by Lexi Blake
He stopped at the edge of the big bed he’d had brought in after he’d inherited the place. It was the only room he’d redone, with the thought of spending long weekends with his friends up here. He never had managed the time, but now he was happy he’d spent the cash to do it because he could share it with her.
The last few weeks of being Henry before going back to the real world.
He set her down on the bed and pulled his shirt over his head. He wasn’t playing around this time. That was for later. It had been entirely too long since he’d had her.
He needed her.
He knew it was something he should question, even be slightly afraid of, but he didn’t care in the moment. All that mattered was she was here and he could put off any thoughts of letting her go for a few days. He could sink into her.
She was his reward for every crappy thing he’d been through in the last couple of years.
“Take off your clothes.”
She stood up and he could see her nipples had gone hard under the light fabric of her blouse. “You’re quite bossy today.”
He didn’t want to scare her away. “I’m sorry. I’ll slow down. How about take off your clothes, please?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I think we can dispense with the niceties. I like you dirty, Henry. I wouldn’t have said I would like to get ordered around by any man, and if you try it anywhere outside of sex, I’ll fight you on it.”
His cock pulsed in his jeans. “You like it. You like when I take control.”
She nodded, pulling her blouse over her head and letting it drop to the floor. Smart girl. She wasn’t wearing a bra. “Somehow it makes me feel wanted.”
“I’ve thought about you every single second since we’ve been apart. Even when I was sleeping. Let that make you feel wanted.” Not that he wouldn’t take control. It had definitely done something for her. Her skin had flushed a pretty pink and those nipples begged for his touch.
She kicked off her flip-flops and her hands went to the waistband of her shorts. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you either. Henry, my life is so fucked-up right now, but I’m working on it.”
He shook his head. “No. No thinking about the past or the future. I’ll talk to you, baby. I’ll spend hours and hours trying to help you sort out anything you want, but not today. Today we’re letting it all go.”
He needed to let it go, needed to be in the moment with her.
“I can do that.” She tossed aside her shorts and undies and stood in front of him.
What did it cost her to do that? He’d meant what he’d said. There hadn’t been a waking moment in the past day and a half he hadn’t been thinking of her. When the Internet had come back up, he’d looked up her eating disorder, tried to understand what had motivated her downfall. It was surprisingly close to what had led to his own. Fear. Insecurity. The weight of the fucking world. He had no intention of making her wonder what he thought of her beauty. Not for a second.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, Win.”
“When I’m with you, I feel that way.” She reached out for him. “It scares me a little. I don’t want to be this wrapped up in what someone else thinks.”
But a woman like her would never be happy as an island. She needed people who cared about her, who she could throw her vast caring and love into. “Don’t. I won’t hurt you. Not for anything.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” She wrapped her arms around him and went up on her toes, pressing her lips to his.
His body lit up. Electricity sparked through him, a sensation he’d only experienced with her. It was new and thrilling and he didn’t want it to end. He wanted to feel this way forever.
Forever would only last a few weeks, but he intended to make the most of it.
He kissed her, slowing down now that she was here and naked in his arms. He let his tongue play leisurely with hers, stroking and stoking the fire between them.
He let his hands move along her body, loving her smooth skin and the slender curves. How she’d ever thought she was less than gorgeous, he had no idea. “I love how you feel against me. You fit perfectly.”
She shook her head. “I don’t like that word.”
Perfect? He kissed her forehead and worked his way down. Had that been her problem? She’d felt the need to be perfect? He’d learned long ago that it was nothing but a word. There was no perfection in the world, and he was okay with that. Perfect things couldn’t be trusted. “You feel right against me. Is that better?”
She leaned over and kissed his throat, warming his skin wherever her hands or body or lips touched. The connection was a vibrant, physical thing with this woman. “Yes, I like that better. Perfect is a problem for me.”
“No perfection, sweetheart,” he promised. “Just what feels right. You feel right.” He ran his nose along her neckline, gently pulling on her hair so he had access. “You smell right.” He ran his tongue over the shell of her ear. “You fucking taste right to me.”
A shudder went through her and her eyes went soft. “I think I should see if you taste right to me.”
Now he was the one shuddering. “I think you should. I think you should make sure you like my taste.”
She dropped to her knees in front of him, her fingers working the fly of his jeans. His cock strained, testing the limits of the denim and the cotton of the boxers he wore. She drew both down gently. He watched, not touching her as he let her explore. He’d done the same to her previously, touching and licking and enjoying every part of her body. He wanted her to know him, too.
Win took her time, easing his jeans and boxers down. He was barefoot so it was simple to step out of them, and then he was as naked as she was, and it was . . . right. That really was the best word to describe how he felt. It was good and right to be naked in the middle of the afternoon with her.
She stroked his cock, taking it in one hand and pumping experimentally. He bit back a groan and forced himself to remain still. He wasn’t going to make her go faster. This was her time, and she needed to know that no matter how bossy he could get in the bedroom, he wanted her to enjoy it all, to feel comfortable.
