He kissed her softly, leaning his forehead to hers. “I love it.”
She captured his mouth with hers, and their kiss quickly turned urgent once again. She felt his erection growing again, hardening between her legs as he held her body tight against his. He stepped out of his pants that lay puddled on the floor as her hand snaked down between them to grasp him. He carried her down the hall to her bedroom, their bodies locked together and their tongues tied in mutual ecstasy.
Making Plans
June
All the years Christa waited, all the other men she’d turned down, and all the questions and ridicule she’d received suddenly made complete sense. Being head over heels in love with Aaron gave her more confidence than she realized she had. She’d dated and had her fair share of close encounters, but she’d never felt taking the next step was right. The guy wasn’t the right man. The intense feelings weren’t there, or the timing was off. She wasn’t specifically waiting for her wedding night, but more for the right man to come along. No one had fit the complete bill before Aaron came into her life.
That night, as he carried her to the bedroom, she was ready—her feelings for him were deep and passionate. He’d spent time with her, put as much effort into their relationship as she had, if not more. With every beat of her heart, she wanted to consummate the relationship by giving him the part of herself that she’d never shared with anyone before. The only reason she was nervous about telling him was because she didn’t know how he’d react to the news of her being a twenty-two-year-old virgin. Building up the courage to confess was wrecking her nerves.
“Aaron,” she said breathlessly. The need for him was evident in her voice. She wanted him to hear it, feel it, and take her to places she’d only read about.
“Shh, baby, it’s okay. I’ve got you.” He reassured her by placing kisses on her face and neck as he made his way to her bed.
They climbed onto the bed, and he quickly covered her body with his. He snatched his shirt up and off with one hand and cast it aside, but his eyes never left hers. He peeled her clothes off one piece at a time, purposely taking his time and showering her body with as much love and attention as possible. By the time he reached her bare skin, she thought she would die of intense desire and unmistakable sexual frustration. Aaron sensed her intense yearning for him, the wordless way she tried to rush him, her desire for him to make her his.
“Relax,” he whispered, his lips a breath away from her skin. “We’re in no hurry.”
“Aaron, I don’t want to wait any longer,” Christa pleaded.
He let out a long, frustrated sigh. “I want you so bad I can’t see straight. I’d love to bury myself deep inside you, make you come so hard, and scream my name until the neighbors call the cops.”
He waited a second before continuing. “But I’ve never had a relationship that was special before. Every time I’ve been with someone, it’s simply been fucking. Never making love. Nothing I’d remember by the next morning. I want our first time, and every time, to be special. I don’t want to rush into it just because we’re both so worked up we can’t stand it.”
Her silent response was dubious at best. The thought that kept running through her mind was one of self-doubt.
“What man would turn down sex from a willing participant?”
“One who isn’t really interested in me, that’s who.”
“Hey. Stop that.”
“Stop what?” She raised her eyes to meet his and tilted her head to the side as she spoke.
“Doubting how I feel about you. Questioning my motives. Thinking I wouldn’t kill for one minute of your wet pussy wrapped around my cock.” A lazy, sexy grin spread across his face. “Believing I don’t want to see that beautiful pink tinge of embarrassment when I talk dirty to you all fucking night long. When I ruin you for every other man and make you beg to rest after I wring every single orgasm you have from your body, it won’t be a spur-of-the-moment encounter.”
Her chest heaved with heavy breaths. Her eyes widened, and her fingers gripped his shoulders tightly. “No one has ever said those things to me before.”
“I’m only getting started, babe. A sneak peek at my opening act. My words alone can make you come. But where’s the fun in that? Every part of you will burn for my touch. You won’t beg for it—you’ll demand it.”
“Oh my God.” Her breathy reply was a mixture of a plea and a prayer.
“But not tonight. Tonight, you’ll come several times—in my mouth. When I leave here, I’ll take your scent home with me. Your taste will be all over my tongue. Now, lie back. And you might want to hold on to something.”
Before her mind could formulate a coherent response, his warm tongue laved her clit, circling slowly before his lips closed around her. Her eyes closed, her head dropped to the pillow, and her hips lifted toward him involuntarily. When his fingers plunged into her wetness, she gripped his hair with her hands, her body automatically curling upward from the intense pull low in her belly.
“Aaron,” she cried out as she toppled over the edge.
“You taste so fucking good.” His lips hovered over her as he spoke, his murmurs sending ripples through her already overly sensitive core. His stubble rubbed against the delicate skin of her inner thigh, bringing an erotic mixture of pleasure and pain. She writhed underneath him when he alternated between lightly blowing on her clit and covering it with the warmth of his mouth. “I could stay right here all night, drowning in every drop of you.”
“Don’t think I would refuse that offer.”
“Am I a bad influence on you?” One corner of his mouth lifted, mischief played in his eyes, and unmistakable pride shone on his face. “Nice. Now, if I can just get that sweet mouth to talk dirty to me.”
With a nervous laugh, she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”
“We’ll start with something easy, then. Tell me what you want me to do to you. Whatever you want, just say it, and it’s yours.”
