by Layla Hagen
Licking her lips, she glanced at the bar. “Can I inspect that? It’s so fancy.”
“Sure.”
She rose from the couch, and I followed her closely.
I went behind her as she looked at my bar, paying close attention to the selection. I skimmed my fingers on her arms. She shuddered as I pushed her hair to one side. I kissed down the back of her neck. The shudder in her body intensified. She smelled like apples and flowers, and it was an intoxicating combination. Her skin was so soft that I couldn't stop imagining how it would feel to touch the rest of her. To taste every inch of her skin. Her breath caught, shifting something inside me. I turned her around, stroking her cheek with the back of my fingers, tilting closer.
I licked her lower lip with the tip of my tongue before kissing her. I moved my mouth over hers at a slow pace, savoring her, taking my time with her lips and her tongue. But I needed more. I wrapped my fingers in her hair, tilting her head to a perfect angle so I could explore her even deeper. She wrapped an arm around my neck and tugged at my hair.
Her taste was intoxicating. I scooped her up in my arms, keeping my hands firmly under her ass. She wrapped her legs around me. I intended to bring her to the couch, but instead, I ended up pinning her against the wall, only pausing the kiss to make sure she was okay.
Leaning in, she nipped my Adam's apple. I groaned, rocking my hips forward. My cock was painfully hard now. She gasped, rolling her hips.
“Ian!” The urgency in her voice nearly snapped my control. "I want you. All of you. I'm ready." She tugged at my shirt as if she couldn't wait one more second.
Her words unleashed something inside me. I kissed her ferociously, for once not holding back anymore. I only needed enough self-restraint to bring us to a bed. I was going to have her against the wall too, against every damn wall in this condo, but not tonight. Tonight, I wanted her to be comfortable on a mattress. It was her first time, and it needed to be special, the best experience of her lifetime.
Lifting her up again, I brought her to the bedroom, putting her on the bed. She drew in a sharp breath, looking up at me from under her eyelashes. Her chest was rising and falling fast. I undid the buttons of her shirt, kissing her neck, then lower between the cups of her black lace bra.
"You’re so beautiful," I whispered, feeling her relax under my touch. "Are you sure, Ellie? I need to know that you're sure."
"I'm sure," she whispered. I took off her jeans slowly, feeling her smooth skin under my fingers. I took my time, touching her thighs and then her ankles until I yanked them away. Then I traced the same path back up with my mouth, alternating between just pressing my lips against her skin or also giving her my tongue. She gasped every time I did the latter.
I looked up at her when I reached the apex of her thighs. Her pupils were dilated. I turned her over on her stomach, spreading her thighs wide. She looked over her shoulder, biting her lower lip with a devilish grin. I kissed the back of her right knee, moving upward on her thigh. I wanted her to be ready for me and all the pleasure I wanted to give her.
I moved my lips up on one ass cheek, inching my hand up her inner thigh, right until my thumb reached her pussy over the fabric. I took my time, skimming my finger up and down until the fabric was wet. She fisted the sheet, pressing her forehead against the mattress, moaning. I moved to the other ass cheek, continuing to touch her pussy, feeling her ass muscles contracting. Her legs went rigid. I had her exactly where I wanted her. Ready for everything I wanted to give her. She turned around, facing me, and tugged at my shirt, sliding her hands underneath it and tracing my abs with the pads of her fingers. I couldn't focus on anything except how much I wanted her. I unclasped her bra, throwing it to one side. She was so damn beautiful.
I pushed her further on the bed, kissing her nipple, worshiping her breasts.
"Ian," she whispered, shimmying her hips against the mattress. I moved from one breast to the other and then down to her navel in a trail of slow and lazy kisses. I knew they were driving her crazy. They were driving me crazy too.
I was so hard that the zipper of my jeans against my cock was painful. I wanted her desperately. I pressed two fingers between her legs, groaning at how drenched the fabric was. She shuddered. I couldn't wait to see how she'd react when I put my fingers directly on her skin and then my tongue.
