by Alexis Daria
It wouldn’t help to point out that one of those was her mother’s, not hers. Either way, he didn’t have a good counterargument. Her career was important to her. They’d known each other a few months. He wouldn’t ask her to change her life for him.
But he’d made mistakes, too. He’d already fallen for—and been left by—one woman who hadn’t wanted the life he envisioned for himself. He was setting himself up for it to happen again.
Was he wrong? Was it worth giving up on his own image of peace and happiness to explore what he might have with Gina?
She’d never ask it of him. Perhaps because she would never do it for him.
It was too late anyway. He was already in too deep. He’d take what he could get and suffer the consequences later.
He leaned in to kiss her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Kissing Gina was an all-encompassing experience, and Stone never wanted it to end. She wrapped herself around him like a vine, fusing her mouth to his and kissing him back with fervor. She tasted like ginger candies and a tinge of desperation. It was the last bit that made him pull back and smooth his fingertips down her cheek.
“Shh. Slow down.” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, and it quivered. “You’re always going a hundred miles per hour.”
She shook her head. “I can’t slow down. If I do . . .”
“What?”
Melting against him, she pressed her face into his neck and whispered, “My thoughts will catch up to me.”
This thing that was happening between them was terrifying, but necessary, too. They both had stuff they needed to let out. Maybe that was what mattered more than the future—creating a safe space where they could say thing things they were scared to say, and feel what they were afraid to feel.
“Why is that bad?” he asked.
“Because they’re conflicting messages. Stay. Leave. I don’t know what to do.”
He understood. The same conflict raged in him, but on a bigger scale. “What do you want, Gina?”
She lifted her head and met his gaze dead on. “I want to stay.”
“All night?” They’d never done that. She wouldn’t allow it at her apartment.
She nodded. His chest swelled. Finally, he’d hold her in his arms all night.
He released the clip that held her hair piled on top of her head. The dark, shiny mass cascaded down her shoulders. Sifting his fingers through the hibiscus-scented strands, he cupped the back of her head and drew her in for a kiss.
He kept the pace slow, nibbling at her lips with light caresses and soft licks. She sighed into his mouth and followed his lead.
“What are we doing, Stone?” Her voice was breathy, the question hypothetical. He answered anyway.
“We’re kissing.” He dragged his tongue along her lower lip and was rewarded with a soft moan. “Isn’t that enough?”
She bit her lip, then nodded. Leaning in, she pressed her lips flush against his.
In their outside lives, they were separated by a gulf of responsibilities and conflicting goals. Here, the only things between them were a few pieces of fabric, and it was time to rectify the situation. If this moment was all he had, he didn’t want anything between them.
Most of the time they went fast. Tonight, she would stay. They had time. No one would interrupt them.
He kept the kiss light and teasing as he skimmed his thumbs under the hem of her shirt. Her skin was warm and smooth. He wanted to flip her over and trace the path his fingers took with his tongue, but the move would dislodge the ice pack draped over his knee. Instead, he lifted her until she straddled his hips.
He’d been hard since their first kiss by the door, but with her warm ass on his lap, he was a goner. He shifted his hips to thrust against her, then winced when the movement made his knee twinge.
It was her turn to shush him. “I’ll do all the moving tonight.” She rocked against him, her agile spine and hips undulating in a rhythm designed to drive him mad. He groaned and gripped her hips.
“Remember when you made me grab your ass in rehearsal?” he said with a growl, nuzzling her neck.
“How could I forget? My panties were wet the rest of the day.”
He lifted his head to stare at her in surprise. “Really?”
“I didn’t anticipate how much it would affect me.”
“It affected me, too.”
“Trust me, I could tell. Your hard-on certainly didn’t help my own situation.”
“I wish I’d known.” Groaning, he pulled her flush against his groin, but it did nothing to alleviate the heady arousal tightening his body.
“You know now. Besides, it’s happening again.”
“Oh, yeah? Let me check.” He slipped one hand over her hip and stroked this thumb between her thighs, tracing the seam of her leggings. Gasping, she arched into his touch. The move pushed her breasts closer to his face.
Wrapping an arm around her back to support her, he bit lightly at her nipples where they pressed against the fabric of her shirt. He moved his thumb in faster circles, and she bounced on him.
“Oh my god, I’m so close.” A high moan built in the back of her throat, and she pulled her shirt up over her breasts. Stone grinned and tongued her left nipple through the lacy bra—hot pink this time.
“Please tell me you’re wearing pink lace panties.”
“Of course . . . I am.” She cried out when he growled and sucked her right nipple into his mouth, increasing the speed of his thumb rubbing her clit through the pants.
“You close, babe?”
“With you? Always.”
The genuine feeling in her words lit a fire in him. He switched back to her left breast and dragged the lace down with his teeth, so he could taste her with nothing in the way.
Above him, her whole body tightened. He watched her face, thrilling at the pure abandon infusing her features. Her eyes squeezed shut, her mouth opened on a hoarse cry, and before his very eyes, she shattered. This—giving her pleasure, seeing her with her guards down—was worth all the bullshit it had taken to get here. Her hips bucked against his hand, her spine shivered in his hold, and her tits jiggled in his face as she rode the orgasm. Through it all, he kept his thumb on her and didn’t stop until she’d collapsed against his chest, breathing hard, her heart thudding against his. He stroked her hair and her back and waited for her to return to him.
