by Tessa Teevan
“Working doesn’t count. Ever since that kiss, I can’t get you out of my mind. I fucking think about you all the damn time. Wondering what you’re doing. You gave me just a small taste, and it wasn’t enough. I want more. I want you. More than I’ve wanted a woman in a long damn time. I know I shouldn’t. But I can’t help myself. I had to see you. To find out if you felt the same. I can be your rebound guy, Brie, if you want me.”
“Rafe,” I whisper, looking up into his pleading eyes.
Desire is evident on his face, and I can tell he wants to fight it, but he’s not trying all that hard. He just needs to know I want this, him, just as much. Can I actually do this? Here, in this house, with this man? Is this the trouble Adrian was warning me of?
He drops what he’s doing and rounds the counter, gripping my hips and lifting me up until I’m sitting on it. The cool granite against my bare skin causes me to shiver. His hands move from my hips to the counter beside me as he leans in close.
“Do you, Brie? Do you feel the same?” His piercing, blue eyes search mine. “Have you thought of nothing but our kiss since the other day? Do you imagine my hands on you? Touching you? My lips on your skin, tasting you? Can you feel me inside you, giving you more pleasure than you can handle? Or is it just me? Am I the only one who feels this?”
My pulse ignites as one hand moves from the counter to my bare skin, his thumb stroking my thigh slowly, deliberately, as he waits for my answer.
“No,” I admit. “It isn’t just you. I feel it, too. It’s all I’ve thought of. I ache for you, Rafe, and even when I thought to satisfy myself, I couldn’t. It wasn’t you, and it wasn’t enough.”
His eyes darken at my admission. With a low groan, he hangs his head. “I told myself I wouldn’t do this. That I’d let you come to me, but dammit, Brie, the idea of you touching yourself and thinking of me is too much. And I’m too damn selfish to walk away now.”
“Then don’t,” I whisper, and it’s all he needs.
As he leans in, our lips collide as if we’d been waiting for this for far longer than a few days. Rafe kisses me so thoroughly that, if I weren’t sitting on this counter, I’d be dizzy. My hands brace his shoulders as my mouth opens, his tongue sweeping inside and tangling with mine. Unlike our previous kisses, this one is hot and frantic as I try to pull him closer. He places his hands on my bare thighs, fireworks exploding between us at the mere contact, and I moan my satisfaction.
“You’re so goddamn beautiful, Brie,” he whispers against my mouth as butterflies consume my belly. “Let me show you how I see you. Let me take care of you the way you’re meant to be cared for.”
I glance up into eyes I could get lost in for days. The piercing blue of his irises has darkened with his lust, his passion turning them wild and treacherous, like the stormy sea wanting to pull me into its depths, consuming my entire being. Yet I’m not afraid. I want what he’s offering. I’m ready for the storm to rage and for him to take whatever he wants.
His hands slide up, his eyes dimming when he finds I’m not wearing any panties. I shiver with delight and scoot forward, wanting so much more. One lone finger strokes me up and down before he pulls his hand away, which elicits a whimper of protest from me.
“Does he touch you like this? Does he make you tremble? Does he fill you fully? Does he savor your taste, drink every last drop of your pleasure?” he asks, a hand slipping beneath my T-shirt and finding my bare breast.
I gasp as he pinches a nipple, and I shake my head. “No. Not for a long time,” I admit.
Rafe doesn’t smile or gloat, nor does he look at me with pity. “His loss is my gain,” he says simply. “Because I will do those things. I will touch you, explore every single inch of your body, get to know it better than even you do. I will taste you over and over again until you come in my mouth, not once, not twice, but as often as you’ll allow. You will quiver and shake, and, beautiful Brie, you will whisper my name like a fervent prayer. I will not own you, but I will not stop until you’re begging me to.”
What he doesn’t realize is I’m already halfway there. His words alone are enough to send a jolt of pleasure through me, and if he doesn’t do what he says soon, I may combust. Disappointment and confusion sweep in as he turns away from me, but he comes back with a stool and sits directly in front of me.
“Spread those gorgeous legs, baby,” he requests, his voice husky and laced with promise.