I was so hard, and I could barely think, but one thought stood out: I wanted everything to be perfect for her. I got down from the bed, taking off my shirt and pants.
I took a condom from the box beside the bed, sliding it on. The touch of the rubber against my cock was already insane. I was on edge. Putting a knee on the bed, I lowered myself over her. I wanted her so desperately that I hadn't made up my mind where to touch her next.
"Please don't stop."
I looked straight at her. "Ellie, if you change your mind, tell me. Okay?”
“I won’t. Please.” She nodded vigorously, her brown hair spilling around her shoulders and her breasts.
I skimmed both hands to her panties, taking them off. She was smoothly waxed and damn gorgeous. I put my mouth on her pubic bone, teasing a bit before descending to her clit. She opened her legs even wider. I was going to lose my mind.
"I want to feel you come like this while I have my mouth on you. I want your orgasm on my tongue," I told her. I worked her clit with my mouth, drawing small circles with my tongue and sucking it between my lips.
I stroked her curvy body with my hands, touching her breasts and her hips. When her breath started to hitch and her chest rose and fell faster, I clasped her ass with both hands, keeping her in place, giving her so much pleasure that her legs started to shake. She came apart spectacularly, crying out my name. I felt as if I was going to explode.
I straightened up to my feet, pulling both her legs with me so she was at the edge of the mattress. The bed was high enough that her pussy was at the same level as my cock.
She bent her legs at the knees, nestling her ankles above my hips.
I pushed inside her very slowly, watching her face intently, reining in desire. I needed to go at her pace. She gasped, tugging at the sheets.
Bending at the waist, I kissed up her shoulder, bringing my mouth to her ear.
“Are you hurting?”
“Just a little. But it also feels good. More. Please.”
I slid in another inch, feeling her inner muscles clamp down around me, and I stilled.
She rolled her hips back and forth, taking me in at her own pace, until I was inside her to the hilt.
“It doesn’t hurt at all anymore,” she whispered.
I liked seeing her like this, open and exposed. Her breasts were spilling out to her sides. The way she looked at me made my chest clench tight. This was an entirely new sensation for me.
I pushed in and out slowly, watching us, feeling everything intensely. The pleasure magnified by the second, coiling through my whole body, radiating from where we were connected. My senses were heightened. I tilted slightly forward, touching her thighs and breasts, occasionally circling her clit, but not too often. I wanted to build up a second orgasm slowly. Every time I dragged my thumb around her clit, tremors coursed through her body and she tightened around me.
I wanted to see her surrender to the pleasure, bit by bit—give herself to me completely in a way she never had before. I wanted to own every part of Ellie. I pushed in and out as the orgasm started to form deep inside me. I came so hard that my thighs shook. My knees weakened for a few seconds, but I pushed through it, still moving slowly, thrusting until she came a second time. She cried out even louder than before.
I fell on the bed next to her, barely drawing in a breath. She was completely silent and still. I turned my head to look at her. There was sweat on her forehead and her chest.
“How are you feeling? Are you sore?”
She spoke with a lazy, sated smile. “No. I feel good. Better than good.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I
moved closer to her, touching her cheek. A dangerous thought was circling in my mind. I didn’t just want to be her first. I wanted to be her last. “What are you thinking about?” I asked after a while.
“All the things I want. You did just say I could have everything before. That opens up so many possibilities. I’m wondering what to bring up first.”
“Take your time. I’m here to please you.”
“See? You just make me swoon when you say that.”
“It’s true.”
She closed one eye theatrically, looking at me intently with the other one.
“Why do I feel scrutinized?”
“Because that’s exactly what I’m doing. Wondering if you’re real or I’m just making up this amazing evening in my mind.”
I bit her lower lip lightly. She giggled.
“Okay, that felt real. Maybe I should touch you too, just to make sure.”
“Feel free to.”
