She reaches behind herself, undoing the bra and dropping it to the floor before shimmying out of the panties, leaving me with the blonde goddess I love with all my heart.
“You truly are beautiful,” I whisper before kissing her deeply. Our tongues mesh, and I press myself into her, feeling her skin against my skin, her breath on my breath.
It’s intoxicating.
With a soul-deep hunger, I lick her skin, tasting the salty sweetness of her sweat and loving the headiness of it. My hands roughly caress her body, my hand finding a breast and kneading the soft flesh until she’s squirming, her nipple hard against my palm.
“Noah,” she whimpers, and I relent, recognizing her need. She’s already on edge, a hair trigger away from falling into a pleasurable abyss, but I don’t want her to go yet. Not when I’ve barely touched her. I pull back, looking into her eyes.
“Turn around,” I growl, guiding her to bend forward over the side of the bed and put her chest to the mattress. I move behind her, memorizing this image—her hair spread wildly on the bed, her long, creamy legs scissoring as she looks for relief and her heart-shaped ass in the air, vulnerable and spread before me.
Fuck, I love this woman.
I bend down, worshipping her legs that drive me crazy. I massage the muscles, scratch along the skin leaving pink lines that disappear too fast, and lay a quick kiss to the seam where her thigh meets her butt. She arches her back to give me better access, wordlessly asking for what she wants.
“Tell me,” I say.
She whines but quickly answers. “Touch me. Please.”
I reach between her legs, finding the wet dampness of her lips, and stroke them, gathering her honey on my hand before licking it clean. “Mmm . . . so sweet.”
“D–Don’t stop,” Riley begs. “I need you so—oh, my God!”
She gasps sharply as I go back to rubbing her pussy, but her entire body jolts when I lower my mouth, kissing the upturned swells of her ass. Guided by her sounds, I nibble, kiss, and lick until my breath warms her tight hole and two of my fingers rest on the entrance to her pussy.
I pause, letting her tell me what she wants, and she pushes back onto my fingers and my mouth, giving me full access to her body. She’s open, vulnerable, and as I pleasure her, Riley finds my rhythm, pushing back to meet me and groaning with every stroke.
“You like that, baby? Like my fingers in your pussy and my tongue in your ass? You feel so good, right there on the edge, about to come for me.”
“Oh, fuck . . . Noah, yes!” she moans, the words adding to her arousal. Her back arches, and I lay my arm over her, keeping the wild bucking of her hips from pushing me away. She fully gives herself over to my control, trusting me to give her pleasure. My fingers pump in and out as my tongue dips inside her over and over.
I don’t hold back, don’t give her any mercy. Once before, I thought about our first time together being something special and memorable, and it definitely was. But this time is too, our first make-up sex. Or hell, maybe it will be like this with Riley every time. Wild, hard, passionate, no filters and no walls, just the two of us accepting each other and finding pleasure in each other’s body the way we’ve found a home in each other’s soul.
Her body spasms, though she tries valiantly to stay still. But she’s too close, too gone to the pleasure and past the point of no return. I move my arm, freeing her to move how she wants, and she instantly starts fucking my fingers back, her ass slapping me in the face as she chases ecstasy.
With a soft cry, Riley comes, my Sunshine shaking and tugging at her sheets to try and keep ahold of herself until her body slumps and her knees spread more, totally relaxed. I pull back and stand behind her, my raging cock hard and throbbing in time to my heartbeat.
Riley feels me and tries to lift herself up, but I urge her back down, cradling her hips at the right angle to let me slide deep inside her tight, still quivering pussy. Riley groans, her head craning to look back at me as she feels me enter her, inch by inch.
“Noah . . . I love you so much,” she says when I’m comfortably all the way inside her. “I love you.”
“I love you, Riley,” I reply, leaning down to kiss her. Just as our lips touch, I thrust in deeper, bottoming out inside her, and Riley’s gasp catches in our kiss.
“Again.”
I pull back, thrusting deep and hard the way she wants me to. The way we both want it.
