by E. L. Todd
She rubbed her leg against mine under the table.
I grabbed her hand and interlocked our fingers together. I didn’t mind going out in public and taking her to a nice dinner, but I preferred to be home. When it was just she and I, I could touch her all I wanted. If I had it my way, she’d be in my lap right now. But I would be a shitty boyfriend if I didn’t take her out on the town and show her off. We hardly went out together before, but things were different now.
After we ordered, we made small talk about work. She asked me about my investment strategy and seemed genuinely interested in it. Most women didn’t care about my line of work—just how much money was in my wallet. I asked her about the bakery, and her response was the same as it usually was.
When the food arrived, we ate it quietly. Neither one of us ate much, probably because we would rather be eating each other. Francesca was eager to jump back into bed, and I was too. But I wanted to do things right. I really hurt her, and I had a lot of making up to do even though she already forgave me.
“Coming back to my place?” she asked after I paid the check.
“Actually, let’s go to mine.” She hated the fact my bed had many visitors before she came back into my life. It was understandable to a certain extent, but she didn’t truly understand how meaningless they were. She was with Kyle for six months in her bed, and I thought that was completely different. But since I’d dragged her through the mud for so long, I gave her leeway in a lot of things.
She immediately tensed like that didn’t sound the least bit appealing to her.
“There’s something I want to show you.”
“At your apartment?” she asked incredulously.
“Yeah.” She’ll understand it when she sees it.
“You better let me watch you beat off.”
“Actually, I have something better in mind.”
***
We walked into the apartment, and I didn’t bother turning on the lights. It was dark, but you could still see inside the apartment. A distant glow came from down the hallway, the surprise I’d made for Francesca.
I took her hand. “Come with me.”
She didn’t object as I pulled her away.
I guided her into my bedroom, and on the nightstands and dressers were white candles flickering in the dark. They glowed dimly, and the shadows they made stretched across the walls.
Francesca took it in then eyed my bed. White rose petals were sprinkled on the brand-new comforter. New sheets were on the bed, as well as pillows. In fact, everything in the room was new. I’d replaced the bed frame, the mattress, and the remaining furniture.
“You’re the only woman who will ever sleep in this bed.” I came behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. I kissed her neck then the shell of her ear. I tightened her against my chest and felt her breathing increase.
Her objection to my old furniture, the stuff the others had been on, was childish. But Francesca didn’t ask for much, so I would give her whatever she wanted. I felt her body tremble in my arms at the gesture, and it picked up a few degrees. She and I were starting over, getting the future we should have had two years ago.
My lips found her hairline, and I pressed a gentle kiss there. I was a very sexual person, needing good sex on a regular basis. Perhaps it was just my nature, but it was the one thing that subdued my anger. I liked it dirty and kinky, and I liked it hard and fast.
But I never wanted that with Francesca.
What we had was so much better than that. When we touched, so did everything else. Without the use of words, we communicated. She made me feel whole—deep inside, in places I never thought I could reach. With her, it was about a lot more than sex.
I continued to kiss her neck as I slowly unzipped the back of her dress. Her breathing hitched slightly as I pulled it all the way down. When I reached the small of her back, my fingers grazed the skin, just inches from her ass. Then I pulled the top of the dress down, revealing her body in just her black bra. My fingers pulled her hair over one shoulder, and I kissed the area between her shoulder blades. Her skin tasted like honey, and her hair smelled like vanilla. My lips were drawn to her like a moth to a flame. I loved kissing her everywhere. It was my favorite thing in the world.
My hands pulled the dress the rest of the way, and it slid to her ankles. She remained absolutely still, letting me worship her body with just her lips. With a single hand, I unclasped her bra. The straps came loose and I pushed them off her shoulders and watched it fall.
The only thing left was the black thong. My fingers played with the lace, and I stared at the definition of her tight ass. She had a beautiful body with endless curves. I wasn’t sure why Cassandra intimated her. In actuality, all women should be intimidated by Francesca.
“You’re beautiful.” I pulled the lace off her hips.
She took a deep breath, showing her excitement.
I pulled it down to her ankles then helped her step out of them. When we were fooling around the other night, I didn’t want to keep my guard up and wait. But I didn’t want to give in to my physical desires when Francesca deserved something more. She deserved a perfect night, not a hook up. I wanted her to know, without a doubt, that she was different than all the others.
She was the one.
Francesca turned around and faced me. Her features were cast in shadow, but they could still be distinguished. Her perfect tits were just below my chest, and her tight little stomach had an hourglass shape. She grabbed the bottom of my shirt then slowly pulled it over my head, revealing my naked chest. When it was off, she stared at it lovingly, desire and appreciation in her eyes. Then she leaned in and pressed a kiss to the center of my chest. It wasn’t sexual, but intimate.
And it made me come alive.
She undid my belt and zipper then pulled down my jeans. When she got to her knees in front of me, I pictured her sucking me off. But I shook the thoughts away because I knew there would be time for that later. Francesca and I had a strong physical relationship when we used to be together but that developed later on.
