by Ace Gray
“Well, we were trying to spend the night apart, but if you aren’t going to be here maybe I’ll have him over. We can have sex all over your expensive furniture.”
“Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re not a classy broad.”
We both laughed. I grabbed my things and she followed me down to a pacing Nick. He was on the phone; I was only able to overhear clipped sentences.
“Followed? And you’re sure? Find out. I’ll figure it out.”
I heard him click the phone’s power switch.
“Did you say followed? We were followed?”
“Why would you ask that?” Nick cocked his head to the side.
“You were just on the phone…I thought…didn’t…” Perhaps I’d misheard. “Nick, is everything OK?”
He looked up the stairs and pulled out a megawatt smile as he reached for my bags. “You moving in?” I swore he sounded hopeful.
“No!” I shouted, panicked. “I never know what I’ll want to wear tomorrow.” I recovered at a normal decibel, hopefully hiding my terror.
Nick’s eyes narrowed infinitesimally but he seamlessly continued. “It was very nice to formally meet you, Laura. I’ve heard nothing but the most amazing things. I look forward to getting to know you better. Be careful out there this evening.”
His parting words were odd, but he flashed his million-dollar smile. Laura was caught in its crosshairs and I couldn’t help but laugh at her awed expression.
Oh Laur, you have no idea.
I smirked as we left her speechless in the hallway. Her look even made me giggle in the elevator. He snaked his free arm around my waist and leaned in.
“I love the sound of your laugh.” He rested his nose against mine and I gripped his strong biceps.
“You didn’t answer me earlier. Is everything OK?” I kissed the side of his smile, relishing how closely he held me.
“Don’t worry about it. What do you want for dinner?”
We exited the elevator, and found Jaime where we’d left him. Bryant handed him my bags then hurried me toward the car. Something was off, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. Nick’s shoulders visibly relaxed when we settled into the backseat.
“Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?”
“Why won’t you trust me?” he countered. “Or tell me what you want for dinner for that matter?”
“I want a bacon cheeseburger. If you know somewhere good and greasy, I trust you. If not, I’ll think of something.” I sighed and pushed away from him. “It’s absurd you won’t explain what’s going on.”
“A burger? Really?” He ignored everything else I’d said.
“And fries, please. Apparently a good beer will be necessary, too.”
“I know just the place.”
He smirked and tossed out an address to Jaime. I slipped my shoes off and folded my legs under me as I watched the lights and cabs roll by. Bryant was gazing out the window, too; flat gray eyes showing in his reflection.
My stomach rumbled and I idly wondered if there were milkshakes wherever we were going. An imaginary strawberry shake was the only thing keeping me from evaluating those eyes. Once the car stopped, Bryant waited patiently for Jaime to open the door. Either Jaime was taking forever or I’d officially become hangry.
“Nick, come on. I’m starving.” I gently nudged him while I pulled my heels back on.
“We’re not getting out until Jaime opens the door,” he said firmly.
“Well, maybe we’re not getting out, but I am.”
I reached for my door. I didn’t even have the handle before he grabbed me.
“I’ll be damned if you’re getting out into traffic. Wait one second.”
His grip was firm, almost painful, and his voice was frigid. I returned his glower and the air in the backseat became so thick it was stifling. When Jaime finally decided to open the door the tension barely ebbed. He briskly nodded at Bryant, who still held my arm.
“Let go of me.”
I yanked my arm from his without waiting for an answer and click-clacked into the bar ahead of them both. I kept trying to blame my hunger pains, but I couldn’t make an excuse for this. Protective was one thing, but overbearing and delusional was quite another. I stormed up to the bar and wedged myself onto a stool between two people. I ordered a bourbon on the rocks, foregoing the beer I’d been craving earlier. Nick hovered behind me, but I refused to turn to look at him.
“Are you going to continue acting like a child?” His icy voice rolled up my neck.
“That depends. Are you going to continue treating me like one?” I spoke into the glass that’d landed in front of me.
