Something Like Love (Serendipitous Love Book 6)

by Christina C Jones

  In a good way. In the best way.

  A way that had my damn toes curling up.

  I caught her at the hips, stilling her movements so that I could turn us over, and settle between her legs. She offered no protest about the change, simply spread her legs wide – impossibly wide, goddamn – and took me in, draping her arms around my neck as I took advantage of her yoga-body flexibility, stroking as deep as I could get.

  Her hands went up to my ears, pulling my head down so that our mouths could connect. She hiked her legs up over the hook of my arms, and somehow, I slipped even deeper. The change in position was supposed to help me regain control, but that didn’t happen. In this position, I felt a little tug at the end of every stroke as she clenched around me, making it a little harder for me to pull back.

  “Mmm. You like that, don’t you?” Astrid asked, as her nails dug into my biceps, and I brought my gaze back to hers. She rocked her hips upward, meeting me stroke for stroke as she clenched tighter, creating a pressure that made it hard as hell not to end this way too soon.

  “I knew your ass was a witch,” I growled, grabbing her ankles and pushing them up by her ears, making her gasp as I plunged into her. Her mouth fell open, and moans of pleasure came spilling out, punctuated by her response to my accusation.

  “Not—mmmmm – witchcraft. Mmmmm. Strong – ahhhhh – pelvic – ooooh – floor. Mmmmm mmmmm. Shit! Mmmm – pussy hugs.”

  I stopped moving, then released one of her ankles long enough to wipe the sweat from my forehead before it dripped in my eyes. “Did you just say…”

  She smirked. “Yep. Pussy hugs. Guaranteed to get your ass addicted,” she boasted, then gripped around me again, so hard that I had to fire back, with a stroke so deep she cried out, arching her back up from the mat.

  She was right though.

  I was already feeling a little intoxicated off of her.

  I had no idea how long I’d been there at the studio, and was in no particular hurry to leave, now that I was buried in her to the root, getting… pussy hugs. My mouth crashed down onto hers, and she was ready for it, handing back greedy, air-snatching kisses as I stroked her deep. When she needed a break, to breathe, I dropped my mouth to her neck, sucking and biting and licking and grazing, not giving a damn about any marks I might leave. And… she wasn’t complaining, so apparently she didn’t give a damn either.

  Or maybe it was just as good for her as it was for me, which made it easy not to think about anything except how gratifying it felt. How right it felt. How… natural it felt. Like we’d finally stopped avoiding the inevitable.

  I checked myself just short of wondering what that meant beyond the moment. I was content to let it be about driving into her so hard, so fast, so deep, that she couldn’t even form coherent words, just garbled moans and cries as she scratched up my back. I did that until her legs were shaking, and then she came, contracting around me so hard that she brought me with her. I plunged into her one last time, then let her legs down before I collapsed beside her, panting from the effort.

  After a moment, she turned to me, wearing a similar smirk to the one she’d had before. “See?” she asked, propping herself up on her elbow. “Told you it was a good idea to come back to yoga.”

  four.

  astrid.

  Control.

  I pushed out just enough breath to feel stable as I pushed upward, keeping my thigh, knee, and foot in a straight line with my shoulder. The other leg was bent under me, like a kickstand. I stared at a spot on the wall in front of me as I balanced on one hand, moving the other up toward the sky. From there, I lifted one leg, finding my balance there before I reached behind me to grab the ankle that was closer to the ground, letting go of a satisfied moan as I sank into the stretch.

  I’d been feeling extra good for the last week.

  I released my ankle, then lowered my foot, then brought my hand back to the ground. I turned face down, with my feet against the mat, pushing up into child’s pose, then downward dog, then walking my hands back to where my feet were for a good, deep forward bend. Inch by inch, I rolled my spine upward until I was standing straight.

  I smiled, but really I could have screamed. Good sex always put me in a lingering great mood.

  I’d denied it to Sydnee and Quinn, and to Aurielle too, but I was still feeling high, even though it had been more than a week. They knew I’d been with someone – I’d been too floaty to hide it – just not who. And I had exactly zero intention of telling it either.

