Yeah, she’s OK.
**
Two hours later, Naomi set her glass down on the coffee table with a sigh. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun at a party – drunk or sober.
“So,” Sarah said to her. “You and King seem to be spending a lot of time together.”
“Yeah. We are.”
Sarah’s blue eyes were warm. “He’s a great guy. They all are, really.”
“I’ve noticed.” Idly, Naomi picked up a cup off the overflowing table. “Appearances can be deceiving, huh?”
“Yep.” She caught Jax’s eye across the room. “Oh, excuse me for one sec, OK? I think Jax wants me to meet someone.”
“Sure.” Naomi watched Sarah pull herself to her feet and limp over to Jax and another man. Sarah looked much better, she was happy to see: her limp was way less pronounced and her balance seemed to be better. She glanced around the crowded open space, took a sip of her drink.
The panic hit her less than one second after the taste of alcohol hit her taste buds. She gagged, spat the drink back in to the plastic cup in her shaking hand. She stared down at it.
Oh, fuck, oh, fuck. I picked up the wrong goddamn cup.
King looked up just in time to see a look of fear and desperation cross Naomi’s face. Startled, he watched her shoot to her feet and dash out of the room. He followed, his heart in his throat. He walked down the hallway, listened. There was noise in the smaller bathroom, farther down the hall, and he tapped on the door.
“Naomi?” he said.
All he got for an answer was a sob, but that was more than enough. He threw the door open, thanking God that it wasn’t locked because he’d have kicked the damn thing down without a second of thought. What he saw froze the breath in his lungs.
Naomi was over at the sink, water running full-blast. She was rubbing her tongue roughly, then cupping her hands under the spray to drink. Over and over she did this, tears streaming down her pale face, breathing hard and fast. He was next to her in two strides.
“What happened?”
“I – I drank some wine by accident.” She drank some more water. “Matt – I can still taste it.”
“OK, OK. Breathe.” He took her shoulders gently. “Did you swallow any?”
She shook her head frantically.
“Good. Let me find you some toothpaste, OK? I’ll go down to Jax and Sarah’s bathroom. You just hang on, yeah?”
He opened the door again, and then stopped dead when he saw Aidan standing there.
“Here,” Aidan said urgently and handed King a glass. “Drink this, hon.”
“What is it?” King said.
“Milk. The best thing for killing tastes and coating the mouth and throat. Drink it.”
Naomi was shocked enough to be distracted from her panic for a few seconds. She and King stared at Aidan.
“How – how did you –”
“Stop talking and drink. Do it.”
She accepted the glass from Matt and both men watched her drink the milk. She drained the glass in a few seconds, then lowered it to stare at Aidan some more. He’d shut the door again and now he leaned against it, his large arms crossed. He was still and silent, and his golden glow looked dimmer, somehow. Diminished.
“OK, man,” King said. “Spill.”
Aidan shrugged. “I’m a bartender, y’all. I know how alcoholics look and act around alcohol.” His eyes met Naomi’s and all she saw there was kindness. “And I also know because I’m one too.”
She dropped the glass in shock, then realized when it rolled away that it was plastic.
“You – you’re what?” she said. “But – but… you work in a bar! You’re the bartender!”
“Yep.” He grinned now. “I’m the Sam Malone of Curves.”
“Who?” King said, still gazing at his friend. He was wondering just how the fuck he’d never known this about Aidan, not in four whole years of knowing the guy.
“Sam Malone? From that TV show ‘Cheers’?”
They stared some more.
“Never mind.” He turned back to Naomi. “Better?”
“Uh, yeah. Thank you.”
“Sure.”
Silence descended now, and they all suddenly had a hard time looking at each other. Finally, Aidan sighed.
“I’m just over six years sober,” he offered.
She bit her lip. “Almost a year. One year in two weeks.”
“You doing AA? You have a sponsor?”
She nodded.
“You need to call them?”
“Maybe… maybe…” She hesitated. “Can I –”
“What?” King said gently.
“Can I talk to you?” she asked Aidan, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Yeah, of course.”
She glanced at King. “Is that OK?”
“God, baby… of course it’s OK.” He kissed her on the forehead, his thick fingers moving in her hair. “Whatever you need and you know that.” He nodded at Aidan. “Take good care of her, yeah?”
“I will. I promise.”
**
Almost an hour later, Naomi and Aidan emerged from the guest bedroom. She looked calm again, he was relieved to see, and she came over to him. Right away, he wrapped his arms around her.
“OK?” he said, keeping his voice low.
“Yes. But can we please go now?”
“Yeah. We’re out of here.”
King went to the closet to get their coats and when he turned, he caught Aidan’s eye. The other man was standing there, his hands in his jeans pockets, his body tense. King smiled at him, gave him a small nod, and Aidan relaxed again.
Your secret is safe with me, for as long as you want it to be a secret.
They thanked Sarah and Jax for the hospitality and made the rounds, saying goodbye. When they finally stepped outside, King heard Naomi take a deep breath.
“Thank God,” she said quietly.
“You need a meeting? You need to see Mirrie?”
