“I know it’s not the most romantic thing ever. And it’s probably a really crappy first date idea, but–”
“It’s the best first date I’ve ever had. Thank you for giving me this part of you.” Resting her head on my shoulder, we let the water say what we can’t. “I’ll never forget this night, ever.”
And her words, so simple and so true are the last either of us speaks before leaving for dinner half an hour later.
“Do you, um, want to come up?” Fidgeting with the belt of my dress, a flutter of excitement swarms low in my belly. David hasn’t been able to keep his hands off me all night. From the moment we arrived at the memorial, through dinner, and then even on the walk back to my apartment. A light touch on my shoulder, a gentle brush against my thigh, a possessive hand on my lower back. It’s done nothing but set my skin on fire, his fingers constantly fanning the flames.
Torn, he steps back from me, digging his hands deep into his back pockets. “No. I can’t.” His denial stings, lighting up all the places he’s touched me with his refusal.
Determined not to seem upset, I nod. “Okay. Then I guess I’ll talk to you soon.” Turning away from him, I take a deep breath and blow away my frustration. The only thought racing through my brain is he has somewhere else to be. There’s no way he’s pitying me, but I won’t lie and say his refusal doesn’t sting.
With my key in the door, I feel his body looming behind me. His breathing is labored and when I spin back to look at him, his face is dark and conflicted somehow. “Gracie,” he nearly growls my name. His hand dives into my hair, wrapping around the nape of my neck. Angling my face up to his, he strokes my neck with his thumb. Surely he feels my pulse beating a wild and frantic pace there. “I want to. My god, I want to so fucking bad,” he grounds out his words. His jaw is clenched so tightly, his face doesn’t look like his own. “But–”
“But what?” I whimper, unable to bear the feel of his skin on mine knowing he isn’t willing to take it further.
He looks up into the night sky, letting out a deep and controlled breath as if it will somehow give him some semblance of strength. When he looks back into my eyes, there’s tension there. Clearly wavering, his chest rises and falls with his deep and almost annoyed breaths. Dropping a hand to his hard, warm chest, I hope to calm him some, but all it does is make his breath deeper, shuddery and irregular. “If I go up there, I won’t be able to keep my hands off you. It took all my strength tonight not to pull you into an alley and push you up against a wall just so I could feel your body against mine, so I could take what I’ve wanted all night. Hell, what I’ve wanted since I first saw you. God how I wanted to push your skirt up and have you wrap your legs around my waist just so I could finally feel how hot and tight you are.” His lips move so close to my ear it’s impossible not to break out in a river of goose bumps.
“What stopped you?” My words are uneven, breathless. If his touches turned me on, his words morphed me into a boneless heap of desire.
“You deserve better,” he states, his words weighed with simplicity and truth. “When you’re ready, you’ll get my time, my attention, my tenderness. Not a quick fuck in an alley.”
Confused, I stare at him with furrowed brows. “Ready? But I’m asking you up now. What makes you think I’m not ready?”
“The other night–”
“That was before. It was different. I can’t explain it.” Pushing down my frustration for letting my insecurities get in our way, I take a deep breath. “I never should have let what he said get in the way of how I feel about being with you. And I’m doing that tonight.” Leaning into him, I flex both hands on his chest. Moving my lips against the hollow of his neck, I beg, “Please. I’m ready now. I promise.”
His pulse rushes wildly under my kisses as his hands grip me so tightly it’s almost too much to bear. “Grace,” he grits out, making me look up at him through my lashes. “You’re too goddamn sexy to refuse.” He gives in, brushing my hair out of my eyes before tucking it behind my ear. “And fuck do I want you.” Though his words say one thing, he remains glued to the spot and he still looks torn over the whole thing.
“We’re on the same page then.” Smiling up at him, I know what will push him over the edge. “Besides, if you don’t come in there with me, I have a hot pink vibrator that won’t argue with me about it.” Arching a brow, I toss that out there, waiting to see what he has to say about it.
His fingers dig into my hips and his eyes widen. Without saying a word, he trails his fingers down my arm and pulls the keys out of my hand. Reaching around me, he unlocks the door, capturing me between it and him. Frozen on the spot, I stand there, giddy that I won him over, as he drops my keys back into my hand.
My excitement doesn’t vanish as we walk through the small entryway. When the elevator doors open, we step inside, the atmosphere sizzling and crackling around us. Taking on a life of its own, the air in the small space swirls around us, pulling us closer together until there’s no more than an inch between us. Electricity jolts to life as his arm brushes against mine. As the doors close, he steps in front of me, locking me between his body and the wall. When his leg slides between mine, I can barely breathe. “You look more than beautiful tonight,” he mutters, pressing his lips to my neck and dancing his fingers up my outer thigh. Stopping just shy of actually pushing my skirt up, he lets go of the flowy edges of the dress and moves his hands up my sides. Even over the thin material, I can feel the rough pads of his fingers, making me shiver in anticipation of what’s to come.
“I always fantasized about this, you know?” I groan into his neck, unable to control my need for him. “Being taken in an elevator. Being needed like this. So much that waiting until we get into my apartment is just too long.”
“Grace,” he growls, nipping at my neck. Pushing against my body even harder, I can feel his need for me against my belly. With my fingers trailing down his tight stomach, I grow more daring. Inches away from taking what I want, I stop in my tracks as the door slides open.
“Oh my. Well, I never.” Mrs. Corado clutches at her pearls, gasping in shock as she steps in the elevator. Our old lady neighbor is the equivalent of the creepy old man in Friends. The one who would always bang on the ceiling, yelling at the crew that they were making too much noise. She’s pretty much the same. Except anytime she sees me or Jade, she has to make some comment about not being decent, showing too much skin, or always having men to our apartment. I’m sure if you asked her, she’d tell you we run a brothel or something similar.
Keeping his body in front of mine, he whispers in my ear, “She’s just jealous.”
Burying my face in his shoulder, I laugh, agreeing with him. I mean who wouldn’t want to be in my position—a hot, sweet man wedged in between her thighs, threatening to take her right here and now if it wasn’t for the shocked old lady gasping for air.
Yeah, I’d say it’s pretty amazing to be me.
Adjusting himself, he steps to the side and laces his fingers through mine. Excusing us as we walk past her, David puts his hand on the small of my back. As I look back at her over my shoulder, it’s not lost on me that she eyes his hand hungrily. Wiggling my fingers in her direction, I say, “I hope you have a good night, Mrs. Corado. I know I will.” I can’t hold back the laugh bursting from my mouth as her eyes widen and she gasps one last time when the doors close.
Standing at my door, my laughter subsides as David’s eyes darken. “Grace,” he intones. There’s a challenge and a command wrapping around my name. “The door.” Tipping his chin behind me, he adds, “Now.”
With nervous fingers, I open the door, somehow managing not to drop my keys on the floor. Once we’re over the threshold, he scans the entryway. “Jade out?”