Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Gray, perhaps sensing all that’s going on inside me, waits, his lips against my neck, but his hand staying still where it covers me. He waits however long it takes for my eyes to flutter open, and then he says, “Okay?” against my neck.
“Yes.”
“Good girl.” His fingers brush me again, then slip between my folds. Two of his fingers move up to my clit, and oh god, I’m so wet.
I do moan then, and despite the pounding beat of the song that’s currently playing, I’m still surprised that everyone doesn’t turn to look at us.
Gray rubs my slickness over my clit, over and over, and my hips start to move of their own accord. “That’s right,” he tells me. “Let it happen.”
I’m clinging with both hands to the arm locked around my waist, as if touching him is my lifeline to what little presence of mind I have left. His hand moves faster, and faster, and sensation ratchets up inside me like a lightning strike.
At the last second before I come, his mouth covers mine, so when my climax turns me inside out and I scream my release, all the sound goes into him. He kisses me like I'm his last meal, his hand still moving, and I can’t stop shuddering in his arms as pleasure breaks over me in wave after wave.
When I go limp in his grasp, his other arm comes around me, holding me safe against him. “Fuck, Ava. You’re incredible.”
I’m too shaken to respond, but if I could, I’d disagree. I’m not the one who just made me feel the most amazing thing anyone’s ever experienced.
He turns me around again, smoothing down my dress, so if anyone finds us it’ll look like all we’re doing is hugging. And then he holds me, just holds me, while I cuddle against him as closely as I can and wait for the tsunami inside me to settle.
Being pressed against him like this, I can’t help but notice the hard length of him against my belly. I wish I could do something for him, but I don’t know what, or how, especially here. He feels as big as Brax did, and it doesn’t exactly help me calm down to think about touching him.
It takes what feels like a long time, but is probably only a few minutes, for me to finally relax. When I look up at him, the backs of his fingers brush my cheek with a tenderness that puts a lump in my throat.
“Are you okay?”
I nod, not trusting my voice right now.
“Want to dance some more?”
I shake my head.
“It’s late. I better get you home.”
In answer, I take his hand and press my lips to his palm.
“Sweet girl,” he says, his voice rough. “Let’s go.”
He stays right at my side all the way back to his car, making sure I’m steady on my feet. We don’t say much on the ride back to my apartment, but he holds my hand the whole way.
Instead of leaving me downstairs in the lobby, he takes me to my door. And then he kisses me, gently, no tongue, just his lips pressing mine for a brief moment before he lifts his head.
The look on his face is anything but gentle, and I understand. The storm he awakened inside me is still raging in him, and he’s holding it back by force of will.
I squeeze his fingers hard. “Thank you.”
Gray nods—no words from him now—and takes a step back, gesturing at my door. I unlock it, let myself in, and turn. He’s still standing there, his eyes hungry.
I blow him a kiss and close the door. And lean back against it, trembling, like I’ve just run a marathon.
Maybe I have.
GRAY
I’m still in the hallway when a door opens a couple of apartments down, and Erik’s standing there.
He looks at me; I look at him. Neither of us speaks. And then he nods and shuts his door again.
It wasn’t a friendly expression, the look he was giving me, but I don’t blame him. If I saw him bringing Ava back from a date, I’d probably want to go a few rounds with him.
How is this going to work? It’s her choice, it has to be, but the woman is rearranging my interior landscape in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The thought of her sending me away, choosing one of the other men, is like a rusty trowel gouging open my chest.
I’m not prepared to give a name to the things she’s making me feel, but I sure as fuck do not want to give her up. That much is unmistakable.
AVA
I sleep better than I have in weeks. The next morning, I come very close to calling in sick to work, because I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate, but I have two classes to teach and I don’t want to let those people down.