by Jenni Wilder
He kissed the top of my head. “I liked it too.”
“Losing control?”
“The whole thing. Your dancing, your confidence, your new underwear.” I chuckled as he continued. “I like this side of you.”
“It’s because of you. You bring it out of me. You make me want to be sexy and confident for you.”
“You are so beautiful.” He started moving his hands over my body. Down my thighs, back up to my hips, across my scars, and up to my ribs before he shifted me to lie back against him. My head was now leaning back against his shoulder, and he took advantage of it, kissing and sucking at the sweet spot on my collarbone near my neck that he knew made me shiver.
His hands made their way up to my breasts, and he cupped each of them, massaging them slightly before focusing attention on my nipples. His fingers moved in sync as he circled around each taut peak, making me moaned softly and wiggle against him.
He lifted his lips from my neck as one of his hands released my breast and went to my chin to turn my face to his. Our mouths connected, and immediately his tongue was massaging mine. He dipped in to kiss me deeply as he opened his legs wide, taking mine with his, until I was spread apart and bare for him. I was lost in bliss when I felt him move a hand over my pelvis and small mound. As he ever so lightly brushed against my sensitive nub, tingles of pleasure burst between my legs. I groaned and gripped the arms of the chair.
He pressed harder, and I threw my head back against his shoulder and cried out. “Yes, Lincoln! Mm…”
His fingers were everywhere as his other hand moved away from my breast and joined the onslaught between my legs. Stroking my folds and fluttering against me, his fingers were quick to bring me to the height of pleasure.
“Oh, God. Oh, God,” I mumbled. I moved my hands from the chair arms to grip his forearms as I completely surrendered to the movements of his fingers. I threw my head back again and arched my chest up as every nerve ending in my body detonated. Or at least that’s what it felt like. My legs quivered, and I squeezed my eyes shut tight as pleasure washed over me.
I wasn’t even sure how long I had been lying against Lincoln, enjoying the aftereffects of my orgasm, when he sat up and cradled me. He hooked one arm under my knees and held me in his arms as he stood up. Carrying me to the Jacuzzi tub, he slowly lowered me into the bubbling water, taking care to avoid the candles.
I hummed with pleasure as the warm water enveloped me. I expected Lincoln to climb in behind me, but instead he knelt next to the tub and ran his hand through my hair.
“Aren’t you getting in?” I asked in a quiet voice.
He frowned and sighed. “I have to call Carter first and probably Kennedy. I promise I won’t be long.”
I gave him an understanding smile.
“Just don’t fall asleep on me,” he ordered. “I’ve got plans for you.”
I smiled widely. “I’ve got plans for you too and a surprise.” I winked at him when I saw the confusion on his face.
“Surprise? For me?”
I bit my lower lip and nodded. A wide smile broke out on his face. He grabbed our coats and fished his phone out of his coat pocket. “Give me fifteen minutes,” he said as he walked out of the bathroom.
I sighed. I’d give him anything.
Chapter Three
When Lincoln finally returned to me, he immediately crawled into the tub behind me and situated me in his lap. I leaned back and rested against his shoulder as he kissed the top of my head and wound his arms around me.
“What did Carter say?”
Lincoln sighed and squeezed me tighter. “Can we talk about it later?”
“Is it that bad?”
“It’s just the last thing I want to think about right now. It’s already taken too much of our time. Let’s just enjoy our evening.”
I wanted to argue with him. My curiosity was sky-high, but maybe he needed some time to process this, and he was right. Enjoying our night together was top-priority.
Sitting forward, I grabbed two glasses of champagne. I turned in his lap and handed him one before plucking a strawberry off the silver tray. I shifted to straddle his lap and held it up to his lips. He smiled and opened his mouth to take a bite, but I pulled it away with a smirk.
“Hey,” he said and gave me a small pout. “I want that.”
“Oh, you want this?” I took the strawberry and lightly ran it over his bottom lip.
He opened his mouth wider and tried to nip at the red berry but I pulled it away again and shook my head with a small giggle.
“You’re such a tease.”
He raised his arm out of the water with a burst of speed and grabbed the wrist of my hand holding the strawberry. I tried to pull my arm back but he gently pulled me closer to him as he brought the strawberry closer to his open mouth. The playful look in his eyes made me smile as we played tug of war. I let out a small squeal in defiance as he pulled the berry and me closer until we were just inches from his open mouth. He made one quick move to the prize in my hand before changing direction at the last second and pressing his lips against mine.
The second his lips met mine, my resistance faded, and I melted into him until he broke away from me and nabbed the strawberry from my hand. He popped it into his mouth and ate it with a smug look on his face.
“Gotcha,” he said with a smirk.
I sat back on his thighs and sulked. “Ugh!” I grunted and splashed him.
Water sprinkled across his chest and face as he flinched away. He scrubbed a hand over his face and looked at me with surprise. “Did you really just splash me?”
I brought my champagne glass to my mouth and downed the remaining liquid. “You stole my strawberry.” I shrugged at Lincoln and set my now-empty glass on the tray.
