Holding Aces

by Nikki Groom

  Then he kisses me.

  Hard and insistent at first, and my instinct is to pull away, but I can’t. He’s too firm.

  What’s happening?

  He tastes familiar.

  Then his lips are gentle and coaxing, encouraging me to respond and willing me back to him. I gasp, realizing where I am and who I’m with.

  Denham releases my arms, breaking our kiss and pulling me onto his lap, holding me tight with his arms and shielding me from everything until I start to shiver.

  “Shit,” Denham curses under his breath. He shifts us to the edge of the bed, repositioning me so he can carry me in his arms. I wrap my arms around his neck as he carries me effortlessly to the bathroom, flicking on the shower without putting me down, and stepping in with me still in his arms.

  I turn my head into his shoulder, shielding my face from the water as he just stands there, letting the warmth work through me. The shivers eventually subside and I pull my head out of the crook of Denham’s shoulder.

  “Are you okay, Stunner?”

  I nod, and wriggle my legs to indicate that I can stand. I’m sure the muscles in his arms are burning after holding on to me for so long.

  He reluctantly puts me down but doesn’t let me go. He takes off my soaked tank and panties and tosses them into the corner, then his boxers join them.

  We are naked.

  I’m stripped bare, and after that vivid nightmare I’m feeling vulnerable. I’m desperate to shake off the indecision, the doubt that fights with me in my head about what I want and what I can actually have.

  I want to be able to move on.

  I want to be able to love freely and not worry that it’ll all be snatched away from me cruelly.

  I want to be free from the burden of looking over my shoulder.

  I want to stop running.

  I’m tired.

  The thoughts have a choke hold on me and I struggle to breathe.

  “I know … I know,” his soft, gravelly voice soothes. He strokes my wet hair and holds me tight.

  My words weren’t just running through my head. I was whispering them out loud. “It’s not fair,” I cry. “I want to let go of it all, but it’s holding on so tight and I can’t …”

  “Shh, just breathe, Arianna. You’re safe with me … just breathe.” He continues to stroke my hair until my breathing starts to regulate and I start to feel self-conscious that I’ve just had another breakdown with him. I’m trying so hard to keep it all together and show him that I’m not damaged or broken, but deep down I know that I am. I can’t hide it; it’s part of who I am and if that sends him running for the hills it will break my heart.

  But I can’t pretend to be strong anymore.

  His front is pressed to my back, so I reach for the hand wrapped around my waist and curl my fingers with his. My other arm reaches up and pulls his head into my shoulder. His lips press against the sensitive spot where my neck curves, and his stubble brushes my soft skin. “Make me yours,” I whisper. “Please, make me yours.”

  He kisses a path up my neck and stops when he reaches my ear. His tongue darts out, licking my lobe and sucking it in between his teeth.

  “I won’t let you be anyone else’s, Stunner,” he growls, taking my hands in his and pressing them against the cold tiles. The entire front of my body is exposed and the cold air reaches me, hardening my nipples and heightening my senses. His body is still pressed to my back, his erection resting between my ass cheeks, his hard chest pressing against my shoulder blades and his mouth on my neck.

  “You were mine the moment our eyes locked. You know it. I know it,” he states between kisses. I know he’s right. His golden eyes hit me and have had me addicted ever since.

  He’s kryptonite to my intentions.

  The exception to all my self-imposed rules.

  The one to have stolen my heart and the man who I willingly, unequivocally give my body.

  My hands slide up the tiled wall, stretching my body and allowing Denham to push harder against me. His hips rock gently, his length sliding between my legs and eliciting a groan from deep in his chest.

  I’m desperate for more friction.

  I’m needy for him to be inside me.

  I want him to claim me.

  Make me his.

  Tell me he’s mine.

  He presses against my entrance, holding still, teasing me. I try to push my hips back into him, but he stays at just the right distance to continue to tease me.

  “Please ...” I whimper.

