“Thank you,” I reply.
Letting go of his hand, I loop my arm through his, nestling my cheek against his shoulder as we make our way down the stairs. Passing the pictures in the stairway, I find myself saddened as the memories of his childhood come to mind. There are several of him at different ages lining the walls, and in none of them is he smiling. Not a single one.
It hurts my heart.
But as we cut through the study, that’s where I notice the amount of Noah’s accomplishments surrounding us. All-star certificates in football and baseball, National Merit Scholar plaque, MVP trophies, medals from placing in track, a program from high school graduation with him listed as valedictorian, President’s list awards for his outstanding GPA in college, his Harvard acceptance letter, amongst many, many other things, clearly on display for others to see.
Nothing about family. Nothing about anything that means anything to Noah. Not the Noah I know.
Just a tally of his son’s accomplishments, all at the price of his happiness.
And the more I think about that damn acceptance letter, the more my stomach churns, because I know that isn’t what he wants to do. That this will be more of his life wasted by living his father’s dreams and not experiencing his own.
And that breaks my heart.
“Where are we going?” I ask as we approach the front door.
“The club. The only place my father ever has dinner.”
Glancing down at my attire, I look back at him. “I don’t think I’m really dressed for that. Maybe I should just stay here.”
His footsteps cease, jerking me backward since I’m still latched onto his arm. “Tate,” he looks down to my mouth as he licks his lips, our faces inches apart. “You look absolutely amazing. And as much as I’d like to show you again how gorgeous you look, since the kiss in the hall clearly didn’t convince you, we’re going to be late as it is. We both know how dear old Dad feels about punctuality.”
Blood rushes to my face, but not from embarrassment. Something tonight is different with him, with us. With him so close, my body begins to thrum with desire. I don’t know if it’s the emotional aspect of this trip, or just the fact that he looks fucking amazing, but I’m about ten seconds away from attacking him on dear old Dad’s entryway floor.
“Well, maybe should get our asses out of here then,” I remark through laughter, because we do, we really, really do need to get out of here, and quick. I can’t be held accountable for my actions much longer.
Linking our arms together again, he escorts me outside, not letting go of me until we’re at the Jeep when he opens the door, placing his hand on the small of my back to guide me into my seat. Leaning his head inside, he gives me another light kiss on the lips before shutting me in. A content grin breaks across my face as he walks around the back of the vehicle, before opening his own door and taking his own seat. Sliding on his aviators, he laughs under his breath as he shakes his head.
“What?” I ask.
Silence, followed by a deep sigh, comes from Noah before his reply.
“It’s just, for the first time in my life I actually want to break the rules.” Slowly, he raises his hand and delicately runs his thumb across my bottom lip. His eyes darken as they travel, his hooded gaze peering at my mouth the entire time. After a long silence, with only the sounds of our breaths filling the cab of the Jeep, he brings his eyes to mine. “Fuck the consequences.”
Leaning over, he places his hand behind my head and heaves me forward, until his mouth slams against mine. My hands fly to his hair, gripping sections between my fingers as our tongues twist and tangle with each other, eagerness turning into frenzy while his other hand glides up my leg, making its way under my skirt. He groans when my fists tighten in response, tugging him closer as his hand continues up my thigh, brushing over my hip where it lands on my ass. Calloused fingertips sweep across my bare skin as his fingers spread wide open, stretching them as far as he can before digging them into my flesh. My back instinctively arches, breaking our kiss — my lips instantly craving him again.
“God, Tate,” he pants, releasing his hold from my body and curling his fingers around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white with his grip. Lowering his forehead onto the tops of his hands, he continues his heavy breaths. “I can’t. I can’t do this.”
As I watch him war with himself, guilt replaces my desire. “I’m sorry, Noah. I know we’re late. I don’t want to get you in trouble.” My chin begins to tremble as tears surface in my eyes. “I shouldn’t have come. My being here isn’t helping you. If anything, it’s making things worse.” Before he can say a word, I’m out of the Jeep, wrapping my arms around my waist as I walk back towards the house.