“Mmm.” She tilted her head to look up at him with heavy-lidded eyes and a sleepy smile. “You’re so good to me.”
There was a lot more he wanted to do, but this time, they would go slow. He was tired of rushing. Every show could be his last in LA. For now, they had all night. He’d do all he could to prolong their pleasure.
She stirred, then reached between them and wrapped her hand around his dick, which created a tent out of the loose basketball shorts he wore.
“I want to suck on you,” she said.
His cock surged in her hand, rock hard. He grunted in reply, unable to speak as she shifted off his lap and untangled herself from her shirt and bra. Then she shed her leggings and panties, which were indeed hot pink.
Once she was naked, she pulled his t-shirt over his head. His shorts were more of a problem, since he wasn’t supposed to move around too much. He lifted himself up with his hands, and she dragged the waistband of his shorts and boxers down, freeing his cock. She carefully pulled them over his knee and the ice pack before throwing them aside.
“This is how I like it.” She flashed him a sexy smile. “Just you and me, totally naked and alone.”
He tossed the ice pack off the bed and held out a hand for her. “Come back here.”
She crawled between his legs. He shifted his good knee out of the way to make room for her. Settling in with her face in his lap, she stroked her fingertips lightly over the crown of his cock.
The last few weeks had shown him that Gina liked tonguing his dick before they fucked. At one point, he’d tried to tell her she didn’t have to do it, even th
ough his libido attempted to stop him.
“You don’t like it?” she’d said, sounding incredulous. “I like it. It turns me on to have your cock in my mouth.”
“No, I—” Her words made him tongue-tied, and he almost said he loved it. “Of course I like it. It’s fucking amazing and I can’t believe how lucky I am, so I’m questioning my good fortune.”
“All right then. We both like it. Shut up.”
And that had been the end of that.
Now, she dragged her tongue up the length of his cock, starting with his balls.
His eyes rolled back in his head. “Christ, Gina.”
“I’m going to try to get you in even deeper this time,” she said, before closing her mouth around the head and sucking hard.
Sensation zinged through his body, from her action and her words. His head thumped against the headboard of the bed and he closed his eyes while she worked on him.
A few days ago, she’d said she was tired of mouthing half his dick, and she wanted to practice deep throating. He’d almost expired on the spot.
He had to keep his eyes closed. If he looked, if he saw her methodically lubing him up with her tongue and then swallowing him into the hot, wet cavern of her mouth, he’d lose control and come right there.
Sometimes she blew him until he came. She’d done it once while he sat on the sofa in her living room, in full view of the door, even though Natasha could have come in at any moment. That time had been like fucking fireworks going off in his balls. He still dreamed about it.
But most of the time, like tonight, he was too anxious to get inside her. To feel her cunt hugging his dick like a glove, her whole body wrapped around him while she moaned in his ear and dug her nails into his back. They were in the city of angels and she was heaven on earth and he couldn’t get enough of her.
Her mouth moved up and down his cock, the rhythm of her lips and tongue in perfect harmony.
Heaven.
It was too much. Too soon. He needed to get inside her.
He wrapped his hand in her hair and gave a gentle tug. “Gina.”
She sped up her movements, squeezing him tighter with her mouth. A tremor shook his body as pleasure spiraled from her mouth through his nerves.
“Gina.”
“Hmm?” Her hum vibrated through his dick, sending a shiver up his spine. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her off him.
“Gina, stop.”
She pouted, her lips swollen and slick. “Why?”
“I’m too close.” He dragged her up his body and pressed a kiss to her mouth. “Are you ready?”
Before he could touch her to check, she straddled his lap and rubbed her wet, open pussy on his dick, coating him with her juices. “What do you think?” she asked, her voice husky. “Am I ready for you?”
She was driving him to distraction. His hands clenched on her hips, halting her movement. “Condoms. They’re in my—”
“I want to feel you, Stone.”
Oh shit. He stilled. “Are you sure?”
“I’m on the pill. We both got physicals right before we started filming.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
He knew she was on the pill. Hell, he’d seen her taking it during rehearsal when the alarm on her phone went off. But he’d never had sex without a condom before. Being one of seven kids had taught him the importance of protection.
The urge to be inside her still compelled him, but her invitation humbled him. To feel her, skin to skin, would be his undoing. And he wanted it more than his next breath.
Nodding, he took her mouth in a deep, penetrating kiss. She clutched his shoulders, shifting so he could position himself at her entrance. She was slick and ready. His knee twinged as he slid into her warmth, pushing until he was fully seated inside her core.
She sighed in his ear. Pressed chest to chest, her heart thumped against his.
Nothing between them. Heaven.
True to her promise, Gina did the work. She rocked her hips, moaning each time he filled her. She undulated her spine, shimmied on his cock, and set a slow burning rhythm that stoked the fire between them.
Face to face, he kissed her slow and deep. With his cock surging inside her, the tangling of their tongues was another level of connection, of closeness.