  Who would even believe me?

  Hell, I barely believed it, and I’d been there. My saving grace was that I wasn’t bothered by letting what we’d done be our little secret. The fewer people who were in my personal business, the better, which was a lesson I hadn’t learned nearly soon enough.

  All it took was one person you never called again to go on a loud, drunken rant about you to spark things off. Somebody whose number you lost because the sex was wack overhears, and now they’re talking too. We may have been big-city adjacent, but the neighborhood wasn’t that big, so of course somebody else joins the diverse group of men and women in the “Why Doesn’t Astrid Love Me?” Club. And before you know it, people are whispering about you being a heartbreaking freak hoe, and now the neighbors you love are side-eying you like you’re from another planet.

  I pushed out a little sigh.

  Must have been the pussy hugs.

  In any case, Eddie was the first person I’d slept with in the last two or three years that lived within a twenty-five mile radius. It wasn’t even that I was necessarily afraid of being judged – people around here were pretty liberal. I just appreciated peace, and good vibes, and not having the happenings between my thighs be part of the rumor mill because people couldn’t handle my personal dating philosophy.

  I’d learned my lesson about dating around here, and had no plans to resume – a tidbit Eddie probably found relieving.

  Instead of dwelling in my thoughts any longer, I moved to the door of my classroom, to welcome students inside for my early afternoon class. I was doing “lunchtime” yoga today, which was a low-key practice, mainly designed for people who needed a mental break midday, before they went back to work. At the door to the classroom across from me, Kim was welcoming her students to class, and I could hear Knuck if You Buck coming from her speakers as the chosen soundtrack for the day.

  There wasn’t going to be anything mellow about her class.

  I smiled as a trio of women greeted me as they came in, and then returned my attention to the front door as it opened again.

  Eddie stepped through.

  It wasn’t that I was surprised to see him – he’d been back to yoga since that day in the private classroom, just never to my class, always Kim’s – it was just that the sight brought back very vivid memories. He met my eyes long enough for me to wonder if he was reminiscing about the deliciousness of how deep he’d been able to get when he had my ankles pressed to the mat on either side of my head too, then ran his tongue over his lips as he looked away, going about his business.

  I forced myself to keep my eyes on the front door, instead of watching him.

  I knew how to act unaffected too.

  In fact, that’s what I’d been doing every time I saw him, even though what I really wanted to do was push him down and mount him. Instead, I gave him cocky smirks and teasing grins, because I knew it had been good for him too. I wanted him to know I knew it.

  I pushed him out of my mind long enough to focus on my class, then headed to my office there at the studio. There was just enough room for a desk, file cabinet, and a few chairs that never got used, because I preferred to work either in my main office space, or at home. This one got most of its use as a changing room, where I showered and dressed in real clothes, instead of the workout gear I lived in at the studio. Today, I had a box of promotional materials to review and approve, so it was actually being used for a change.

  Still, it surprised me when a knock sounded at the
door. I knew Kim was still at the studio, and two other instructors – there was a Zumba class and an indoor cycling class starting in a few minutes. But, they were all either in a class, or right on the verge of starting one, so that knock meant something was up.

  “Come in,” I called, not looking up from the banner sign I’d just unrolled across the top of the desk. I heard the door open, but nobody said anything, which prompted me to turn around to see who it was. “Oh!” Shit. Why did he have to look so good? I’d turned around and gotten an eyeful of bare chocolate chest, covered in colorful ink. Once my eyes finally crawled upward, to that sinfully gorgeous face, I realized he was… kinda scowling at me. “Eddie! I… was not expecting you. Can I help you with something?”

  “You didn’t hit me up.”

  I quirked my head to the side, confused. “Excuse me?”

  “After the other day,” he explained, stepping inside and closing the door behind him before he adjusted the gym bag on his shoulder. “You didn’t hit me up.”

  “Hit you up… for what?”

  “More,” he said, in a tone that made me feel… tingly. There was no elaboration needed. I knew without asking that he meant more… of him.

