Escalation

by Tessa Teevan

  “I remember, Rafe. And it’s because of you that I do.”

  He starts to protest, and I press a finger to his lips, silencing him.

  “Reflection shows me that I never needed Adrian. Not in the way I’d want to. Did I need him to keep a roof over my head? No. But I was weak and allowed myself to think I did. Because, at the end of the day, I know the truth.”

  His eyes search mine, flicking back and forth as if trying to read my expression. “And the truth is?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with needing someone. In fact, I think it’s actually a beautiful thing. I need you because you’re essential when it comes to my happiness. Can I be happy without a man? Of course. Would I be happy without you? Absolutely not. That tells me, Rafe Matthews, that I need you. All of you. And I have a feeling you need me, too.”

  He smiles at the memory of our very first interaction, when he said the very same thing. “I guess I knew what I was talking about, huh?”

  “You did. And you were right.

  “So are you. Although, it should be more than a feeling. It’s a fact. I need you, Brie, and I always will. That will never change.”

  As he places his arm around my shoulders, I settle in and rest my head against his chest. My hand holds his, and even as the ride begins to move, I’m at peace.

  Because I, Gabriella Latham, am unequivocally happy, and I’ve finally found where I belong.

  After we leave the Ferris wheel, my legs are wobbly and my heart is still racing from the excitement and the terror of the ride. A sense of triumph settles over me, and I feel like I could conquer the world. By the time the cab drops us off on the Magnificent Mile, I’ve calmed, but only slightly. I’m not sure if I’ll ever come down from the high of this night.

  The magic of the city envelopes me as we stroll to our next destination. It probably helps that Rafe’s arm is secured around my waist, holding me close. We walk down Michigan Avenue in companionable silence, neither of us with a care in the world.

  I take in the sights of the bright lights, the giant structures, and the thousands of people mulling about the city, darting around us. The sounds are music to my ears. The impatient honking. The musicians on the corner, entertaining the masses. The families hustling and bustling, trying to stay together and not get swallowed up in the crowd. Sounds that have been so distant now truly feel like home. Being here isn’t painful like I thought it’d be. It’s actually refreshing, and I love that I’m here and not alone.

  The rest of the evening flashes by in a romantic blur. We eat tapas in low lighting, Rafe taking in delight in feeding me, and I allow it. We spend the night laughing and talking, discussing our childhoods—keeping all the painful memories far, far away. Even though I slipped up for a brief moment on the Ferris wheel, this night is about us, and all the worries around us are kept at bay. The one thing we don’t discuss is the future, and I’m okay with that. We have plenty of time. Just knowing he loves me is enough. The permanent smile on my face is evident of that.

  We stroll along, making our way back to the hotel, but then Rafe stops at the peak of a bridge, drawing me close and holding me tight. People scurry around us, a few not so politely, but neither of us cares. We’re lost in the moment, lost in each other, and if this is what being lost is like, I never want to be found.

  He dips his head, his lips capturing mine. His kiss is slow, gentle at first, but when his tongue parts my lips and invades, it dominates and controls the pace, speeding it up with such frenzy that all I can do is hold on for the ride. A moan bubbles up in my throat and releases into his mouth, causing him to tear his mouth from mine. Our frantic breaths mix as we stare at each other, panting from the ferocity of our passion.

  “Hotel?” he questions, his voice low and scratchy.

  I nod. “Quickly.”

  He wastes no time grabbing my hand, and we walk as fast as we can without running.

  When the hotel comes into sight, he slows us down, and as we make our way towards the grand building, I’m giddy and intoxicated with love. This has night has been absolutely unexpected and undeniably perfect.

  My heart races as we step into the elevator, and I have half a mind to push him up against the wall and strip him bare right here, right now. Somehow, I hold on to the edges of my restraint. As the elevator dings, my desire rises to new heights, and all I can think of is making love to this man.

  His hands are on my hips and his mouth is on my neck as he guides me down the hall towards our suite. Visions of Rafe swirl in my head as I picture him naked and waiting for me on the bed. In the tub. Standing at the desk as I bend over for him. I suck my lower lip into my mouth and release a sigh, tilting my neck to give him more access.

