by Gun Brooke
“When we are back at the hotel, I can do that if you want.” Hayden’s eyes glittered now, and I could have sworn she looked…naughty.
“Do what, darling?” I wiped some smeared lip gloss from her chin.
“Have you against the wall.” She blushed faintly.
I was at a loss for words and completely dumbfounded. This woman would no doubt be the death of me, but who was I to complain? I was ready to be around her in whatever capacity she would want. “All right. Let’s walk back to the Whitehall. Something tells me we better use the back exit. You’re already such a rock star, they won’t let us leave if we try the front door.”
Hayden nodded emphatically. “Room service again?” she asked, sounding hopeful.
“Absolutely. I think we’ve seen enough people for today.”
She smiled genuinely and brightly as she pulled me up from the couch. “Hurry, then.”
“Okay, okay. Where’s the fire?” I laughed and reached for our coats from the rack.
“In my chest, down through my stomach, and between my—”
I kissed her before she continued because, damn it, she was making me blush, and she reignited fires in me as well, by being so up front. And still, how else did I expect Hayden to be, if not blunt? I scolded myself. I shouldn’t interrupt her when we were alone. In public, perhaps, if it would cause her sincere embarrassment, but like this, just between us, she should be able to say whatever she wanted.
“Yes?” I urged her to continue.
“Between my legs,” Hayden said readily.
“No wonder you’re in a hurry. Let’s go.”
As we walked through the corridor leading to the back stairs, I sent a few text messages, to my gallery staff and to India and Isabella. Once I finished, I could relax and focus on the only one who mattered.
Hayden.
Chapter Twenty
I delicately wiped my mouth on the napkin and dropped it next to the plate. The entire meal, I had studied Hayden unabashedly—her hair, her face, and upper body—over and over as we ate. She didn’t seem to mind, as she too looked at me. Now, my eyes had settled on hers, watching the gray irises go darker by the minute.
“That’s it for me.” I drank the last of my Bordeaux as I let my gaze sink deeper into hers. Unable to muster much appetite, at least not for food, I placed the lid back on my plate.
“Me too.” Hayden stood and began putting the plates back on the cart. I rose to help, and then we did a repeat maneuver from earlier in the day by pushing it out into the corridor. “I’m going to wash off the makeup.” Hayden looked encouragingly at me.
I chuckled. “Good idea. Mind if I join you?” I knew Hayden’s routines before bedtime were set as if by royal decree. Having observed her a few times, I’d noticed she always did things in the same order and the same manner. Perhaps it gave her a sense of safety or control.
“No. I don’t mind.”
So, there we stood, shoulder to shoulder, makeup wipes in hand as we washed away our official selves. I nearly poked one of my eyes out as I kept watching her in the mirror rather than what I was doing. After finishing, I went back out into our room and turned off all the lamps but the ones on the nightstands. Admitting to myself I was nervous, I also realized we hadn’t talked about our experience or lack thereof. I, for one, hadn’t been with anyone in longer than I cared to confess. Hayden wouldn’t care either way, and she wouldn’t care about me feeling self-conscious about my semi-self-imposed celibacy. Still, this wasn’t the main issue for me. What if Hayden was completely inexperienced? How did I ask this? Would such a question offend her?
I reeled myself in. I knew the answers to the last two questions. I should simply ask her. Hayden wouldn’t be offended. To her, they were merely questions. She wouldn’t invent any perceived judgment on my part.
Hayden came out of the bathroom smelling freshly of toothpaste. Damn it. Forgot. I hurried past her, eager to brush my teeth and—who was I kidding—grateful for a reprieve. As I returned to the room, she was sitting on her bed, looking at me. I sat down next to her and took her hand.
“Hayden, I have a question. Perhaps more than one.”
“Yes?”
“Have you had sex before?”
“Yes.”
Blinking, as this was somehow not the answer I’d expected, I wasn’t sure if I was jealous or relieved. The former, of course, was utterly ridiculous, I told myself.
