METHOD

by Kate Stewart

  “I can’t come this way,” I tell him. He pulls his brows together and stares down at me before pulling out. I lift to my elbows in confusion as he strokes my thighs with open palms.

  “You can’t come what way?”

  He bites his lower lip, a mischievous glint in his eyes before flattening me to the table with his palm and pushing his fingers inside.

  With those two digits, he rubs me until sensation overwhelms me. “Right there, huh?” His lips curve up. “I think I can take it from here.”

  I let out a low moan in reply as he works me, palming my breasts and stroking my nipples. I’m on the verge when he lowers his head sucking my clit while working magic with his fingers. Thighs shaking, I begin to quake. “Oh, God.” He sucks eagerly following the urgency in my voice, his fingers quickening along with my body. In a blind second, his cock replaces his fingers, and he drags the ridge along my G-spot, pinpointing where I need him.

  “Come on, beauty,” he grunts. His thumb picking up the slack of his tongue. Within a few thrusts, I come violently, grasping onto him like a woman possessed. He drives in hard, eyes blazing, skin on fire as he ravages me.

  With a few hard thrusts, he comes with a long groan. I have no time to recover because his kiss intensifies as he pushes me further back, lifting my legs at his hips and grinding at a slow, languid pace until he’s fully hard again. I’ve never been fucked from round one into the next, but nothing about Lucas is ordinary. In this round he worships me, whispering filthy things as he drinks me in with thirsty eyes. The position is uncomfortable; my back aches on the unforgiving and cheap table, my throat burns from lack of air, and we’re both a sweaty mess, but it feels too good to stop any of it. My need to dominate the situation has already given way to growing addiction. I’m hooked. He’s got everything but my heart, and I know I have to be greedy with that. Maybe it’s because he’s a God of men, or maybe it’s because he’s that guy, the one I’m supposed to be this drawn to. Either way, he’s claiming me, and I welcome every minute of it.

  “Damn…Perfect. Fucking. Fit.” he whispers heatedly, bending over at the edge of the table, hitting me with crazed fervor. I’m on the verge of having another orgasm when he slips a hand between us. His delicious ass peeks over the edge of my line of sight as I let myself get carried away.

  “Kiss me, Lucas,” I murmur, reaching for him just as he descends for the same connection, the slow thrust of his tongue in my mouth matching his strokes until we both let go.

  He collapses on top of me, his words muffled in my neck.

  “What in the hell was that?”

  We both break into an odd fit of laughter. I have no words for what just went down between us. A jealousy fuck on date two can’t be a good sign, but I refuse to think that way. Being intimate with him felt too damn good. It was too soon for any of it. But it happened, and I can’t bring myself to regret it, yet.

  He pulls away from my neck, a heart-stealing grin on his lips. “Did we just have our first fight?”

  “That wasn’t fighting,” I say. “I don’t know what that was.”

  He studies me skeptically beneath him, sweat sliding down his forehead. “Sure, you don’t know what that was?”

  I shrug.

  “So that wasn’t you marking your territory?”

  “I’m not a dog, Hollywood.”

  He bites his lower lip. “Can’t just admit it, huh? Nothing comes easy with you, does it?”

  “I would say that was pretty easy.”

  “That’s not what I meant. You’re a ballbuster, and you know it. And please don’t mention anything about your mother while my cock is still inside you.”

  He kisses my shoulders, my collarbone, my chin, cheeks, nose, and lips. I’m so incredibly high, I can’t imagine the crash. He rests his weight on his forearms next to my head as he continues to kiss me.

  “You can’t be comfortable,” I mumble against his lips.

  “This, beauty,” he whispers softly, “this is bliss.” After another thorough kiss, he pulls away. Taking his discarded T-shirt, he cleans between my legs, the act so intimate, I redden a little with embarrassment. He does this so carefully, I can’t help but to close my eyes and push his hands away.

