Passion Takes Time (A Promise of Passion Book 4)

by M. E. Nesser

  “Turn and put your hands on the wall,” he quietly murmured in my ear. He must have sensed my need for stability. I reached my hands up and put them on the wall in front of me. That was better. Once I felt more secure, I felt him gently take my left leg and separate it from the right. He knelt behind me and leisurely washed my legs. I’d never felt so cherished. As he made his way to my feet, he lifted one a few inches from the floor and washed it thoroughly and lovingly. He took his time washing each toe. My Lord, this was a moment I would replay in my mind for years to come. I never knew showering with a man could be so provocative.

  After he finished my second foot, he let go of my body for a moment. My eyes were closed, and my head was dropped forward. I didn’t want this to end. I was holding my breath. Before I had a chance to move or breathe, I felt his arms around my midsection. He was washing my stomach, then my breasts. I felt my heart speeding up and a pulsating sensation between my legs that had a heartbeat of its own.

  While his right hand washed my right breast, his left hand rubbed up and down the left side of my body. He did my breast, under my arm, my hip. He was extremely thorough. His mouth was near my neck. I could hear his breath getting heavier. He switched hands and started the cleaning process on the left side of my chest. I didn’t know if I’d ever felt this turned on in my life.

  My chest felt flushed, and moaning sounds were coming out of my mouth. He must have taken my responses as a cue, because all of a sudden I felt his breath in my ear. He sucked on my earlobe and kissed my neck. Even though I was warm, I had goose bumps all over my body. I turned my head to the side to give him more access. The warm water continued to cascade over our bodies, which made the whole scenario even sexier. My hands were still on the wall. If they weren’t, I probably would have fallen down.

  I felt relieved when he started to wash between my legs. The pulsing sensations were becoming unbearable. He used the washcloth with such expertise. He massaged the front of my body in slow, determined circles. If he kept this up, I was going to explode. This man could definitely read my body.

  As he suckled on my neck, I couldn’t help the sounds coming from my mouth. I could tell he was sucking hard enough to get me turned on but not hard enough to leave a mark on my body. Not that I cared. At that point he had complete control over me.

  “Oh, Chad,” I said without even realizing it.

  “Let me hear you,” he whispered in my ear. As he said that, I could feel him press his body closer to mine. His erection pressed against my back. It felt very big and very hard. I would have loved to feel it with my hands, but I was afraid to let go of the wall. His hips slowly rotated in a rhythm that matched the movement of his hand against my front.

  “I think I’m going to…” I murmured.

  “Me too,” he mumbled in my ear. And that was when I experienced an earth-shattering orgasm. All of the foreplay with the added sensations of the water, heat, soapsuds, and washcloth made my body extremely sensitive. I could sense sounds coming out of my mouth as he groaned in my ear and nibbled on my earlobe. I’d never experienced something so sexy or so wanton. It was the most intimate encounter I could ever imagine.

  As my breathing started to slow down, I felt him wash the area on my back where he was pressed against me. When he finished, he turned me around.

  He dropped the washcloth to the floor, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me with a surge of passion that made my body start to throb all over again. I didn’t expect his kisses to be such an aphrodisiac, but they were. I found my hands roaming up and down his back. When I felt his ass in my hands, I pulled his hips closer to me. I rubbed myself into him. His taut, muscular body and soft skin was irresistible.

  “Eager for more?” he asked while sucking on my tongue.

  “Yes,” I said shyly.

  Chad chuckled. Even the sound of his voice was seductive. “Let’s rinse off, and I’ll see what I can do.”

  We rinsed the rest of the soap off of our bodies, and he turned the water off. Chad stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. I went to take it from him.

  “No, let me,” he said. He wrapped the towel around my shoulders and started to dry me off. He took his time drying one arm, then the other, then my breasts, then my…oh dear Lord, what was he doing to me? I had to hang on to his broad, muscular shoulders as he dried me between my legs.

