by Rae, Harloe
“I’m fine.” A loose laugh tumbles out of me. “Shit, I’m fucking grand.”
She leans in to study my expression. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Even if I wasn’t, this is more important.” I steer us onto the worn trail that leads to our spot.
“And if you collapse?”
That has my feet stumbling to a halt. I lower my forehead onto hers, sparks flickering off our heated skin. “Always looking out for me.”
She presses closer. “I’m upping my game after yesterday.”
I loop my injured arm around her middle, hauling her hips into mine. There’s no hiding my need for her. “Knowing you care does some crazy shit to me. It’s difficult to keep myself in check.”
Her gasp has my blood pumping south at a rapid rate. “What if I want you to lose control?”
“Sutton,” I growl against her cheek. “You don’t know what that means.”
She drags her nails down my ribs, ending at the waistband of my jeans. “I’m ready to find out.”
“I damn sure hope so.” The threads of my restraint are beginning to fray. “But not tonight.”
Her gaze searches mine. “What? You want to wait?”
“That’s not why I brought you out here.”
She slips her hand into my back pocket. “What’s the reason?”
To look at the stars.
To find the good.
To be free.
To live happy.
But she’s everything I’m not. Offering her one last chance to leave burns up my throat. “You can do better than me, Sutt.”
She shakes her head. “I already told you to stop. There’s no such thing.”
I rub my thumb across her lower lip. “Okay, I’m done fighting.”
“About damn time,” she whispers.
“I’m gonna make you proud of me. Proud to claim me as yours.”
“That’ll be easy. I already am, Gray.”
No more words are necessary. I cup her delicate cheek in my clumsy paw. Sutton sags into my hold without hesitation. I tip her face up to mine, angling us closer. Her slow exhale blends with mine. A small taste won’t hurt. I softly brush my lips along hers, more of a tease than anything else. That’s all I planned for this to be. But she opens for me, a flower blooming under the sun. I delve in with pure lust boiling through me. Her honey flavor seeps into me, mixing with mint and citrus. My eyes practically cross while white-hot desire flashes in front of me. Her whimper is my undoing. I need more.
My fingers skim up her inner thigh, a coarse rasp against satin. Hot desire slices into me when she trembles. I fist the fabric of Sutton’s skirt, yanking her into me. She tumbles against my chest with a gasp. I take advantage of her parted lips, diving in for another taste. She moans into my mouth. Her tongue licks at mine and I see a burst of the brightest stars.
Good Lord, this woman will be the end of me.
The zipper of my jeans is about to bust at the seams. I force myself to pull away. Sutton follows my retreat with a wheeze.
“W-what’s wrong?”
“Fuck, nothing.” I grip her hip, staving off another around. Just barely. “We just need to stop.”
She bounces up on her toes, our mouths melting in a heated frenzy. I clutch a handful of her silky hair and tilt us into a seamless kiss. Oxygen leaves my lungs and all I breathe is Sutton. Her pure berry scent. All the sunrises and cloudless skies. Fresh cut grass and tree swings. Fuck, I get lost in all she is.
I rip my mouth away with a groan. “No more. Not here.”
There’s still a flush coloring her smooth skin. I get harder knowing it was me who put it there. “Now what?”
I drift a thumb up her jaw. “Wanna go for a drive?”
“You’re awful adventurous this evening. Where to?”
I smirk at her. “We’ll travel that road soon enough. Until then, I want you sleeping in my arms, in my bed, where you belong. Tonight and from now on.”
Happy something #89: Conquering new milestones and adventures. The more risky, the better.
I wake with a jolt. The room is dark and smells heavily of rich pine. I’m in bed alone, the other side still warm. There’s a shower running nearby. The muddled pieces of my awareness quickly snap into place. I smile wide, pressing two fingers to my lips.
The sheets are in a twist all around me, evidence of a great night. A searing blaze stings my cheeks at the reminder. I fan at my flushing skin, catching sight of my mostly-bare bottom half. But the scrap of silk between my legs remains securely in place. Much to my dismay, Grady insisted that we stall at first base and only kiss. My demands for more were met with steely resolve. I found a few cracks in his armor, though. He couldn’t deny me everything.