  “Oh no you fucking don’t, not after that show,” he says, gently spreading my legs and pushing his fingers inside before running them through my folds. His mussed-up hair and nail-marked shoulders a sure sign of my own disheveled state. I’m finally crashing down with realization as he presses a kiss on the top of my mound and grins up at me. “I don’t think I’ll ever get over how perfect that felt.” The view is spectacular from where I lay as he touches me so gently, the pads of his fingers spurring me on even after I’m well spent. “You’re filthy,” he says matter-of-fact, “gotta say I wasn’t expecting that. And here I thought you’d never see me again.”

  “I wasn’t planning on it.”

  His brows draw as he frowns down at me. “Really? Because of what you saw in there?”

  “No…I mean, kind of. I don’t know that I fit with you.”

  “So, this was going to be it? Is this what you think you’re worth to me?”

  “Of course not, give me a little credit. But we hardly live comparable lives.”

  His eyes darken as he looks me over. “We were going to have to give in to this attraction at some point.”

  “True, but—”

  “You think you can’t have something real with me?” He frowns down at me, a pissed off edge to his tone before he lifts me by the arms to sit bare-assed on his table. “I didn’t plan on sleeping with you tonight, Mila, and you know it.”

  I’m finding it hard to regret anything with the way he’s doting on me. It’s nothing short of the bliss he spoke of. I feel beautiful. I’ve just been thoroughly fucked in the trailer of a movie set, and somehow, I feel like a queen, his queen. I have no idea how he managed that. I’m pretty sure it’s his hands, the way they explore, adore, worship. Reality can go fuck itself, I want to live in my daydream.

  Ashamed at my previous train of thought, I nod. “You’re right.”

  He’s still aggravated, it’s in the set of his jaw. He tucks himself back into his jeans and places his hands on either side of the table, leaning down to get eye level with me.

  “So, is this it? I kiss you goodnight, and have Paul take you home. Is that what you want?”

  Tucking my lip underneath my teeth, I shake my head and look up at him.

  “Why don’t you allow me to show you what you’re worth to me?”

  It’s the second time I’ve been blindsided. I agree readily because it’s what I want. “Okay.”

  I give him a shy smile before he cups the back of my head and takes my lips in a kiss telling me he means it. When he pulls away, I make idiotic small talk because all I want to do is beg him for more of what he just gave me. I’ve never had sex quite like that.

  “Now onto that advice,” he says, smoothing warm hands down my naked arms before picking up my panties. He slips my feet into them and then pulls me to stand, sliding them in place before he grabs my bra. One side of his mouth lifts. “Maybe I should leave you naked, so I can get my way.”

  “That’s not the way this works,” I say, reaching for my bra before he yanks me flush to him.

  “Don’t test me,” he says, rubbing his fresh erection against me.

  “Wow,” I mouth. “Don’t tease me.”

  “Oh, like you just played fair?”

  “Touché.”

  “So,” he says, slipping my bra on and fastening it without issue, “there is this extremely beautiful, intelligent, woman I’m crazy about and want to get to know better, but I have this work obligation coming up, and I was wondering if I should ask her to wait for me?”

  “How long will you be gone?”

  “Seven weeks. We’re doing most of the principal photography in Cairo.”

  “Hmm…That’s a lot to ask from someone you’ve only been on two dates with.”

/>   “Yeah,” he agrees, stroking my nipples through my bra with deft thumbs. I sink into his touch.

  It’s his hands, definitely his hands.

  “But I have this feeling she wants to wait for me.”

  “You do?”

  “I have to play this just right though. This isn’t just any woman.”

  “No?”

  “No,” he grins, gesturing for me to lift my arms before he slides on my T-shirt.

  “And what if she doesn’t agree to wait?”

  “She could be the one to break my heart.”

  I roll my eyes. “Let’s not get dramatic.”

  “Hazard of the job,” he says before he leans in taking my lips. His kisses are deep and leisurely, the best kind.

  He captures my lip between his teeth. “Don’t ever try to deny me your kiss again.”

  “Now we’re giving orders?”

  His expression changes as does his tone, both filled with authority. “I like you, Mila. A lot.” He places my hand on his chest and covers it with his own. “And if you don’t like me the same, you damned sure shouldn’t have slept with me.”

