by Rose Croft
She was on the brink, I knew, but I was going to spew prematurely if she didn’t stop yanking my dick into oblivion. I clamped her wrist. “Don’t.”
“Why?” She glanced up with lust-filled eyes as I removed her hand.
“Because I don’t want to come like this, yet.” I pulled out my fingers and brought them to my mouth, relishing her taste. I lifted her up and tossed her on the bed as she giggled while I toed out of my Jordans and socks. I stopped and stared, drinking her in splayed on the bed with her blond hair fanned out on the comforter. It’d been too damn long since I’d had her beneath me, and I was going to revel in every fucking minute.
“Do you remember my eighteenth birthday?” I slid myself against her body until I was wedged between her thighs; I nudged my cock over her slit. “The present you wanted to give me?”
“Yes.” Her voice was faint with emotion. “Myself. I wanted to give you myself. I wanted to give you everything.”
“Did you regret that night?” I knew I was traveling into dangerous territory, but I recalled that night like it was yesterday, and she had wanted to be with me, too. She’d been the one to beg while I’d been too crazy about her to stop. We’d been consumed with each other.
“Never.” She cupped my face as she peered at me with no guile or shame. “I will never have regrets about that night.” She curled her hands around my neck, pulling my head closer. “It was always you, Roman. It’s always been you.” She latched her lips to mine.
My mind was conflicted and more questions swirled in my head, but I was lost in her kiss and ground myself against her slit. My need to fuck her outweighed my common sense. My need to consume her obliterated any other notions I had. Her legs curled around my hips as I pulsed up and down, each time my cock going lower with every pass until my tip was at her slick entrance.
My arms strained against her head as I fought myself not to thrust in and ravish her like every instinct inside me screamed out to do. I didn’t know what it was about her that made me want to go animalistic. Watching her, I pressed until the head of my cock was inside her wet folds, feeling like I was entering the gates of paradise. She arched her back and clamped her legs tighter against me.
I pushed in farther, and for all things sacred, nothing had ever felt like this. She was small, tight, and wet. We fit together perfectly. Always had. I felt like I was living in a surreal world I never wanted to leave. How many times had I fantasized about her in the past? Too many to count. Without warning, I thrust all the way in, and she dug her nails into the skin on my back. “Roman,” she cried.
I pulled out and pulsed in again, deeper this time, and she moaned her encouragement. “It feels so good.”
It felt perfect. If she was my downfall, I was willing to embrace the risk because I was on the brink of heaven. I would gladly stand at the altar and sacrifice myself rather than never have experienced this chance again. Fuck what my father wanted. Fuck what happened in the past, and fuck everything. Nothing. Else. Mattered. But. This.
I drove in again.
Again.
And again.
My balls tightened as I felt the pressure and pleasure build up. Theodora was tensing up beneath me as she panted. She was close. Or at least I hoped because I was about to come like a horny teenager who’d had sex for the first time. She clung to me and moved like her body was on fire as her mouth opened and she screamed out, “Roman, I’m coming!” Her lips made a wide O and her green eyes were wild and dilated. It was mesmerizing to see what I did to her.
“I know,” I groaned trying to hold back allowing her to ride out her orgasm while my dick twitched every time her pussy clenched around me in ecstasy. Holy hell if this wasn’t one of the best things I’d ever experienced.
I pumped in harder, faster. Desperate to chase that high. It didn’t take long before I growled into her neck and poured out everything deep inside of her. All the lust, frustration…the love I thought we’d shared—every fucking emotion I had for her. She massaged my lower back as my pulsing waned. I ran my lips over her neck, threading my fingers through her tousled hair as our breathing began to even out. We were still joined together, and I never wanted to lose this connection. Never wanted to let her go.
In fact, I was raring to go again but knew she was only going to have a few hours of sleep and tomorrow was going to be tough for her. Regretfully, I pulled out and rolled to the side, enveloping her in my arms.
She glanced up at me. “You didn’t wear a condom.”