I do as he asked, and he catches me off guard when he grabs them and hooks them over his shoulders, forcing me onto my back on the counter.
The irony of what we’re about to do isn’t lost on me, and the idea of him taking me right where Adrian tried to claim ownership has me wanting him that much more. I watch through hooded eyes as his head dips between my legs, and I catch my breath in anticipation of his first taste.
He’s as patient as I am anxious, taking his time. Slow, agonizing kisses on my inner thigh have me wriggling beneath him as his hot tongue and warm breath set my nerve endings on fire. I squirm, losing myself the higher he goes. His fingers are dangerously close to my core, awaiting his mouth to ascend, and I raise my hips, urging him on, wanting to beg for him to finally, please, just touch me. Taste me.
He presses a sweet kiss on my outer thigh, where his fingers rest, and I arch upward, offering myself to him, wanting him to take until he consumes all of me. Wanting him to give me what Adrian wouldn’t. To completely erase all of it and replace the memory with one of his. Just as I think he’s going in for the kill, he bypasses my pussy and lifts up from the stool, his eyes boring into mine as he hovers over me.
“Brie,” he whispers, his voice hoarse and almost reverent.
“Don’t stop, Rafe,” I breathe, my hands moving up to grip his messy hair, trying to push him back down.
His own hand comes up and tightens on my wrist, his body pressing into mine. “What do you want, Brie?” he asks, his eyes hungry and wild.
“You,” I respond, wondering why he’s asking when he already knows the answer.
“What do you want me to do?” he challenges.
I can feel his erection, hard and thick, nestled in between my legs, and it causes me to writhe against him, giving me a brief reprieve from my unsated need.
“I . . .” I whisper, closing my eyes and enjoying the feel of him.
“Say it, Brie. Before I go any further, I need you to say the words out loud. I will not be him. You will always have a choice with me, and I won’t take what you aren’t ready to give. This is up to you. We can stop now. All you have to do is say the word.”
My eyes flutter open to see his face strained as he waits for my answer. Stop now? Is he insane?
“And if I don’t want to?” I ask.
“Then say that, too, baby.”
“I want you, Rafe. To kiss me. Taste me. Take me. Erase every memory of him and replace it with you. This is my choice. If you want me, take me from him. Make me yours.”
Desire and triumph flash in his eyes at my answer. His lips crash down on mine, swallowing my words. His tongue parts my lips as he drinks in my essence. I’ve given him the green light and he’s ready to go from zero to sixty in two seconds flat. He’s eager, ready, and so am I.
When he pulls back, his hand cups my cheek, his heated gaze meeting mine. “I’ve wanted a taste of you since the moment I saw you. I can’t wait any longer. I need my mouth on this sweet pussy I’ve been dreaming about for days.”
He sits back on the stool and settles between my legs, his five-o’clock shadow grazing the skin between my thighs as he takes a long swipe of my sex. A moan escapes me as days—more like months—of pent-up frustration melts away with just one lick. He glances up just as I fall back against the counter and push towards him.
“Right there, Rafe. So good. That’s so good,” I pant, urging him on.
Hooking my legs over his shoulder again, he buries his face in my pussy, tasting me, his mouth and tongue exploring and savoring me as if I’m the most delicious t
reat and he can’t get enough, yet he can’t bear for it to be gone all too soon.
The slow, deliberate flicks of his tongue quickly bring me to the brink as waves of pleasure course through my blood. Just as my orgasm builds, Rafe’s lips clamp down on my clit, and I cry out at the pleasurable jolt of pain. His hand caresses my ass before it comes around so his fingers find my sweet folds, which are wet and waiting for him. As his tongue massages my clit, his fingers relentlessly work me over, stroking up and down, back and forth, in and out, as I hover dangerously close to an explosive climax.
A firm hand comes down to grip his hair pushing his face deeper between my legs. A low growl escapes his lips, the vibrations reverberating against my pussy causing me to buck my hips in response. It only causes him to suck harder, lick deeper, and thrust his fingers faster. He drinks as if he’s dehydrated and my pussy’s the only oasis from which he can satisfy his thirst. And he can’t get enough. He never will.
