Bane moves on to the much safer topic of business.
But the things he says about Amie stay with me. I know I told her I was fine with being a temporary diversion, but I’m not so sure I’ll be able to leave this thing between us here like I’m supposed to.
Fifteen: Toys Toys Toys
Amie
“Are you sure you don’t want me to meet you at the airport?” Ruby asks for the third time.
“I get in at seven in the morning, there’s no point.”
“What if Armstrong shows up?”
“He’s not going to show up.” It’s something I’ve considered might happen, but in the two weeks since I threatened a restraining order I haven’t heard from him at all. I haven’t heard from his lawyer either, even though I know he’s back in New York. Ruby’s kept me abreast of all the happenings, whether I wanted to hear about them or not. But I have a feeling she’s censored quite a bit, and my knowledge is blissfully limited.
Ruby sighs. “Okay. Fine. But message me as soon as you land, and again when you get back to your apartment.”
“Of course I’ll message, but you’ll be asleep, so it’s not like it matters.” I fold another dress and tuck it into my suitcase. Most of my clothes are packed. The only things left are the dress I’m wearing tonight and my outfit for the plane tomorrow.
And my tickle trunk of toys, but I’m not packing that until later.
“So what’re you doing on your last night?”
“I don’t know. I might go to the bar, have a couple of cocktails, and then stare at the stars and reflect on my time here.”
“What about Hottie Hook-Up? Is he still there? You should get in a few last orgasms before you leave.”
Ruby kept on me about hooking up, so I finally relented and admitted I might’ve slept with someone. I told her his name was Dick, mostly because I was floundering and it was the first thing I came up with since Lex has a very nice one. Ruby decided it wasn’t appealing, so she called him Hottie-Hook Up. It felt good to tell her something, even if it couldn’t be the truth. If I tell Ruby she won’t be able to keep it from Bane and then the circle of secrecy expands too much and becomes murky. I can’t ask her to lie to Bane for me, it’s not fair.
“We’ll see.” I’m purposely noncommittal, because talking about it makes me feel guilty for lying, but it’s too complicated. And it’s not like it’s going to happen again after I leave this island.
It’s not his fault I’m far more interested in him than I should be. I’m sure the feelings will wane once I’m home and he’s not my sole source of support. I think I’ve assigned him some kind of savior role, which is making it feel like feelings, when really it’s my desperate need to cling to something that isn’t my very shitty life. The one I’m going to have to face much sooner than I’d like.
“What about Lex?”
“What about Lex?” I wish I could keep my voice from rising octaves whenever he’s mentioned. I’ve tried hard to avoid talking about him. It makes my heart hurt that I have to leave what we have here, but we’ve agreed it’s for the best.
“Will you see him before you go?”
It’s a good thing we’re not video chatting this conversation, because Ruby would see right through me. “I don’t know. Maybe? He’s been pretty busy with work stuff. I’m sure he has better things to do than entertain me on the last night of my failed honeymoon.”
“It’s not a failed honeymoon, Amie. It’s not your fault Armstrong is a douche.”
I might not be at fault, but despite Lex’s ability to be an excellent distraction, I’ve had more than enough time to consider my own part in this travesty of a wedding. I ignored so many signs along the way. And this time with Lex reinforces that. He’s so easy to be with. I don’t have to watch myself, or be anything I’m not when we’re together. “You know what I mean. Anyway, I should go. I need to finish packing, then I need to get my drink on so I can sleep through most of the flight tomorrow.”
“Okay. I love you. Go get laid one last time. I’ll see you soon.” Ruby hangs up before I can respond with anything pithy.
I check the time. I have two hours before Lex is supposed to be back from his meeting. He was going to reschedule, but I told him not to. I don’t want to interfere with his work, and canceling it would mean spending more time together when really, what I need is to separate myself from him, not hold on tighter.