She poked my right arm. I caught her wrist in one hand, pressing my thumb on her pulse point. The rhythmic thrum intensified. She licked her lower lip as her breath caught.
“Why are you so awesome?” she murmured. “It’s so....” She stopped abruptly, as if catching herself saying something she shouldn’t.
“So what?”
“I don’t know. This is so new to me. I’ve never been this close to anyone.”
“I haven’t been either.”
“Before, it was always easy to move on wherever a job took me. This time—” She pressed her lips together, shaking her head. “Never mind. Just ignore what I said.”
“Ellie...”
Her expression softened. Her eyes were vulnerable. I didn’t want to ignore anything, but I also didn’t want to put her on the spot.
“Want to go take a shower?” I asked, deciding to switch topics.
“Yes, please.”
I took her hand, kissing the back of it before we rose from the bed. With my other hand, I smacked her ass lightly on the way to the bathroom. She chuckled, wiggling her eyebrows before looking at herself in the round mirror hanging above the sink.
I threw away the condom quickly, kissing her shoulder.
“I’m so happy,” she whispered.
“Music for my ears.” I stood behind her, circling her waist with my arms, looking at her in the mirror. “I’m happy you came here tonight.”
She giggled. “You had a good excuse too. Helping you not get a crappy gift.”
“It was not an excuse. Dylan and I are just bad at it. We have a lot to make up for.”
“I think it’s so cool that they fly out to be with all of you for their anniversary.”
“They’re coming to the city more and more often. How often do you see your family?”
“Not as much as I’d like to. It’s one of the downsides of being all over the place all the time.”
“How is it any different to just living in one place? Unless it’s the same city they’re in, one of you still has to fly out.”
“True. But flights are expensive, and on a trainee salary, I try to save wherever possible. And it’s even more expensive for them to come to visit me because they have to pay for two tickets. Besides, they have lots to do, so they don’t have much free time.” Sadness flickered in her eyes, twisting my insides.
I knew from Henry that their Mom and Dad weren’t very close. They were on good terms and cared about each other, and it was enough for Henry. But Ellie was more sensitive. She had a lot of warmth and affection to give, and she needed the same in return.
I had this incessant need to make all her wishes come true. Maybe that would keep her here. I shook my head, dispelling these thoughts. She wanted to chase her dreams, and I wouldn’t get in the way. I knew what it meant to have a goal in mind and focus everything on achieving it. I’d done it for years to build Gallagher Solutions to be a successful business. It was one of the reasons why I hadn’t paid attention to my personal life. The other reason was that I simply never wanted more than hookups and casual dating. But this ease and closeness with Ellie was something I never had and never even craved. Until now.
Chapter Twelve
Ellie
I was loving New York more than any other city I’d worked in. There was something about the Big Apple that just awed me. I went out exploring almost every morning before work, nose buried in a guidebook or just looking around. I’d already gone through the main museums, but honestly, I liked being outdoors more than inside, so I just wandered around Manhattan.
I went to NoLita, shopping for Ian’s parents. I liked the area a lot. It was a trendy and hip neighborhood with lots of shops, mostly focusing on fashion, jewelry, and furniture. After a lot of consideration, we decided on a pro set of grilling tools as a gift. Neither Ian nor Dylan was sure if their parents already owned something like this, but we were buying them a professional collection that restaurants used. Hopefully the high-end, quality grill set would outshine anything they already had.
I didn’t find anything with quick delivery times online, so I checked out a shop in NoLita that catered to restaurants but also sold to the public. It was small but well-stocked, and the set of grill tools was just what I hoped it would be. And an added bonus, because I was a chef, I got a discount.
I immediately texted Ian.
Ellie: The set is great. I think they’ll like it.
Ian: If the chef approves, I’m game.
Ellie: Chef approves. I’m buying them.
Ian: Thanks so much for doing this. I’m going to be extra rewarding tonight.
Ellie: Ooohh, I want details.
