“You’re not,” Luke objected, handing her a towel. She snatched it from his hands and used it to wipe her face, then set it on the counter beside her.
“I am,” she insisted, bending down to pick her purse off the floor. Big mistake. She felt her balance shift, Luke’s arms the only thing saving her from hitting the floor. She needed to lie down.
“I’m not letting you leave, Mimi. Seriously. Take my bed, I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“Your couch sucks,” she argued, trying to keep her eyes open.
“Yes, but I’,m willing to sacrifice my back for you. Now, let me take you to bed,” he said, leading her out of the bathroom.
“Pffft, that’s what got you into trouble in the first place,” she mumbled, heavily leaning into him. He brought her into his bedroom and lifted her onto the bed, yanking off her shoes. She grabbed the pillow and wrapped her arms around it, allowing Luke to tuck the blankets around her. He turned the light out and started walking toward the door.
“Luke,” she whispered loudly, the way lady drunks do.
“Yes?”
“When I sober up, I got a bone to pick with you!”
“Yes, I gathered that.”
“You suck,” she slurred, her tongue as heavy as her eyelids.
“Yes.”
“I need to tell you how fucking bad you hurt me,” she choked, “then I’ll leave, and you never have to see me again...”
She was asleep before Luke even closed the door.
Chapter 40
Luke woke up, the morning sun hitting his face. It took him a moment to get his bearings straight, confused by the unfamiliar brightness. He groaned his disapproval, pulling the blanket over his head. It took him a minute to process where he was, and why he wasn’t in his own bed.
“Fuck,” he mumbled, sitting up, his thoughts quickly shifting to the night before. Frowning, he pulled his hand through his hair, trying to force his head to clear. It had taken him hours to fall asleep, his guilt eating away at him. Mimi had shown up at his door, crushed, and more than a little drunk, visibly shaken. He knew he had to talk to her, to come clean about everything, but he thought he had more time. He planned to confess everything when she returned from her trip, but she didn’t leave.
Why?
He tossed the blanket to the floor and stood up, stretching out his stiff back, accepting the pain as his penance. The agony in his back was nothing compared to the gut-wrenching pain in his heart. He had hurt her. He would have thrown himself at her feet, begged her to forgive him, tried to repair the damage he’d done, but she’d been so wasted and in no condition to reason.
He filled a glass of water and palmed two Tylenols, quietly picking his way down the hall.
She was going to have a hell of a hangover, no doubt.
“Mimi,” he whispered, gently opening the door. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, his dark bedroom a stark contrast to the sunlit living room he left behind. The bed was empty.
“Fuck,” he sighed, his heart sinking in his chest. She must have woken early and snuck out. He hurried back to the kitchen to find his phone, hoping she’d left him a message. She didn’t. It was early, only a few minutes past 7:00. When did she leave, he wondered? He tossed his phone on the counter, much harder than he meant to.
Chapter 41
Luke tried to text Mimi all morning, even calling her once or twice, but she didn’t respond. His brain, consumed with thoughts of her, was completely useless at work so he feigned a migraine and slipped out before noon, drawing curious looks from his co-workers. His boss, Barry, raised a brow, certain that he was just trying to get a jump on the weekend, but Luke just ignored his cynicism. He rarely took time off and was almost never sick, so Barry could go fuck himself. The way he was feeling, he was no use anyway.
After an important errand, Luke found himself in Mimi’s parking lot, trying to summon the courage to go up and talk with her. Her car was in her parking space, so she was definitely home he surmised, unless she took a cab somewhere else after leaving his place. He frowned at the thought, picturing her in Arran’s arms, being comforted and consoled by him. He hated the image and dismissed it quickly, giving his head a shake. No, she couldn’t be with him, he reasoned. She’d called off the trip.
“Stop being a pussy and go,” he scolded, “it’s now or never.”
He turned off the ignition, shoving his keys in his pocket and opened the car door. He hauled himself out of the car, his limbs heavy with dread, anticipating the worst. He had no idea what he was walking into or if he would be leaving without a friend.