This has been the fastest, most orgasm replete vacation of my entire life. I don’t want it to end, and not just because of the incredible sex. I like Lex. I like hanging out with him, and watching him work is sexy. Actually, Lex is just sexy period. Sexy Lexy is what I call him in my head, but not out loud, because he doesn’t like that nickname at all.
Regardless, it doesn’t matter if he’s dressed in a suit, wearing his glasses, screwing around on his laptop, wearing a pair of board shorts, naked and fucking me—he’s just sexy. And kind, and sweet, and smart, and fun.
And tonight is my last chance to appreciate all of those incredible qualities.
I don’t want to go home.
Home means facing my messed-up life. Home means no more Lex. It means appointments with lawyers and an annulment and looking for a new job. Going back to New York means facing a reality I’ve been avoiding—rather successfully—for the past few weeks, apart from the two occasions in which Armstrong kindly showed up to remind me how upside down my life is.
So tonight I’ve decided I’m not going classy. My plan is to be the dirtiest, naughtiest version of myself, because I can’t deal with Lex’s sweetness tonight. It speaks too much to the part of me that would like this to be something more. Instead, I pull on my skimpiest dress and skip the bra and underwear, just in case he thinks we’re doing anything apart from ordering room service. Then I dump the contents of my tickle trunk of sex toys on the bed so I can select a few fun ones. The plan being to fuck our way through my last night here. If this is the only way I can have him, then I’m going to have him as much as humanly possible.
Tomorrow I can be sad about it being over. Tomorrow I can be angry at Armstrong. Tonight I’m going to enjoy what’s left of my time with Lex.
Forty-five minutes later I’m still standing at the edge of my bed, trying to make important decisions. My comforter is covered in orgasm-providing devices. They’re organized into three groups; the ones Lex has already tried out with me, the ones I think we should try tonight, and then the ones I’m not totally certain I should bring into the mix. Group one is considerably larger than groups two and three combined.
I keep looking at the stainless-steel butt plug, trying to decide if I want to move it from group three to group two. I bite my thumb, staring at that innocuous piece of virgin steel. It’s about the right size. Almost perfect.
Lex has mentioned this particular toy at least ten times over the course of this vacation. Maybe more. It’s always been in passing, a whisper in my ear when he’s fucking me, telling me how good I feel, how fantastic my ass looks. I’ve been adventurous in my toy selection. Lex is hands down the most fun bed partner I’ve ever had. He never, ever disappoints. Which is why I keep coming back to this. To the possibility that maybe I should give him this one thing I know he wants, because if I’m honest with myself, I want it too. And it’s the one thing Armstrong has never had.
I’m still biting my thumb when the door to my bungalow swings open. I glance at the clock, wondering how long I’ve been standing here, musing over the butt plug. Lex is early. By an hour. He shuts the door behind him, takes a step and then stops, a smirk curving the corner of his sinfully sexy mouth as he motions to the bed. “Had an eventful afternoon?”
I quickly gather the group two and three items. I’m still on the fence about the stainless-steel number, and several other items.
“Don’t feel like you have to put them away. It’s not like I haven’t seen most of it before.”
I can’t get all of the toys to fit in my arms. I consider shoving them off the side of the bed, but at least o
ne is glass, and I don’t want it to break, no matter how sturdy it is. I have to stretch to reach the black rubber cock. It was a bachelorette party gift from Ruby. She thought it was hilarious because it sparkles, she calls it my disco dick. It’s not particularly exciting apart from that, but I brought it anyway.
“I hope you didn’t leave the bungalow in that dress today.”
It’s short. So short that bending over is a hazard, as it’s supposed to be. I decide to play dumb, because it’s fun and that’s what I want tonight to be. Fun. I have a feeling it’s going to be the last I hear of that word for a while once I leave here. “What’s wrong with it?”
“What’s wrong with it?” he echoes.
I glance over my shoulder, fighting a smile as I take in Lex’s dark expression and his parted lips. I drop the armload of sex toys and check the status of my dress. Oh yeah, I’m definitely showing some cheek.
