“How do I know you’re not going to change your mind again?” I whispered. Though I was sure my voice betrayed the fact that I had already made up my mind. I would do unspeakable things with him and not think twice.
“You don’t, but I’m willing to see where this goes if you are.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Good. One question, how much do you like this dress?” he asked, speculatively eyeing it.
“It’s a Christmas present actually.”
“God bless whoever gave it to you,” he said with a grin, “but I’d like it on the floor.”
I released a deep throaty laugh and reached for the side zipper. The dress slid down my body, all the way to my hips, and then it dropped into a heap on the floor. Since the dress was backless, I had to go braless. Now, I was dressed in nothing but a black lace thong and Louboutin heels.
I slowly stepped out of the dress and kicked it out of the way. Thanks for the present, Heidi!
“That’s better,” he said.
His hands slid behind my legs and lifted me off the ground. I squeaked at the sudden movement as he roughly placed me on the edge of his desk. He swept his hand over the top of it, letting half of the contents clatter to the ground, leaving a space for my body. He laid me back on the desk and raised my legs.
I tried to kick off the shoes, but he stopped me.
“Oh no,” he said. “If you’re going to wear designer shoes around me, then it’d be a shame not to fuck you in them.”
The way he observed me made my core clench, and I could feel my body responding to him…and he hadn’t even kissed me yet.
Then, I forgot all about the damn shoes as he kissed his way, achingly slow and tender, up my right leg. He reached the upper limit of my inner thigh, and I was writhing under him, practically begging for more. But he didn’t give me what I wanted. Instead, he moved to my other leg and started kissing all the way up that leg. It was torture of the best variety. And different than the last time we had been together.
We might have been at his house, but we had been on equal footing there. Here, he had the power, and I was his to guide. And, for once in my life, I let myself be ravaged. I didn’t care what would come after this and how we would move forward. I let him tease me until I could hardly take it anymore. His hands splayed my legs further apart, and then he blew hot against my damp underwear.
“Please,” I whimpered.
He hooked his fingers under my thong and slipped it off my body. I was completely naked now, save for the high heels. He propped my feet up on the desk and stared down at me, as if he were taking a picture for safekeeping.
Then, his hands went to the button of his tuxedo pants. He slipped the zipper down to the base and then dropped his pants. His dick was bulging under his boxer briefs, and I ached to run my hand down it, to take it in my mouth, and to hear him make all those delicious noises all over again. But I could see in his eyes that he had other things on his mind.
He palmed his cock in his hand, found a condom, and slipped it on. Then, he strode back toward me. I hadn’t moved a muscle the whole time. My breathing was shallow as I imagined what was to come. But I couldn’t have prepared myself.
Without comment, he slid into me to the hilt in one thrust. I was practically dripping on his desk, but I still gasped in shock as he stretched me to the fullest.
My body felt alive.
Alive and euphoric.
He gripped my hips so tight that he left little indents in the skin, and I worried there might be bruising tomorrow. Yet I didn’t care one bit. Just a sexy-as-fuck mark to show that he had claimed me. And claimed me, he did.
He pulled out of me and then slammed back in harder than the last time. My body rocked back toward the end of his desk, but he held on, rocking into me over and over again. Keeping up a jarring, uneven, intensely erotic pace that I couldn’t hope to match. So, I let him take complete control and tried to keep from screaming so loud that the people one story up could hear me.
We didn’t last like last time. We didn’t stand a chance. We were both heated up from our time apart and desperate for another round. I wasn’t trying to take my time, and he had no intentions of allowing it. It was clear that rough, hard, and fast were the only options in this scenario.
My mind disconnected from my body as I came violently and blissfully. I soared away into the abyss of pleasure. Relegating myself to base emotions only. Allowing myself to relish in how perfect every moment had been. To feel so extravagantly, so intentionally, and so unabatedly that all else fell away.
I realized Jensen was resting forward over me as I came back to myself. My legs were trembling like a newborn lamb, and a light sheen of sweat caressed my skin. Jensen’s eyes glimmered with passion and elation. I knew that he could go again soon, but for now, there was only immense satisfaction.
He slid out of me and offered me the bathroom attached to his office. When I finished cleaning up, I came back to see that Jensen looked immaculate again. His tux was perfectly in place, and if I hadn’t just seen the raw and wild man beneath, I’d never have known that he’d just fucked my brains out.
“Do you have to go back to the party?” I asked, unable to keep the caution out of my voice. I reached for my dress and slid it back on, securing the zipper in place.
“I seem to be otherwise occupied,” he said.
He drew me into him, and for the first time all night, he planted an affectionate kiss on my lips. I fell into it, wanting nothing less than a thousand more of them.
“I like that,” I said.
“I think I’m going to have to take you out now.”
“Oh? Tacos?” I only half-joked.
“Probably something nicer than tacos after the week I’ve put you through,” he said.
“You don’t have to do that. I don’t need a fancy dinner as an apology. I liked our first date,” I told him truthfully. “It felt…real.”
He smiled down at me and captured another kiss. “It was.”
Chapter 18
Emery
“Emery!” Kimber yelled.
