by R. C. Martin
“I need to be alone with you now.”
“Is that so?” I ask, an impish grin making its way onto my face.
She nods, pressing herself up on her tiptoes as she pulls me closer, still. “Let me thank you. Let me show you how much this means to me. Please?”
I press my hand against the small of her back, bringing her body flush against mine. When a soft moan escapes her lips, that’s all the confirmation I need that she’s felt exactly what she’s done to me.
“I’m going to fuck you all night, Teddy.”
“Please,” she whimpers.
Fuck. I love the sound of her voice when she begs.
“Let’s go, sweetheart.”
“Miss Fitzpatrick, it’s time to get up.”
I hear his voice, but I can’t make myself open my eyes. It’s not sleep that holds me under, though—it’s the feel of his lips traveling down my back that makes it difficult to so much as think about moving, even if that means simply lifting my eyelids.
“I ordered breakfast,” he mumbles against my skin. “Should be here in twenty minutes.”
“Mmmm,” I hum, a sleepy smile gracing my lips.
“Teddy.” His voice is now darker, a warning in his tone. He sinks his teeth into my side, and I gasp in surprise. “If you want to come before your cappuccino, you’ll get up. On your hands and knees, sweetheart. Now.”
His command makes my heart race, and my eyes open in an instant. By the time I’m on my hands and knees, just as he’s instructed, I’m practically panting—aching with want.
“You’re my greedy girl, aren’t you?” he asks, his body hovering over mine as he props himself on all fours above me. He rubs his erection between my legs, grazing my clit as he touches his stubble-covered cheek to mine. “You need my cock this morning, sweetheart?”
“I want you, Judah,” I breathe, pressing my ass back against him, my body begging for more. “Always. I always want you.”
I turn my head just slightly, just enough for my lips to connect with the side of his mouth. He rubs his hard length over my clit once more before he kisses me. Then, when he slides into my center, my moan mingles with his groan as we breathe into each other’s mouths.
“Fuck, you feel good, Teddy.”
I reach up to sink my fingers in his hair, holding him still so I might steal a kiss. When his tongue sweeps through my mouth, I grow even more aroused, and the sound of him penetrating my slick core fills my ears.
“Touch me, Judah—Oh, I want more,” I plead.
He thrusts into me harder as he slides one of his hands around my side and over my stomach before reaching for one of my breasts. He massages me gently in his palm; then, without warning, he pinches my nipple—hard.
“Yes,” I groan, growing wetter still.
I love the way he touches me. I love it when he’s gentle. I love it when he’s rough. I love it that he knows just how much to give and when, making me putty in his hands.
“Come ‘ere,” he mutters as he wraps both arms around my torso, lifting me up from off of my hands.
With both of us on our knees, he pumps in and out of me faster. When he cups each of his hands over my breasts, tucking his chin between my shoulder and my neck, I arch my back, reaching my hands behind me to hold onto the nape of his neck. At this angle, every powerful thrust inside of me sends a wave of pleasure throughout my entire core as he hits my g-spot over and over.
I’m so turned on I can barely breathe, and I don’t even care. All I want is more—I want all of him. I want everything he has to give. I’m his—my heart, my body, my soul—and I want him to know it with as much certainty as I do.
“Judah,” I mewl. “Oh, Jude—harder!”
“Fuck, yes,” he growls, ramming into me as he circles his arms around my middle, locking me against his chest.
“I’m going to come!” I cry, gripping him tighter. “Please, let me—Jude!”
“Strangle my dick, sweetheart,” he mutters into my ear before his teeth graze my shoulder.
He hits my g-spot one more time, and my entire body goes ridged as my insides clench around him. He slides a hand down, his fingers circling my clit, elongating my orgasm as he succumbs to his own release. He swells even larger inside of me before he spills his seed, his groan giving sound to his pleasure.
Never before has a sound made me feel like more of a woman.