“I’ve done nothing of the sort. Get up from that stool and we’ll get a table. Now.”
His command flared the temper I’d been trying to push aside. The people on either side of us were edging away.
“Go fuck yourself, Bryant. You don’t order me around.”
If I hadn’t downed my drink I would have thrown it at him when he spun me and shoved his face in front of mine. His steely eyes were fixated on mine. The bartender behind us cleared his throat. In a place like this he probably diffused many scraps like ours.
“You sure don’t mind in bed,” he whispered.
I went scarlet, picturing what I’d let him do to me just hours ago. He did order me around. Frequently. I wanted to slap him, partially for being right, and partially because he was a presumptuous ass. For the sake of the bartender and the people around us, I stood.
“Thank you,” he sighed. “I much prefer privacy. I would’ve assumed you did, too.”
He was still up on his bastard-ass high horse; I scowled as we slid into a high-backed leather booth in the back corner. I ordered a second bourbon, a burger and fries, then sat arms crossed trying not to grind my teeth.
“Hey,” he murmured, “This was supposed to be a nice night out. We don’t get to do casual often. It was supposed to be a normal evening.”
“Ha! Normal.” I couldn’t help but scoff. “What about this has been normal?”
“What did I do?” He reached across the table for me.
“You honestly don’t know?”
He shook his head before running a hand through his hair. Liar. He was dodging me.
“Well, shit.” I threw my hands up. “If you can’t see it, I don’t know that I can help you.”
“Kate.”
My name was a brisk warning. I didn’t take it.
“Look, Bryant, I get that you like control, but telling me I can’t walk into my building alone or get out of the car until you say so, that’s too much. It’s insane, actually.”
“I need you safe,” he said without emotion.
“Safe I get, but overbearing is a problem. You know how you say ‘jump’ and everyone else asks ‘how high?’ Well, I’m usually asking people to jump, too. Don’t forget that. I don’t do submissive naturally.”
“I don’t want a submissive. I’ve tried, and that lifestyle is not my thing.”
My mouth fell open. Questions rattled around in my head but with impeccable timing our food arrived. I tried to hold onto my anger and my questions, but bacon was quickly trumping everything. I propped my feet up on the bench seat across from me and rolled up my sleeves. I realized how completely unladylike I was being, but didn’t care. The burger was divine. I didn’t even pay attention to what Nick was eating across the table.
MMMmmm.
I couldn’t help myself. The mix of cheddar, bacon and burger was satisfying the only craving Nick hadn’t. My toes curled as I stuffed myself. Ketchup hung at the corners of my mouth and juices were drizzling down my fingers, but I didn’t even pause. The only reason I set the thing down was a drip rolling perilously close to my cashmere. I went to lick my fingers but Nick grabbed my hand.
“You’re killing me. Watching you devour a burger is surprisingly sexy. Then you start in on your humming. If you lick your fingers clean, I’ll fuck you right here, privacy be damned.”
/> I couldn’t help the mischievous smile that spread across my face. To my surprise, he took my fingers one by one into his mouth. He sucked each one then licked the trail that dripped down my arm. My lips parted in a silent groan.
Nick let go of my hand and swiftly rounded the table to sit next to me. He took the opportunity to start tracing circles on my inner thigh and order more drinks. When I drug the last of my fries through ketchup, his fingers mimicked the motion up my thigh.
Then he did the most unexpected thing—he asked about my day. And we talked. We were normal. For us anyway.
No one paid attention to us; we were just another couple in a bar. On more than one occasion Nick threw his head back against the high-backed booth in laughter. I told him about the Ironman Triathlon I finished my senior year of college, and that I planned to train for another.
He boxed in college and still trained regularly. I joked that we should go at it in the ring and his face fell. I rolled my eyes at the overreaction then envisioned his chiseled body coiling, flexing, and sweating while sparring. I didn’t realize I was biting my lip until he gently pulled it free with his thumb. His finger skated across my skin and pulled on my chin. He kissed me softly and moved his hands to caress my face. I forgot we were in a bar and threaded my arms around him to scrape my fingernails down his back.
