She reaches across the car and kisses me sweetly on the mouth. “How about this. You draw up your plans and I’ll draw up mine. We won’t show each other until we’re ready and both feel that it’s the right time. If you parents will let me stay in the guest house longer, then that’s where I’ll live for now. I’ll put some pictures up to make it more like a home, but I won’t go all out.”
“They’ll let you stay as long as you like. My parents love you. I love you.” I kiss her a little more passionately than she kissed me. “I love your idea, too. You always were the smart one in this relationship.”
“Says the guy who has negotiated some of the most complex real estate deals in the last few years while designing some of the most amazing buildings at the same time.” She smiles at me with a look of pride in her eyes.
“You’ve followed my work?”
“Yes. You’ve done some incredible things, Ry. Those deals were crazy good, and I don’t even have words that can come close to describing how much I love your buildings.”
This time I don’t hold back when I kiss her. The kiss is full of passion and love. Having her tell me that she loves my buildings means more to me than all of the awards I’ve been given for them. I force myself to pull away because I know that there are security cameras in the garage, and I’m not about to put on a show for anyone. “Let’s go upstairs, Chlo. I have something that I really want you to see.” I unbuckle my seat belt, get out of the car and run around to open her door. She waits for me to do it because she knows that I will. She knows me.
I hold her hand as we make our way up to my condo. I’m excited for her to see it. And to see how I have decorated my bedroom. I think she’ll like it. I think that she’ll like my bed, too, but that’s not the decorating that I’m talking about.
Chapter 11
Chloe
Ryan’s condo is definitely a guy’s place. He has hardwood floors and a dark brown sectional in the living room. He knows design enough to have two red chairs so that it’s not all one color. But there are no throw pillows or anything that would suggest a woman’s touch. The walls are decorated with paintings of his buildings done in cool colors. I recognize Owen’s work.
“These paintings are amazing, Ry. They bring your buildings to life.”
“My little brother is crazy talented.”
“Your whole family is crazy talented. It’s a little intimidating at times.”
“You’re kidding me, right? You are just as talented as any of us, Chlo. You have to know that.”
“Thanks for saying that. I do know that I’m talented, but it’s hard to remember sometimes. I lost all of those jobs, and no one’s seen anything that I’ve done outside of my professors at school.”
“That’s all going to change with the Seattle building. People are going to be beating down your door trying to steal you away from us.”
I bite my lip because I know that I need to be honest with him, and he may not like what I have to say. “I won’t leave to work for another company, Ryan. But you said that you’ll have nothing for me for a while after Seattle. If a good project came up, I don’t know if I could say no. I would try to work it around my schedule as your assistant. I know I owe you and your dad so much for giving me a job when I needed it. But I need to be honest with you and tell you that I can’t promise not to leave. I’m not looking for anything, but if something is offered to me, I may want to take it.” I turn my back so that I don’t have to see his reaction.
He’s not going for it as he turns me back around to face him. “Look at me, Chlo. Please.” I turn my face up to his and don’t see any anger there. “I would never want you to turn down a design job because you feel like you owe something to me or my dad. I love having you for my assistant, but I wouldn’t ever hold you back from designing. When you start getting offers, because I know you will, I want you to take the ones you want to do. You can take a leave from the company or quit if that’s what you want.”
“I don’t want to quit, but knowing I can take a leave to do a job makes me feel better. I actually like being your assistant. Answering your emails and seeing you work is fun. And when you get into battle mode, it’s pretty hot.”
“Oh yeah? You like it when my alpha male comes out?”
“As long as it’s not directed at me, then yes, I do like it.”
“So you don’t want me taking charge in the bedroom anymore, Chlo?”
He’s moved behind me and is holding my hips while he nibbles on my neck. His thumbs are caressing the top of my ass, and I lean back into him.
“I like it when you take charge because you have more experience than me. But I also like knowing that you’ll let me take charge if I want to.”
“I totally will, sweetheart. If you want something, you either just do it or tell me to. Anything.”
“I know, and I appreciate it. I don’t think that I’ll ever be the type of girl to be too daring, but you can ask me to do things. Just be prepared for a no if it’s too extreme.”
“You forget that I’ve known you for a long time, Chloe. Extreme to you is pretty tame for other people.” I start to protest but he stops me. “I’m totally fine with that. I sowed my wild oats the last few years and tried a bunch of stuff. Nothing I did with any other woman ever came close to how good it is with you.”
“So you aren’t going to pull out some game controllers to tie me up with?” I tease.
“Umm, that would be a negative. How do you know about that anyway?”
“Girls’ night at Erika’s house.”
“Ahh. So Yas told you how she blurted that out? I don’t think Owen will ever let Scott live that down. What else did you talk about?”
“Stuff.”
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
“Nope.”
“I could tickle it out of you. I know all your ticklish spots.”
I run around the half wall into his bedroom, yelling behind me. “Don’t you dare!”
He easily catches up to me and spins me around as I enter the room. I’m about to protest when I see something that makes my heart almost stop. I go still in his arms and he senses the change. Ryan looks at my face. “This is what I wanted you to see.”