She pushes back as best she can, but I pound her vise-like pussy harder and harder, setting a punishing pace. Her bed starts to shake, the headboard clapping against the wall in time to my thrusts. Her neighbors definitely know what we’re doing, but I’m not going to stop.
Now that I have Riley beneath me, I’m not stopping until she’s boneless with satisfaction and the last bits of pain from our argument are healed, that’s for damn sure.
Riley’s moans change, getting deeper and faster as she rises again for another orgasm. I speed up, grabbing the headboard for support. I’m on the edge, my balls tight and aching as her pussy massages my cock, but I need to hold out a little bit longer. For her. I want her to come with me.
I feel her body change, and I know she’s here with me. I thrust one more time as hard as I can, both of us crying out in climax as a great crack fills the room and Riley’s bedframe gives up. We tumble to the floor, my cock slipping free to spurt all over her ass and pussy. But I hold her tight, keeping her safe as our out of control bodies come to a rest half on the bed and half on the carpet.
“You are such a sex machine,” I tease with a small laugh, still wheezing as I try to catch my breath.
Riley manages to pop her head up a little and looks at the destroyed bed. Sarcastically, she says, “Oh, yeah, that’s all me, Mr. Jackhammer Cock.”
My eyes widen as I grin evilly. “What did you say?”
Riley blushes hot pink, her chin dipping down, but I saw that tiny grin of pride. I smack her ass, humming happily. “Dirty mouthed girl. Let me get a washcloth because I made a mess of you.”
She wiggles, becoming aware that she’s coated in my cum. “Is it weird that I’m equally grossed out and turned on by that?”
“No, not at all,” I assure her.
I reach for the door, glad that one of us thought to shut Raffy out so he wasn’t giving me the stink eye while I fucked his mom. But I’ve barely turned the knob when I’m knocked back as a frantic Raffy bursts through, barking worriedly.
“Oh, baby!” Riley says, laughing as Raffy checks on her, sniffing her face and whining piteously. “Mama’s okay, I promise. It was good yelling!”
Raffy still looks worried but calmer when I get back, a warm washcloth in my hands. I washed myself in the bathroom, and as Riley scratches Raffy’s head, calming the worried dog, I clean away all traces of what we’ve done from Riley’s skin.
We stand and look at the bed. The mattress leans drunkenly to one side, and suddenly, Riley starts laughing. “You didn’t break my back, but you damn sure broke my bed!”
Hands on my hips, I tell her cockily, “Yeah, I did.” Riley rolls her eyes and laughs, and I take the win. “Should we drag the mattress out to the living room? I think we’re going to have figure out what’s broken on your bed, the frame or the supports or what.”
“Yeah, I think that’s best because we’d roll off if we tried to lie on it like it is now.” Riley holds her hand out, palm flat and at a wonky angle mimicking the bed.
I wiggle the mattress around and manhandle it to a standing position, then slide it toward the living room.
Riley follows me, a silly grin on her face.
“What’re you thinking about?” I ask, dropping the mattress to the floor. It makes a whump sound, but I’m sure the neighbors are mostly glad we’re not bed-banging against the wall anymore and will forgive one more loud noise.
“Why isn’t naked moving a thing? Like you hire movers, but naked ones. Magic Mike guys show up and move your furniture around your apartment the way naked maids will come clea
n,” Riley muses.
I face her fully, not caring that my cock is flaccid now, spent from what we’ve done. Pointing to it, I suggest, “Liability issues. Definitely don’t want to get anything caught in a dresser drawer.”
Riley laughs crazily. “Good point. Though now I’m wondering about the cleaners for the maids too. Definitely don’t want to get bleach anywhere near your business.” She gestures to her pussy.
And I laugh too.
“Come on, Sunshine. Let’s get some rest.”
Soon, we’re snuggled up on the mattress in the floor and Raffy is curled up on the couch, watching over us. I think he thought we were hurt from all the sounds we were making in the bedroom. Poor guy, I should give him a treat for looking out for his mom.
But before I can get up to get him one, sleep overtakes me. Happy with Riley in my arms and exhausted from the wild sex, I sleep deep and well.
