Addicted to You

by Belinda Boring

He groaned with impatience.

  I was surprised I wasn’t wanting to rush things either. This moment was all I’d been thinking about, and now . . . now it was going to become a reality.

  The zipper made a slight noise as I lowered it.

  With a quick jerk, Micah’s jeans dropped to his ankles. Seconds later they were kicked across the room. His shirt then joined it in a crumpled pile, leaving him naked. In front of me. Boldly. Proudly.

  “Sedona.” My name came out husky and raw. He’d asked me what I’d needed earlier, and it was clear to me now exactly what he was needing. The feelings were mutual.

  He fingered the neckline of my top, showing incredible control because he hadn’t already ripped it from me. I didn’t need to read him to know that’s what he was thinking. His desires were plastered across his face, revealed in the way he bit his lower lip. His hands trembled a little.

  He made me feel fragile. He hadn’t even touched me, and already I felt precious to him.

  “Let me,” I offered, and then, pushing him back so we could swap places, I shoved him on top of the bed. I had an idea, and tonight was already full of magic. It was the kind of night where nothing was impossible, and there was no fear of crashing if you chose to free fall into the moment. It made me brave.

  I was the center of his attention, and I reveled in it. I savored how good his gaze felt on my body, how easy it was to imagine his hands touching me everywhere.

  First, I inched out of my skirt, holding it up before dropping it to the floor.

  Next, I removed my new favorite shirt. It was so silky, and it had felt delicious against my skin all day—like a lover’s caress. I tried not to shiver when I felt his breath blow gently against my hip. I tried not to crumble as he followed up with his tongue—the maddening swirling pattern he made enough to snap my patience.

  His finger looped under the side of my panties, pulling them down so he could kiss where they’d been. I was a riot of emotions—each one battering against my resolve to savor our first time together. I wanted it to be tender, slow, romantic.

  Instead, all I could focus on was the desperation building. I didn’t know how long I could hold out, especially as Micah’s mouth moved. My knees buckled, and I toppled forward, landing squarely on top of him. My mind instantly recognized the hardness pressed against me.

  “I need you in me.” I hadn’t meant to say it out loud. I rocked my body gently, watching to see how he would react. “Now.”

  I didn’t waste any more time getting undressed, tossing my panties and bra in some direction. All I could see was Micah, the hunger in his eyes, and how ready he was for this to happen. Somehow, while watching me get naked, he’d managed to find a condom.

  When he went to get up, I shook my head, my hair loose around my shoulders. “Do you trust me?”

  He gestured for me to continue, and I pushed him back until we were both spread out across my bed. I felt an odd sense of satisfaction and pride seeing him there surrounded by my pillows and bedding. He belonged here with me. Fate or not, there was no denying the rightness of the moment.

  As I slowly guided him, sliding down his length until he filled me, something clicked inside me. Like a door unlocking after finding its key. There was nothing left to think or feel. All that existed was the desperate need to move.

  Micah’s hand spanned my waist, holding me as we both found the tempo that curled my toes and had him uttering my name over and over. Suddenly I couldn’t wait. I was done keeping that maddening pace, and as I flicked my hips forward, I picked up the speed, and deepened the stroke.

  Micah’s eyes rolled back right before I couldn’t hold his gaze. Thrusting. Rocking. I gripped on tightly before throwing myself forward and collapsing on his chest. The orgasm that ripped through me was unlike any I’d ever experienced—even the ones I gave myself. What made it even more excruciatingly blissful was the sound Micah made the instant he had his own release.

  With ragged breath and heaving chests, we clung to each other, and for the smallest of moments, I felt him—Micah with no protective barrier to hide behind. He’d lowered his guard. There was no telling whether it was by accident or intentionally. I basked in the light that radiated from deep inside him.

  I’d said he was beautiful. God, what an understatement that was. He was Divine.

  We lay like that for a while in silence.

  Our bodies were pressed together, yet neither of us moved. Instead, our eyes locked. It was incredibly intimate and vulnerable. It was as if with each breath we took, we bled more into each other, the boundaries between our auras blurring until there was no longer two but one.