I bought this dress back in college when nightclubbing and barely covered asses seemed like a fun way to rebel. It’s definitely not leave-the-house appropriate, unless I’m getting ready for a shift on a street corner. When I ran across it while packing, I figured Lex might give me a little spanky-spank for wearing something so obscenely short.
“Are you even wearing panties under that?” His voice is low and rough.
I tug at the hem. I can’t believe I ever went out in this. Or that Ruby let me. “Maybe you should check for panty lines.”
Lex’s hands are on my hips and then smoothing over my ass right before he presses his chest against my back. His mouth is at my ear, lips trailing a hot line up my neck. “I had a lot of plans for tonight, but I’m not sure mine match yours.”
“What kind of plans?” I tilt my head and arch so my ass presses against the hard-on making itself known behind Lex’s fly.
“A nice candlelit dinner, maybe a walk on the beach, and then we can come back here and play with some of your toys since you haven’t packed them, and I’m noticing a few I haven’t had an opportunity to try out yet.” His hands come around to cup my breasts and squeeze. “No bra,” he mutters, before trailing a palm down my stomach.
“That all sounds nice, but maybe it would be better if we ordered room service, that way we have more play time.”
“If that’s what you want, I can certainly have dinner brought to us.” Lex skims the hem of my dress and his fingertips dip under. He doesn’t push much material out of the way to confirm what I’m sure he already knows.
“No panties either. I was going to steal them and make them my new pocket square.”
I slap his thigh over the reference to the Halloween soirée several months ago. Armstrong had to cancel at the last minute, which turned out to be a blessing, since my crazy ex with a panty-stealing fetish showed up.
The lightness is replaced with that electric energy that always seems to arc between us as soon as we’re touching. “No matter. I prefer you bare anyway.” Lex brushes over my clit and I exhale a shaky breath.
I will sensation to overpower emotion. I don’t know if it can, though. Everything seems to be blending together. I push down the fear, bottling it up, because I don’t want tonight tainted with the overwhelming sadness I know is coming for me.
“Such a naughty, girl, aren’t you?” His fingers stroke feather light along my slit, barely grazing my clit with each slow pass.
I nod fervently, pressing against his erection, parting my legs to give him better access. I want him to erase everything that came before him. I want this night to last forever. I moan when he continues with the gentle passes, a touch that can’t come close to sating me.
“What am I going to do with you tonight?” He nibbles on my neck.
I turn toward his lips, until they meet my cheek. “You’re going to fuck me, hard and repeatedly.”
“You’re sure about that?” He’s teasing, fingertips sweeping back and forth along the crest of my pelvis.
“Positive.” I hike my dress over my hips so my bare ass is rubbing on his fly. The cool steel of his belt buckle makes my clit throb. Then I reach up to grab the back of his neck so I can gain access to his mouth. “And you’re gonna like it, too.”
He chuckles against my lips, his smile dropping when he cups me with his palm, then pushes two fingers inside. I cry out at the welcome invasion.
“I’m one hundred percent sure I’m going to love every second.” He slips his tongue between my lips, fucking my mouth to the same rhythm as his fingers inside me.
I’m needy, desperate for him. I cover his hand with mine, pushing his fingers deeper, grinding my ass on his cock. I want him naked and inside me. I want this feeling to never end. He keeps pumping his fingers, curling them faster and harder until I’m moaning and shaking, no longer able to kiss him because I’m coming too hard.
With his arm wrapped around my waist to keep me upright, Lex leans over and swipes his free arm across the mattress, moving sex toys aside, turns me around, and sets me on the edge. I’m still trembling, still pulsing even though his fingers aren’t inside me anymore. I yank the dress over my head and then reach for his belt, fumbling hopelessly as I try to unclasp it. I growl in frustration when I can’t get it right away.
“Hey.” Lex’s hand covers mine.
My eyes flip up to his. “I want this off,” I snap.
His gaze searches mine and then his free hand moves up to cup my cheek, thumb stroking along my jaw. “We have all night, Amie.”
“We only have tonight left.” I want to take the words back as soon as they’re out.
