His Beauty

by Sofia Tate

  “Tabitha dumped me.”

  I pause for a second, then cover my mouth with my hand to keep from laughing in his face. “Are you serious? Well, boo-fucking-hoo. Get out the violins. My heart is breaking for you.”

  Reed is silent for at least a full minute. He stares at me, a strange look overtaking his face—calm but menacing, his eyes narrowing, his lips pursing together. I stop laughing, tilting my head. “Reed?”

  Still no response.

  “Reed? I’m sorry, but—”

  But then he snaps to attention, as if someone’s woken him up. “No, it’s fine. Really. I’ll see you later.”

  What the fuck?

  I watch, confused, as he heads to his car without looking back at me.

  A wave of shivers causes goose bumps to pop up along my arms. I rub them to warm myself.

  The feel of the soft material in my hands reminds me of what I was doing before Reed showed up.

  I look myself over. I can’t help but smile.

  Perfect. Grayson will love this.

  * * *

  Grayson

  I can’t…

  Nothing I’ve ever created with my hands is as beautiful as Lily standing in the doorway of my studio. She’s wearing a long-sleeved black jersey dress that accentuates every luscious curve of her body. Black stiletto boots adorn her feet, gilding her sexy form even further.

  But what has my cock hardened to the point of pain is her hair. I’m so used to seeing it tied up in a ponytail. This evening, however, it falls freely and cascades past her shoulders. How I want to run it through my fingers and then fist it as I take her…

  “Is something wrong?” she asks innocently.

  She has no idea how everything is so right at this moment.

  Say something, you fool. She’ll think something really is wrong.

  “You are stunning, Lily. Words just fail me.”

  A smile of relief lights up her pale face. “Thank you,” she whispers, now turning a shade of pink at my compliment.

  Her eyes roam over me. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

  I straighten out the collar on my suit jacket. I dressed up for her. I haven’t worn a suit in years, and I worried if it would still fit me. But it did, like a glove.

  “My turn to say thank you, then,” I reply.

  She takes a step toward me. “May I?”

  My heart stops when she comes closer. I can smell her now, a cloud of lavender wafting around her.

  She reaches up to adjust my tie. “You have no mirrors in the house, Grayson,” she offers as an explanation. She pats it down and looks at her handiwork. “There.”

  I swallow deeply, her scent intoxicating me. “Thank you.”

  I can’t take my eyes from hers. Suddenly a loud growl escapes her stomach.

  We both laugh as she blushes. “Well, that wasn’t embarrassing.”

  I offer her my hand. “Let’s go feed you.”

  I take her small hand in mine and lead her into the passageway. I guide her to the dining room, pulling out a chair for her at the table, then pour us each a glass of wine. “I’ll be right back.”

  In the kitchen, I nuke our dinner in the microwave and pull out the salads from the fridge.

  As I carry in our dinner on a tray, she begins to rise from her chair. “Do you need any help?”

  “Absolutely not. You do enough work around here for me. It’s time for me to wait on you.”

  I serve us both. As we dive into our meal Lily moans, clearly enjoying the food. My cock grow hard at the sound.

  I take a long sip of wine. When I glance across at Lily, her eyes are already locked on me. “This is very good, Grayson,” she says in a husky tone.

  I swallow. “Good…I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

  With our gazes still on each other, she lifts her glass, her eyes never leaving mine.

  “Are you finished?”

  She nods silently, and I rise from my seat. “I’ll go get dessert.”

  I can’t think of anything but Lily’s moans as I pull the chocolate cake Emilia picked up in town from the fridge. I slam the door shut, revealing Lily standing behind it.

  I gasp, startled, but when I see Lily’s eyes darken, her chest rising and falling so quickly, I don’t dare move.

  She opens the fridge again, taking the cake from my hands and shutting the door after putting it back inside.

  “We’ll have that after,” she tells me in a deep whisper.