“Tate!” I hear his door slam, but I don’t look back. I’m too embarrassed. I continue walking until I feel his fingers under my arm as he whirls me around to face him. His eyes are so full of torment, my heart shatters within my chest.
“You think this is about me being in trouble?” His brows press together as he shakes his head. “Tate, this is about you. Fuck him. I can’t do this to you, not with me leaving. It’s too much, too selfish. I won’t let myself do that, regardless of how much I want you.”
My head jerks back a little, the realization jolting me as his words sink in. He’s doing this to protect me from being hurt.
But, I’m tired of being protected. I’m tired of being numb.
I want to live.
I want to love.
I want to feel.
And I want to experience all of this with him.
Reaching toward him, I run my fingertips down his cheek and then trail them gently across his lips as a single tear runs down my face. “I would rather have one night with you, than to live the rest of my life with the possibility of never being able to experience loving another person the way that I love you.”
Dropping my hand from his mouth, I let it fall to my side. “So, I guess I’m the one who wants too much, who’s too selfish.”
His eyebrows burrow closer together, the lines in his forehead rising with them as he gazes at me. Jaw clenching with his rising hand, he tenderly strokes my cheek, brushing it once with his knuckles and then again with the light touch of his fingertips. Mouth curving into a subtle smile, he shakes his head. "Unbelievable. You continue to surprise me."
Darting his tongue across his lips, he steps forward, placing both hands on the side of my face and cupping my cheeks just before his mouth crashes against mine. Ravenously, our tongues claim each other as we feed the hunger from denying ourselves this moment for so long. Reaching down, he scoops my legs off the ground and cradles me against his chest, his lips continuing their ferocious attack as mine demand more, waging their own war. My legs folded over his arm, he raises them as he reaches for the handle, throwing the door open as we enter and then kicking it shut behind us. Our mouths continue working as we make our way up the stairs finally breaking apart when we enter his room.
It’s still just as barren and empty as when I saw it briefly earlier today, housing only a desk and a bed. Nothing indicating that this was his home or that he’s even welcome here. I find myself wondering if it always looked like this, or if he just took everything when he moved, saying a silent prayer that it’s the latter.
His mouth once again captures mine as he lowers us gradually onto the bed, setting me on top of his lap while still clutching me closely to his chest. Finally lessening his kiss, he gently caresses my lips with his just before it ends. His arm unwraps from underneath my legs and he brings his hands towards my face, using the tips of his fingers to brush the hair away from my eyes as his stare locks onto mine. Eyes glistening, he says, “Just the thought of leaving you is tearing me apart, Tate. I don’t want to go.”
My chin quivers as I reach up and place my palm on the side of his face. “Then stay.”
Stroking his cheek with my thumb, I lean into him and place my lips on one corner of his mouth, and then the other. His eyes shut as I
press myself off of his lap to kiss his forehead, situating my legs underneath me so that there is one on each side of him. Softly, I brush my lips across both of his temples, sliding my waist down his body as I move to kiss the tip of his nose, then his chin, and finally settle them against his mouth, sitting back onto his thighs.
His lips tremble as he presses them against mine while his hand makes its way to the top of my head, clenching the band holding my ponytail as he slips it down, releasing my hair from its restraint. My long tresses brush against my lower back as he passes his fingers through it, sending a wave of goose bumps rising all over my body. Finally opening his eyes, his fingers curl into my hair as he tugs my head gently backward, exposing my neck. Swallowing deeply, my body trembles as his warm tongue trails from the hollow of my neck all the way to my chin, and it shudders when his soft lips place lingering kisses along my jawline. Our hips begin grinding against each other as he moves his hands from my hair to my waist, pressing me down harder onto his erection. Lowering my gaze to his, my hair falls over my shoulder as we lock eyes, our bodies rocking to their own euphoric rhythm, sending waves of pleasure rippling throughout my entire body.
Sliding the weight of my hips against his length, his eyes grow heavy and he bites his bottom lip before letting out a deep groan. “God, Tate. You feel so good.”