Chapter 28
Noah
“Are you sure about this, man?” River asks me. He’s sitting on his desk in front of me, looming a bit, honestly. But considering the conversation started with his making sure I’d fixed things with Riley and wasn’t going to make her cry again, I can understand the posturing.
I told him my plan, the one that’s been rushing through my mind at breakneck speed all morning since I left Riley’s living room mattress to go home and get ready for work. I trust River. He’s been my partner in crime for years and sees things differently than I do, so I appreciate his counsel. Even if I don’t always take it.
“I’m sure. I won’t hurt Riley again,” I tell him. “She’s more important.”
“And if things blow up?” River asks. “What are you going to do?”
“I thought about that,” I answer him honestly, “and the truth is . . . I don’t know. Part of me thinks that maybe I’ve grown enough to take another run at entrepreneurship. But I’ll deal with that if it happens.”
River looks shocked. “You don’t have a plan, with options B, C, and D, and subset one, two, and three?” When I glare at him, he whistles. “Shit, she’s really got you by the balls, doesn’t she?”
“That’s your sister you’re talking about, and my balls,” I remind him.
He clears his throat, looking a little ill at the very idea.
The truth is, I like working in a corporate environment. I like having a hierarchy and a system in place. I like wearing a suit and tie to work, riding the elevator to my private office, and looking out over Briar Rose from the large windows. I might not have my own window like Elisa yet, but one day, I will.
More importantly, I like Life Corp. But Life Corp is a job.
Riley is my heart.
“Whatever happens, I’ve got your back,” River says, leaning forward to bump fists with me. “But if things go bad, I call dibs on your chair and your coffee warmer. I think I’ll go put my name on them now, just in case.” He picks up a stack of sticky notes and starts writing his name on them.
I flip him off as I march out of his office. The elevator ride to the top floor is both too long and too short, giving me time to panic but not time to practice my speech.
In Lady Elisa’s office, Tina and Gina are in their normal positions, half assistant, half royal guard.
“I need to see Lady Elisa,” I tell Tina, smiling easily. Inside, my guts are churning, but this is why I talked with River. Tina doesn’t deserve to be put on blast for what I have to say.
“She’s not taking visitors today,” Tina says professionally. “But if you’d like, I can put you on her schedule for a chat. Say, next Tuesday at—”
“Tina, I don’t want to be an asshole,” I interrupt her, putting my hands on her desk and staring at her as I admit to knowing my reputation, “but I need to talk to her today. Now. I understand that she doesn’t like to be disturbed unexpectedly, but this is important.”
“Important enough to risk your job?” Gina says gravely. “That’s what you’re doing.”
I turn to look at her and nod. “I’m positive.”
“Your funeral. It’s been nice knowing you, Noah.” Tina smiles politely and gets up from her desk, disappearing into Elisa’s office.
Gina is fighting to hide her smirk. “Tina’s being kind. It most definitely has not been nice knowing you.”
I frown, my brows slashing down over my eyes in surprise. I thought I was okay with Gina and Tina. We’re not buddies who go get Friday night drinks at happy hour, but I wouldn’t have thought they’d take glee in my misery.
“Until recently,” Gina finishes. “You’re like a whole different person these days. Got a little sunshine in your life, huh?”
Ah, I have been an asshole. I know that, and it seems that Gina is a Riley Sunshine fan too. Hell, maybe she’s the one who told Elisa about the photo reveal? But it doesn’t matter.
I was who I was, and I am who I am.
But I’m not all watered down. I pass by Gina, prepared to open Elisa’s door and let myself in because Tina’s taking too long. It’s been at least sixty seconds and I’m ready to say what I need to.
Just as I’m reaching for the knob, the door opens, and Tina waves me in before slipping by like she’s running from a zombie horde. I give her a small nod and walk in, closing the door behind me.
Never has Lady Elisa’s office looked so damn big. The room seems to stretch out in front of me, longer than a football field, and at the apex of it is Lady Elisa, looking none too pleased that I’m here.