His lips touch mine. “And there are lots of hours in it, so we can take our time enjoying it, can’t we?”
“I don’t want to sleep.”
“Me either.”
“Good.” My relief is already steeped in anguish.
Sixteen: Claim
Lexington
I keep my eyes on Amie as I lean in to kiss her, trying to slow this down. But I feel and understand her panic, even though mine is different than hers. She has to go home to real life and the mess she left behind while I continue to avoid the drama.
Amie slips off the edge of the bed so she’s on her knees in front of me. “I’ll get your pants, you get your shirt.”
“Bossy and impatient, aren’t you?”
“I prefer efficient and excited.”
I caress her cheek, wanting her to know that I’m playing with her, that her impatience is echoed in me. That I want her with the same kind of ravenous hunger she seems to have for me, that the end of our time together is not something I want either.
“Help me get you naked,” she says softly, unfastening the clasp on my belt with shaking fingers.
While I manage my shirt, she unzips my pants and pushes them down my thighs. She laughs in a burst at the boxers covered in lip prints before they’re on the floor, too. She braces one palm on my abs and grips my erection with the other, giving it a slow stroke.
Leaning in, she looks up at me and brushes her lips over the tip, all soft and sweet, those lashes fluttering, those stunning blue eyes locked on mine. They drift closed for a few seconds, and her lips trail back and forth before she turns her head and nuzzles my cock. Fucking nuzzles it. And I know in this moment that I will probably never get over this woman. That these two weeks with her have been simultaneously the best and worst of my life because there will never be another Amie.
There’s no vengeance in this. This isn’t a game for me and it never has been.
I just wanted her. I want her. She’s going to take a huge piece of me with her, a part that isn’t just fueled by lust and desire, but something bigger. A connection I’m not sure exists more than once in a lifetime. And isn’t that just fucked up? She still belongs to someone else on a technicality and there’s no goddamn way she’s ready for what I want from her. Which is everything. All of her. The parts that I can’t have. The heart that’s still broken.
I stroke her cheek, the one my cock isn’t pressed up against, and her eyes open and li
ft.
Her tongue peeks to touch the slit, purposefully light. “Can you hold my hair for me?” The question is soft, deceptively innocent.
“Amie.” I won’t last two minutes if she does this.
“Please.” She holds up her makeshift ponytail.
I have to close my eyes against the sight of her for a second. In that moment of darkness she gives the tip a wet, open-mouthed kiss.
It’s pointless to fight her, so I push my fingers under hers and wrap her hair around my fist. She’s wild between the sheets, as evidenced by the extensive collection of toys covering the comforter. I watch her face, lids lowered, lashes resting on her cheeks, and wait.
I’m not disappointed. Her eyes open and meet mine at the same time as her fingertips trail from the outside of my thighs to my knees. Then she strokes up her own thighs, reaching behind her to grip her ankles, giving me control.
I groan, because even though I know this is coming, it still gets me every single time. This woman, so ferocious in bed, puts me in charge of how she moves, how much she takes, how deep I go when I fuck her gorgeous mouth. As predicted I don’t have the longevity I’d like. Far too soon I’m chanting the word fuck as I come.
Lifting her up with one arm around her waist, I shove things out of the way as I lay her on the comforter and shoulder my way between her thighs, licking her until she comes again, giving me enough time to recuperate. Not that I need much, because my hard-on doesn’t ease up in the slightest.
I kiss a leisurely path up her body, pausing at her nipples before I finally return to her mouth. Something cold bumps against my forearm, dragging my attention away from her perfect face.
I grin as soon as I realize what it is. Pushing up on one arm, I nab the toy. It has some heft to it, and it’s cool to the touch. I hold it up for Amie to see. “I want you to tell me about this.”
She pulls out the sass. “Well, it’s called a butt plug and it’s made of stainless steel.”
“Interesting.” I drop my hips so my cock is nestled between her legs and grin. “Do you like it?”
Hooking Up Page 18