  If I hadn’t believed in magic before, I did now.

  When a small voice finally broke the quietness of my mind, I didn’t argue. I simply obeyed.

  “Micah?”

  His breathing had steadied to the point I thought he’d started falling asleep. The crispness of his response told me he was far from that. “Yeah?”

  “Again.”

  The night had only just begun.

  Chapter 7

  I stared at myself in the mirror.

  Nope, I was still Sedona Mathews.

  I’d had sex before, so being with Micah hadn’t “popped my cherry,” so to speak, but as I peered closer over the vanity cabinet, I half expected to be glowing . . . or different . . . or someone else.

  Because while I’d had good sex in the past, that wasn’t how I would define last night.

  That hadn’t just been great sex—it had been phenomenal.

  Every single cell in my body still vibrated quietly as if they were basking in the sweet afterglow. I hadn’t been able to stop smiling, and there was definitely a twinkle in my eye.

  The hot shower I’d just enjoyed had done wonders on my sore muscles, and I couldn’t quite decide if I was happy not to limp today or not. I kind of liked having the reminder that my world had been thoroughly rocked.

  And I’d held my own.

  In fact, there had been a point where I’d taken over, surprising even myself by claiming exactly what my body demanded. For an angel, Micah hadn’t blinked an eye. There was nothing saintly about the way he’d worshiped my body, and I would’ve sold my soul to the Devil himself to keep Micah working that magic with his mouth.

  While I hadn’t woken up with birds chirping and woodland creatures surrounding my bed, there was a pep in my step as I finished dressing, grabbed the last slice of toast I’d made, and headed out the door.

  I felt different.

  I felt new.

  I felt . . . incredibly . . . horny. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d actually physically hungered after someone else. The craving was so strong that I was all but running toward the store, hoping that Micah would drop by before running his errands.

  I was already calculating the time it would take me to arrive and whether or not I could open the store up a few hours late, when I bumped into Callie coming out of her consignment store. Fortune was shining down on us, because it was the first time I’d seen her without a coffee in her hand this early in the day. I liked to tease her that she was a “double fister,” and that one day she’d get in trouble carrying two hot items in her hands. That had earned me a smirk and a muffled response that was dirty and gutter-worthy.

  I’d blushed back then, but now as the memory rose, I wondered what the logistics would be to perform it. The image in my head was enough to scandalize the morality of even the most liberal members in Havenwood Falls.

  “Whoa, Sedona!” my friend exclaimed, instantly reaching out to steady herself. “Where’s the fire?”

  In my pants! I wanted to reply. It was honestly on the tip of my tongue, and by some miracle, I managed to stifle the urge to blurt it.

  Callie gave me a quick once over, that look that told me she was trying to assess the situation with her own gypsy-demon gifts. If I thought life was tough as an empath, I knew it was equally sucky for her. She saw things—often events she’d rather be ig
norant about—and people weren’t always receptive to being told their secrets.

  Where I let their judgments hurt me, Callie shrugged it off. That’s what made her so badass in my eyes.

  “Sorry.” I laughed, doing my best to convince her I wasn’t crazy. She hadn’t stopped studying me, and it wasn’t until a huge grin spread across her face that I realized she knew.

  Maybe I was wearing a massive neon sign over the top of my head that flashed: I had amazing sex last night! Woohoo!

  Callie didn’t warn me. She tugged sharply on my arm, with the forceful “get in here now” command that I knew better not to ignore. Her grin was contagious, and when she shoved her finger right in front of my nose, I knew I was in for it.

  “Explain yourself, Sedona Mathews. Right now.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I mean it.”

  I decided to feign ignorance. “I’m sooo-oorry?” I drew out, pretending not to know what she meant. “I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I’m running late.” I added that last bit as an afterthought.

  “Baaaah.” She cupped her hands around her mouth and made a loud, obnoxious noise. “Wrong. Try again.”

  I tilted my head to the side. “Um?”