  “What do you want, Ari? Tell me ...”

  “I want you … only you … inside me … please ...”

  “You’re mine, Arianna, understand?”

  “Yes …”

  “Mine to touch, mine to protect, mine to love ...” He enters me on his last word, sealing it into my mind, associating the word that terrifies me so much with a feeling so exhilarating.

  His hands slide upwards across my belly, continuing until he reaches my breasts. His grip tightens with every thrust and it sends waves of pleasure bouncing over my entire body. I start to think I’m becoming delirious. My breaths falter unevenly, ragged as desire mixed with the heady feeling of letting him love me rushes through my body.

  One hand leaves my breasts and touches between my legs. I jolt as the sensation is electrifying. He moves in circles, massaging me with the same rhythm as his thrusts, and I feel the tension start to build in my stomach. I clutch at the slippery wall for stability as my body moves in time with his.

  “I feel you, Arianna, pulling me in. You want me?” he rasps, his heaving breaths taking over his voice.

  “Yes, I want you.”

  “I’m yours, Ari, all yours,” he grates out before clamping his teeth firmly on my neck and sucking the same spot. It sends the jolt that, along with his words, pushes me over the edge. His release comes fast, too. Our bodies in harmony and our minds making a connection far deeper than before. The pleasure is pure and explosive. Our bodies have spoken the words that my mouth was unable to do and I sigh with a pleasant exhaustion.

  My hands are still braced against the wall when Denham withdraws from me, my legs quivering. I feel weak without him there to hold me up, but he’s back in a flash, wrapping me in a robe and lifting me onto the countertop in front of the mirror, drying my hair gently with a towel.

  “Are you warmer now?” he asks seriously.

  I giggle. “Yes.”

  “What’s so funny?”

  I pull him closer to me and kiss his nose. “Will you warm me up that way every time I’m cold?”

  “Every time you so much as shiver, I will be on you so fast, you won’t have time to think about it,” he whispers into my ear. I shudder and he looks at me wide-eyed. “Again? Now?” he asks, surprised.

  “I’m not cold, Denham. Your breath tickled my ear,” I state, although I would be happy for him to warm me up again. In fact, seeing him standing in front of me, wrapped only in a white towel from the waist down, has my mouth watering and my mind wandering.

  “Good, because you need to rest. It’s four in the morning.”

  “I’m sorry. I know you have to work in just a few hours and I’ve disturbed your night … again.”

  He places his hands on my bare thighs. “No need to be sorry, Stunner, I like your kind of interruptions, but no more nightmares, okay? I’m here anytime you need me. You’re not on your own anymore, so don’t try to fight battles single handed.”

  “Okay,” I agree quietly.

  “Kiss me,” he demands.

  I look into his sparkling eyes and take his face in my hands. I kiss him with every ounce of emotion that I can muster and his response sings through my veins. I have someone on my side. Someone not only willing to fight for me, but able to fight as well.

  I am not alone and neither is he.

  An army of two.

  I wake to the dawn light shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows. After getting dried off, we settled on the couch, curling
together under a blanket and falling into a deep contented sleep. The warmth from the early morning sun shines in my eyes and I grumble, pulling the blanket up over my head and trying to disappear from the world. It doesn’t escape me that I am alone, but it doesn’t worry me either. I am completely aware of where I am and I think for the first time in a week, I wake without feeling disoriented. I can hear the shower running in the bathroom and I smile to myself as I recall last night. I pull the soft fleece blanket around me then go and stand on the balcony. The view from Denham’s balcony is more amazing than mine. I turn my face up into the warmth of the sunlight and close my eyes. I’m not sure exactly what time it is but the roads are quiet and there is very little noise. It’s peaceful and I’m at peace. In my head and my heart.