  “Lily…”

  Without warning she grabs my tie and tugs me close. “I don’t know about you, but if I don’t kiss you right now—”

  I reply by slamming my mouth over hers. I feast on the sensation of her tongue once more in my mouth.

  I quickly pull away, just to make sure she’s consenting to what I’m hoping will happen in the next few minutes. “Dessert can wait.”

  “Yes,” she moans, her warm breath grazing my face.

  I yank her up into my arms just like I did last night. Instantly, she coils her legs around my waist and takes my mouth again.

  I turn around, rushing for the staircase. I keep my eyes open to make sure I don’t trip carrying such precious cargo, but I still kiss her until I reach the top of the stairs, where I need to catch my breath.

  “Please, Grayson,” she says, undoubtedly urging me to both reach my bedroom faster and to not stop kissing her.

  “Almost there, my beauty,” I reassure her.

  She is so light in my arms that it takes less than a minute to reach my bedroom. I kick open the door, then push it closed with my back. I place her gently on the floor. My cock turns to granite as she slides down my chest, the soft flesh of her breasts pressing against my body.

  I reach out to help her undress, but she stops my hands. “I want to do this for you.”

  Oh, fuck…

  I can’t move, watching in awe as Lily reveals herself to me, her eyes never leaving mine except when she pulls her dress over her head. Her lips remain firmly pursed together as she unhooks her bra, one strap…then the other.

  My God.

  Perfect. Her breasts are beyond anything I could have imagined. So full and round with sweet pink areolas, her nipples pointing straight at me, as if beckoning me to them.

  Finally she reaches for her black lace thong to reveal her spectacular bare mound.

  I am beyond the point of patience.

  “Get on the bed, Lily.”

  She does as I ask, her legs hanging over the edge. I step toward her and begin to undo her boots. The sound of the first zipper coming undone is the only sound in the room besides our slow exhales. I lean in and kiss each exposed inch of her calf as the zipper reveals more of her leg. I can hear the desire emanating from Lily’s throat, so husky and deep.

  I do the same with her other boot, letting it fall to the floor. I rise to my feet and begin stripping off my clothes. She sits up, her eyes ablaze as I expose myself to her. I leave my briefs for last, and when I finally remove them my cock juts out like a spring in a clock, no longer confined but now pointing right at Lily.

  I see her swallow. I know I’m big, and I’m afraid my size has suddenly put her off.

  “I promise I’ll be gentle, beauty.”

  She vehemently shakes her head. “I don’t want gentle. I want you to fuck me hard and deep until I forget my own damn name.”

  I stand stunned, hearing such filthy words coming from her sweet mouth. All of that passion and desire was just hiding beneath the surface, and now I want her to let herself go, to give me every ounce of her, raw and uninhibited. And being the one who gets to experience it makes me the luckiest bastard on the planet.

  Lily barely manages to scoot back to the pillows before I jump onto the bed, my body on top of hers, capturing her beneath me.

  She instantly wraps her arms around my neck, taking my mouth again. But now, I need more.

  I kiss and lick every inch of her, starting with her neck and earlobes, then I trail my tongue down to her
breastbone, palming one breast while devouring the other, biting and pulling on her nipple, listening to her throaty groans of pleasure. “Oh, God, yes, Grayson. More. More. Don’t fucking stop.”

  I don’t intend to, my beauty.

  Now I need to taste her sweetness. I inch my way to the apex between her thighs, making sure she’s wet enough for me.

  Her pussy is soaked. Her essence is already dripping from her down into the sheet.

  I open her outer lips and dive in, not able to hold myself back any longer. I need my mouth on her, to taste her cream on my tongue.

  I can’t stop licking her. Her screams bounce off the high ceiling in the room, again begging me not to stop. She reaches down and runs her fingers through my hair. I reach out for her with my right arm, and she quickly snatches it and places it over her left breast. I start to twist her nipple, her hand holding me in place, connected as we explore each other, reveling in each other’s desires finally becoming a reality.

