by A. K. Evans
His face softened and, for a moment, I saw a vulnerability in his eyes I never saw before now. The hardness that was usually there had vanished. It only lasted a couple of seconds and then it was gone.
“Honored that you chose me to give that to you, Monroe.”
Stone tossed the washcloth to the side and moved himself in the bed. After turning out the light on the nightstand, he put his head on the pillow next to mine, rolled to the side, and turned my body before pulling it against his, my back to his front.
“I want one more first with you tonight,” he stated.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Having a woman spend the night with me.”
I turned my head to look back at him. This information surprised me. Puzzled, I confirmed, “You’ve never had a woman spend the night?”
“Not going to lie to you. Had lots of women, none of them spent the night. And, none of them were ever in this bed with me.”
My body tensed at this news. I was the first woman he brought to his bed. The feeling that washed over me was indescribable.
That’s when I knew. I was meant to have this with him.
“Um, Stone?” I eventually called.
“Yeah?”
“You spent the night with me at Wes and Charley’s place back when Emme was kidnapped,” I reminded him.
“I know, but that doesn’t count.”
“Why not?” I asked, intrigued.
He kissed me on the shoulder and answered, “You weren’t mine then.”
Heat spread through my body and I relaxed deeper into him. After several minutes of silence, I called, “Stone?”
“Yeah?”
“I was always yours.”
Chapter 10
Stone
I was fucked. No, that’s not right. I was beyond fucked. And, it wasn’t in a good way, either.
It was early Tuesday morning. I was on my side in my bed, my head propped up in my hand, and I was looking down at Monroe. She was still asleep. I’d never seen or met a woman more mind-blowing in all my life. She was incredibly beautiful, no doubts about that, but she was so much more than just a pretty face and a gorgeous body. This is precisely why I was beyond fucked.
When I went to Monroe’s studio yesterday morning I didn’t know what to expect. I said horrible things about her Friday night and had been sending her flowers begging for forgiveness ever since. I’ll never forget that look on her face when she heard what I said. I’ll also never forget the way I felt when I realized what a mistake I had made. I showed up at her condo on Friday night to apologize. The moment she opened the door and I said I was sorry, tears fell from her eyes. Immediately, a cold feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. Seconds later, I saw a guy standing behind her. Seeing him took me back to the things I said at Lou’s. Was I right about her?
The guy told me to not touch her. I didn’t, mostly because Monroe was upset and I didn’t want to make things worse. I ended up finding out that the guy was named Vaughn, which happened to be the name of one of the guys I thought she had been involved with at some point. Turns out, Vaughn is her brother. When I realized what I had done I wanted to kick my own ass. I vowed, right then and there, to make things right with her.
I sent those flowers over the weekend, hoping she’d forgive me. I never heard from her. The look I saw on her face that night when I came to apologize is one I’ll never forget. Sadness and hopelessness. She couldn’t even look at me. I knew I needed to kick it up a notch because never talking to or seeing Monroe again wasn’t an option. After Nikki told me Monday morning that Monroe was still sleeping, I decided to leave the flowers with her. I was going to get more to deliver to her later that morning at her studio. Of course, I didn’t know for sure if she would be at the studio, but from what I knew about her, Monroe would need to dance. I was willing to take my chances.
Walking into the studio yesterday morning I was greeted with blaring music. While I was concerned for her safety that she always had her music so loud, I couldn’t help but laugh to myself when I walked in. The good feeling was short-lived, though, as I walked down the hall closer to where I knew I’d find her. I was fucking nervous. When I found her in the last room we painted together I nearly fell to my knees. She was wearing these tiny, black shorts and a purple sports bra. I had seen her in short skirts and dresses at Lou’s before, but seeing her like that in her studio threw me off kilter. Monroe’s body was flawless and it wasn’t making it any easier on me that she was using that body to dance at that moment.
Monroe finally noticed me standing there. I apologized again and she admitted to me that she forgave me on Friday night. I felt such relief at hearing those words. I hadn’t planned on asking her to dinner that night, but since she seemed to be feeling gracious I decided it was best to act fast. She agreed to a date with me and I left her studio shortly thereafter. I didn’t want to give her the opportunity to back out of it.
A couple hours later, on my way to pick her up, I had to admit I was a bit tense. My nerves weren’t about being around Monroe; I always felt comfortable around her. An official date with a woman was new experience for me. I never thought I’d ever have the desire to take a woman out to dinner, but as time went on I was finding that Monroe wasn’t like most women to me. I had a feeling, though, that I was setting myself up for disaster.
Last night, I entered dangerous territory. After dinner, when Monroe told me she didn’t want the date to end I expected, coming back to my house, that we’d end up sleeping together. What I hadn’t expected was the bomb she dropped on me. I’d always seen little bits and pieces of naivety with her. She always seemed shocked by the fact I was turned on by her or that I found her beautiful. It wasn’t an act; her innocence was all real.
