Chapter Twenty-Four
Gretchen
Dinner was delicious, and I couldn't help feeling happy after watching Christian unwrap the watch that I had so carefully picked out for him. It had a wooden face on it rather than the sleek metal designs that most real estate agents probably preferred, but I thought it was the perfect mesh of professional and personal. The Christian who I was lucky enough to see there in Hawaii was one I wasn't sure anyone else had ever gotten to see before.
We were hardly inside my front door before Christian had pushed me back against the wall, narrowly missing knocking us into the table as we went.
I giggled a little, but the giggle died in my throat as he pinned my arms up above my head, kissing me soundly. I couldn't help the soft whimper that fell from my lips as he crowded me against the wall, pressing his muscular form tightly against my own fleshy curves.
“We're not going to make it to the bedroom,” Christian said into my ear, his breath hot against the shell of it. He grazed his teeth along the lobe, making me gasp and grind down against the leg that he had, at some point, slotted in between mine. I couldn't help nodding in agreement, though. Going all the way upstairs, in this state, seemed impossible. I'd wanted him since he'd put this necklace on me since he'd stroked his hands lightly across my tender flesh and made me need contact with him. Made me crave more. And that naughty way that he'd told me, so confidently, right then and there, that he was going to come over that night.
The thing about it was, each time I slept with Christian, things felt just as incredible as the first time.
His palm came up underneath my dress, stroking smoothly across the heated skin there, making me shudder with desire. He cupped my breast, thumbing at my nipple through the thin, lacy fabric of my bralette.
“Come on,” I urged. He wasn't even really teasing me all that much, but I just felt so impatient, so needy, so…
So breathless, as he yanked off my panties and then undid his shorts, letting them and his boxers fall to the ground. His cock was already straining toward me, but I only caught a glimpse of it before he lifted me up, quickly sheathing himself in my warm, wet hole.
I gasped, clinging to him, curling my legs around him. There was something undeniably sexy about this impatience, about the fact that we were both still mostly clothed, having sex there in my front hall like horny teenagers.
I moaned as Christian maneuvered my hips, thrusting deeper inside of me.
Christian kissed my neck, right next to the shell pendant that he had bought for me, which was so perfect in ways that I couldn't even describe. He didn't know about all the times that I had combed the beach as a kid, looking for shells with holes in them that I could wear as necklaces. He didn't know about that one time when I'd been five years old, that I'd told my kindergarten teacher that clams were my favorite animal because of their pretty shells.
I ran my fingers through his hair, no doubt making it stick up at odd angles, but neither of us was concerned with that at the moment. Instead, Christian's head dropped back a little, pressing into my fingertips in a clear request for more. I grinned until he started kissing me again, his lips hot against mine. But I had to turn away from the kiss as he thrust even more vigorously up into me, leaving me almost breathless.
He rested his forehead against my temple, his fingers slipping against the skin of my hips but not enough to hinder his movements.
I gasped, caught unawares as a sudden thrust hit just the right spot inside of me to have my nerves singing. My fingers scrabbled for purchase against his shoulders, and I was glad for the ways that he was supporting me or else I probably would have collapsed.
With my walls pressing tight around his straining cock, he came with a muffled cry. His hands slipped over my hips, but he kept me there, pressed against the wall, the cloying scent of his cologne surrounding me. He pressed a kiss against my collarbone and slowly lowered me to the floor.
I suddenly became aware of the fact that we'd had sex right there in the hall, and I couldn't help blushing brightly, much to Christian's amusement. “You can't tell me you've never done that one before,” he said, sounding almost incredulous.
I ducked my head, clearing my throat awkwardly. “I guess it's just never felt so urgent before,” I admitted, feeling almost foolish.
“Oh darling,” Christian said, kissing my forehead gently. He glanced down at his shorts and boxers and then deliberately kicked them off his feet, bending down to scoop them up even as he also stripped off his shirt. Soon, he stood there naked in front of me, a challenging look on his face. “Let's go to bed,” he suggested, holding out a hand to me.
I swallowed hard and grinned shakily at him, already imagining what round two might be like. I let him lead me upstairs.
