. Her cries become piercing as her body trembles.
> Without taking my eyes off her, I bite the inside of her thigh, attempting to relieve just a bit of the pain rushing to my balls. Her fingers pump inside her as I lick at the teeth marks I just made in her leg, and she goes off. Noah comes by her own hand while I sit idly back, watching the show.
“Do not take your fingers out until I say so, Noah.”
I lean in, and the sweet smell of her orgasm surrounds me. I’m inches from her swollen clit. Her fingers continue to massage inside her even though she already came. Her pussy drips onto my sheets.
“Now. Give me your fingers, Noah.”
She pulls them out, and I devour her sweet taste with my mouth. I suck on her fingers like I’ll never eat again. Her cum fills my mouth, and I’ve never tasted anything richer. I hum against her soft skin as she watches me with rapt attention.
This small piece of Noah will have to do for today.
I made her a promise that I would take things slow, which didn’t exactly happen, but I won’t push things further.
“Brazen, come here. Let me take care of you.” Her voice is quiet and sultry.
“You’ve already taken care of me, baby,” I say after I reluctantly let go of her fingers. My dick disagrees with me, but a promise is a promise. Especially since it’s one I made to Noah. I pull myself up to lie beside her and take her into my arms, kissing her forehead. “I promised you that we wouldn’t rush this. Don’t worry about tit for tat.”
“Brazen, you must be uncomfortable.”
Her hands roam down my back, but I just pull her closer.
“I’ve never been more at ease in my life. I’m totally satisfied.”
She curls against me, and I hold her tight.
My balls might be totally blue, but I’ve never felt better.
Noah
The morning has been slow at the office. My paperwork has been light and my workload thin. With Sunday out of the office and Brazen just feet from me, I can’t help but daydream about my weekend. I lost control, and it felt good. The only thing that mattered while I lay in Brazen’s bed was my own pleasure. All of his focus was on me. The firm control he had in his voice still sets me on fire.
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