When she pulled my boxers down, my cock popped out. I was proud of my size, and I knew every woman I’d been with was impressed by it. Whoever said size didn’t matter was full of it.
She licked her lips as she stared at it.
Fuck.
I wrapped my hand around her neck then pulled her lips to mine. I kissed her fiercely, savoring every moment because I wanted it to last forever. When we made out for hours the other night, I loved every second of it. Most guys wouldn’t, but then again, most guys weren’t head-over-heels in love like I was.
I guided her to the bed then lay her down on it. The rose petals were soft against her skin, and they smelled like a garden. I lay my body on top of hers, holding myself up by my arms. Francesca’s legs wrapped around my waist, and she held me against her, like she was eager for the connection we were about to feel.
I was too.
There wasn’t any hesitation in her eyes like there used to be. After she opened up to me, she seemed to have forgotten all her reservations. Like steam, it evaporated. Now she looked at me just the way she used to, like I was the single most important thing to her. Trust was in her eyes, and she was in love with me.
I didn’t ask her if she was on the pill. I didn’t ask if it was okay if I went bareback. She didn’t ask if I was clean. We didn’t have that conversation. Even if she wasn’t on the pill and became pregnant, I wouldn’t care. That was bound to happen someday anyway. And she knew I would never be with someone without protection, besides her.
My lips were desperate to kiss her but I restrained myself. My gaze was focused on hers, and my heart hammered in my chest. I pointed myself at her entrance, and the second my tip felt her warm skin, I wanted to moan. When I pushed slightly against her, I felt the moisture between her lips. The sensation wasn’t just pleasurable. It was so much more—because it was Francesca.
I pushed against her gently, forcing myself between her legs. Wh
en I was barely inside her, Francesca bit her bottom lip then gripped my arms. Her eyes were bright with fire and her nipples were harder than the tip of a diamond.
I kept going and felt her familiar tightness. She constricted me like a python, and to say it felt good was an understatement. Just the knowledge that I was inside her, feeling her, made my muscles tense in satisfaction.
“Hawke…” Her hair was scattered around her on the pillow, and she had a dreamy look in her eyes. Her lips were parted like she wanted my tongue, and her tits shook with every move I made.
When I sheathed myself completely inside her, I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay just like that, buried deep within her. I breathed harder than I wished and felt my restraints give way. Whenever I was with her, my cold exterior melted. I was in a different universe, one where just she and I existed.
Francesca ran her fingers through my hair and tightened her legs around my hips. Then she kissed me slowly, not rushing the embrace. She took her time, savoring every caress of my tongue.
I rocked into her slowly, caring more about the interaction of our hearts instead of our bodies. She was underneath me, and she was mine. The pain disappeared when she cradled me like this. I was turned on and so hot for her, but I was also so deeply and pathetically in love.
Francesca’s kiss became immobile and she breathed into my mouth as the pleasure overtook her. She arched her back and writhed on the bed like she couldn’t handle how good I felt. Her nails trailed down my back, leaving marks where she gripped me. “Oh shit…”
I loved pleasing her. It was my favorite thing in the entire world. Watching her spin out of control gave me the greatest sense of satisfaction. I usually only cared about my own pleasure, but with her, she was the only thing that mattered.
“You’re going to make me come.” She said it with a tone of surprise like she couldn’t believe that could happen so quickly.
I wanted to release at the same time, but that was too soon. I wanted this to last all night—until the end of time. “Muffin.” I sucked her bottom lip then brushed my lips across hers. She constricted around me, preparing to explode.
And then she ignited.
“Hawke…” She gripped my shoulders and held on. “Oh my god.”
She came all over my dick. I felt the moisture flood around me, and that made my cock twitch. I kept thrusting, hitting her in the right spot so she could enjoy it as long as possible.
She was out of breath and covered in sweat. Her chest had a flushed color to it, and her eyes were somewhere else. She ran her hands up my chest, feeling the grooves and lines of muscle.
I loved being inside her.
“I love you.” She held my gaze as she moved underneath me. Her hands were pressed against my chest, and her fingers dug into me slightly.
So many women had hit my sheets, and I couldn’t remember what a single one looked like. It was all a blur, a meaningless escapade. I may as well have been alone because I was never truly there. But with Francesca, I was in the moment. I was thankful to be alive. “I love you.”
Gossip
Francesca
Marie stormed into the back of the bakery where I was working. “Spill it. I know something is going on and you better tell me what it is. I’ll snatch that spatula and shove it so far up your—”
“Calm down, woman.” I set my stuff down and removed my apron. “Damn, you should be an interrogator.”
“It was one of my options.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Now fess up. Axel has been acting weird lately. Anytime Hawke comes up, he gets this weird look on his face, like he’s trying not to smile but it comes off as a cringe. Believe me when I say, it’s not sexy.”
The only reason why I hadn’t told Marie was because I hadn’t seen her much. She was busy with work and the wedding, and when I wasn’t working, I was with Hawke. “Hawke and I got back together.” I laid it out and didn’t add any filters to it.
“What?” she asked in surprise. “When?”
