“Turn around,” he growled. He wanted to immerse himself in her, to have her fill his every sense, to lose all concept of anything else existing in this world except Sophia Alexander.
He didn’t wait for an answer. He twisted her around in his arms and bent her slightly so her palms hit the bed. Then he dropped to his knees behind her, so his face was in line with her pussy.
“What are you—”she started, twisting to look over her shoulder at him.
Then her eyes widened as he hooked his fingers into the elastic either side of her hips and pulled the knickers down her thighs. He edged her feet apart, pressed his palm against her lower back to bend her over farther still, and then buried his face between her thighs.
Rocco found the seam of her pussy with his tongue and licked her open. She was smooth, and even though she’d said there hadn’t been many boyfriends since they’d been apart, she’d clearly taken care of things down here. Had she done it for him? He liked to think so.
He pushed his tongue in deeper, her body going taut beneath his administrations. The sweet, musky taste of her coated his tongue, and his cock grew harder still. He thought he might lose it if she kept making those sweet, sexy little moaning sounds. He gripped her bottom with both hands, a cheek in each palm. He didn’t care what she said about her not being perfect, she was perfect to him, and by the way she was pushing back on his mouth and the noises she was making, he figured she’d forgotten all about being self-conscious.
Chapter Eight
Sophia couldn’t believe she was doing this. Bent over Rocco’s bed, with his mouth on her in places no man had touched for a long time. His beard scratched against her most sensitive skin, her head spinning in a way that had nothing to do with her illness for once.
She wanted to touch him in the same way he was touching her.
His kisses left her pussy and trailed up her back, along her spine to her neck. She shivered at his touch, and he spun her back around to face him again. Then he was kissing her, and she could taste herself on his tongue, and it was hot as hell.
“I want you,” she gasped into his mouth.
Suddenly brazen in a way she never normally was, she reached for the bottom of his t-shirt and drew it up and over his head. It was all she could do to stop herself groaning at the sight of his body. It was nothing like the slender, youthful boy he’d once been. Now he was hard with muscle, and the skin covering that muscle was also covered in tattoos.
She trailed her fingers across his skin, drinking in the designs of the tattoos. “I can’t believe this is you,” she murmured.
“I’m the same person I was back then.”
“Just with muscles and tattoos,” she pointed out.
“Are you complaining?”
She dropped her hands to his jeans, to where his erection ran in a considerable line beneath the material. “Not in the slightest.”
His mouth crashed to hers as she tore open his belt and then popped the button and undid the fly. She shoved her hand beneath the waistband of his underwear, moving down. Heat and hardness sprang up to meet her fingers. God, he was big. She didn’t remember him being this big, but then she hadn’t had much to compare him to back then.
He pushed the jeans and underwear down, kicking them away. His cock was between them now, jutting upward, pointing at her belly. Wanting to give him what he’d given her, she dropped to her knees and inhaled the musk of him. He was gorgeous. She licked the salty drop of pre-cum from his slit and then circled her tongue around the head of his cock. Above her, he groaned, and his hands knotted into her hair, fisting her curls. She wanted to make this good for him, sliding her lips down his length, as deep as she could take him, and then bobbing back again.
His breathing grew ragged above her. “Fuck, Sophia. I’m going to come down your throat, if you keep that up.”
She pulled off him long enough to look up at him. “I’ll take every drop.”
“You’re killing me,” he growled. “But I want to be inside you.”
He yanked her up and threw her to the bed, so she landed on her back. Then he crawled over her and reached for the bedside drawer. “We still need to be safe, right?”
“Definitely.”
She was on the contraceptive implant anyway—there was no way she could risk ever falling pregnant with the way things were. She tried not to let guilt at the thought of that get in her way. She’d never be able to give him a child. Shut up, Sophia. You’re having fun, hot sex, not making a baby. She hated the way she over-thought everything. She was allowed to have a little fun and not always have to think about the future. But this isn’t just some guy. This is the only boy you’ve ever loved. And she had loved him. She’d loved him with every fibre of her being, and not only had her parents moving away gouged out her heart, but so had making the choice that he was better off without her.
She tore her thoughts from the past as he produced a condom and ripped the top open with his teeth. She took it from him and reached down to roll the top over his erection and then all the way down, all the while keeping her grip firm on his cock. Rocco’s eyes slipped shut with pleasure, and she reached his base and slipped her hand under to cup his balls.
“Ah, fuck, Sophia,” he groaned, lowering his forehead against hers.
She widened her thighs, hooking her ankles around the back of him, pressing her heels into the hard muscles of his backside. He kissed her again and then reached between them to position himself. She bucked her hips, encouraging him.
The smooth head of his cock met her entrance, and he pushed gently, easing her open. Pleasure shot through her core, tightening her stomach muscles and thighs.
“More,” she gasped. “I want more.” She wanted him to fill her completely.