“No.” She took his proffered hand as she stepped over a large patch of ice. “Aidan was great. I’m OK now.”
“Good.”
The drive back to her place was almost totally silent. Naomi looked blankly out the window the whole way, and he didn’t push her. He could only imagine how scared she must have been at that first unexpected taste of wine – the equivalent of an ambush in an innocent-looking cup – and that wasn’t something he’d ever understand. Aidan did, Mirrie did, millions of others on the planet did. But not him. If she wanted to talk, he could listen; if she wanted comfort, he was prepared to be there for her.
Whatever you need, baby, I’ll be it for you.
He took her home, not sure what she needed tonight. He’d go if said to do that; he’d stay if she wanted that. It was up to her, and he’d do anything she asked of him.
She blinked, her expression clearing. “We’re at my place.”
“Yeah.” She started a bit at the gruffness in his voice. “You want to be alone?”
Naomi smiled at the look on his gorgeous face. God, this man was so damn hard and scary, but when he looked at her like this – like all he cared about was her next breath – she didn’t see any of that. She just saw safety and warmth.
“No,” she said. “I want to be with you. You’ll stay?”
“In a heartbeat.”
“Good.”
Upstairs, he removed her coat, watched her go and sit on the sofa. She looked exhausted suddenly, and when he took her in his arms, she leaned on him heavily. He stroked her back, soothing the tension he still felt there, and held on. There was nothing sexual or sensual about his touch right now. All he wanted was to make her feel safe, make her believe that it was over. She’d faced down another encounter with her personal demon and walked
away whole. A bit scratched up, a bit burned, but still in one piece.
“Matt?”
“Yeah?”
“I need a shower. I need to wash this day off me.”
“OK. You want to be alone?”
She leaned back now and he saw her smile. “Oh, no. As I already said, I most definitely don’t want to be alone.”
“Huh.” He grinned back at her. “So…you’d like me to join you?”
“You know it, babe.”
“Naomi?”
Something in his voice stopped her. “Yes?”
“I know I can’t do this for you, honey, as much as I want to. All I can do is be here while you do it. Hold your hand, let you know you’re not all alone in this.” He intertwined her fingers with his. “But is that enough? On days like today, when shit like this hits you out of the blue, is it enough?”
“It’s more than enough, Matt.” Naomi brushed his mouth with her lips. “It’s everything.”
He took a shuddering breath, amazed at the relief that washed over him at her words. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“I want to be everything for you,” he said softly, almost afraid to say his deepest desire out loud. “Your sun and moon and stars.”
She paused, touched. “And I want to be yours.”
“You are.” He stood now and started to lead her to the bathroom. “My blood and breath, too. My everything.”
Naomi blinked back tears at his words. God, she’d never felt so valued and cherished in the whole of her life. What this man gave her – gave her freely and openly – was nothing short of a gift. A tiny miracle, all for her. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe it.
They shed their clothes and let them fall to the bathroom floor. King started the shower and checked the temperature before stepping in. He turned, extended his hand to her.
“Come on in, darlin’. The water’s fine.”
She grinned and accepted his hand. She sighed as the water pummeled her shoulders and back, massaging out some of the residual tension. Aidan had talked her down amazingly well, but she was still shaken by that unexpected taste of wine on her tongue. It had been shockingly good, scarily familiar. A ghost that refused to fully die, an echo that called to her across time and space almost daily.
Today had reminded her of what she was trying to keep at bay: an addiction that disguised itself as a sweet, harmless temptation. It looked so gorgeous in the bottle or in a fancy glass, its colors rich and soothing. It was sophisticated and charming; it lulled her in to a sense of false security, promising her that it was possible to have just the one. It was a cunning liar and a silver-tongued devil.
My personal devil.
She burrowed close to Matt. His large arms were just holding her right now, nothing more; they caged her, made her feel safe and protected. When she was right here, it seemed ludicrous to worry about anything ever again. He’d never let anything get close to her. Naomi closed her eyes and relaxed totally, let her body go limp and soft against his.
King poured some body wash in to his palm. “Come here. Let me wash you.”
She sighed again as his hands moved over her, making soapy circles on her breasts, her back, her thighs. His touch became sensual, slow, and she suddenly found herself spreading her legs wider, giving him access to her hot center.
“Hmmm,” he said. “Someone wants to be touched, I see.”
“Not just touched.” She gyrated against his fingers as he slipped in to her warm sex. “Kissed.”
“Yeah?” He was breathless with the wild urge to finally make her come on his mouth. “You sure?”
“Oh, yes. I’m sure.”
He lifted her chin, needing to see her eyes. “Say it again.”
“I want you to kiss me, Matt.” She flushed but didn’t look away. “Kiss me until I come… make me come.”
Without another word, he dropped to his knees in front of Naomi. He placed his hands on her hips, gently shoved her back until she was against the wall. He kissed her stomach, the tops of her thighs, the delicate area just above her slick entrance. She sucked in a breath and he glanced up at her.
“OK?”