  “This area doesn’t seem to want to get dry for me.” He chuckled.

  I could feel myself blush. There was a part of me that felt shy but an even bigger part of me that was eager for more. My body was dripping with desire. The fact that he’d mentioned it was a little shocking, although it made me even more turned on to know he was paying such close attention to my body.

  He spent a lot of time on that area. It felt heavenly. When he stood up, I was disappointed. I liked him kneeling in front of me.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere,” he said. What the hell? Was he a mind reader? He towel dried my hair as he kissed me. I was a bundle of hypersensitive nerves. I was so turned on. It was exciting how alive Chad could make my body feel. We continued to kiss, and I found my hands roaming all over his body. I couldn’t get enough of this strong, passionate and gorgeous man.

  I reached down and found what I was looking for. Oh man, it was big. I stroked his cock lovingly as our tongues explored each other’s mouths. As I continued to play with him, I found myself sucking on his tongue. The sounds that came out of his body were erotic and heady. I wanted to suck on another part of him. I wasn’t experienced with this, but I knew it would be okay to try it with him. He made me feel safe and adored, and that was all I needed to follow through with what I was craving to do.

  I took the towel from him and dropped it on the marble floor. I broke the kiss and looked in his eyes. He was such a beautiful man. I gave him a smile, and, with as much courage as I could muster, I dropped to my knees. Now I was face to face with it. OK, Emily, I told myself. You want this. You can do this.

  I opened my mouth and started to suck on him. His cock was hard, but his skin was soft. It was a magnificent contradiction. I reached up with my left hand to hold it steady. I wanted to explore. I took my right hand and felt his sac. It was fascinating. I played with that part of him as I stroked and sucked on his cock. I couldn’t believe how turned on I was getting. The more I sucked, the more enthusiastic I became. I liked having control over his pleasure. This was fun.

  He must have been enjoying it too because I could feel his hands pulling my hair and his body getting more aroused. I could see the veins in his cock get more engorged and his sac tighten up. I was tempted to reach between my own legs, but I didn’t want to stop touching him. I could hear him moaning. That made this experience even hotter.

  “I’m not going to last much longer,” he said quietly in his deep, ultra-sexy voice.

  “Good,” I told him. “I want to taste you.” And I did. More than anything. Giving him permission was all it took. He made a deep, guttural sound, and I felt his semen explode to the back of my throat. It was hot and salty. I loved it. I’d never thought I would, but I did. It was different from the small taste I’d had the night before.

  The whole time he was coming, he was pulling my hair. I liked that too. Shit, I loved everything that was happening. When he finished, he knelt down in front of me and kissed me. I opened my mouth. He started sucking on my tongue. Wow, that meant he could taste himself. This just kept getting better.

  “Your turn,” he whispered as he broke the kiss. He threw a towel behind me and laid me back onto the floor. He spread my legs and put his mouth on me. He started out gently, lightly kissing the area and blowing gently on it. I needed more pressure. I found myself pulling his hair and pressing my body more firmly against his mouth.

  “Eager?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I answered incoherently. “I’ve never had this done to me before, but I…”

  “Shh. I’m honored to be the first one to do this to you. Just relax and enjoy it,�
�� he said. Within minutes I was screaming his name and writhing against his mouth. I wouldn’t be able to describe how sensitive and how turned on my body was if I tried. My orgasm felt different this way. I loved the feel of his mouth against my pussy. It was so intimate. I was also surprised I was able to come twice in such a short time. Oral sex was more intense than I expected. I’d never thought I’d feel comfortable enough with a man to let him go down on me, but I had no reservations with Chad. I knew I could trust him to do whatever he wanted.

  He crawled next to me so we were facing each other. “That was fun,” he said with the most mischievous smile.

  Fun? I’d never thought of sex as fun before tonight, but he was right. It was very fun. In fact, it was better then fun. “It was amazing,” I admitted.