He grabbed her hands, lifting them above her head, shoving her wrists into the soft pillow as he pushed deep inside her. Their mouths met once more with frantic, hungry kisses. They clutched each other tight. He moved inside her, slow and languid at first, but then growing faster, harder. Her pleasure built, coiling tension at her core, ready to explode and shatter her. He released one of her hands to reach down and cup her breast, his fingers rolling her nipple and sending sparks coalescing between her thighs.
Her breathing came hard and ragged, and she clutched him, knowing she was close. “Oh, God...”
She came hard, her inner muscles rippling around his cock, holding him deeper and tighter. Rocco paused while the waves of her orgasm swept her away, and her body twitched with little bolts of pleasure.
He started to move again, slamming himself into her, pistoning his hips, until he gave a grunt of release and held himself deep as he came.
THEY LAY IN BED AFTERWARDS, their fingers twined together across his flat stomach, her head on his chest.
“Do you remember what we were like as teenagers?” she said. “Once we’d started, it was like we couldn’t help ourselves.”
“I remember all the snogging.” His chest vibrated as he chuckled. “We could stand on the street and kiss for hours.”
“I remember more than the snogging. Do you remember that little shed down on the green that we used to sneak into?” She grinned up at him. “We got into some pretty hot situations in there.” They hadn’t been having full sex at the time, but there had been plenty of groping going on.
“You gave me my first ever blow job in there. I think I lasted about ten seconds before I came.”
It was her turn to laugh. “You gave me my first everything in there.”
“Nothing has ever lived up to how we were back then.” His arm tightened around her. “Until now.”
She smacked him on the chest. “Oh, come on. Look at you. I bet you’ve had tons of girls.”
He caught her hand. “All right. It’s not the same, though. I know you, and you know me. You used to hide with me when my dad was in one of his moods, and I would defend you if someone at school was upsetting you. That history means something.”
“Yeah, you’re right,
” she agreed. “It means everything.”
Chapter Nine
The ease with which they slotted back into each other’s lives surprised Sophia. From that night, they’d spent every free moment together, and, over the next couple of weeks, Sophia found herself spending more nights in Rocco’s bed than she did in her parents’ home.
She felt bad that she hadn’t told him about her three-times-a-week trip to have dialysis, but she figured he hadn’t exactly asked either. He must have noticed the bandage on her arm that she never took off. Besides, it didn’t affect him in any way. He was at work during the times she spent at the hospital.
She’d been there that afternoon, sitting in the dialysis unit with all the other patients. It was still the start of her journey, really, and she was at the stage where she appreciated how good she felt once she’d had the dialysis done—far better than she’d ever felt before she’d started it. But she saw some of the patients there who’d been on dialysis for a number of years and who had grown weary and frustrated by the process. When she looked at them, she saw her future, and sometimes it terrified her.
Once she’d finished her three-hour session, she went straight to Rocco’s flat. He would have finished work by the time she arrived, and they’d spend the evening doing what they did every evening—eating good food, watching television, and having sex. It was a simple life, but she’d discovered those simple things made her happy.
The moment he opened the door, she saw something was wrong. His face was pale, his eyes rimmed red, his jaw clenched tight as though he was trying to swallow his emotion and keep it down.
“Rocco, what’s wrong? What’s happened?”
“I just got a phone call. It’s my dad.”
Her stomach dropped, and she knew what he was going to say.
“He’s been found dead. They think it might have happened a few days ago.”
“Oh, baby. I’m so sorry.” She moved into him, wrapped her arms around him, pulling his head against her shoulder. She kissed his temple as he trembled against her.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” she soothed him, trying to tell him it was all right to give into the grief. He’d had a difficult, fractured relationship with his father, but that didn’t change the fact the man was still his dad.
“I have to go home for a few days,” he said, peeling himself away from her. His eyes were red but still dry. “Will you come with me?”
She’d only just had a session of dialysis, so she’d be okay for a few days. “Of course. Whatever you need. When do we go?”
“As soon as possible, if that’s all right. I’ll book a couple of train tickets for us.” He scrubbed his hand over his eyes and shook his head. “Shit, there’s just so much to sort out.”
She took his hand. “I’ll help. I’ll do everything I can.”
“Thanks, Sophia.” He gave her a sad smile. “I’m glad the world conspired to throw us together again.”
“Me, too.”
“I can’t imagine doing this without you.”
She gave him a sad smile. “I’m going to need to go back to my parents’ and pack a bag. Are you going to be okay without me for an hour or so?”
“Yeah, I can manage.”
She thought of something. “Actually, don’t book that train. I’ll see if I can borrow one of their cars for a few days.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It’s not as though either of them really has any place to be. They’ll be fine sharing one.”
Rocco nodded. “I’ll grab some stuff and come with you now, then.”
