He chuckled, and thrust leisurely, but more forcefully into her this time. “You don’t need me to go faster?” He retreated, then did the same move, adding in a tease of his pelvic bone against her clit, and pinching both her nipples.
He was driving her crazy, but she refused to give in.
She bit at her lip to stay focused, and met his measured and lazy thrusts, “Uh, uh,” she finally responded. “I definitely don’t want you to go faster. I want you to fuck me slowly, Jeremy,” she teased, lifting her knees back even farther so that they practically rested on her shoulders.
A sheen of sweat could be seen on his brow as he fought for control. “Don’t try to use reverse psychology on me, Ryann...It’s not going to work,” he struggled the words out.
That’s what he said, but she could feel his thrusts becoming more aggressive as his control began to slip. She tried not to smile.
She arched into his fingers rolling her nipples. “Not so fast, Jeremy,” she moaned. “Fuck me...slower,” she murmured, leaning up and capturing his lower lip, biting and sucking at it.
He was straining at this point, trying to keep his movements as steady as possible, but she knew she almost had him.
She reached up to his ear. “I love the way you fuck me...when you’re inside of me...inside my...pussy,” she whispered, then sank her teeth into the flesh of his earlobe.
And he lost it.
Letting out an uncontrollable yell, he grabbed her face, and thrust so deep into her that she screamed. Then like an animal, began pounding into her swallowing every scream that ripped from her throat.
“Fuck, Ryann,” he growled, all of his muscles taut, reaching his breaking point, slamming her into the mattress.
Her screams reached epic levels, and she thrilled to know that he had finally broken. She had done this to him.
“God, Jeremy! Yessss!” Incoherent sounds escaped her as his control snapped and he drove into her with such force, the bed hit into the wall. He bucked into her, nearing his completion as he bore down into her, over and over. He dropped his head to her neck, and sucked, then reared back with a roar and exploded into her, holding her down, pressing her to the bed and grinding.
It was the grind that did her in, and she followed right behind him.
…..
They lay there, slick from sex and sweat, exhausted.
“You’re gonna get it for that, you know,” he mumbled into her hair.
She scratched his back, and smiled. “I think I got it just fine...in fact, I think it was better than fine.” She tightened her inner muscles and squeezed him.
He groaned. “I’ve created a monster…”
She giggled. “Yes, you have.” She nibbled on his neck, gripping at his hair.
He stayed where he was and moaned, letting her touch him and have her fill. They slept like the dead that night.
On Monday, they decided to do a little work. She worked on her thesis, then did some work for the Institute, and he puttered in the woodshop in the morning, and made phone calls in the afternoon.
By the evening, they had missed each other so much, they couldn’t wait to see each other again.
Ryann had received a call from Paul saying the Institute would reopen the next day. The crime scene had been cleaned up, and to his knowledge, they were still no closer to finding who had stolen the painting.
Jeremy also got a call, one from the family attorney, and one from his cousin, Michael.
By the time he had hung up, she was dying to know what was going on.
“Well,” he sighed as he sat across from the dinner table, and took a sip of his wine, “they have no suspects...but apparently from what Mike could glean from the FBI’s Art Crime Team, they’ve determined that the theft took place during the event.”
“What?” Ryann was stunned.
“The guard that was tased said it happened during the time of the auction. Which may explain why they couldn’t find anything on the cameras. The guard posted in the lobby said that Jennifer talked to him for a long time, and they’re wondering if maybe it happened during that time frame. They’re looking at the guest list, and want to interview Jennifer since they know she left on bad terms, but...wait for it... she hasn’t been able to be reached. So....that’s interesting,” he said, deep in thought.
“Well, she was with Armand. If she had something to do with it, then...”
“They’ve cleared Armand. Jennifer’s certainly vindictive enough to do it...whether she has the smarts to pull it off is another story.”
Ryann thought for a moment. “She knew your family would be hurt by it.”
“She had to have known we’d have insurance for that kind of thing. I mean, yeah the publicity isn’t great, but we’re covered. We display famous art every year for the fundraiser gala.”
“There was nothing on any of the security cameras?”
Jeremy shook his head, “Nope. No one coming in or out after the showing was over. I assume they’ll start looking at the kitchen staff, or anyone carrying a bag to hold the canvas.”
“If she did have something to do with it, could you imagine what this would do to her father, and his standing in the art world?”
“Yeah, I know.”
They ate their meal in silence, both pondering the ramifications.
“So neither she nor Armand said anything about me to the FBI? Only to the police?”
“Well, Jennifer hasn’t been found since she mentioned you to Michael, and maybe Armand has changed his mind about his suspicions. I mean I know he was questioned by the FBI, but none of them have been trying to find you, so he must not have mentioned you.”
Jeremy toyed with his stir fry, then looked up at her again. “I still don’t want you anywhere near him.”
She reached out and took his hand. “I promised. Trust me, anyone who would wholeheartedly pursue me only hours before spending the night with Jennifer Edwards, then say what he did about me to the police, is not anyone I would be interested in being near.”
“Were you upset to find out that he was with Jennifer?” he asked casually.