He copied my actions, drinking the rest of his bubbly and setting his glass down. Moving faster than I expected, he grabbed my hips and pulled me closer to him.
“You’re going to regret that.” He smiled as I settled onto his lap. “The payback for splashing is tickling.”
I screamed as his fingers dug into my waist. Goddammit! How did he find the exact right spot every time?
Our wet bodies rubbed against each other as I thrashed against him, trying to get away. His deep laughter resonated in my soul, and for as much as I pretended to hate when he tickled me, I loved that he did it.
“Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop,” I chanted between laughs, but his fingers didn’t stop their torment. He simply laughed and ignored my pleading.
I put my hands on his chest and tried to push away from him, but he clung on harder.
All right. Two can play at this game.
I stopped fighting him and quickly moved to kiss him. Our lips met, and when he returned the kiss his fingers immediately stilled. I smiled as I realized I had succeeded in halting his attack, but when his hands began wandering over my body, the situation quickly intensified.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself closer to him. I opened my mouth to deepen our kiss, and Lincoln groaned as he moved his hands over my butt and firmly gripped my cheeks.
I would never get tired of this. I had no idea if this desperate need we had for each other was normal or if Lincoln and I were just weak when it came to controlling ourselves. Every time he touched me, I wanted more. Every kiss, I wanted deeper. I was afraid of being too needy for him, but he never acted like I was. He returned every feeling of longing and desperation and made me feel like he never wanted to be without me.
Lincoln was now rock hard against my pelvis, and I whimpered as I tried to rub against him. When he let go of my butt and moved his hands to my breasts, I saw my opportunity. I rose up and positioned myself over his hardness and closed my eyes as I felt the tip of him enter me.
“Wait. Princess, wait,” he ordered as he ripped his mouth away from mine. His hands moved to my hips to prevent me from moving. “I don’t”—he paused as he breathed hard—“I don’t have any condoms in here. We have to go to the bedroom
.”
I shook my head and bit my lower lip, and he looked at me with confusion. Cupping his face with my hands, I leaned in closer to him and whispered, “We can go in the bedroom and get a condom if you want, but we don’t have to.”
His eyes locked on mine, and he ever so slightly shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
“I went to the doctor last week,” I blurted out.
Lincoln furrowed his eyebrows. “Is everything okay?”
I nodded. “I told her I—I wanted to stop using condoms.”
He pulled back slightly and looked at me with confusion. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I shrugged slightly. “Surprise.”
“So what did the doctor say?”
“She gave me a shot to prevent pregnancy.”
A smile slowly spread across Lincoln’s face. “Really?”
I nodded. “Really.”
“So we don’t need condoms anymore?”
“Not unless you want. I totally understand if you feel more comfortable with them. I just thought… it’s supposed to be better without one, right? I thought you might like this better.” I was suddenly nervous about his reaction. What if he didn’t want to stop using protection?
His grip on my waist relaxed as he swirled his thumbs over my hips and smiled at me. “Should we find out?”
A wide smile erupted on my face and I nodded as I tilted my hips forward and tried to slide farther down on him, but again he held me up, preventing me from moving.
“No. Not here,” he said and gently pushed me off him. He stepped out of the tub, and I watched as droplets of water ran down his body. It was almost mesmerizing to watch them roll over his muscles. “Come on, sweet girl.” He reached for my hand to help me out of the tub and wrapped me in a giant fluffy bath towel.
We kissed under the warm heat lamps of the bathroom, and he ran his hands over the towel, drying me. When he was finished, I pulled my hair over one shoulder and was happy to see it hadn’t gotten too wet during our bath. Unwrapping myself from the towel, I draped it around Lincoln’s shoulders and began returning the favor by drying his body, sadly destroying the hypnotic rivulets of water.
When we were both relatively dry, Lincoln took my hand and led me out of the bathroom. Rose petals had been artfully placed on our bed, and as Lincoln laid me down on them, he whispered to me telling me how beautiful I was. My breath sped, and I groaned as he kissed down my body, slowly moving closer and closer to the center of my pleasure.
I cried out as his mouth moved against my mound, and he flicked his tongue against my folds. Pleasure burst through me, and my body arched and twitched against the bed as he continued his assault. I gripped the bedspread and moved my legs wider, giving him better access, and he took full advantage. He pushed against my thighs pressing them into the bed and sucked on my sensitive nub.
“Oh, God. I love that. I love that.” I rambled as his attention to my clitoris sent me to the next level. I lost all concept of anything other than the sensation Lincoln was causing inside me. His tongue felt so good, and he used it to send sparks of pleasure through every nerve in my body.
My muscles tightened and my legs shook as I came apart against him. Pleasure blasted through me, and I cried out for Lincoln. I felt him crawl up my body, and when I could open my eyes again, I found him gazing down at me.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered before he kissed me as his rock-hard member rubbed against my folds.
I whimpered against his mouth and wrapped my legs around his waist. “Lincoln, I need you inside me.” Reaching down, I guided him into position, and he rolled his hips and slid inside me.
We both groaned at the new sensation of having sex without a condom. Sex with Lincoln had been amazing before, but now that there was nothing between us it was like we had become one.
