The Tornado
Page 18
I stared up at his ceiling in the darkness, my eyes wide, shaking as I felt his warm breath against my core. Part of me wanted to get off the bed and run, and the other part didn't want to move from this bed for the rest of my life, as long as he was in it with me. Part of me wanted to tell him to stop, to not do what he was obviously planning to do, and the other part ached to lift my hips to meet his mouth first.
I was just about to open my mouth to tell him I wasn't sure about it, that maybe he should stop, when I felt his lips brush the inside of one of my thighs and then the other, trailing his lips over my sex the way he did when he kissed me. “You smell so good,” he moaned huskily.
For an instant I felt nothing else except his warm breath, and then, in a sensation that made me almost leap off the bed, the tip of his tongue slowly moved up the slit of my core, parting my velvety soft, thick flesh, before he drew my tiny pearl into his mouth and sucked.
Raw need consumed me as I gasped, louder than I meant to, and gripped his bedding as I felt him pause again. I felt his nose brush the side of the inside of my thigh, almost as though he had tilted his head to kiss my sex the way he would my lips. Then I felt the warmth and wetness of his lips and tongue as he dug gently into my flesh. My eyes involuntarily rolled back in my head as the overwhelmingly pleasurable sensation sparked up in my nerve-endings. My core throbbed and tingled from the sensation his mouth was evoking inside me. He continued to slowly devour my warm, wet folds, as though he were enjoying a decadent, lusciously sweet dessert.
I let out a strangled gasp when his tongue burrowed inside of me, pulsing gently as he tasted me from the inside. It was a strange sensation but one that was incredibly pleasurable. I hadn't been aware I'd been writhing against his mouth until I heard a low chuckle erupt from his throat. He took a hold of my hips, keeping them firmly in place before his mouth.
"Stop squirming," he whispered gruffly in the darkness, the heat of his breath sending ripples over my flesh as my nubbin began tingling intensely with pleasure. He'd been leaving it alone for a little while as he explored my inner walls with his tongue, but it had started to ache from lack of stimulation as I grew more and more aroused. I knew that as soon as he returned his mouth to it, it wouldn't be long. I couldn't lay flat anymore, so I propped myself up on my elbows to watch him.
I loved watching him.
As though he read my mind, he withdrew his tongue from my depths before lapping the flat of it directly up and along the slit of my center. He pulsed his tongue over my pearl as his mouth closed around it, and a fiery heat enveloped me as I let out a fevered moan. His lips closed around it and as he suckled, he swirled his warm, moist tongue over it, sweeping back and forth. After only a short moment, I felt a hot, tingling heat slowly creep through my core as my climax began to settle over me. It was deliciously slow and lingering, and I felt every single tingle and explosion as they happened. My head lolled back as my hands first splayed open flat against the bedding and then fisted into them tightly.
"Shhhhhhit," I hissed quietly, punctuating the curse with a moan as my entire body trembled and shuddered. I squeezed my eyes shut and couldn't help from rolling my hips, pressing myself against his mouth as he continued to lick me slowly. My now-sensitive center jerked and twitched from overstimulation and I tried to pull away, but he grabbed my hips again and slid his tongue back inside me. I whined at the sensation, wanting it to stop, but also for it to go on forever, as my breasts heaved.
Finally Asher pulled his mouth from my quivering sex and he moved up the length of my body, his chest sliding against my sweaty abdomen as he pulled himself up to me. He breathed harshly as his lips hovered tantalizingly above my mouth. I stared at them for an instant.
Before I lunged.
He caught himself, bracing his weight on his forearms against the violence of my attack on his mouth and hurried to catch up with me as I voraciously took his lips. I could taste myself against his full, fleshy mouth and on his tongue, and I was surprised to discover how sweet I tasted. I sucked against his tongue and as he unconsciously rolled his hips into mine, my feminine ego and vanity were stroked when I felt his hardness pressing against me. He'd tasted me. And he'd loved it.