She smiled at his jealousy, and teased, “I mean really. What does she have that I don’t have?”
He continued to glare at her. “Are you trying to piss me off?”
She smiled fully at him. “What would you do if I was?”
He licked his lips, and looked at her as if she would be the rest of his dinner. “You’ll see.”
That night after dinner, he didn’t even attempt to be gentle with their lovemaking.
He made her sweat again, claiming her in a position she wasn’t quite ready for...he sat up on the bed, while she was wrapped around him, her ankles secured at his back.
She had to use a lot of leg muscle, and she was panting from the excursion.
“I need to pick up some more yoga, I think,” she said, resting her forehead on his chin, “because you definitely give me a workout, Mr. McCallister.”
He held her bottom securely to him, and her back so she was close to him, and murmured in her ear, “That might be a good idea, because I plan on giving you a workout as much as possible.”
She groaned when he thrust up into her again.
“You ready to go for a ride, baby?” he asked in a sexy purr. This time he thrust a little harder, and she hung on…she wrapped her arms around his neck, moaning and saying indistinguishable words in his ear, as he brought her closer and closer.
As he moved more forcefully, he rolled her to her back, and held her hips up off the bed to meet his thrusts, so he could drive into her, harder and faster.
She yelled out. She loved it when he took her this way...when he didn’t hold back, and lost all control.
And he did…but not before he made her lose control first.
…..
Several minutes later, as they lay in bed regaining their strength, they both realized their mini vacation was almost over. They would both be back at work the next day.
He
held her hand, and brought it to his lips. “I want to give you something.”
She picked her head up off his chest and looked at him. “You do?” she asked in a breathy tone. “You’ve given me so much already.” Pause. “When do I get it?”
He laughed. “You’re an impatient little thing.”
She smiled, and ran her finger over his bottom lip. “Yes, I am. That would be good for you to remember.”
He nibbled at her fingers. “Would you like it now?”
Her eyes lit up. “Well, duh.”
He smiled, and got up. “Come on, then.”
They walked stark naked downstairs to the kitchen, and he led them into the woodshop. He walked her over to his worktable, where something about a foot to a foot and a half high sat on his table covered in a small tarp.
She was so stunned. “You…you made me something?”
He looked at her excitement, and touched her cheek with the back of his hand. He nodded slowly.
“Take the tarp off.”
She swallowed, then moved forward and removed the tarp.
There on the table, was an easel. It was the type of easel that one would display a finished painting on, and would rest on a table top. It was beautifully carved with a fleur de lis on each foot, and stained in a gorgeous walnut.
She covered her mouth, and looked at him in silence. She reached up on her toes to capture his mouth.
Then she pulled back and looked at it again. “It’s so beautiful, Jeremy. Did you know the fleur de lis is based off of the iris flower?”
He smiled and nodded.
She let go of a shaky and teary smile. “I absolutely love it. Thank you so much for this…I…I love it. I can’t wait to use it,” she said clapping her hands like a little kid, already knowing what painting would find its home on this special gift.
She ran her fingers over the carving, then asked, “Do you know much about the iris flower? You know, like where the name comes from, and all of that?”
“No.”
“Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow. She delivered messages of love to the gods and humans between heaven and earth in the form of a rainbow.” Ryann smiled up at him.
“Because the iris flower is available in so many colors, some believe that’s where its name originated…naming it after the goddess. And the goddess was sometimes referred to as the eye of heaven, which is why the color of our eye may be called an iris.”
He nodded, taking it all in. “That is seriously cool. How did you know all that?”
“I’ve always loved the look of the flower, and after I taught some Greek mythology and found out a little about the history of the word, I loved it even more.”
He was quiet for a moment, so she took a second to appreciate his gift to her. He rested his hand on her neck, then picked her up, taking her from the room. As he carried her up the stairs, she buried her nose in his neck, inhaling his scent.
When they got to the room, he put her down on the bed, and began kissing her neck. “When I brought you that iris when you first moved in…it was like Iris delivering my message of love to you.”
At that moment, she remembered Brent’s white iris. He had delivered a message of love to her too. A very young man’s love, still undeveloped, still innocent, and still so wonderful.
But Jeremy’s was a different kind. It was the love of the man she had waited for, a man she didn’t know existed. He gave her a love that allowed her to be free, to release herself from…herself.
He looked up at her. “I may not have realized it back then, but that’s what it was, baby. It was my message of love to you.” He swallowed. “I love you, Ryann...sometimes so much, it...takes my breath away.”
He touched her so deeply with his words. “I love you, too, baby…so much…so much.”
She began to kiss him, and they didn’t go to sleep for a long time. Not until they touched and worshipped each other, body and soul, and took great pleasure in delivering their mutual messages of love to one another.
Chapter 28
The next morning, Manny drove Ryann to the Institute, with Jeremy joining her for the ride.
They had decided that they would spend the next few nights at Ryann’s place, and then she would spend the weekend at his. She had asked him to leave the easel at his place, already thinking through her plans for it.