He’d never thought of sex this way before. When he’d been in college, it had been enough to get a woman off and take his own pleasure. After he’d gotten his practice up and going, sex had been a simple physical need. With his ex-wife, it had been a battlefield.
He wanted something different with Win. He wanted to know her body as well as his own, to figure out what made her sigh with pleasure and what got her so hot she couldn’t stand another minute without him.
Lovers. He wanted them to be lovers. He’d had partners, but now he wondered if he’d ever honestly had a lover.
She studied him, brushing her fingertips over his dick and making him fight to stay still. After a few moments of touch, she leaned over and gently licked the head of his cock.
“I don’t know,” she said, glancing up with an impish grin. “I think I’ll have to try more to be sure.”
“I think you should be very sure.” He enjoyed playing with her because there was zero thought in her head of gaining anything. He could see it in her eyes. She wasn’t playing him. She was having fun, offering him connection and intimacy and pleasure. He let his hands find the silky wheat of her hair. “Don’t give up until you know for sure.”
She leaned forward and sucked the head of his cock into her mouth. He was surrounded by warmth, the sensation going from his dick to sizzle its way up his spine. He forced himself to focus, staring down at her as she settled in.
“You feel so good, sweetheart. I hope I taste as good as you do because nothing compares to you.” He pumped lightly into her mouth as her hands found his ass, squeezing.
Her tongue whirled, and she worked her way down his stalk until he was completely inside the heat of her mouth. She sucked hard and then worked her way back until her teeth lightly
scraped the tip of him.
His eyesight was going a little on the fuzzy side. Between the hot tug of her mouth and the way her hands were cupping his ass, he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. He was a man who could normally last for long hours, only giving in when he wanted to. He had no such control with her and it didn’t bother him. It made him feel young again, like all of this was new.
“You have to stop. I’m not going to come in your mouth. I want inside you.” He’d dreamed about being inside her again.
“But how can I be sure unless I get a good taste?” She licked him again.
Oh, he was only playing that game to a point. He tugged gently on her hair. “Be sure later. Later, I’ll let you suck me dry. Hell, we’ll have a contest. I’ll lie down and you can get on top of me and we’ll see who can make whom come first. I’ll eat that sweet pussy of yours and you can have at my cock. We won’t stop until we’re both screaming. But get up here now. I need to kiss you again.”
He helped her up, pulling her back into the circle of his arms and kissing her. His cock pressed between their bodies, vibrantly aware of what was to come. He wrapped her hair around his hand, tugging lightly to expose her throat. He kissed his way down. He let go of her hair and lifted her up so he could get to her breasts. Such pretty breasts, the nipples all perfect and pouty and waiting for his attention.
He sucked a nipple into his mouth as he carried her toward the bed. His heart thudded in his chest, reminding him of exactly how alive he was. The rest of the world seemed a bland black and white. When he was with Win, it bloomed into gorgeous Technicolor.
He settled her on the bed and couldn’t help but stare at her for a moment. He loved her like this, naked and without a single inhibition.
She stretched out, her arms welcoming him. “Come here. I’m cold without you. Though you should probably grab the bag we left in the front room. It has something we need.”
Oh, she thought he’d been a pessimist, had she? He moved to the side table. “I bought a box of condoms. I was hopeful you would show back up.”
She frowned, the expression utterly adorable in his eyes. “You could have told me. It would have saved me an uncomfortable transaction at the drugstore. The clerk there knew me as a kid. He gives a great judgmental face, and he used the store speaker system to ask for a price check.”
“He winked my way and told me to have fun,” Henry admitted, taking one out. His hands shook slightly, but he was resolute.
“Well, we know who’s buying the condoms from now on,” she shot back.
“And we know who’s supplying all the desserts.” He knew exactly what he wanted before he got to the main course. He was always disciplined, but this time he was having his sweet first.
He dropped down to his belly and moved between her thighs.
“You’re going to kill me, Henry,” she said breathlessly.
He had no intention of killing her, but a little torture could do a soul good. He put his mouth on her pussy, making a feast of her. She whimpered and moaned under the onslaught, but he held her firm, keeping her open for him. Everything about the woman was sweet, from her smell to the taste of her arousal to the way she clenched and shuddered as she came.
Only when she’d relaxed, every drop of pleasure wrung from the orgasm he’d given her, only then did he force the condom on and join their bodies together.
He gave her his weight as he started to thrust inside her.
Henry kissed her while his body moved, connecting them in every way he could. His tongue found hers, playing as they fucked. Her arms surrounded him, holding him tight, and it wasn’t long before her nails bit into his back as she came for a second time.
It was all he needed. He let go, allowing himself to fly as high as he could. The orgasm flashed through his system, warming his whole body and making him shake with pleasure.
Pure bliss. And he had her all to himself for two whole weeks. He wouldn’t think about the future or mourn the past. He would wrap himself in the pleasure of the present.
He rolled over and cradled her to him. “Now we can talk about food.”
She sighed and laid her head on his chest. “You’re cooking it, buddy. I’m exhausted.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Hey, as long as you stay with me.”
