I never wanted to think of her as only an alcoholic, but I couldn’t help but worry every time she seemed stressed. My concern always had me wondering if something was tipping her toward that temptation. I meant every word I’d said on our date, but just as her fears wouldn’t go away overnight, neither would mine. My mind still spun with scenarios in which I could lose someone.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, noting my worry.
Not wanting to tell her my thoughts, I said, “Parties aren’t really my thing.” It wasn’t an exact lie. I much preferred one or two people to a dozen.
She frowned. “You didn’t have to come if you’re uncomfortable. Damien would’ve understood.”
I stared down at her. “I didn’t come for Damien.”
Before she could say anything, Naomi came running over. With a huge grin, she shoved her hand under Ellie’s face again. We both started laughing as Ellie slapped it away. I knew it wasn’t the ring itself. She probably could’ve had a giant Fruit Loop around her finger and been just as happy.
Damien came up behind her and wrapped his arms her midsection, resting his chin on her shoulder.
“Sweetheart, you’re scaring people.”
“Oh hush.” Naomi swatted him.
The evening continued in much the same way: Naomi flitting around to people, bursting with joy, and Damien trying to tame her. As the housewarming was winding down, I noticed Ellie was missing. Checking to see that someone had Andy—Naomi’s mother—I quietly slipped upstairs and found Ellie in his nursery.
“It’s okay. We’re okay. Everything is okay,” she was whispering as she started shoving Andy’s things into one of his diaper bags. I could hear anxiety in her soft words and frowned. The door creaked when I shoved it open. Ellie jumped and whirled around.
“Crap. You scared me.” Her hand was over her rapidly moving chest.
“Are you all right?”
She paled a bit before turning back to the bag. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“If you aren’t comfortable staying overnight, I can pay for a hotel.” The words were hard to get out. I wanted her and Andy to stay over. More than that, I didn’t want them to be alone somewhere else. But I couldn’t justify forcing her to stay at my house. Her being uncomfortable was also unacceptable. I would have to check into the hotel too. If possible in the room next to—
“It’s not that.” I snapped out of my thoughts to find her facing me again, slumped back against the changing table. She straightened as I walked toward her, placing my hands on her hips and pulling her to me.
Letting out a breath of relief, I realized it was the first time I’d held her tonight. She melted too, making me think she’d felt the same discontentment that we hadn’t touched earlier. I certainly hoped so, because I wasn’t planning on letting it happen again.
“I’ve never… God, this is gonna sound so stupid,” she muttered, her face thudding against my chest. I chuckled, my hand moving to the back of her head. I threaded my fingers through her hair and massaged her scalp.
“Eyes, Ells,” I whispered, feeling her smile. Sure enough, when she looked up it was there.
Some of the tension returned as she admitted, “I’ve never slept with anyone before.”
“Me neither. But I’m sure two smart people such as ourselves could figure it out.” I grinned. Her body relaxed as I leaned down and sealed my lips over hers. My hands squeezed her waist as her fingers skated up my arms before diving into my hair. She tugged, and I instinctively pressed my body into hers.
Her soft lips moved leisurely over mine, when all I wanted was to devour her. She tasted like mint and chocolate from the dessert earlier in the night, and I was ready for a second serving. Tilting my head, I took the kiss deeper. Ellie moaned into my mouth when our tongues touched, her hips instinctively pushing into me. I dropped one hand to her bare thigh, trailing my fingers along her soft, smooth skin and under her dress. Lifting her leg, I directed it around my waist and ground into her.
She broke from the kiss and dropped her head back. Her hands flew to my shoulders, her nails digging in, as I moved my lips to the column of her throat. “Grayson,” she whimpered, and my cock twitched in response.
Fuck, she felt good.
I squeezed her leg tighter and her dress rose a little higher. Shuffling back and looking down, I saw she was exposed. Her light purple panties had a damp spot on them. I tried to swallow, but something felt lodged in my throat. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ellie’s chest heaving.
