Often (Iron Orchids Book 4)

by Danielle Norman

  Starting at her ankle, I lightly trailed my fingers up the insides of her legs. As I got to her core, her legs spread apart. Without touching, I allowed the heat from my breath to warm her as I blew air over her delicate skin begging for my touch.

  “Iiiaann.” My name sounded like the cross between a prayer and a plea, and it was the most erotic thing I’d ever heard. I used every ounce of strength to fight the urge to drive into her and slowly slid one finger into the well of her body. When I did, the moan came from me. She was so fucking tight.

  Working her back and forth up and down I slowly added a second finger before lowering my mouth to her.

  And there it was again. “Iiiaann.” Her cry was followed by her tightening around my fingers as she pulsed, and I knew she was already coming, her first orgasm of the night and I’d barely touched her. Her skin was a blush from her fingertips to her toes. Every inch of her was on fire. I waited until the color faded and then slowly crawled up her body, caging her beneath me as I took her mouth with mine.

  “Open your eyes.”

  They did a lazy flutter before she focused on me, and I dropped another kiss to her lips before I pushed away and grabbed my wallet to get a condom. Coming back I slid off my boxer briefs and smiled when I heard the catch in her breath when she inhaled. She reached to touch me, and when she did, I nearly came.

  “I’m just as eager, don’t worry. Will you put this on me?”

  She bit her lip, her hands shaking as she took the condom and tapped her fingers, feeling the gel ring. I watched her with amusement as she tried to figure out which way the damn thing unrolled. With my hands over her, I guided her as she slipped the condom onto my dick. The anticipation of being inside her caused my insides to churn.

  “Now”—I slid my hands up her arms to the position I wanted them in—“keep your hands above your head.”

  “Please, I need to touch you.”

  “Not yet.” I sat back up and positioned myself between her legs. Reaching for a pillow at the top from the bed I brought it down and slid it under her backside. I wanted just the right angle to slip inside her and hit just the right spot.

  Holding my cock at her entrance, one hand on her hip, I slowly worked my shaft into her tight body, each inch making her squirm for more.

  She was so fucking tight. She was so perfect. God, I never imagined it could be like this.

  Perfection.

  I had to fight not to drive into her too hard and deep. I could see in her eyes that she was fighting her own emotions.

  “Just do it,” she begged me, stealing the last little bit of my restraint. She let out a small cry and bit her lower lip. I paused and sat there not moving, afraid if I did this was going to be over before it even began.

  “Kiss me, please,” she whispered, her words pulling me down to her. Her lips possessed my own and instinct took over as she held me to her. I began to move slowly. Her tightness was uncomfortable for a few moments, causing us both to gasp until finally she seemed to relax a little and I could move more freely. I slipped my hands under her arms and held her to me as our bodies melded together. Our lips danced as my body worked hers. Every instinct told me to go against what I’d ever known with other lovers. With Leo, I needed to be gentle, to love her like I had never loved another. Her body moved with mine, pressing into me as I was pushing into her, and it was almost hypnotic. Needing to hold on to something, to her, I buried my face in the crook of her neck and slid my hands to hers so I could link our fingers together.

  I shifted, and her tiny pants turned to moans, which turned to broken pleas for me not to stop. I wanted to move faster, drive deeper, but at the same time, this felt so amazing that I never wanted to stop. I wanted to please her...I needed to please her. And for once, my own pleasure wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. This was about her, simply being with her. Every thrust of my cock inside her caused her to shiver, drawing ever closer to her climax.

  “Ian...” She panted my name as she came, and her same sultry voice was my undoing. I joined her, coming hard and deep inside her, letting our combined pleasure wash over me in waves. I collapsed onto the bed beside her, unable to stand the thought of leaving her side just yet. I’d think about that feeling later, right then, I just wanted her close, so I pulled her against me.