“I wanted to ask,” I explained, albeit not very well. “Because if you hadn’t, I might have, you know, not hurt you exactly, but inadvertently done something to—”
Hayden’s smiling lips descended on mine and shut me up. Clearly, I’d made my point, and she wasn’t going to wait for me to find any semblance of eloquence.
“Mmm.” Hayden murmured into my mouth. The humming sound drove sparks of desire into my abdomen where they exploded and gave birth to yet more sparks, infusing my entire system. So this must be the fire she spoke of.
Hayden began unfastening my blouse, pulling it out of my skirt. I helped by shrugging it off. At the same time, I unzipped her dress, wanting to see more of her, touch more of her. I couldn’t wait for her dress to come off, so I kissed her. This was where the true intimacy lay. Soft, long, and, oh my God, such deep kisses. She responded like she’d been starving for me as much as I had for her.
Cool air engulfed my upper body and I knew my shirt was off. Wearing only my lace bra, I shivered, but not because I was cold. It was the heat she induced by her mere touch, and it made me shiver. Her fingertips seemed to paint my skin wherever they explored it. Slow circles across my collarbones, light strokes against the outline of my bra.
Impatient, I wanted her touch more than anything. Pushing down the shoulder straps of my bra, I unhooked it in the front and let it fall. Hayden’s gasp was encouraging.
“Beautiful.” She cupped my left breast reverently and then pressed her lips just above it. As this made it possible for me to fully unzip her dress, I pushed it down her arms. Unlike mine, her bra was simple cotton, but so pretty. It had to go. I reached behind her and unclasped it. As it fell into her lap, I sat on the bed next to her, kissing and tracing her jawline and neck with my lips, inhaling that special, clean-and-fruity scent of hers, forever tinged with paint, it seemed—or most likely that was only in my mind.
Her breasts, firm and high and just the right size for my palms, showed how aroused she was. Dark and pebbled, her nipples painted their own secret patterns in my palms. Hayden inhaled sharply and tipped her head back as I explored every part of her upper body with hands and lips. When she finally whimpered and stood, I stared at her, confused. It didn’t take me long to realize all she wanted was to get naked. As she stood there, pale-skinned and so gorgeous I forgot to breathe, she pulled me to my feet. My blouse fell to the floor. I was shuddering so badly, I had to have her unzip my skirt and pull it down my hips. I started to roll down one of my stockings, but she pushed my hands out of the way. My heart thundered as she sank to her knees before me and peeled my stockings off my legs. Kissing along my legs, she made me groan, and for a moment I thought my legs would give out from under me. Her warm, steady hands peeled down my lace panties and pushed them slowly down my thighs. She looked up at me as she made the removal a caress.
I stepped out of my underwear, holding on to her shoulders, and she folded them neatly, placing them behind her on the other bed. Her breath gushed over my pubic hairs as she bent forward, kissing the crease above my left thigh. She kissed all the way from one hipbone to the other. Nuzzling me farther down, she nipped at the inside of my thighs, making me whimper. Her breath, so hot it ought to blister my skin, made me slide my fingers into her hair. I’d dreamed of this, so many times. In my dreams, both awake and at night, I’d been the instigator, but this…this was so mind-blowing, I knew I couldn’t remain on my feet much longer.
I pulled her up, and now it was my turn to kiss her skin as I knelt before her. I helped her get out of her boots and step o
ut of her dress. Folding it, I managed a fairly good throw and draped it over a chair. When I turned back, she’d begun to remove her panties.
“Allow me,” I said huskily and tugged the cotton briefs down her long legs. Her skin was young, silky, and flawless. I placed open-mouth kisses as I got rid of her underwear, placing it next to my own. Now equally naked, I was torn between looking at every inch of her or pulling her into my arms. As it turned out, Hayden made the choice for me by taking my hand and tugging me toward her bed. She guided me to lie down, and I felt safe in letting her lead, which was so unlike me.
I kept looking at her, and the beauty of her angular face, her kiss-swollen lips, and her tousled hair was close to painful. If I could’ve painted like her, this would be my Holy Grail moment. She looked at me so intently, searching my face for something—what, I had no clue, but I hoped she saw my love for her in my eyes. I wanted to tell her, I really did, but the words, so huge, so overwhelming, eluded me. I tried to infuse all my feelings in how I touched her, how my hands mapped her skin and committed it to memory.