When I looked up, she was already staring at me. Without taking my eyes off her, I removed my hand from her hip and slowly let my palm slide down her abdomen. Her eyes flared as she waited for my next move. Ellie bit her lip when my fingers descended, lightly brushing over her. I added a little more pressure, grazing her clit through her underwear. Her eyes were begging me for relief, her hips seeking more from me.
This was dangerous. The door was still halfway open. Naomi and Damien were downstairs with a few partygoers and Andy.
I leaned forward and nipped her chin, all while making small circles on her clit. She whimpered when I slowed down and removed my hand. I gently unwrapped her leg from around my waist and stepped back. Her eyes that had fallen shut flew open.
“What are you doing?” she croaked, her hands hanging limp by her sides.
“We don’t have to do anything tonight. Not if you’re uncomfortable. You can even sleep in a different room,” I teased. There was no way she’d be sleeping in another room.
She narrowed her eyes, like I’d planned to get her worked up. I hadn’t. Truthfully I’d just gotten lost in her, but a small part of me was relishing the way she squirmed.
“Ellie.” My next words were tender. “I only want to sleep next to you.”
That wasn’t the truth. I couldn’t wait to get back to my place and finish what we’d started, but if she didn’t want that, I had a fully functional hand and a shower. It’d be a piss-poor substitute, but I’d make do. My biological needs weren’t nearly as important as her comfort.
Her eyes softened. The arousal was still there, but I could tell my words affected her. “I want that too,” she whispered.
“Good. I’ll see you downstairs.” I grinned and backed up. If I wanted to leave this house still a virgin, I had to get away from her right the fuck now. Shit, I could still feel her arousal on my fingers. I’d just made it out the door when Ellie called my name. I turned to face her. “Yeah?”
She slowly walked toward the door, stopping just shy of touching me. Standing up on her tiptoes, she whispered in my ear, “But before we go to sleep, you’re gonna finish what you started.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fucking fuck.
I listened to her fall back on her heels and I opened my eyes. Her bottom lip was imprisoned between her teeth, begging me to release it and claim it as my own.
She looked like she was waiting for an answer, so I cleared my throat and managed to say, “Okay.” I was surprised she recognized what I said considering how hoarse my voice was.
With a nod, she turned around and went back to packing, like she didn’t leave me standing here with a massive hard-on.
Looks like I wouldn’t be heading downstairs right away after all…
WE HARDLY SAID A word as he drove us to his place. Andy was sleeping in the backseat, and a tense silence fell over the front seat. It was filled with my words from earlier. After he’d left the nursery, I went to my room and changed my underwear. I’d considered relieving myself, but decided against it.
By the time I came down, Grayson looked ready to crawl out of his skin. He kept his mouth shut as he loaded us into the car and drove off. Damien shot me a strange look as Grayson barely mumbled a goodbye.
I was shifting in my seat and I felt him look over; whatever he saw had him gripping the steering wheel harder and stepping on the gas.
When we got there, he parked the car and blindly shoved the door open. I watched him grab the bags from the backseat
before walking up to the door. I quickly unbuckled Andy and followed close behind him.
“I’ll go put him down,” I said quietly. Grayson nodded, still facing the door after he’d locked it. After I tucked Andy in and grabbed the monitor, I turned on his mobile and slipped out of the room, grabbing one of the bags Grayson had dropped off on my way out.
Letting out a deep breath, I slowly walked down the hallway before dipping into the bathroom to change into my pajamas. I slipped a pair of tiny, loose black shorts over my dark green panties before pulling on one of my baggy T-shirts that matched the green of my underwear. The shirt fell just a couple inches shy of meeting the black thigh-high socks I was putting on.