He used her spare key, afraid that if he buzzed up she wouldn’t let him in. He quietly knocked on her door, calling out her name.
“Mimi, it’s me. Can I come in?”
She didn’t seem surprised to see him. She just opened the door and stepped aside, her face devoid of emotion. He hoped it was due to a hangover and not because she despised him.
“I apologize for my behavior last night,” she offered flatly, motioning him inside. He followed her into the living room, where she sat down, landing heavily on the sofa. She was in rough shape, he observed. Her eyes were puffy, as though she’d been crying. He swallowed hard, choking back his guilt.
“I had no business showing up at your place after midnight, drunk like that. I’m not sure why I did it.”
He smiled weakly and shrugged, taking a seat beside her.
“It’s fine.”
“Why are you here?” she asked coolly.
“I wanted to see if you were ok?”
“Hmm,” she mumbled, holding her feelings close.
Her chilly demeanor was completely out of character, making Luke even more anxious. He sat back on the sofa, patiently waiting for her to say something, gathering his own thoughts. The silence was torture and after a minute or two it became clear she wasn’t offering more.
“You left without saying goodbye.” he said, breaking the awkward silence, coaxing her to open up. She rolled her eyes at him, and snorted wryly, making him wish he’d opened with something else.
“Isn’t that what we do now, Luke? Just leave without an explanation?”
“Sorry,” he offered humbly, recalling the night of the party and his hasty exit. He’d had no choice, he panicked. She raised her head and stared at him, evaluating him closely, as though measuring his worth. He hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed.
“I’m so mad at you, Luke,” she snapped, her cheeks flush with anger.
“About which part?” he replied softly.
“All of it! How could you do that to me? You just left me?” she cried, her eyes accusing him. “You fucked me and then let me believe that another man touched me like that...another man made me feel the way I did...Why? Was it that awful for you?”
“No,” he whispered, dropping his head.
It hadn’t been that way at all. Nothing about that night had gone as planned. He had been impulsive and protective and if he was being completely honest, a little possessive. He’d been wrestling with his feelings the entire week up until the party and had even considered backing out. Instead, he convinced himself to go, locking it all down, hoping that if he ignored his desires they would magically evaporate into thin air.
She had looked amazing that night too, her eyes glowing with excitement, cheeks flushed with anticipation. He knew she was anxious but it only added to her charm, and he found himself irresistibly drawn to her. No one else in the room that night excited him the way she had, her scent intoxicating him. When the time came to draw names, he held that slip of paper in his hands, anxiously hedging about participating, unsure he even wanted to fuck another woman. Then Arran walked in. The smug bastard just walked right in front of him, turning back to give him a wink. The son of a bitch was goading him, and they both knew it. In the most charismatic way, Arran told the hostess that he expected Mimi to draw his name, then slipped her a fifty.
That’s when it happened. At that moment he could have made
a dozen different choices, better choices, but he acted on impulse. The thought of Arran with Mimi that night was just too much for him to process. He wanted her. Mimi was his.
After Arran left, he asked the hostess not to do it. He pleaded with her to make sure it was his name left in the bowl for Mimi to choose, not Arran’s. She seemed to take pity on him, appreciating his romantic gesture.
He led Mimi to a private corner, still unsure what he would do. She waited for him, her timidness arousing him. Fuck, he hungered for her. So he kissed her, tentative at first, but then something clicked. Her mouth felt so right on his, and at that moment, nothing else mattered. Everything about her was perfect, he could have swallowed her whole. Her kisses, the caresses, her taste, his flesh against hers, it was sublime.
He’d never experienced such intense sensations with any woman before...and it wasn’t just physical. Every part of him surrendered to her that night, body and soul, and it scared the fuck out of him. As their love-making came to an end, he realized what he had done, how wrong he’d been to deceive her. He crossed the line, contaminated their friendship. The emotions were spinning so violently in his head he couldn’t think straight, and he was livid that he acted so impulsively. He couldn’t deal with those monumental feelings.