As I continued to feast on his mouth with my own, I reached for his shirt and hiked it up just enough to grab at his belt. He held still, kissing me back almost absently as he was distracted by what I was doing. Deftly I pulled his belt apart and moved my hands to the button of his jeans.
"Jewel," he whispered gruffly against my lips, feeling me pop the button open and start to tug on his zipper. "You don't have—"
"Shut up," I whispered back. I slid my tongue into his mouth to hush him, while at the same time, I finished with his zipper and drew my legs up to hook my toes into his waistband and pull them down a little. My hand reached for the elastic waistband of his boxer-briefs.
"Jewel," he said again, a little harsher this time. "You—"
This time, I bit him. And with a little grunt of pain, he went quiet. I immediately licked the place on his lip where I'd made a little wound, soothing it. Then, I used one hand to pull his waistband away from his body. The other hiked my tank top up to my ribs, exposing my stomach, before sliding down his muscled stomach—rigid with the effort of holding himself up—before moving smoothly inside his underwear and taking him in hand.
I heard him suck in a breath through his nose as my hand encircled him. I let out an involuntary, soft moan as I gauged his size; his girth had to have been at least two inches, and as my hand moved snugly down his length, it felt endlessly long. I slid my fist back to the top, swirling my thumb over his tip and feeling it was moist from my touch already. I realized that we were now just holding our mouths together instead of really kissing, both intent on what I was doing.
I continued to stroke him, massaging up and down his length, with my hand encircling him tightly. I felt his shuddery breaths against my skin as he pulled his mouth from mine to bury it into the flesh of my neck. My hand caught a rhythm as I moved over him, feeling his length and hardness grow impossibly. I jumped when I felt his fingers between my legs suddenly. I moved down his length again as he slid two fingers inside me, the movement easy because my sex was dripping wet. He moved his fingers in and out of me, in time to the strokes of my hand against him.
The experience was unbelievably erotic as I lost myself in the feeling of him in my hand and his fingers inside my wet depths; it was like we were having sex without actually having sex. A part of me wanted to line his cock up at my opening and let him slide inside. But what we were doing now was deliciously torturous. It would make me yearn for the actual act even after we both found release.
I felt his hardness swell up, giving new meaning to the term ‘rock hard’ as his breathing hitched in his chest. He tried to pull away from my hand, but I refused to let him go.
"Jewel," he breathed raggedly in my ear. "I'm coming—"
"Just do it," I whimpered back in a whisper. "I want to feel you all over me."
A second later, I heard him let out a short, guttural groan, his body shaking slightly, the noise rumbling deeply in my chest, and I felt a sudden pool of warmth over the flesh of my tummy. The sensation of it, and the knowledge that I'd made Asher climax, combined with the ministrations of his large fingers still working inside me, sent me toppling over the edge right after him. I came, hard, gasping against his mouth as I felt my own fluid gush out of me and over his hand while my body shook and my muscles contracted.
He was still holding himself up on his forearm and he carefully shifted off me, rolling onto his back as he caught his breath. He glanced over at me, his eyes flickering toward my stomach.
“That was...” His voice was deep and low in my ear.
"Yeah…" I replied, breathless, my hands searching over the bed. I found the lacy material of my panties and used them to wipe his seed off my stomach. I glanced up and saw that he was watching intently. I half-smiled shyly. "What?" I asked.
"It'
s just—I should probably not find that as hot as I did."
"What?" I asked. "Which part?"
"All of it, now that you ask," he said. He ran his fingers over my now-dry stomach. "But the sight of you using your panties to clean yourself up…is making my cock harder."
Before I could think of something to say in reply, anything, he leaned over and slipped a hand around the back of my head, pulling me close to kiss me slowly and sensuously. I latched around his bottom lip and sucked at it, remembering the nip I'd given him.
"Sorry," I said, when I pulled away. I brushed his lip with my fingertips. "I got a little carried away. Just wanted you to shut up and let me do what I wanted for once."
He laughed. "Then I need you to tell me to shut up more often," he replied, rubbing at his lip.
