His Eternal Flame

by Layla Valentine

  I inhaled deeply, lightheaded as all the blood in my body rushed to my manhood.

  Samantha seemed to know exactly how I felt, for she quickly slid her hands down to grasp my cock.

  I gasped at the contact, hungry for more. She gripped me harder, sliding her hands up and down across my jeans, then unbuttoned my waistband and pulled my pants down over my hips.

  My cock pushed against my briefs, straining for her touch. I spun her around and she climbed onto the bed. I pushed aside her panties, yanked myself out of my briefs, and plunged inside her hot wetness.

  “Dustin!” she screamed.

  I moaned in response and kept thrusting as she pressed her back into me. We moved faster until I was just on the edge of my climax.

  A slither of material pulled me out of my dream and back into my body, which I found was extremely aroused. My eyes opened slowly to find Samantha up and looking for her clothes. Her naked body gleamed in the early morning light, and my arousal intensified at the sight of all her curves.

  A smile lit my face up as I remembered my dream of us. She pulled on her lacy underwear and bra before following that with her shirt. Just then, she turned to reach for her pants and caught my gaze.

  I didn’t know why she was getting dressed, but I was pretty sure I was about to take it all off all over again.

  Chapter 17

  Samantha

  With a sudden rush of awareness, I opened my eyes. It was still early; the light peeking through the window was dim. I caught my breath, relieved. Despite the late night, I’d managed to wake up before my alarm went off.

  Slowly, I crept out of bed, not wanting to disturb Dustin. I started to look for my phone and found it in my pants, making sure the alarm was turned off before finding my underwear and bra. After putting them on, I slid on my shirt, then turned to grab my pants back off of the bed.

  Dustin met my gaze with a smirk. He was clearly awake and wholly absorbed in watching me get dressed.

  “Oh, morning. I was trying not to wake you.”

  “I see,” he murmured.

  “Um, is something wrong?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. You’re the one sneaking out. Why? Have you, uh, changed your mind about me?”

  I laughed and sat on the bed next to him.

  “No, silly. But I do have a meeting to get to in less than two hours.”

  Dustin shook his head and swung himself around to cradle me in his legs. He slid his hands up my legs and hooked his thumbs in my underwear.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, unable to hide my grin.

  He peeled my underwear off, sliding his hands down my thighs.

  “That’s just enough time for me to have another taste, isn’t it?”

  He accompanied that sexy remark with a kiss on my stomach, then stood to yank my shirt off.

  “After all,” he continued, “we’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for, right?”

  “Right,” I gasped as he yanked down my bra and placed his mouth over my nipple.

  Two hours…we had plenty of time.

  That was my last coherent thought before he pulled me down on top of him and positioned my hips over his pelvis, teasing me with his fingers for only a moment before I couldn’t wait any longer, gripping his length and easing him inside me.

  I moved with Dustin, letting him guide me as I rode him, my knees gripping his hips tightly as I leaned back, my naked body completely on display. Dustin kept one hand on my hips and moved the other to grab my left breast, holding on tightly.

  I met his gaze to find him smiling up at me. I smiled back before closing my eyes, lost to the sensation of our bodies moving together as it they had become a single organism.

  Waves of pleasure rose inside me, an echo from deep inside my body as I slid up and down Dustin’s pulsing manhood. He thrust faster, harder, and my moans mixed with his gasps until I was lost to every other sensation but the feel of him inside me.

  “Please…” I begged, not even aware of my voice.

  He dragged his hand from my breast to flick my clit, rubbing and circling it in an alternating rhythm that drove me right to the edge.

  “Don’t stop! Don’t stop!” I begged.

  He moved his fingers faster as I rode him until my body spasmed with pleasure. I screamed as I came. A moment later, Dustin moaned loudly and I felt the quivering vibration of his climax. As soon as he finished, he pulled me down to lay against him, both of us gasping as we worked to catch our breaths.

  I definitely did not want to go to a meeting. I didn’t want to move.

  “Mmm, that was nice,” he murmured into my hair. “Just the way to wake up.”

  “Yeah, but now I just want to go back to sleep,” I said, snuggling into his chest.

  “Sounds like an excellent plan,” he agreed.

  He pulled the covers back over us, my body still draped over his. I allowed myself to relax for a few minutes, but I couldn’t quite fall asleep. Work kept rearing its ugly head.

  So, I finally stretched and slowly rolled off of him. He groaned in protest, but I stroked his chest and pressed my chin on his shoulder.

  “I’m sorry. But it’s work—and that’s the only reason I’m even here in LA.”

  He looked over at me and smiled.

  “I know.”

  I kissed him.

  “I can take a taxi back. You stay in bed.”

  “Are you kidding? Of course I’m taking you back. I don’t want to let you out of my sight until I have to.”

  I stretched over and kissed him again.

  “Funny. I feel exactly the same way.”

  But we rolled out of bed anyway, and in between kisses, managed to get our clothes on.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  “Only because I have to be,” I replied.

  He slung his arm around my shoulders after locking his front door.

  “You never know. This might turn out to be the best day of your life.”

  “Ha! I sure hope so.”