  “Wow.” The soft word that came from her lips as she laid her head on my chest told me that she was content, and that was all I needed. I wanted her comfort. I wanted to know that she was happy. When she placed her palm against my chest and began to play with the small amount of hair she found there, I couldn’t help but feel my heart swell. This was what I’d been missing, a woman I could simply lie with and feel the stress of everything else melt away.

  When she yawned, I threaded my fingers through her hair. “Sleep now, beautiful.”

  It was the last thing either of us said before we drifted to sleep.

  She was still curled around me hours later when I woke, and I silently cursed myself for not closing the curtains the night before.

  It was too bright in here, and I knew deep in the pit of my stomach, that the sunlight would demand we get up.

  For a moment, I ignored that truth and simply lay there, enjoying the feel of the warm body that rested against my own. As though she felt my body stiffen, Leo lifted her head to look at me, and all I saw was embarrassment.

  Fuck.

  Damn sun.

  I didn’t want her to feel embarrassed, not when I had wanted this and was just as naked under the sheet as she was.

  I didn’t want her to regret what we’d done.

  Shit.

  Racking my brain, I tried to remember how much she’d had to drink last night. Had she been drunk? God, I hoped not.

  “What’s wrong?” I pushed onto my elbows to sit up, but she rolled off me and quickly diverted her gaze.

  I wrapped my hands around her waist and held her to the bed to keep her from getting away. I wanted to go again, my dick wanted to go again, but Leo obviously didn’t. If she’d just give me one fucking sign that she didn’t regret our evening, I’d spend the day with her, right here. But she wouldn’t look at me.

  She wanted an out, but she was too flustered to come up with an excuse to leave.

  The thought was molten lead in my veins. I hated that she wanted to run, but I also knew holding her would make this worse.

  I didn’t want her to feel anything but another orgasm, which clearly wasn’t happening.

  “Crap.” I looked down at my watch as I slipped it on to my wrist. “I forgot that I had to run a test at the systems lab today.”

  “Okay.”

  Quick and to the point. One word that didn’t require eye contact and told me everything she wasn’t willing to say.

  She thought last night was a mistake.

  Double fuck.

  Since I refused to let her take even a single drop of blame for the best night of sex I’d ever had, I forced myself to take it all on myself. “Leo, I’m sorry about last night. I don’t want to jeopardize things between us. Maybe we had too much to drink and we let things go too far. I’m so sorry.” Is that what she thought?

  “You don’t need to be sorry.” She got up and headed into the bathroom, and while she was in there, I quickly dressed before shoving my tux from last night into my overnight bag.

  When she came out, she was wrapped in a hotel robe. “I need to know that we’re still friends. You’re important to me.”

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t we be?” Though the answer was exactly what I wanted to hear, it made my stomach ache. Last night, I’d started seeing Leo as more, but she’d just made it clear that she didn’t reciprocate that view. I dropped the hotel room key onto the desk by the television, unfortunately Leo hadn’t said another word to me or faced me.

  7

  Leo

  I sat on the edge of the bed for at least thirty minutes after Ian had left, his words rolling around in my head.

  “I need to know we’re still friends
. You’re important to me.”

  Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

  Sure, why wouldn’t we be?

  Really? I should’ve said fuck no. But I couldn’t because it was Ian, and I’d rather have him as a friend in my life than not at all.

  I pushed myself from the bed and grabbed my dress off the floor so I could pull it on. Then I ran down to my bike for a rather horrific walk of shame because there was no denying that I had been a bridesmaid in this get-up.

  When I reached my bike, I unstrapped my backpack and slung it over my shoulder before hightailing it back up to Ian’s room. Thankfully, I did have my clothes that I had come in. I quickly changed into my typical biker gear before rolling the dress from last night up and stuffing it into my backpack and tossing my shoes on top. One last glance around the room and I was out and back down to my bike. Once my helmet was on, I straddled my bike and started the engine.

  When I pulled into my apartment complex, all I wanted to do was take a shower and crawl into bed, but that wasn’t going to happen. Sitting in a late-model Honda was none other than Ruth, AKA my mother.

