by Layla Arts
“I want to take you to New York for Christmas,” he announced. “It’s cold, I know, and you might say that we hardly know each other, I know that too – but I want to take you to New York with me because you deserve to see more of the world than just Texas and Los Angeles.” I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. This was absurd.
I was staggered, and I didn't know how to react. This was something I had never encountered. Someone, Hadrian Smith, wanted to take me to New York for Christmas. All the things I have done in my life – combined – don’t even come close to visiting New York at Christmas, with Hadrian.
“But what about the club? The holidays are always the busiest, and we won’t be there.”
“The club can wait, Vicky,” Hadrian assured me promptly. An amused smile made its way onto Hadrian’s face, he knew that he had taken care of everything and that the only way I would refuse to go is if I didn’t want to go with him. “I have people I trust at the Empire who can make it happen while I’m away. I've done this plenty of times, babe, and it always worked out.”
His hand was placed on my thigh, and I felt him moving his thumb frequently over my skin while he was telling me all of this. I just couldn’t process it. I wasn't expecting such a big offer from Hadrian, and it came completely out of left court – haha tennis with Hadrian. For Hadrian, it was just New York, but for me, it was the other side of the world – even though it really wasn’t that far and I wouldn’t have to leave the States.
“I don't want to ruin your club just because we go to New York,” I mumbled softly. Hadrian gently tilted my chin up, and we locked eyes. He had this look in his eyes that disintegrated all my apprehension. “Look, I care about the Empire and you. I don't want to get in the way.”
“You aren't, love,” Hadrian spoke calmly. “We’re only going for three days, I just want to show you some places. We can celebrate a bit of Christmas, in a place where there’s actual snow. Only if you want to go with me?” He asked me nervously.
I gave Hadrian a beaming smile. “Of course, I'm going with you!” I told him excitedly, moving to straddle his lap. “This is amazing, Hadrian. Do you have any idea how special this is for me?”
“Your smile says it all.”
“I don't know why you’re doing this, Hadrian. Where is this coming from?”
“You're my first priority, Vicky. You truly are. I want to make you happy. I’ve said it enough, but I’ll repeat it: putting effort in you was the best thing I’ve ever done, and I’ll continue to do it for as long as you need me to. I cannot let this slip through my fingers, you’re what I want. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. I could never have imagined that this is where we would end up, but I’m so glad we did,” Hadrian spoke honestly.
I shook my head out of astonishment. My heart was beating faster, this was unbelievable. I was his first priority – the concept was unfathomable. It was remarkable that Hadrian was willing to give me whatever it was I wanted, just to make me happy.
“We never talked about Christmas though. Where did that idea come from?”
“I didn't want to be alone for Christmas,” he said, his eyes not meeting mine.
“And now the actual reason.”
“Because I love you, and there’s no one else I’d rather be with.”
I could feel him inhale in the crook of my neck when he had come closer. The aroma of his compelling cologne on his collar clouded my senses. I took a cavernous breath when I felt him placing a soft kiss on my skin. A shiver made its way down my spine when his fingertips brushed some loose tendrils away from his path. I let my head fall to the side, giving him more access to my décolleté. I had never experienced something so beautiful.
A soft sigh fell from my lips when I thought about how I would remember this moment. We sat on the couch, Hadrian's hand holding mine protectively. His pink puckered lips pressed firmly against my skin texture.
His soft, delicateness was something I hadn't experienced before, and I was slightly aware that Hadrian had probably never experienced it before either. My body reacted impeccably to his gentle movements. They made me realize that I wanted this, I needed this.
I felt his hand taking mine, and he intertwined our fingers compassionately. I looked Hadrian in the eye, silently questioning him on why he had suddenly stopped and stood up. He nodded accommodatingly, and he assured me that I could come along with him. I stood up, and Hadrian released my hand, walking into the kitchen and taking a bottle of champagne with the two glasses. Big hands. I admired those.
I followed Hadrian to the bedroom I have been dying to share with him again. The firmament was blissful, and it was clear for the both of us what was going to happen. Despite Hadrian's expertise in sexual relations, and the insurmountable amount of women he's been with, he had this way of making you feel like you were the only one – it was a thing to behold.