Shit. I didn’t even think about it. It’d been so long since I’d had sex, I didn’t bother with keeping one in my wallet. “I’m sorry.” I exhaled, feeling like a complete novice who didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. I was twenty-one for Christ’s sake and should’ve known better. “Is there a problem? I can take you to get the morning-after pill.”
“I’m on birth control,” she answered and bit her lip. Somehow I wasn’t averse to the thought of her carrying my child. If I could mark her and make her mine in every way, I would. Was it obsessive behavior? Certainly. I didn’t really give a fuck when it came to her. I never wanted any barriers between us ever again. Then again I also wondered why the fuck she was on birth control. Had she been fucking other people? I shook my head and let that thought go. Again, my thoughts weren’t always rational when it came to her. I knew I was her first, and now I would be her last if I had my way.
She glanced at my chest, tracing my tattoo. “I’ve never seen this before.”
“I got it a few weeks before I started college.”
“What does it say? It’s scripted in Spanish.” Her eyes drooped into slits as she yawned.
If we stayed up and kept talking, she’d never get any rest, because my dick wanted to join in the conversation too. “Sleep, Theodora. We have a long day ahead of us.”
I curled her to my chest stroking her hair, relishing the scent of fresh spring and her warm body clinging to my side. Long ago, she’d called me her hero. Today, she’d trusted me to help her and take care of her. I thought about how she caught me in her mother’s room, as I searched for any information that my father said she had. I didn’t find anything but more prescription medicine. Theodora’s mother had a big problem, which wouldn’t be easily resolved. Did my dad already know this and had something to do with it?
I couldn’t stop the nagging in my brain that there was something else going on here. I didn’t know what, but I could feel it in my gut. I was beginning to have doubts about Theodora being a part of a scam to extort money from our family. She was defensive about the money my father told me he’d given them. Maybe she truly thought her mother received a legit severance package. I rubbed my eyes and stared at the ceiling. I needed to do another search of the place. If Theodora found out…I shook my head. She wouldn’t find out. This was the last time I did my father’s dirty work for him.
Theodora
“She’s conscious,” the doctor said as I walked up to her room pulling me aside as Roman followed.
I nodded saying a silent prayer of thanks.
“However, she needs to remain here to detox since she had dangerous levels of oxycodone in her system. We need to monitor her as she battles withdrawal and since she went into cardiac arrest…it makes it more critical to check her vitals and keep her stabilized. It’s not going to be pretty the next few days.” He glanced between both of us with a serious expression that never wavered. “The best-case scenario is for her to be transferred to a rehab facility as soon as we can deal with her physical symptoms, and I have some places to suggest.”
“Thank you. Can I see her?”
“Yes.” He paused. “Just know it’s not going to be pleasant. She’s going through withdrawals and will say anything to you to get her out of here so she can continue back to her old habits. She may lash out at you, but know it’s not her. It’s the addiction. And she’s somewhat disoriented and anxious. Again, that’s the effects of withdrawal. It’s normal.”
I was scared to
see her, but I stepped to the door and squared my shoulders preparing myself for the unknown. As I drew closer, I had to hold back my shock. She looked so frail and pale. Sweat beaded her forehead and her once vibrant golden strands looked drab and dirty plastered against her temple. Her usually sparkling hazel eyes were dull as she stared at the wall.
“Mom?” I peeped tentatively while fear and concern filled my heart.
She shifted her head and tried to force a smile that looked more like a grimace. “Theo. Thank God you’re here. I don’t know what happened, but there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m fine, and I want to go home.” As if a switch flipped, she started grappling one of the IVs trying to take it out, but I stopped her before she could.
“No. The doctor stressed you need to stay a few more days.” I didn’t know exactly what to say to her, not wanting to say anything that might trigger an adverse reaction.
“I can’t stay here. I’m going crazy, and I hate hospitals.” She looked frantic, and I held her hand hoping I didn’t have to restrain her. “I feel claustrophobic and I need to get out. Please, Theo, help me.”
