Page 133 of Hard to Get

He tips me lower until my back meets the mattress, and moves over me. He unbuttons my jeans, draws down the zipper, then pushes them down and off my legs, leaving me in my pink bra and matching thong. He nuzzles my throat, my breasts, sucks on my nipples. Whimpers of pleasure fall from my lips he slides a hand beneath me to find the fastening of my bra and flick it open. “This is pretty, baby, but I want you bare.”

I bite my lip, gazing up at as he pulls the lace garment away and tosses it aside. Then he gets rid of my panties too. His gaze is full of admiration as he looks at my stomach, hips and thighs. It makes me feel beautiful.

“There we go. All naked and gorgeous for me to touch. For me to taste.” He kisses my lower belly.

He stretches out beside me on the bed, licking my breasts, caressing them, and slides a hand down to my pussy. He cups me gently, his big hand over my pulsing core. I part my thighs for him and he rubs his fingers up and down, then slides them deeper into me.

“Oh yeah,” he murmurs. “So wet. Love that.”

I make a soft needy little sound, reaching out to touch his chest.

He leans over to kiss my mouth as he fondles my pussy, sliding one arm beneath me. My thighs fall open wider as he plays there, my back arching, my mouth clinging to his in long, hungry kisses. Electricity sizzles over my nerve endings.

I’m burning for him. Aching.

He scrapes his fingernails over the sensitive skin of my inner thighs and my entire body jolts. He smiles against my lower belly, licking me there then pushing my thighs apart and moving between them, sliding his tongue over my pussy with long, slow drags.

“Oh my God.” I fling my arms wide. “Oh my God.”

“Gonna taste you here now, sweet girl.”

He glides his tongue over my hip bone, finds my knee with one hand, and pushes it up and back. His other arm slips beneath my hip to hug my other thigh. He licks all over my pussy, slow surface strokes of his tongue that make me quiver and burn. A coiling knot of need tightens low inside me. Then he touches his tongue to my clit. Sensation ripples through me and my hips jerk and lift against him.

“Yeah, baby.” He uses one thumb to open me a little more to his tongue. “You taste so goddamn good.”

He rises up to open his jeans and shove them down his thighs then kicks them off. He reaches for a condom and quickly suits up, then moves back between my thighs, easing my legs wider for him. He grasps his cock and slicks it up and down through my slit, rubbing over my swollen clit.

I suck in a sharp breath and open my eyes. Our gazes lock as he continues to stroke me.

“Stella.”

My lips pull up into a slow smile, and I reach for him, grazing my fingertips over his chest and abs, all the way to his pubic hair and the root of his cock. His muscles twitch beneath his hot, tight skin.

He finds my entrance and pushes inside, all the while holding my gaze. We stare into each other’s eyes in an intimate connection that’s consuming. Powerful. Safe.

I lift my head to watch us join. He eases deeper inside me and reaches for one of my hands. Lacing our fingers together, he fills me with exquisite pressure.

Eyes still joined, he fucks me hard, deep, joining us in almost unbearable intimacy. I curl my fingers around his and hold on tightly as the bed shudders with his every thrust, my lips parted, eyes heavy-lidded.

He is strength and tenderness, courage and kindness. He’s everything I told myself I didn’t want.

My eyes widen as my orgasm builds, that coiling heat, sensation twisting up higher and I’m clenching and pulling and I’m so high, it’s almost piercingly painful and then I shatter and I’m flying, gliding, floating. He collapses on me, burying his face in my neck, pulsing inside me.

“Love you, Stella,” he gasps into the side of my neck.

“I love you too.” I wrap my arms around him and open my mouth on his shoulder in a long kiss. “God, I love you too.”

It’s exciting and terrifying and a relief.

I felt like I would be letting down womanhood if I fell in love with a man again. If I wanted a relationship. Because we’ve gotten to the point where we don’t have to feel ashamed if we haven’t found a partner. And we don’t have to feel ashamed if we’re not even looking for love. But it’s not a weakness or a failure to fall in love. I don’t have to feel guilty about it, like I’ve betrayed all my single friends.

Like Gracie said to me… there’s no shame in falling in love.

I’m in Troy’s office with the door closed. We’re sitting at the round table in the corner, next to the big windows. I ignore the gorgeous view of the mountains and harbour in the bright sunshine.

“You know I’ve been opposed to expanding our business to include sports betting.”

He leans back in his chair. “Oh, I know.”