  “Patience, baby,” he whispers against my skin. “We have all night.”

  By the time he opens the door, I’m practically panting for him. I cross towards the bed, but he apparently has different plans. He catches my hand, spins me around, and then takes me into the center of the room, slipping his arms around my waist.

  He peers down at me with breathtaking passion before he kisses me. It’s cautious and hesitant as he wraps me up in a warm embrace. Our mouths tangle and tease, tasting each other, slowly at first. It’s reminiscent of the first time in his home, and I smile against his lips, knowing that may have been the night our child was conceived.

  “What’s that smile for?” he asks, pulling his head back.

  “I just remember the first time we made love in your bed. That night… I never thought it could get better, and you’ve proven me wrong time and time again.”

  A devilish grin forms on his handsome face. “And I’ll continue to do so for as long as you allow. Now, let me look at you,” he requests, stepping back.

  I bite my lower lip as the butterflies in my stomach grow stronger. His eyes darken as they rake down my body, taking in the sight of my tight blouse and even tighter skinny jeans.

  "Undress."

  The order is gruff, his voice commanding. He doesn't have to tell me twice. My hands rush to the hem of my shirt, and I’m about to whip it off when he stops me.

  "Slowly.” This time, the request is soft, spoken so low I barely hear him.

  My heart hammers in my chest, but I do as he asked. I take my time removing my shirt and then my jeans, taking my time shimmying out of them until I'm standing before him in nothing but my bra and panties. Our eyes are locked the entire time, and the butterflies melt away. All nerves dissipate under his watchful gaze. I’ve never wanted anyone more, and my earlier words ring truer now more than ever. I need him. He is an essential part of my being, and my heart is fuller for knowing him. He makes me feel adored, desired, and, above all else, loved. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced before, and I will never be able to get enough.

  Unable to stand this distance, I take a step forward, wanting his hands on me. He holds a hand up, stopping me in my tracks. His eyes flash with desire, yet he makes no move towards me.

  "Turn around."

  “But,” I protest, “I want you to touch me.”

  Confliction mars his features. My panties dampen as a battle wages in his head—he can’t decide whether to look or touch. All I want is for him to do both.

  “Turn, Brie,” he repeats.

  I hastily comply, hoping to speed this process up as the ache between my legs increases.

  Halfway through my turn, I hear a low mutter. The sound of his footsteps draws near until he's directly behind me. The electricity in the air intensifies, as if our close proximity is enough to spark a fire. One touch. It’s all I need, and just as I’m about to beg, he puts me out of my misery.

  A hand lifts to my neck, where he gathers up my hair and sets it over one shoulder, exposing the other to him. I tilt my head and close my eyes as his fingers graze my skin. He bows his head, and his lips light a fire under my skin as he trails a line of sweet, sensual kisses until he's reached my ear. He takes my lobe in between his teeth, sucking and licking, giving me a previ
ew of what’s hopefully to come. He has my full permission to suck and lick to his heart’s content.

  "Have I told you how beautiful you are, Brie? How your very presence turns me on? And then, when I see you like this, your skin bared for me, it drives me wild with the need to touch you, kiss you, to devour every inch of you."

  As his tongue slides down the curve of my neck, a whimper escapes my lips, and I incline my neck to give him more access. I want that, too. I want him to devour me—over and over again.

  “Touch me. Kiss me. Devour me. Do whatever you have to do, Rafe, but please, never stop. I’m yours.”

  His other hand comes up and splays across my stomach, his fingers pushing me back into the hard erection that's now nestled into my ass.

  "Do you feel it? This is what you do to me. All I have to do is look at you, and I go rock hard with want for you. This is how my body responds to you and only you. As much as you are mine, I’m yours, too, Brie. Always."

  The promise on his lips ignites a fire deep in my belly, and I can’t take this waiting game any longer. I want—no I need—to feel him.