“I only brought a couple of days’ worth of clothes,” she admitted.
He rolled her over, getting on top of her again. “You won’t need clothes.”
He kissed her and vowed to make this a memorable couple of weeks.
SIX
NEW YORK CITY
TWO AND A HALF WEEKS LATER
“Hey, Garrison. Nice to see you in the office early. It’s always good for the boss to be the first one in.” Margarita Reyes smiled as she leaned against the doorjamb. She was a lovely woman with a chic style. She always had a sunny smile and made the absolute best tacos he’d ever eaten.
She was also one of the most ruthless lawyers he’d ever met. Behind all that feminine energy was a woman who genuinely enjoyed confrontations and won more than her fair share of them.
They were lucky to have her working part-time here.
“It’s good to be back.” He said the words without true enthusiasm. He hadn’t come in because he’d been eager to get to work. It had been hard to sleep since he’d gotten back. He tossed and turned, and at some point after four in the morning he would give up and get ready for the day.
“Was the island nice?” Margarita asked.
The island would likely haunt him for the rest of his damn life. Between his childhood and the weeks he’d spent with Win, he would always have left a piece of himself there. “It’s lovely there this time of year, but it was past time to get the place packed up and sold. I never get out there anymore and won’t have time in the future. I’ve already got a full-price offer on it. Do you mind checking the contracts for me?”
She held up a thick stack of papers. “Already done. Your admin let me take a look at them.”
Margarita specialized in mergers and acquisitions. She typically worked in Austin with 4L as Riley Lawless’s right hand, but she was fascinated by criminal law, so she now split her time between 4L and Garrison, Cormack, and Lawless, with her boss’s permission. She’d proved a boon in these early months. It had been her work that had brought in their first high-paying clients.
He took the contract from her hands. It was a bittersweet thing. He now had the cash he needed for his buy-in, but he’d lost the one place in the world where he’d truly felt at home.
What was Win doing today? Now he couldn’t think about his childhood home without seeing her there. He’d spent two weeks with her, two incredible weeks. She’d helped him pack up the personal items, but mostly they’d spent their time either picnicking on the beach or walking around the island hand in hand or in bed. They’d talked for hours. They’d found a happy routine of waking up and taking a shower together, and then planning their day over breakfast.
And then it had been time to come home.
He’d kissed her goodbye, then gotten on a plane.
He hadn’t said that he would see her again. He hadn’t asked her to call. He’d let her go. That had been days ago and his gut was in knots because he had no idea where she was or what she was doing. If she had everything she needed.
It was ridiculous because he knew she was in Durham, North Carolina. She hadn’t called him, but she’d sent a couple of texts, including one with a picture of her buying books in a brightly lit college bookstore.
Though he’d read each text, he hadn’t replied because he wasn’t sure what to do.
He’d made his decision. It was best to leave this alone. He wasn’t used to vacillating. It was logical to end the relationship and move forward, but he couldn’t seem to cut her off completely.
Why couldn’t he get that woman out of his head? “So y
ou checked into the buyer?”
A single brow rose above Margarita’s left eye. “I made sure they’re legit. I didn’t know you wanted a dossier.”
He shook his head. It was better not to know. “I don’t. As long as they have the money and there’s nothing funny about the contract, I’ll sign it.”
Margarita stared at him for a moment, as though trying to figure him out. “Are you sure you want to do this? You know Drew Lawless will give you the time you need to pay him back. He’s not a bad guy.”
No, Lawless was a good guy, but Henry couldn’t handle owing anyone. Not money. Not favors. It was a pride thing, instilled in him since childhood. He sat down and quickly signed the papers that would set the sale of the house in motion. “No, I want this. Once the money comes in, I’ll transfer the million into the company account.”
It was his portion of the buy-in. Up until now Lawless had floated them along, but it was time to pay up. If he was going to lead this firm, he needed to have skin in the game. A million dollars’ worth of skin, in this case.
Margarita took the papers. “The sale is going through a law firm. They’re a big one and mostly practice corporate law, but I’ve been assured it’s a private sale and the buyer intends to use the property as it is.”
So it would likely be a vacation rental or getaway for some wealthy businessperson. He didn’t want to think about some stranger sitting in his grandfather’s office. “It doesn’t matter. I appreciate your help. Did you come in for the board meeting? We’ve actually got clients to discuss, thanks to you and David.”
“I’m in town for a few weeks. I’ve got a couple of open issues I’m working on with the New York office. I’m also representing 4L at the Winston-Hughes Foundation gala tonight,” she explained. “I’ve got a Valentino gown and everything. I’m taking David with me, though I might have to force him into a tux. I thought we could troll for business together. You know there’s nothing like a meeting of the East Coast’s wealthiest to find someone in need of a good lawyer.”
“I passed. I was surprised to get an invite, but I’m fairly sure it would be a mistake to go.” He hadn’t even considered it. It would have been one uncomfortable party. “Too many celebrities. I assume my ex-wife was invited. Isn’t the heiress some dimwit reality star?”