“Nick,” she cries out, throwing her head back and thrusting her chest up.
“Let go,” I say as I bite down lightly on her nipple.
She clenches hard as she starts to come, bringing me over the edge with her. Sparks of electricity shoot off as I empty myself into the woman who holds all the power over me.
I wait for panic to set in, but all I feel is really fucking great.
“Wake up, Sweet Peach.” I skim my hands down her side and love the goosebumps that rise at my touch.
She burrows her face deeper into my pillow, turning so the sheets fall to her hip.
She’s completely naked, and it takes all of my control to stay at her side and not crawl back into the bed.
“Fuck it.” I strip my shorts off and slide in, cradling her to me. One of my arms slinks around her waist, while I use the other to prop my head up and watch her. She’s fallen back asleep, letting out a dreamy sigh every few breaths. The sound touches me deeply as I remember last night.
From the first sight of her naked body to the sound of her screaming my name replay in my mind.
I was right to wait, wanting to introduce her to my world before taking our relationship to the next level. Fuck if it wasn’t hard, but it was worth it. Every single second since I saw her across that room was worth it.
I knew sex with Grace would be something else, but it was more than something.
Mind-numbing, heart-stopping, body-shaking… It was everything.
Over and over again, I couldn’t get enough, and she didn’t care. She was right with me, stroke for stroke, push for pull, scream for moan. Remembering her against the shower tile has me hard and aching. My dick throbs for more, rubbing against her lower back.
Last night confirmed all my suspicions. She would now and forever be the only woman I’d ever want.
Fuck! Nick Bennett has officially become a pussy-whipped sucker. Grace Monroe has sunk me.
As if she can hear my thoughts, she starts to stir, wiggling her ass against my straining dick. She lets out a little laugh and covers her hand on mine at her waist.
“Morning.” Her voice is laced with sleep as she rolls into my chest.
“Morning.” I kiss her forehead.
“Hmm, what time is it?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Her eyes flutter open and lock with mine. I suck in a breath at the sight of her violet eyes focusing on my face. She’s fucking gorgeous anytime, but waking up in my arms, she’s breathtaking.
“What’s that smell?”
“I made you breakfast.”
Her face lights up.
“You did?”
“Yes.” I lower my lips to hers and steal a quick kiss. “My trainers always tell me how important rehydration and food are after a game. It’s important to refuel your body.”
“Well, it sounds like I should be serving you breakfast. You’re the one who had a game yesterday.”
“Maybe, but I like the idea of refueling your body.”
Her eyes heat up, and she reaches to my neck, pulling my mouth back to hers. This kiss turns heated, and soon, I have her under me, her legs latched around my hips, our naked bodies tangled together.
She curves her body into mine, my dick finding her slickness easily. My plan to feed her in bed flies out of my head. She’s taunting me, teasing me with no words. It’s useless to try to stop when she adjusts her pelvis and, at the same time, scales her nails down my back. I slide in, moaning into her mouth as she takes me all the way. Her thighs tighten, and I feel the muscles contract, squeezing my cock. Red-hot sensations shoot up and down my spine and settle in the pit of my stomach.
The last twelve hours have been nothing less than incredible. After having Grace for the first time, I’ve been insatiable. At one point, I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood as I emptied into her, listening to her shout my name. Sometime between the bed and the shower, we had a conversation about ditching the condoms. It was totally her decision. I tried to be the responsible one, Shaw’s voice nagging in the back of my head about the importance of safe sex. But when she rationalized about being on the pill, we agreed. There was no more hesitation.
Now, my stamina is nonexistent as her warmth sucks me in. My balls constrict, ready to blow again. This can’t happen.
I don’t move, breaking away from her mouth and bracing on my elbows to get a good look at her. The edges of her lips are pink from my scruff, and her eyes are now filled with a blazing passion.
“Babe, you can’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Tighten, squeeze, contract—whatever the hell you’re doing. It’s been a hell of a long time since I had morning sex, and never bareback.”
