Part 23 (1/2)

”I have a feeling you're due though.”

My breath hitched at the sudden contact of his hands on my skin. With painstaking patience, he traced the band of my underwear, then over my a.s.s and back down the front where he teased the flesh of my inner thigh. His touch was electric, jolting through me almost painfully. I mustered the strength to push his hand away, praying he'd leave me be, but he only came at me again, cupping me more aggressively through the thin cotton of my panties.

”Don't, Blake. I can't.” But G.o.d, did I want to. His mouth and hands on me, to end this terrible torture.

His fingers pressed deliciously against me, stroking me through the separation of the fabric.

”This is mine, Erica. I own your pleasure. You and I both know it,” he whispered in my ear, kissing my neck and trailing his tongue along the curve of my ear. Sweet Jesus.

”I can't... I can't do this.”

”Yes, you can. You even want to.”

He pushed my panties to the side and thumbed my c.l.i.t.

”f.u.c.k, you're already wet for me.” His voice was rough, almost pained.

I sucked in a sharp breath, stifling a moan. The direct contact of his expert strokes sent me into orbit. My head fell back and I wanted to cry out for the feelings that rushed over me.

”Do you miss this? My hands on you, f.u.c.king you?”

I bit my lip, not wanting to answer. Seconds later, I was coming. I gripped his shoulders for balance as the force of the o.r.g.a.s.m consumed me. My nails dug in as wave after wave pulsed through me. Heat p.r.i.c.kled my skin, and my mind filled with the singular pleasure that only Blake could give me. f.u.c.k, it had been too long. Need this. Need you. I wanted so badly to tell him.

He pressed soft kisses along my neck and shoulder as the aftershocks tapered off.

”More?”

The vibration of his voice almost launched me into a frenzy all over again. His fingers slid lower into my folds until he was right at the entrance of my p.u.s.s.y, exerting the slightest pressure as if he meant to push into me. He could be there so easily, and then his c.o.c.k. The bed was right there. We could steal a moment and no one would know.

But one indiscretion would only lead to more. I had to get back in control. I had to. I shook my head and took a deep breath to calm my frayed nerves.

”No.” My voice was breathy, almost pleading. I pushed his hand away and sidestepped him. I moved unsteadily to the bed with my clothes, my legs weak. My head buzzed as I quickly dressed. He watched, his face seemingly calm, but a storm brewed in his eyes.

I knew that look. It usually came seconds before he had me pressed up against some hard surface, f.u.c.king me or making me wish he were. He leaned back onto the dresser, crossing his legs at the ankle, and sucked the moisture from his fingers. His jeans strained over an erection that he made no effort to conceal.

f.u.c.king h.e.l.l. I tore my gaze away and struggled with the b.u.t.ton of my fly. My hands were trembling too hard. I finally managed it and paused briefly in front of the mirror to a.s.sess the tangled sandy mess that was my hair. I couldn't risk a shower right now. Tangled and sandy would have to do.

I met his gaze again. ”I have to go.”

”With him?”

”No, I'm going home.”

”This is your home.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

I spent most of the next day vacillating between fantasizing about Blake's hands on me again and scolding myself for letting him put them there to begin with.

His words had hit me hard. Homeless and rootless, I'd been floating through my life since leaving him. A satellite in orbit with no destination, no purpose. The most solid ground for me was with Blake, a place I'd abandoned. Even when our lives hung in the balance, I couldn't deny that.

The moment at the apartment had been brief, but I was walking a dangerous line. What if he started pursuing me again? I'd finally gotten Daniel and Connor off his scent, and here I was dancing with disaster again.

My phone dinged with a text from Alli.

A: Can you talk?

I waited a few minutes before responding, not wanting to seem like I really had time.

E: Tied up at work. Will call later.

A: I've heard that before. You're a broken record.

I set the phone down, noting the time. She was on her lunch break with limited time. If I could get through the next half hour, I'd be in the clear until she got off work, which was always late. I jumped when the phone rang. She was calling me. I turned off the volume and let it go to voicemail. I couldn't talk to her right now. I had no idea what Heath had told her or what I would say. I'd rather say nothing than lie to my best friend.

A: If you don't call me soon, I'm going to hunt you down. You realize that, right?

I smiled. Alli and her empty threats. I opened my photo app and flipped through the last photos I'd taken. I'd snapped a series of selfies with Blake in the limo on the way to the gala. He looked das.h.i.+ng in his tux and was making funny faces in half of them, pretending to be attacking me in the background.

I laughed and my heart twisted. I rubbed at the ache in my chest. My heart, that empty place, had started pulsing back to life again. Since I left the apartment yesterday, I'd remembered what being happy with him felt like, as happy as I'd been in the photos. The last time I felt anything close to that was at the beach with James, but the moment had been short-lived. By some miracle, he'd had me laughing and forgetting my reality. I had to give him credit for that.

I put the phone down. I needed to stop torturing myself. I'd come a long way to keep Blake safely out of my life. Further than I ever thought I'd come. Now I was on a high-speed train moving backwards, letting the addictive, potent moments I'd shared with Blake take hold again.

I checked the clock. Time to make my daily attempt at a meal. What I really wanted was an adult beverage, but that would have to wait. I moseyed down to Mocha and looked over a menu at a table in the corner.

”Hey, woman.”

Simone slid into the chair opposite me.

”Hey,” I said.

”What's new?”

”Oh, you know. Same old stuff. Work is busy.”

”Yeah? How's investor guy?” She pursed her lips and propped her chin up on her hand. She looked like she was in the mood to gossip. This worried me, because I wasn't.

”He's fine.”

”And how's James? Still in love with you, I imagine.”

”I'm not sure that's what I'd call it.”

”In l.u.s.t?” Her eyebrows shot up, as if that wasn't entirely a bad thing either.