  It is just then that I realize just what Denham King has done to me, for me. He has given me wings to fly. No longer trapped or restricted. But more than that, he’s given me roots to come back to. A chance to love and be loved in equal measures. I still have no explanation. All I know is that it feels right. Nothing has ever felt so right. I’m aware of how things feel when they’re wrong, and this isn’t one of those times. It is what it is. Allow it to happen. Embrace it. Live it. Because life doesn’t always give you second chances.

  “Good morning, Stunner.”

  I turn to find Denham standing in the doorway holding two mugs of coffee. “Morning,” I reply with a smile.

  He kisses me before handing me a mug of coffee and standing next to me. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, very.”

  “The view wasn’t bad from the doorway either.” He grins down at me and I nudge him with my shoulder. “You know your phone has been buzzing off the hook this morning?”

  “Mine?” I say, surprised as only a few people have my number. I frown “Maybe Lottie or my mom.”

  “Well, you’ll find out when you look at it, won’t you?” Denham says sarcastically.

  “You’re a bit chirpy for someone who had such a little amount of sleep, aren’t you?”

  He chuckles. “Yes, I should be exhausted, but it’s the nature of the sleep deprivation that has me feeling great.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Yes, you see, I had this hot little brunette in my bed last night.” He pauses, looking for my reaction out of the corner of my eye.

  “You did?”

  “Yeah, she rocked my world,” he says, trying to keep a straight face.

  “Jeez, she sounds pretty awesome,” I say, playing along.

  “She is. She’s smart, funny, amazingly talented and more stunning than the most beautiful sunrise.”

  I take up the usual position that I do when I’m nervous. I look down at my shuffling feet and my fingers fidget around my coffee mug. Denham lifts my chin with his index finger so I have no choice but to look at him.

  “I can’t get enough of her,” he says softly. “I want to spend every waking minute beside her, inside of her. She’s my drug.”

  I smile and turn my cheek into his hand. He takes my coffee mug and places it down, giving me just a second to look into the beautiful depths of sincerity in his eyes before his mouth covers mine hungrily. I wrap my arms around his neck and he lifts me by my waist, encouraging me to twist my legs around him, all the while not breaking the contact of our lips. He walks us back inside, only just holding onto the blanket that is now barely covering me.

  “D, I’m sorry man, but …”

  The voice comes from the doorway and we break apart fast. Denham drops my feet to the floor and stands in front of me protectively. His chest is puffed out and his shoulders pulled back so wide I have to bend at the waist to see past him. My heart races as I gather the blanket up and peek around him to see who it is.

  “For fuck’s sake … get out before I fucking knock you out, Spike!” Denham barks.

  Spike holds up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m sorry, man, but you don’t answer your fucking phone and there’s a problem downstairs.” He nervously rubs his hands on his jeans.

  “What is up with my fucking family?” Denham seethes, turning to me and throwing his hands up while trying to reign in his temper. “That’s it, I’m taking away all of your keys. Where’s the fucking fire, Spike?”

  I can’t help but glance down across his body. The only thing covering him is a small towel wrapped around his waist and even that doesn’t cover his very obvious erection.

  “Um, you might want to … uh …” I motion to his crotch with my eyes.

  “Shit ...” he hisses. “Fine, I’ll let this go for now, but I’m saving it for later.” He smirks before turning me in the direction of the bedroom, continuously covering as much of my body as he can with his, even though Spike is looking anywhere but in our direction.

  “Um, D? Jack is doing his nut, down there,” Spike insists anxiously.

  “You gonna tell me why?” Denham retorts.

  “I … I can’t …”

  I don’t miss the look that passes between them. It’s something he doesn’t want me to know about.

  “Fine. Piss off, Spike. Wait outside and I’ll be five minutes.” His tone is short and clipped, clearly pissed at being interrupted for the second time in as many days.

  Denham gently directs me into the bedroom and I check my phone while he’s getting dressed. “Gee, I have like five missed calls.”

  “That’s what I told you … Who wants you so urgently?” he enquires.

  “Beth called,” I say excitedly. I omit to tell him that I have several missed calls from an unknown number which I put down to Beth trying to get a hold of me from the boutique’s line.