We don’t move right away, both of us trying to catch our breath as we descend from our moment of ecstasy. When he pulls out of me, sitting back on his heels, I turn around to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck before I press my lips against his. He kisses me deeply and I savor the taste of him, even as I feel his cum leaking out of me.
A knock sounds at the door, alerting us to the arrival of our breakfast, and I’m disappointed to be interrupted so soon. Reluctantly, I don’t fight him when he ends our kiss.
“Stay here. Stay naked. I’ll be right back.”
I watch him as he climbs out of bed and steps into the pants he left discarded on the floor last night. It’s the first time that I’ve ever seen him in something wrinkly, and for some reason, it makes me smile. He leaves the room and I scurry off to the bathroom to clean up from our love making. I then hurry back to the bed, slipping my legs under the sheets just as he reenters the room. I know I look a hot mess, my wavy hair having been through so much from the last ten hours spent in bed; but the way he smiles at me as he wheels in the breakfast cart makes me feel just as exquisite as he’s always telling me I am.
“What did you order?” I ask, suddenly famished.
“Coffee, crepes, and eggs.”
“Yum.”
He hands me the cappuccino first, and my eyes fall closed as I moan deeply with my first sip.
“Keep that up and our breakfast will get cold,” he mutters, causing my eyes to flutter open.
When I look up at him, I find him staring down at me, his expression clouded with lust.
“I’ll try to control myself,” I reply with a grin.
He drops his pants, and I start to wonder if our breakfast really is about to get cold, but he doesn’t come after me. He sits beside me on the edge of the bed and uncovers our breakfast. I arrange myself next to him, my bare thigh grazing his, and we enjoy our breakfast together—naked—and it’s marvelous. The food and the company.
“What are we going to do today?”
“We’ll spend the day hiking,” he tells me, sipping at his coffee. “I’ve arranged for a picnic lunch to be prepared for us. We’ll pick it up when we leave—whenever we’re ready.”
“You’ve thought of everything,” I whisper, leaning into his side. I rest my chin on his shoulder before I say, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
We finish our breakfast in silence before we both get up to start readying ourselves for the day. I shower first and then go about drying my hair when Jude takes his turn. I find the task of operating my diffuser far less tedious with the reflection of Judah’s naked backside in the mirror to distract me. I’m just about to give up, my long beach waves almost halfway dry, when he occupies the sink beside me, taking out his shaving kit.
He looks so unbearably sexy—his wet hair slicked back, his face dusted in a thin layer of dark stubble, his body wrapped in only a towel around his hips. I sort of wish he wouldn’t shave. Right now, he looks like the rough man I know in bed—he looks rugged enough for a day in the mountains—and I turn off my hair dryer just as he begins to lather his face.
“Wait,” I insist, catching his eye in the mirror.
He lifts a questioning eyebrow at me in response.
“Don’t shave. I like it. Will you keep it?” I ask, taking a step closer to him. “Just for today. And maybe tomorrow?” I close the distance between us, sure that I’m probably pushing my luck. “It’s just us,” I coax, wrapping my arms around his waist.
He studies me for a long moment before he looks away from my reflection and down at me. I can’t for
the life of me figure out what he’s thinking. Then, before I know it, he’s ripped my towel away from my body, leaving me naked. He uses the towel to wipe his face dry, and then tosses it onto the floor. I giggle when he plants a firm kiss against my lips, and then he smacks my ass before striding out of the bathroom.
God, I love him.
Our day ends up being perfect. The weather was cool, but the sun shone high in the blue sky, and I didn’t get too cold as we trekked our way along the trail we decided to take. The views were outrageous, the colors breathtaking, and with every image I captured with my camera, I couldn’t help but thank God for the beauty of it all. I’m sure I’ve never been surrounded by such radiance, and getting to experience it with Judah at my side made it that much more special.