“Just a few days, Momma, you can do it. Please, be strong for me.”
She glanced over my shoulder, and her eyes widened with fright. “Get out!” Her already pale face drained of more color if that were possible. She looked like she’d seen her worst nightmare. I turned and watched as Roman paused at the door with a look of mild surprise. “Get out,” my mother yelled louder. “You’re the reason. It’s all your fault.”
Roman’s brows drew together.
“Get away from my daughter.”
His eyes darted to mine in question, and I gave a slight shake of my head. Without words, he turned and stepped out of the room closing the door behind him. I glanced at my mom. “It’s fine, Momma. Whatever happened in the past was a misunderstanding.”
She clasped my hand in desperation with a strength that negated her weak appearance. “Stay away from him. He’s poison, Theo. That family will destroy you. Just like they tried to ruin me.”
A week had passed and my mom was settled in a sixty-day rehab where she couldn’t have visitors. It wasn’t too far from my campus, only a couple of hours. True to his word, Roman still wanted to help me with the arrangements despite my mom’s reaction in the hospital. I felt the need to explain her behavior, but he told me there was no need. He coaxed me into allowing him to help with the down payment and assured me he’d cover the medical expenses. I told him I would get a loan and pay him back wondering if I’d made a deal with the devil. He just smirked and told me to focus on school and him. I rolled my eyes, but a smile lingered on my lips for the first time in days.
Unfortunately, the words my mother had said were still running around rent free in the back of my mind, and I reasoned it away. She was just being an overprotected mother who thought her daughter had been compromised, which we’d argued about so many times in the past. I even told her I was the one who initiated it, but she never wanted to hear it. She would never understand how much I loved him and always chalked it up to me being too young to know what love meant. But she was wrong because I knew. I knew since the first day I laid eyes on him.
“We still meeting tonight to put together our presentation?” Axel asked after class.
“Yeah our place after I pick her up from work,” Roman said and yanked my ponytail with a grin. Somehow, he’d shoehorned his way into our study group. Just like everything else he did.
“You’re such a fucking stalker,” Nick accused but his blue eyes twinkled in mischief. He’d already given Roman shit for telling the professor he was switching groups, although Dr. Smith was quick to warn us beforehand the groups were written in stone. Yet he made an exception for the star player. Cue eye roll.
Nick tilted his chin at me. “Two questions. What time do you get off work? And would you rather I picked you up because homie isn’t right in the head? If I were you, I’d run as far away from him as possible.”
Roman shoved him none too playfully. “Fuck off, asshole.” Nick and Axel eyed each other laughing as they walked out of the auditorium ahead of us.
Later that evening, we were at the guy’s house working on the project. “I think that covers it.” I typed in the final slide of our presentation. “Now, we just have to make videos of our parts, and I can upload the links into this power point. Everyone good with that?” We still had a week to complete it.
“Yeah, I’m good.” Axel tapped his pen on his notebook.
Roman leaned in and pointed at the screen and made another suggestion to add. I thought he only joined the group so he could mess around with me the whole time and not do any of the work, but he’d surprised me. He’d pulled his weight and actually did much of the research.
Nick glanced out the window. “Does that fucker not care we can see everything he’s doing?” We’d seen Dmitri stroll through the house earlier with a raven-haired girl who was model-thin and gorgeous wearing a bikini with heels. He greeted us with a smirk before leading her out back to the pool. Now, they were in the hot tub. Giving us all a presentation of a different kind. The large window surrounding the living room gave us a clear view to the pool area, and it was clear to see dark-haired beauty’s naked back as she bobbed up and down throwing her head back in ecstasy that she was enjoying it.
My eyes widened and cheeks heated. “Apparently not tonight,” Roman added and dropped his hand to my thigh. “Which is quite shocking since he’s usually more discreet.”
“I’ll never use the hot tub again.” Axel grimaced rubbing the back of his neck.