The grasp on my waist tightens, his fingers pressing into my skin as he pulls me into him, urging me to do it again. Rising, I press against him with all my weight, slowly descending as he hisses through his teeth, the effect of the sound sending a steady stream of merciless pulses right between my legs. Hooking his arm around my lower back and heaving me off his lap, I’m flipped onto my back, my legs wrapping around his body as he positions himself between them. His mouth greedily takes mine as his hand hastily pushes the bottom of my tank top up my body, our kiss broken only to remove it. Lying back, my lips find his just as he moves his fingers to the front of my bra and unclasps it, releasing my breasts. Immediately, he catches them, his thumb and forefinger gently rolling and tweaking my nipple, sending a pleasurable tremor to my core. My hips buck underneath me and my hands grab his ass, pulling him while I grind powerfully against him as my legs clench him tightly.
My lips miss the warmth of his mouth when he breaks away, lowering his head and kissing his way down my neck until he reaches my left breast. With a firm hold, his lips seal over the top, his soft tongue flicking just before he grazes my nipple with his teeth.
I cry out with pleasure as my back arches away from the bed. No longer able to control my own body, I set my mind free, allowing it to experience every sensual touch and erotic sensation he gifts me.
Closing my eyes, I completely loose myself in Noah Reese.
Damn, I love when she does that.
It’s so fucking sexy.
As soon as her hips hit the air, I know her body is completely under my control. Every touch, every lick, every nip elicits a reaction, making me feel like the most powerful man in the world. Like I can do anything.
After releasing her breast from my mouth, I raise my upper body away from hers, bringing her with me as I hook her around her waist. She lies back limply along my arm, her smooth skin stretched tight, as I take my hand and place it flat against her chest. Slowly and deliberately, I run my fingers down the center of her body, her stomach quivering with my approaching touch, the anticipation reining her body’s reactions. Once my fingers reach the waistline of her skirt, my mouth lands on the top of her chest, traveling the same arduous journey as my tongue and lips devour her taste making their way down her body.
A moan escapes from the depths of her throat as she lowers herself from around my waist and folds her legs underneath her, giving me complete authority. Pulling her weight toward me, I set her on her knees, releasing my arm from her lower back just as her crystalline blue eyes meet mine, so full of vulnerability, my breath is momentarily lost. Her lips are parted, her cheeks are flushed, and with her skin glistening with a thin sheen of sweat, this is by far the most beautiful I’ve ever seen her look.
Both sitting on our knees, we gaze into each other’s eyes, our breaths heavy. I have never wanted anything as much as I want her in this moment.
To feel her.
To satisfy her.
To have her scream my name.
My instincts are animalistic as I take in her body, but I have to harness them. If this is the only time I can have her, I want to savor it.
Raising my hands, I sweep her hair over her back and then trace the tips of my fingers down the front of her shoulders, rounding the sides of her breasts, to her ribs, then her hips, finally hooking my fingers into the remainder of her clothing. Our eyes still connected, I leisurely pull her skirt with her panties over the smooth skin of her thighs and then under her knees as she lifts them for me, her mouth drifting further open as her breathing picks up.
Slowly, my fingers graze along the inside of her leg. Her breath hitches and the effect of the sound makes my dick almost explode. Leaning down, my lips mark their way along each side of her inner thighs, heightening her senses along with her expectancy. Reaching above my head, I curl my fingers around her hips and press my thumbs into the soft flesh that surrounds the treasure my mouth is seeking. Rolling my hands back over her waist, I spread her wide open as her fingers lodge themselves in my hair. Clutching tightly, she braces herself.
Inhaling deeply, I take in her scent before extending my tongue, letting it just barely graze her clit. Her hips jerk in response, so I tighten my hold on her and dive deeper as I take her into my mouth, drawing a long, slow line with my tongue clear across the length of her. Her hair brushes across my fingers as she bows her back, pressing herself forward while fisting her hands, pulling and tugging my hair. After one more pass with my mouth, I settle on her most sensitive area, drawing her clit into my mouth, lapping and flicking until she pulls my head away, yanking me up to her face as she attacks my mouth with hers.