As she straddled my hips, her neat, dark curls, matted against her with the wetness, made me want to roll us over instantly. I wanted to explore just how far this wetness had spread and see if I could make her lose control like I was about to any moment now. Hayden continued to stroke along my body with her fingertips, and it felt as if she were painting on me. If she ever asked me to pose nude, I wondered if this was how I’d feel. Her hands were so soft, so hot, and I couldn’t lie still anymore. When she reached my breasts, I arched against her, eager for her to caress me with greater intimacy. Smiling now, she cupped my breasts; she bent over me and took the right one into her mouth. Her hips began to roll against me, grinding the front of her drenched folds against me. Crying out, I slid both hands into her hair, holding her in place.
“Yes, yes,” I said, moaning. “Oh, God, Hayden.”
“Mmm.” She hummed around my nipple, twirling her tongue around it, devouring me—there was simply no other word for it. She let go and stretched out fully on top of me, capturing my lips with hers. Her tongue demanded entrance and I met it with mine. At the same time, I pressed my heels into the mattress to gain momentum, rolling us. Now the one on top, I set out to explore her.
I didn’t waste time but licked the same trail she’d used, yet in reverse, ending up with my mouth closing around one of her nipples. Hayden gasped and wrapped her legs around me. This maneuver pressed our pubic bones together again. My own wetness mingled with hers and the sensation intoxicated me.
“I need you.” In a sense, I was asking permission, not quite sure why I felt I should. Hayden made room for me, eagerly parting her legs. She pulled her knees up and didn’t take her eyes off mine as I cupped her labia, merely holding her for a few moments.
“I need you too. I need you more,” Hayden said, sounding husky.
“Oh, God.” I slipped my fingers in between her folds. The heat, the abundant wetness, almost made me come. Her arousal, given so freely, sent shivers throughout my body. I licked her nipples, going back and forth, as I spread the moisture between her legs everywhere. When I brushed against her clitoris, she jerked and moaned unabashedly. Her lips parted, her eyes wide open, she gazed at something far away. I’d never seen her this flustered, and the way her legs moved around me, impatient, erratic movements, urged me on.
“Like this? You have to tell me.” Out of breath, I rolled my fingertips around her clit.
“Yes. Like that, but more.” Undulating her hips, it was clear Hayden was trying to increase the pressure.
I circled her clit and gently flicked it with my thumb every now and then. I could feel my own moisture coating my thighs. I was so turned on that I was close to coming. Locking her arms around my neck, Hayden pulled me down and kissed me. Her tongue explored my mouth as she slid one hand down and pressed on top of mine. As I circled her entrance, her wetness sucked my fingertip in. I let my index finger enter her slowly, very slowly. I damn near fainted. I was inside the woman I loved. She welcomed me, trusted me to love her well, and I sobbed as I slid my finger all the way in. Hayden was so tight and her muscles trembled, already on the brink of coming.
“Oh, oh!” Arching, Hayden began to shake. I pressed my thumb against the now-rock-hard clitoris, gently massaging it. “Greer…Greer…yes, just like that. I like it…like that…”
I smiled into her neck, straddling her thigh with my hips, riding it. “Just let it come, darling. When you’re ready—” My voice was barely audible even to myself.
“I’m ready now, Greer.” Hayden wailed the words and lifted us both off the bed. “Now!” Convulsing, she pulled my finger farther in, as if milking it. I gladly obliged her, giving her what she needed. I kissed her neck, her cheeks, and when her breathing began to slow down a little, I kissed her lips. She was stunning where she lay beneath me, flushed and her skin aglow with beads of perspiration.
Finally, she stopped shuddering. “I’ve never felt such an intense orgasm before,” she whispered.
“Then I’m glad you did now.” I was. And infused with a good portion of cocky pride mixed with tremendous joy, I had to confess. I really wanted to be the only one who brought Hayden this kind of pleasure.
“You haven’t climaxed yet,” Hayden said, and scooted out from under me. “It’s your turn.”