We walked to the bedroom, Hadrian opened the door for me to enter first. He closed the door after we had both entered. The room was pitch black before he turned on the lights above the bed – dimming them to a romantic setting.
Hadrian loosened my hand and walked to the nightstand from the bed. He placed the two glasses with the bottle of Cristal on it, conscientiously.
I watched his fluid movements and bit my bottom lip when he was standing in front of me. The tension was thick within the room, and we both longed to touch after he said he loved me.
“Fuck, that turns me on,” Hadrian whispered, tugging on my bottom lip to release it from my teeth.
His voice was way too low. It was rare, but I really loved it. I realized that this was it when I looked Hadrian in the eye, this wasn't just sex – this was making love. I stopped and looked away, I was nervous – this was something I had never done before. Hadrian pulled my face back toward him and traced his finger over my blushing cheek.
Last but not least, he slammed his lips against mine. I had been dying to feel this again, to feel the blistering joyousness through my body, but also his aroused touch. He attentively held my face in his big hands, and I felt him pressing me harder against his mouth.
With his hands, he pulled at the tips of my hair – tilting my face up to his. At first, I was nervous. I had no idea what to do – how to do this –, but then I reminded myself that it was Hadrian. So I started kissing him back aggressively, I let my left hand rest on his chest while we were standing in my bedroom. My right hand steadily went up, and I placed it on back of his neck, in his soft hair.
“Kick those off,” Hadrian instructed me when he broke the kiss.
I looked him into his eyes. I kicked my shoes off and made sure they were resting in the corner of the room. When I stared back at Hadrian, he was already doing the same thing. He pulled his hand through his curls before he came back. His lips crashed against mine. This has undoubtedly been worth the wait. Hadrian's hands let my face go, so he went down to the hem of the garment. I felt him holding the fabric between his fingertips. Slowly but cooperatively, he took my shirt off and tossed it next to my shoes in the alcove of the bedroom.
He placed his hands on my shoulders, snaking down my arms until his large palms rested on my hips.
Hadrian laid me nicely on the bed. I leaned back on my elbows while he hovered over me, his face just inches from mine. I licked my lips while Hadrian remained unmoving between my parted legs. His jade green eyes held something that I had never seen before – something I could only describe as a fondness, possibly the newly confessed love he had for me.
“Up.”
I arched my back, and he slipped his arms underneath me. With just a simple pull from Hadrian, I was up. Hadrian was sitting on his knees on the bed, while I was sitting on them. Our bodies were pressed against each other while we were sitting like this. One of his hands was holding my lower back to keep me in place. Our eyes were still locked while we were sitting here like this. Then I felt Hadrian unclasping my bra from behind with his other hand. The straps fell down cavalierly over my shoulder after Hadrian
's action.
“Lift off,” he told me.
I took the bra off and threw it away. I stared at Hadrian and gripped his shirt before taking it off from his body. I trailed my hands down his tattooed chest toward the uncharacteristically tattooed skull on his side. He had an astonishing body; he was gorgeous.
Hadrian made me fall back on the bed with a demulcent push. I felt the sheets coming in contact with my naked back, and I saw Hadrian bringing my hands toward his remaining garment. I took his leather belt in my hand and unbuckled it. I pulled the zipper down, feeling Hadrian straining against the tight material of his jeans. He got off the bed, removing the restraining article of clothing.
He came toward me and pressed his lips against the smooth skin of my stomach. I bit my lip when the deep knot in my lower abdomen set my nerves endings on fire. I dragged my hand through Hadrian's locks, and I saw him looking up at me. His face inched closer to my clothed core. Within seconds, he had removed my joggers and socks and playfully snapped the band on my panties.
Only us now and still a few barriers between us.
“You're so beautiful, Vicks.”
I blushed at the amazement in his voice as he told me this, my head turning to hide the redness of my cheeks.