A little while later, we were both there naked in my bed, cuddled together. Christian traced aimless patterns against my arm with his fingertips. “This has been the best month of my life,” he said quietly.
“Oh, yeah?” I asked. I could tell that he was more relaxed now than he had been when he had first showed up in my massage parlor, and we all knew what a good bout of relaxing could do to a person.
“I've enjoyed your company,” Christian said honestly. “This is the first time that I can recall that-” He broke off and cleared his throat, sounding almost awkward.
“That what?” I pressed, sensing that it was something important.
But Christian shook his head. “This is the first time that a vacation has been about more than just sex with random strangers,” he told me. “It's been nice. I didn't expect things to end up like this.”
“I didn't either,” I admitted softly. I wasn't sure what I was admitting to, either; it was twofold. On the one hand, I could never have expected that this billionaire would open up to me the way that he had. On the other hand, I could never have expected that in such a short amount of time, just under a month, at this point, I'd develop such deep feelings for him. It was getting to the point where I could imagine him staying there in Hawaii, being part of my life for a long time.
And that was the scary part.
“Thank you for showing me your Hawaii,” Christian said. “With the waterfalls and the luaus and the scooter tours and everything else that we've done, I feel special.”
“You are special,” I couldn't keep myself from admitting. Then, I clapped my hand over my mouth, feeling embarrassed. I started to roll away from him, but Christian caught me around the shoulders and drew me back into his side.
“You are too,” he murmured, reaching forward to press a soft kiss against my skin.
I blushed, and he smiled, swirling his fingers once more across my skin. “So, what's your plan for tomorrow?” I asked. “You must have some family who you need to contact or something, right?”
Christian sighed and shook his head. “Nah,” he said, nonchalantly, as though there were no feelings about it either way. “Christmas hasn't been a big thing to me in a while. Usually, I just work my way through a bottle of good wine and maybe a couple of movies, things that I don't have time to do at other times of the year. And normally, if I get lonely-” He cut himself off, and I raised an eyebrow at him, guessing what he'd been about to say.
“Normally, you'd call up some whore.” I sighed.
Christian looked embarrassed, but he nodded. “Yeah,” he admitted.
“Might have guessed that,” I said. I nudged him a little, trying to get him to relax. “If you need some company, I should be free once I've talked to my parents for an hour or so.”
Christian let out a slow breath. “That would be nice,” he said. There was feeling in his voice that belied the casual words, and I suddenly got to wondering at how lonely his life in New York must be. No wonder he was constantly trying to fill that void with a string of commitment-less attachments.
“I make the best Christmas dinner,” I informed him, winking at him.
“Oh, really?” Christian asked, a sly note back in his voice, and I was glad to get him out of whatever introspective funk he'd fallen into and back into something that sounded more like himself.
“Yeah,” I told him. “Hawaiian pizza. Can't beat it.” Christian looked for a moment like he wasn't sure if he should believe me or not. Then, he burst out laughing. “And then, I curl up on the couch and watch all the Christmas specials that I can find,” I continued. “Best way to go.”
“Maybe I'll have to join you,” Christian said, grinning fondly down at me.
“Maybe you will,” I said.
He dropped off to sleep not long after that, and after a long moment of listening to him breathing, I hesitantly moved over so my head was resting on his chest. I lay there stiffly, not even daring to breathe for a moment until I heard his breaths even out even further. Then, I finally allowed myself to relax and breathe normally.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do once he went back to New York. Despite Mina's words, I knew he would end up going back to New York, and sooner rather than later. I traced my fingers over his chest, sighing softly. The last thing I wanted to do was let him go, but I knew I didn't have any say in the matter.
It wasn't as though I could tell him to stay there, just for me. And it wasn't as though he was going to invite me back to Hawaii to stay with him. He had his world there, one that I could never hope to fit into. I would never stack up against those blonde, busty women who he was accustomed to taking home.
I shouldn't have been thinking along those lines. I should just be enjoying what I had. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, and then I finally allowed myself to drift off to sleep next to him.