“We better go. Now.”
All I could do was nod before I had to kiss him again. He looked around for the server as I kissed below his jaw. When Nick didn’t find him he simply muttered, “Fuck it,” and threw two crisp $100 bills on the table. He pulled me up to standing with him and we kissed again. This time he roughly bit my bottom lip.
I yanked on his jacket to flatten him against me. We kissed wildly and I bumped back into our table. The server appeared and hesitated behind us before asking if we needed change. Bryant waved him off then lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and giggled. We were making a scene, and for the first time, it wasn’t going to be captured on Page Six.
He carried me out of the bar to where Jaime was waiting. He set me down at the car door and pinned me to it. I still held onto his jacket as he placed his hands on either side of my shoulders.
“This reminds me of the night we met.” I laughed as I remembered being pinned underneath him on more than one occasion.
“This is much better than the night we met.” He trailed kisses down my neck. “I had the best sex of my life today.”
“Is that all I am to you?” I closed my eyes, smiled, and leaned back against the car.
“Not even remotely.”
He kissed along my collarbone. Nick barely flinched when Jaime cleared his throat behind us.
“Jaime, this better be good.” He didn’t stop kissing me as he spoke.
“Sir, with all due respect, I think it’s best we get off the street.”
Nick’s lips left me immediately and his body disappeared. I opened my eyes to a grimace before a firm grip on my arm directed me into the car.
“What’s going on?”
The pique that’d barely been subdued bubbled back up and simmered just under the surface of my skin. Bryant leaned in, his lips pursed, and Jaime shut the privacy screen.
“Nick, you didn’t answer my question. Again.”
He ignored my shrillness and grabbed my lips. I was going to continue shouting, but his hand slid up my shirt. His skin against mine was enough to make me gasp. His other hand, still wrapped around my ribs, squeezed gently. I lost my train of thought completely when he pushed me down and pinned me to the seat. Nick hitched his knee up between my legs and pressed closer to me. He kissed me hard, almost crashing against my teeth. I kissed him back with the same ferver.
My hands flew to his shoulders, scrambling to push his jacket off. His frantic hands collided with mine when he went to rip my sweater off. I arched my back to help him while my hands floundered across his muscles. When he reached for my bra, the car screeched to a halt and we both tumbled.
“What the fuck?” Nick yelled from the floor just before the car doors clicked locked.
Without an answer, Jaime revved the engine and darted between two cabs, just making a yellow light. He proceeded to weave through all four lanes of traffic, traveling the blocks in quick succession. Bryant lowered the security screen while I was adjusting my top.
“What the hell just happened, Jaime?” The boom made me cringe.
“Sir, it was the issue we were discussing earlier. You two will need to move quickly on the sidewalk.”
“Bryant, what is going on?” I pounded my fists into the leather upholstery, hoping he wouldn’t deny me now.
“When I know more, you’ll know more,” he answered harshly.
As soon as we idled, Bryant leapt from the car, pulling me with him. We were walking so fast I had to jog to keep up. He kept his death grip on me in the elevator and even as we entered his apartment. I stumbled when he let me go.
“I have some business to attend to. Please make yourself at home.”
He turned and slammed the office door before I had a chance to reply.
“Bryant!” I followed and banged on the door. “Bryant!” I was greeted with a painful silence on the other side of the mahogany.
I sat in the living room, knees tucked up under my chin, and stared at the door for a while. When it didn’t budge, I stomped toward the elevator. The heated flush of my fury crossed my chest and singed the tips of my ears. I mashed the down button repeatedly, turning my knuckles white, before hesitating. The last thing I wanted was to walk out on him. Again.
Where’d my backbone go?
I hated the answer.