“No, no, no. Don't look away. I want to see you,” Hadrian instructed me. I quickly turned my head to face him, seeking the familiar green eyes. Every time I looked at him, I got lost. I didn't know what we were at this point or what I was doing, and I certainly didn't know why I was contemplating life decisions while being intimate with Hadrian. I lifted my head, pulling his lips toward mine to silence my wandering thoughts. “You want this, right?” Hadrian asked me for reassurance.
“Hadrian, please,” I whispered. The aching in my core was becoming too much to handle, I needed my fix, and all he wanted to do was talk.
I never thought that Hadrian and I would end up here. After our first encounter, the only thing that came to my mind was “there's no way we could ever be friends”. I was right. God was I right. There's no way I could pretend to be nonchalant with someone that made me feel the way Hadrian did. I didn't care that we were moving fast. This was what I wanted: him.
I always compare new experiences with ones from the past, and to be frank, I had never been taken care of the way I was with Hadrian. He always made sure I had what I needed, both physically and emotionally. He wouldn't treat me like trash. Never.
After this point, everything went reasonably quick. Hadrian pulled his boxers off, my thong followed soon after. I could see him examining my body, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as if he were trying to memorize every detail. He raised his head up and had a shy smile etched on his face. He moved closer to me, pressing his lips gently to mine. Our tongues met each other instantly, and I felt his hands roam all over my body. Now and then, he squeezed my breast meticulously, and a soft moan would escape my mouth.
Without warning, he spread my thighs and entered me. All the heat that had swarmed my body went directly to the pit of my stomach. A tight ball of nerves and pent-up frustration was forming with each thrust, and Hadrian was looking at me seductively while pushing in and out of me again and again.
There was nothing at this point. No one but Hadrian and me. There was no limit we could reach; no worries about the future – about our relationship. All I could see, feel, and hear was Hadrian. His hair was shamelessly brushing against my forehead. I reached up to gently push the locks from his face, pushing my hands back to his neck to press his lips to mine before resting my hands on his broad shoulders. Our mouths stayed attached, but our lips didn't move. His labored breaths fell into my mouth and mingled with my own. A particularly hard thrust had Hadrian hitting the tight knot dead-on, my nails digging into the tanned skin of his back, a loud groan emitting from Hadrian's mouth. He grabbed my hips and quickly flipped us over; me on top and Hadrian laying like a God beneath me.
“Move for me, baby,” Hadrian demanded me.
I started moving my hips teasingly, Hadrian hissed some curse words under his breath. His face was covered in a sheen of sweat, making him glow like the angel I knew he was. He was watching me. His hands were holding my bum gracefully, and he made me move faster on top of him. He was getting impatient with my torturing movements, a tell-tale sign that he was close. My hands rested on his chest while he pushed me back and forth. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes at the overwhelming feeling.
“I'm coming,” Hadrian spat out harshly. “Fuck.”
Hadrian moved his hands toward my hips, and he squeezed them slightly. I leaned closer to Hadrian, and he went back to holding my bum. The way we made each other feel was incredible. I placed my hands on his shoulders. Hadrian's eyes snapped wide open, and I playfully circled my hips one last time.
“Shit,” Hadrian groaned loudly.
Hadrian's chest was moving up and down quickly, like he had just run a marathon. I pressed a light kiss against his parted lips. Hadrian trailed his sweating hands up and down my back softly, then flipped us back over. He was still struggling to catch his breath as he hovered over me. I saw Hadrian licking two fingers before he teasingly traced them over my stomach, and slowly making his way down.
“Come for me,” Hadrian mumbled.
I held my breath when I felt Hadrian put two fingers inside of me. I moaned Hadrian's name at the burning desire that had, once again, flared up in my body. The ball of excitement tightened, and I was ready to explode at the magical feeling of his fingers. I bit my lip harshly in an attempt to quiet the screams that were threatening to make their way out, Hadrian told me I had to stop doing that, or he would take me again.
