Tinsley
“Try this one,” Kassidy says as she tosses a black dress at me. I hold the dress up in front of me and glare at her. If I bend over in this thing, my goodies are gonna be hanging out for all to see.
“Really, Kas? This is not me.”
“That’s the point. Now, go try it on and I’ll find some shoes.” Groaning, I stomp back to the dressing rooms. There is no way in hell I can pull off a dress like this. I undress and slip into the little black number. Smoothing out the dress, I look at myself in the mirror. The top pushes my girls up just right and makes them look amazing. So amazing, even I want to cop a feel. A pair of purple hooker heels are thrown under the door and I balk.
“Do you want me to die?” I shriek, picking up a heel. Opening the door, I shove my arm out, holding the offending object out to her. “Walking kind of isn’t optional,” I sass, my hand on my hip, even though she can’t see me.
Kas rolls her eyes and pushes my arm back in before shutting the door on me. “Just put them on, drama queen. And stop shooting me glares through the door. You aren’t Superman. Doesn’t matter how hard you glare, your laser vision isn’t going to manifest,” she sings, and I snort.
I give the heels another haughty look and mumble curses under my breath. I love heels as much as the next girl, but I have never made claims to being able to walk in them—especially six-inch stilettos.
“Don’t make me come in there,” Kas threatens, even though I have no idea what she plans to do.
“Or what? You’re going to hold me down and force these shoes on my feet?” I quip through the door.
“Yes. Yes, I will.”
“Whatever,” I mutter, slipping on the shoes of death. Opening the door, I hold my arms out. Kassidy gasps, motioning for me to turn, and I give her a little twirl. “It’s perfect. You look smoking hot, girl. That man is going to be worshipping at your feet.”
“It doesn’t make me look slutty?”
“Of course it does, but that’s the point,” she sighs, as if I’m a doofus she keeps having to explain stuff to. I laugh at her.
“I think you forget you’re the slutty one in this relationship,” I tease. Flipping me off, she walks over to the rack of lingerie.
After another hour of shopping, I head home to get ready for tonight. My stomach has been in knots all day, and the closer it gets to six o’clock, the worse it gets. I take a shower, blow dry my hair, and put on a little makeup. Walking out of the bathroom, I stare down at the dress on my bed, my nose scrunching as I wonder if I should go with something else. I’m just not sure I’m going to be comfortable in it. My phone buzzes on the dresser, drawing my attention. Picking it up, I read the new text.
Kassidy: Wear the dress. Don’t be a chicken.
I laugh. The girl is psychic. Shaking my head, I type a quick reply.
Me: Yes, Mom.
Tossing the phone on the bed, I put on the dress and heels and wobble my way to the kitchen before gaining my balance. Damien has always loved Italian food, so I decided to make him lasagna rolls. I pull the pan from the fridge and place it in the oven. Using my mom’s favorite china and crystal, I set the table to perfection, then place a small crystal candelabra in the center and light it. I put another bottle of wine in the fridge just in case and begin making the salad.
The doorbell rings and I startle. Placing the knife on the counter, I wipe my hands on the dishtowel. Butterflies invade my stomach as I get closer to the door. When I open it and see Damien in front of me, I can’t breathe. He’s wearing a black, long sleeve Henley, dark jeans, and black cowboy boots. My mouth waters and my hands sweat.
“Holy hell,” he breathes out. “You look amazing, Tin.” Heat flares in my cheeks under his penetrating gaze. Standing there, we both stare at one another. I finally snap out of it.
“Come in,” I say, opening the door wider for him. I close the door behind him and he turns me, pulls me into his arms, and places a soft kiss on my lips. “How about a glass of wine?”
“That sounds good. It smells amazing in here. What are you making?”
“Lasagna rolls, a tossed salad, and garlic bread,” I tell him, making my way to the kitchen. A low groan escapes him as he follows behind me, and I smile, happy he’s pleased. I’ll have to remember to thank Kassidy for her choice in dresses. On second thought, I wouldn’t want to give her that satisfaction after making a big deal out of it to begin with.
“Can I help with anything?” he asks as I grab a bottle of wine from the fridge.
“You can finish the salad,” I say, motioning to the counter where I started preparing it. He nods and goes to the sink to wash his hands. I pour two glasses of wine as he begins to chop lettuce.
“Sami is so excited for her party Saturday. It’s all she talks about.”
“I’m pretty excited for it too. I have everything set up. All you need to do is get the birthday princess here at two,” I tell him. Planning this party has been a blast. So much so, I may have gone a little overboard. But a girl only turns four once, right? I pop the garlic bread into the toaster oven just as Damien finishes the salad. We sip our wine and talk about the party until the oven timer dings. I pick up the oven mitts and Damien takes them from me.