Her eyes fill with understanding, and a sly, sexy smile spreads wide. My sweet Grace’s eyes start to twinkle as she completely ignores me. Her body tightens on mine, and she surges her hips up, crushing her hipbones to mine.
Then she does it again, clenching so tight my balls start to pulse. There’s no way I’m going to make it. The pressure is building with each small movement, diminishing my willpower.
“Grace—”
“Let go.” She repeats the words I’ve said to her over and over.
“Not without you.”
“It’s okay.”
“Fuck no,” I grind out. “This is not a solo mission.”
“We’ll see about that.”
I’m so lost in my head, I don’t realize until too late. She twists, forcing us to our side, and then I’m on my back. Her hair falls in a curtain around us right before she lifts, sitting astride me. I’m momentarily stunned until she starts rocking.
“Grace!”
“Want to know a little secret?” The sly smile returns. “I’ve never had morning sex. Daytime sex—yes, nighttime sex—yes… but never morning sex.”
A sense of possessiveness I’ve never known before washes through my body, and a growl escapes. The thought of her having sex with anyone other than me sears my blood. I take a deep breath to tamper down the fire, which only slightly works.
I surge up, taking her in my arms and pressing my forehead to hers. “I’m a pretty easy-going man, Grace, but the thought of you with anyone else makes me violent. I’m going to erase any memories before me.”
Her eyes lock with mine, and she stills. “You want to know another secret? No man has ever gone down on me before. No man has ever gotten me to come multiple times. And no man has ever, ever taken the time to worship me as you have. So you’ve already erased any memories before you.”
With those words, the fire dies, and I’m back in her trance. Slowly, I start to move below her, keeping our faces close. What started out as fast and furious becomes a slow dance. Together, we find a rhythm, and exactly like last night, it is perfect.
She starts to whimper, moving more urgently, and the tingling in my spine returns. I thrust deep and watch as her eyes flutter closed. The only sounds in the room are our pants until she shouts my name, coming apart in my arms and taking me with her. My vision blurs as I release, raising my head to hers, and feeling every pulse inside her.
Our hearts race together, both of us clutching tightly. Finally, I get my breathing under control and kiss along her neckline.
My thoughts from earlier return. Grace Monroe has definitely sunk me.
Chapter 16
Grace
“No, I’m not kidding. He was crotchety all weekend. If he wasn’t a guy, I’d swear he had PMS. In all my years of knowing him, he’s never been so grouchy. I thought he was going to pummel Shaw when Shaw mentioned scheduling a business meeting and staying an extra night in New York,” Bizzy explains. “Which would have been convenient since the meeting was with the marketing executives of the new athletic line he’s endorsing.”
“He didn’t mention that.” I sip my wine, trying to hide the fact that this little tidbit pleases me. I shouldn’t be happy with the information, but it’s nice to know Nick missed me as much as I missed him
while he was in New York last weekend.
It’s been almost a month since Nick and I started seeing each other, and with the exception of his travel, we haven’t spent a night apart. He’s had back-to-back away games, and both times, it was ridiculous how we acted. I knew he didn’t like being gone because he told me repeatedly, but I was miserable.
Hearing Bizzy tell me he was grouchy excites me a little too much.
To say being with Nick has changed my life is an understatement. The gallery is busier than ever after the press coverage of the reset. Logan and I have sold more pieces than ever before, and we have people from all over the state calling to schedule private appointments. We learned that Mrs. Shields’s network and outreach is huge. She’s bragged to everyone about the display we will be doing in her home, which prompted other socialites to want similar set ups. Not to mention my new escalated status as Sexy Six’s girlfriend.
But it’s not only Nick that has become a permanent fixture in my life; it’s the entire Bennett clan, including Claire. Maria and Seth surprised me at the gallery one day, insisting on taking me to lunch. Mathis and Shaw came in, running an errand for Bizzy and purchasing a collection of pictures Bizzy wanted to get Maria for her birthday. A weekly girls night dinner has become standard, too.