We ended up sharing far more than a few innocent pecks.
My face and neck are chafed in all the best places. A lingering reminder that Grady was there. Fantasies are born from that type of steamy make out session. A definite benefit was being graced by his near-nakedness. Only a tight pair of black briefs had concealed him. I wanted to shred that forsaken cotton with my teeth.
I glance at the glow coming from beyond the closet. The shower is still blasting at full power. Grady is in there, on the other side, without a stitch of clothing covering him. A solid plan forms in front of me, elicit and bold. The idea alone is an electric thrill skittering through me. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. When did I get so daring? The provocative man within reach answers that without a word. I hear the water cut off, feel that stream abruptly end as if it’s a vibration in my bones. The possibilities of what happens next loops a snug string around my waist. I scoot further on the mattress and almost slip off. A sudden whoosh rings out from the far corner, halting my haste.
The bathroom door opens with a billowing cloud of woodsy-scented steam. A freshly scrubbed Grady struts out in all his shirtless glory. Stray droplets speckle his tan skin. A few trickle down the cut muscles of his abs, and travel lower into the towel around his waist. The impressive ridge tenting the threadbare fabric is practically waving at me.
Good Christ.
There’s a pool of salvia prepared to dribble out if I don’t act soon. I swallow twice for good measure. I bite my lip, envisioning all the ways to make him messy. The list is endless, but three tiny words bounce around my brain.
Drop. The. Towel.
No doubt that’s where things should start. Grady prowls toward me with a fluid stride. Too bad for me, that white cloth stays firmly knotted. Confidence broadens his already wide shoulders. There’s no sign of pain or weakness. He appears to be in top virile form, capable of making me squirm with a single glance. I clutch at the pile of sheets for some false sense of stability. The material does little to hold me down. I’m liable to lunge forward and plaster myself to his chiseled chest. His eyes skewer me into place, as if he’s able to read my wicked intentions.
I cross my legs, only to release them a moment later. I’m a jittery mass of pent-up yearning for this man. He better not think about trying to keep things tame again. Once I manage to regain a smidgen of wits, I’m upping my game.
Grady’s stride doesn’t quit until our knees bump. “Good morning, beautiful.”
I walk my toes up his shin. “Hey, Gray. I could have joined you.”
He tucks some hair behind my ear. “I didn’t want to wake you.”
“I wouldn’t have minded. Wasn’t it lonely in there?”
“It was.”
“And now?”
An animalistic rumble rolls off him. “I regret letting you sleep an extra five minutes.”
I’m having a conversation with his groin. How does he expect me to continue answering questions when he’s standing so close, and at attention. “Uh, w-what was that?”
His body shakes with laughter. He tips up my chin with a gentle touch. My naughty gaze makes a lazy stroll up his torso and pecs, over the strong column of his neck, and eventually settling on the smoldering embers in his eyes. I gulp at the unfilt
ered lust brimming in those green depths.
Grady trails a finger along my scalding face. “If looks could speak, yours would be screaming my name.”
I nod into his touch. No point opposing the obvious.
He links our fingers together. “Should we test my theory?”
I unhinge my jaw with a wordless pop. Can this really be so simple?
He kneels in front of me, the rough skin of his palms settling on my restless feet. My eyes nearly cross from that small amount of contact. His hands brush across my ankles and skim up my calves. The speed is a slow torture toward a distant edge. He reaches my knees with no sign of stopping. Smokey flames stoke higher with each passing inch.
His gritty tone strikes another match. “When I was a lost little boy, I wanted to hold your hand. As a punk ass kid, I relied on your kindness to survive the cruelty. As a horny teen, I craved the curve of your body against mine. Now I’m a man, and I want every single thing you’re willing to give.”
The hints of romantic sentiment get whisked away in a foggy haze. I’m wanton, needy and begging and unashamed. “P-please take me. You can have it all. I’m yours,” I murmur.