“I’ll get that,” he offers.
“Thanks,” I say with a wink. Once all the food is ready and plated, we take our seats at the table. Damien raises his glass.
“To second chances,” he says.
“To second chances,” I repeat, and we clink glasses before digging in. For me, tonight has multiple purposes, and now that the time has almost come to unveil some of my motivation in making this night perfect, I find myself retreating into my head. Thoughts swirl as my stomach knots, making eating almost impossible. But I’m not sure how to say what I need to say, and I’m scared. Like, really scared, that for some reason, I’ll get rejected by him. It doesn’t make sense. He’s done everything I’ve asked of him, hasn’t made me feel like I should be worried, but it doesn’t change the fact that I am.
“You okay?” Damien asks, startling me from my thoughts.
“Yeah. I’m great. Why? Are you okay?” I stumble over my words, my shoulders tightening. Damien furrows his brows, his fork resting midair.
“Okay…are you sure?” he asks, eyeing me, and my heart thunders. I keep telling myself to just spit it out, just say the words, but my throat locks up. I inhale and exhale, trying to focus on my breathing, but kind of feel like I might pass out. Hello, panic attack. Nice to see you made it right on time.
“Hey, Tin. Just breathe for me, okay?” Damien says, his voice low and soothing as he rubs a hand down my back, though I have no idea when he actually moved from his chair. I’m such a mess. Burying my head in my hands, I focus on his touch, on the comforting way his voice sounds in my ear as he tries to get me to settle down, and blurt out, “Can we take about us?”
Damien’s hand disappears, and I pull my head back to look at him. His forehead creases and his shoulders are rigid as something close to fear plays in his eyes.
“No, no, no,” I rush out, gripping his arms. “It’s not bad, I promise. It’s just…” I trail off, reach for my glass of wine, guzzle it down, and take a deep breath. “It’s just…I love you, Damien. I’ve never really stopped loving you. I’m ready to give you my heart again,” I babble. “Oh God, I’m doing this all wrong. Let me try again.”
He opens his mouth to speak, but I put my hand up to stop him. “I love you,” I say, meeting his eyes, my voice calmer. “These last few months have been the happiest of my life, and I want more with you. I see a future with you, and it’s one we always planned, but so much better than before. I want to open myself up to you, and give you all of me.”
The smile that spreads across his face is so bright and alive, I can’t help the warmth that settles in my heart knowing I put it there. Standing, Damien presses his mouth to mine, and there’s so much passion in his kiss, I feel it all the way to my toes.
“I love you too. And I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy and trying to make up for every ounce of pain I caused you,” he says against my lips between small pecks.
I smile wide, then let my face grow serious. “You better not be a jerk, mister. Because this is your last shot. You screw up this time, you can kiss my ass goodbye while I walk the other way.” I sneak in for a kiss to let him know I’m kind of teasing, but not really, and he returns it, then deepens it. Our tongues dance together, the taste of the wine mingling with each lick and suck. It’s intoxicating.
“Noted,” Damien murmurs before diving back in for more. Threading his fingers into my hair, he pulls me closer, holding me tight, seducing me with nothing but lips and tongue. My body ignites, fire sparking in my veins at just touching him. I need him—all of him, in a way I’ve never wanted or needed anything before. Even him, as odd as that is.
“Make love to me,” I whisper against his lips. Without hesitation, Damien stands, blows out the candles, and lifts me into his arms, bridal style. I squeak out at first, my heart beating wildly, but then relax into his hold, putting all my trust in knowing he’s got me and won’t let me fall. Nuzzling my nose into his neck, I inhale the masculine scent of his cologne. It’s so familiar—so him.
“Are you smelling me?”
“Maybe,” I retort, scrunching my nose against his skin. Shaking his head, Damien laughs.
“Keep it up and we won’t make it to your room.”
“Promises, promises,” I singsong, heat pooling low in my belly. I rub my legs together while pressing a kiss against his neck and adding the smallest amount of suction. He groans, picking up his pace, and I laugh. The stairs are looking better and better every second.
When we get into the bedroom, he sets me down on the edge of the bed, and runs his fingers from the top of my left thigh down to my shoe. My skin hums under his touch and I lean back on my forearms, lifting my leg for him to take off first one shoe, then the other.
He skims the tips of his fingers back up my right leg, adding pressure as he goes, and I gasp at the sensations shooting straight to my core. His lips follow the trail, his breath hot over my center before he shifts to press his lips against my lower stomach, pushing my dress over my hips.