Tonight, we decided to meet early and ride into the game together. It worked out perfectly that Miami plays Thursday night this week, because Nick, Logan, and I leave tomorrow morning for Thomasville. It’s a coincidence he is not playing this Sunday since we’ll be out of town. If the season schedule wasn’t already made, I’d totally believe Shaw can make miracles happen.
Claire snaps her fingers in my face, jarring me from my thoughts.
“Sorry.” I glance between her and Bizzy, who are both staring at me questioningly.
“She’s in la-la land.” Bizzy assumes correctly.
“My family calls it Grace Space,” I tell them both. “It’s happened for most of my life. My grandma coined the term.”
“Grace Space is much classier than la-la land.”
Bizzy’s phone rings, and her face lights up. She answers, dropping her head and speaking softly as Claire motions to the waiter for our bill.
I check my own phone and see a message from Nick from about ten minutes ago.
Nick: Coach is confiscating all our phones. Some shit about getting our heads in the right place. New England has beat us the last three meetings, and he’s pissed. See you after the game. Plan on celebrating all night long.
I shudder in my chair, feeling his words. He doesn’t have his phone, but I send him a reply anyway.
Me: All night? Think you’ll be up to it? If you’re too tired, I’ll do all the work…
“Rodney is here. Shaw says traffic is awful,” Bizzy tells us, slapping down her credit card before I can reach for my wallet.
“God, I love your overprotective husband. It’s awesome to have a driver for our girl’s nights.” Claire sucks down the rest of her drink. “And I don’t have to be at work until Saturday, so I’m definitely letting loose tonight.”
“You know, Mathis, Nicky, and Shaw all split the cost. It’s not only Shaw,” Bizzy informs us.
This is news to me but not a surprise. The more I learn about Shaw, the more I understand Nick is a lot like him. And who am I to complain if I have a designated driver for GNO?
Claire slices her eyes to Bizzy but doesn’t say anything as we get up to leave. This has been happening a lot since Claire’s confession at the game. Bizzy has called me several times, explaining she’s on a mission to push Mathis into admitting his feelings for Claire. She’s convinced that Claire and Mathis belong together and is pulling out all the stops. She says Shaw is hesitant to get involved but is not discouraging her.
Of course, Shaw doesn’t say no to her. Ever.
I tried to talk to Nick about it, too, wondering if he knew anything about why Mathis was resistant. He replied with, “I’m not really concerned with my brother’s love life,” and that was the end of the discussion.
Rodney is in front of the restaurant, holding the car door open when we exit. Each of us greets him with a hug and get into the back to find a chilled bottle of champagne waiting. Claire takes no time pouring us a glass as we head to the stadium.
The whole way, we talk about our plans for the weekend. The closer it gets, the more excited I become to introduce Nick to my family. I’m still nervous about his star status and the locals descending on my parents’ farm once they learn Nick is there. Mom assures me she’s been able to keep his presence quiet. The actual festival will be trickier, but we’ll deal with that on Saturday.
Shaw was right. Traffic is awful, and we barely make it to the suite before kick-off. Shaw is waiting at the door with a scowl on his face. The instant he sees Bizzy, he visibly relaxes.
Then he turns the scowl to me and raises an eyebrow. “Did Nick get a hold of you?”
“Yes, I sent a text.”
“He wants me to get you to the player’s entrance after the game. Regardless of the outcome, he’ll have to speak to reporters. Bizzy and I will wait with you.”
“What about me?” Claire asks.
“Mathis is taking you home.” He says it so naturally, as if we should have known.
Bizzy’s eyes grow wide, and I can practically hear her squealing in her head. She gives me a quick wink but doesn’t dare say anything.
The suite is packed when we enter. I wave at the people I met last time and see Maria and Seth seated with Shaw’s boss and a woman I don’t know. Claire whispers that the woman is Gail, Shaw’s assistant. When her eyes meet mine, she smiles warmly.