  I shrug doing a horrible job of playing coy. “Meh, you’re okay. You could use a shower.”

  His expression doesn’t change. “So what do you say?”

  “I’ll think about it.” It’s a pretty lie. Even if it only turns out to be the best sexual chemistry in history, it’s worth waiting for.

  As soon as we’re dressed, he pulls me into his lap and gives me a kiss that lasts until the knock sounds at the door.

  Later that night I lay in bed, my head racing with should haves. I left shortly after they called him back to the set. I didn’t want any part of watching him touch another woman. Acting or not, I’m just not the type. Maybe if I got to a point where I was more comfortable and secure in whatever we have brewing, but we were too new. And that’s if I didn’t ruin it by letting my blazing libido take over. Tossing in my bed, I kick off the sheets and sit up, completely restless when I swipe my phone, and it lights up with the time. 4:45 am. It’s then I see a text Lucas sent hours ago.

  Lucas: Don’t you dare regret it.

  I decide not to reply. I didn’t want him thinking I was up doing precisely that. After another twenty minutes of staring into space, I throw my covers off and head toward my kitchen, flinching when I hear pounding at my front door. Peeking through the hole, I jerk back when I see Lucas peering through it.

  Without thinking, I open it to see him leaning in on the frame, his eyes blazing a trail from my bare feet up to my panties and cami.

  He looks so incredible, his hair damp, in well-fitting dark jeans, a long-sleeved zipped hoodie, and sand-colored boots, his breaths coming fast as if he’s just run miles to get to my door. Everything inside clenches in memory of his touch.

  “That’s not how I wanted this to start,” he states as if we were still in mid-conversation. “I’ll never regret it, but…” His eyes zero in on the silk triangle between my thighs, “Jesus, this is how you typically answer the door?”

  Opening the door wider to give him a better view, I cock my hip. “You were saying?”

  Without hesitation, he scoops me in his arms and kicks the door closed behind him. “After.”

  “After?”

  “After I do the hundred things that I want to do to you before I can complete that sentence.”

  Claiming my mouth, he sweeps me away in his hungry kiss. Thoroughly seduced, he allows little space between us once he’s taken his fill, his warm breath tickling my lips when he speaks, “I leave at six tonight, not nearly enough time.”

  We grin at each other as he slowly walks me into the living room. Eyes intent on mine, he carries me easily. “Mila, you’ve got me going crazy here,” he whispers, “what are you thinking?”

  “This is going fast.”

  “True,” he agrees, before softly pressing another kiss to my lips, “but I plan on taking it slow this morning. Where is your bedroom?”

  The feel of his lips and tongue assault my senses as I lay listless in a dream-like state. We’d been caught up in a mix of sexing, sleeping, and eating since he showed up at my door. Keeping my eyes closed, I thread my fingers in his dark mane as he presses kiss after kiss to my stomach. Smiling, I open my eyes to see him staring at me from where he’s perched above me. His arms bulk with the strain of his weight and I feather my fingers over the mouth-watering curves.

  “My car will be here soon.” His expression is grave. “Fuck,” he grumbles. “I don’t want to leave.” Biting his lower lip, he looks down at me thoughtfully. “Come with me.”

  My eyes widen. “Come with you to Egypt?”

  “Yeah, pack a bag and come with me,” he says with baffling ease.

  “Uh, no, I can’t come to Egypt.” He kneels on the bed, and I sit up, pulling the sheet over my exposed breasts. He lowers it with a scowl.

  “Why not? Because of work?”

  “Yes, well no, I don’t have anything until next week.”

  “Great, come with me today, right now.”

  “I can’t go to Egypt today.”

  He draws his brows. “You have a passport, right? You said you were in France.”

  “Yes, I have a passport, but…”

  He tugs my legs so I’m trapped beneath him and then cages me in his hold. “Then come with me to Egypt. Just for a week.”

  “You’re crazy.”

  “We’ve chartered a plane and have plenty of extra seats. You can sit in the one next to me, beauty. We can get to know each other better.”