  “That’s an interesting complaint. Especially since you didn’t hit me up either. ” I propped my hip against the desk and leaned into it, as I smirked, ready to take full advantage of the fact that he was, apparently, about to be first to give in.

  My smirk faltered when he dropped his bag on the ground and approached me. He left only a sliver of space between us, standing so close that the heat from his body and his salty, post-workout aroma filled my senses, making me feel a little lightheaded. Perspiration had mingled with whatever cologne he’d been wearing before, creating an earthy, arousing blend that had my nipples tightening behind the thin fabric of my sports bra. His skin was still wet too – little beads of sweat dotted over his face, chest and shoulders, drizzling down his abs to the waistband of his shorts, just begging for my attention.

  “It’s not a complaint,” he said, bringing my attention back to his face. He chewed on his lip for a second before he shrugged. “Just an observation.”

  I believed him. Nothing in his eyes, in his body language, made me believe his feelings were hurt, or even… existed. He was just legitimately baffled that I hadn’t come, like the others, begging for more of his dick.

  Sexy, conceited bastard.

  “Mmm.” I nodded, pushing back into the desk to try to create some nonexistent space. “An arrogant one.”

  “An experience based one.” He propped his hands on the desk on either side of me, leaning in. “Everybody comes back for more. 24-48 hours.”

  I laughed. “That’s your usual turnaround time?”

  “That’s max. Usual is 8-12.” This time, he did the smirking. “You know… time to recover.”

  I tried not to give in to the shiver those words induced, because yeah… I did know. But it had hurt so, so good. Instead of whimpering like I wanted to, I went for haughtiness, lifting my chin as I spoke.

  “Sorry to break your streak. Guess you can’t say everybody anymore.”

  He ran his tongue over his lips, then dipped his head for a second before he looked up at me again. I could practically feel it as his gaze traveled over my eyes and nose, lingering at my lips before he met my eyes again, with a slight shake of his head.

  “Just you,” he said, staring with an intensity that made me want to squirm.

  But I didn’t.

  I held his gaze, and smiled, and told him, “Welcome to my world.”

  His eyebrows hiked up, and he stared for just another second longer. And then his hands were on either side of my head, fingers buried in my hair as he took over my mouth with his.

  I moaned into his lips as he dropped his hands, gripping my ass to lift me onto the desk. As soon as he stepped between my legs, I draped my arms over his shoulders, reflexively arching myself into him. His fingers went to the waistband of my shorts, tugging them down, and I didn’t think a first time, let alone twice, about planting my hands behind me on the desk and raising my hips so that he could pull them down my legs, and toss them on the floor.

  He spread my legs wide open, not even giving a second look to the box of flyers he knocked over. His focus was on pulling up one of those under-utilized chairs, sitting down, and hooking his arms around my thighs to yank me so far forward that my ass was hanging in midair.

  And then he dove face first.

  Because I’d stayed up on my hands, I had the perfect, mouthwateringly erotic view as he covered me with his mouth, licking and sucking and slurping like he was savoring a last meal. My head fell back and my mouth fell open as I closed my eyes, losing myself in the blissful feeling of his tongue. Helplessly, I rocked into his face as he locked his arms tighter around my thighs, burying his tongue deeper as pressure began to pull and coil in the pit of my stomach.

  He was very, very good at this, bringing his whole face, lips and tongue and nose into it as he did his best to devour me whole. Every time I thought I was right on the edge of coming, he would adjust, depriving me of release but keeping the pressure – and pleasure – going. And I couldn’t even complain, because it was so, so good.

  I didn’t open my eyes until my upper-body strength gave out, and I sprawled out on the desk, right on top of my vinyl banner. He stood up then, pushing my ass up in the air until I was essentially doing a shoulder stand on my desk before he spread my legs open again. I watched, enthralled, as he covered my clit with his mouth, sucking and flicking it with his tongue until I was shaking. His eyes came up to meet mine as he gave it one last, slow, torturously good suck, then pulled away, looking me right in the face as he smirked.

  And then dove back in.