  “Glad you agree. How about we get off of the bathroom floor and go to bed?” he suggested.

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  To say that I slept well would be a gross misrepresentation of my slumber. I wasn’t sure I’d ever slept as well as I did that night. Our bodies were spooned the entire time. I felt safe, warm, and beyond satiated. I could get used to this.

  33

  Chad

  I woke up the next morning feeling rested and happy. Although I could have stayed in bed all day, I needed food, a workout, and then the library. I found myself running my fingers through her hair and staring at her peaceful face. My movement woke her up. Her eyes fluttered open. When she looked in my eyes, she smiled.

  “Hey,” she said shyly.

  “Hey back,” I replied.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked quietly.

  “A few things, actually. First and foremost, I was admiring how angelic you look when you’re sleeping. Secondly, I was thinking how I would like to spend the entire day in bed with my beautiful angel. Sadly, the rational part of my mind took over. I realized I’m hungry and need a workout, and then I need to get to the library. So my question is this…are you interested in joining me for any of those things today?”

  She looked like she was thinking over my suggestions. “Well, I like the part about spending the entire day in bed, but the rational part of my brain agrees that we need to be more sensible. Although I have to admit that for the first time in my life, being sensible sounds extremely overrated. So I guess I’ll take option two—begrudgingly, I may add. What gym do you work out at?” she asked me.

  “I work out at school, since it’s free. Have you been there?” I wondered.

  “No, but I could use a run. I’m game. There’s a diner around the corner, then we can hit the gym and the library.”

  “I’ll need to stop by my place and grab my book bag.”

  “That works. We can stop there after we eat so it gives us some time for our breakfast to digest before we work out.”

  I gave her a kiss and hesitantly got out of bed. I could have easily stayed in bed all day, but that would have to wait. I had way too much work to do. We got dressed in comfortable quiet. It felt like we had been together a lot longer than we had. It felt really good for a change. I could get used to playing house.

  As we left the building, I saw a familiar face standing by the curb. It was him—her ex-boyfriend. I could feel Emily get tense.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked him in an accusing manner.

  “Waiting for you,” he said in a threatening tone.

  “Why?” she asked nervously.

  “To see if you’ve really turned into the two-bit hussy I thought you turned into. Just like your mom, huh? Jumping from one man’s bed to another.”

  “Back off,” I told him. I stepped between him and Emily. This guy was such an asshole. I wasn’t a violent guy, but I really wanted to hit him.

  “Get out of my way. You don’t scare me. This is between me and my girlfriend.”

  Emily pushed me aside so she was face to face with him. “I am not your girlfriend anymore, Martin. It is over. Why can’t you get that through your thick skull? Now leave me alone!” she yelled at him. I was proud of how she stood up for herself.

  “We were supposed to get married. This is just a phase. I’ll forgive you for sleeping with muscle man here.” This guy was delusional, and I wanted to flatten him on the pavement.

  “My God, Martin. You are not listening. I will never marry you. Now leave me alone.” Emily turned to walk away, and Martin grabbed her. That was it. I grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him up against the cab that was waiting for him.

  “The lady said it was over. Now get the fuck out of here before I do something I don’t want to. And one more thing,” I said, threatening. “If you ever disrespect her again, I will make it so vile and hateful words will never be able to come out of your mouth again. Do you understand me?”

  He pushed at my shoulders, but I didn’t budge. I had several inches and probably close to forty pounds on him. He couldn’t have moved me if he tried. I let go on my terms and glared at him. After I felt satisfied that the confrontation was over, I turned and grabbed Emily’s hand, and we started to walk away from him.

  “You’ll be sorry,” he yelled at our backs. “You’ll both be sorry!”

  We walked about a block when I stopped and faced Emily. I knew she’d be crying.

  “I can’t believe I spent three years with him,” she said.

  I wrapped my arms around her. “It’s OK. It’s over now. I won’t let him hurt you. I promise.”