“Yeah, right,” Nick said sarcastically. “I’ve heard that one before.”
Dmitri had his hands wrapped around her back guiding her as he craned over her shoulder catching all of us watching and lifted a fist in the air flipping us off.
I turned away as Axel stood up making stupid hand gestures at the window then he picked up his books. “I’m out. Later.” He sauntered down the hall.
Nick’s cell chimed, and he answered tossing his pen aside, waving us off before he too was walking out of the room.
“It’s late. I need to go.” I closed my laptop trying to ignore how Roman’s fingers were absently stroking my inner thigh as he watched me.
“Stay.”
“I can’t. I need to go home.” I knew it was the best idea although a part of me really wanted to spend the night with him.
“Stay,” he repeated firmly. He was always demanding and persistent in what he wanted.
“We shouldn’t, and all your roommates are here.”
“And what’s the problem with that? You actually think they don’t know what we’re doing?” His finger scraped over my jeans sliding to the juncture of my thighs before trailing away.
“Roman.” I sighed. He didn’t play fair.
He rose slowly taking my hand and rose pulling me with him. “Let’s go.” He led me down the hallway to his room.
I shook my head digging in my heels. “You can’t order me around and bulldoze over what I want.”
He dipped his head in frustration. “Look, I know your mind is spinning a mile a minute with reasons why you shouldn’t stay or how I can be a demanding asshole. I know you have trouble trusting me. I know I’ve done some shady shit and manipulated situations to work in my favor. I get it. When I want something, I take it. There’s probably fifty other reasons why you should be skeptical of me. However, I’m asking you to stay because I need you, Theodora. I want you by my side. Will you please stay tonight?”
It didn’t take much thought until I nodded my head allowing him to lead me with him, shocked by his words and yet moved by the softness in his voice when he asked me to stay. Roman was a dichotomy of contradictions. Hard yet gentle, obsessive at times yet also a protector, dismissive to people, but willing to help like he did with my mother. I was so confused about everything, but when I was with him, I couldn’t help losing myself in him.
We entered his large room that
seemed like the master bedroom. His king-sized bed loomed in the middle with a black comforter. The furniture was dark and modern against the light gray walls. I stepped over to the black contemporary leather lounger by the floor-to-ceiling windows and peered out into the blackness of the night. His room must be nestled in privacy.
I wrapped my arms around my stomach. Nervous for some reason. It’d been a week since Roman and I were alone like this. “I didn’t bring any clothes to wear.”
I heard his footsteps as he approached behind me. His fingers went to the band holding my ponytail, and he pulled it out. Roman always loved to do that. “You don’t need them,” he whispered against my cheek. “You will wear me.” Good lord, he never ceased to surprise me with his words.
He lifted the shirt over my head. His mouth grazed my shoulder as I felt my bra loosen and slide down my arms. “People will see us.” I breathed in content as his large hands wrapped around me and kneaded my breasts while I stared out into nothingness.
“You think I’d let anyone see what’s mine?” He pinched a nipple between his fingers while his other hand cupped my chin dragging my mouth to his. “I’d kill a man who ever saw you naked.” He dominated my lips with an intensity that was him, and him alone. Roman was a wild roller-coaster ride where you just threw your arms in the air and let go. His tongue parted my lips, demanding, claiming what he wanted. He spun me to face him and gripped my hips lifting me against his sculpted body without breaking the kiss. I could feel his hard erection poking me at my core through my pants. “All I’ve thought about for a week was fucking that tight, sweet pussy again.”
I should’ve been shocked by his crudeness, instead my thighs clenched against him and wetness pooled in my panties. He set me down on the lounger. “Take off the rest of your clothes,” he ordered while he yanked off his shirt and his hands moved to the button on his jeans.
I leaned back on my elbows studying his rock-solid abs and the dark trail of hair below his navel snaking beneath his waistband. “You do it.” I watched as his fingers ripped at the button of his jeans, and he jerked the zipper down frantically.