Ugh…
I turned and walked up to the theater room. Thoughts tumbled randomly through my head. What was going on? He’d always been protective but this was unreal. What changed? I wouldn’t tolerate secrecy, especially after the Ally-Vesper-Tech debacle.
Unease was building in the pit of my stomach; I needed to relax. Hoping to get comfortable, I shimmied out of my jeans and pulled my bra out through my sleeve. It didn’t help. Aimlessly I fluffed and rearranged pillows on different seats, full of anxious energy. The snarl that slipped through my lips before I punched one of them said everything. I flopped onto the chair with a puff and flipped through channels.
Just when I’d quieted my thoughts enough to doze off, I remembered Nick’s side comment about a Dom/Sub relationship and my eyes flew back open. I dug my nails into the poor pillow I’d assaulted earlier. Once my chest stopped heaving, I was left with no choice but to count the rivets on the couch to occupy my mind.
Eventually my eyelids sagged, no Nick in sight.
23.
I didn’t remember leaving the couch, but when I finally peeked my eyes open I was curled around Nick in bed. My initial instinct was to push away from him, throw on clothes, and stomp home. I’d come back when he finally agreed to open up and be honest with me. Despite my head’s urge to leave, my heart wouldn’t let my limbs disrupt him. I got the feeling he rarely slept, and when he managed, his dreams weren’t peaceful.
As sunlight warmed the room, small beads of sweat started dripping down my spine. I tried to get my feet out from under the comforter. Trapped. Then I shimmied ever so slightly to get my sweater off.
“What are you doing?” Nick grumbled.
“I’m hot.” I really hadn’t meant to wake him.
“I know.”
His lips curved against my neck and his throaty chuckle shot straight between my thighs.
“Nick, I’m dying.”
Wordlessly, he shifted over me and pulled my sweater off.
“Better?”
“No. I’m still sticky. And gross.”
“I think we can fix that.”
He stood and pulled me into his arms. He was groggy as he carried me toward the bathroom. I studied his face. Underneath heavy lids, his eyes were swirling.
Son of a…
“Thank you for bringing me to bed last night.” I cros
sed my arms even though he had me cradled.
“I had no intention of sleeping without you.”
After he flipped on the shower, he kissed me tenderly. When I didn’t kiss him back, he set me down and pushed me up against the countertop, kissing me harder. Nick bit my lip and I gasped before surrendering and weaving my hands into his hair.
He untied his thin pajama pants and let them fall to the floor, leaving my tiny excuse for underwear as the only barrier between us. I hoped at some point he would rip them off—with his teeth, if he felt like it. Instead he ran his fingers gently down my sides, barely grazing the skin.
His erection was steely where it pressed into my hip, but there was no scramble to devour me. When he finally pulled the lace down my legs, he preceded every inch with a reverential kiss. I steadied myself on his shoulder as he pulled them off.
Nick helped me into the warm cascade with arms wrapped tightly around both my shoulders and waist. I couldn’t get enough of his lips mixed with the water. I pulled him in tighter. I would have pulled him straight into my soul if it were possible. Without leaving my lips, he wrapped one of my legs, then the other, around him. He used the glass wall to help hold my weight. Ever so slowly his cock slid into me. Somehow he seemed bigger, maybe harder; his first thrust made me moan a mangled sound.
My feelings behind our familiar motions were different. Deeper. It was more consuming than any other moment we’d spent together. Something had shifted. There was something downright soulful about this moment.
The revelation hit me—I understood what had changed for me. I had deep, soul-shaking feelings for him even though I was mad at him. I trusted breaking down walls for him. His lips kept slowly and sweetly devouring mine. I found myself repeating, I love you, over and over in my head, but stopped short of saying it out loud.
“You are everything to me,” he breathed when he finally broke his kiss.
“Nick,” I whispered. “You mean everything to me, too.”
My confession had him kissing me even more lovingly. He kept a strong, deep, and slow roll going with his hips. There was nothing domineering or controlling about this, just simple, genuine adoration. Every gentle caress of his hands screamed reverence where he touched me.