Ian: Not telling you anything. I’ll show you everything.
His parents were flying in, and we were to meet them that evening, so I wondered when exactly he planned to do it all, but I had faith in Ian. He was very creative. The past two weeks, ever since we’d had sex the first time, we’d met almost daily after work. I still couldn’t believe how amazing that night had felt. Every detail was branded in my memory. He’d made me feel like I was a goddess. Before Ian, I’d been almost ashamed that I was a virgin at twenty-three. But maybe I was meant to wait for him. Don’t be ridiculously romantic, Ellie.
But I couldn’t help myself. I shimmied my hips, smiling from ear to ear. I was ridiculously giddy as I paid for the gift. Ian had given me his credit card, and I was extra careful when I put it back in my wallet. I’d lost more cards and wallets than anyone I knew—no clue how I managed that.
I loved buying presents, and I also loved giving them to people, and lately, I wasn’t able to do the latter because I was always away. But this time, I’d be right there when Ian and Dylan gave their parents the present.
After I left the store, another little shop caught my eye. It sold fabrics. Most of Mom’s clothes were made by a seamstress; she loved to stroll through a fabric store choosing her favorite patterns. As a kid we’d always stop and shop in the most random stores until she found exactly what she wanted.
My fashion sense didn’t apply to fabrics 100 percent, especially since I wasn’t sure what Mom would want to have it sewn into, but I couldn’t resist the temptation of going inside.
I perused the shelves and was a bit overwhelmed at the sheer number of choices: floral patterns, solid colors, plaids, and more; every type of fabric imaginable. I could text Mom pics and ask what she’d want, but I’d ruin the surprise.
Ultimately, I chose a burgundy cotton because I knew Mom liked both the color and the fabric and bought enough to make a dress out of it if she wanted to.
I walked out with a grin so huge that my face was hurting. Then I realized I started my shift in fifteen minutes and went into panic mode.
I Ubered to the restaurant, and during my shift, I kept imagining how Mom would react when she received the fabric and how Ian’s parents would respond to their present.
I liked his loyalty to his siblings, especially to Dylan and the company they’d built together. And I couldn’t believe how seriously he’d taken o
ur conversation about being passionate about what you do. Dylan said I was a good influence on Ian. Ha! Me! I was bursting with pride.
After my shift, I went straight home and changed into a bright red dress with a golden belt and black tights. My hair was all over the place, and I didn’t have time to wash it, so I just combed it in a way that gave it lots of volume. It resembled a lion’s mane a bit too much for my taste, but I could make it work.
“Roar. You look like a rockstar,” Harper said, leaning against the doorway of the bathroom. I wasn’t seeing as much of her lately because I was spending quite a few evenings a week at Ian’s place, and Harper had practically moved in with her boyfriend.
“It was the only hairstyle I could pull off.”
“Girl, you’re rocking it. What’s with the gift bag next to the front door?”
“The gift is for Ian’s parents.”
Harper looked at me intently. “And you two are still not serious?”
I shrugged. “We’re enjoying each other a lot, but given everything, there’s no room for serious.”
“Define everything.”
“You know. My rotation is over in a few months, and I don’t think this will last longer.”
“Are you sure?”
My stomach flipped. I didn’t want to analyze this too closely, because the truth was, lately, I wasn’t sure about anything.
Ian picked me up at six forty-five. He was waiting for me in front of my building, leaning against a black car.
“Hello, gorgeous,” he said. He relieved me of the bag, putting it on the back seat before pulling me toward him. He feathered his lips against mine, and just the bare touch was enough to light me up. When he captured my mouth, kissing me hot and heavy, I just melted in his arms. I forgot everything... including the fact that we were out on the street.
Heat coiled through me. I rose on my toes, lacing my arms around his neck, needing to be even closer. I only came to my senses when he groaned. I pulled back, looking to my right and left, giggling.
“Oops... I forgot we were in public,” I said. “You, sir, have a dangerous effect on me.”