  “Well, I needn’t ask what you’ll be doing today.”

  “Is it too early to call her back?”

  “No, she’ll be at the boutique, give her a call.” He smiles. “I don’t know how long I’m going to be sorting whatever mess they’ve managed to get themselves into down there. I’m sorry, Ari, I would much rather be spending the day with you,” he muses thoughtfully.

  “And I would love to be spending the day with you, but we have tomorrow and the day after that, aaaaand the day after that too.” I smooth down the front of his tee, feeling his muscles under my fingers and immediately regretting the fact that we don’t have more time together this morning. “We also have this evening ...” I suggestively raise my brows.

  “Yes, I have plans for you, missy.”

  “You do? Well, I’ll look forward to them, Mr. King.”

  “I like when you call me that …”

  “I’ll make sure to do it more often.” I kiss him sweetly on the cheek. “Now go and run your empire, then you can come home to me.”

  “Home to you.” He tests the words on his lips.

  “Yes,” I say confidently.

  His finger gently brushes my cheek. “I think they’re the most perfect words that have come out of your pretty little lips so far.”

  “So far today? Or just so far?”

  “So far. Of course, I much prefer hearing you cry out my name over and over as your body gives in to me.” His eyes darken as he speaks and our hips grind against each other instinctively. “Fuck Spike and his problems,” he hisses, pulling away.

  I clutch at the blanket that is still draped around me as he reluctantly lets me go. He grabs his cell and keys and kisses me hard before heading for the door. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “And if you need to go anywhere, Jack will take you. He’ll be on standby all day. All you need to do is stop by the front desk and they’ll fetch him.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter, Denham.”

  “Don’t argue. You’re my woman, let me look after you,” he insists. “Just close the door when you leave, it’ll lock automatically. I’ll have Tara’s key from her later so you can come and go as you please.”

  “I don’t—”

  He presses a finger to my lips “I said don’t argue.”

  “Fine.” I
mock grumpiness with him, but he smirks and sees the smile creep across my face. Although I don’t need babysitting, I like that he wants to look after me. “Have a good day, dear!” I call out after him.

  His chuckle moves through the apartment before the door closes and he’s gone. I feel a little weird being in his apartment on my own, but there is something about it that is nicer than mine. It feels lived in. Although nothing is messy, there are personal belongings around the place which makes it feel more homey. It smells of Denham too.

  When I glance around the bedroom, I see his guitar and remember hearing him play. Two of the strings are broken and it reminds me that there are still so many things we don’t know about each other, still so much to find out.

  My phone blips as a message comes through. It breaks me out of my reverie and I read the text.

  Beth - Put that hunk of a man down and get your ass to the shop! 11am. Bring your designs.

  I laugh at her directness, but I’m also nervous about showing her my designs. I just hope they’re good enough and she’s not disappointed.

  I hop off the bed, grab all of my clothes and as an impulse thought, I pick up his guitar. I head out, still clutching the blanket around me, but I’m only moving across the hall and there’s no one around to see me anyway. I juggle everything that I’m holding to slip the card in the door and push it open. I place the guitar down by the doorway as I’ll be picking it back up when I leave. I need Beth’s help with something.

  I click the door shut and I freeze. Something feels off. Something’s not right. Ice moves through my veins, inch by inch, and I’m frozen to the spot. A breath touches my neck and the pungent smell of stale cigarettes invades my nose and infects the air around me.

  It’s him.

  “Hello, baby ...” he leers.

  It’s Jonny.

  Fear creeps upward from my toes and settles in every recess of my body. I knew this time would come. I’ve been hoping and praying with every ounce of my being that he would forget me and leave me to live as I please. I wanted him to vanish. Disappear like he never existed.

  But deep down I knew. I knew he wouldn’t let me go. It was a major dent to his pride if nothing else, and his compulsion to own me will always override any logical thought.