He kisses the ticklish skin of my inner thigh. “Love hearing that, Sutt. You make me so fucking hard.”
“Do something about it,” I wheeze.
“Patience.” His husky reprimand has the opposite effect. I scoot forward and his grip tightens. “Lay back and relax.”
An unintelligible garble escapes me. I lower onto my elbows, keeping him in a direct line of sight. He’s barely breached intimate territory and I’m already breathless.
His finger traces under the lacy edge of my panties. “These are pretty. But they’d look better in tatters on the floor.”
My lungs threaten to seize from the lack of oxygen. How do I respond while losing ground with reality? I must be dreaming.
Grady isn’t deterred by my silence. A satisfied smirk perches on his lips. He snaps the elastic on my ass and I buck up at the sting. His hoarse chuckle gives me goosebumps.
“So sensitive,” he murmurs into my covered core. His breath is a furnace, blasting me with raw heat. The most private part of me is too empty, clenching at the prospect of what’s to come. Only a thin layer of satin separates me from him.
I shift as he drags the silky fabric off my hips. Chilled air greets my exposed center, eliciting a hiss from me. He bunches the flimsy material in a fist and brings it to his nose. His inhale is loud and deep.
A squeak breaks out of me. Shit, that’s so filthy. And I love it. Would begging him to repeat the process be weird? Do I actually care? I open my mouth with the plea. Grady’s hungry growl stops me.
Erotic promises brighten his features. “Spread your legs for me, beautiful.”
My limbs obey his command before I can process the words. He stares at my bare slit as if a priceless treasure has been revealed. My blood sizzles with what I can only describe as unadulterated need. The sheer wonder reflecting in his gaze has me wheezing. His eyes continue feasting on me while his thumbs part my folds wider. I want more of him, desperately so, but this visual foreplay is striking plenty of buttons.
Grady doesn’t leave me hanging much longer.
His head dips between my stretched thighs. I attempt to get a grip on his slick hair, my nails sliding through the wet strands. That first teasing lick triggers a domino of sensations, igniting sparklers in my center and fanning out. A booming beat crashes against my ribs. I collapse flat onto the mattress with a long moan.
“Holy shit,” I murmur.
His hum of approval vibrates through my core. Shockwaves zip straight to my curled toes. That earns him a drawn out, high-pitched whine. I watch through bleary eyes as Grady slowly swipes up my seam, bottom to top. The sound is indecent, a man savoring a favorite treat. My responding gasp encourages him to bury his face deeper. His tender strokes morph into lashing twists that has my head spinning. He zeroes in on my clit, hitting his target with masterful precision. With each loop of his tongue, I leap closer to sweet release. The promise of a climax to end all orgasms is just beyond my fingertips.
Grady grips my hips and drags me into him. My ass hangs off the bed until he changes angles. The back of my knees find purchase on his shoulders and he tilts me up. In this position, he opens me further for the taking. His tongue is a wicked spiral set on my detonation. Grady can show a tornado a thing or two with these skills. An intense increase of suction skyrockets me into the stratosphere. My thoughts fray into a tangle of nonsense.
“O-ohhhh, oh, oh,” I chant the mumbled word until it's unrecognizable. He’s lavishing my hypersensitive bundle with rapid flicks of his tongue. My vision goes fuzzy around the edges. The only thing I can concentrate on is Grady’s mouth devouring me. “D-don’t s-stop. I’m almost t-there.”
A sharp bite to my pulsing clit is the final shove. My legs begin quaking as a tremor whips through me. The cork keeping me bottled up explodes with a shattering bang. I soar to the thunderous clouds, splitting in a hundred pieces. My eyes roll all the way back, lashes fluttering out of control. I’m a twitching puddle of elation, floating somewhere between reality and fantasy. I’ve never had this type of intoxicating pleasure thrumming through my veins. Anything before this moment pales in comparison.
Hot. Fucking. Damn.
I’m still attempting to regain feeling in my limbs when Grady pulls away. The grin he’s wearing is the cocky assurance of a job well done. I couldn’t agree more. Hell, this man deserves a raise.
