Holding Out for You

by Anna Paige

  She kept right on trying, a sly smile on her face. “Tease.”

  It was obvious this night was going to be the biggest test of my willpower yet.

  If I held off for two damn years, I could hold off for another eight-ish hours.

  Couldn’t I?

  Blair leaned in and grazed my jawline with the tip of her tongue.

  Yep.

  Biggest. Test. Ever.

  One I refused to fail, despite her continued flirtations.

  Of course, there was no harm in letting her try to talk me out of my pants, was there? I was determined to be honorable, but it wasn’t like I was a damn saint.

  I reached for my wine glass with the heat of her breath on my neck.

  There was something to be said for delayed gratification. After all, hadn’t I spent two years waiting for her to look at me the way she was tonight? To have her in my arms the way she was right now? To have her wanting me as much as I wanted her?

  Apart from the obvious incentive to allow her to continue trying to sway me, it was also serving to distract her from her injury. It was kind of a win-win, provided it didn’t go too far. So, I settled in and sipped my wine with her lips on my throat and her hand on my thigh.

  Tonight, I would let her make these delicious little moves, enjoying her boldness and reveling in her desire for me.

  Tomorrow, I would claim what was mine.

  Blair

  “Wake your butt up and check this out,” I told Ash as I stood beside the bed. I’d slept better than I had all week, no dreams, no nightmare scenarios from the beach or some distant court date, just me and Ash, holding on to each other all night in delicious contentment.

  But now the sun was up, and I was anything but sleepy.

  He peeked one eye open and groaned. “Check what out?”

  “This!” I declared and began doing jumping jacks, refusing to allow even the smallest hint of pain to show on my face.

  His smile was instantaneous as he leaned up and took a better look. “Wait, wait. Where are the heels? I said I wanted you to do them in high heels.”

  “And I said I wanted to expedite the ETF, but I didn’t get that either,” I quipped as I counted off the last two jumping jacks. “Ten. There. Proof that I’m fine.”

  “You don’t even want coffee first?” His grin—and that tent he was pitching—told me he didn’t give a damn about caffeine either, not this morning.

  “I did the jumping you wanted, now it’s time for you to do the jumping I wanted.” I climbed back on the enormous king-sized bed and practically dove on top of him, giggling as he wrestled with the sheet he was now pinned under.

  “I did not wait this long only to have it ruined by morning breath. Give me one minute.”

  “I already brushed and started the coffee for after, so I’ll just wait here to be ravaged.”

  He gave a low growl and leaned in, cupping my breast as he said, “You won’t have to wait long. Use that time to prepare yourself, because I’m about to ruin you for all other men.”

  “You already have.” I kissed the tip of his nose and slapped his ass. “Now hurry up.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He was gone in a flash, leaving me to ruminate on what he’d said and the truth of my own flippant reply.

  I really was ruined.

  And I couldn’t have been happier about it.

  Barely three minutes later, Ash returned and slowly crawled onto the bed where I lay with one arm thrown over my head and the other casually resting on my belly. “You shed some clothes since I stepped out of the room.”

  And I had. He’d insisted I wear my pajamas last night to help him behave—though that was the last thing I’d wanted him to do. While he was in the bathroom, I’d slipped off the PJs and donned a pale pink lace bra and panty set.

  He tucked a finger under each of my bra straps, working them down my arms an inch at a time. “Is this what you wanted, baby? For me to take my time, slowly unwrapping you like the gift that you are?” He swept his tongue over his lower lip, eyes locked on mine. “Or would you rather I tore this thin material apart like tissue paper and devoured you like the starving man I am?”

  “I want it how you’ve pictured it all this time, whatever that means. You’ve been waiting forever, Ash. You deserve the fantasy.”

  “You are my fantasy. The rest is just details.” He leaned down and swept his tongue across my throat.

  “When you pictured it, being with me, how was it? Slow and sweet? Fast and feral? Whatever you pictured . . .” I trailed off and cupped his erection through his pajama pants. “I want that our first time. We can do this a million times in a million ways, but the first time you’re inside me, I want it to be exactly how you always imagined it.” I gave the tip of him a squeeze. “And I want it now.”

  “Then, baby, you shall have it,” he said against my throat, even as one arm snaked around my back and he opened the clasp of my bra with an expert snap of his fingers. He discarded the bra without looking up, nipped my throat with his teeth, then ran his tongue across it to soothe the sting.

  I’d never been more turned on in my life than when his hands were at my hips, nudging my panties down as he kissed and nipped and licked his way from my neck to my collarbone to the space between my breasts.

  I felt the hitch in his breath when he caught sight of the first cluster of bruises, but he didn’t look up. Instead, he trailed a series of feather-light kisses over them before seeking out the others and repeating the action. One of his hands rested on my waist, his thumb lazily brushing my ribcage as he took his time covering my entire chest with sweet, soothing kisses.

  “It’s okay, they don’t hurt anymore,” I told him on a ragged breath, torn between wanting to cry at having those stupid marks marring this moment and wanting him to continue his trail of kisses lower.