"Why do you always seem to put up a fight when I want to touch you back?" I asked quietly, my cheeks flaming.
Asher sighed. "I just don't want you thinking that I'm doing anything to you because I need you to do something back," he replied. "I want to make you feel good. To know that it can be that way. I'm guessing I'm the first person that you've been with since...the attack."
Uneasiness seized me instantly, but I shut my eyes for a moment and shoved the flashbacks that threatened to overtake me to the back of my mind. I took a deep breath and blew it out before replying.
"Yes, you are," I said softly. "And...you've done a good job at making me feel great." My hand crept slowly toward his on the bed. "So great, that it makes me want to make you feel great, too. And…I want to know that you want me to make you feel great." I laughed at my awkward phrasing as I intertwined my fingers with his. "This may come as a shock, but I did sort of enjoy sex once upon a time. That part of me just kind of went numb after…after what happened."
"'Sort of enjoy sex'?" Asher repeated, his thumb stroking over the back of my hand lightly.
"Well," I said, feeling embarrassed again. "I mean. It was okay. I haven't been with that many men so I guess my range of experience is limited. You're the first person to make me…" My cheeks burned and I cleared my throat. "That is, I haven't been with anyone who…" I was getting flustered.
Asher laughed at me softly and tugged on my arm, pulling me against him. "Officer Safety at your service," he said into my ear, his lips brushing my jaw.
My eyes closed against the sparks erupting on my skin. "I'm glad you let me touch you finally."
He snuggled into my neck as his arms tightened around me. As I felt his breath warm my flesh, and a feeling of complete satisfaction settled over me like a warm blanket, I thought I was ready, more than ever, for everything Asher could bring me.
"I didn't really have a choice," he replied, "if I wanted to keep my lip."
Chapter Eighteen
Her
WHEN I SUDDENLY jerked awake and sat straight up in bed, hours later, I knew I was dead.
My sudden, sharp movements caused Asher to wake instantly beside me and sit up too. He watched as I slapped my hand down on his alarm clock and brought it to my face before slamming it back down on his nightstand.
"Problem?" Asher asked. “You’re not gonna throw it, are you?”
"Holy shit!" I breathed, ignoring his little dig. "Holy fuck. I am in so much trouble."
It was thirty-seven minutes past seven o'clock. I was supposed to have been at the café at six-thirty. Once a month, my parents took a thorough inventory of the supplies in the café before preparing to make their large, monthly order to their suppliers for re-stock.
I was explaining all of this rapidly to Asher as I hopped out of bed to struggle into my clothes. I swept my hair back into its bun and hurried into his bathroom, still talking, pausing only to splash water on my face and rinse my mouth with his mouthwash. He was listening to me rant quietly as he picked his clothes up from the floor and dressed, then moved into the bathroom behind me. He smiled at my wide-eyed expression.
"Relax," he said to my reflection. "I'll drive you there. Okay? Give me a minute."
I stepped out of the bathroom so he could use it and brush his teeth and paced frantically. I pulled my phone from my bag and groaned aloud when I saw thirteen missed calls from the café and several texts from Ruby asking for my whereabouts. When Asher emerged from the bathroom, a few minutes later, I held up my phone.
"Dead," I repeated. "Dead."
"So you're a little late," he said, picking up his gym bag. "They'll understand. C'mon."
We hurried out of his apartment and into his car, me still chattering away as I stared out the window.
"My parents don't play that late shit," I said. "Especially not today. Were you listening? This is like, the biggest day of the month."
"I was listening," Asher replied, a hint of a laugh in his voice. I whirled to face him and saw him quickly fold his lips inward to hide his smile.
"It's not funny!" I shouted as he sped along. "They are going to be…they are…so pissed right now."
To his credit, Asher was a good driver and got to Bloomfield in record time. Suddenly, the full horror of my situation hit me like a brick and I couldn't believe I'd overlooked it.
"You have to drop me off at the corner!" I gasped. "They can't see you dropping me off. Oh, my God. My father will kill you. And I'm in the same clothes as I was yesterday? Oh, my God. You have to drop me off a block away."
