“I remember everything about you,” he says, running his thumb across my lower lip. He brings his lips back to mine, and eventually I pull away because otherwise we’re about to give this cab driver a show. There’s no air left inside the vehicle, the tension so thick that you could slice it with a knife. I still can’t believe he’s here. He runs his hand up my inner thigh, but doesn’t try and touch me any further. I kind of wish he would, but it’s probably better if we wait, because once we start we aren’t going to be able to stop.
We get to his hotel and he pays the driver, then opens the door and waits for me to get out. We rush through the hotel reception, and step into the lift, kissing each other as soon as the doors shut. He lifts me up against the side of the lift, running his hands up my thighs, his fingers so close to my pussy, yet he doesn’t touch me there yet. As soon as the lift comes to a stop, he puts me down and we hurry to his room. As soon as we’re inside, he closes the door, lifts me up in his arms, and carries me to the bed, sitting down with me now straddling his lap. We kiss hungrily, deeply, desperately, our hands wandering, mine clutching his back while his grip the globes of my arse. He lifts my dress up, and I help get it off me so I’m just in my black lace bra and panties.
“LN strikes again hey,” he murmurs, making me laugh. I don’t know about being a lingerie ninja, but I’m glad he got to see this set, because it’s my new favourite. I bury my face in his neck, kissing him there while he undoes my bra, letting my breasts free. I can feel his hard cock straining to get free too, so I slide off him and stand in front of him, remove my panties, then lower myself to my knees, undoing his zipper and taking his cock into my hands.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you,” I say.
“Are you saying that to me, or my dick?” he asks, sounding a mixture of amused and turned on.
I raise my eyes to him, flash him a sultry grin, and then take him into my mouth. He makes that growling sound, and fuck how I’ve missed it. It urges me on, even more, and I take him in even deeper. With another growl, he gently pushes me off him, stands, and pulls something out of his bedside table.
Is that… rope?
“I don’t want to know who that was meant for,” I growl, staring up at him from my position on my knees.
“I haven’t used it on anyone, relax.”
I grit my teeth together. It’s always the same shit with him, and I always keep getting mad when I have no reason to.
My eyes go back to his cock, which is still hard and right in front of my face. I lick my lips.
“Fuck,” he grits out in a husky tone, sliding his pants off. “And don’t look at my dick like that, Taye. It’s my turn to play. You can have yours after.”
I love when he gets like this.
“Get on the bed and lie on your stomach,” he says when I just sit there, probably staring up at him with love hearts in my eyes. I do as I’m told, lying on my stomach with my legs spread apart and my arse in the air. I know which position he wants me in.
“Good girl,” he rumbles, gently taking my wrists and tying them together behind my back. I still, waiting for him to make his next move. I know what it’s going to be, or at least I think I do. He runs his hand up my spine though, then slides my hair to the side, exposing the back of my neck. He grips it, his hold possessive, then places a kiss there. I close my eyes and really feel the moment, my breath hitching when he kisses all the way down my spine, taking his time, down my arse, and then starts to lick my pussy.
Fuck.
There’s no way I’m going to last at this rate, and I don’t care if I don’t. We have all night, and I know he’s going to make up for lost time, and make me come over and over again.
And as always, I’m up for the challenge.
*****
He makes me come with his mouth, then fucks me from behind until I come again, before he finishes himself, coming all over my arse, back and arms. He then unties my binds, while I all but fall flat onto the mattress. He cleans off my back then lies down next to me on the bed. I lift my head up to look at him. “I already want you again.”
His lip twitches before he lifts me and rolls over so he’s on his back with me lying on top of him. “Climb up,” he commands. “I want to taste you again.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I give him a long, deep kiss, then straddle his face, lowering my pussy onto his mouth, and moaning at the first point of contact. He grips my hips, pulling me down onto him more, and then starts to tease me, licking everywhere except my clit.
“Eli,” I groan when I can’t take it anymore.
He licks and then sucks my clit, and I hold on to the headboard for dear life, looking down and watching him with heavy lidded eyes. My orgasm hits me out of nowhere and takes over my body, my thighs start to tremble, and Eli holds most of my weight up while I softly say his name and make sounds only he brings out of me. When I can’t take anymore, I slide off him and cuddle next to him, practically on him, but I don’t care.
“Holy shit,” I murmur, catching my breath.
And then he’s on top of me and inside me, and everything turns into a giant blur of pleasure.
I think I feel that way around him, even if we’re not fucking, though.
Chapter Twenty
“I’m glad you didn’t get rid of this,” I say, gently tugging on his beard.
“Pretty sure you would have kicked me out of this bed if I did,” he teases, his thumb softly touching around my nipple in sweet circles. I grin, but we both know there’s not much that would make me do something like that. My willpower doesn’t work when it comes to him.
“Perhaps,” I say, closing my eyes. “I am quite fond of the beard.”
