Sophia

 

 

A grin spreads across his face as he pulls back from what was a toe-curling kiss. "I have one thing I need to say, Sophia. I don't want you to fight me on this."

"We have to use condoms," I blurt out without thinking.

He cracks up. "I agree, but that's not what I was going to say. I didn't think using condoms was up for debate at this stage."

"Oh," I say with mild embarrassment. This is an important discussion. I don't want there to be any question about what I'm comfortable with. I take the pill but I know it's not foolproof and my five-year plan has no place in it for an unexpected newborn.  "It's just that the last guy I dated wanted to go without and I walked out on him right before we fucked."

"You left him with a stiff dick?"

"Technically, he had a sheet covering that area." I circle my finger in front of his jeans. "He told me he didn't have condoms and when I went to get my purse to get one, he insisted that I skip the trip to the other room."

His eyebrow perks. "He sounds like an asshole."

"I never saw him again after that night." I smile. "I won't compromise on certain things and protection is one."

"Duly noted." He taps his forehead. "Condoms are mandatory. What else?"

I gaze up at the vaulted ceiling as if I'm in deep thought. This is what money affords a person in Manhattan. It's my second time here and I'm still noticing all the little touches that make this space spectacular. "I think that's it for tonight."

"Fair enough." He takes both my hands in his and rests them against the soft fabric that covers his chest. "I'll go back to what I was going to say originally."

I cringe. "I'm sorry. I took over the conversation."

"I'm glad you did." He lifts my hands and brings them to his lips for a gentle kiss. "I realize we haven't done anything beyond kissing; mind-blowing kissing."

"It was mind-blowing." I lean forward on my toes and give him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"If we're going to do this dating thing, I need something from you."

I eye him suspiciously. We barely know each other. We may have paved the way for a dating relationship, but we don't even know if we're compatible in bed. "What do you need?"

"I want us to be exclusive."

The muscles in his jaw tick as he waits for me to respond. I swallow, trying to think of what to say.

"Is that a problem?" He squares his shoulders as he squeezes my hands.

I clear my throat to afford me an extra second before I speak. "Why would you want to be exclusive with me when we haven't even slept together yet?"

He cocks his head to the side as he studies my face. "Fucking you is one part of the equation. I like hanging out with you. I want to cook for you and take you to the symphony. I'd like to wake up next to you on a lazy Saturday morning and then write while you work on sketching out a new design."

It's more than I've ever imagined. In my mind, I got as far as falling asleep in his arms in my bed after we'd made love. I didn't want to think it could reach beyond that, at least not at this stage. "We just met, Nicholas. We barely know each other."

"You're different than the other women I've known." He smiles down at me. "I know that I want to get to know you better without having to worry about Trey Hale getting in the way."

"You don't have to worry about him." I scrunch my nose. "I don't even like baseball."

"That's a start." He grips my waist and pulls me toward him. "If you want to go to a club, I'm always available."

"I'll keep that in mind." I tap my fingertips against his chest.

"Tell me what you want right now." He runs his nose along my jawbone, inhaling the scent of my skin. "I'll give you anything you want. I'll do anything you want."

I reach to cup his face in my hands, drawing his mouth closer to mine. I press my lips to his just as I whisper, "Take me to bed. Show me how much you want me."

 

***

 

His bedroom is just as imagined it would be in my mind's eye. The furniture is all crafted from a rich dark wood including the massive headboard. There's a small chest of drawers near the window and a larger, sleek cabinet that stands next to the door that leads into the room.

The bed linens are masculine. The duvet is dark gray, the pillow cases and sheets a stark black. The only light in the room is escaping from the adjoined washroom which, from this vantage point, contains a claw foot tub and a quartz countertop atop a vanity that houses two sinks.

It's a space any bachelor would crave, complete with a fireplace and a flat screen television hung above it.

There's an open laptop on a desk near the window. Several notepads sit nearby stacked in an uneven pile. Next to them is a trio of pens, all of them are identical. They're silver, just like the one he pulled from his bag on the subway.

"Is that where the magic happens?"

He turns at the sound of my voice. "The magic? Is that what we're calling it now? I prefer to call it fucking or, depending on my mood, making love. I guess it could be considered magic, so the answer to your question is yes. The bed is where the magic is going to happen. Don’t consider yourself just an assistant though. I expect full participation in all tricks."

I can't help but laugh. "I was asking about the desk, not the bed. Do you write at that desk?"

He schools his expression to look more serious than he is. The slight smile on his lips hints at his amusement. "Any magic that happens in this room is on that bed. I sleep there, I write there and tonight, I'm going to make you come there."

He pulls his sweater over his head to reveal a toned stomach and chest. It's obvious the man works out. His abs are evidence of his commitment to himself.

"Your turn, Sophia." He gestures at my dress.

"You have an unfair advantage." I slip off both of my heels. "I'm wearing a lot less clothing than you are."

"You're not." He inches closer a few steps before he toes out of his shoes and removes his black socks. "Drop the dress and I'll lose the pants."

"Is that an offer or an order?" I playfully pull on the sash of my dress.

He unbuckles the black belt he's wearing before he slides it free from his pants. "Call it what you will. I want to see your body."

I want to see his too. My eyes have been riveted to the light trail of dark hair that begins just below his belly button and disappears beneath the waistband of his pants. "Show me your body first."

"Get on the bed."

"What?" I look at the bed before I turn my attention back to him.

He stalks toward me, his hands reaching for my forearms. "I want you on the bed, Sophia."

"Don't you want me to strip?" I ask nervously. "You said you want to see my body."

He pushes me back, each step inches us both closer to his bed. "I need to touch you more than I want to see."

I let him guide me to the bed and when he pushes me back tenderly, I bend my knees and sit on the edge.

"On your back." He's standing in front of me now, the front of his pants hovering next to my face. "I want you on your back. We'll take this slowly."

I'm not sure that's what I want anymore. He's two seconds away from being completely nude and I've wondered, for days, what his cock looks like. I've imagined it based on what I've felt when he's pressed himself against me. I know he's thick. I can tell that he's going to be larger than any of the men I've been with before.

I slide my ass back to the middle of the bed before I sprawl out on my back. I cross my legs at the ankles, trying desperately to keep my skirt in place.

He crawls over me until his hands are splayed on the duvet on either side of my head. His legs bracket me. I can feel his swollen cock rubbing against my stomach through the fabric of my dress and his pants.

"Will you kiss me now?" I ask breathlessly. I need him to touch me. I want that.

He does. He lowers his face until his lips catch mine in a kiss. He takes it slowly, teasing me with his tongue. His licks are deep and leisurely. He moans when I try and bite his bottom lip.

"I need to make you come." He whispers those heated words as he breaks the kiss.

"Now?" I practically pant. I can feel my arousal pooling between my legs. I know when he reaches down to touch my panties, they'll be sopping wet.

He moves his lips lower until they're grazing over the soft skin of my neck.

"Relax, Sophia." His breath tickles my chest. "I promise this won't hurt a bit."