~Thor~
The loud sound of my knuckles against the door resounded in the hallway of the apartment complex. I waited anxiously for her to open the door. My heartbeat was still racing from the encounter in the tattoo parlor, and I had a bone to pick with the woman behind the door. Why the hell was her friend coming to my office to chew me a new asshole? If what we had was going to continue, I needed to set the record straight. It’s time for us to have the conversation. You know which one I’m talking about. I was not interested in a relationship. What we had was just sex. And if she had a problem with that, it needed to end. Now.
I opened my mouth to let her know that very thing when I physically choked on my words. The door opened and before me was not who I had been picturing. Or at least not the way I had been picturing her. After several weeks in her bed, I had come to understand the complexity that was Ava. Despite all the feistiness and sass that characterized the way she approached the outside world, I had seen several moments of insecurity, whether it was questioning her body’s attractiveness or the look her face made when she orgasmed. To set the record straight, I personally loved the way her eyes rolled back into her head and her mouth opened in a silent scream every time her pussy desperately clung to my cock. I felt an erection forming in my pants at just the thought of it.
And that semi-hardness burst into a full-blown boner at the sight of her in a sexy black bodysuit. Lace delicately caressed the soft skin of her tummy, and I could clearly see the outline of her nipples through the push-up bra. I wanted to dive into the delectable cleavage and take the hard peaks into my mouth.
At the look of awe on my face, Ava gave me a sexy grin with just a hint of innocence. It drove me mad. Not wanting anyone else to see the treasure laid before me, I hurriedly walked into her apartment and closed the door behind me. With her short legs, she quickly scurried back to let me in, but before she could get farther away, I took her by the waist and pulled her directly against me. I saw the heat leap into her eyes and narrow in determination and naughty promise at the hardness that pressed into her stomach.
“Was this all for me?” I asked rhetorically. My voice had lowered into a deep growl. I could already feel my skin heating up in anticipation of feeling her against me. Thoughts of her ran through my mind constantly, and I simply couldn’t get enough of what she had to offer.
Ava didn’t need to be insecure about anything. Even though I had a tendency to date and sleep with women several inches taller and thinner than her, she was not wanting for anything. She satisfied my every dirty desire and more. The things I wanted to do to her still were just a sexy promise of how things were going to get even better. On a less lustful note, I found her to be much more interesting than any other woman I had bedded either. There were layers to this woman and with every uncovering, I yearned to learn more. Ugh, ignore that. This is just about sex, only sex. Got it?
“Well,” she looked at me from under her eyelids, “it’s the end of the week, and I wanted to get a gift for myself.”
“Don’t you mean me?” I interrupted with a deep gravel to my voice. My eyes strayed to her succulent breasts, but then returned to her deep, wide-set eyes. Whenever I held her like this, I could feel myself getting lost within their depths. They were framed by a beautiful fan of long lashes, and while most people only found beauty in light eyes, I found hers to be breathtaking in their rich, chocolate brown.
Ava giggled in my arms and nodded her head. “Mm, of course I was thinking about you too.” Goosebumps surfaced on the skin of my shoulders and biceps as I felt her small hand reach between us to stroke me.
Damn. This woman has me spinning. To my own horror, my eyes closed and I released a moan of desire at her touch. My hips leaned further into the warmth of her palm, and with every shaky breath that surfaced from between my lips, I could feel my man-card slipping away. It was like this every time I walked past the threshold of her home. My mind was overcome and greedy to get her naked and writhing beneath me. Or on top of me.
I was a big guy, and I liked it rough. But Ava seemed to be able to handle every thrust that I gave her. She seemed to enjoy the way I pulled at her hair, locked her arms within my grasp, and left her basically helpless to my voracious lust. Unlike other women I had been with, she liked my dominant nature and seemed to trust that I would never intentionally hurt her. The infliction of pain was not my fetish, having absolute control of this woman’s pleasure was. Because she is mine.
Looking down at her, taking in the feel of her in my arms, I suddenly realized what had accidentally gone through my mind. Because that’s what it was: an accident. I reminded myself that Ava was not mine; she would never be because I had no desire to place my claim upon her. And it was time I reminded us both of that fact. We had no interest in each other beyond what our bodies could provide the other.
I took hold of her wrists in my hands and gently pushed her away. Ava gave me a questioning look, but I ignored her as I took several steps away as well. I needed some space; I needed to not smell how enticing the perfume and lotion clothing her skin was. Every time I inhaled, it seemed to be taking over my senses completely and reminding me of just how much I wanted to have her. What the hell does she put on her skin? I can feel my mouth watering!
“What’s wrong?” she finally asked.
