Chapter Eight
Everything that didn’t involve the feeling of Tyler’s mouth on her sex faded into the background. The confusion of her strained marriage, persistent grief over her daughter’s passing, the stress of being back to work after so long—it all disappeared for a short while as Tyler reminded her of what it was like to be a desirable woman.
And a ravaged woman.
How had it come to this? Why could they only connect as strangers? How come Alyssa and Derek had to pretend to be other people to find the connection that once came so easy?
He showed her no mercy, sucking on her outer lips with strong pulls, circling her clit with his tongue then drawing it into his mouth, spearing her opening with his agile tongue. Never was he in one spot for too long, and just when she’d get used to a new and intense sensation, he’d switch it up, sending her reeling once again.
“Christ,” he mumbled against her pussy. “I thought you smelled amazing, but it’s nothing compared to how fucking incredible you taste.”
His teeth grazed her clit and she cried out, reaching for his head on instinct. Unfortunately, her carefully balanced position didn’t allow her to lift an arm and she toppled down onto the island. With a growl of frustration, she tucked her elbow back against her side and pushed up.
What had been the plan anyway? Pull him closer? Push him away? Just hold on and ride out the storm?
It didn’t matter. A pleasant tingling sensation started in the tips of her fingers and toes, extending through her limbs. When he shoved his tongue inside her yet again, her pussy clamped down and she threw her head back as flashes of light shot through her vision. “I’m gonna come,” she cried out.
“Give it to me.” The barked command, combined with the way he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked hard, threw her over the edge.
“Shit,” she yelled, as pleasure crested over her in waves. It had been ages since she had an orgasm like this, one that made the world quake beneath her. One that made her soul sing and left room for nothing in her head but joy. Only one man had ever been able to wring that kind of toe-curling response from her.
After that powerful release, her body tried to come down to a sated state of lethargy, but Tyler had other plans. He didn’t let up, didn’t ease or gentle in his devouring of her. Had he not noticed the monster orgasm that ripped through her?
No, that wasn’t possible.
Her body had been spasming, out of control, and she hadn’t stifled her cries.
He was just on a mission to bring her to the edge yet again. The only problem was she was sensitive from the recent orgasm, beyond sensitive, really. And he went at her like a man possessed. Like he was unaware of anything but her pussy and his hunger.
“It’s too much,” she said with a moan. “I can’t take it—oh God, it’s too much. You have to stop.” She tried again to reach for him, but as before, was thwarted by an inability to hold herself up without her arms.
If she survived this, she’d be hitting the gym every day. Clearly, she was lacking in the abs department.
With a grunt, he left her pussy and stood, drawing a sigh of both relief and frustration from her. The reprieve didn’t last more than two seconds. Two thick fingers slid into her, taking the place of his mouth in driving her crazy. With his free hand, he yanked the lacy bra cups down, exposing her neglected breasts and bent to suck one nipple into his mouth. He only spent maybe three seconds on her breast, but the strength with which he drew on it had her moaning. Then he switched to the other breast and treated it to the same brief but intense treatment.
She could barely keep up with the overwhelming riot of sensations when he took her lips in a fierce kiss, infusing her with her own flavor. The kiss was as brief as his attention on her breasts but just as powerful. “You’ll take what I give you. Everything I give you. Got it?”
His fingers curled inside her, finding the spot that made her eyes cross and she nodded. Always. She’d give him anything he wanted and take everything he dished out for as long as she lived.
“Say it,” he commanded.
“A-anything you want to give me…everything.”
“Damn straight.” He dropped down to his knees once again and added his mouth back into the mix. While he fucked her with his fingers, he licked and sucked around her clit like it was his favorite treat.
On the barstools, her overtaxed leg muscles quivered and shook with the effort to maintain the position. If she let her legs go, she’d probably slide right off the bar. The muscles in her stomach began to twitch and tremble and her shoulders ached from bracing herself up. She was torn between the desire to flop back on the bar and give her exhausted body a rest or continue watching the erotic sight of Tyler eating her out for all he was worth.
In the end, she couldn’t look away, transfixed by the sight of the almost animalistic way he pleasured her. Tears filled her eyes. It had been far too long since she felt this incredible. And not just the physical pleasure, but the connection to another person, the loss of control, and knowledge that she wasn’t the only one in so deep.
Wasn’t the only one lost to the madness.
His name was on the tip of her tongue and she longed to yell it at the top of her lungs. To make sure he knew she associated the indescribable pleasure with him, but it wasn’t the right name. She couldn’t bring herself to utter it. Only one man’s name would ever cross her lips in the throes of passion and Tyler wasn’t it. This time, there was no buildup to the orgasm. It slammed into her before she had time to prepare for it. She screamed with the force of release as the room went black.
At some point, while she was coming with the force of a category five hurricane, her upper body failed her. When the world came back into focus, she was staring at the ceiling with her back flat on the island. She twitched and jumped with aftershocks and her skin felt so hypersensitive, she was afraid to do so much as brush against Tyler.
She could only imagine the picture she made. Heels still on, legs spread wide on the barstools, skirt rucked around her waist, open top, bra yanked down, hair a wild mess. Probably pretty damn hot.
With a chuckle, she struggled to a semi-upright position. At least upright enough to see Tyler. “I’m glad to know I’m still alive after that insanity. If you give me two minutes to gather my strength, I’ll return the fav—”
Uh-oh.
There was no arrogant male conqueror look on his face. Nor was there the smoky desire that had been present earlier. And he didn’t look like a man who was ready to have his own world rocked. He looked more like a man who just received devastating news.
“What’s wrong?”
“I…I can’t. I’m sorry. I can’t do this.” He ran a hand through his hair, scattering the short strands. Some of his beard still glistened with the evidence of her arousal.
“Can’t do what?” Nerves skittered across her skin, dimming some of the afterglow she should have been basking in. Couldn’t be with her? She held her breath waiting for an answer that had the power to destroy her.
“Um…this. Right now. I can’t do this.” He waved a hand between them and around the room. “I’m sorry, Alyssa. So fucking sorry for all of it.”
With that step out of character, he spun and charged for the door.
“Derek, wait!”
The slam of the door echoed through the quiet room making her jolt. She waited for a moment, listening for the sound of his own hotel suite door banging closed, but was greeted with only silence. He must have left the floor.
Alyssa sat up straight and began the task of righting her disastrous clothing. Well, shit. She’d pushed too hard. So hard, he’d abandoned the game and called her Alyssa.
Had it all been one colossal mistake? Sure, the idea had been radical, a Hail Mary attempt to save the most precious thing in her world. Maybe he just needed time. That had to be it.
That had to be it.
Because the alternative wasn’t acceptable. The notion that he was done with her, didn’t want her anymore…
Her stomach rolled, and tears flooded her eyes. She wouldn’t go down without a fight. The first devastating loss she experienced nearly did her in. Derek was her world. Until she met him, she’d thought stories of true love and romance were exaggerated tales made for books and movies. But Derek was made for her. There was no other way to describe it. He made her whole and she was confident she did the same for him. She couldn’t breathe without him and didn’t plan on learning how.
No way in hell would she throw her marriage away without giving it all she had.