by Cathryn Fox
“I never liked this before, Alek. Not until you,” I admit.
His eyes soften as they meet mine, and warmth spreads over my skin as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. Honest to God, this man is the epitome of strength and power, yet he touches me with such tender need, such warmth and possession, it produces a fullness in my heart.
Desire twists inside me and I coil his ties around my wrists as he slides back down my body, his hair tickling my flesh, until my skin grows tight. His growl curls around me as he hungrily buries his mouth between my legs. He delves deep, sweeping his tongue over my clit and swollen flesh until a tremor shakes me to my core. The pleasure is so exquisite, my breath comes in ragged bursts, and I start coming again, all over his mouth.
My body clenches, and I quake from head to toe as I pulse and throb, this man touching me in places so deep, I fear I’ll never be able to come back.
“Alek,” I say, my voice a strangled whisper as he kisses a path up my stomach, until his mouth finds mine. I kiss him, and taste myself on his tongue.
“Yeah, babe?”
I can’t seem to stop trembling, as he runs his rock hard cock along my slit.
“Inside me...please.”
His hands press into the mattress on either side of my head, and his hips move, only to come to an abrupt halt. I whimper. “Please,” I beg. “Please fuck me.”
“Condom, hang on.”
“No,” I say, sheer desperation messing with my ability to think straight. “Just you, no barriers. I’m clean and I’m on the pill.”
He smooths my hair back. “I’m clean, too. I promise.”
“I know. I trust you.”
He clenches down on his jaw, and with his body over mine, I can feel his heart slam in his chest. “Are you sure about this?” he asks, his voice low and harsh.
“It’s what I want,” I say, my stupid voice rough with emotion, and I pray to God it doesn’t give too much away.
He reaches between my legs and inserts a finger. “You want me to fill your sweet pussy with my cum?”
I gulp, loving when he talks to me like this. “Yes,” I murmur. “Or you could flip me over, and fill me somewhere else.”
He lets out a shaky breath. “Aly,” he says, his eyes moving over my face, like a soft, intimate caress. “You want my cock in your ass?”
“I want your cock everywhere, Alek,” I say. Never in my life have I felt so cherished, so worshiped, and I want to give this man all of me.
For a long time, silence meets my words, then he shakes his head, and runs the back of his knuckles over my cheek. “You’re…something else, babe,” he whispers as his mouth finds mine. He kisses me deeply, and in one quick thrust, slides his cock into my sex. My hips lift, and while I want to touch him, being tied up and his to do with what he wants comes with its own pleasure.
My eyes slip shut as he fucks me, his beautiful cock gliding in and out until a shiver wracks my body and I’m miraculously coming again. My God, this man knows how to touch me. He stays inside me as I clench around him, and I open my eyes in time to see the pleasure on his face as he takes me over the edge again.
He reaches up and unties my hands, gently rubbing my wrists where the ties were binding me. A second later, my legs are free, and his voice is like an intimate caress when he says, “Roll over.”
I do as he asks, and he puts a pillow under my hips. His growl curls around me as he grabs a fistful of my ass and squeezes. He falls over me and I enjoy the weight of him pressing down on me. He lightly runs his fingers over my arms, his breath hot on my back as he peppers me with kisses.
“If I had it my way, I’d never let you out of this bed,” he murmurs, and shifts to the side, his raging hard cock, like steel against my leg. He reaches into his nightstand, and I turn to see the lube.
My throat tightens, but he touches me so softly, so gently, it reminds me that he’d never hurt me, and eases the nerves firing inside me
“You are so beautiful, Aly,” he says and pours a generous amount of the cold lubrication between my cheeks. I gasp, but when he touches me, running his finger over my crevice. It warms me up and I settle against the pillow. “After today, I’ll have been inside you everywhere,” he says, and my eyes flick open at the hitch in his voice. I glance over my shoulder, and the desire reflecting in his eyes seeps under my skin and wraps around my heart. His smile is soft, and sure, and I smile back, completely ready for him.
