“Oh my God!” She twists her hips pushing into me, and it’s all the encouragement I need. My mouth sucks hard, lavishing the flavor of her. I thought I loved the chocolate kisses, but the taste of her sex becomes my new favorite. Her thighs tighten around my neck, and she writhes, moaning as I fuck her with my tongue. My own body screams for release, but I control myself and slide a finger into her. She cries out, clutching the back of my head.
Her pussy grips my finger tightly, and when I push the second one in, she screams, convulsing against my face. After a few seconds, she goes limp and her hand loosens. I look up to see her chest heaving. Kissing my way up her body, I bite gently on her earlobe.
“Fucking better than your chocolate kisses.” I move my mouth to hers, but she swings her head to the side, avoiding me. “Don’t, babe. I want you to taste yourself on me. Taste us together.”
She hesitantly moves her face back and allows me to kiss her sweetly. Her hands move up my back, scraping her nails along my hot skin, and I groan into her mouth.
“I want you, Ember. Every. Single Piece. Of. You.”
She nods against my mouth and reaches down to grab my throbbing dick. “I want you, too.”
That’s all she has to say to get me moving. I roll off of her and kick off my boots, removing my wallet from my pocket. Once my jeans and boxers hit the floor, I grab a condom and place it on the pillow by her head. My movements stop when I see her staring at me with a mix of desire and anxiety.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.” I crawl over to her and run my hand down one side of her face.
“I’m thinking you’re beautiful, everywhere.”
“Not sure if that’s a compliment. Usually, I reserve beautiful for you.”
“Would you rather me say that you are perfect? Every inch of you is amazing?”
“Once again, words I would use to describe you.” I nibble on her earlobe.
“Shit, I guess I’ve never seen a body as perfect as yours, and I’m not really sure what to do.”
My dick stays hard, but something in her tone doesn’t sit well with me. “Ember, what do you mean, you don’t know what to do?” When I look at her, heat creeps up her cheeks, and the splotches start to form on her neck.
“Calm down, babe.”
“Robbie, my sexual experience is limited. Very limited. I’ve been with one guy, and it wasn’t anything to brag about.”
Shit! I roll back, pulling her with me, so she has no choice but to lie on her side and face me.
“Tell me what you’re trying to say.”
She purses her lips and swallows hard.
“You told me you trust me, Ember. Remember, no judgment.”
“One guy, one weekend. I was eighteen. He was twenty-one. In the two days I spent with him, it was nothing like the intimacy you’ve showed me. I never even really saw him fully nude. The lights were off each time we had sex.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
She shakes her head.
“Babe, there are so many things wrong with that statement.”
“It all boils down to the fact that I’m inexperienced. You’re confident, skilled, and you know what you’re doing. I don’t. And your body caught me off guard. I realize you’re all man and probably used to being with girls that—”
“Stop. I don’t want you thinking about me with anyone else. Just like I don’t want to think about you with anyone else, ever. I have to know, babe. Did he take care of you when he was fucking you?”
“I never had an orgasm, if that’s what you want to know. You’re the only guy that’s ever happened with.”
I drop my head to her shoulder and tamper the urge to beat my chest with pride and scream at the same time.
“Robbie, talk to me. What are you thinking?”
“I’m trying to figure out what kind of fucker doesn’t take care of his woman but gets himself off, in the dark, for two days.”
“I wasn’t his woman. He slept with my sister the next day.”
My head shoots up with disgust. “Are you fucking serious?”
She nods.
“Jesus Christ, Ember. No wonder you left. What a cunt.”
She nods again and moves closer to me. “I’m sorry I ruined our moment.”
My heart races, not for the warmth of her body, but with the desire to beat the shit out of the guy who took something so special from her then threw her away. “You didn’t, babe, but this changes things.”
“How so?”
“You’re precious, Ember, and you need to be shown how a man treats a woman he cares about. I want you to feel, see, and explore every inch of me, as I do the same.” I kiss her forehead. “And that takes time. The kind of time we don’t have when I have no idea when Cruz and Alex are coming home.”
We sit quietly for a few minutes, her cheek and hand resting over my heart. Hatred for her mother and sister brews in me, and the need to shelter her grows. She moves to get up, but I pull her back into me.
“Where you going?”
“I’m going to get some clothes,” she whispers.
“Why?”
She shrugs. “I figured I ruined our night.”
“I’m lying here with your naked body pressed against mine. Not sure how you could ruin the night.” I flip us and wrap her leg around my waist, careful to keep my throbbing dick from sliding against her. “I think it’s a good time to start seeing, feeling, and exploring.” My hand moves to her ass and squeezes.
Her face splits into a wide smile, and she cups my cheek. “I’d like that.” She then gives me the sweetest kiss of my life.
Chapter 18
I Take Care of You
Ember
I look down at the folder in front of me and wait for an emotional breakdown, but it doesn’t come. Finn and Robbie both watch me cautiously. It’s been one week since I found out my mom is looking for me, and I know these two guys have been digging up everything they can on her purpose for showing up.
“Instead of me thumbing through all this, can you give me the details?”
