CHAPTER NINETEEN

Emma

One moment I was sound asleep. The next, suddenly, I was abruptly awakened by something wet and warm in my face. I opened my eyes in time to see my next assault by the giant dog tongue of an exuberant mastiff.

“God, Rufus. Bloody stop. So gross.” I wiped my hands over my face, groaning at the slimy kiss he’d given me but smiling anyway because of his dopey face and excitability. It was morning, and Rufus clearly needed out.

Trevor’s laughter filled the room as he quickly got out of bed. “Come on, big guy. I’ll let you out. Sorry, Em. He doesn’t have very good manners when it comes to bed guests.”

I frowned at the reference that I wasn’t the only one he’d done this with.

As if Trevor had read my mind, he paused while slipping on athletic pants and a T-shirt in order to lean over and plant a kiss on my cheek. “I meant he hasn’t dealt with anyone staying over in my bed before.”

Oh. I watched him whisk Rufus outside before realizing it was indeed morning. Shit. How had this happened a second time? I hadn’t meant to spend the night, but then we’d gotten busy, and I’d lost all cognitive ability. The man had stamina in spades. But I’d broken my rules with him by staying the night.

I searched quickly for my clothing and was almost fully dressed when he walked back in through the door.

“It’s only five am,” he offered up.

I finished slipping on my shoes and glanced up to see him leaning against the wall of the bedroom watching me. “I need to, um, shower and get to the gym and stuff.” It was lame, but I was starting to panic.

“Okay. Sorry for the rude awakening. I would’ve preferred a better way of starting the morning.”

My heart started to beat faster at the thought. He’d made me insatiable. Giving Rufus a pat, I scooted past the both of them but then stopped with a thought. “Today at the office, it won’t be weird, right?”

“I don’t see why it would be.”

I swallowed hard. The multitude of times he’d made me come over the last two days constituted plenty of reasons it could be, but I decided to hope for the best.

***

The gym didn’t happen. Probably because I’d already received a hell of a workout, leaving me sore in places the gym’s body pump class didn’t target. Plus, I’d only gotten a couple hours of sleep. Not that I was complaining.

Not for the first time, I wondered if Trevor was always this alpha in the bedroom or if he was accommodating what he thought I needed. Considering how natural it had felt to be with him, I assumed the first. Just went to show never to judge a book by its cover.

What had thrown me the most was how much I’d been turned on by his actions. Beautiful, honey, sugar. How had he managed to make flowery words conjure up dirty highlight reels? Surprisingly, his compliments had turned me on in a way with which I wasn’t familiar.

Yes, I had issues. I’m sure a therapist would have a field day examining why I enjoyed one-night stands who wanted it quick and dirty and who typically degraded me with names like slut or whore. Self-deprecation at its finest. The whole thing propelled me into an emotional tailspin that could last for weeks.

Over the years, I’d never let on anything about this to Simon or anyone else. My preferences were probably why I could only manage a couple sexual encounters a year. Wanting the high, but knowing the low was right behind it. The main thing was it kept me safe from relationship land. There were no expectations I might become attached, or get set up for the rejection which would inevitably come if I had. I’d fallen into this pattern because it reemphasized my misgivings about relationships. If I could feel that horrible after one night, then why the hell would I want more?

But with Trevor, it had been different. He’d been able to get me off physically without having to resort to those types of things. Nor had he pushed me away in horror when I’d confided my dirty secret to him about desiring them. Instead, he’d turned my debasing demands on their head and left me wanting more of his way.

This meant I was in unfamiliar territory. It left me both unsettled and unexpectedly high. Remarkably, that high wasn’t abating. It was the strangest thing. Of course, I had reservations, considering he was someone I worked with, but I experienced no self-loathing or any hit to my self-esteem regarding what had happened with him.

Luckily, Simon was in his office on a call when the object of my thoughts walked through the main office doors. God, he looked good in his suit. Initially, I might have thought he was not my type, but now that I had intimate knowledge of the body beneath that suit, I was hard pressed to continue thinking that.