  He opened his car door and let me in. After starting the car and pulling out, he glanced at me.

  “What time do your meetings end?”

  “At five, I’m pretty sure,” I replied.

  He grimaced. “Ugh. Long day.”

  “I mean, technically, it’s still a Friday, so still a work day for me.”

  “Right. But what about after?”

  I shifted my body so that as much of it as possible could face him in the car seat.

  “Afterwards, I’m all yours.”

  His grin lit up the entire morning sky, outshining the rising sun.

  Chapter 18

  Samantha

  After Dustin dropped me off at the hotel with a lingering kiss, I seriously considered calling him to come back after all. I was not ready to face the day. But I squared my shoulders and walked inside. It was time to deal with Alistair, and I had to hurry if I didn’t want to be late.

  I just needed to take a quick shower and throw on a pantsuit. If I could get through that, I might survive the long hours until I could see Dustin again.

  When I keyed in the lock to the door, I pushed it open to find Alistair pacing the room.

  “Where have you been? We have our first meeting in half an hour,” he barked by way of greeting.

  “Sorry. Give me fifteen minutes.”

  I opened the closet and pulled out the gray pantsuit I’d hung up the night before. The creases were mostly gone, so I thought it would do.

  “You can’t just go off like that, you know,” he continued. “This is a work trip. The company is paying for this hotel.”

  “It should’ve paid for two rooms, so I don’t think me being absent at night is going to hurt them any,” I replied coolly.

  “Oh, right. The hot stud from last night. Guess you two had a great time.”

  There was an ugly note of jealousy in his voice, but I ignored him and closed the bathroom door. I took a record-fast shower and was out of there, as promised, a q
uarter of an hour later.

  “We’re going to be late,” Alistair repeated as I emerged, sitting on my bed with his arms crossed.

  I grabbed my briefcase and glared at him.

  “Then you shouldn’t have waited.”

  I strode out, but he remained right on my heels. If I’d stopped, he would’ve tripped on me.

  “Yeah, well, a unified front and all, right?” he asked sarcastically.

  “Oh, like a couple?”

  “Come on, Sam, you can’t be mad about last night. We’re representing the company.”

  “Please don’t call me Sam,” I told him wearily as we walked into the elevator.

  He held up his hands in surrender.

  “Fine. Then why don’t you tell me about the guy? I mean, this behavior is completely unacceptable.”

  “Are you serious?” I asked, turning to face him. “You have no right at all to tell me what to do in my own free time,” I snapped.

  “This isn’t your free time. It’s a work conference.”

  The elevator opened and we strode out. I hoped he would stop talking about Dustin and me and focus on the job at hand.

  “I know exactly what it is. And you know what? Last night, I was off the clock, same as you clearly were with the way you were drinking. Trust me, I’ll do the job just as I’m expected to, and I hope you’re not too hungover to do the same.”

  He snorted and shook his head, remaining glued to my side as we walked into the sky bridge.

  “You know, you’ve surprised me. I never took you for that kind of girl.”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked, wondering in vain if he would ever stop.

  He clicked his tongue patronizingly.

  “Did you or did you not just spend the night with a complete stranger?”

  I opened my mouth to argue that Dustin wasn’t a complete stranger, but that wasn’t entirely true. We’d only ever spent one night together, five years before.

  But Dustin just didn’t feel like a stranger. In fact, I felt more connected to him than I ever had with the man standing in front of me, and I’d dated Alistair for an entire year.

  I wasn’t about to share any of that with Alistair, but apparently, he took my silence for agreement or shame, because he continued to berate me. How had I ever put up with him and his snide ways for so long?

  “You know, we’re representing our company here and people talk. We’re not the only people staying in this hotel. And it’s not like you tried to be inconspicuous, driving off in that flashy car with that…that gigolo.”

  I couldn’t help it. I giggled.

  “Are you even taking me seriously?” he asked.

  “I’m not,” I assured him. “Mostly because you’re being ridiculous.”

  “No, I’m not,” he insisted petulantly.

  I fought the urge to giggle again.

  “No?” I asked. “How about…hmm…jealous, much?”

  His mouth gaped open as he spluttered.

  “Me? Jealous of that…that…meathead?”

  His outrage continued unabated throughout the entire day as he tried to assure me that he was most certainly not jealous, and how much better he was compared to a fireman, in terms of income and intellectual abilities.

  It would’ve been awful if it hadn’t been so ridiculous. Which is why, after that first lecture, I tuned him out. Sure, he wanted to feel better about himself and his failings, but I couldn’t help him with that. He shouldn’t have cheated on me.

  Worse, he shouldn’t have tried to pretend we were still an item to impress the executives last night. He only had himself to blame.

  And then again, maybe I knew, deep down, that I could never have stayed with Alistair. Even if he hadn’t cheated on me, we hadn’t been truly in love.

  I’d never felt the intense connection that I did with Dustin. Alistair had merely been a comfortable choice. He worked at the same place I did, understood my hours, and followed the same routine. Maybe that was why he’d cheated, though he should’ve just broken up with me if he wasn’t happy.