“You’re so beautiful.” I pulled her on top of me and wrapped my legs around her. Rubbing my center against hers, I moaned. “And you feel so good.”
“As do you.” Hayden slid her hand down between us, much like I’d done with her. “Like this?” She pressed her hand against me.
“Oh, God, yes. Any way you touch me is fine. I’m—I’m so turned on by you, by watching you come, it’s not going to take much.”
She slipped two fingers inside and began moving, like an ocean wave back and forth, in and out. Hayden moaned as she let her palm rub against my clit. “Greer. So hot.” She looked down at me, her lips quivering. “And so beautiful. Do I give you pleasure?” A tiny frown appeared between her eyebrows.
“You give me more than that.” I wasn’t going to put words in her mouth, but her touch was as loving as it was hot. I pressed my head back into the pillow, crying out. Having ached for her so intensely and now having her finally here with me, making me hers, I was teetering on the brink of the unknown. It was as if this lovemaking sealed something for me, cemented how I felt with each stroke against my inflamed folds.
Whimpering, I felt the orgasm start in my clitoris and then begin to spread. A thousand needles whispered over my thighs and abdomen, making me shake all over. I knew I was calling out her name over and over, but I didn’t care if anyone heard me. A second orgasm immediately followed the first and this one wasn’t as intense, but it was fuller somehow. I pulled her farther into my arms so I could kiss her, hold her.
“Hayden, you—you’re amazing. You’re wonderful.” I wanted to tell her I loved her, but something held me back. “You’re everything.” Pressing my face into her neck, I curled up around her.
“You’re all those things,” Hayden whispered, her voice sounding tear-filled. “You’re everything as well.”
So happy in this perfect moment, I tugged at the blanket at our feet and pulled it over us. Safe and warm in the cocoon I’d created, I kissed her slowly, dreamily.
“Are we lovers now?” Hayden asked.
“Yes, I believe we are,” I replied, and pressed my lips to her shoulder. “Happy?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Me too.” I smiled against her skin. She smelled of soap and sex, and it was the most enticing blend I’d ever encountered.
We lay there, and I was lost in my thoughts when she started talking.
“When I moved to live with Nana, I had only received hugs from my brother every now and then. I liked his hugs and had heard about how important human touch is for our mental development. I explained this to Nana, who was of the same opinion. We made hugs a daily effort, an
d after several weeks, I got used to it. Longed for it.”
“That’s only human. Totally normal,” I said.
“Yes.” Hayden snuggled closer. “But this is more. It’s more than just a need or a want. I can’t explain it, but it’s more.”
She was right. Even if she couldn’t put it into words and didn’t speak of love, she was right. I, on the other hand, knew that, for me, it was love and had been almost from day one. If anyone had told me I’d experience something akin to “love at first sight,” I wouldn’t just have scoffed; I would’ve mocked them for even suggesting such a thing existed in real life. And here I was, so in love, so enamored, with Hayden.
Hayden, who now was half asleep against me. I reached out and took a few of her paintbrushes, placing them under her pillow for easy access. I turned off the bed lamp closest to us and let the other one remain lit.
After I made sure the soft blanket covered us both, I wrapped my arms around her and closed my eyes. Hayden stirred, and her left leg slipped in between mine. That was all it took. I slid down, cupping her breasts, and gently pushed them together. Licking at her nipples, I heard her breath hitch and then she moaned, “Greer.”
I rubbed myself against her knee, coating Hayden’s skin with new wetness. She reciprocated by cupping my butt cheek with one hand, and the way she massaged it and pulled at it intensified the sensation between my legs.
“I can’t get enough of you. It’s as simple as that,” I whispered.
“I want you again.” Hayden growled, and the unexpected, sexy sound made a small, pre-orgasmic twitch deep inside me erupt. She pushed me off her leg and scooted down, taking the blanket with her. She buried her mouth and nose between my legs, and I spread them wide. I hadn’t expected this either, but this was Hayden, my girl, and I could never deny her—why would I want to? As she entered me with several fingers and sucked my clit in between her full lips, I knew I wouldn’t last. I had no self-control, and for once, I thought self-control was highly overrated.