Mathis joins us, standing close to Claire. This wouldn’t normally strike me as unusual since they are friends, but it’s the expression on his face. He does a full body scan of her, and his eyes grow stormy, landing on her short skirt.
It’s then I notice the Bennett Boys all have a similar glare. There is no mistaking he’s finally seeing the big picture. Maybe Nick said something to him, but whatever it is, I know the look is packed with promise.
The game starts, and it doesn’t take long for New England to score, sending a groan through the room. We all turn our attention to the game as Miami’s offense takes the field. Nick runs out, and the crowd goes wild. The familiar music starts and the Jumbo-Tron flashes his picture as the crowd starts chanting, “Sexy, Sexy, Sexy.”
The cameras zoom in on him, and his face fills the TV screens around the room. He adjusts his mouth guard and scans the field. His eyes then sweep upward. Seth and Maria both jump out of their seats waving wildly, and Seth points over his shoulder at me.
Nick gives a chin jerk and closes his eyes. When he opens them, a mask of confidence is in place as the line gets in formation.
The exchange was no more than five seconds, but those five seconds said so much. My heart flutters in my chest rapidly. It may have been brief but doesn’t go unnoticed by our little group. Shaw and Mathis glance at me then each other, communicating without words.
I don’t have time to think about it once the ball is snapped and Nick goes into action.
Tonight, there are servers who keep our drinks refilled as we watch Miami fight to get ahead. By the time halftime comes, the game is tied. I’m mentally exhausted from shouting.
Mathis and Shaw leave again, presumably going to the locker room.
“Whew, I think I’m going to pass out.” Bizzy comes next to me, fanning her face. “I don’t do well with these close games.”
“I do feel a little sick to my stomach.”
“There’s another half to go. Buck up, you lightweights.” Claire shows no signs of nervousness.
My phone vibrates with a text. “You girls want to take a little trip with me?”
“Sure, where?”
“My brother’s ‘friend’ Melanie is here with some people. She wants to meet up.” I use air quotes to emphasize the word friend.
They know a little about Melanie. I’ve told
them about Logan’s tight lips on their relationship. I don’t pry, but I know they are spending more time together. She’s been around the gallery a few times, and I haven’t missed the way he looks at her.
“I love going into the stands! But we’ll definitely need refills.” Bizzy motions to the server, ordering us another round of drinks.
Since this is only my second game ever, I have no idea where I’m going and have to rely on Bizzy and Claire to get us to the right section. Melanie is watching and waves enthusiastically when she sees us.
I do quick introductions, and Melanie motions for the seats, explaining her friends are gone for a while. “Isn’t this an exciting game?”
“I’d be a little happier if Miami was winning. It’s kinda nerve-wracking,” I tell her.
“Oh, I’m sure they’re going to pull out a win. So how’s the skybox?”
“Awesome, although it’s a little intense. I like these seats.”
“You’ve never been in the seats before?”
“This is only my second game.”
“Oh my God! You have got to stick around for a while. Get the whole experience. I’m sure the suites are nice, but there’s nothing better than being here for the action.” She whips out her phone and starts typing. “I’m telling my friends to take their time. You girls are welcome to stay here until they get back.”
“Cool! I miss being with the common folk.” Claire sits back casually, propping her feet on the seat backs in front of her.
“It is really fun down here,” Bizzy agrees, tipping her drink to Claire.
We fall easily into conversation, talking about work and my upcoming trip home. Melanie’s face fills with surprise when she learns Nick is coming home with me, but she recovers quickly, changing the subject.
By the time halftime is over, I’m feeling no pain with the alcohol running through my system. People file back into their seats, and the energy in the stadium grows. Claire and Bizzy get up and start to dance when the music booms through the air. Melanie and I join them, screaming as the team blasts onto the field.
Sexy Six Page 16