  “In Egypt,” I deadpan.

  He chuckles. “Yes, Cairo.”

  “You realize how crazy this sounds, right?”

  He looks upward as if he’s mulling it over and blows out a heavy breath. “It’s a perk, right? I mean, I can see how it might seem a little nuts, trust me. But if it’s not about losing your job, and you have a passport, what’s the hesitation?”

  “Because it’s just…a lot.”

  “It seems excessive, yes.” He gives a sharp nod. “But the alternative is shit. I leave you here, we don’t see each other for two months. Maybe this loses its appeal for you. I’m not willing to take that risk. Not with you.”

  “You aren’t making this easy.”

  He lifts a sharp brow. “Says the kettle.”

  “Lucas, this has been wonderful, really…” I trail off because I’m considering it, and he must sense it because I can see a smile budding on his perfect lips. “I meant what I said this morning.”

  “You didn’t really say anything.”

  He plants his head on my chest. “Yeah, well, I wasn’t planning on you answering your door naked.”

  “I wasn’t naked.”

  “Stop stalling. Come with me, let’s not leave it alone, not yet. Let’s explore this thing.”

  It was exactly what I’d asked for—risky, consuming, a whirlwind, and still, I was terrified to embrace it. But there’s a fine line between being responsible and being predictable. So I leap.

  “Okay.”

  “I brought you some tea,” the woman who had introduced herself as Audrey when I checked into the inn approaches, setting it down on the table. “You’ve been out here for hours.”

  I sit up in the lounge chair and thank her. “With a view like this, I don’t think many can blame me.”

  “You didn’t touch your breakfast,” she presses, concern lining her features. She’s an older woman with white-tipped hair and kind eyes. Dressed casually in jeans and a sweater, she has a ‘no bullshit’ air about her that puts me at ease. “I’ll be happy to warm something up for you.”

  “I’m not very hungry.”

  She nods and then turns to leave before pausing and looking back at me with maternal regard. “You know, I don’t often say this to guests; in fact, I never do, but if you want to talk, I’d be happy to listen.”

  “Thank you so much, but I just came to clear my head.” I look out at the endless row
s of vines lined perfectly over the rolling hills. “It’s so beautiful here.”

  “Thank you, my husband and I have spent our lifetime building this place.”

  This piques my interest. “How long have you been married?”

  “Thirty-six years this spring.” She gives me a knowing grin. “I’m guessing a few more years than you’ve been alive.”

  I nod, mustering a weak smile. “A few.”

  “Well, it’s taken a lot of hard work for us to get here,” she says, looking out at the sun-kissed rows of budding vines. “Maintenance, oh God, the maintenance, the cost. We’ve had some failed years so bad we didn’t think we would see another.”

  I’m positive she’s not talking about her vineyard now, and I can’t help my reply. “Was it worth it?”

  “That’s the golden question and deserves a straight to the point answer. Some days, I can’t imagine doing it another way. Others, I wish I had.”

  I sip my tea in silent encouragement for her to continue. She takes the lounge chair next to me.

  “Every person decides their own path, I guess; but ultimately, it’s a decision to stay on the one you’ve chosen, and no one in the world can tell you what is best for you—better than you.”

  “I agree with that.” I sit up further, pulling a blanket at the end of the chair over my skin to batter the sunset chill. “What do you do on the days you wish you had chosen differently?” We exchange a look when she hears the slight crack in my question.

  “Well,” she says, soaking in the view before turning back to me, “I embrace those days because it’s all a cycle, and in the end, I know the other days are coming. You know, love grows right alongside resentment and neither are more powerful than the other. We’re the ones who balance that scale.”

  Nodding, I sip my tea in attempt to hide my threatening tears.

  “There is no secret, just a decision you have to make every single day and my decision has always been love. I can tell you this, if I would have gone the other way, I would have missed today.” She stands. “And today was good.”

  Unable to hold them, the tears slip from my eyes, and I bat them away. “Sorry, I’ve been off the grid emotionally lately.” Embarrassed, I sink where I sit.