“Oh, Ry. Oh my God. You kept them?”
“All of them, Chloe. They’re the last thing I look at before falling asleep, and the first thing I see in the morning.”
In front of me, on the wall facing his bed, Ryan has framed and put up my drawings. All of the first drafts I gave him during our time together. I step out of his arms and reach forward, tracing the frames on a few of them.
“I don’t even know what to say.” But then I do. “I’m sure the women who’ve been in here were curious about them.”
He looks conflicted before answering. “Yeah. They were. I wish I could tell you that no one’s been in this room before, but that would be a lie. I did buy a new bed when you came to work for me. We agreed to have a sexual relationship, and I wanted to have a bed that only you had been in. If I had to sleep in the same bed that you shared with Adam, I would go crazy. I wanted you to feel comfortable here.”
I swallow hard. He would never have to sleep in a bed that I shared with Adam. There isn’t one. I have to ask him about the rest of the apartment, though. “You haven’t changed the rest of the apartment, though, have you?”
“The rest of the apartment?” he asks and then I can see that he gets my question. “There’s no need, Chloe. When I brought a woman back here it was for one thing only and that took place in my bed.”
“Really? Because you’ve taken me many places besides my bed.” I don’t want to push this issue, but for my own sanity, I need to know.
He pulls me to the bed and sits down facing me. “I’ve been with many women in many different places, but here in my home, it’s always been in my bed. I used them for what I needed and then sent them on their way. I know it sounds bad, but they were down with it.”
Many different women
? I have to remind myself, again, that I drove him to it. But it still doesn’t hurt any less. I try to look for the bright side of what he told me. “So, no one ever spent the night here?”
“No. I’m hoping that you will, though.”
“We have work tomorrow, and I didn’t bring any clothes with me.”
“We can go shopping next door at Crystals.”
“Umm, I think that may be too fancy on my assistant’s salary. I saw a Ross down the street. I can walk over there.”
“I should have asked you when we were still at your place, so I should pay. If you don’t want to go to Crystals, we can go across the street to the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood. They have a mix of shops, I think.”
“I can pay for myself, but thanks for offering. Since I’m not saving for a house yet, I’ll probably do some Crystals shopping with my Seattle money. I really want some nice things. For now, Planet Hollywood sounds good.”
“I’ll get you an advance on the Seattle money if you want to start shopping early. There will be four parties for the opening, and I don’t want you to rush around shopping at the last minute.”
“Four? Just the thought of that makes me tired.” I yawn then, because I’m actually pretty tired. I didn’t sleep much in the past 24 hours.
“Are you tired right now, sweetheart? Did I wear you out?”
“Yes, I am. And yes, you did. I loved every minute of it.”
“Tell you what. Why don’t you take a nap, and I’ll go work out in the gym? I was going to skip my normal workout today to be with you, but I can do it while you sleep. Then we can go across the street so you can shop.”
I look over at his black platform bed with the dark blue comforter. It looks comfy and inviting. “Okay, as long as you promise to not use up all of your energy. I remember when you were a super athletic kid with some lean muscles, before you started working construction. You became more defined with bigger muscles. Now, you’re scrumptious.”
“Scrumptious? You like the current me best then, Chlo?”
“I didn’t say that. I’ve loved all of the different incarnations. I wouldn't care if you lost all of these muscles,” I say as I squeeze his biceps and then run my hands over his chest. "I’d miss them, but I would still love you and want to throw myself on top of you.”
“Save that thought for when you’ve napped. I can promise you that I’ll have enough energy for you to have your way with me when I get back.”
He kisses my forehead and then starts taking off his shirt and pants from yesterday as he walks into his closet. He comes back with basketball shorts on, pulling a t-shirt over his sculpted chest.
“Yum,” I think in my head.
“Did you just say ‘yum’?”
“I said that out loud, didn’t I?” I cover my face with my hands. “I just haven’t seen you dressed casually for so long, and I love you in a t-shirt.”
“More than a suit?”
“Yeah. You’re beyond hot in a suit, but when you’re in a t-shirt it reminds me of the teenage boy I fell in love with.”
“I’ll wear t-shirts around you every chance I get. Now, let me tuck you in so you can rest up for me.”
* * *
Ryan
I do my normal two hour weekend workout and then head back to my place. I walk in quietly in case Chloe’s not up yet. I peek around the wall into my bedroom, and she’s not there. WTF? Did she go shopping without me? I thought she was tired. I strip down, throwing my clothes in the hamper, and head into the bathroom to take a shower before I go looking for her.
The sight that I come upon when I enter that room is enough to make me hard for life. Chloe’s in my giant bathtub, with bubbles all around her. The tips of her pink nipples are showing through the foam and her eyes are closed.
“Damn.”
She opens her eyes and looks over at me, smiling as she takes in my naked, sweaty body. “Hi. Did you have a good workout?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah I did.”
“Do you want to join me in here? I used your shower gel since I didn’t have bubble bath.”