  "Rafe, please, take me," I whisper, pushing back against him. “Take me until I’m screaming your name.”

  He slides his hand down, slipping it inside my panties. His head rests in the crook of my neck, and just as his thumb finds my clit, he bites down on my skin, the pain and pleasure of the simultaneous acts causing me to cry out. His hand descends until his fingers find me wet and completely aroused. My legs spread apart in anticipation that he'll push in deeper, harder.

  "God, baby, you're so fucking wet already. You’re not making this easy to keep my control.”

  "It's you. I'm always wet for you. One touch is all I need. Fuck control,” I say through gritted teeth, hoping to entice him into giving me what I want.

  A low, sexy sound emits from his throat. He stands, removing his hand from my panties. Placing both hands on my waist, he urges me forward until my knees hit the bed. He steps back, and I hear him undressing behind me.

  Turning, I watch with rabid fascination as his muscles ripple with the removal of his clothes. The sight has my mouth watering, and I lick my lips in anticipation of his hard body taking mine.

  "Fuck me. When you lick your lips and stare at my dick like that, I can't handle it," he growls, stalking forward and pushing me back on the bed. “I have to have you.”

  “Then take me. I’m yours.”

  A strong arm hooks around my hips, and with extreme ease, he hauls me up to the head of the bed and covers my body with his. As he props himself up on one elbow, he gazes down at me, and I can't help letting out a breathy sigh. His eyes darken with a lustful desire at the sound. Then he trails a lone finger across the skin at my collarbone, eliciting a strong shiver to run down my spine.

  My breath catches, and his eyes move down to take in the way my breasts rise at the movement. His eyes fill with relief as they fall. Will he ever recover from that night?

  The thought disappears as quickly as it came when he touches me. His finger trails down to the hem of my bra, teasing the swells of my breasts. He dips it into the cup as he circles my nipple. Closing my eyes, I lean into him, desperate for him to take more of me in his hand. He bends down, his lips moving across my neck, licking and kissing along the way. He continues the trail down to my breast, which he pulls free from the fabric. His tongue grazes my nipple before he nibbles down on the hardened tip. He slowly makes his way to my other breast, and I let out a moan as my eyes flutter open, wanting to watch.

  Instead of continuing his masterful pleasuring, he rises from the bed, causing me to whimper at the lost contact. But then he settles in between my legs, a knowing smirk on his face. My hips arch, waiting for him to take. To taste. His hands slide down my bare legs, teasing and tormenting as they massage the insides of my thighs, so close but too far away for my liking. My core aches for his touch, and when I whimper again, he gives me a reprieve. His thumbs hook around my panties, and he rips them off with the ease and precision of the most skillful lover. As his hand covers my pussy, I close my eyes and press my head back against the pillow, awaiting this glorious contact.

  "Fuck, you're so fucking wet. Always so fucking wet," he says, echoing his earlier sentiment, almost in disbelief.

  When I open my eyes, he’s on his knees, apparently as ready as I am.

  "I have to be inside you, Brie. Now."

  My fingers slowly trace the bare skin of my torso, and I rise from the bed, removing my bra and covering my breasts, my thumbs teasing my nipples. "Then what are you waiting for?" I ask, my eyes hooded.

  Drunk with desire, he aligns his cock at my entrance, filling me with one strong thrust, which has his name escaping from my lips.

  His eyes close briefly as he savors our connection. I'd do the same, but instead, I'm savoring this moment, capturing this picture in my memory. When they slowly re-open, a dazed, lust-filled expression greets me. Then he begins to rock his hips, moving in and out of me in a languid rhythm, as if we have all the time in the world. Countless minutes pass by as he makes love to me, filling not only my body, but my heart as well. His love and devotion set my blood on fire, and my skin tingles from head to toe.

  I try to match his motions, but he increases his tempo. All I can do is wrap my legs tighter around him and dig my heels into his lower back as my climax builds.

  Leaning my head back against the pillow, I allow the desire swirling inside me to take over, my orgasm racking my body. My walls clench around him, and he lowers down, lying so we're chest to chest, which increases my pleasure.