My hands were gripping the sheets harshly. Hadrian kept pushing his fingers inside me; harder, and faster. I had missed the feeling of being truly intimate with someone. This was not just doing it – this was love. Hadrian didn't have to tell me he loved me, I could feel it. I knew that we would fight, I knew that there would be times that we didn't want anything to do with each other, but as long as we had this – this astonishing feeling, this fantastic bond – we would be okay.
I got shot out of my thoughts when Hadrian added another finger. Two more movements and I exploded, stars clouded my vision, and I could faintly hear Hadrian whispering his love for me; his soft lips touching my neck. My heart was slamming against my rib cage, and I became slightly aware that Hadrian was staring at me in adoration. He licked his fingers before walking to the window and shutting the curtains. The dim light was still filling the room, and I was laying in my bed, entirely spent and drowned in my affection for Hadrian.
I could hear the pouring of alcohol before Hadrian's hand came into view, holding out a glass for me. I sat up, already feeling a tightness and slight burning at the small movement. I thanked him and took the drink out of his hand. Hadrian pulled the sheets away, so he could climb in with me. I wrapped the sheets protectively around my body. Hadrian's arm wrapped around my shoulders, the tip of his pinkie touching my collarbone. I brought the glass of alcohol to my lips and took a large gulp. It probably looked unladylike, but I only was with Hadrian, and the dull ache began to subside. Hadrian absentmindedly drew small circles on my shoulder.
I placed my free hand on Hadrian's thigh, drawing slow circles with my thumb. I couldn't imagine a more perfect evening with Hadrian; he had asked me to go to New York with him for Christmas, confessed his love for me, and thoroughly consummated it in a mind-blowing act of passion. Now we were sitting here, in the afterglow of our love-making, drinking champagne and enjoying each other.
I turned my head around when I felt Hadrian placing soft kisses on my shoulder blade. He looked at me questioningly.
“I am just staring at you, adoring you.”
“You can come closer,” he breathed. So I did what he said. I moved to straddle his lap, our faces only a few inches from each other. His pink, heart-shaped lips looked so smooth, beckoning me to touch them. So I reached out and ran my thumb along his bottom lip, he puckere
d them slightly to leave a light kiss on the pad of my finger.
“I like your lips,” I mentioned.
“I like yours, too,” Hadrian replied against my finger.
It stayed silent between us for a couple of minutes. I was examining every part of his face because he was so goddamn flawless to me. I pressed my fingertips into the spot on his cheek where his dimples should be, and they immediately popped up when I did. I loved the way he loved me. So unconditionally, I could feel it in the silence that loomed between us.
“I love you, too, Hadrian,” I confessed, and I locked gazes with his dancing green eyes.
“Baby girl, I knew that much already.”
21
Hadrian Smith
Vicky and I had been in her room the whole day, confessing our feelings, making love, talking about our lives, and whispering sweet nothings to each other. We had a show today, and surely one would think that she should be practicing, and I should be making arrangements at the club, but today was about us, and she would be glowing for tonight's appearance – making her even more desirable. Her head was resting on my bare chest while I was reading a book.
Yes, I was reading a book, and I am just as surprised as you are.
After a few minutes, I was flipping the page again. Vicky examined me as I licked the tip of my index finger, wetting it before sliding it across the page to turn it. I knew she could hear my heartbeat pounding against her ear, increasing slightly at the thought of her watching me.
Her hand was resting firmly on my stomach, and I made soft patterns with my index finger on the exposed skin of her shoulder blade. She pressed her lips softly against my warm and sensitive skin before laying back in the old position.
I couldn't help but think of how great it was to wake up next to someone you love. Soft, warm kisses being pressed on my face, breakfast in bed – instead of being awoken by a blaring alarm clock. It was a beautiful reprieve from life to wake up with Vicky's tiny body sprawled across my own. This won't last though – I'll wake up to the noise of my blaring alarm clock tomorrow. Vicky won't be laying next to me – all warm and soft – in my bed, and I will be making my own coffee – meaning my brewer will spit out a perfect latté in thirty seconds flat. There will not be a kiss placed on my mouth when I am there, nor a little one behind my ear. Now that Vicky knows how I feel, and we've taken this step, I can't fathom the thought of not being with her.