“Just a second,” I called back. I was putting the finishing touches on my hair, trying to make it do what Heidi had gotten it to do and failing miserably. I put the curling wand down and shrugged. It was better to go as myself than to try to be someone I wasn’t. And a girl who fixed her hair on the regular was definitely not me.
“Emery, now!” Kimber screamed.
My eyebrows rose, and I hurried out of the bathroom. “What is it? What’s going on?”
I found Kimber curled in the fetal position on the floor of her bedroom. She was breathing deeply and winced in pain.
“Oh my God!” I cried. “Are you having contractions? Are you in labor?”
“I don’t”—she cried out and then clenched down, as if bracing herself—“know. It could just be Braxton Hicks contractions.”
“You’re speaking another language to me,” I said. I hurried to her side and helped her back up onto the bed. “I don’t know what that means. What can I do? Where’s Lily?”
“Nothing. Just—oh God!” she said, clenching up again. “Just stay here a minute. Lily is playing in her room.”
“Okay. Should I check on her? Should I just stand here?”
“Em, really not the time. Just hold my”—she viciously squeezed down on my hand—“hand.”
“Got it. Hand-holding.”
“Braxton Hicks contractions are prep for actual labor. They usually go away all on their own, but if they don’t, then I’ll have to go to the hospital.”
“Should I call Noah?” I asked.
She nodded her head. “You’d better, just in case. I know he’d want to be here.”
I dialed Noah’s number and filled him in on what was going on. He promised he’d be on his way in a matter of minutes. When I hung up, Kimber was in the middle of another contraction. I didn’t know anything about Braxton Hicks contractions, but she looked like she was in a lot of pa
in. Even if she wasn’t going into labor, I wanted her to be seen by a doctor. Noah should be able to tell if something was wrong, but I’d be happier if we got her to the hospital.
Noah arrived from the medical center in record time. He took a quick look at his wife. “Looks like things are progressing quickly. Better safe than sorry, my love.”
“Get the bag,” Kimber said with a sigh. “I hoped that she’d wait until after Christmas. This is early.”
“She’s as stubborn as her mother. Comes and goes whenever she wants without consulting anyone at all,” I joked.
Kimber gave me a grim smile. “Can you watch Lilyanne for us? I hate to ask. I know that you have a date tonight.”
“Of course I can watch Lily. Don’t even think twice about it. Just make sure everything is all right with you and know that I have things under control here.”
Kimber kissed my cheek. “You’re a lifesaver.”
“Text me if you need me!” I called as I watched them go.
I traipsed back into my room and dialed Jensen’s number. I knew he’d been planning our official date for a few days. He’d had a lot of business to catch up on, and I hadn’t seen him, except at church on Sunday morning. But we’d talked every night, and I thought it was progress, on our way to something normal.
“Hey, Emery,” he said when he answered the phone. “I was just about to leave my house.”
“Actually…”
“Oh no, are you canceling?”
“Not on purpose,” I assured him. “My sister went into labor, or maybe pseudo labor, and they’re heading to the hospital. I promised her I’d watch my niece. So, I guess we’ll have to cancel.”
“Hmm,” he said. “How about I come over there and help you babysit?”
“You…what? You want to help watch Lily?” I asked, confused.
“I’d still like to see you, and I like kids.”
“But it’s not our fancy dinner date…”
“Yes. But I haven’t seen you in days, and I’m not giving up the opportunity. Unless you don’t want me to be around your niece?”
“No, it’s not that. I’d love for you to come over. I bet Lilyanne would, too.”
“Great. Then, it’s a date.”
I pocketed my cell phone and hurried to Lily’s room. She was still playing peacefully when I entered. Kimber didn’t want Lily to know anything was wrong until they were sure she was in labor. She was certain that it would keep Lily up all night. So, it was up to me to entertain the munchkin until I had more substantial news.
“Hey, Lily Bug,” I said. “What are you up to?”
“Playing with Barbies.” She had a collection of them in various stages of dress on the floor.
“Well, I wanted to let you know that your mommy and daddy went to the doctor for a checkup, and I get to watch you tonight.”
“Is my new baby sister coming?” she asked with big excited eyes.
“Not yet. Just a checkup, but that means you get to hang out with Auntie Em tonight. You know what that means?”
Lily jumped up to her feet. “Ice cream and sprinkles and Disney movies!”
“That’s right, missy!”
I lifted her into my arms and carried her downstairs. We raided the freezer. I knew where Noah tried to hide all the good flavors of ice cream, and we took out every last carton to decide on what we wanted. I liked to make her a bowl of ice cream about the size of the one in Home Alone and then hand her off to my sister. Tonight, I’d have to deal with putting her to sleep, so I knew that a mountain of ice cream might not be the best bet.
I placed a couple of scoops of chocolate ice cream in her bowl and a mix of strawberry, vanilla, and strawberry cheesecake into mine. We fished through the toppings, drizzling chocolate fudge and sprinkles on our desserts, and then we carried our bowls out to the living room.
Lily was busy with perusing the movies when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!” she cried. “Mommy, Daddy, is my new sister here?”
I laughed and followed her to the front door. “You know it’s not time yet. I have another surprise for you instead.”