  In response, he increased the pressure of his lips, finally taking one of my breasts in hand and gently kneading it for a moment. He flicked the sensitive tip of my nipple with his tongue while holding my gaze, his breath cooling the wetness left behind when he said, “We should have opted for the whole week. I could spend the entire weekend doing this alone.” He flicked my nipple again, adding a tiny brush of his teeth afterward that made me hiss in pleasure. “Tasting you, inhaling your sweet fragrance, kissing every inch of your body . . . now that I’m finally here with you, I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to stop.”

  “Then don’t,” I urged, running my hands through his hair. “You were the one who said we had all the time in the world. In this moment, it feels like we do.”

  He muttered my name and sealed his mouth over my nipple, worrying it over and over with his tongue, cupping my other breast in his hand and tweaking it between his thumb and forefinger. His breath danced through the valley between my breasts as I shuddered and quaked beneath him.

  He moved with slow determination, every movement, every brush of his skin against mine more erotic than the last.

  “Ash, please . . .” I pulled at his hair, needing more but not sure what exactly I was asking for.

  His mouth returned to mine in an instant, and once again I wondered if his kiss alone would be enough to make me orgasm. I’d never been kissed like this, and I never wanted it to stop.

  If his kisses were this mind-blowing, what was in store for me later?

  Soon, he was leaning back and slipping my panties all the way off, letting them drop carelessly to the floor as he trained his eyes on the bare flesh at my center.

  Looked like I was about to find out the answer to my question.

  The sheer lust in his eyes made me shudder beneath his stare. I’d never had anyone look at me the way he did, with such hunger and reverence in equal measure.

  He met my gaze then, one corner of his mouth turning up into a smile so sexy I actually sighed at the sight of it. His hand came up over the back of his neck and he snatched off his T-shirt in one fluid motion as he slid off the edge of the bed and reached into his duffle bag. H
e took out two condoms and tossed them onto the bed with a wink. “For starters. I have plenty more where those came from.”

  “Good,” I whispered, barely able to breathe as he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his pants and slid them down and off, taking his boxer briefs with them.

  He was gloriously, stunningly, unbelievably flawless in his nakedness. Every inch of him so perfect it was almost maddening.

  When he began to crawl toward me on the bed, all other thought was gone from my mind. All I could see, hear, taste, and touch was desire.

  With one patient, gentle hand, he nudged my thighs apart and slid between them, still on his knees as he opened one of the foil packets and rolled the condom on. “I’m going to devour every inch of this gorgeous body before I’m through, but right now all I can think is that I may lose my mind if I don’t get inside you right this fucking second.”

  In response, I held his eye and parted my legs even farther.

  He hissed in a ragged breath and lowered himself over me, positioning his cock at my entrance but not immediately pressing inside. There was a gentle nudge followed by another and another. I couldn’t imagine the control it took to hold back after all this time, all this buildup.

  When even I was on the verge of losing it, he thrust ever so gently inside, seating himself to the hilt with one long, delicious stroke before stilling and staring down into my eyes.

  My God, Ashton Hunter is inside me.

  My head swam with the realization, the sheer astonishment that this had become my life. That he wanted me this much, that he felt this good, that we fit together so perfectly.

  It was enough to make my heart skip several beats.

  I’d never forget this as long as I lived. This feeling, this moment, this man.

  And just when I thought the moment couldn’t get more surreal, more memorable, he leaned down and kissed me slow and deep, whispering against my lips. “I love you.”

  Ashton

  The only sound was Blair’s sharp inhalation as the words settled between us. I didn’t give her a chance to respond before adding, “It’s only ever been you. And you’re the only woman who’s ever heard those words from me.”

  I pulled back an inch or two and gently pushed into her again. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever made love to. My first. My only.”

  “Ash . . .” she trailed off and swallowed thickly. “I’m so in love with you. I think somewhere deep down I have been since I was a kid. I just needed help admitting it.” She cupped my cheek with one hand and placed the other on the small of my back, pulling me to her while pushing herself up to grind against me. My heart felt like it would burst from my chest. This was what I’d been waiting for, and it was perfect.

  “This is the most amazing moment of my life,” she said as she ground against me again. “Make sure I’ll never forget one second of it, okay?”

  I drew back and thrust into her again, nodding. “It would be my pleasure. And yours too.” I winked and thrust a bit harder, loving the slight widening of her eyes as she held my gaze. “You’re sure the ankle is better?”

  “Positive. Do with me what you will.”

  “Oh, you really shouldn’t have said that, baby.” I straightened my legs and rolled, pulling her along until she was straddling me, taking me impossibly deep and hissing through her teeth at the delicious angle of my cock hitting her sweet spot.

  With both hands on her hips, I guided her movements until she seemed ready to take over on her own. Even then, I kept holding on, using my grip to help steady me as I pushed up into her over and over, meeting her thrusts and making her moan with pleasure.

  When she began to shake and her thighs quivered at my sides, I flipped her onto her back and lifted her left leg onto my shoulder, changing the angle again and reveling in the sound of her panting my name.

  “Ash,” she whimpered, gripping my sides as I worked myself deeper and deeper inside her.

  “What, baby?”

  She tossed her head from side to side, her fingers digging into my flesh. “I need . . .”