Or face her.
So he bailed, like a coward.
“No? Is that all you’re going to say? Don’t I deserve an explanation? Does our friendship mean so little to you?”, she stammered, her anger blatantly clear.
He nodded, of course she did, but he couldn’t seem to find the words to tell her what had been in his heart that night, or how he was feeling now.
She stared at him in disbelief, waiting for his confession, her confusion and frustration rising as the seconds passed.
“I can’t do this,” she cried, raising herself from the couch, turning her back on him. He hated that he was the reason for her anguish, that he had caused her so much pain. He wished he could take it all back, heal her heart...and his. He needed her more than he ever needed anything, and he was losing her. He stood up and reached for her hand, drawing her back before she could walk away, desperately pulling her into his kiss.
She tried to jerk away but he refused her. His kiss was fiery, passionate, unrestrained, as though finally unleashing every feeling he had buried, every emotion he denied. He laced his fingers through her hair and held her close, exploring her with his desperate mouth. She mewed quietly as though surrendering herself, her tension releasing as she leaned into him. She parted her mouth, wordlessly submitting herself to him. God, she tasted sweet, warm and inviting, and he couldn’t get enough of her. He wanted her, all of her. Body, heart, and soul. She owned him.
“Why?” she whispered, easing out of his kiss, her eyes searching his.
“Because I’m in love with you,” he confessed, pausing before pressing his mouth on hers again.
She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him back, slow, sensual and deliberate, like she couldn’t believe he was real and wanted more evidence. He sizzled under her touch, her kiss an electric charge flowing through every circuit in his body, feeding his need, arousing him.
“Mimi, I want you,” he confessed, his breath hot in her ear, begging for her consent. She hungrily nodded her head, her eyes penetrating his.
“Yes,” she whispered.
It was all he needed. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, kicking the door open in his haste. He eased her onto the unmade bed and tore open her blouse, sending the buttons flying. She stared at him wide-eyed, a combination of surprise and desire adorning her beautiful face. He smiled wildly and growled, burying his face in her neck, kissing, sucking, nibbling the sensitive flesh, her delicate scent fueling his exploration. He traced his tongue assertively down her body, tasting every delicious pore, memorizing her curves. He was hard for her.
Luke slowly undressed her, his fingertips teasing her long limbs as he peeled down her jeans. She shuddered under his touch, her quiet moans encouraging him. She was wearing simple, white cotton panties but they were sexy as hell, promising what was beneath them would take him to church...and worship her he would.
He knelt between her knees and kissed her mound, gently at first, teasing her clit through the soft material. She squirmed beneath him, raising her hips in invitation. He looked up at her and chuckled, pleased with her feedback. She placed her hands gently on his head, encouraging him to continue. Luke didn’t need to be asked twice and proceeded to bite, suck and lick her through her panties until they were soaking wet, appreciating the taste of her juices through the damp material, a savory-sweet appetizer teasing of the entrée to come. He sensed her pleasure mounting and obeyed her cues, roughly tearing her panties away so he could plunge his long fingers inside of her. He continued to devour her pussy, slipping his fingers in and out of her soaking wet hole, her body tensing under his touch, moaning her approval. He needed to make her cum, to offer her pleasure far greater than the pain he had caused. He needed her to know what was in his heart, that she was his, now and always. She always had been.
Mimi came quickly, releasing a deep, sexy moan, bucking and grinding into his face as she climaxed, coating his tongue with her sexy spice. She held nothing back from him, as pleasure rushed through her body, rewarding him with her fieriness, validating him. Luke hungrily lapped at her pussy, desperate to prolong her pleasure, until her climax released its sensuous hold on her, and she calmed beneath him.
She took a moment to catch her breath, gently combing her fingers through his hair while he rested his head on her stomach. Normally he shied away from such intimacies, but with her, the tender moment felt right.