  She poked my chest this time. “You. Had. Sex. Which means . . . You. Had. Sex. With. Micah.” She used her finger to add extra emphasis. Not once did she let me look away. “Go ahead and try to deny it.” There was that smug grin again. She knew.

  “Well . . .” I was having fun drawing out my confession. I was filled with relief that she’d stopped me, because I was desperate to tell someone about it. The longer it bounced about in my head, the easier it would be to convince myself it was merely a dream. “If you want to know the truth . . .”

  Excitement flared in her eyes. “Wait!” Then, after dragging me through the store, she gestured for me to sit in one of the chairs while she grabbed her cup of coffee. “Okay. Now spill the beans!”

  I picked at the hole beginning to form at the knee of my jeans. “Did you know that if you’re having a hard time orgasming, it might be because your feet are cold. Put on some socks and see if it helps.”

  Callie sprayed the mouthful of coffee she’d just taken all over.

  “Sedona,” she blurted, unsure of where to wipe first. Using the cuffs of her sweater, Callie swiped the soft fabric across her mouth first. With an annoyed look, she tossed a cloth to me. “What the hell?”

  I kept up the pretense and gave a nonchalant shrug. “I read it somewhere and figured it was my civic duty to pass that helpful nugget of knowledge on.”

  It was my turn to study my friend. Right as she moved to take another sip from her ceramic mug, I let another truth bomb slip.

  “Also, did you know latex condoms are made with a milk protein? Do you think this means vegans can’t use them?” I tried to wear the most innocent expression I could muster, but as her eyes grew wide and she almost choked, I couldn’t hold it a second longer.

  I burst into laughter and threw the cloth back at her.

  Callie was speechless. She kept staring at me like I’d suddenly grown two or three heads. I didn’t flinch when she lashed out, grabbed my arms, and gently shook me. “Who are you? And what have you done to my sweet friend?”

  I felt her magic brush up against my aura. She honestly thought something was wrong with me.

  “It’s me, silly,” I answered, the muscles in my stomach sore from laughing so hard. “I was just messing with you.” I still hadn’t confessed the truth about Micah, but right as I went to, something else caught my eye. “Oh. My. God. When did that come in?”

  I slid off the chair and grabbed the metal hanger on the clothes rack. It was as if the heavens had opened and set a spotlight on the most beautiful dress I’d ever seen.

  If it could even be classified as a dress. It was definitely the most risqué thing I’d ever considered buying. Usually, I would look wistfully at such items and immediately talk myself out of adding it to my conservative wardrobe. While I didn’t wear pant suits and such, this showed more skin than even my bathing suit.

  It was perfect.

  “I’m trying this on!” I announced, and without waiting for Callie to argue that I was still ignoring her most pressing question, I headed toward the fitting room. I was already stripped off and stepping into the black, tiny, stretchy dress by the time I heard her outside.

  “Sedona?” She sounded hesitant now. “Is everything okay?” I could almost imagine her biting her bottom lip as she fielded my response. “You don’t seem like yourself.”

  That made me scrunch my brow and temporarily forget why I was in the small enclosure. “I’m who I’ve always been. I’m still me.”

  I glanced back at the floor length mirror.

  Was I really different now?

  Had being with Micah really changed who I was?

  Did it matter?

  Poking my head through the door, I flashed her a happy grin. “Unless you’re referring to the mind-blowing sex I had last night.”

  And with that, I promptly closed the door and waited for the explosion.

  Callie all but kicked the door open and stood with her hands firmly on her hips. “You brat! How long were you going to string me along, Miss Casually-Drops-The-Truth-Like-It-Was-Nothing?”

  I could see her warring emotions clearly: excitement for me, annoyance at my teasing, curiosity about what I thought, and a healthy dose of disbelief. The last time we’d even touched the topic of when my first time with Micah would be, I’d neatly sidestepped it.

  “You can’t blame me for the ruse. It’s too much fun teasing you.” I’d seen all that I needed with the dress. It fit like a silken glove and would feel incredible if I wore it without any underwear. Perhaps I’d model it for Micah later. The idea made my insides heat and smolder. “I’m going to buy this now.”