  Perhaps, in time, I would’ve done it first. But after seeing Dustin again—after our beautiful night together—I found I wasn’t mad at Alistair anymore. More than anything, I felt sorry for him, because he hadn’t found anyone to truly connect with, and given his attitude, he probably wouldn’t anytime soon.

  However, after his constant muttering throughout the first meeting, I found myself starting to get a little upset with his self-righteousness. After all of the women he’d hooked up with, he really had no right to lecture me on a night out with anyone. Not to mention that some of his side girlfriends worked on the same floor as he did, so he definitely had no room to talk about what was and wasn’t proper in terms of representing our company.

  Fortunately, I managed to keep from blowing up, thanks to texting with Dustin. Somehow, even without being next to me, he managed to lift my spirits and make me smile.

  How’re the meetings going? he asked.

  Slowly. I kind of feel like I’m wasting my time, I wrote back.

  Me too. Come back here. See what you’re missing?

  He accompanied that text with a picture of his bed.

  A wave of longing swept through me, accompanied by a deep flush I could feel creeping across my cheeks.

  “What are you reading?” Alistair hissed.

  I looked up to see him watching me carefully. I’d never blushed with him, but he knew me well enough to know I was absolutely distracted.

  “It’s private,” I told him.

  “The meathead is texting you, isn’t he?”

  I rolled my eyes and bit my tongue. Alistair really couldn’t stand just how small he measured up to Dustin, and we both knew it. So, on it went, throughout the day. Dustin reviving my spirits as Alistair tried to drag them down.

  Fortunately, our last meeting ended half an hour early, leaving the rest of the day blissfully free. There was a dinner later, but my attendance wasn’t strictly necessary, since it would be full of marketing folk who I sincerely hoped would keep Alistair out of my hair. I was going back to Dustin as soon as I changed.

  Unfortunately, Alistair followed me out into the sky bridge and back to the hotel. I’d mostly not responded to his constant sniping, but I realized then that I needed to speak up at last.

  I stopped and turned to face him.

  “Alistair, listen. I’m sorry things didn’t work out between us, but you can’t talk to me like this. You’re being rude and inappropriate. Surely you know that, right?”

  He looked away and nodded.

  “You’re right. I guess I went a little overboard today.”

  We continued walking.

  “Look, we’re stuck together, but that doesn’t mean we need to fight, okay?”

  He looked over at me. “Okay. It’s just…I miss you.”

  I sighed. “I’m sorry, Alistair, but we’re through.”

  He clenched his jaw, but for once, said nothing.

  Relieved at the reprieve, I decided to shower again—more luxuriously this time—before Dustin came and picked me up. He was due at six, so I would have at least an hour to get ready.

  Even better, Alistair peeled off and headed downstairs as soon as we entered the hotel.

  “I’m gonna get a drink,” he called over his shoulder.

  Thankful for the time alone, I almost ran to the elevator. At last, Alistair was starting to understand.

  With that cheerful thought, I pushed my ex completely out of my mind. Instead, I filled myself with memories of the man who had changed my life.

  See you soon, Dustin.

  * * *

  Ready for another wonderful evening, I walked out of the bathroom. I was wearing a casual, flowing knee-length dress that I thought would work wherever Dustin took me.

  A blush crept onto my face again at the thought, because I certainly knew where we’d end up and what would follow.

  Smiling to myself, I rounded the corner, only to
see Alistair standing by the bed with my phone in his hand. At the same moment, I realized he knew my PIN, as I’d given it to him when we were dating and had never thought to change it.

  “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” I growled. I crossed the room in two long strides and snatched my phone away from him.

  “Come on, don’t get mad—” he started to say, but I’d already read the text on the screen.

  “Are you serious? You sent him a message? What the hell is wrong with you?”

  My gaze fell back to the screen, which read:

  I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want anything more to do with you. We’re done.

  “Why would you do this?” I demanded. “Alistair, I thought you understood. We’re not together, and there’s no way we’re ever getting back together.”

  Alistair held out his hands, palms up, trying to pacify me.

  “Aw, Sam, come on. Don’t be like that. It’s just…I mean, come on, it’s not easy watching you move on from me. And with that meathead last night, I knew you couldn’t possibly be serious about that kind of guy.”

  Rage coursed through me and I took a step towards him, seeing red.

  “You jealous asshole! You just couldn’t stand the idea that I might find someone better than you in every single way!”

  “Oh, come on, you just met the guy,” he protested.

  Distantly, I thought I heard an alarm going off, but I was so wrapped up in my fury that I just kept yelling.

  “You have no idea what’s going on! And let me remind you, you moved on months ago—you just didn’t bother to let me know while you cheated on me!” I spat.

  “Now, wait a minute—”

  “No, you wait a minute! You couldn’t just be satisfied ruining our relationship, huh? You had to go and ruin another one? Get out!”

  “We’re sharing this room—”

  “Not anymore, Alistair. I never want to see you again!” I yelled.

  “What about at work?” he protested weakly.

  “I said never!”

  Who knows if he would’ve left or just kept arguing, for we were interrupted by the hotel sprinkler system that turned on and instantly soaked both of us. At that point, my rage subsided enough for me to hear the fire alarms blasting from the hallway.