“Good morning, Emma.”

My heart pounded in my chest merely from the sound of his voice saying my name. “Good morning.”

“How was your night? Any jet lag?”

I had to keep myself from smiling. Anyone overhearing would think it was a simple conversation, but I could see the twinkle in his eye. “My evening was good. And jet lag isn’t the reason I’m tired.”

Jesus. I would’ve pounced all over him for an innuendo like that in the office, but then I went and made one myself. What in the hell was happening to me? I wasn’t this girl who mixed business and pleasure.

He lifted a brow, about to respond, when Simon came out from his office.

“Hello, Trevor.”

“Good morning.”

“Ready to start the pre-work on your very first possible acquisition?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

I watched as both men walked into the conference room, trying in vain not to stare at Trevor’s ass.

***

I went to the gym after work. A workout was not only a mechanism for keeping my ass in shape, but it also allowed me to stow my inner bitch. The one that tended to creep out when I was feeling unsettled. After exhausting myself with a spin class, I drove home. I was unable to prevent myself from searching for Trevor’s truck in the lot. When I saw it parked in his spot, I was a mixture of excited he was home and annoyed at myself for being so damn—well, excited.

I halfway expected he might come out to greet me, but no such luck. Since when had I become so used to his ‘random walks of Rufus’? And why was it annoying me that he was no longer trying to accidentally run into me? Had he finished the chase? Gotten his prize, and now needn’t bother to put in the effort? Even recognizing I was being irrational didn’t stop me from feeling in a huff about it.

I’d been the one to say I didn’t do relationships, and now I was getting exactly what I’d said I’d wanted. So why was it making me feel so empty?

Fuck. This is exactly why I avoided this type of thing, where the next day I had to see the person I’d slept with. Despite telling him and myself I wouldn’t get attached, I was already missing his stupid face.

The knock on my door after I’d been home ten minutes had me taking a deep breath. The last thing I wanted was for him to see I was upset. Especially since I wouldn’t be able to give him a comfortable explanation.

“Hey,” I greeted, only to have any other words die on my lips. Because there he was, handsome smile, bottle of champagne, and two glasses in hand.

“Hey, yourself. I came by earlier, but you weren’t home.”

“Oh. I was at the gym.”

“Can I come in?”

I’d been standing there dumbfounded. “Yes. Sorry. Um, I take it with the champagne, we’re celebrating something?”

He grinned, landing a kiss on my lips as if he’d done it a thousand times. “You bet. We’re about to embark on my first deal, and I got a kudos today from Simon that I was ready. Which, if I’m being honest, is both exciting and daunting.”

Wait. So what part was worth celebrating? I wasn’t trying to be a bitch, but normally I reserved a celebration for the end goal, not the beginning. He must’ve read my thoughts on my face.

“My mother always used to say to celebrate the small things within the journey because endings are over too quickly.”

It was the first time I’d seen him show any insecurity whatsoever. And far be it from me to rain on his parade. Besides, he’d said the adage so sweetly, and now I remembered he’d said something about having lost his mother. “I’d say that’s good advice. So congratulations. Is it Houston we’re traveling to?”

He went to my kitchen to set the glasses down on my counter and pour. “Yes. Sorry it doesn’t get you out of the Lone Star State.”

“It’s okay.” Suddenly I wasn’t quite so anxious to leave the state of Texas, which was weird.

He handed me the glass of bubbly and held out his own.

“To my first acquisition. May I not have to lay anyone off.”

I clinked my glass to his and realized his toast was revealing. “You going to be okay if you have to?”

“I have to be as it’s an unfortunate part of the job. I realize it may make me sound twelve to say this, but I have something to prove to my father. Big shoes and all that.”

“I’m sure it’s natural.” Not that I would know. I don’t think anyone had ever been proud of me. While growing up, I hadn’t had any expectations of myself other than finding my next meal and getting the hell out of the foster care system. I literally shook the thought from my head, not wanting to feel selfish. This was his journey, not mine. “You should be proud. You’ve caught on quickly.”