“Mr. Daniels . . . I’ve had a busy morning, full of interruptions, oddly.” She glares at me accusingly. “And I have work to do.” She keeps reading her screen, a red pen in her hand marking things on the paper in front of her, and I wonder how she’s multitasking. I mean, she’s dealing with thousands of dollars, or sometimes hundreds of thousands, with every signature she signs.
“I’ll keep it quick then,” I tell her, sitting in one of the chairs in front of her desk without invitation. “I appreciate the offer, but the answer is no.”
Elisa looks up from her work, her eyes blank. “I’m going to need a little more,” she prompts.
Seriously? I almost lose the most important thing to me in the entire world, and she’s forgotten about it?
“BlindDate. Riley. Our relationship. You can’t use it,” I continue, tripping over my tongue as my urgency combines with my fear that I’m angering someone I respect. “I know I said it might be a good idea, but it’d hurt Riley, and I won’t let her—”
“Mr. Daniels, I do believe you’ve—”
“Lady Elisa, will you please let me finish?” I plead. She recoils as if I just slapped her. But in for a penny, in for a pound. “Your offer was generous, and I completely understand why it would be a good idea . . . for BlindDate and Riley. But the conversation alone nearly cost me everything. And I won’t risk losing Riley over a sponsorship. I love her too much. I’m sorry, but I won’t.”
I take a deep breath, realizing that was one long rant of a monologue that barely made sense. But it’s out now, and I shut my mouth for the first time since I entered, looking Lady Elisa in the eye. “Thank you for listening.”
Lady Elisa tilts her head, lifting an eyebrow. “Are you finished?”
I think about it and nod. “I guess. I mean, I’d add that I don’t want to leave. I like working here. I wish I could keep learning from you. But I love Riley. That’s the bottom line.”
“I see . . . and apparently, love hasn’t made you blind, but it has made you deaf,” Lady Elisa says. “And impatient. Because if you’d given me a moment to complete what I was saying before you so pointedly interrupted me, I’d have told you that everything’s fine.”
“Fine?” I ask, feeling stupefied. “So . . . I’m not fired?”
Lady Elisa looks up at the ceiling as if beseeching the gods for assistance. “What is it about love that makes men unable to listen? Do you store your testosterone in your ear canals or something?” she asks, looking back at me. “Noah, you’re not fired. I mean,
I’m certainly not happy about your barging in here and going on that rant, but I’ll overlook it . . . this time. But what confused me during that whole rant is that you’re telling me you won’t allow Life Corp to use Riley because it hurt her, yada, yada, yada, and yet, the reason my morning schedule’s backed up is because Miss Watson was in here earlier this morning herself. She wanted to discuss the terms of her deal with Life Corp personally, and if my guess is correct, she’s down in the legal department going over the specific terms and boilerplate with them right now.”
It’s my turn to be confused, and I feel like my knees have just turned to jelly. “She’s here?”
Lady Elisa smiles evilly. “Ah, so your ears do work.” I flush at the dig, which seems to be the correct response because she puts me out of my misery by explaining. “Yes. I was working this morning when she came barging in here much like you did, demanding a few minutes of my time. A few minutes turned into a full hour as we discussed the offer, went over some numbers, and I gave her a quick tour of Life Corp. When we were finished, I dropped her off in legal.”
“But I—”
“Noah, go talk to her. Legal department. Understood?”
Her simple command energizes me, and I leap to my feet, almost running to her door. “Thank you.”
I hurry out the door and through her outer office. As I pass their desks, Tina and Gina snicker, and I know they must have enjoyed that. I don’t care, instead breaking into a full-on run that only pauses at the elevator before running through the legal department looking for Riley.
When I see her, I skid to a stop.
“Riley?”
Riley looks up from the desk where she’s talking with Keith Nord, one of the senior contract attorneys. “Noah! I was hoping to have this finished and surprise you. What are you—”
Her question’s cut off as I cross Keith’s office and pull her to her feet, lifting her in my arms to kiss her hard. Keith, who’s been married longer than I’ve been alive, chuckles. “Nobody gives me one of those for stopping by the office.”
The Blind Date Page 33