  She nodded.

  To show her I hadn’t meant to deceive her, I gave her a tight hug. “It was beyond anything I’d ever hoped for.”

  There was a wonder that colored my words—an amazement that revealed how I truly felt. I was still needing to pinch myself.

  “Is it true what they say about angels?” Callie wiggled her brows at me suggestively.

  My nod was filled with enthusiasm. “Absolutely.”

  We were back by the cash register, and Callie was folding the dress to drop into a bag. “Really? I always wondered.”

  I did a quick look over my shoulder to make sure there weren’t any customers lurking too closely to overhear us. Even though the store had only just opened, I was still surprised to see I was the only one in here. Most of us knew if we wanted to find a great deal, we needed to get here first thing in the morning.

  “The bigger the hands . . .” I held mine up and wiggled my fingers. “The bigger the wings!”

  She slapped me hard. I deserved it. Callie was one of the few people who knew about Micah. While I hadn’t confided why he’d brought Holly to Havenwood Falls, I had sworn her to secrecy about him being an angel. As much as I loved having Maxwell as a confidant, it had been a godsend becoming close friends with Callie.

  After paying and getting everything squared away, I finally owned up to the real reason I’d bumped into her. It was purely hormones and lust.

  “I’ve never been prouder.” She wiped away an imaginary tear and beamed with pride. “I won’t keep you, but promise me you’ll give me all the juicy details tomorrow at lunch.”

  “Well,” I started, threading my fingers through the bag’s handle and lifting it from the counter. “When a man and a woman love each other very much . . . ”

  “I swear I’m going to forget I like you and kick your ass, Sedona.” She shoved me good naturedly. “I’m not used to this sassy new you. Who would’ve thought all you needed was the right guy.”

  “And the right dick,” I blurted, the filter in my brain short-circuiting. It was my turn to gasp out loud at my beyond bold comment. “Damn, I said that out loud.”

>   Callie was all amazement. “I didn’t even know you knew that word.”

  Before I could retort with something sarcastic, a sharp pain exploded in my head, causing me to stumble backward and bang into the counter. The room began to spin, and as Callie’s scared features filled my view, I struggled not to throw up.

  Something was wrong. This hurt worse than the usual beginnings of a headache or phantom pain.

  “Callie,” I uttered, groaning through clenched teeth. “Go find him. Tell him.” I was now having to breathe through the rapid bursts that had traveled down into my neck. I wouldn’t be able to keep upright if this didn’t stop.

  I missed seeing Callie leave.

  Sprawled out on the floor, not caring how it looked, I let out a long groan, and closed my eyes.

  The only thought left was this: if this was how I was going to die, at least it was after spending the night with Micah.

  Cliché or not, at least I’d be going out with a bang.

  Chapter 8

  I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.

  In all fairness, Micah hadn’t been able to tear his gaze away either. The dress I’d bought from the consignment store had been worth the investment. I felt absolutely sexy in it. Like I could conquer the world. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d worn something that showcased my curves so perfectly.

  It was decadent.

  Much like the rich, chocolate cake I was eating painstakingly slowly, hoping that it was driving him crazy. For the first time in a long time, I was having an amazing time on our date, and there wasn’t anything nagging at me for my attention. I felt brazen sitting beneath the soft glow of mood lighting, the spaghetti strap of my dress having dropped from my shoulder again. This time I didn’t bother fixing it.

  I wanted Micah to imagine unwrapping me when we got back to my place. Maxwell had agreed to watch Holly another night at her home, so I had my boyfriend all to myself again. I was feeling a little jealous about having to share him, which was strange because that so wasn’t who I was.

  Yet that feeling swirled about inside my head, messing with my heart. When our waitress had lingered a little longer than I’d liked, batting her eyelashes at Micah, I’d wanted to plunge the spoon deep into her chest. When my fingers slowly wrapped about the silver cutlery, I could see it so clearly in my mind.