“I know,” he says, flicking my nipple. “Now about this list… if we want to get through everything we better start now.”
My eyes quickly open. “The list? You remember that?”
“Of course I do.”
“I thought you’d forgotten me,” I admit, showing a little vulnerability. We haven’t spoken in so long, and with the way we left things the last time I saw him, I have no idea what to think.
“Taye, I couldn’t forget you if I tried,” he confesses softly.
I process that for a few long seconds, then ask, “What did you have in mind?”
He grins, and then lowers his mouth to my breasts.
*****
“Well, that’s two things off the list,” I say, wiping sand off my butt. After fucking in the ocean, we moved to the sand for round two. It’s evening, and a warm night, so anyone could come upon us, but lucky for us we chose a beach that is quite deserted. If someone appeared, I don’t think I could have stopped anyway.
“Maybe we should do it again, just in case,” he says, grinning wolfishly and opening a beer. “You were right though, this beach is beautiful.”
“I told you,” I say, glancing around. “I fell in love with it.” I pause and add, “And as for doing it again, you know you don’t even have to ask.”
His deep chuckle warms me.
We lie on giant towels and stare at the sky, talking about everything and anything. I ask him nosy questions, and he deflects, just like old times. He doesn’t like to give too much away. He says I’m like a journalist, and that he tells me more than most, but I don’t see why he doesn’t tell me all. He’s safe with me, his secrets, his soul, his heart, everything. I don’t judge him for anything that he’s done, I just want to know him. I’m greedy for him, hungry. I don’t think I could ever be close enough; I want to know every inch of him. I’d never want to change anything about him. He’s more than enough just as he is.
“Have you gotten even more ripped since the last time you were here?” I ask, running my fingers over his biceps.
“Must be all the working out I did after you sent me all those fucking pics and videos,” he says, trying to sound put off. “You know how to torture a man, you know that? Every picture I saw made me want you so badly.”
I grin. “All the boxing, hey.”
/> He shakes his head, a smirk on his lips. “I don’t think I’ve ever boxed more in my life.”
“That was a long time ago now. You can’t use that as an excuse.”
“And you think I don’t have some of those pictures saved?” he asks, smirking.
“You going to sit there and act like you were sexually frustrated?” I tease, lifting my chin. “We all know that wasn’t the case at all, playboy.”
“Hardly,” he says, studying me. “And just because I wasn’t a saint doesn’t mean that I wasn’t craving you. I told you, Taye. Sex can be just sex.”
“If only I could see things as easily,” I say, with a sigh. It would make my life much easier. I need to start thinking like a man, instead of letting all these feelings and bullshit get in the way.
“It’s not a bad thing to be as open and loving as you,” he says, sitting up and offering me his hand. “We should get back. I told you I was going to cook dinner for you tonight.”
I smirk and let him lift me to my feet. He’s good in the kitchen, and so am I, so naturally it’s become a bit of a playful competition between us. I’m staying in an apartment equipped with a kitchen, so we’re going to go there. Keisha is spending time with her new man, so she doesn’t mind that I’ve been a little absent. However, tomorrow I’m spending the day with her, just the two of us.
“Race you back,” Eli says, laughing as he starts to run.
I shake my head and chase after him.
He challenges me, and even when we part ways once more, I think I’m going to be left a better person than I was before. And when a man leaves you standing strong, instead of crawling, I think you know he’s a good one. My heart was broken last time, but I’m in a different place now, and I know what to expect. With Eli, you need to enjoy him without getting attached to him. Love him, and then let him be free. I won’t be trying to cage him this time.
If I believed in soul mates…
I’d say he were mine.
*****
‘Motivation’ by Kelly Rowland starts to play, and I grin against his mouth. This song is so sexy, and I wouldn’t mind him fucking me to it.
“What’s that about?” he asks, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Nothing,” I say, smirking.
“Taye.”
“Eli.”
“What?”
“I like this song is all,” I say, lifting my dress up and over my head. I have on a red-and-black strappy bra tonight, with the matching panties of course.
“I see,” he murmurs, eyes on my breasts. They look particularly good in this bra, if I say so myself. “Someone is in a mood to play.”
“Aren’t I always around you?” I ask, pulling him closer to me by his T-shirt. I’m never usually so bold with men, but with Eli I know I can truly be myself. It’s such a freeing feeling.
“Yes,” he growls, pushing the straps of my bra down. “You are.”
Next minute we’re both naked, and he’s fucking me on the kitchen table.
*****
“Can you stay longer?” he asks me, and I roll over in bed to look at him.
“No, I have to go home,” I tell him softly, kissing his chest. The time for my holiday is over, and he’s got another week here. “I had fun with you, Eli. I’m glad we ran into each other again.”