“Records show that your mom got divorced from her second husband two years ago. He filed on grounds of adultery. She’s had the same job as an administrative assistant for the last three years. Records show she’s three months delinquent on her townhome, and the bank is taking action to foreclose. Her car payment is late, as well. Credit cards are almost maxed out,” Robbie tells me.
“So Aunt Chloe is right. This is about money.”
“That’s how it looks, but now we need to talk about Natalie.”
My gut turns at the mention of her name.
Finn starts talking. “Natalie also is broke and living with your mom. She hasn’t held down a job for more than a few months. Looks like she’s currently working as a waitress. Records show she did cash in the investments your dad made for her, and all the money is gone.”
“So, basically, two broke bitches.”
His eyes sparkle and his lips twitch, trying to hide his grin. “Yes.”
“Okay, so now we know. If they confront me, I’ll tell them to go to hell.”
Robbie and Finn exchange glances, and I immediately know this isn’t over.
“What else?”
Robbie sits down next to me and covers my hand with his. “Babe, we have a man down in the area who we asked to follow your sister and mom around for a few days. He’s a trusted PI that we contract sometimes. Old friend of my dad’s, and he was happy to help.
“Natalie’s got a drug problem. Shake, our PI, is going to dig deeper to find out more details. As soon as we know more, we’ll tell you.”
“Your friend’s name is ‘Shake’?”
“That’s what we call him.”
“I’d really like to hear that story sometime. Poor Guy.”
Robbie’s chest starts vibrating with laughter. “I’ll tell him you said that. He’d be inclined to agree. He hates it.”
Finn smiles at me while shaking his head.
> “You guys are really quick.”
“We’re good at our jobs. Finn learned some specialty skills in Paris. He’s going to start digging into more specifics once we get an idea of Natalie’s debt.”
“So what do we do now?”
“You do nothing. You continue to live your life. There’s no doubt your mom is going to contact you again, so we’ll be prepared. In the meantime, we get ready to go to Florida in a few weeks.”
I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. Each day that passes, I get more and more excited for Raven’s wedding.
“Speaking of Florida, I need to get my ticket.”
“It’s taken care of,” Robbie answers.
I narrow my eyes at him. “What do you mean, it’s taken care of?”
“Exactly what I said. The flight’s at two on the Thursday before. I’ll email you a copy of your ticket.”
“I’m not allowing you to pay for my ticket, Robbie.”
He slices his eyes at me, and his mouth goes firm. Finn looks up at the ceiling and whistles. Neither answers me.
“I’m serious. I’m paying you back.”
“No, you’re not. I invited you. You’re my girlfriend. I take care of you. End of discussion.”
I shake my head and start to argue, but he swoops in and puts his lips against mine. “No arguments.” He kisses me hard and gets up, pulling me with him. “Now, let’s get out of here. Why don’t you follow me to my house and leave your car, so you can drive to my parents’ for the shower tomorrow?”
“I’ll get you back for this, you know? I don’t know when, but I’m not going to let you get away with paying for my ticket.”
“Don’t be stubborn, Ember. Accept it.”
I’ll leave it alone for now, but an idea forms in my mind and I smile to myself. He’s going to have a fit.
“Mom, what happened to your house? We can’t have a party with all this girly shit.” Robbie looks around his parents’ house, horrified.
“Robbie!” I shout. Raven whips her head around to me then looks at her mom.
Jenna’s face fills with surprise then she smiles at me. “Thank you, Ember. I taught my son better than to talk like that.”
Heat fills my cheeks, and I cover my face briefly, unbelieving I just called him out in front of all these people. Robbie greets his mom, and Raven then comes directly to me, pulling me into a hug and kissing my cheek. When I look up, there’s a shine in Jenna’s eyes as she looks between us.
“Hey beautiful,” he whispers in my ear before backing away.
His public display of affection throws me off balance, and I stammer, “Hi.”
He steps back and looks around to greet the others in the room. His dad appears while we’re piling Raven’s gifts in the corner of the room. Robbie winks at me as he disappears into the kitchen, following James. I watch him walk away and appreciate the way his black jeans mold to his hips. The smell of his cologne lingers on me, and my cheek still tingles from where his stubble rubbed against it.
“Someone’s got it bad,” Kendall says quietly so only I can hear.
I think about denying it, but it would be useless. I’m pretty sure my face tells everything. “Yeah, he’s pretty amazing, but we’re taking things slow.”
“You’ve been seeing each other a few weeks, right?”
I nod as Charlie, Abbi, Ella, and Harper join us. Charlie opens her mouth then snaps it shut.
“We all saw the way he looked at you the night of Raven’s shower. And he invited you to the wedding. In all my life, I’ve never seen Robbie date. You may say you’re taking things slow, but his little display a few minutes ago tells me he’s serious.”
“Ummm…” I try to find words to divert the subject. “He has been away for a lot of years. That may be why you didn’t see him date.”
Everyone in the group gives me a ‘you’ve got to be kidding’ look.