Along the way, I managed to sneak a few shots of my man, as well. Seeing him outside immersed in nature was actually incredibly…sexy. It’s certainly not his element, but he wasn’t fazed by it at all. In fact, he was practically a walking advertisement. He could be in one of those magazine spreads—in his khakis and crew-neck sweater, his sleeves pushed up his arms, showing off the band of his wrist watch, which just so happens to match the leather of his boots—selling something like cologne, or something wildly irrelevant, like they so often do. Even after a morning of skipping his usual shave, he couldn’t convince me that he and mother nature were pals—but if he was trying to sell me men’s hair gel while posing against the gorgeous backdrop of autumn, I would totally buy it. In bulk. He’s that hot.
We ran into a really nice group of people, in town on vacation from Georgia. When they saw me snapping a picture of Judah, one of them offered to take a couple shots of the two of us together. It wasn’t until she asked that I realized I have not one picture of just the two of us. All the pictures from my birthday, before everyone was too intoxicated to care about selfies, he and I were in a group. The closest thing we got to a couple’s picture was a shot of us with Harper and Ben. Needless to say, I didn’t hesitate to take her up on her offer.
We found somewhat of a secluded spot to spread out our picnic, and enjoyed the meal we brought along with us. When I got chilly, Judah settled me between his legs, wrapping his arms around me to keep me warm so that we could rest for a little while longer. After we spent an hour in our own little world, we decided to make the long walk back to the car so we could drive back to the resort.
Now that we’ve returned to the room, there’s only one thing I can think about…
That bathtub.
“Hey, Judah?” I ask, setting my camera bag and my phone on the dining room table.
“Yes, Teddy?”
I turn in the direction of his voice and spot him across the room, his focus glued to his phone. Something tells me that it’s probably work distracting him. Admittedly, I’m surprised that he’s gone this long without at least checking in, and I almost feel bad for wanting to steal back his undivided attention.
Almost.
“Did you have anything else planned for us before dinner?” I ask, making my way toward him.
“No. Is there something you’d like to do?” He’s obviously speaking to me, but by the way his thumb keeps scrolling on the screen in his hand, I’m afraid I’m about to lose him to whatever task is sucking him in at the moment.
“I’d like to take a bath and soak for a little while.”
“All right.”
“Judah?” I murmur as I stand before him. I pull at the hem of his sweater, slipping my hands underneath his t-shirt before I begin pushing both up over his sculpted abdomen. “I want to take a bath and soak for a little while with you.”
When my hands are halfway up his chest, his gaze locks with mine. He lifts his arms up, silently giving me permission to finish what I started, and I push up on my tiptoes, tugging the garments over his head. As I drop the items on the floor, I kiss the smattering of hair at the center of his chest, peeking up at him from beneath my lashes. He watches me, speaking not a word as my lips travel down. When I reach the top of his pants, I straighten back up, my hands working to loosen his belt.
Just as I’m getting ready to pop his top button, he grips one hand around both of mine, stopping me.
“Five minutes. I’ll meet you in there.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” I grip the top of his pants, pushing myself up on my tiptoes once more as I pucker my lips. He kisses me, then taps the side of my ass. Understanding that he’s signaling the beginning of his five minutes of work time, I leave him to it.
I undress in the bedroom before I go to fill up the gigantic tub full of water. Even though it’s not particularly cold outside, I flip the switch to turn on the fireplace—just because I can. As I let the water run, I stand in front of the mirror, pulling my hair up into a ponytail before twisting it around itself to form a knot on top of my head. After a long day on my feet, my muscles are excited for the pool of hot water that awaits.
I turn the faucet off before the water can get too high, and just as I’m stepping in, Judah enters the room. I stand in the middle of the tub, waiting for him to join me—and when he does, he grabs both sides of my face before leaning down to kiss me passionately. I hum a pleasant sigh into his mouth, gripping hold of his wrists as I return his affection fervently.
When he pulls away abruptly, I’m left breathless—gaping up at him.
“What was that for?” I manage.
“Felt like tasting what’s mine.”