  She buried her face in my chest and continued to cry. “Thank you for standing up to him.”

  “I will never let that asshole hurt you ever again. I have to admit that it took every ounce of willpower not to beat the shit out of him.”

  Emily hugged me even tighter and her tears began to subside. “I have to admit that the way you defended me was…pretty hot,” she said quietly.

  I leaned back and looked at her. “Hot?” I asked her. “I was thinking chivalrous or gallant, but hot will do.” With that remark, she laughed. “Let’s not waste any more time thinking about him. C’mon, I need food.”

  I grabbed her hand, and we walked to the diner. We spent the entire day together, as planned. It was a productive day academically and for our relationship. We studied well together and enjoyed the time we weren’t doing schoolwork. We finally left the library around nine and went our separate ways. I was disappointed with that decision, but it was probably for the best.

  We were both very busy all week. Although we saw each other in classes and had an occasional meal together, we didn’t spend any additional time together. It was OK, though. We had a comfortable connection and I knew I was the only man in her life. That was important to me. I believed in monogamy, and, from what I observed, she believed in it too.

  Thursday night I went right home after class to change so I could meet Emily at a nearby sushi bar. There was a strange-looking man standing at the entrance of my building. “Are you Chadwick Baldwin?” the man asked me as I approached the entranceway.

  “Who wants to know?” I asked apprehensively.

  “Consider yourself served,” the man said.

  He handed me a large manila envelope. I opened it immediately. I couldn’t believe it. Martin was suing me for assault and battery. This had to be a joke. I read the summons twice. When had I assaulted him? I thought about the two times I’d met him. I didn’t do anything to him. What was this pissant complaining about?

  Oh my…he must have been referring to the other day when he was waiting outside of Emily’s apartment building. I remembered now. I’d shoved him against the cab. What the hell? That was not assault. If I’d assaulted him, he would have known it was happening. What a juvenile. I needed to make this go away. I couldn’t afford to have any indiscretions on my record. I pulled out my phone and called Emily.

  “What’s up? Cancelling our sushi date?” she asked me.

  “Apparently your ex has a real issue with me.”

  “Martin? Why? What did he do?”

  “I was just served with a re
straining order and a court date. He is suing me for assault and battery,” I explained.

  “Assault and battery! Are you kidding me? I can’t believe he would do that. This is bullshit. I’m going to call him,” she told me.

  I thought about it. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. That’s probably what he’s hoping you’ll do. I just need this to go away.”

  “When is the date? I can act as a witness, and so can the doorman. He saw what happened. I’ll talk to him when I get home. I could always get a written statement from him, so he doesn’t have to appear. This is awful, Chad. I am so sorry.”

  This was not her fault. She couldn’t have known her ex would act like such a child. “There’s nothing you could have done to prevent this. I’m just relieved you got away from him when you did.” That was true. Thank God she wasn’t dating this asshole anymore. It was a frivolous lawsuit, and I was confident any judge would agree.

  “Well, we aren’t going to go down without a fight. I’m going to call my dad and see what he thinks we should do.”

  “That’d be great. I can meet with him whenever he’s available. Just let me know what he says.”

  “You got it. Let me call him now, and I’ll get back to you in a little bit. And Chad, I really am sorry. I didn’t think Martin could be this vindictive.”

  “Stop apologizing. You couldn’t have seen this coming. This case has no substance. We both know I did nothing wrong. He’s the one being petty. Let me know what Ian says.”

  “Will do.” She hung up, and I was so glad I’d called her right away. I felt better. I’d forgotten the doorman had seen what transpired. I remembered him rolling his eyes in disgust after I walked away from the cab and grabbed Emily’s hand. Having two witnesses would only help my case. I just wanted this to go away. I didn’t have time for this kind of crap.

  Emily called me back and asked if I could meet Ian, Katharine and Ian’s attorney (who was also a good friend of his) at Pane Vino’s at seven. Of course I could meet them. I was so relieved they were willing to help.