He inches a finger into me. “Relax for me,” he whispers, and kisses my back. He spends a long time widening me, stretching me and preparing me for his girth, as he works his finger into me, and presses me into the pillow to stimulate my clit.
His breathing is harsh as his warmth flows into my body, and soon enough I’m moving beneath him, writhing and anxious for his touch.
“Alek, please,” I murmur, and he takes a sharp breath as he lifts my hips, and goes to his knees behind me.
I gasp as his fullness stretches me and he curses and stops. “Am I hurting you?” he asks, his voice low and soothing.
“No,” I fib, wanting him to take me this way, wanting him to leave his mark on every inch of my body. He goes deeper and my fingers curl into the sheets, but I love this, I love every second of him owning my body like this. His hand is warm and soft on my back as he touches me, a quick check-in that I’m okay. Letting him know just how okay I am, I move my hips and he slides in deeper, filling me in a way I’ve never been filled.
“Jesus, Aly,” he says and swallows, hard. “You are so tight.”
He moves his hips, inching his cock out, and sliding in again. The sensations are different, a little overwhelming, actually, and I give myself over to them. He falls over me, moans against my shoulder. Shivers of warm need race through me, and the need in his touch, the way he’s taking me, fills my heart with love.
He slips a hand between my hips and the pillow and applies pressure to my clit. I grind against his hand, and lift my ass to take him with each forward thrust. I have never felt so full. My pulse pounds against my neck, and fire licks a path up my thighs until the pleasure becomes so intense I let go again, unable to believe how many orgasms this man has wrung from my body.
“Oh, fuck yeah,” he says his voice rough with desire as I clench around his cock. “I’m right there, babe.”
“Fill me, Alek. I want all your cum inside me.”
His hands find my hips and his fingers bite into my skin as he holds on to me like I’m the center of his universe. Happy tears sting my eyes as he calls out my name and lets go deep inside me, finding the pleasure he’d been chasing. I quiver at his hot release of pressure, revel in the sensations as he pulses inside my ass, filling me with every last drop.
* * *
Disoriented after that powerful climax, I gasp and close my eyes, waiting for the world to right itself around me. His body presses against mine, and we stay in that position for a long time. After a while, he pulls out, drags a blanket up to cover me.
“Stay put,” he says, and if I had the energy to laugh, I would. I’m too weak, to sated to move. When he said he’d keep me here forever if he could, it could very well happen. I’m not sure I’ll be able to move for a week.
He comes back and puts a warm cloth between my legs, and tears once again fill my eyes. The gesture is sweet and thoughtful and tugs at my emotions.
“Feel okay?” he asks.
“Never better,” I manage to get out. He disappears again, and the next thing I know he’s snuggling in beside me. He pulls me to him and arranges my body until I’m flush against his side, my head on his chest. My mind drifts, taking pleasure in the way he touched me with passion, and ownership, a delicate tenderness in his fingers that went well beyond the physical.
Everything inside me squeezes tight at the gentle display of affection. I lift my head to see him, and his drowsy expression is filled with pure adoration when it meets mine. Could he be any sweeter?
“Hey,” he murmurs.
“H
ey yourself,” I say, trying for casual when my whole world is completely off balance.
He absently runs his fingers up and down my arm, leaving goosebumps.
“Do you want to have a nap while I get dinner ready?”
I yawn, completely drowsy, but I don’t want to sleep. I want to spend all my time with this man. “No, I want to help.”
“Tell you what. I’ll pour you a glass of wine by the pool. You can relax while I barbecue dinner.”
“You don’t want my help?
“You caught the fish for us, babe. I’ll do my part by cooking it for you.”
Us.
My God, I love the sound of that. He touches my chin, lifts it. He leans down, pressing his mouth possessively on top of mine. My heart misses a beat as I give consideration to our future. Everything in the way he touches me and worships me speaks of something deeper. Is it possible that he might want the same thing I do? That after I finish Tyler’s yard, we don’t go our separate ways? What if I ask and I’m wrong?