In response, her hands went to the back of his head, urging him to come closer. He complied, using his fingers to open her lips. He spread them carefully and when he saw her clit nestled in there, all pink and wet, he groaned.
“I have to taste you,” he said, his voice guttural.
“I want you to.” She pressed on his head again. “Please, Matt. Taste me.”
Without another second of hesitation, King was on her. Naomi had no control over the deep moan that rolled out from her chest when his tongue found her taut bud. Like a starving man, he feasted on her; like a believer, he worshipped her. With long, steady strokes he teased her, first attacking her clit, then leaning back to suck every drop of arousal from her folds. She was so fucking sweet and he drank her in.
Naomi felt the sensations build in her steadily, one lick at a time, one flick after another. When he groaned against her, the sound torn from deep in his throat, she felt the vibration all the way to her toes. Matt lifted her leg and dropped it over his shoulder, spreading her even wider to him. When he slid two fingers inside her, she threw her head back against the tile wall and rode his mouth, totally enslaved to the feelings and her own growing need.
“Oh, Matt,” she said, her voice high and strained. “Matt… so good. So fucking good.”
He pushed deeper, stroking her inside even as he stroked her outside. The pressure grew, got out of control, and she held on to Matt’s shoulders. He felt her shaking and dug his fingers in to her hip, holding her up. She was sure that if he didn’t, her leg would give out beneath her and she’d be on the floor in a heap.
Higher and tighter, deeper and wider, the pleasure was all she knew. There was nothing else, not anywhere, and she gave herself to it. When it broke, it broke hard and her cries of release echoed around the bathroom. He stayed with her, her clit between his lips and on his tongue, until the clenching on his fingers slowed and then stopped. Naomi kept her eyes shut tight, still locked in a haze of pleasure. King slid his fingers out of her slowly and she tensed, moaned again.
He gently lowered her shaking leg, set her foot on the shower floor. He got to his feet and leaned against her, holding her upright with his body. She clung to him, her face buried in his chest, panting. The water ran over their heated bodies, calming and cleansing. She opened her eyes at last and looked up at him.
“That was amazing,” she said, her voice a bit hoarse from shouting. “You’re so damn hot. So… good.”
“Yeah, you said that.” He grinned down at her, loving the taste of her sweetness on his tongue. “I’m glad you think so.”
“Hmmmm.” There was that throaty sound again, the one he’d come to crave, and his cock hardened even more. He’d been damn close to exploding when he felt her come, but somehow he’d managed to stay in control.
Fucking barely, though.
“I do think so,” she said. “You know what else I think?”
“Nope. Enlighten me.”
“I think that I want to taste you.”
He started. “Naomi… you don’t have to… are you sure… you… I’d love…”
She smiled at his stuttering. “Is that a yes?”
“Oh, Christ. You’d better believe that’s a yes – but only if you’re sure.”
She sank to her knees now, slowly, gracefully. King held his breath as she took him in her hand and stroked him gently. She dropped her head back and met his eyes before licking his length, up and down, her tongue swirling around the tip as she released him.
“So. Does it look like I’m sure?” she said.
Literally unable to speak, he nodded.
She nodded back, then took him in her mouth. King exhaled hard, sudd
enly realizing that his fantasy had just come to life. At the thought, his back arched. “God, Naomi. I’ve dreamt about this, baby. Wanted it for so long… you have no idea.”
Her answer was to take him deeper. With a groan, he gently grasped her hair, pulling her closer. He wanted to thrust as hard and fast as he could, but he somehow managed to maintain a degree of control.
She pulled back a bit, her hand still stroking him. “Tell me how you dreamt it.”
“What?” He goggled down at her.
“When you imagined me doing this… how did you want it?” She mouthed kisses on the head, licking at the salty pre-cum. “Tell me what you want.”
“I don’t know…” He stalled, sure he’d scare her.
“I won’t give you anything you don’t ask for, Matt.” She grinned up at him, clearly enjoying turning his words back on him. “Tell me what you want.”
“I’ll show you,” he said hoarsely.
“Show me.”
He took her wrists in his hand and raised them slowly, pressed them against the wall, held them there. With his other hand, he tugged her back to his cock. “Like this, baby.”
Her eyes flared with arousal at his dominance. She took him in her mouth again, eager and willing, loving his tender control. She pulled him deep in to her throat, then drew back to run her tongue around his sensitive tip, then she sucked deep again. Over and over, until King started to lift himself in to her mouth, silently begging for her to not stop, to not slow down.
“Fuck, Naomi… fuck…” His head fell back and his whole body tightened up. “You’re going to make me come any second, baby…please. Please don’t stop…”
Naomi loved every single second of it. She may have been the one on her knees with her hands restrained, but holy hell, did she ever hold all the power here. This man – this huge, strong, domineering man – was powerless under her mouth. Begging and panting, he needed her.
He felt her smile just before she took him as deep as possible. He cursed, bucked, clenched, lost control. He came with a shout, his hand holding her head tight – maybe too tight – loving the heat of her sweet mouth.
Hard Curves (Dangerous Curves Book 2) Page 16