  His strong hands cup my cheeks, and he brings his face mere inches from mine. As his eyes bore into my own, his gaze is full of adoration.

  "I love you, Brie. I will always love you," he promises. His fulfilling thrusts emphasize his words. Then he releases my face and finds my hands to entwine our fingers.

  The position is the most intimate one of my life, as if he’s locking us together, never to part. Hand in hand, heart over beating heart, and him still rocking inside me.

  He pumps hard, drives deeper. My hips grind against his pelvis to create friction that has another orgasm cresting, ready to send me over the edge. Our bodies move in a sensual rhythm as we move together as one, faster, more frantic, and intense. His hands grip mine tightly and just as I whisper my own profession of love, he groans into my neck.

  “I love you, Rafe. God, I love you,” I pant as he buries his head in the crook of my neck, biting down as his body goes rigid and releasing inside me, taking me right along with him.

  We explode together in an electrifying orgasm that has waves of pleasure crashing all around us. The sounds of our cries echo in the room as he presses his body into mine, pushing in deeper as I milk him for every last drop.

  My heart races as I pant erratically, on a mental and emotional high from this night. His fingers, entwined with mine, stretch and flex, but he doesn’t let go. His chest heaves, and my legs tingle, my body still trembling as I come down from the aftermath of our lovemaking.

  I’ve never felt this way before. And it’s because no one has ever loved me the way Rafe does.

  His lips settle against the curve of my neck. Then he rains kisses along my skin until his lips capture mine. He kisses me deeply, openmouthed as he breathes me in, stealing the very breath from my lungs, replacing it with his own as they mingle in our mouths.

  When he pulls back, his eyes are full of unspoken emotion.

  “What…what was that?” I ask.

  His head drops before he looks into my eyes. “Giving you breath. The night… I just… I was doing what I couldn’t before. What I vow to do for the rest of my life. Keep you breathing.”

  My breath catches, and when I see the slight shift in his eyes, I resume the most fundamental human act. I breathe. He lets out a sigh of relief, causing hot tears to spring to my eyes.

  “Oh, Rafe.”

  “Just as my heart with always beat for you, I will al
ways breathe for you. You’re my life, Brie. If you’re not breathing, then neither am I.”

  “Then we’ll breathe together,” I whisper, tightening my hands in his.

  “Together,” he affirms.

  As he hardens inside me, he slowly pulls out then pushes back in, never letting my hands go. Never taking his eyes off me. His breath on my lips the entire time.

  Every time with Rafe has been damn near perfect, but this… This experience is different. Tonight, we’re altered completely as we come together as a couple in love. I’m transformed. I’m no longer aware of where I end and he begins. Or even if that matters anymore. It’s as if his very touch, now emanating the love we share, has taken every bad part of me, every awful memory, and transformed them into something beautiful. Not taken them away or erased them, because without the bad, there’d be no us.

  As his hands skim over my skim, his lips branding every inch of my body, he confirms our connection, and I am renewed.

  I am his.

  I always want to be.

  And the truth is that, no matter what lies behind us or ahead, I know the truth.

  I always will be.

  MY EYES ARE FIXATED on the ceiling as Brie sleeps next to me. Her little snores are the only thing breaking the silence in our hotel room. Last night was the most intense lovemaking experience of my life. I don’t know what got me worked up. But as I stared down at her, pouring out my heart, it hit me just how much she’s ingrained herself in my heart. My soul. The thought of losing her crossed my mind—then a flash of her on the stretcher. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to do what I couldn’t that day. And as I gave her my breath, I did so much more.

  I gave her my heart.

  I gave her me.

  Which is why I have half a mind to slip out of bed and continue this fishing expedition on my own. As amazing as last night was, I would gladly erase it if it meant she was somewhere safe, far away from this place. But if I do this without her, she’ll be pissed. Hell, she might get pissed if she knew I was even considering it. Still, I rack my brain for ways to minimize the danger she’s in. Aside from locking her in the hotel and not leaving until our plane leaves, there’s not much I can do.