Her breath hitched as she spoke, and I could see the remnants of her insecurities beginning to take surface again. Ava had no idea how expressive her face and eyes were. Yes, they could shoot daggers. But they also were clear windows into the pain that compelled her to protect herself in such a way. I had seen right through it the moment she blocked my path outside the coffee shop. I had seen it because it reminded me too much of myself.
The harsh words I planned to spew became stuck in my throat once more. To my own surprise, I felt doubt. I dreaded possibly seeing the hurt leap into her eyes. I wanted to be the one to tear down those walls, not fortify them. But that’s not what we are. I need to remember why I’m here. You should be helping me.
“Listen, your friend came to the shop today. And before anything happens here,” I point a finger between the two of us, “I think we need to make things clear.”
Ava visibly swallowed. “Umm...Evie went to the tattoo parlor to see you? Not Axel?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Frankly, who she came to see initially is irrelevant. What’s important is that she warned me away from you as if I’m petitioning to be your boyfriend or some shit.” I paused and made sure our eyes met when I said, “But you know that’s not what’s happening here, right? There’s no reason for any of us to get hurt because feelings like that aren’t involved here. We’re both just satisfying an itch. A sexual one.”
Ava’s eyes formerly hooded and lustful gaze took a drastic one-eighty at my words. I watched humorously but with a tad bit of reservation as she closed the space I had put between us with her hands on her hips.
“Do you get some sort of sick pleasure at throwing this tired-ass speech in women’s faces?” she replied with thinly veiled anger.
“What?” All humor was gone.
She rolled her eyes at me and let out an exasperated sigh. “Every time we have sex, you feel the need to throw in my face that I’m just some sort of object to you. Newsflash, Thor! Not every woman who sleeps with you wants to tie you down and have fucking babies. You ever think that maybe I’m the one who has allowed this to go on because it’s what I want, huh? Did that every cross your misogynistic, fragile masculine mind?”
Oh, wait a fucking minute! Did she just speak to me like that? I should’ve been angry. I should’ve clapped back and defended my manhood, but all that could cross my mind in that moment as she stared down at me breathing heavily and with that same fire in her eyes...was that I wanted her. I wanted her so badly. Even as she spewed bile from those full lips and glared at me with those beautiful, dark brown eyes.
No woman had ever called me out on my bullshit before, and I had never anticipated how much it would turn me on to finally have a woman that did. It made me realize again my growing respect for the tiny woman in front of me. Every moment with her seemed to have its own surprises, and I was constantly on my toes in excitement of what I would discover next.
But as I stood there in appreciation of Ava’s courage and frankness, her exact words finally began to sink in, and I recognized that I had been hurting her. But unlike with others, I actually cared.
“Is that really what it’s felt like for you?” I asked softly.
She seemed to suddenly deflate at my tone; she was obviously surprised that I hadn’t responded with my own insults and slurs. But just as she constantly surprised me, I felt a sudden need to show her that I was so much more than what I had been portraying myself to be. Somehow, I wanted her to like me. To begin to respect me as much as I was beginning to grow to respect her.
“Y-yes...Thor, you make me feel like I’m no more than some slut to fill the time. Sure, we can have just a physical relationship but damn, does that suddenly mean I’m not worth more than the gum at the bottom of your shoe? I’m not a slut that sleeps around with anyone who gives her more than a second of their time. I chose to have sex with you. And I choose to continue sleeping with you. Nothing more.”
Why did the words always sound so much better when I said them? Why did I hate hearing her tell me the very thing I had been yelling at her for? And what is that queasiness in my stomach? Ignoring the strong, visceral response I seemed to have to her declaration, I nodded my head with my assent.
“Then I guess we are on the same page then.”
Silence settled between us as we came to an impasse. Though we both seemed to be in agreement, I somehow felt as if even more was going unsaid. But I had no idea what it was. Things didn’t feel as if they were settled, though they should have been for all intents and purposes. We were in agreement! So why did my gut still feel slightly sickened by what was happening?
It was neither here nor there. What was more important were the thoughts of what I wanted to do to her in that lacy get-up. My eyes slowly ran over the outfit she wore once more; it barely covered the supple lips between her thighs, and my mouth watered at the possibility of tasting her sweetness. Moving in apprehensively, just in case she was still ready to lash out, I took her into my arms. My large hands took a hold of her ass, and my knees weakened at the surprise discovery. The nightie was a thong, leaving her entire backside exposed to the cool air of her apartment. Damn!
“Baby, can we fuck now?” I asked with a playful pout. Manhood be damned.
Unexpectedly, a blush spread across her cheeks, though it wasn’t as visible with her darker skin tone. So cute. There goes that word again!
“Do you promise not to jump out of the bed as if the apartment is on fire when we’re done?”
I paused, not sure how to respond. I wanted to respect her, but I also wanted to make sure we kept the lines clear. And that meant no cuddling, no pretending that this was anything more than what it was.