“About two weeks ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” She stomped her foot.
“I wanted to do it in person.”
Marie’s irritation didn’t last long. When she saw the smile on my face, she couldn’t keep her anger. “Are you happy?”
“You can see all my teeth, can’t you?” I was over the moon.
She smiled against her will. “Yes, I can. And it’s really surprising that you never had braces.”
“Why, thank you.”
She dropped her arms to her sides and came closer to me. “Tell me the details.”
“Remember when I said he wanted to get back together but I said no?”
“Clearly,” she said. “Because it didn’t make any sense.”
“Well, he didn’t accept that answer and tried to win me back anyway. He cooked me dinner and spent time with me…and I slept over a few times.”
Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak.
“We didn’t have sex,” I said quickly. “Just slept together. He told me he wasn’t going to give up until he got what he wanted. I didn’t trust him for a long time, and that didn’t change until I told him exactly how I felt…and about everything that happened after he left.”
Marie’s eyes fell in sadness when she understood what I was referring to.
“And I cried my eyes out for a long time until I fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning…all that pain was gone. I let it go and Hawke and I moved forward.”
Marie pressed her lips tightly together. “You think this is it? You don’t think he’s going to do the same thing to you?”
“No.” There was no hesitation. He wouldn’t do that to me, not again.
Marie took my word for it because she smiled. “Then I’m very happy for you.”
I smiled again, melting at the thought of him.
Marie hugged me. “Now we can go on double dates.”
“We’ve been going on double dates,” I said with a laugh.
“The other girls are going to be so disappointed,” she said. “Every single one of them has a crush on Hawke.”
“That’s too bad,” I said. “Because he’s mine.”
“They didn’t have a chance anyway.” She pulled away with a hint of a smile on her lips. “So, have you guys…?”
“Oh yeah,” I said. “The other night.”
“Was it as good as it used to be?”
“It was better, actually.”
“I’m a little jealous…”
“Axel isn’t good?”
“No, he is. But we haven’t had make up sex in a long time…maybe I should pick a fight with him later.” A mischievous grin was on her lips.
“Just make sure you don’t break up for two years.”
***
Marie and I walked into the restaurant and spotted Hawke and Axel sitting at a table. They were across from each other, the seats beside them vacant.
“Look at those hunky men,” Marie said into my ear.
“Yeah…” Hawke wore a charcoal gray suit, and it outlined his strong shoulders and massive chest. It matched the scruff on his cheeks, and he looked appetizing.
When Hawke noticed me, he stood up and discreetly buttoned his suit with a single hand. He watched me and didn’t smile. He just stared at me, commanding me to come to him with just a look.
“Let’s go.” Marie pulled me with her.
I didn’t need to be told twice.
Marie got to Axel first, and he embraced her like a man deeply in love.
As I came closer to Hawke, his eyes were glued to me. He watched every move I made with intensity. When I finally reached him, his hand moved to the small of my back and he pulled me against his chest. He looked down at me without kissing me, but he made love to me with just the look.
My knees felt weak.
Hawke pressed his lips against mine and gave me a slow kiss. He had to bend his neck to reach me, and I had to stand on my tiptoes because of his six foot th
ree height. The kiss went on longer than necessary, and Hawke had to force himself to pull away even though it was clear he didn’t want to.
We didn’t say a single word to each other, but with a connection like ours, words were unnecessary. Hawke pulled the chair out for me before he sat in his own. When I took my seat, his hand automatically moved to my thigh.
Axel eyed us back and forth. “About fucking time.”
Hawke shrugged.
I didn’t say anything at all.
“Don’t tease them,” Marie said under her breath, like she hoped we wouldn’t hear her.
“No, I’m gonna,” Axel said. “Their relationship has been a damn soap opera. And I don’t watch soap operas for a reason.”
Marie slapped his wrist. “Knock it off. Hawke might be your brother-in-law someday. You should be happy.”
He will be Axel’s brother-in-law.
Hawke squeezed my thigh.
“Now that it’s out in the open,” I said. “Can we just move on and act normal?”
Axel looked at his menu in response.
“So, what’s left for the wedding?” I asked. “Anything else we need to do? Party favors? Centerpieces?”
“No,” Marie said. “Everything is ready. Now we just need to get married.”
“The sooner the better.” Axel kissed the top of her hand.
It still surprised me when he did sweet things like that. It was so out of character for him.
Marie didn’t react to his affection like she used to.
“Can you believe you guys are getting married in two weeks?” I asked.
“I can’t believe it,” Marie said. “This engagement went by so fast.”
“I’m excited for the honeymoon,” Axel said.
“I bet,” Hawke said with a grin. “Best part of the wedding. Where are you going?”
“The Caribbean,” Axel answered. “Marie is gonna wear a thong bikini.” He grinned wide like an idiot.
“In front of people?” Hawke asked. Hawke was the polar opposite. He didn’t tell me what to wear, but he wouldn’t want my ass exposed to the world. My body was his and he didn’t want anyone else to enjoy it—even if it was just with their eyes.