I won’t lie. The minute she admitted to me that she was a virgin I had mixed emotions. Of course, the first thing that went through my mind was everything that happened on Friday night and everything I said about her. I was so fucking wrong. Once I apologized again to her for that, I ended up realizing that I needed to give her the truth. Monroe, if she chose to go ahead with things, was going to be the first woman I was with that meant more to me than just a one-night stand. I cared about her, but knew I’d never be able to give her forever. I thought she deserved to know that up front. As much as I wanted her, I would respect whatever she decided.
Over the last couple of months, I always called Wes and Zane lucky bastards. They found great women in Charley and Emme. Last night, after giving her an out, Monroe still wanted to be with me.
Now, I looked down at her still sleeping figure, curled up next to me in my bed, and realized I was the lucky bastard. What this woman saw in me I didn’t know, but I wasn’t going to question it. I’d give her what I could for as long as she wanted it. As I took in her delicate features, her button nose, her long lashes, and her plump, pink lips, Monroe began to stir.
Her eyes fluttered open and I watched as she mentally recalled the events of yesterday. Realization dawned in her features and a smile spread across her face. She was staring at the wall of my chest and instinctively reached her hand up to touch me. Monroe’s fingers against my skin were like fire. I continued to feel her touch long after her hands were no longer there.
She closed the distance between us and shifted forward to press a kiss against my chest.
Fuck.
As she moved her hand up and over my side, she pulled her face from my chest and looked up at me.
“Good morning, angel,” I said, smiling down at her.
She gave me a huge smile before she announced, “Good morning, handsome.”
Fuck.
She was so damn beautiful and her morning voice was incredibly sexy.
I brought my hand up to her throat and used my thumb and forefinger to hold her steady while I moved my mouth toward hers. I pressed a kiss to her lips and Monroe shifted her body closer to mine. From belly to toes, I could feel every inch of her. We continued to kiss and Monroe began roll
ing her hips against me. I groaned into her mouth just before pulling away from her lips.
“Fuck, Monroe,” I growled, attempting to regain some control. “That’s quite the wake-up call you’ve got there.”
She looked up at me, no longer sleepy. The look in her eyes were pure hunger. I wanted, more than anything else, to take this woman again, but I also wanted to make sure she was okay.
“Are you feeling sore?” I asked.
“A little,” she answered.
“We’ll give you a day or two to recover then.”
She nodded her agreement, but then a look washed over her face. She was pensive.
“What’s going through your head right now?” I wondered.
Her face flushed and she looked away.
“Monroe?”
Nothing. She wouldn’t bring her eyes to me.
“Look at me, angel,” I coaxed, gently.
She slowly brought her gaze to me before I encouraged her further, “Tell me.”
Her eyes searched my face a moment before she spoke, “You made last night special for me. It was indescribably wonderful. I was just thinking that I’d like to do something special for you.”
Fuck me.
“You’ve got to know that giving me what you did last night was special to me,” I explained.
“I believe that,” she started. “But, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to try to do a little something extra for all of your efforts.”
I gave her a smirk.
“What did you have in mind?” I questioned.
She pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth before she released it and answered, “I was wondering if you’d mind if I…explored your body a bit? I was thinking I could use my hands and maybe my mouth…if you are alright with it, that is.”
“Is there some reason you think I would mind or that I wouldn’t be alright with that?” I asked.
“Well, I’ve never done it before and I’m not sure I know what I’m doing,” she answered honestly.
Damn it. I hated seeing her insecurity.
“You were worried about the same thing last night.”
Her eyes rounded.
“Oh no,” she fretted, looking away. “Was it bad? I was so caught up in how good you made it for me that I didn’t even think to ask how it was for you. I…”
I cut her off and turned her face toward mine.
“Relax, Monroe. I wanted you to have last night. I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed it and that I made it something special for you. You were not even close to being bad. Honestly, and I want you to believe me when I say this, you are the best I’ve ever had.”
Her lips parted in shock and disbelief.
She was. I didn’t quite understand it myself considering she had no experience, but the girl was dynamite. Her body felt right, she knew how to use it, she responded to my touch, and I found myself anticipating all the rest of the ways I wanted to have her. I knew that it would only get better every time after that.
“Really?” she asked.
“One hundred percent serious. Blows my fucking mind, but it’s the truth.”
“Wow,” she whispered, a small smile playing at her lips. A moment later she asked, “Would it be alright if I tried tasting you?”
Fuck me again.
“If that’s what you want to do, angel, I’m not going to stop you.”
“Is there anything I should know or anything you don’t want me to do? I really want to make you feel good.”
“Just watch the teeth. If you can handle that, I’m down for anything you want to give.”
Her eyes, which were focused on mine, began drifting down my face, my throat, and my chest. She brought her hand up to my chest and pushed against it urging me backward. I fell to my back as she shifted in the bed and brought her body over mine. Monroe started kissing me. First, she gave slow, closed-mouth kisses to my lips before her mouth started traveling down my body. Her tongue came out every so often to lick and taste the skin on my chest and abdomen while her hands roamed over every square inch of me.