I feel it as my whole body heats up in a blush; only, it’s not embarrassment I feel. Rather, I’m overwhelmed with the excitement that comes with hearing him claim me. It might not be a declaration of love—not yet—but I’ll wait. For him, I’ll wait.
He sits down in the water, stretching out his legs before guiding me down between them. When he pulls me back against his chest, wrapping me in his arms, I can’t keep the grin off my face.
“Why, Judah Danyl St. Michaels, are you turning into a cuddler?” I gasp teasingly.
He grunts in response, but doesn’t let me go, and I sigh happily, relaxing into him further.
“Why don’t you have a tub?”
“I don’t take baths,” he states matter-of-factly.
“You are right now.”
“I wouldn’t be if I didn’t have company.”
“Well, we could do this more often if you had a tub.”
“Noted.”
I close my eyes, reveling in the warmth of the water, the heat of his body, and the burning fire. I wish I could spend all of winter like this.
I’m not sure how long we sit in silence. It’s a comfortable sort of quiet, though, and I like it. But when the urge to speak arises, I don’t fight it. I feel as though this shared moment of intimacy deserves something more—I long for something more. More of him.
“Judah, tell me a secret,” I murmur, my voice hardly louder than a whisper.
“Excuse me?”
“A secret. Tell me something nobody else knows about you.”
He doesn’t answer me right away. In fact, he doesn’t answer me for so long, I’m afraid he’s not going to at all.
“Jude?”
“I’m thinking.”
I try to wait patiently while he continues to think. I’m surprised it takes him so long. He’s such a mysterious man, I imagine there are lots of things that nobody knows about him. Nevertheless, I appreciate him taking the time to find the right thing to share with me, and I wait with bated breath.
“Sometimes I wish I knew who my father was.”
His admission isn’t at all what I was expecting, and I’m instantly filled with the desire to comfort him. Except, when I try to move, he tightens his grip around me, keeping me right where I am. I don’t fight him, but he can’t stop me from speaking, so I do.
“Jude—have you ever tried looking for him?”
“No.”
“I’m sure your mom could—”
“Teddy, it’s not necessary for me t
o look for him. It’s not a relationship I want.”
“But you said—”
“I wish I knew who he was, not because I want to know him, but because I want him to know who I am. Vengeance. That’s what I want. I want him to know who I’ve become without him, and I want him to realize what a piece of shit he is for choosing to leave me even before he knew me. But I won’t look for him. As much as I would like to rub my success in his face, he doesn’t deserve the time or effort it would require to find him.”
I hear it. I hear his pain, even if he doesn’t, and it breaks my heart a little. He’s not a weak man, my Judah. It’s simply not how he was created—but I know there are things in his past that have hardened him. Now, I just want to wrap my arms around him and love him—love him with everything I am. I want to be the softness in his life. I want to be his safe place, for he is mine.
I try and move once more, but he won’t let me. I reach up and place my hands over his arms, locked around my body.
“Judah—let me see you. Please?” I tilt my head back, my lips finding the underside of his jaw. “Please?”
When he finally lets me go, I turn towards him, straddling his lap. He leans forward, giving me room to lock my ankles behind him as I press my chest against his. I can feel him growing hard beneath me, and my core pulses with need, but we both seem to ignore our bodies for the moment as we stare into each other’s eyes.
“Tell me your secret,” he insists, speaking before I can.
“Sometimes, I envy Harper. I mean, I love her to death—you know that—but sometimes, I look at her and…I don’t know.”
“What does she have that you don’t?” he asks, running a hand up the back of my neck and down again.
I pause, looking over at the flames that flicker beside the tub.
“Fire. She’s fierce in a way that I will never be. She always has been.”
“Look at me,” he demands.
I comply immediately, content to stare into those grey eyes.
He doesn’t speak right away, and I wonder what he’s thinking. Then, he slides a hand around my side and down my stomach. My breath hitches in the back of my throat when he slips two fingers inside of me, and a warmth spreads throughout my entire body at his touch.