“So close, Rafe,” I whimper.
He responds by slipping a finger inside me and pumping in and out in a pistoning fashion that only increases my arousal. Just as the orgasm wells up in me, he pulls his finger from my body, slowing his tongue until the crest of the wave dies down, not yet quite crashing over.
He continues his torturous assault, bringing me just to the threshold only to retreat until I’m panting, writhing, and begging for him, just as he said I would.
“Rafe, please,” I breathe, my tone pleading and urgent.
He lifts up, his lips glistening. The sight of my wetness coating his mouth is quite possibly the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen, and suddenly, I want a taste, too.
“Please what?” he asks, giving me a devilishly lazy grin as if he could do this all night. He probably could, and I have half a mind to allow it. To request it, even.
“Make me come,” I beg, and the grin erases from his face.
“All you had to do was ask,” he apprises.
His mouth covers my clit as his fingers fuck me, pumping more ferociously than before. He sucks and licks, taking his fill, as if he doesn’t know when he’ll get the chance to again.
Quicker than before, my orgasm builds to heights I’ve never experienced. When I glance down, his penetrating, blue eyes meet my hooded ones as he sucks my clit, drawing out my release. With his name on my lips, I dive head first over the edge, my legs clamping around his head as if to never let him go. Wave after wave of pleasure crashes over me as dizzying sensations make my mind swim, leaving me breathless, shattered, and so thoroughly sated. So thoroughly mouth-fucked.
As I come back down to Earth, I try to calm my ragged breathing. Looking down, I see him watching me, desire still lurking behind his eyes. I barely have time to recover before he rises, covering my body with his as he takes my mouth in a kiss that leaves me as breathless as that mind-blowing orgasm did.
“You taste even better than I expected,” he whispers, a hand coming up to cup my cheek. “You are exquisite and you don’t even know it.”
His lips press to mine, softly this time, and for the first time, I can taste myself. It’s foreign but entirely arousing. I want more. My tongue darts out to lick his lips. All too soon, he pulls back, grinning down at me.
“I’m glad you agree, baby, but leave me something to get through the rest of the night,” he insists, pushing against me so I can feel his hard erection.
I smile dreamily, my body languid and boneless from the aftereffects of his touch. I’m more sated than I’ve ever been in my entire life.
“Okay,” I respond, sliding my hand between us until it presses against his hard length. “I can do more than leaves traces on your lips. Now, it’s time for you to give me something.”
His brow lifts as amusement crosses his face. “Didn’t I just do that?” he asks.
“Absolutely. And I’m extremely thankful. So thankful, in fact, that I want to reciprocate,”
I tell him, licking my lips in anticipation of getting a taste of him.
He leans in and presses a quick kiss to my lips before stepping back and adjusting himself. “We’ll have time for that,” he promises, “but this, tonight, was all about you, Brie. I wanted to make you feel good . . . The way you deserve.”
“Well, then, mission accomplished,” I say, jumping off the counter. Lifting up on my toes, I wrap my arms around his neck and gaze up into his eyes. “Thank you, Rafe. You have no idea—I had no idea—just how much I needed that. I hope you’ll let me repay the favor soon.”
His eyes darken as he unhooks my arms and takes hold of my hands. “There’s nothing to repay. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I did this because I wanted to—I wanted you. Not because I wanted you to owe me. So if—no, when—you’re finally in my bed, it will be because you want to be, not because you feel obligated. You’ll never be an obligation to me.”
His words warm my heart, and I nearly melt at how different he is. How alive and desired he makes me feel. I want to jump into his arms and beg him to take me, but I maintain control, telling myself that he’s right. I deserve this, and tonight, I want to bask in the way he made me feel.
“I believe you. More than that, I trust you. You have no reason to be helping me, yet here you are.”
He nods. “And here I’ll stay. For as long as you let me. All I ask is you let me in.”
“I think I already have,” I whisper.
“Are you sure? Is this what you want?”
“I think so,” I tell him, my voice soft and shaky.