I was finding it more and more difficult to catch my breath. This woman would be my undoing. She had already accomplished that on more than one occasion, starting with that night she sang karaoke at Lou’s. I hardly recovered from that and I knew that where I was now was something I wasn’t going to get over so quickly.
Monroe’s body was now settled between my thighs. Her hands were wrapped around my hips and she sat back on her heels to look up at my face. I’m sure she couldn’t miss the heat in my eyes. I wanted to feel her mouth wrapped around me and it was borderline torturous knowing she was that close and was making me wait. She gave me a sexy smile before wrapping her hand around my length. Her touch alone could bring me to my knees; I was certain that once she took me in her mouth I wouldn’t last long.
Monroe lowered her mouth and covered the head of me with her lips. She pulled back and her pretty, pink tongue came out to taste me. Then, she took me in her mouth. She kept one hand wrapped around the root of my shaft while her mouth worked the length of me. I watched as she continued to suck and lick. At one point, she pulled her mouth from me, looked me in the eyes with a devilish grin and then took me back in her mouth.
Fuck, I’d never had better than her. She was incredible.
The best I’d ever had.
I was fighting to stay in control when I heard her moan. The vibration nearly sent me over the edge, but when I looked down at her I was distracted. Monroe still had one hand wrapped around me while her other hand was on her own body. I watched as her hand moved from her breast down her abdomen and between her legs. Seeing her touch herself was too much; I wasn’t going to last much longer.
“Angel,” I called, my voice rough.
I’m not sure if she didn’t hear me or if she didn’t realize that I was calling her to warn her I was close because she continued doing what she was doing.
“Monroe, baby, you’ve got to stop.”
She stopped immediately and pulled back, but kept her hand on me. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked, innocently.
“You’re fucking amazing with your mouth. I’m close to coming and don’t want to just do it in your mouth. You can use your hand and get me there, angel.”
She pulled in her bottom lip and looked a bit nervous. I realized she wasn’t sure what to do.
“Like this,” I showed her, wrapping my hand around hers and guiding her. She quickly took over.
Monroe used her hand and she was good at that, too.
I watched as she stroked me and I encouraged her, “Touch yourself, too.”
I was being selfish because I wanted to see that again. Monroe didn’t seem to have any inhibitions because the second the words were out of my mouth her hand was at her pussy. She worked the both of us and within minutes I noticed the change in her breathing. She was seriously turned on and close to coming.
“Oh, God. Stone,” she managed to get out.
“Come with me, Monroe.”
That was it. She was moaning and coming apart as I did the same. Monroe worked us both through our pleasure and because she made it feel so good I struggled to keep my eyes focused on her. We both came down, but Monroe’s petite hand was still wrapped around me. Her hand had stilled and her eyes came to mine.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“You are so damn sexy,” I admitted.
Her eyes dropped from mine in embarrassment.
I sat up and grabbed the washcloth I tossed to the side after tending to Monroe last night and cleaned myself off. After quickly taking care of the mess on my abdomen, I held my hand out to her.
“Come here, angel,” I said, softly.
She avoided my eyes, but placed her hand in mine and crawled back up the bed. I fell back on the pillow and took her with me. With her cheek pressed to the side of my chest and one of her legs thrown over my thigh, I kept my arm wrapped around her back. I began running the fingers of my other hand through her hair.
“I’m trying to figure out why you’re embarrassed,” I shared, hoping she’d explain it to me.
Her body tensed, but I continued running my fingers through her hair to relax her.
“I’m sorry,” she began. “It’s just that this is all very new to me. In the moment, I’m so consumed by everything I’m feeling it’s like there is nothing stopping me from doing everything you want me to do.”
“Monroe, I’ve got to know that you aren’t doing things that make you uncomfortable just because I asked you to do them. You don’t ever do anything that makes you uncomfortable, no matter if it’s me or someone else that’s asking you.”
“It’s because it’s you that I’m comfortable, Stone. I don’t want someone else asking me to do any of this because I don’t want it with anyone else.”
Now it was my turn to tense.
Fuck.
Monroe felt it because she lifted her head from my chest and looked up at me. I didn’t say anything and I saw the disappointment flicker in her eyes. There was this cold, hard truth between us. She didn’t want it with anyone else because she only wanted me. I, oddly enough, only wanted her, but I wouldn’t be able to give her everything she wanted…everything she deserved. Looking at her sad expression I realized I wasn’t lucky; I was selfish.
It’s worth it.
The random thought filtered in and out of my mind quickly.
“It’s okay, Stone,” she said, pushing through it and likely seeing the remorse on my face. “You were very clear about things and I understand where you’re at with this. I’m just telling you how I feel.”
I nodded to her and gave her a squeeze because I didn’t trust myself to say anything. I’d hurt her enough and didn’t want to make this worse. I knew it was already going to be bad; I just didn’t know how to stop what I shouldn’t have allowed to start in the first place.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” I said.
“I know forever is not on the table, but I just…well, I guess I’m wondering if last night was a one-time thing for you?”