At my hesitation, Ava rolled her eyes, “I’m not asking you to rock me to sleep, Thor. But don’t leave as if ‘servicing’ you is something you’ve hired me for. I’m not going to expect any more from you than I should. We’re on the same page; we’re in this together. And if one of us starts to catch feelings, let’s promise to call it quits. Got it?”
Though it still took me a bit longer to respond, finally I said, “Deal.” Quickly, I picked her up into my arms so that she could wrap her legs around my waist. With a secure hold still on her bottom, I breathed in the sweet scent emanating from between her breasts and groaned in anticipation. “Now give me this juicy pussy, baby.”
I buried my face into her neck to the sound of her giggles. So cute.
~Ava~
The sound of his stomach growling filled the room, replacing the pants of our breaths as we tried to recover from another bout of sexual exploration. I could already feel the soreness that would be a subtle reminder of this night over the next few days. I had never even heard of most of the positions he had put me in. My lingerie was in scraps on the floor, and though I was a bit miffed about having only been able to wear it once, it had sufficiently done its job. It had made me feel absolutely irresistible, and I thoroughly enjoyed the growls Thor emitted as he tore at the thin fabric to get at my skin.
There were still shivers running through my body in the aftermath as I looked to him and said,
“You know, I still have leftovers in my fridge if you’re that hungry.”
I could immediately sense his hesitation as he returned my gaze. His hair was falling over his forehead in a sweaty mess, and there was a slight flush to his cheeks. As usual, he was lying on his stomach with his face buried in the pillow. I had come to recognize this position as his subtle message of good-sex-but-no-cuddling. Or in our case, great sex.
“Umm...are you any good in the kitchen?” his brow quirked up in thought, having never sampled anything made in mine..
I pretended to take offense by scoffing in exasperation. “I throw down in the kitchen buddy. You’d be so lucky to taste one of my homemade dishes.”
There was a guttural laugh from him that made butterflies in my stomach. It reminded me of how much I loved hearing his deep voice whispering dirty things into my ear as he pulled me close. The memory of his strong hold flashed through my mind and another shudder passed through me. Geez, this man really was a god.
“I think I’ll be the judge of that.” He groaned slightly as he unwrapped his long body from the bed and stood up to his full height. Stretching, the muscles decorating his arms and torso bulged in all his naked glory. With his height, Thor had the body of a swimmer. Long torso, broad shoulders, narrow hips, muscular thighs, and a happy trail that led your eyes all the way down to his…
I looked away before my body could respond to the appendage resting against his thighs. I rolled off the mattress, but I could feel his eyes exploring every surface of my skin so I did my best to appear nonchalant walking around in the nude in front of him. My body could never be compared to that of a goddess, but there was certainly something about it that held his interest. Who am I to protest that?
He waited for me to walk past him so that I could lead the way into the kitchen. But being only a few inches from one another, my body was on full alert. And for good measure. I nearly jumped several feet off the ground when his palm landed directly on my left butt cheek.
“You better make this quick before I get hungry for something else,” he warned, leaning down to whisper directly into my ear. At my noticeable shiver, he laughed good-naturedly.
“You’re insatiable,” I murmured more to myself.
Thor ended up waiting at the counter while I warmed up the shrimp scampi I had made earlier. I felt unusually domesticated having a man wait to be served dinner. It unfortunately brought back some past memories of the last time a man had become such a staple in my life. And even though we were merely fuck buddies, Thor was becoming that too. I was growing accustomed to seeing him in my apartment and more comfortable with having him in my space.
“So, you do this cooking thing often?”
Though his question may have been partially joking, I answered him nonetheless. “Well, it’s cheaper and healthier than eating out. I mean, look at me, do I really need the extra calories?” I inherently laughed at my own joke.
But only silence met me.
“That’s not funny.” Thor’s voice was gruff as he interrupted my self-deprecating humor.
I turned away from the stove to look at him. “Don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud.”
“I’m not! I just refuse to sit by and listen to you insult yourself. It’s uncomfortable for me, and I know damn sure you don’t find it that funny. There’s nothing wrong with your body. I’m not going to sit here and lie to you as if we’re both in some alternate universe. No, you’re not skinny. But that doesn’t mean you’re unattractive either. I like your body just the way it is.”
He approached me, circling around the peninsula that separated us. “And even now, I want you.” Almost as if he was hesitating, Thor slowly brought one arm around my waist and breathed in my scent, a mixture of sweat, sex, him, and the last remnants of my perfume.
“I can even smell myself on you. That shit is so sexy.” He pulled at me until I was pressed firmly against his naked form. “I want you cooking like this for me again. Standing at the stove in absolutely nothing but an apron, and then I can come and bend you over…”
I felt him growing hard against me, but the smell of the shrimp beginning to burn interrupted any opportunity I had to respond.