Turning the doorknob, I opened it to reveal Jensen standing at the front door. My breath caught at the sight of him in jeans and a casual button-up. It had only been a few days, but I’d missed seeing that grin.
“My boyfriend!” Lily cried.
Jensen laughed. “Hey, Lilyanne. I heard you had a pretty awesome babysitter and thought I would drop by to hang out, too. How does that sound?”
“Yes! Where are my flowers?” Lilyanne asked.
I snorted. “Oh, boy!”
“Guess I should have seen that one coming,” Jensen said.
I stepped back to let him come in out of the cold. Lilyanne took his hand and guided him into the living room. She babbled the entire time about our ice cream creations and asked him what movie he wanted to watch and if she could paint his nails. I tried to conceal the laugh that was bubbling up, but it was there anyway. Yet Jensen didn’t seem in the least bit perturbed by her questions.
“I think I need my own ice cream before we start the movie,” Jensen told her.
“I can help!” Lilyanne cried. “I’m great with sprinkles.”
“I bet you are.” He lifted her up and onto his shoulders, and he carried her into the kitchen.
Lilyanne screamed in pure joy at being so high in the air, and I just followed in awe.
Jensen scooped out his own ice cream and let Lily add the sprinkles. Then, he took the bowl back into the living room with Lily back on his shoulders. He easily dropped her in front of the shelf of Disney movies and then leaned over and pulled me tight against him.
“I missed you,” he said. He planted a firm but quick kiss on my lips.
“I missed you, too. Are you sure you don’t mind this?”
“Do I look like I mind?”
I shook my head. He definitely didn’t.
“Who could pass up a big bowl of ice cream and Disney movies?” he asked.
“I’m certain, no one.”
“Found it!” Lilyanne cried.
“Let me guess,” I said.
“No! It’s a surprise.”
“Okay. I won’t look,” I told her. I took the Blu-ray from her and popped it into the player.
Lilyanne took the spot next to Jensen and instructed me that I had to sit on the other side of her. With Lily in the middle, Jensen draped his arm across the back of the couch and kept his hand on my shoulder. I smiled at him as the opening credits to Frozen began. It was only a matter of minutes before the entire thing became a sing-along. By the time “Let It Go” came on, Jensen and I were swinging Lily between us as we all led into the chorus.
We finished Frozen, and we were halfway through Tangled when Lily began to crash. To my amazement, it was already well past her bedtime. She lay stretched out between us with her head on a pillow in my lap. Her eyes kept fluttering closed as her sugar high dissipated. I waited until she was sound asleep before moving out from under her.
I reached for my phone and saw that I had a text from Kimber.
Everything is all right here. It was Braxton Hicks contractions, but they last a long time, so the doctor just wanted to check me out. I’ve been told I need to rest, but I might die since I haven’t even finished Christmas shopping! Be home soon!
As long as you and the baby are okay, that’s all that matters. We can shop on Amazon and have all the presents delivered!
“All right. Everything is okay with Kimber. They’re leaving the hospital soon.”
“Good. I’m glad that the baby didn’t come early,” Jensen said. “Want me to take this one up to her room?”
“You don’t mind?”
Jensen didn’t even reply. He just lifted Lilyanne into his arms like a baby doll and effortlessly carried her up the stairs. I followed, directing him along the way. He gently placed her on her bed and tucked the covers all around her. She let out a satisfied sigh, and Jensen just smiled at her.
Jensen eased the door closed behind us. He took my hand, and we walked back downstairs. I curled into his side on the couch as Tangled continued to play in the background.
“You’re really great with her,” I told him.
“I like kids.”
“I like kids who are raised right. Lilyanne is an angel compared to some other kids her age.”
“That is true,” he agreed. His eyes slid down to me, and he smiled. “She’s full of possibilities. I love that about her. She has so much joy and is full of life. I think she reminds us all that we need to live a little more. Be a bit more carefree.”
I nodded. “That’s definitely Lily.” I sighed and thought about all the things in my life that hadn’t been full of joy. All of those things that had led me to this moment. “It’s part of the reason I left my PhD program.”
“What do you mean? You didn’t feel carefree anymore?”
“I didn’t have any joy. I just wish I’d figured it out sooner. I wish I hadn’t needed to be hit over the head to know the program wasn’t right. I mean…I’d already completed my comprehensive exams. All I had to do was finish my dissertation and defend it to my committee to pass.”
“How could you quit if you were so close?” he asked curiously.
I bit my lip and looked away from him. “I really didn’t love it. I think I was doing it because one thread kept pulling me back to it. The stress got out of control. I couldn’t handle it, and I had to get on anxiety medication. Plus, well, I found out my advisor was sleeping with an undergrad.”
“Jesus,” he said. “What a prick! Did he get fired?”
“I didn’t turn him in. I just broke up with him and quit the department.”
I wasn’t sure I could have shocked him more. Jensen’s mouth was actually hanging open.
“You were dating your professor?” he asked.
“Yeah, for almost three years. Welcome to my life,” I said with a stiff laugh.
“How long ago did you find out about him cheating on you?” he asked.
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