What if I ask and I’m right?
15
Alek
Warm contentment fills my soul as Alyssa sips her wine in the pool and tosses the ball for Jack. He dashes off and his tail wags madly as he retrieves the ball and races back to the edge of the pool.
I grin as they play. “I thought he was a Jack Russell Terrier, not a retriever.”
“He just has so much energy to burn off.” She takes the ball from his mouth. “You like that, boy, you like that, huh?” she asks, and gives his head a quick rub before tossing the ball again.
He barks as he rushes off and she takes a sip of wine, sets it down and pushes off the side of the pool, completely naked beneath my watchful eye and completely comfortable in her own skin. I exhale slowly, happiness shimmering through me as I take in the view, thinking this is something I could totally get used to. Yeah, I’m a bachelor, a known player, and the guys have been telling me once the right girl comes along that will change it all. I never saw anything like that coming.
Until now.
Oh, boy.
“How’s the trout?” she asks.
I arch one brow. “You say that like you’re worried I’m going to burn it.”
“Nope, just wondering.”
“Liar,” I shoot back, and she laughs before dunking under. I flip the fish on the grill, getting a good char on the sides. The delicious smells fill the backyard and my stomach takes that moment to growl. When she reemerges, I ask, “Should we save some for Gram?”
Her warm smile wraps around me. Christ, when she looks at me like that, all sweet and appreciative it fucks me over and makes me want to do things for her. “That’s so sweet of you to think of her. She would love that.”
“It’s a big trout, plenty to go around. Of course, when I tell the story, it’s going to be this big,” I say and hold my hand about three feet apart, “and naturally it will be me who caught him and not you.”
“If that’s what your ego needs,” she says, and I laugh with her.
“Nah, I’m just kidding. You’ve got mad fishing skills, babe. I’m impressed.” Jack comes back with his ball, and I check the underside of the fish. “This is ready.”
She glides to the stairs and water drips off her gorgeous bare body as she reaches for a towel and pats her skin. Once dry, she tugs on one of my T-shirts, which seem to be her favorite things to wear around the house. My favorite, too. My dick agrees. He’s always clamoring for a front row seat.
I remove the fish, and we enter through the kitchen. Jack sniffs around and follows us in. Alyssa grabs the salad she made before jumping into the water and sets it on the table. We’re both warm and relaxed, our moods mellow…sleepy.
She divvies up the salad and I portion out the trout, and we both lazily sit at the table. “Oh,” she says, “I’ve finished with the sketches.” She pushes her notepad toward me, and I look at the design ideas she has for the yard. “I wanted to add this fire pit and terrace, and this really nice rose garden with a fountain over here.” She pauses and glances at me “I want to make this space his oasis, but I guess I probably should have discussed budget with him first.”
I wave my fork, dismissively. “No budget, have at it.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“Why not?” I slide a generous portion of fish into my mouth and moan around it. “This is so good, Aly.” She sits there and stares at me unblinkingly. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
“You just told me I had an unlimited budget. That’s insane.” She stabs a cucumber and bites into it. “Who gives full control without approving a budget or design?”
“Insane people, obviously,” I tease, and nudge her hand. “Now eat. You’re going to need your energy for later.”
She slides a piece of trout onto her fork. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get him the best prices, but what I have in mind is not going to be cheap.”
I shrug. “Whatever you do, Tyler will love it.”
“You sure you don’t want to call him and run this by him?”
“Nope, he trusts me, and I trust you, so there you go.”
Excitement moves into her eyes. “I can really do all the things I want?” She bites into her trout and her eyes close over. “You cooked it perfectly.”
“And you were worried about my skills,” I say.
“You’re a man of many talents, Alek.”
“Don’t you forget it.”
She draws her bottom lip between her teeth, and her eyes have a dazed, distant look in them when she says, “Pretty sure there’s no chance of that happening.”
I jump up and refill her wine and snatch a cold beer for myself. She takes a sip, and the conversation turns to my friends who are coming for a visit this weekend.
