Somewhere in the cavernous foyer, a grandfather clock chimed and I wondered when I was going to turn into a pumpkin. Surely this was too much of a dream to last long. But even as minutes ticked by, Edward was still the same easy conversationalist with a sweet smile and a bright sense of humor. The whiskey and fire started to warm me inside and out and I relaxed.
As we talked about
Cleopatra
and laughed about our kiss in the theater, the heat between us began to build again. With his eyes on my face, he wrapped his fingers around my ankle. I stretched out my leg and waited to see what he was going to do. My breathing quickened as he slid his hand up my calf. He sat up, shifting his weight so that he could move his hand under my skirt, leaving fire burning across my knee and thigh. The hem dragged up along with his exploring hand, and he leaned down, kissing the skin he exposed. His eyes met mine as he paused above my knee, wordlessly asking for permission. I answered by lying back on the couch.
He trailed his mouth up my inner thigh and grazed the heat between my legs. I moaned as I ran both my hands through his hair. My back arched when he wet the thin fabric of my lace underwear with a long heavy lick of his tongue and he chuckled, a deep, manly sound that made my insides twist. He leaned back, one long finger pulling aside the crotch of my panties to gain better access.
“Ah!” I cried out as his tongue delved between my folds.
He worked over my clit before dancing down to my entrance, each pass making my legs tremble. When he took my clit between his teeth and lightly tugged, I keened, the sound coming from a place deep inside me. He slowly pushed one finger inside me, twisting his wrist as he did so and I tensed, feeling an orgasm building inside me.
He didn’t push me immediately over, instead taking his time to bring up slowly and when I came, it was with a harsh, desperate cry. My fingers tightened in his hair and I gasped out his name as he gave my clit another gentle tug with his teeth.
I came down slowly, my body shuddering as he continued to tease me. Unable to take it, I pulled on his head, drawing him up onto the couch to kiss me. The deep, exploring thrusts of his tongue were mirrored by the rubbing press of his growing hardness, and I could taste myself on his lips and tongue.
“I need you,” he said roughly. “Can I…?”
“Do you even have to ask?” I arched myself closer, so desperate now that I might have cried if he’d tried to pull away.
Edward broke away and got to his feet. He made short work of his shirt and then held out his hand.
I took it and let him help me to my feet. His hands slid over my shoulders, taking the straps of my dress with them.
“You know,” he said quietly. “The first time I saw this dress, I knew I wanted to see you in it.” He reached around and slowly pulled down the zipper. “And then I wanted to take you out of it.”
The words left me trembling even more and I stared at him, blushing even as I smiled while the dress dropped to the floor. It pooled around my bare feet and for a moment, Edward just stared at me. I went to take my bra off, but he caught my hands, guiding them to my sides and then he took over the task, opening the front catch.
I moaned when he cupped my breasts in his hands, his thumbs circling around my nipples. They were aching and tight and each touch felt so good. Arching into his touch, I reached out and gripped his shoulders.
Skilled hands slid down my ribcage to my hips and he hooked his fingers in the waistband of my panties. With his eyes blazing, he went to his knees and took my panties with him. I stepped out of them, balancing myself with my hands on his shoulders. He looked up at me and kissed the inside of my thigh before standing.
“My turn.” He took off his pants, the movements quick, but not rushed. I had a moment to admire the way his black boxer briefs hugged his body and then they were joining the pants.
His cock was rigid and my pussy throbbed, a clenching need settling deep inside at the sight of him. He drew me to him with both hands, running them down my bare back as we kissed and let our naked bodies touch. The slow tickling circles he traced on my ass made me moan. He answered with a deep guttural sigh before lowering me to the rug.
He took a brief moment to roll on a condom and then our bodies joined in one silky push and I curled my knees up on either side of his hips in pure pleasure. He moved slowly, circling before drawing out and then pressing back deep into the center of me. His lips and tongue made trails across my collarbone and breasts, little licks of fire before he fastened his mouth around my nipple. He sucked on it hard, sending an almost painful jolt straight through to my core. He waited as my climax came closer, my hands opening and closing on his back, urging him forward. I was right at the edge and I felt his body tighten.
“Are you ready?” he asked through gritted teeth. I could see the strain on his face.
I nodded. “Please.”
He shifted his hips as he thrust into me, hitting that spot inside me even as the base of his cock pressed against my clit. I called out his name, wrapping my legs around him to hold him as close as possible as his orgasm joined mine. Our bodies rocked together, drawing out every possible moment of exquisite pleasure.
Even after we came apart, we lay there in front of the fire until it was nothing but winking embers. I was curled up against him, both of us partially covered by a blanket he’d pulled from the couch.
The heat left me drowsy and languid, but I wouldn’t let myself sleep. I didn’t want to miss a moment of this. Every so often, he tipped the whiskey glass to my lips and we drank together in long, lingering kisses.
When the ivory-plated clock chimed two, I finally stood up. I needed to leave or I wouldn’t make myself leave at all.
He sent a quick message with his phone before pulling on his pants.
“You could stay if you wanted to,” he told me as I dressed.
I just shook my head as I picked up my shoes. We paused at the door and he kissed me again.
“Stay,” he murmured.
“Never before the third date.” I had to harden my reserve though.
He groaned, although it was a playful sound. He opened the door and escorted me down the steps. The town car was waiting with the door open. He must have sent Paul a message.
He caught my hand before I got into the car. “What are you doing Tuesday?”
Chapter 7
“You’re going out with him again?”
I rolled my eyes at the disapproval in her voice. “I know it seems a little crazy, Kendra, but he’s wonderful. You’d like him.”
She slapped butter on the toast and left it on the counter untouched. Her light green eyes were flashing. “You don’t even know his last name and you’re seeing an awful lot of him.”