I grip his hair in my hands, pulling him more toward me before bringing his lips to mine. My pulse races as fire blazes between us, igniting a passion soul deep. Our tongues collide as our heart beats becoming frantic in our need to be one—connect in a way we haven’t experienced since we were young. My hands shake as I move them down his cheeks, and his push into my hair before moving to my back.
He yanks at the zipper of my dress while his left hand moves around to cup my breast. I moan into his mouth and he swallows it down with a low growl that entices me to lose all control. Breaking his mouth from mine, Damien slows our rhythm, running his tongue up my jaw at an unhurried pace.
“We…” he says, pressing his lips over my pulse point, “need…” he continues, drawing his mouth in a delicious path down my neck, “to go slower,” he finishes, his gaze meeting mine as he kisses my collarbone. My breathing accelerates as the desire in his eyes shines bright. I don’t want to go slow. I want anything but slow. But he’s right. A tiny mewl slips past my lips as he slips my dress over my shoulders and down, baring my bra. His tongue and lips drift over my flesh, eliciting goosebumps. I shiver, though I’m anything but cold. The power of his touch, his kiss, makes me almost feverish.
His fingers hook into my bra, pulling down the cups and immediately setting his attention on one breast, and then the other. He teases my nipples with his tongue and teeth as I writhe underneath him, barely able to handle it. I move my hands to his pants, deftly unbuttoning then pushing them over his hips until he rests in my hand, hot, hard, and ready. I mewl, attempting to guide him into me with swift strokes of his shaft, but he backs away on a moan, loosening my grip.
“Not yet, baby. Not even close. If I get inside you now, I’m going to lose it, and I can’t do that to you.”
I growl, beyond desperate for an orgasm, for him to touch me—there. Chuckling, he adds, “Impatient, are we?” And it takes everything in me not to take control of the situation. As I wrap my legs around him, my feet digging into his ass, he shifts, his hot breath dancing over my most sensitive parts. With a quick pull, my panties are gone, replaced by the coolness of the air whispering over my bare flesh. Sounds I can’t even describe catapult from the back of my throat as he licks up my slit, flattening his tongue over my clit before moving back down. One hand gripping his hair as the other digs into the bedding, I thrash back and forth, my orgasm building with every flick.
Incoherent words tumble from my lips as he sucks and nibbles, a blindly white flashing behind my eyes. My body tenses as I shift closer, and closer still, needing something…more. Slipping two fingers inside me, he curves them upward, hitting the spot, and I spasm around him, my body jerking as the weight of my orgasm crashes through me. It keeps going, and going, and going, my voice getting louder and louder with every pull he takes.
Collapsing onto the bed, breathing heavily, a serenity takes over. My body jerks again without restraint as he sucks my clit into his mouth one last time before tasting the after-effects of my arousal. I hum as he moves up my body, stroking his cock. Pushing up to my forearms, I lick my lips before putting them around his length and tasting him. Swirling my tongue around his shaft, I revel in the heated sounds crawling up his throat. They are so guttural, it doesn’t take but a fraction of a second until I’m ready again, but this time, for him—every delicious inch of him.
“My turn,” I say, my voice low and throaty. And without hesitation, he lines himself up with my entrance and thrusts. My back arches off the bed as I clamp around his girth, loving the feel of him buried so deep inside me. Everything inside me is pulsing, electrified by him.
“Fuck,” he curses, burying his head in the crook of my neck as he catches his breath. “God, you feel so amazing, baby. So. Amazing,” he grunts, punctuating each word with long, deep thrusts. Sparks sizzle and shatter every nerve ending, my already hypersensitive body lighting up like a livewire ready to strike.
Pushing himself up, his lips come down on mine as he rocks himself into me in the same rhythm our bodies created when we became one. The air crackles around us, and I open my eyes, locking them on his.
“I love you,” I pant, meeting him thrust for thrust.
“I love you,” he replies, speeding up as he changes his angle. The tip of his cock glides against the spot, and my body ignites in a sea of embers as I shout out my pleasure. He curses as his movements become erratic, pumping into me without control of abandon. I hold him to me as tight as I can, and he plummets to my deepest depths, eliciting another mind-numbing orgasm as he jerks inside me, giving me his release.
Both euphoric, floating on the cloud that is our bliss, Damien kisses my nose, then both my eyes as shifts inside me to pull out. My sex clamps down on him once more before he’s gone completely, leaving me feeling more satisfied than I ever have, but so empty at the same time.
“That was…”
“Unbelievable,” Damien says, finishing my statement, and I couldn’t agree more. It was life changing. The forever, never-ever-letting-go-of-you-again kind of life changing.