Tongues furiously flying, we feed. We taste. We claim. Fingers dig into flesh as the passion and desire ignites — our need to feel now in control of both of us.
After releasing her hold, her hands seize the bottom of my shirt, yanking it over the top of my head as my fingers work frantically to unlace my boots while our mouths continue their assaults. After finally managing to kick them off onto the floor, I rise as her hands graze down my chest and across my stomach until they come to my jeans. Jerking the top apart, my button flies across the room as she yanks them over my hips and off my body, throwing them by the side of the bed. Lowering herself, she wraps her fingers around my dick, taking me in fully into her mouth until I hit the back of her throat. Air hits my teeth as I throw my head back and I snatch her hair between my fingers, clutching it tightly. Drawing my dick back slowly, her pointed tongue presses firmly along the length until it reaches the end, where she rounds the head until she releases her suction with a popping sound. Thrusting my hips forward, I drive myself in again, once again knocking against the back of her throat.
My hold tightens and along with my balls. Knowing that I won’t last much longer, I pull her upward by her hair, her mouth releasing me as she bathes my body with her tongue all the way back up. Cupping her face in my hands, I crush her lips with mine as I lay her back onto my pillow. Breaking our kiss, I lean over the side of the bed, scooping up my jeans and reaching into my back pocket to grab my wallet, praying I have a condom. After flipping it open, my fingertips skim the plastic and I let out a sigh of relief, pulling it out and tearing it open with my teeth. Rising up, I sit back on the heels of my feet between Tatum’s legs and watch her hands traveling her body as I pinch the tip and roll it onto my dick.
“Fucking sexy as hell, Tate,” I say on a heavy breath, leaning over top her body as her legs spread, allowing me perfect access. Eyes locked and panting, we stare, knowing there’s no taking this moment back once it happens. Her fingertips glide down my back until both hands reach my ass, where she presses it gently, ur
ging me forward.
“I need to feel you, Noah. Please,” she whimpers.
Lowering myself, I capture her lips with mine as I plunge deep inside her, her gasp sucking the air out of my mouth. The sensation of being inside her is so unreal I involuntarily claw the sheets under my hands. Her warm walls tighten around me, squeezing and caressing me as I pull back slowly, only to drive into her again, even harder. Her back soars off the bed pressing her hips into mine just as her hands fly to my arms on either side of her head. I release a guttural growl against her mouth as she digs her nails into my skin. Wrapping her legs back around me, she clenches me tightly between them as I continue thrusting myself again and again, the constriction of her walls around me letting me know that she’s closing in on her climax.
With a roll of my hips on my next pass, I press along the spot that I know is her trigger and watch as her mouth flies open. Her nails dig deeper and with my next drive, I get my scream.
“Noah!” she cries out as her legs tremble against me, her body shuddering as the waves of her orgasm roll all around me, initiating my own release. One more thrust and I’m set free. My whole body becomes rigid as I press myself as far into her as our bodies will allow, the remainder of her orgasm milking me as I come.
“God, Tate!” I roar, before closing my mouth on hers as my body falls limp. Lying on top of her, my nose nuzzles her neck, our chests rising and falling together as we try to catch our breaths.
After a couple of seconds, I raise my head and cup both sides of her face with my hands, placing a soft peck on her lips. “You are going to be the death of me.” I say this because she will.
I love her. There’s no way I’m going to leave her — what we just experienced solidified that for me just as I knew it would before we started.
She giggles in response and just as I’m about to kiss her again, the thundering blow of a slamming door breaks us apart. I launch myself off of her, my feet hitting the floor just before I reach down to snatch my jeans. After throwing them on the bed, I remove the condom a hell of a lot quicker than my dick appreciates, tying it closed and tossing it into the trashcan. Grabbing my jeans and pulling them over my legs, my eyes lock with hers. “Stay here, Tate. No matter what you hear, stay in this room. Promise me.”
Running in Place (Mending Hearts) Page 18