  “Morning, Mom.”

  “Why buy the cow when they can get the milk for free?”

  Just once I wanted to come back with something snappy like, why buy the pig for just a little sausage. That would only launch her into no fewer than five books from the Old Testament.

  “We all stayed the night. Why are you here so early? It’s Sunday. I thought you’d be at church.”

  “It isn’t early, and I was at church. I came by earlier to see if you wanted to go with me, but you weren’t home. So I came back and sat since you weren’t answering your phone.”

  I walked toward my apartment, knowing that Ruth would follow whether I asked her to or not. “Why would you come by and invite me to church? Have I gone with you even once in the last ten years? No. How long have I been out of your house? Yep, ten years.”

  “I just want to see you curb your wicked ways.”

  “Whatever, Mother. Morning, Throttle. Here, let me get your breakfast.” I moved toward the kitchen as Throttle bitched me out for being late with her food and probably for my mother, Throttle’s least favorite person being here as well. “Would you like to have a seat?” I waved one arm toward my tiny living room. My couch was almost eight years old, but I’d bought it brand new, not that it stopped Ruth from looking at it as if it were offensive.

  “Who all has been on that couch?”

  “I don’t know. Sophie, her little girls, my friend Katy, and her daughter, ummm...”

  “No, you know what I mean.”

  I rolled my eyes. “No, I don’t. But have a seat or don’t have a seat.”

  “Why are you so ungrateful? Do you know what all I gave up for you?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do. You’ve reminded me my entire life as if I asked for any of it. I love you, but you always remind me what you gave up for me. Maybe next time you’re in church, you can ask God to help you figure out how to take accountability for your own actions and stop blaming me for them. I’m sorry that you got pregnant, I’m sorry that your family didn’t support you, but hey, you’ve never supported me either.”

  “Leonora, how can I? I mean, look at you. You are a mockery of everything that the good book wants of a dutiful woman.”

  And being bitter and mean wasn’t a mockery? Of course, I didn’t ask that, I only thought it. “I’ve come to terms with never being enough for you, why can’t you just accept me for who I am?” She pinched her lips, and I tossed my hands in the air. “Fine, I’m a disappointment. Get in line, I’m sure I’m a disappointment to a lot of people. If there isn’t anything else you want today, then I have stuff to do.” I turned my full focus on Ruth but froze when my apartment door swung open.

  Shit.

  “Isn’t it my lucky day.” Stella clapped her hands. “I knew today was going to be great. Hi, Ruth.”

  “I see you are no better than the company you keep, Leonora. Remember, blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!”

  “Thanks for that first Psalm.”

  I turned to stare at Stella, shocked that she knew the verse.

  She waved her hand in the air. “It isn’t the first time it’s been quoted about me. I was bound to look it up eventually. That and all the verses about Jezebel.”

  “Shocker.” I let out a giggle.

  “I can see that I’m speaking to a wall. I’ll try again. Goodbye, Leonora. Keep your legs closed and stop dressing like trash. You look like Jezebel with your smudged makeup. Ladies don’t wear jeans—”

  “Bye, Mother.” I cut off her tirade and headed for my door to open it and expedite her exit.

  Once she was gone, I turned to Stella. “Thanks. I’ll be hearing about your visit for the next year.”

  “Whatever.” Stella laughed.

  “Well, I had a few minutes to spare before I headed into work and wanted to stop by to see you.”

  I let out a groan.

  “I brought you a gift.” As she held the bag out to me, she was wearing her Stella-famous-smile, which meant I needed to be weary of what was inside.

  Carefully untying the ribbon, I removed the tissue paper and pulled out a tie-dye-looking bouncy ball about the size of a basketball. “Umm, thanks, I guess. But you do know that I haven’t played with bouncy balls since I was like three.”

  “But this one is magical, it will make you feel better.” Stella took it from me.

  “Okay, how?” I tiptoed over this topic, afraid that I was walking into an epic-size trap.