I went over and put my arms around him, enjoying the look of surprise on his face as I did so. Yeah, clearly I could be sweet, and this felt—well, it felt nice. Especially when he simply held me there. No copping a feel, nothing sexual, just pure comfort without agenda.

“Did you eat?”

He stepped back, cupping my chin. “Not yet. How about I take you out for a proper celebration.”

“Like a date?”

Instead of picking up on my panicked words, he shrugged. “Call it whatever you want. It’s two people eating dinner together and having a cocktail or two while conversating outside of the bedroom.”

Right. I could do that. “Sure. Let me get cleaned up.”

***

We were seated at a table for two across from one another at a local Italian place. I’d never been there, but he’d found it well rated on his phone, and we decided to try it. He was dressed in jeans and a collared shirt while I’d chosen a simple black dress and heels.

This felt like a date. We looked like a couple. And it made me want to puke.

“You okay?” he asked, appearing concerned over the top of his menu.

“I don’t know.” I was being honest even at the risk of offending him.

He arched a brow and set his menu to the side. If he took my hands across the table, I would probably bolt. Luckily, he simply smirked. “Is this too weird for you?”

I sighed. “A little out of my element. Yes.”

He leaned closer, forcing me to do so as well in order to catch his whispered words. “Would it help if I told you to go to the ladies’ room and take off your panties? I want to picture you sitting there bare across from me, getting wet at the thought of me sliding deep into your pussy after we’re done with dinner.”

His words took me aback, but yes, yes it did help. I could already feel my pulse start to quicken and was completely distracted from anything but the anticipation of later. “I’ll be right back.”

I excused myself to the loo where I made quick work out of stripping off my thong and putting it into my purse. Good grief, I was already wet for him. I was tempted to give myself a release, but the thought of waiting through dinner held more appeal.

We made small talk throughout the meal, which turned out to be rather easy because Trevor was a funny guy. I found myself relaxing, too, after a couple of glasses of wine. Maybe the key was going commando, which served as a reminder this was all about sex. It might feel like a date, but at the end of it I’d be back on solid ground and staying in the ‘physical only’ box.

As soon as I was seated in his truck—to which he opened my door like a gentleman—the vibe changed. I was pleasantly surprised when, after climbing into the driver’s seat, he immediately took charge.

“Spread your legs,” he commanded starting up the big truck and glancing over.

I did as he asked, not waiting for his next instruction but reaching under my dress to touch myself.

“Did I say you could touch yourself? Show me first.”

There was something deliciously on edge in his voice. Not for the first time, I enjoyed it when Trevor went alpha.

I flipped up my dress as he was backing out of the space. We were a couple miles away from the flat.

“Touch yourself now. Let me hear how wet you are.”

I moved my fingers down, tracing my piercing and then going deeper, spreading the wetness I found gathered there back up to my piercing. I didn’t masturbate often, but when I did, it was normally with my vibrator and not my own hand. But his active participation made the activity innately sensual.

“Give me your finger. Let me taste you.”

I held it out, feeling my entire body come alive when his tongue swirled the tip, and then his lips sucked it clean from bottom to top. “Fuck. You taste good.”

I don’t remember the ride home, between playing with myself and giving him forbidden tastes, but as soon as the truck turned off, he was on me. Frantic lips met mine in a kiss so carnal it could almost make me climax from it alone.

“Jesus, Em. Let’s get upstairs before we give everyone a show.”

I don’t think I would’ve minded. Not that I was an exhibitionist, but damn, the man made me forget anything but him. He took my hand, leading me onto the sidewalk where I had a hard time keeping up in my heels.

Deciding not to let my shoes slow us down, he scooped me up caveman style over his shoulder, not breaking stride as he took the steps like a man on a mission.

“Shit,” he cursed, fishing for his key.

“What is it?”

“I need to let Rufus out. Here’s where living three flights up in temporary housing instead of having a fenced yard kind of sucks.”