  “What do you need?” I reached down and circled her clit with my thumb.

  All she could manage was unintelligible mumbling, her head still lolling from side to side like she was fighting for the words or maybe she couldn’t verbalize them because even she didn’t know what she needed.

  “You need me to make you come?” I removed my thumb from her throbbing clit and smiled down at her.

  Panting and moaning, she nodded, her eyes hooded and out of focus.

  “Say the words and I’ll give you what you need.”

  “Ash,” she whimpered again.

  “Yes?” I was having a hard time not blowing my load, but seeing her writhing under me this way was so damn good. Fuck, even my fantasies weren’t this amazing.

  She wriggled and groaned and whimpered some more before finally—finally—saying, “Make me come. I love you so much, please make me come.”

  Fucking hell.

  I placed my thumb over her clit again, this time circling faster and faster, applying more pressure as I went even as my balls drew up tight and my spine began to tingle with my own impending orgasm.

  “So good . . .” she panted, pressing against my thumb and tilting her hips up ever so slightly.

  “Sure as hell is,” I agreed on a low growl, letting her leg drop as I leaned forward to pump harder into her.

  Her legs suddenly stiffened around me and her thighs began to quake. When my name tumbled from her lips again and her pussy started to pulse around me, I was lost to the sensation of the most powerful orgasm I’d ever had in my fucking life.

  My rhythm was lost as I erratically pumped inside her, over and over as she wrapped her legs around my hips and pulled me tight to her chest.

  We rode the wave of our mutual ecstasy together, locked in each other’s arms, and it wasn’t like I’d always dreamed it would be.

  It was so much better.

  We made love seven times that morning. We touched and tasted and stroked every inch of each other’s bodies over and over until we were so exhausted neither of us could move. So, we slept. Still tangled together, our limbs twisted around each other in a death grip as she slumbered on my chest.

  And when we awakened, we made love again.

  By dinner time, we were able to keep our hands off each other long enough to cook a quick meal and then it was off to the hot tub on the deck to make love while the fireflies flew lazily over the lake, making the sky and the water sparkle.

  When midnight drew near and we were both as sated as humanly possible, I tucked her naked body against my side and slept the most peaceful night’s sleep of my life.

  If I had my way, I would go to bed that way every night from that night forward and awaken to her sweet face every morning.

  That would be my idea of heaven.

  Ashton

  We were packing up early Sunday afternoon when Blair looked over at me, sweeping a heated gaze down my body before shaking herself and asking, “What exactly has your mom said about all this?”

  “All this meaning you and me?” I couldn’t help being amused at the whisper of worry in her voice.

  She gave me an impatient look. “Yes, Ash. You and me. What was her reaction?”

  I chuckled and helped her plop the pillows back on the bed. “I think she said something akin to ‘I owe Phil twenty bucks,’ but the details are fuzzy. It might have been fifty bucks.” I attempted to hide my grin as she narrowed her eyes at me.

  “I’m trying to have a serious conversation here and all you’re doing is teasing.”

  “Baby, if I were teasing, you wouldn’t still be making the bed. You’d be in it. With your thighs wrapped around my head.”

  There was that heated look again. “Don’t try to distract me. I need to know where I stand with your mom.”

  “She’s always adored you, Blair. Why would that change now?”

  She shrugged, looking away. “I wasn’t you
r girlfriend before. I was just Becker’s bratty little sister.”

  “You were definitely a brat,” I agreed, teasing. “But who called you my girlfriend?”

  She froze, eyes widening as she swung back to look at me. “I wasn’t trying to imply . . . I mean, I know you didn’t actually say . . .” Her hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose. “Shit.”

  “Blair, I was only joking.” I rounded the bed and took the tiny, lacy throw pillow from her hands before she wrung the stuffing out of it. “What part of I’m desperately, madly, deeply in love with you did you not comprehend? The term ‘girlfriend’ wasn’t specifically used because it seems insufficient, far too simple a word for the complexity of how I feel for you. But, yes, for lack of a better term, I consider you my girlfriend. Until I can come up with a better title.”

  Like fiancée and eventually wife.

  I didn’t say those things out loud, no reason to freak her out.

  But it will happen. I’ve known it for years.

  Soon, she’ll know it, too.

  “What if she decides I’m not good enough for you?”

  I was truly horrified by that and let it show on my face as I reared back and asked, “Why in the blue fuck would anyone look at the two of us and think you’re the one who’s batting out of their league? Have you no concept of how amazing you are? How smart and ambitious and loyal and beautiful you are? How much people adore you?” I placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head back, forcing her to really look at me. “Sweetheart, my mother is going to be riding my ass, reminding me how lucky I am and warning me not to fuck up and lose the best thing that ever happened to me. She is going to be your biggest fan. Actually, she kind of already is. And Phil, too.” I swept my arm around, gesturing at the cabin. “He did all the setup, all the details, knowing I was bringing you here. And he wholeheartedly approved of my choice of company.” I leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips, holding her eye afterward in a way that brokered no argument. “Don’t ever, ever see yourself as not good enough. Not for anything. Certainly not for me.”