  “Easy, keep it with you at all times, and the next time you see Tits McGee, throw it at her. Boom...lots of fun.”

  I grinned and faked as if I was about to lob it at her.

  “Truthfully, though, I came by to see if I missed the memo about how the bridesmaid and groomsman paired together must paw each other all night.”

  “Seriously? You know it was just to keep Taylor away from him.” I felt a little sick to my stomach remembering last night. Yes, that was how it had started, but it had become so much more. Hell, just thinking about my humiliation once was bad enough. I didn’t want to constantly be reminded of it.

  “And how far did you guys take that little charade? Did you get the point? You know, the point, the tip, the whole fucking enchilada?” Stella let out one of her typical cackles, proud of herself for being able to take a normal conversation and turn it into something dirty, so typical Stella.

  “Bite me,” I mumbled.

  I didn’t think that was quite a denial. “Oh my God, you two had sex, didn’t you? How was it?”

  I moved into the living room and took a seat, Throttle jumping onto the cushion next to me for some loving and Stella taking the one on the far end.

  “Well, at least I know that you aren’t a bitch to everyone.” I looked over as Stella reached to scratch Throttle’s scruff. My cat was in heaven.

  “Your cat isn’t holding out on me. You are. Now dish.”

  “What do you want me to say? Ian was my escort last night, we danced, we laughed, and he told Taylor that I was his girlfriend because he figured that was horrid enough that she’d leave him alone. That was all.”

  “Yeah, not buying it. How about the part where the two of you were drinking together and getting very comfy? Or, better yet, the part where he couldn’t take his eyes off you or keep his hands from you? Oh wait, I got it. Tell me about the part when you both left at the exact same time and got into the elevator at the same time?” Stella tapped her nails against the side of her face, waiting for me to answer.

  “Fine. Last night things went too far. Last night was a big mistake.” I thought about that for a few minutes, trying to gather my words and not start crying as I replayed what Ian had said. “We had too much to drink. We let things go too far. Then, when we woke this morning”—I stood and headed to my kitchen to grab something to drink—“he a
pologized. He wanted to forget last night ever happened. I think that he was embarrassed.”

  “Not buying it.”

  “No. I’m serious. That was exactly what happened.” I held out a glass of lemonade to her.

  “Oh, I believe that was what happened. I don’t believe that he was embarrassed. More than likely he’s shocked and trying to sort his feelings out. That man is very analytical. He has to process everything.”

  “I don’t know.” I shook my head, but truthfully, I wanted to believe her.

  “Changing topics, I was fucking pissed that Taylor was there last night. God, that woman is a twatwaffle.”

  I laughed. “I can think of a few other names I’d like to call her as well.”

  “Can we do something to her?” Stella scratched the side of her head.

  “Yes, she was a bitch last night, but let’s hope it’s several months before we need to see her again.”

  “Let’s hope,” Stella agreed, and then looked at me expectantly before heaving out an exasperated breath. “You’re going to make me ask, aren’t you?”

  “Ask what?” I knew what she wanted to know. I was just messing with her.

  “You slept with Ian last night. How was it? Blow-your-mind hot or meh?”

  I grinned. Despite how this morning turned out, last night was...well, life altering. I would never sleep with another man without comparing him to Ian.

  “It wasn’t bad.” I cracked my knuckles and she swatted me playfully. “It’s just strange, you know? I think that I’m more stunned that he actually remembered I even existed. I always thought I was just in the background to him.”

  “Sort of like me?”

  “Yeah...exactly like you. Not. No, seriously, if you’d known me back then, you and I wouldn’t have been friends. Sophie truly was my only friend. Everyone else thought I was a freak all because of Ruth.”

  “Ruth kind of is a game changer.”

  I laughed but wholeheartedly agreed.

  Stella pushed herself up. “I better get going. Got to be on shift in an hour and want to stop and grab some lunch. Ciao, chickie.”