"Jewel," Asher said disapprovingly, "I'm not gonna hide the fact that I dropped you off. Come on, now. We're all adults."
"My father doesn't give a shit that the law technically recognizes me as an adult," I said mournfully.
He parked the car right in front of the café. "Besides, he and I need to have a talk anyway. Come on. Get out."
The café, not open until eight, was still locked although the lights were on. I knocked hesitantly and Ruby appeared instantly. I had sent a text letting her know I was on my way. Ruby grinned from ear to ear, as she noted in one sweeping glance, that Asher and me were together at this early hour and that I was wearing my clothes from the day before.
"How bad?" I asked breathlessly when Ruby opened the door.
"Bad," Ruby replied. I nodded my head at Asher. "So bad, I'm going to leave and get some tea."
"Uh..." I gestured to the barista counter where containers of tea were lined up neatly in a row.
"Key word being leave," Ruby said, slipping into her jacket. She looked between Asher and me and shook her head sadly. "It was nice knowing you, Asher. May the force be with you guys." She slipped out and let the door shut behind her.
"Juliet, get your ass back here!" my father's voice called from the back. "Let's get to work!"
I trudged back toward the kitchen, Asher following close behind me. I peered around the corner and saw both of my parents holding clipboards and peering at shelves.
"You mind tellin' me why the hell you're almost ninety minutes late?" my father asked absently. He glanced over at me and did a double take when he saw Asher standing next to me.
"Good morning, sir," Asher said calmly. "Ma'am."
"Good morning, Asher," my mother replied, but there was surprise and curiosity in her voice. "What, uh…" Her question hesitated on her lips.
"I drove Jewel to work this morning, ma'am," Asher replied.
"You dropped my daughter off," my father said, and it wasn't a question.
"Yes, sir."
"You dropped my daughter off when she lives three blocks from here," Dad added.
"Yes, sir."
My father’s eyes shifted to me, and he noted that I was in the same clothes he'd seen me in yesterday. He lifted his eyebrows. I sighed.
"What, Pop?" I asked, exasperated. "I went to Asher's last night. We watched a movie, and I fell asleep."
"Then, that would be the time for you to wake her up and take her home," my father said to Asher, blinking.
"I would have, sir," Asher replied, "except I fell asleep myself. I take responsibility for her not arriving on time this morning."
I looked up
at Asher and opened my mouth to protest, but he silenced me with a discreet touch to my back.
My father was openly sizing him up. "And you better never let that happen again," he said, and it was a veiled threat. To his credit, Asher looked completely unfazed as he nodded.
"Yes, sir," he replied.
Dad shifted his eyes back to me, and I felt my insides shudder. "All right, then," he said, and I braced myself for his next point of attack. "What's this I hear about you wantin' to take my daughter out of town?"
I noticed that Asher was standing with almost military-like rigidity, the force of habit from years in the Corps still strong upon him. "Yes, sir. I intended to speak to you about that today. I did ask Jewel if she’d be interested in coming to Buffalo for the tournament with me. I'd like to ask your permission, as well, provided she wants to join me."
"Separate rooms?" my father demanded.
"Yes, sir."
"Dad," I said pointedly. I hated being discussed like I was neither present nor an adult. My father had always been like this, even with my older sisters, my entire life, but since the attack, it had become so much worse.
"I'm just tryin' to make sure you're gonna be okay, sweetie," my father said. He lifted a finger. "My daughter better be safe wit' you."
"Yes, sir," Asher replied. "She is and she will be. Absolutely."
"All those violent guys, you can't keep an eye on her the whole time if you're fightin'," my dad went on. "I don't like the idea of her bein' alone. I know how these guys can be, especially with a pretty girl standin' around."
"She won't be alone, sir," Asher said. "My family is coming with me as well. My older brother and his wife. She’ll be in good hands while I'm in the ring."
"She better be," my father said. "I told you before, I got a rifle and a shovel and a whole lot of connections."