She opened her eyes and chanced locking gazes with him. “I loved what you were just doing.”
He shook his head from side to side slowly, intentionally, maintaining eye contact with a devilish grin plastered on his gorgeous face. “Nice try, baby. But that’s cheating. I want to hear your words.”
“Aaron.”
Her gentle chide couldn’t save her. “Don’t be embarrassed when you’re with me. About anything. Everything about you turns me on. So will anything you say and however you say it. Now, let me hear the words from those beautiful, plump lips of yours.”
“I want to feel your mouth on me again. Your lips and your tongue—I want you to taste me with them. Then use your fingers…”
“What do you want my fingers to do?” He kept his voice barely above a whisper then held his breath while waiting for her reply. Will she let me in? Will she trust me?
“I want you to…” She paused, speaking painfully slowly. “…finger me while you taste me.” Her tense muscles relaxed, and she exhaled a deep breath. “Use your fingers to fuck me while you lick my pussy.”
“Fucking hell, that was the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. Your wish is my command, whatever you want.”
He lowered his head and resumed what he’d started with renewed fervor. Every time she began to return to earth from her carnal high, he catapulted her to the stars again. When she had a chance to catch her breath, he stole it again. With every caress, she somehow worked her way deeper into his heart. With every pleasure-filled moan, he fell further under her spell. With every cry of his name that dropped from her beautiful lips, he came to understand why he’d never been in love before.
The connection he felt to Christa was unlike any relationship he’d had in his life. She accepted him—his true self. Not the arrogant agent most knew him to be. Not as his family saw him, the royal fuck-up whose only talent was his good looks. Not the highly paid gigolo his brother tried to use him as to obtain the next lucrative contract. She saw past t
he flash and hype. There was no pretense when he was with her, no need to put on a good show to keep up appearances.
He was just a man, falling desperately in love with a woman who’d known very little about his life, or his reputation, before she changed him for the better. Before she became his inspiration to treasure their time together.
“Aaron, I can’t believe I’m about to say this…but you have to stop.”
A roguish smirk lifted the corners of his lips. One eyebrow arched upward slowly. A shining beacon of pride lit his eyes. “Why’s that?”
“My body is spent. I can’t take any more. You’ve zapped all my energy and left me as useless as a rag doll.”
“Since your words do wonders for my ego, I’ll give you a break for now.”
“So chivalrous.”
“That’s exactly right. You’re very lucky to have snagged such a catch.” He slid over her body, caging her underneath him before dipping his mouth to capture a thorough kiss.
“I’d say I’m very lucky. There must have been hundreds of women who’ve tried to snag you before we met.”
A shadow of regret floated across his features, and he settled on the bed beside her. “Christa, you deserve to know about my past. I haven’t always been the most stand-up kind of guy.”
“You mean, you’re not a twenty-seven-year-old virgin?” she whispered loudly, her eyes open wide, her jaw slack. “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave. I can’t have someone of questionable morals in my home. While I’m naked. And completely spent from the multiple orgasms he just gave me.”
He dropped his forehead to her shoulder, his body shaking with laughter. “Okay, okay. You made your point. Everyone has a past. Maybe I should be more specific then, my beautiful little smartass.”
“I’m afraid of what other shocker you plan to hit me with tonight.”
“Do you want to know anything about my past? I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Any questions you have at all.”
“There’s only one answer that matters to me.”
“Then it matters to me. What’s your question?”
“Is there anyone from your past who could affect our future?”
“No. There isn’t anyone in the world who could do that. Not in my world anyway. What about yours?”
“Not a single person.”
His fingers floated over her bare chest, drawing invisible lines between her breasts. His gaze followed his hand, his focus slightly too intent on avoiding looking at her when he asked his next question. “Even Jared?”
The pointed pause following his question made his stomach knot, and dread filled his chest. With no other choice, he finally looked up and met her confused expression. “Why would you say that? I told you he’s just a friend and has been for years.”
He laid his head on her chest and tightened his arms around her. “You did, and I believe you. But I also saw the picture of you two when you were younger, and I recognized the same expression on his face when he came into your shop. Maybe you don’t even realize it, but he’s holding on to a pretty bright flame for you. My impression is you held a torch for him, too—at least, at one time anyway.”
“Yes and no. Seven years ago, when I was fifteen, I had a huge teenage crush on him. But he’s been a friend for much longer than that—his whole family has been. He went off to college, not far from here at all, and not once stopped to see me when he came home. Holidays. Birthdays. Nothing. He didn’t even come home for summers because he rented an apartment near campus.
“That really hurt me, Aaron. Not because I was in love with him, but because he was supposed to be my friend. If he were really a friend, would he have hidden his trips home from me? Would he visit his family and not even stop by here to say hello to me for a few minutes? I felt so unimportant…so disposable… He’s trying to make up for that now, and that’s fine. I’ll be his friend again. But I just don’t see how our friendship can ever be what it was before. He hurt me too much for that.