Harper breaks the silence. “Ember, we don’t know each other very well, and you seem like a really cool girl. Robbie isn’t your typical guy that dates around and casually lets a girl into his life. The few times I’ve seen you two together, he’s been much more relaxed and more like his old self. He’s been a different guy since the accident. We know it was awful. It almost killed Raven.”
“He told me the whole story. My heart broke for him and Finn.”
“Jimi says he’s finally sleeping through the night,” Abbi says quietly and reaches for my hand, giving it a squeeze. “The guys are thrilled you are in his life.”
“Shit, I’m not sure my budget can handle all these hook-ups. Looks like I need to start saving for another wedding,” Charlie practically yells.
My face flames. “No, no, no. Not—”
“What’s going on in here?” Robbie interrupts, looking at our huddle suspiciously.
“Nothing. We’re chatting. Calm your horses.” Harper pats him on the shoulder as the group breaks up.
Charlie backs away, wiggling her left ring finger and pointing to me. I shake my head rapidly but grin at her.
“What was that about?” Robbie cups my chin so our eyes lock.
“We were just talking.”
“Ember, I know those girls. Were they giving you a hard time?”
“Exactly the opposite. It was a friendly conversation.”
His stare softens. “It was torture letting your sexy ass out of bed this morning. The taste of you was still fresh on my lips. The feel of your pussy clenching around my fingers, the sound you made when you screamed my name… All of it. You’re lucky my parents are hosting this event, or I wouldn’t have let you leave.” He leans in, lowering his mouth to mine. As soon as our lips touch, I forget we’re in his parents’ living room and reach up, threading my fingers into his hair.
He groans and kisses me hard. Our tongues find a rhythm, and I sink into him. His hands move down to cup my ass and bring me closer. My knees go weak, but he holds me up, devouring my mouth. Desire runs through my body deep when his erection pokes into my hip. This man has become a dependency for me.
Our kiss turns rougher, and Robbie groans when his fingertips move to the hem of my dress and find the bare skin of my thighs. I’m about to jump into his arms when a throat clears behind us. As I stumble back, he reaches to keep me upright.
I’m horrified when I look over and see James and Tripp watching us, grinning.
“Oh my God,” I breathe, humiliation settling over me.
Robbie looks over his shoulder at the two men. “What?” he growls.
“Ready to start cooking.” James doesn’t hide his amusement.
“Okay.”
Both men remain standing, watching us.
“Think you could give me a second?” Robbie rumbles.
“Yeah, man, take care of what you need to. See you out back,” Tripp answers as both men turn to walk away.
“Please tell me that didn’t happen. Did we just get caught making out, heavily, in front of your dad?”
“That’s not the problem, Ember. I don’t give a shit about that. My issue is the fucking ache in my dick that’s hard as steel. All I want to do is get you back to my house and get you naked. How long do these things last?”
His eyes bore into mine, causing my already racing heart to speed up. “A few hours.”
“First chance we get, we’re out of here.”
“Okay.”
He places his forehead against mine and kisses me quickly before linking our fingers and leading us to the back deck.
The party is in full swing, and I try unsuccessfully to dodge the looks pointed our way. Tripp winks at me and whispers something to Finn. A huge smile breaks out on his face when he looks at me. His turquoise eyes gleam with approval. I grin at him and walk over to join Ella, Harper, and Charlie, who are also watching me with a smirk.
“Slow, my ass,” Charlie teases. “Think that just went out the damn window.”
I open my mouth to argue, but the only thing that comes out is a giggle. There’s
no arguing, and as fun as this party is, it can’t get over quick enough.
Chapter 19
No More Holding Back
Ember
The constant ripple of nervous energy runs through me as I wait for Robbie to end his phone call in the kitchen. My body has been overheated since the minute we were interrupted at his parents’. I felt his stare and the sexual tension rolling between us all night. His mom kept giving me loving looks, and his dad grinned each time I caught his eye.
My fingers run along the outlines of the picture frames on his entertainment center as I look at pieces of his life. I get so lost in the photo of him and his friends in the desert that I don’t hear him approach until he’s sweeping my hair over my shoulder. His soft lips nibble along my collarbone, up my neck, until he reaches my earlobe.
“Ember?”
“Hmmm?” I practically purr.
“I need you to kiss me again like you did earlier. I’ve waited all evening to have you alone and feel it again.”
“Feel what?” I turn into him and gulp at the heat in his eyes.
His gaze is filled with desire, passion, and hunger. “Feel like you’re mine.”
My heart races so fast, I fear it will explode out of my chest. The ringing in my ears temporarily deafens me as I try to control my emotions. I’m completely in love with Robbie Hayes. He’s shown me how a man should treat a woman. There’s an authoritative and commanding presence, but he’s also revealed a glimpse of his vulnerable side.
When he holds me in his arms, I feel safe and protected. My own passion starts to build. “That’s because I am yours,” I simply state and watch his face fill with happiness.
“Fucking finally.” He bends to lift me, linking my legs around his waist, and slams his mouth to mine in a kiss so deep and wet that moisture instantly builds. His hardened erection rubs against the lace of my panties as my dress slides up. I barely register him walking us backwards to his room, until the soft mattress dips as he leans over me.
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