She realised what that meant. He’d be coming back to her parents’ with her. But she could hardly say no, not when he was this upset, and it wasn’t as though her parents hadn’t met him before. They just hadn’t met this version of him. But more than worrying about her parents’ opinion of Rocco, she was concerned they would mention something about her dialysis. She hadn’t told him yet, and all he knew was that she just needed regular treatment to keep her kidneys under control. She hadn’t told him they’d both failed and now she would need a donor. She felt bad for not having told him, but all the reasons why she’d not contacted him after they’d moved ten years ago were still there. She was worried she’d end up holding him back, but she’d also discovered love could be selfish, and she couldn’t stand the idea of having to give him up.
She couldn’t abandon him now, no matter what she thought. Hopefully, her parents wouldn’t say anything, but if they did, she would just have to deal with it. They were both adults now. She didn’t want to put any more on his plate, but she couldn’t change the way things were.
Rocco went to shove a couple of changes of clothes and some toiletries into a bag. “Am I going to need a suit?” he asked. “What about the funeral? Shit, there’s too much to think about.”
“We can hire a suit there,” she told him. “It will all be fine.”
“I have no idea what sort of state the house is going to be in. I’m not even sure it’ll be liveable.”
“We’ll find a bed and breakfast and deal with the house tomorrow.”
Her chest tightened with emotion at seeing him like this. Normally, he was the tough, strong one, while she was the emotional one.
Rocco sent a couple of texts off to his flatmates and his boss to let them know what had happened, and that he wouldn’t be around for a few days. “I guess Kane will have to pick up some of my clients.”
“Payback for when he was sick,” she said, forcing a small smile.
He gave her a quick kiss. “Not that I’d change that for the world.”
“Me neither.”
They left the flat and walked the short distance to the Tube stop, where they’d be able to get a connecting train to her parents’ house. They did the journey in silence, clutching hard to each other’s hands. Rocco was caught up in his grief, and Sophia was nervous about what her parents would say.
By the time they reached her home, nerves churned in her gut, making her lightheaded. She hoped Rocco would be too caught up in his own thoughts to pay much attention to what her parents were saying.
“Mum, Dad,” she called as she walked through the front door. “I’m home, and I’ve brought someone with me.”
Both parents appeared from the lounge. It had been a long time since she’d brought anyone home, and surprise registered on her mother’s face. Her father’s expression was one of concern.
“You both remember Richard, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course.” Her mother’s smile was forced. “Hello, Richard. You’ve certainly grown up.”
Despite his grief, Rocco stepped forward and shook hands with them both. “Hello, Mr and Mrs Alexander. It’s good to see you again.”
“Can I talk to you both for a minute, through there?” Sophia jerked her head towards the living room. “Rocco, why don’t you go up to my room, I’ll be there in a minute. It’s the door directly to the right from the top of the stairs.”
He nodded. “Sure.”
She ushered her parents back into the living room.
“What is all this, Sophia?” Her father crossed his arms over his chest.
“Richard’s had some bad news from home. His father died unexpectedly, and he needs to get back to Cornwall. I’ve said I’ll go with him, and I’d like to borrow one of your cars.”
Her mother’s eyes widened. “Go to Cornwall?”
“Yes, it’ll only be for a few days. He needs someone to support him, and I’m that someone.”
“And who’s going to support you? You’re going to need dialysis in a few days.”
“Yes, in a few days. I’ll be back by then.”
“And what if you have a bad turn?”
She exhaled a huff of air in exasperation. “I’ll be fine. I have Rocco. He’ll take care of me.”
“Does he know how sick you are?” her father asked.
“Not exactly. I haven’t given him all the details, but he knows I have issues
with my kidneys and have to make some lifestyle choices because of them. If it looks like I’m getting worse, or he needs to know for any reason, I’ll tell him, I promise.”
Her mother shook her head. “I don’t know, Sophia, we barely know this man.”
“Yes, you do. I grew up with him. We might have lost touch, but that doesn’t erase the seventeen years where we grew up together. Please, I’m twenty-seven years old. I don’t even need to ask your permission to do this, but I am because I know you love me and you’ll worry. You need to let me go. It’s important to me.”
They exchanged a glance, and her father nodded. “Okay, you can take the Volvo, but you make sure you stay in touch with us, and you get back to London before your next appointment, okay?”
A smile broke out across her face, and she threw herself forward to kiss her father’s stubbly cheek. “Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Mum. Try not to worry, okay. I’ll be fine.” She hugged her mother and then turned and ran out of the room and up the stairs to join Rocco.
“We’re on,” she said, bursting through the door. She jangled the car keys that she’d snatched from the sideboard on her way past.
His eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Your parents were okay with it?”
“Yeah, for a couple of days, at least. Now, I’d better pack a bag, and then we can get on the road.”
Chapter Ten
It was a long drive from London to Cornwall, but after five hours on the road, they were almost there. Both of them had driving licenses—though there was never much point in owning a car in London—so they alternated driving when one of them got tired.
At this time of year, the population of the small Cornish town exploded. All the holiday properties left empty most of the year were now filled with people, and the hotels and bed and breakfasts were making the money that would keep them going all year around.
Forged with Ink (London Inked Boys Book 3) Page 5