“So, if you’re questioning whether I’ll run to Jared should he suddenly declare his undying love for me, my answer is no. Even if you and I weren’t together, I’d say no. But, in all honesty, you’ve just given me a lot more incentive to reject him, if he ever did proposition me.”
“Oh, so you only love me for my orgasm-inducing tongue?”
The words were spoken in jest, a playful lover’s banter, but they hung heavy in the air between them. He could see the wheels spinning in her head, questioning his meaning, looking for clues of underlying significance.
“If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll erase every doubt from your eyes. Christa, you have completely captivated me with your natural beauty, your delightful personality, and your tender heart. I am undeniably totally and completely in love with you.”
“I love you, too, Aaron. So much it scares me.”
“Never be afraid of me. You have my love—just don’t ever give it back to me.” His lips brushed softly across hers, his murmurs of love lingering between them. His pensive expression betrayed his thoughts as he rested his head in his palm.
“What’s wrong?”
“Next Monday is my two-week trip to San Diego. I know you can’t take off the entire two weeks to go with me on such short notice. But can you take off Friday and Saturday to go away somewhere else with me?”
“I’m sure I can work it out with Allie. Where are we going?”
“If I tell you, will it spoil the surprise of it all?”
“Nothing can spoil it as long as I’m with you.”
“All right, I’ll tell you. I want to take you to Vegas for the weekend. My friend Logan and his wife Mindy can go with us. We’ll have a great time before I leave you for the longest two weeks of my life. Are you in?”
“That sounds so exciting. Of course I’m in! I’ve never been to Vegas—I can’t wait to go with you!”
He slanted his mouth over hers, his tongue delving in and gliding across hers. The passion between them was hot enough to ignite the room with uncontrollable flames. But he held back, though his body cursed and revolted against him for it. “We’ll have our own suite. Just you and me. Can I apologize now if I never let you see the bright lights of the Strip while we’re there? As much as I don’t want our relationship to be based solely on sex, I don’t think I can stay there with you all weekend and abstain.”
“What if I told you I don’t want you to abstain? Or that I don’t care anything about seeing the bright lights if it means I have you to myself all weekend?”
“Friday night. You. Are. Mine.” He spoke the words as an oath, a promise of pleasure and ecstasy to come.
“Baby, I’m yours tonight. You just haven’t taken advantage of me yet.”
“If I can last three more nights past tonight, I have wonderful plans for us. Can you stop being such a cunning temptress until then?” A smile teased on his lips, but his resolve was waning swiftly.
“For you, until Friday. After that, I can’t make any promises.”
July
The week dragged by, day after day stuck in the office with his brother breathing down his neck. Thursday afternoon, Aaron walked into Lance’s office to face the music.
“Hey, Lance.” Aaron knocked lightly on the open door before walking in. “Just letting you know I’m leaving now, and I’m taking off tomorrow.”
“Big plans for the weekend?”
“Yeah, Christa and I are going away together for the weekend.”
Lance narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his executive leather chair. “You’re spending the weekend with just one woman? Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?”
Aaron shrugged. “She’s different from the others. I look forward to spending time with her, seeing her. You’ll like her too when you meet her.”
“I get to meet her? When?”
“Soon. When I’m sure you can’t run her off with your winning personality and overall friendly disposition.”
“You said she
owns her own business. How much money does she have? How successful is she?”
“You have to be the rudest person I’ve ever known. You don’t ask someone how much money they have.”
“Fucking hell, Aaron. You haven’t even talked to her about anything important, have you? As usual, you’re just drifting through life, expecting everyone else to take care of the details while you close the deal. I don’t even know why I’m surprised anymore.” Lance stood and paced across his office, agitation driving his steps. “Has it ever occurred to you that she could be playing you, getting close to you because she knows exactly who you are?”
“Who am I? I’m just an agent and co-owner of a business. I’m no one famous. No one special.” Aaron fired back against his brother’s accusations.
“You’re a highly successful agent who has helped build a nearly billion-dollar business from the ground up. You rub elbows with some of the most well-known and instantly recognizable people in the entertainment and sports industries. Your net worth alone would bring out the claws. But add in the overall business and future endeavors we have on the books, and any woman alive would do anything to trap you.”
“She’s not like that, Lance. You haven’t met her. You haven’t spent any time with her. You’re in no position to judge her. Or me, for that matter. This conversation is over. I’m off tomorrow, out of town for the weekend, and I’ll see you Monday.”
“Don’t forget the mistake you made before and what it cost, Aaron. Mom, Dad, and I can’t always be there to save you from yourself.”
“Fuck off, Lance.”
Memory Lapse
July, Present Day
* * *
Aaron sat in his extravagant high-rise condo overlooking the Bay, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the horizon without seeing anything past his own failures. The vaulted ceilings and spacious floor plans at one time were a sign of his accomplishments. A testament to his talents. But as he stared out into the night, all he saw was his reflection staring back at him. Mocking him. Telling him he was a failure, like his brother had insinuated during their last heated argument.
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