  I shift my head and begin to suck on her clit, using my other hand to stimulate her. I can sense her back arching as her body bucks, her orgasm overtaking her.

  I crawl up her body because I want to see her face, what her eyes look like after coming so hard.

  She reaches for me and yanks my face to hers, licking her cream off my chin.

  “Fuck, baby,” I groan. “That is so fucking sexy.”

  Instead of replying, she kisses me hard again, moaning at the taste of her in my mouth.

  She groans in protest when I pull back to grab a condom from my nightstand. When she hears the sound of the packet coming open, she barely manages to speak above a whisper. “Hurry, Grayson.”

  With shaking hands, I stretch the condom over my cock and settle myself on top of her again. She opens her legs wider for me, and I slowly slide my shaft into her.

  Oh, fuck.

  She is so tight. So wet…

  When I fantasized about finally being inside her, I never imagined the sensation feeling this amazing. I just…fit.

  “Fuck me, Grayson,” she begs.

  I can’t hold myself back. I start to thrust myself inside her.

  Her voice turns so soft. “Grayson…you feel so fucking good inside me. I never imagined…”

  I shut my eyes from the power of her words matching my own thoughts. “You are so fucking amazing, my beauty. I’ll never get enough of you.”

  I can’t hold myself back. I pummel her, her ankles now locked around my torso. I hold her down with my hands, our fingers gripping each other so tightly, to the point of pain. I am impervious to it all. I bask in our connection, becoming one with my Lily.

  Her muscles clench harder onto my cock. Her cries of ecstasy grow louder. She is so close. I need, I want to hear her shout my name.

  “Grayson!”

  At her impassioned cry, I start to come hard as she milks my cock, every last drop spilling forth. I can barely keep myself upright, my arms shaking from such exquisite release.

  Finally spent, I collapse on top of my beauty, scooping her into my arms, falling to my side.

  Neither of us speaks. We just hold onto each other, once lost, now found.

  Chapter Twenty

  I think we should eat all of our meals this way from now on,” Grayson declares.

  Sitting naked in his bed as my eyes roam over his exquisite body, I can’t argue with that.

  “I totally concur with you on that point, Mr. Shaw.”

  He smiles back at me as he takes a forkful of chocolate cake from his plate. I’m mesmerized, watching his Adam’s apple bob up and down as the food slides down his throat. Once I thought him so menacing physically, to the point where he frightened me, but now I find his appearance reassuring, as if nothing bad could happen to me when I’m with him.

  “What are your plans for tomorrow?” he asks, taking a sip of the champagne that he brought up with the cake.

  “I’m going to sort through my things and get organized. The belongings I brought from Reed’s house are still in boxes. I don’t know where anything is.”

  A deep frown extends across his face. “You’re sure I can’t convince you to stay?”

  I laugh at his modest question, brimming with innuendo. “Of course you can try, but I’ll still have to leave.”

  He shrugs his shoulders. “Thought I’d give it a shot.”

  I lean in to give him a reassuring kiss, enjoying the sweet taste of cocoa and Grayson combined on my tongue. “You can always give it a shot with me, baby.”

  He pulls me into his lap, running the pads of his fingers gently over my cheeks. “I never thought…” he begins.

  I run my hand in return over his scars. “I know. I thought the same. What could you possibly see in me?”

  “I see beauty, I see innocence, and I see a spitfire of a woman who doesn’t mince words,” he says. I smile, nodding at how lovely but true his words are.

  “But how could you be attracted to me, being the freak show I am?” he continues.

  My heart softens. I wrap one hand around the back of his neck to run my fingers through his silky dark hair while still caressing his face. “I see a beautiful man. I see a good man. I see a man who is talented beyond words. I see someone who wants to be loved but is too afraid of being rejected.”

  I wait for Grayson to say something but he doesn’t, which only spurs me on to make sure he knows something else.