“You know,” I said mildly. “For someone who came home at three in the morning on a Monday night, wait, Tuesday morning, you sound awfully judgmental.”
Kendra gnashed into her slice of toast and tossed the other one down the counter at me. We ate in silence as the coffee finished brewing. I poured her a cup and turned to get the milk. I didn’t like arguing with her, but I was a little tired of her double standards. I’d never said anything about her dating habits.
“He’s totally distracted you from getting a job,” she said.
“That’s not true. He’s distracting me from the hell that is my job. I’m happy, K. Can I just be happy for a week?”
She took the coffee and kissed my cheek. “Fine. You can be happy until rent is due again.”
I was still a little annoyed, but I didn’t want to fight anymore. “You don’t know. Maybe Edward is just dating me because he can sense I’m the world’s next top hand model.” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
I knew she was stressing over the rent. I was, too. We’d put in another call about the landlord issue, but nobody had returned our call and if we didn’t hear from somebody soon, we were either going to have to pay the insane amount that was being asked or leave. It pissed me off because we knew we were being jerked around, but unless we could get somebody to talk to us, what were we supposed to do?
She grumbled under her breath and left to go shower and pack up. She had a photo shoot that was supposed to last most of the day and I needed to get to work too.
Just a couple of hours and I’d see Edward again. After a crazy week, I needed it.
***
Psycho-boss was even more psycho than normal. Even the people who normally fawned over her and kissed her psycho-boss ass were steering clear of her and when she left for lunch, I took my shot at escape, more than happy to head to my lunch date with Edward.
Instead of a restaurant, however, he’d asked me to meet him at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. I smiled as I saw him coming towards me. He’d left his tie and suit coat in the car, but it was obvious he was coming straight from work. He lifted me up into a joyous kiss before he rolled up his sleeves and threaded my arm through his. We weaved through the tourists taking pictures and wandered further into the park.
“How’s work?” I asked.
“Same old. I have a big meeting this afternoon so I can’t stay too long.”
I tried not to feel too disappointed. “Then you better kiss me again.” I dragged him off the path and leaned up against an oak tree, pulling him towards me. He leaned into me and I wrapped my arms around his neck before our lips met again. The kiss was far too brief for my taste.
“Mmm,” he murmured against my neck. “I’m hungry.”
Teasingly, I said, “But you said you don’t have much time…and we can’t do
that
here.”
He chuckled and pulled away. “I meant food. Come on.”
“Since we don’t have much time, what do you suggest? Hot dog vendor?” I asked, looking around. The carts were everywhere.
“I have a better idea.” He led me around the tree to a clearing I hadn’t seen until that moment.
Paul waved to us from a blanket on an open spot on the grass. He’d spread out a perfect picnic lunch in view of the lake.
“Wow.” I breathed out a happy sigh. “That’s much better than a vendor.”
Once we settled onto the wool blanket, he opened the wine, handed it to Edward, and left us alone.
“You don’t want to talk about work and you have a driver who also delivers picnics.” I sipped my wine for a moment and then looked up at Edward, lowering my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Are you Batman?”
Edward chuckled. “More like Batman’s dutiful son who does all the boring work of keeping a family business afloat.”
“Ah, you’re right. The more you say ‘family business’ the more I know you must be in the mob.” I grinned at him.
“Again, far more exciting than what I do.”
He clinked his wine glass against mine and spread a bite of soft cheese on a chunk of baguette.
“Besides, I’d rather hear about your world.”
“You mean the glamorous world of writing pages for peanuts? The one where I once contemplated using toilet paper for a coffee filter because, after my rent was paid, I couldn’t afford to buy even the cheap ones?”
“Yes, that one,” Edward said with a smile. “The one where you love the actual work despite everything else. Including toilet paper coffee.”
He popped a bite of salami in my mouth and I sucked his fingers before savoring the salty bite. He licked his lips and moved in closer. Feeling something like Cleopatra, I took a taste of briny olive from his fingers. He rubbed the other half along my lower lip and then bent to kiss its taste from my mouth. I could get used to eating this way.
The next few minutes passed in a lazy, sensual silence and I felt the stress of the morning passing away.
“I have to go soon, but please say we can meet for dinner.” Edward brushed his fingers across my cheek as he spoke.
“Yes, please,” I said.
“This doesn’t bother you?”
“What?” I gave him a puzzled look.
“I know I’m moving us a little fast, but I can’t help it. If I didn’t have this meeting I would want to spend the whole day with you.” There wasn’t a trace of insincerity in his voice.
“I don’t understand why people think all relationships follow the same timeline,” I said. “Some start fast and some take years to develop.”
Without meaning to, my mind jumped to the firework blast of Flynn. I had to remind myself it was a fling, not a relationship. No matter how much I tried to stop it, he kept coming to mind and the flash of him always made my heart thump.
Stop it
, I told myself, adding in a mental kick in the ass.
Those two were on total opposite ends of the spectrum.
On the good side was Edward, sitting next to me on the blanket. He whispered questions in my ear about the people we saw in the park and we sipped our wine and laughed as I made up back-stories. The good was us feeding each other creamy bites of Brie cheese and sweet red grapes in between shared smiles, and it would’ve been just as good if the food had been cheap cheddar and crackers.
The bad was the burst of heat I felt when a man walked by with a camera. My cheeks flared as I remembered the teasing pressure of Flynn’s fingers inside me, the flood of pleasure as he’d slowly pulled them out and rubbed me until I’d panted. How he’d felt filling me. The bad was the way he’d jerked his head to the bathroom, telling me I could clean up, collect my cash and get out, thanks, bye. The embarrassment of it
still
stung.