“Me too,” he admits, lazily running circles over my back. “Whatever happened to that guy you were with on New Year’s?” he asks, and I wonder how long he’s been wanting to know this.
“I broke up with him the next day,” I admit, cringing.
“You broke up with him and never told me? I stayed in town for another night before I went home, I think I was secretly hoping you’d change your mind,” he says, and my eyes widen at his admission.
“I couldn’t,” I tell him. “I didn’t want to be that person, I felt really bad over the Chris thing, he was a really nice guy.”
“Then why didn’t you stay with him?” he asks, waiting patiently for my response.
“Because he wasn’t you,” I say, sitting up and looking him in the eye. “No one can compare to you, Eli, and that’s the problem.”
I’m not asking anything from him this time, I’m just telling him the truth. I don’t expect anything from him, even to see him again.
But he should know.
He’s never asked anything from me, but I gave everything to him anyway. Last time though, I really wanted him to stay. This time, I’m giving him me without secretly wanting anything in return. I don’t want to change his mind on anything.
I don’t need Eli.
I love him, and I want him, but I don’t need him.
It took me a long time to see that.
I kiss his lips, and fall into him, taking his hard cock and sliding it into me.
This is our mutual ground, where we shine, where we connect.
And since I’m leaving tomorrow, tonight is all that we have left.
Epilogue
A few months later, I’m typing away furiously on my laptop. Missing someone always seems to do that to me. Writing is my way of expression, it’s how I work through my feelings and my thoughts.
When someone starts banging on my door, I figure it’s Seth coming to harass me.
But it’s not.
It’s Eli.
He’s holding a copy of my latest book, the one I just published. Fuck, did he read that? Of course he did. Does he know the hero is based on him? The fact that he’s holding it in his hand right now tells me that he might.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I open the door, surprise filling me. Why do I see him when I least suspect it?
“Is how you feel in this book real?” he demands, eyes narrowing. “Is this about me?”
I lick my suddenly dry lips, and open my door wider. “Come in, Eli.”
He steps inside, and I walk into my bedroom and sit down on the bed. He does the same. I glance down at the book in his hands, the one with the bearded guy on the cover. He’s holding a woman in his arms, just the way Eli holds me.
“Yes, it’s how I feel,” I admit to him, wrapping my arms around myself. “You know how I feel about you, Eli.”
He shakes his head, like no, he didn’t know. “This book is…” he clears his throat. “Amazing. You are so talented. And if this is about me….”
“It is.”
“You really see me like that?”
I nod.
No point denying anything now. I was open in that book. I hid nothing, even from myself.
“Wait here a second,” he tells me, then heads back to the front door.
I sit here, confused, staring at the copy of the book he left behind on my bed. He comes back into my room, a bag in his hand.
“Do you still want me like that?” he asks, nodding to the book.
I nod.
He throws the bag down on the floor, the thud final, then glances back up at me.
“Then you’ve got me,” is all he says.
“What do you mean I’ve got you?” I ask, confused. “Why the hell do you have a bag with you? Did work send you back?”
“Nope,” he says, sounding cheerful. “They didn’t. I quit. I’m going to find a local job here.”
“What?” I ask, jaw dropping open. “You quit? You’re going to find a job here, in town?”
“Yes,” he says, smiling at me. “And I’m moving in. Do you have wardrobe space for me? I know you have a lot of shit.”
I’m sorry, what?
I lose it.
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” I yell, standing up and glowering down at him. “Eli, what the fuck? Are you on drugs?”
He closes the space between us, and gently grips my chin in his hand. “I love you, Taye.”
That shuts me up.
“I fucked up. I wasn’t ready before, and I had no idea what I wanted. I’m done living without you. After everything I went through with my ex, I didn’t want to get into another relationship, or go through any of that
anymore, but fuck if you haven’t made me fall in love with you. I think I’ve always been in love with you, I was just fighting it. I don’t want to fight anymore, Taye. After reading that book… seeing myself through your eyes… How could I not?”
Is this a dream?
I pinch myself.
“Did you just pinch yourself?” he asks, looking on the verge of laughter.
“You’re serious about this?” I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest so I don’t reach out for him. “You love me, and so you’ve decided you’re moving in?”
“Yes.”
I pause, then ask, “Is your taxi light on?”
His lips twitch as he replies with, “Taxi light? Only for a certain passenger. Now come here.”
I do as I’m told.
He kisses me, then rests his forehead against mine. “Let me hear the words.”
“What words?”
“The ones you told my brother, but not me,” he explains, tucking my hair back behind my ear.
“Your brother is a snitch.”
“Taye,” he says, voice turning to a growl. Aaaannnd just like that, I’m turned on.
“I love you,” I say, then jump on him.
He catches me.
Then he throws me onto the bed.
“Eli?”
“Yes, miss.”
“I still don’t know your last name.”
He laughs.
And I fall in love all over again.
The End
The List Page 13