I ran my palms down my sides as I looked in the mirror. My eyes were shining bright with excitement and my cheeks were flushed. I gathered my long blonde hair into my hand and pulled it into a messy bun on the top of my head, exposing my neck. With nothing left to do, I shoved my dress into my bag and left it in the bathroom before exiting.
I paused outside the door, listening to the sounds coming from the family room. Unable to discern them, I let my feet carry me toward the source. Stopping at the entrance, I took another deep breath. Grayson had changed too. Gone were the khakis and blue sweater. In their place was a simple white T-shirt and gray sweatpants that hugged his ass. I’d never really given much thought to the phrase “you could bounce a quarter off his ass.” I understood it now.
Only when he sat down, depriving me of the sight, did I pay attention to what he was doing. He was setting up his chessboard. There was no music playing and the room was dimmed like it’d been the night of our first date, when we watched a movie.
I shook out my jittery hands and walked toward him. His hungry gaze roamed over me as I took a seat on the ottoman across from him.
“We’re playing chess?” I asked, the disbelief evident in my voice. We’d only played a handful of times since he’d first taught me a few weeks ago.
Grayson shifted his eyes back to the board and cleared his throat. “Strip chess,” he clarified. “You seem to like games, yes?” I squirmed in my seat. “I capture your piece, I get to remove something from you. And vice versa.”
“The winner gets head,” I threw out. I was a bit nervous, but Grayson made me feel safe, and I felt like pushing boundaries.
My eyes traveled to his lap. It was a pointless bet. He would win; we both knew it.
“How about the winner gets to choose?” he countered. I clenched my legs in response, and based on his grin, he noticed. To be honest, I’d always favored oral sex. So I wasn’t complaining about the idea of him going down on me. Truthfully I was quite glad he seemed to like the idea, since some guys didn’t. But what man turned down a blow job?
“Not a fan of blow jobs?”
Shrugging, he said, “I wouldn’t know.” And then he continued setting up the board like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb.
“What?!” I screeched. Grayson glanced up and cocked an eyebrow.
“How…? Why?”
“Virgin, remember?”
“You said you did stuff…” I sputtered.
“Not that.”
I thought I was going to pass out. Grayson chuckled when I roughly exhaled. I didn’t care. His unabashed attitude about his virginity was kind of attractive.
Yes, his virginity still terrified me, but I couldn’t deny how amazing it felt knowing he wanted me to be his first.
Without a word, he started the game. I was silent too. A few rounds passed until he finally captured the first piece.
Standing up, I moved to lift my top when Grayson stopped me. “I said I get to remove it.” With that, he got up and walked around the table. His hands fell to my abdomen and slipped beneath my shirt. He carefully dragged it upward, all the while leaving a trail of heat where his hands had been. I shuddered as he skimmed over my bra, only opening my eyes when I felt air hit my bare back. Grayson tossed the shirt on the couch before he moved back to his side.
Oh God, this is going to be a long game…
We played a few more moves, neither of us successful until I captured his knight. Silently, we both stood up. I slipped my hand into his pants, finding boxers underneath. Feeling bold, I palmed him through the thin material.
“Ellie…” he growled, his hands forming fists.
Taking pity, I stopped, but when I grabbed the sides of his sweatpants and dragged them down his legs, I made sure to lower myself with them until his sweats were pooled around his ankles and I was on my knees.
“Step out.” My voice was husky and his dick twitched in response. I tossed his pants on top of my shirt and, unable to help myself, I leaned in and placed a light kiss on his tip.
Nerves raced through me. Being this way with him, feeling this comfortable, was exhilarating.
“Dammit,” he muttered. Grayson reached down and pulled me up, smashing me against him as he kissed me roughly. It was over as quickly as it started. “Be careful,” he warned. I wondered if he knew how much those two words, said in that low, guttural tone, made me want to be the exact opposite.
Standing up on my tiptoes, I whispered in his ear, “Just imagine that without your boxers between us.”