“Okay, thunder boy. You’ve made your point.” Gently, I pushed at his chest to get some space between the two of us. Albeit a bit reluctantly.
Thor threw me his boyish grin and winked. “Then feed me.”
But when I finally settled the food in front of him, I had never been so nervous for someone’s approval before. I was generally confident in my cooking abilities, but Thor was like me. He would not hesitate to let me know if the food tasted like shit. We were both uncouth and frank people, which may have been why we had disliked each other so much at first. And also why we were so explosive together.
Catching the direction of my thoughts, I tried to stir up conversation in order to distract myself. If I wanted this thing with Thor to last much longer, I couldn’t develop feelings for him. But I also couldn’t stand to see another man running away from any potential future with me as if I was somehow diseased. That would just hurt too much.
“So...umm, why did you open a tattoo parlor?”
Thor looked up from his food and observed me without answering. I didn’t shy away from his gaze, trying to remind him of the deal we had made only hours before.
“It’s a long story,” he stated simply before changing the subject. “But this is actually pretty good, Ava. I’ll definitely have you cook for me again.”
“Hmph…”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
I stood from my seat at the dining table and began to walk to the kitchen. But before I did, I took both his plate and mine, uncaring whether he was done or not. “I don’t know if I will. I may not be in the mood.”
Before I could walk away, he grabbed my wrist. “Fine...I get it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Probably one of the biggest lies that had ever come from my lips. I knew exactly what he was talking about.
“Ava,” he growled, “sit down or I will throw you over my lap and spank you.”
The walls of my pussy clenched at the delicious threat. If he really wanted me to stay, he should’ve thought of a different punishment because I now had a strong urge to disobey him. Thor seemed to realize the same at the heat that rose in my eyes and the subtle escalation of my breath.
“Bring back my food,” he said, seeming to decide to ignore my lustful response. “Opening a tattoo shop was definitely not an easy thing for me, but I have never regretted it.”
Given his willingness to finally answer the question, I set his plate down and returned to my seat. “You know, I don’t even know how old you are. I don’t even know your last name.”
“Thor Emil Jensen at your service. I’m thirty-two years old.”
My eyes widened at the proper pronunciation of his first name. Okay, so I’ve definitely been pronouncing it wrong. “Why have you never corrected me on your name?”
He shrugged. “That’s just the Danish pronunciation. Both my parents were immigrants from Denmark, but I grew up in the U.S. most of my life.”
“So...do you speak it?”
Thor took a forkful of dinner into his mouth and nodded his head. Between chews, he finally replied, “Ja, jeg taler dansk.”
Assuming he was simply replying in affirmation to my question, I continued, “So, you’re a thirty-two year old first-generation American who opened his own tattoo shop and has never been married?”
Thor sighed in frustration, “No, I’ve never been married, and I don’t have any kids. It’s your turn now.”
“Okay, Mr. Grumpy. Ava Lewis. Twenty-eight. No kids. Never married. My parents still live in the neighborhood I grew up; it’s in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. But I ended up staying in Boston after college because I got my first job here in marketing.”
His green gaze studied me after my condensed personal biography. “That explains it.”
“Explains what?”
“You sometimes have an accent when you speak. I found it hard to place at first because of how quickly it would disappear. But, it’s a southern accent. Did you try to get rid of it when you moved up here for school?”
I nodded my head. “I already stuck out. I went to a primarily white institution and there were very few people of color. The few that were there were international students. And so I was marginalized even within the marginal group. It was tough at first, but I eventually got the hang of speaking like a normal American.”
“You shouldn’t have gotten rid of it. Southern accents are considered quite attractive.”
I laughed at that. “On blonde, white women maybe. But it’s already associated with low intelligence and that’s exacerbated by my racial identity. You wouldn’t really understand.” I paused before adding, “No offense.”
Thor shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t take offense. You’re right. There are certain ways that you go about being in the world that are adaptations for survival. And being that I am a cisgender, white, male I am afforded privileges that shield me from being forced to change for anyone else.”
My jaw literally dropped. Thor was woke?
The shock must have been clearly written on my face because he smiled and shook his head.
“I may be a tattoo artist, but I still watch the news and read, Ava. So, is that enough for now? Do I have to tell you my hopes and dreams too?”
I groaned in exasperation. We were having an actual human moment and then he just had to ruin it. “Ugh, fuck you, Thor.”
“Not yet, but you will. Hold your horses and let me finish eating at least. I’m going to need all my energy for what I want to do.”
Despite my better judgment, my curiosity piqued at his promise. Thus far, he had been full of surprises in the bedroom, and I was never disappointed. I couldn’t even imagine what he had in store for us next...Damn, would he hurry up already?