“You must be looking forward to seeing them,” she says. “I’ll make myself scarce while they’re here.”
As soon as the words leave her mouth my stomach plummets. Shit, I don’t want her to hide away, yet if I introduce her to my friends, how do I tell them to keep what a do a secret because I’ve been lying to her.
“No,” I say. “I’d like you to meet them.”
What are you doing, dude?
Fuck me.
She tucks a long strand of hair behind her ear, a seriousness in her eyes. “I don’t want them to get the wrong idea, Alek.”
“I’m a grown up. I can do what I want with who I want. It’s not really their business.”
She nods thoughtfully. “I guess you’re right, and they must all clearly know this isn’t serious. When we first met, you said your parents wanted you to settle down and have a family and you weren’t interested in that. I’m sure they all know that about you, so maybe they won’t jump to conclusions.” She smiles sweetly. “You said they’re always trying to set you up and get you married, so I just don’t want them interrogating you, thinking there was more here.”
“Right,” I say. On one hand, it’s sweet that she’s worried about me, on the other, I’m fucking sick and tired of the reminder that we’re not in a relationship.
What if I did want one, though?
You have a hockey career to think of, dude.
What if she came with me?
She’s not going to leave her grandmother, and you’d never ask that of her.
As I mull that over, thinking there might be a solution in there, I remember that she doesn’t really know who I am. Yeah, if that truth comes out now, I have no doubt she’d hate me for keeping it a secret.
I’m definitely going to have to talk to my friends, and Jesus, I’d better be prepared for the wrath of Quinn. She’s a feisty little one, and she might think this situation calls for a good swift kick to my balls. She wouldn’t be wrong.
“Okay,” Alyssa says. “I’ll stay and meet them.” She grins. “I bet they’re going to love to tell me salacious stories about you.”
That’s exactly what I’m worried about.
I check the time and redirect the conversation. “We�
��d better hurry if we want to try to catch Grandma awake.”
“She’s been doing so much better this last week. So alert.” Her shoulders squeeze tight with happiness. “I love that you’re getting to see that side of her.”
“Me too,” I say, understanding just how important her grandmother is to her.
“Afterward, I have a surprise for you,” she says playfully.
“Does it involve you naked by any chance?”
She laughs. “No, but it might involve something long and hard.”
“You had me at surprise, Aly.”
We both finish our meals, rinse our plates and load the dishwasher. The place is tidy, as the cleaner was in this morning while Alyssa ran out to pick up some fresh flowers for her grandmother’s vase. I offered to go with her but she insisted she had some business things to take care of, and I’m guessing it had to do with payments to the nursing home, so I let her have her privacy, even though being away from her was fucking torture.
Twenty minutes later, we walk into Rose’s room, and she’s sitting up, chatting with a woman with stylish silver hair and a big smile. The woman stands when she sees us.
“Alyssa, honey, there you are. I haven’t seen you in a couple of weeks. You’ve been coming in a bit later than usual.”
“I, uh, summertime,” she says. “Always a busy time for me.”
“Uh huh,” the woman says as her gaze slides to me, and I fix my ballcap. “Who might this be.”
“This is my friend Alek.”
“Alek,” Rose says, like she’s still trying to place me.
“Alek, this is my grandma’s friend Vivian. They’ve been friends since they were five years old.”
I take her hand into mine and give it a small squeeze. “So nice to meet you, Vivian.”
She grins at me, obviously very astute.
“What do you do, my boy?” she asks.
“Vivian,” Alyssa says quickly. “He’s helping a friend out in town. Dog watching for him.”
She goes quiet for a long time, and I brace myself for an interrogation. “Well, any boy who likes dogs and is a friend of Alyssa’s is a friend of mine.” I relax a bit. “I should be on my way,” she says. “Rose and I were working on a crossword puzzle.” She turns to Rose, who sets the book on her nightstand. “We’ll finish up when I come back tomorrow.”