“Can I kiss you?” she breathed, raising his head with her hands. He looked up, over the landscape of her beautiful curves, and smiled.
“Hell ya,” he gushed, raising himself over her. He eagerly kissed her, his cock anxiously pressing against her through his slacks.
“Mmm, I do taste good,” she teased, her tongue exploring his mouth.
“Ya, you do,” he agreed between kisses.
“Take this off,” she begged, loosening his tie. He was still fully dressed in his business suit. “Take it all off!”
She slipped the tie through his collar and eyed it provocatively, grinning suggestively at him. He knew exactly what she wanted and chuckled in agreement, taking it from her hands. He quickly kissed her then rolled to his side, shifting his weight off her.
“Shimmy up the bed, Mimi, right now,” he commanded, peeling away her torn blouse. She did exactly as he asked, happy to please him. Breathlessly, he stared at her nakedness, appreciating every womanly curve, from her soft, full breasts all the way down to her rounded hips and juicy ass. She was divinely perfect. Eve, personified.
Luke crawled up the bed beside her and raised her arms, wrapping his tie tightly around her wrists, grinning wickedly at her. She inhaled deeply, enjoying his sexy assault. He fastened her bound wrists to the headboard, tugging tightly against the binds to ensure she couldn’t escape, then kissed her on the mouth, hard, demonstrating who was in charge.
He quickly undressed, freeing his angry cock, and straddled himself over her squirming, defenseless body. She wiggled beneath him, testing the binds, her eyes begging him to ravish her. He’d never felt more aroused than he did in that moment, her vulnerability and need fueling his passion.
“I want you in my mouth,” she panted, her chest heaving beneath him. He raised his brows, thrilled by her carnal confession, and eased the tip of his cock to her mouth, glossing her lips with his pre-cum. She licked the saltiness away, then opened her mouth to him, inviting him to penetrate her. He entered her slowly, allowing her to milk his cock, pulling him into her throat, deeper and deeper, her lips tight against his shaft. His arousal was thick, tightening and straining in his core, threatening to explode in her mouth. Her throaty moans sent a shiver up his spine, making his cock beg for release, but Luke restrained himself.
“I’m going t
o fuck you, woman,” he growled, slipping out of her eager mouth. Mimi glanced up at him and smirked, her soft eyes heavy with desire. He kissed her again, wrapping his fingers tightly through her hair. She returned it with an urgency that begged to be fucked, spreading her legs as further proof. He didn’t hesitate, plunging himself into her, sheathing his swollen cock in her womb.
He fucked his woman well but could feel his orgasm surging, way too quickly, his rebellious cock surly and impatient, building with an intensity that shook him to the core.
He raised her ass higher, dangerously rocking his hips, a slave to his demanding cock. She writhed and moaned beneath him, tightening her grip on his ass, squeezing her thighs tightly around him while she climaxed. She screamed out his name, her body bucking beneath him, pulling at her restraints. He matched her passion, desperately driving himself into her until he exploded inside, spilling his hot seed into her hungry pussy.
Exhausted, he rested himself on top of her, allowing his cock to grow flaccid inside her, gently sucking and kissing her pert nipples. She moaned softly, the rise and fall of her breath strangely reassuring.
“Luke?” she whispered, squeezing him with her thighs.
“Mmm?”
“Can you untie me?”
“Uh-uh”, he chuckled, pulling a tight nipple into his mouth. She giggled softly and relaxed beneath him.
“You can’t keep me tied up and vulnerable forever” she teased softly, wiggling her body beneath him.
“Why not?” he mused, raising his head, grinning sheepishly at her.
She shook her head and laughed, “I don’t really have a good answer.”
“Me either,” he agreed, raising himself to kiss her.
Chapter 42
Luke carefully rolled himself off of her and perched on the side of the bed, slipping his slacks back on. She watched him fish into his pocket, searching for something, which he quickly palmed in his hand. He turned back and smiled at her, reaching up to untie her binds, slipping something over her finger before freeing her.
The Baby Favor Page 42