I stepped back when I felt him swell against my stomach. His muscles were taut and he looked ready to snap, as I casually sat back down. He moved slowly, like he was in pain, and I had to bite back a grin.
We continued the game. Capturing pieces. Slowly teasing each other. It was the best foreplay ever.
Twenty minutes later, the only clothing left between the two of us was my panties and thigh-highs. Concentrating with a naked Grayson across from me was impossible. My eyes kept straying to his lap, and his stare kept landing on my breasts. He licked his lips when my nipples pebbled, craving more than air.
It was my turn and I saw two scenarios. One would keep me fighting, while the other would set him up for a surefire win. Without hesitation I went with the second option. We both knew what I’d done. We weren’t playing a complicated game, but neither of us commented on it as he swiftly moved his queen and mumbled, “Checkmate.”
We flew at each other, our bodies crashing together, our lips fusing as one, and our moans creating the perfect soundtrack in the empty room.
Pieces clattered to the ground as we bumped into the table, but neither of us cared. I was actually surprised he didn’t want to fix it.
I hissed as our nipples grazed and he groaned when I wrapped my legs around his waist and slowly rubbed myself against him. The cotton was still between us, but I knew he felt how damp the material was.
“Fuck, Ellie…” he said as he ripped his mouth away.
“Do you still want to choose?” I asked. Our eyes were locked as I continued slowly grinding against him. His hands were on my butt, setting a tortuous rhythm, and mine were wrapped around his neck.
Before he could answer, I went on. “Imagine my tongue sliding over you, my mouth sucking you in, my hands squeezing…” I licked a path up his neck, and my lips settled against his ear.
I’d never felt this fearless. It was amazing.
“Jesus Christ.” He pulled my head back and kissed me. It was rough and hard.
Then we were moving, his strides quick and sure. Our breaths were heavy when he flung open his bedroom door. I unlocked my legs from behind him and slid down his body.
“What would be most comfortable for you?” He was barely hanging on by a thread, and yet he was still concerned for me.
I cleared my throat before nodding to the bed. “Lie on your back.” Grayson immediately obliged, stuffing several pillows under his head so he had a good view.
Without hesitation, I did exactly what I’d said. I slid my tongue along his length before sucking on the head. One of my hands moved to cup his balls while the other wrapped around his base. I hollowed my cheeks and took as much as I could.
“Fuck…” He groaned as one of his hands moved to my head and grabbed my hair, tugging me closer.
My fingers were soaked instantly as I began circling my clit, moaning around him. He didn’t last long—seconds later he was coming, and I swallowed all of it.
His fingers left my hair as his head fell back, his hands covering his face as he groaned, long and loud. “Ellie… God, that felt…”
Grayson slowly came down as I licked him clean, but I was still building myself up. Pulling my mouth away, my forehead fell to his thigh as I whimpered. I’d just moved my fingers so I could fill myself when I was in the air.
With a thud, I landed on Grayson’s chest as he captured my lips. Seconds later I was moving again, being flipped onto my back. I lifted my hips, seeking something… anything, when he pulled away, resting on his elbow and staring down at my heaving chest. I quickly shimmied out of my underwear, tossing them across the room before grabbing his hand. Taking his fingers, I ran them through my wetness. We both moaned, and he dipped his head to take one of my nipples into his mouth. My grip on his wrist tightened before he shook me away. Grayson continued to tease my breasts as he brought his finger to my clit.
“Yessss,” I hissed, spreading my legs wider. One of my hands twisted in the comforter while the other grabbed the back of his head, tugging on his hair. I had already been close, so when he sped up, it didn’t take long for me to explode. My soft cries filled his bedroom as I shamelessly rode his hand, chasing the last of my orgasm.
“I didn’t win, though,” I muttered lamely as I threw an arm over my eyes.
Grayson laughed and removed it. He kissed me slowly, deep, drugging kisses that had me slipping. And between that and the orgasm, I was quickly pulled under.
Unveiling Fate Page 20