Pressure built in his balls, but he wanted her to come first. He loved to watch her come apart at his touch.
Slipping a hand between them, he ran his fingertips along her folds where they parted around his cock. She was dripping wet and soft, so soft. When she moaned, he rubbed her clit with the pad of his thumb, and her moan turned to a gasping sob.
“Stone. Yes. Yes.” She grabbed his shoulders and thrust her hips harder. “God. Yes. Don’t stop.”
He brought his mouth back to hers for a searing kiss. With his other hand, he cupped her breast, rubbing the nipple with his thumb the way he worked her clit.
Early on, he’d worried about the roughness of his hands. She’d assured him she liked it, and he took her at her word.
The proof was in the way her pussy clenched around his dick. He thrust upward into her, meeting her every time she slammed her hips down. His knee throbbed, but the pain was nothing to the feel of her silken heat.
“Come on, babe.” He sucked on her lower lip. “Come all over my cock.”
The dirty talk did the trick. Her knees clamped on his hips, her spine bowed, and with a sharp cry, she shuddered and shook in his arms.
With her moan echoing in his ears and her pussy clenching rhythmically around him, Stone lost hold of his control. He slammed his hips into her, his thrusts short as the orgasm roared through him. He locked against her, holding her tight in his arms. With his face pressed into the curve of her shoulder, he emptied himself inside her.
* * *
Gina didn’t want to move. It was the middle of the night, the room was pitch black, and she was so relaxed, she could barely feel her limbs. For the first time in weeks, her thoughts didn’t zip forward and backward. In this moment, lying half across Stone’s naked body in a pile of pillows on a king-sized bed, she knew utter peace.
She breathed in the scent of his sweat, as familiar to her as her own, and whatever Christmas-tree-smelling soap he used, and closed her eyes to go back to sleep.
A second later, his alarm clock blared.
She buried her face in his hard chest and grumbled. “Way to ruin a moment.”
He swung out an arm and slapped the alarm clock. It was a wonder the thing didn’t crash into a million pieces under the force of his hand. Then he rolled, pulling her closer and enfolding her in his arms.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Five. Go back to sleep.”
“Why does your alarm go off so early?”
“Gym. Hike. Whatever.” He kissed her forehead. “Sleep more.”
Once again, the feeling of peace descended. She melted against him and slept.
A few hours later, Stone woke her by nuzzling her breasts. They shared a shower—not easy with someone as big as Stone blocking the spray. Then he lifted her and pinned her against the tiles with his pelvis.
“Your knee.” She gasped as he slid inside her.
“I’m fine.” He gave her a quick, hard kiss, then fucked her senseless.
After making sure she was clean, he wrapped her in a towel and carried her back to the bed.
“Someone woke up on the right side of the bed this morning,” she said grumpily as she ran his comb through her wet hair. At least the guy had hair supplies.
“You’re just mad because you haven’t had your coffee yet.” He busied himself in the kitchenette, wearing nothing but a white hotel towel tied around his waist. “I’m making it for you now.”
She licked her lips as she watched him. If only they could curl up in the bed, but they were expected at the studio, and it would be suspicious if they both showed up together late.
No, they couldn’t arrive together. A car came to pick hi
m up every morning. It would look more suspicious if he canceled it.
Hunting down her clothes, she made a face at the thought of putting them back on.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, catching her frown.
“My gym bag—with deodorant and a change of clothes—is in my car.”
“Oh, I can get it for you.” He brought her a mug. “Lots of milk and one sugar, right?”
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“I’ve watched you make it enough times in the studio kitchen.”
“Yeah.” She sniffed the coffee, filling her nostrils with the rich, caffeinated aroma, then took a sip. “Good job.”
He whipped off the towel, giving her an eyeful before he stepped into forest green briefs and khaki cargo shorts. “Where are your car keys?”
“My purse.” She pointed to the bedside table.
After pulling on a t-shirt and the Mariners cap he’d bought in New York, he plucked the keys from her bag and gave her a wink. “Be right back.”
Once he was gone, she flopped backward on the bed. What were they doing? When she didn’t think about the future, everything with him was great. The sex was amazing, Stone was kind and conscientious, and she liked how she felt when she was around him. He listened. He enjoyed hearing her thoughts and feelings.
Ruben had never listened. He’d talked about himself, his plans, his connections. When he did talk about her, it was in relation to his plans that included her and his connections.
And the last three . . . or five . . . guys she’d dated for longer than a few weeks hadn’t been the greatest listeners either, but she’d chosen them specifically because they weren’t all that interested in her life. She’d wanted to keep her romantic entanglements as far from her career as possible, which was why she ended up dating guys who were good-looking and kinda cool, but who she wasn’t especially interested in.
She knew this about herself. Her MO was to casually date one man at a time whenever she got lonely, while still putting her career first. She gravitated toward men who were also devoted to their work. Entrepreneurs, athletes—she’d even dated a lawyer because he spent most of his time at the office or the gym. In other words, guys who made no demands on her time, and who didn’t tempt her to change her plans. And when it was time for them to part ways, she hadn’t cared.