His hand comes up and he trails a long finger along my cheek. “Soon, you’ll know. And I’ll wait until then.” He leans down and gives me a long, slow, sensual kiss, pulling away all too quickly. “I’ll see you in the morning, Brie,” he says before pressing a quick kiss to my forehead.
The intimate, sweet gesture sends my heart into a tailspin, and instead of flinging myself at him like I want to, my eyes land on the package and I move to it to calm my racing nerves.
However, when I rip it open, my nerves tremble, and I freeze when I pull out a pair of panties matching the ones I found in Adrian’s pocket. This pair, however, is black and brand new, still sporting the tags that highlight the ridiculous expense. More than he’d ever spent on me, even.
As I finger the material, the emotional turmoil from the past few days becomes too much. Tears well in my eyes as I realize Adrian really is the bastard he’s been for the past few months, not the man he portrayed himself to be in the beginning. How could I have been so stupid?
I look up and take deep breaths, trying to calm myself down, to keep from losing it. How much more can I take from him until I’m at my breaking point? Or am I already there? My heart pounds as I glance farther into the package and spot a note. I pull it out, not wanting to read the words, but curiosity gets the better of me.
Just how much trouble is it worth?
He’s testing me. Taunting me. Almost baiting me into leaving him as both of us know it will be a tremendous amount of trouble. I close my eyes, taking a long, slow, deep breath. “I can’t do this,” I whisper to myself.
All of a sudden, the note’s ripped from my hands, and I open my eyes just in time to see that Rafe directly in front of me. I gasp as he hauls me up into his arms, shocking me by the way he pulls me close. He’s offering comfort in his embrace as he holds me tight and buries his face in my hair. Slowly, I bring my arms up and clutch his shirt, taking everything he’s giving. Wondering where this man has been and how is it that he’s shown up when apparently I need him the most. This isn’t sensual; it’s solace.
“Yes, you can. And you will. I’ll do everything in my power to help you,” he mutters against my hair as he rubs soothing circles on my lower back. “You’re not alone anymore, Brie. I promise.”
I pull back from him even though all I want to do is melt into his embrace. To allow him to comfort me. But this is all too much.
“Why, Rafe?” I ask, wiping away an escaping tear. “Why are you so insistent on helpin
g me? You barely know me.”
He tips my chin and covers my mouth with his, giving me a searing kiss. His other arm secures around my waist holding me tighter to him. It’s as if he’s giving me his answer without words, and for some reason, it’s more than enough.
He breaks the kiss and caresses my cheek. “I wish I could tell you.” His voice is rough, and for a brief moment, he looks away. Almost as if there is something more than his masculine need to be the hero on the white steed. More than wanting to save the damsel in distress. But then his gaze returns to me, and he gives me an aloof smile as he runs a hand through his hair. “I wish had the perfect words to put you at ease, but the truth is I don’t, and I won’t lie to you. This is a mystery for me, too. All I know is that there’s something about you I can’t stay away from. I don’t want to stay away, but I don’t want to scare you either.”
Gazing up into his eyes, I see the truth. “You don’t scare me, Rafe. And I don’t want you to stay away.”
Relief floods his features, and after one last tight embrace, he lets me go. “I won’t let him hurt you anymore. He won’t own you. You need me, Brie, but it’s a two-way street. I have a feeling . . . I need you, too.”
I wonder what he means, what I could possibly do for him, but before I can question it, he backs away and starts towards the door turning just before he reaches it.
“Goodnight,” I tell him, a whisper of a smile on my lips.
“Goodnight, Brie. Please don’t let him ruin the memory of what we shared. Remember me and how I felt, how you felt. And, Brie? When you’re ready to be free of him? To finally be done with him once and for all . . .” He pauses, his eyes flicking to the pair of panties on the counter then back to me, a wicked expression on his face. “When you’re ready, wear those. I’ll be ready, too.”
My eyes widen, and he gives me one last smile before slipping out of the door, leaving me standing there, trying to comprehend what he’s saying.
Suddenly, I realize what he means, and all the turmoil, the pain of Adrian’s reminder, washes away.