Lincoln’s eyes rolled back, and he froze once he was fully inside me. He exhaled sharply and clutched at the bedspread. “You feel like heaven,” he said in a strained voice. He pulled back and thrust into me again with a groan. “So good. So fucking amazing.”
I whimpered his name as tingles of pleasure swirled inside me as he pushed in and out.
“I can feel all of you,” he whispered and his breath caught.
His words tipped me over the edge, and I cried out as he filled me completely. My inner muscles locked down on his hard shaft and pulled him even farther inside me as pleasure overcame all other senses.
He cried out and pulled my hips tight to his as he tried to thrust deeper. I gripped his shoulders as I felt him release inside me. The new warm sensation deep inside me prolonged my orgasm until Lincoln and I shuddered and stilled together. Not breathing, not moving, just enjoying our mutual pleasure.
He fell to the side of me, and his arms circled around me, holding me close and softly humming into my ear. Neither of us said anything as we lay there drifting into unconsciousness. My heart swelled with how much I loved this man and how completely wonderful we felt together.
Chapter Four
Two weeks later we still had no leads as to who had thrown the rock with my picture through Lincoln’s window. Mackenzie had been questioned as to her whereabouts on Valentine’s night, but she had a solid alibi. Hundreds of people had seen her at a cocktail party at a restaurant in downtown Chicago. The police reported that she was concerned, helpful, and answered all their questions, but as Lincoln pointed out, she was a good actress. I still wasn’t convinced it was her. I wouldn’t put it past her to do something like this, but it just seemed too obvious.
Lincoln called Detective Murray every day asking for an update and urging them to keep close tabs on Mackenzie. Every time he called, the detective would remind him that she had an alibi and she hadn’t violated the restraining order, so there was nothing they could do unless they found some hard evidence.
It was easy to see how frustrated Lincoln was getting. Slashing my tires had been a nuisance, but the picture with my eyes crossed out and my neck slit was a serious threat. Neither of us understood why someone would target me, but Lincoln made me promise not to go anywhere alone. I couldn’t even argue since I was the one saying it wasn’t Mackenzie who did this. If I was right and this wasn’t her, then there was a random nut job threatening to hurt me, and that was ten times scarier than if it was my old roommate.
Lincoln drove me to and from work as often as possible. When he dropped me off in the GenChem parking lot the Friday before my internship ended I was a nervous wreck.
“It’s going to be fine, Princess,” Lincoln reassured me.
“What if they don’t offer me a job?” My knees bounced up and down nervously as I looked across the parking lot with dread. Today was the last day to hear if I would remain employed at GenChem.
“They will.”
“But what if they don’t?”
He reached across the center console and clasped my hand, causing me to look over at him. “They will,” he said, looking me in the eyes with a serious and confident expression.
I inhaled a calming breath before slowly letting it out and nodding my head at him. He offered his lips to me, and I pushed up to kiss him good-bye. We remained entwined with each other for longer than usual before I finally broke our embrace and stepped out of his SUV. Lincoln would be leaving for an away game while I was at work and wouldn’t be back until Sunday evening.
“Miss you already,” he said before I closed my door.
“Miss you back.”
He gave me a small, encouraging smile as I shut the car door and walked away from him into work.
Despite all Lincoln’s faith in me, I was a ball of nerves the entire day at work. I could not remember what I had done from one skin cell culture to the next and had to double-check every test result. By the end of the day, I just wanted it to be over. Regardless of whether or not I got the job, I just wanted an answer. So when my boss, Scott, walked into my lab area near the end of the day, I jumped and almost dropped a tray of petri dishes.
I nodded, unable to vocalize an answer.
He turned over a legal-sized white envelope in his hand. “I… um… just need to give you this.”
I swallowed hard and took the envelope from his hand. He wouldn’t make eye contact with me, and I took that as a bad sign.
Wedging my finger under the flap, I ripped the seal and pulled out the official letter. GenChem’s blue and black company logo was printed in the upper left corner. I’m pretty sure my heart had stopped.
Dear Ms. Thompson,
We appreciate your hard work and dedication during your internship, and we thank you for your interest in extending your employment with us. We would be honored to have someone of your caliber working for us. However, our board of directors is, currently not interested in investing in your area of research and your funding will be terminated on Friday, March 16th of this year.
If you are in need of a recommendation for other employment, please do not hesitate to ask. We wish you the best in your future ventures.
Thank you again.
Regards,
Yada, yada, yada.
“I’m so sorry, Jillian,” Scott said as I collapsed on my chair.
I pinched my eyes shut and tried to maintain my composure. “I understand,” I said softly.
“I just want you to know this decision had nothing to do with you or your work ethic. This was solely a funding issue. We just can’t support every area of research.”
I nodded. That did make me feel slightly better. I had known from the beginning that GenChem didn’t have a strong area of medical research. I could have chosen a different internship, one that had more potential for long-term employment, but they would have wanted more control of my research and GenChem was willing to give me pretty much free rein over my experiments, and that was worth it to me. Now, however, it seemed like a mistake.
I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Thank you for the opportunity, Scott. I’ve learned a lot here.”