  “Don’t be afraid, Grayson. I would never reject you. You mean everything to me. You always have, even before I met you. You gave me peace and comfort when I needed it most.”

  “I will never treat you the way he did.”

  I lean my forehead to his. “I know you won’t.”

  I glance over at the clock on his mantel. “I hate to do this, but I have to go.”

  “All right,” he whispers with a rasp.

  I jump off the bed and begin putting my clothes back on, with Grayson making one last play for my breasts before they disappear behind my bra. I shoo him off, pushing him away while laughing at his attempt.

  Taking my hand, he walks me to the door leading to the passageway, turning me to him to give me one last, long, deep kiss. “Call me when you get home.”

  “I will.”

  I pause in the doorway, looking over my shoulder.

  “What is it, darling?” he asks.

  I turn around, biting my bottom lip, wondering if I should address the subject again with him. “Grayson, what would happen if you took one step outside?”

  His shaking arm drops my hand. “That’s a ridiculous question because it would never happen.”

  “But haven’t you ever wanted to travel and see the rest of the world?”

  His face turns red. “No. I’m perfectly fine seeing the world on television or on the Internet.”

  “But what if there was an emergency and you had to—”

  “Lily!”

  The fury in his voice stops me, paralyzing me where I stand.

  I must be giving off a look of fear in my eyes, because the next thing I know Grayson rushes to me, even though he’s less than a foot away, tugging me into his warm embrace. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.”

  I nod. “I know,” I reply, muffled in the nook of his chest. “I won’t bring it up again. I just wish—” I catch myself. “Never mind. I’ll drop it.”

  I reach up to him on my tiptoes, kissing him briefly but deeply. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He gently pulls my head back to look into my eyes. “Sweet dreams, my beauty.”

  I walk outside as he gives me one final wave from the doorway before slamming the door shut

  As I steer Ingrid carefully along the curving road down the hill to the main road, my mind wanders.

  Wouldn’t he prefer seeing the Mona Lisa in Paris or the statue of David in Italy up close instead of on a TV screen?

  Why doesn’t he want to try?

  As much as I care for him, can I really see myself with him if he’s so re
stricted by his own fears? We wouldn’t be able to go out for a simple meal if we were together. We’d always have to stay inside, hidden away from the world.

  A set of headlights suddenly appears behind me, closer than I would like. When I pump the brakes, the car behind mine doesn’t back off. Reaching the bottom of the hill, I quickly check the road before peeling out—the car’s no longer behind me. I breathe a sigh of relief and turn on the CD player, singing along with Adele at the top of my lungs to calm my nerves.

  * * *

  Grayson

  She’s right.

  What kind of life can I have with Lily if she hides away with me in this cold, aging house?

  I can’t subject her to that. She is light. She is beauty. She needs to be in the world, not hiding from it. The world needs someone like my Lily in it as an active participant and not me, a creature who would make those who encounter him cringe and run away in horror and disgust.

  With my mind spinning, I sit down at the desk in my bedroom and open up my laptop. I type “Agoraphobia—causes and cures” into a search engine, clicking on every link that pops up.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Straddling Grayson’s lap on the daybed in his studio, I look down to see where we’re connected—his huge engorged cock sheathed deeply in my soaked pussy.

  He looks down as well. When he brings his eyes back to mine, he takes my face in his hands and kisses me long and deep. “So good,” he whispers. “So beautiful.”

  “Grayson…” is all I can manage in reply. My heart is so heavy when he says something like that to me. He says it with such pure, raw emotion, and I don’t say anything for fear of running the moment by blabbering something silly or incoherent.

  It’s been seven days since we first came together. Seven days since I started having the best sex I’ve ever had in my life. It doesn’t even compare to what I had with Reed. Grayson is so uninhibited, like the beast he is, but he always makes sure that I’m safe and not uncomfortable in any way. I can be myself with him and that makes me feel alive, allowing me to expose parts of myself that I never knew existed.