“I was going to shower. Bubble baths aren’t really my thing.”
“Oh. Sure. Of course not.” She looks disappointed.
“Why the sad face, Chlo?”
“I-I just…never mind. Enjoy your shower.”
I walk over and stand next to the tub, leaning over so my face is only inches from hers. “You just what, Chloe?”
I don’t think she’s going to answer because the silence is stretching out between us. Then she seems to make a decision and tells me, “I’ve always wanted to take a bath with you.”
“Tell me more,” I say, as I start to climb in. She moves forward so I can sit behind her. “Tell me what you want. What you fantasize about.”
“I want you to caress and touch me.”
“Where?” I ask, massaging her neck.
“Everywhere.”
I move my hands down to her shoulders, squeezing them lightly.“Here?”
“Mm-hmm.”
I go lower and take a breast in each hand.“How about here, Chlo? Is this where you want me to touch you?”
She arches her back and moans in response as I rub my thumbs over her nipples. I move down to trace her ribs and circle her belly button. I stop at her hips and rub them gently.
“Is there anywhere else I should touch you, sweetheart?”
“Yes.”
“Show me.”
She takes my hands in hers and moves them lower. She places one of my hands over her mound and moves the other one lower, taking my fingers to her entrance before letting go and moving her arms back up to wrap around my neck. I slide two of my fingers into her as I rub her clit.
Chloe is thrusting into my hands, and I can tell she’s getting close. She lets go of my neck and moves suddenly, turning herself around to face me. She looks into my eyes as she takes my cock in her hand and places it at her center. The sight of her wet body, partially covered by bubbles, taking me in is without a doubt the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen.
She starts moving fast as she leans down and kisses me hard. I grab her ass and hold her to me as I thrust, rubbing her clit with every movement. She comes hard, scratching my shoulders with her nails and biting into my bicep to muffle her screams. I’m only seconds behind her as the pain from her bite mixes with the pleasure of her walls contracting around me. A string of curses leaves my mouth as I empty myself in her.
“Wow.” Chloe says.
“Baths are underrated,” I tell her as I try to catch my breath.
She laughs and buries her head in my neck. Then, she remembers my arm and starts planting kisses over the bite mark.
“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t help myself.”
“No apology necessary, Chlo. That was seriously hot.”
“It was.”
I hold her to me for a few more minutes before suggesting that we should get out of the tub before our skin gets too wrinkly.She pushes the drain open with her toes as I stand up and step out of the tub. I reach down and lift her up before she can stand. I set her on the rug and reach over for towels. I start to hand her one, but she doesn’t take it. She’s biting her lip and looking nervous, and I raise my eyebrows at her.
“Tell me, Chlo.”
“Can you dry me off? I saw someone do it in a movie once, and it looked like it’d be sexy.”
“I can do that.”
I quickly rub myself down and wrap my towel around my waist. Then I kneel down and start slowly drying her off, beginning with her feet and legs. I spend extra time between her legs, making sure she is completely dry as she grips my hair. Her breasts take me a little bit longer, too, as I can’t help but lick them. I finally finish by rubbing her neck and nibbling on her ear.
“Was it as sexy for you as you imagined, Chloe?”
“It was better than I imagined it would be.”
“I aim to please,” I say as I pick her up and carry her to my bed. I spend
the next couple of hours showing her just how much her pleasure means to me.
* * *
Chloe
We finally leave Ryan’s bed when I remember that I need clothes for tomorrow, and we both realize that we need food. We walk across the street to Planet Hollywood. I spot a place selling lobster mac and cheese when we enter, and I ask Ryan if we can have that for dinner. He says I can have whatever I want, and we decide to grab it on the way out since they are only counter service.
We walk around the mini mall, and I’m happy to spot an H&M. Despite what Ryan said about paying for my outfit, I’d feel better if I buy my own clothes. I pull him inside and quickly find an outfit and some shoes to wear. He pulls out his wallet to pay, but I already have my debit card ready and hand it to the cashier. Ryan gives me a look, but lets it go until we’re out of the store.
“I thought we agreed that I was paying for your outfit.”
“No, you said you were. I never agreed to it.”
“Chloe.”
“Ryan.”
“I have more money than I can spend in ten lifetimes. Why won’t you let me spend some on you?”
He looks so earnest and sincere that I make a concession. One I think he’ll like. I nod towards Victoria’s Secret.
“I need underwear for tomorrow. You can buy that.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me inside. We look around, and I decide on the lacy thongs that I see him keep going back to. I reach for a pair in my size and he grabs a few more.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m buying you a few pairs.”
“No, I just need one pair for tomorrow.”
“Let me clarify. I’m going to buy you a few pairs of underwear for tomorrow. You don’t honestly think that I’ll be able to control myself knowing you’re wearing underwear that I bought you,and what it looks like, do you? I can’t guarantee that the first pair, or the fifth, will remain intact. You can go commando after if you run out.”
“Commando? You know that my desk is open in the front. What if someone sees?”
Building Our Love (Griffin Brothers #2) Page 9