I’m dizzy and seeing stars, but his handsome face flickers into focus. Grady wipes the back of a hand over his mouth, those emerald pools glittering with more temptation. I will my drained muscles to recuperate.
He sucks on his bottom lip. “Fucking divine. I’ll gladly eat you for every meal.”
I manage to cup his scruffy cheek. “I like the sound of that.”
His lips drift along my thigh. “Breakfast in bed is my new favorite.”
“You’re dirty.”
“Thanks to you. I get to have you on my tongue all day.”
“Oh, that sounds even better. My turn.” I try to tug him into me, but he resists. “C’mere, Gray.”
A swift shake of his head follows my demand.
I try again, pulling harder. He doesn’t budge. “Why? Where do you have to go?”
“Work.” His tone rings with finality.
If my body was cooperating, I’d spring up straight. “What? Didn’t you take more time off? You were just in a serious accident.”
He frowns at me. “I need the money, Sutt. Sitting around on my ass isn’t paying the bills.”
“But you need to heal.”
“Didn’t hear you complaining about my well-being five minutes ago.”
I glance away as fire singes my cheeks. “That’s different.”
He laughs. “Yeah, it’s a lot more fun fucking around with you. Wanna play hooky?”
That gives me pause. Posts need to be scheduled. I think about the invoices piling up. I’m sure there’s a stack of emails waiting for me. One of my clients is calling me at noon. I’m not sure where my phone is.
He must read the hesitation in my expression. “That’s what I thought.” Grady stands and the towel drops to his feet. He looms a foot away completely nude and apparently off-limits. I force myself upright for a decent view. It’s a solid consolation prize, quite literally.
Grady turns and struts to the dresser. His ass is firm, sculpted male perfection. I want to nibble on those muscular globes. He peeks over his shoulder, very much catching me in the fine act of ogling. A smirk kisses his lips.
“Naughty girl. Keep staring and I’ll never let you leave.”
I squirm at the invitation.
“You like that idea?” He palms his dick, giving the iron shaft a leisurely stroke.
I nod. “Need a hand?”
Grady shakes his head, that girthy length still disappearing into a tight fist. “I can handle it. You giv
e me plenty of material.”
A pout sticks out my bottom lip. “Team effort?”
“Don’t be sad. You’ll get a turn.”
That gets my blood pumping hotter. “Oh really? When?”
“I’ll see you later.”
“Says who?”
“Me. We’re going on a date.”
A giddy pitter-patter takes flight in my belly. “Are you going to tell me where and when?”
Another shake of his head. “All you need to be ready for is a shitload of wooing.”
All argument dies on my tongue. Damn, I really loved the sound of that.
Happy something #103: Planning ahead for better days, no matter how stupid it seems.
I slide another plank into place and position the nail gun. The hydraulic pop-pop-pop that rapidly follows has become more of a distant hum. It’s been the same monotonous cycle all afternoon. Measure. Set. Nail. Repeat. I could’ve finished this section of flooring hours ago if my head was screwed on straight.
There isn’t a lot I can claim to be good at and reliable for, but my work ethic is solid. Doing a job well gives me a boost of pride. I don’t slack off or put in half-assed effort. My reputation is tarnished enough. More slams against me will land my ass in the unemployment line. That won’t pay the bills I have piling up on my counter. Yet I don’t reach for another piece of glossy oak. A small breather won’t derail me much further.
The rubber mallet bounces off the wood beside me. I wipe at the trail of sweat that’s dripping down my temple. It’s hotter than Hades in this house, even with all the windows open. The owner is paying us to renovate so he can flip this place for a nice profit. Air conditioning is out of the question. Cutting time is the priority, not our comfort while doing it.
Speaking of, seconds have never ticked by so damn slow. If time speeds up while having fun, that leaves hours to drag while nothing is happening. Here I sit with my head spinning in a thousand directions. Usually I credit myself with having the ability to focus until a task is complete. Working diligently while keeping my nose to the grindstone isn’t asking for much. But there’s no controlling my thoughts. Not today.