  “Eddie please,” I whined as he lapped me with his tongue.

  “Mmm,” he laughed. “Good manners.” I gasped as he bit the inside of my thigh, then my butt cheek, then came back to center. “I like that.”

  He cupped my ass in his hands as he covered me with his mouth one last time, doing something with his tongue that set my whole world on fire. I squeezed my eyes shut, crying out as that coil of pleasure ruptured, taking me over the edge into an orgasm that made my ears ring.

  My body felt like jello as he lowered me to the desk, wearing the same smirk from earlier. I was just barely lucid when he cupped his hand under my chin, turning me to look up at him as he stood over the desk. His gym bag was back on his shoulder.

  “You’re leaving?” I asked, confused, and his smirk widened to a grin.

  He nodded. “Yeah. I accomplished what I came for.”

  “Which was…?”

  “Making you come again.”

  Mmm. Even though I’d just done that, hearing him say it set off fresh throbs, intensified my desire for… more. But I wasn’t about to ask for it, nope.

  “No,” I said, struggling until I pulled myself up into a seated position on the desk. “I thought you came to find out why I didn’t come to you for more? What does one have to do with the other?”

  He ran his tongue over his lips, making a reverent sort of sound that reminded me there were probably still coated with… me. “You’ll see,” he answered confidently, and then he was gone, leaving me half naked on top of my desk.

  &

  “Oh my God, this is gooood,” I moaned, closing my eyes.

  “I told you it would be,” Jamar shot back. “I bet you’re glad you took a chance on a nigga, huh?”

  I bit down on my lip, nodding as I tried to suppress another moan. “Mmmhmm. You made it so worth it.” I opened my eyes to meet Jamar’s, and grinned. “Dude… these pancakes are amazing.”

  My compliment made him grin big, and he nodded. “That’s whassup. Thank you for breaking your almost-vegan diet to test that cream cheese topping for me. I’m gonna pitch it to Syd and Harlan later, but I needed another opinion first.”

  “Sydnee is going to love that. And hate you for it, cause you know
she already has a problem with sugar.”

  Jamar laughed. “I’ll make a note to keep up with my frosting levels,” he said, as he slid out of the booth to go back to the grill. “Make sure she isn’t sneaking spoonfuls when nobody is looking.”

  I laughed with him, and once he was gone from the table, returned my gaze to my computer screen as I stuck another forkful of pancakes in my mouth. Outside of the Stacks window, it was pouring. I really wanted to be at home, snuggled up with a cup of tea and a book, or on my mat in front of the window, but I was stuck here until the storm passed. If it were just me, I would take the soaking from the haphazard downpour, but with my laptop with me?

  Nah.

  But I could work, at least. And apparently, enjoy free pancakes, since it was that odd time of day that Stacks was mostly empty, and Jamar was testing out recipes. It was quite peaceful, actually… until my phone rang.

  I sighed a little when I saw the name on the screen, then immediately scolded myself for it. My sister had done so much for me – more than she had to. I didn’t pay rent at the studio space – it was mine, because of her. The least I could do was answer her phone call since I wasn’t busy, even if I already knew it would come with drama.

  “Hi Superstar,” I answered, keeping my voice low since I was inside the restaurant.

  Instead of hearing Aurielle’s chipper voice though, I immediately recognized Brit’s lower tone when she said, “Hello Astrid.”

  Brit wasn’t Aurielle’s manager, and she wasn’t quite her assistant either. She was something like a handler, brought on after the controversy with the asshole rapper. Brit was an ever-present figure at Aurielle’s side, serving whatever role was necessary in the moment to keep Auri safe, and happy. Of course, there were things outside of her control – like Donnie – but for the most part, Brit fulfilled her duties very, very well. Her calling me from Auri’s phone set off an immediate wave of worry.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked, not even responding to her greeting because of my sudden sense of panic. I’d been feeling a teensy bit of uneasiness all morning, even after my personal yoga practice and a few classes. I really didn’t want my sister to be the reason behind the thread of anxiety I hadn’t been able to identify.