“I think we should do a big barbeque at my place this Saturday for the fourth. I’ll grill up some steaks, and get some sides from a local place. Then we can all watch the fireworks on the roof of the brownstone.”
She looked at him with an excited smile. “Yay! I love that idea,” she clapped.
“And I want you to invite your mom and Tony,” he said with a look, waiting for her reaction.
She blinked, and a warm feeling bloomed in her heart. “You want my mom to come?”
“Yes. I want our families to get to know each other.”
She launched herself at him and gave him a huge kiss.
“Ok,” she breathed, and gave him a dazzling smile. “I know she would love to meet you.”
He raised an eyebrow, while holding her close to him. “Well, I figured I needed to do some smooth talking, so her only experience of me isn’t her memory of your visit last Friday night.”
She reached her hand out and held his. “She was the one who made me wonder if I’d misunderstood what I’d seen between you and Tiffany. My mom’s a big believer in risking all for passion and love...she basically told me I needed to come back and talk to you.”
Jeremy waited a beat, then said, “I have a confession to make…I’m in love with your mother.”
She let go of a loud laugh. “She’s going to be in love with you, too. I’ll call her today. Can I invite Ayanna, too?”
“Absolutely. And Jonathan and Emily. Let’s have a big blow out. I feel like celebrating. I apparently turn into a mush ball when I fall in love. Who knew?” he said drolly.
She let out a small girlish shriek. “Ooh…I’m so excited! This is gonna be so much fun! And you’ll invite your whole family, too, and Luke and Tiffany? Let’s have a big party!”
He chuckled, “You’re so fucking adorable…come here.” He hauled her closer, and kissed her soundly on the mouth. “I can’t wait to have you all to myself tonight, but alas, it’ll have to wait…we’re here.”
The car was slowing to the curb.
She smiled, and kissed him again. She hesitated, then said quietly, “I love you.”
His eyes looked at her tenderly. “Say it again,” he demanded.
She smiled, “I love you.”
He took a cleansing breath, then said, “I love you, too….we’re such dorks...now get out of here. The sooner you get out, the sooner we see each other again. Manny will be here to pick you up at five,” he said with a soft smile touching his lips.
“I can take the subway…”
“No, Manny will come get you. Just...humor me, ok?”
She looked at him, and acquiesced. “Ok. Have a good day, sweetie.”
He pulled her back quickly and kissed her hard on the mouth. “I am your sweetie…and don’t you forget it.”
She rolled her eyes, and broke away from him. “Bossy…” she muttered under her breath, then got out of the car, and started her day.
…..
All day, everyone was talking about the stolen painting. Jack Willis called a faculty meeting before classes started, to make sure they all cooperated with the FBI if they happened to come by and question those at the Institute. But basically, everyone was to go about their day, business as usual.
Paul had heard through the grapevine that Jeremy had stepped down as VC from the board, and started grilling Ryann.
“Come on, hon. Inquiring minds wanna know!”
She giggled at his dramatics. “There’s nothing to tell! He wanted to step down. That’s all.”
“Are ya two…doin’ ok? I noticed ya left a little upset on Friday night…with Armand, I might add.�
�� He looked strangely disappointed in her.
“Jeremy and I had a misunderstanding, and Armand got me a cab so I could go home. There is nothing, nor will there ever be anything, with Armand. Jeremy and I have talked…and are better than ever…” She tried not to sigh like a schoolgirl. She snapped out of it, and said, “So you don’t have to worry about us, Dad,” she smiled.
“Well, that’s a load off my mind! I was hopin’ everything was alright. Ya shoulda seen Hurricane Jeremy when he couldn’t find ya after ya left. He looks fierce when he’s pissed.” Paul punctuated that with an appreciative wiggle of his eyebrow.
“Hey…hands off, buddy. He’s mine,” she pointed her finger at him, and smirked. She paused, then cleared her throat. “Was he really upset?”
Paul looked at her sweetly. “Yeah, hon. He was really upset. I think it’s safe to say that he has some pretty powerful feelings for ya…and if I had to guess, ya probably feel the same way.” He winked at her.
She took a deep breath, and said, “I want to paint something during my lunch breaks this week. And I would love your feedback. Can you help me out?”
“Of course! What are ya gonna paint?”
Her eyes twinkled, and she started telling him her plan.
…..
Manny was there at five o’clock on the dot. She smiled brilliantly at him having had a wonderful day, and gave him a hug as he stood there, the car door open for her. He laughed, flustered.
“Well,” he chuckled, “Umm, hello Ryann.”
“Hi, Manny. Thanks for coming to get me,” she said breezily, as she got into the car.
“You’re welcome.” He closed the door, and hopped around the car to the driver’s seat.
When they pulled away, she thought about the great day she had had. Her classes went well, she started her painting, and she had called her mom, Ayanna, and Jonathan to invite them to the barbeque on Saturday. All in all, it was a perfect day, and now she got to spend the rest of it with the man she loved. Life didn’t get better than this, she thought.
Manny interrupted her musings. “We’ll pick up Mr. McCallister first, then he asked that we swing by a grocery store to pick up some food. He said you needed some?”
Release (Iris Series) Page 33