Despite the pause, I admired the way he loved Rufus enough to put the dog’s needs above his own. “It’s okay. You need to take care of him. How about I wait in my bedroom for you?”

He set me down by way of sliding me down his entire body and gripping my ass for good measure. Giving me one last kiss, he regretfully pulled away. “Give me five minutes.”

As soon as I was in my apartment, I toed off my shoes. The dress came next while I got an idea of something to surprise him. I quickly shed my bra and put on a G-string that was a deep blood red. Lastly, I put fresh lipstick on to match. Hearing my door open and close, I went to greet him. He was only steps inside the door when he stopped. His eyes feasted on me.

“You’re gorgeous. Come here, sugar. Drop on those knees and take me deep between those fucking sexy lips of yours.”

Leave it to him to make his command sound both incredibly hot, yet still polite. I stepped in front of him, sank down, and reached for his belt. As soon as I had him unbuckled and lying heavy on my palm, I took my time to run my tongue up and down his length.

“Fuuuuuck,” he hissed.

Peering up at him, I took him slowly between my lips, sinking down to the root until he hit the back of my throat. Forcing myself to breathe through my nose, I repeated the motion over and over.

Deepthroating a man always took him off guard, giving me great satisfaction. But with Trevor, it was so much more. The way he looked at me with such unfiltered lust made me want to please him. I continued my bobbing, gripping his ass in order to set a rhythm. His hand lay gently on top of my head as if he was afraid to really thrust into my mouth.

Most guys were takers. Not Trevor. He was a giver, and right now he wasn’t sure how much I wanted him to take for a change. Fisting his cock from root to tip, I leaned back. “Grip my hair and fuck my mouth, Trev.”

“Christ,” he gasped, immediately taking hold of my hair and thrusting.

Yes. This is what I’d desired. Him not holding back. After the first bit of hesitancy, he set his pace, pushing down my throat, no longer hesitant in taking what I was offering. Finally, with one last push, he emptied himself in my mouth. I swallowed him down, greedy for the taste and the roar filling the room with his release.

Suddenly, I was pulled up, and his lips seized mine. Now it was my turn to be shocked. Most men didn’t kiss after, but he didn’t appear to mind. “Get on your knees on the bed with your hands gripping the head board, honey.”

Once again, he had me turned on with the authoritative side. I took my position, hearing him undress while I did so. But instead of coming up behind me, his face slid through the opening between my knees. “Ride my face, gorgeous.”

“Oh, God,” I panted, once his mouth took hold and his hands gripped my hips to grind me down onto his face. He’d moved my thong to the side, allowing him absolute access to my clit. And the man didn’t just eat, he fucking devoured me.

I exploded, but was quickly brought back up to the pinnacle of falling right over the edge again. “No more,” I pleaded, too sensitive, too raw.

As soon as he was clear from the suffocation zone, I collapsed, but I could feel my thong being dragged down the back of my legs. His hands caressed over my back, my ass, and then down my legs.

Bliss. This was bliss. But he wasn’t done. Instead, I could hear the sound of a condom foil, and I felt his fingers. Then, suddenly, he was filling me from behind, pulling up my hips and sticking a pillow under my pelvis to deepen the angle.

“Harder,” I moaned into the pillow, feeling my body start to shake from the build-up, loving the sound of the slapping of skin which permeated the room along with his breaths. I was close. But then he was pulling out. “Nooo, don’t stop.”

He dipped his fingers into my pussy and then trailed them up to my ass to circle the tight little bud.

“I won’t, honey.”

I gasped when his finger penetrated, using the lube from my climax to ease the entry.

Then he was in both places, working me in a rhythm which had me about to lose my mind. I came with such a ferocity I swore my legs went numb while my brain went blank. I heard him growl out his own climax and barely noticed his body weight collapsing on mine. Next, I felt him leave the bed, to go take care of things with the condom, I presumed.

I was immovably stuck in the same place when I felt the dip in the bed and his strong arms come around me from the back. “You all right?”

“Uh-huh.”

He chuckled. “You okay with me staying a bit?”

“Uh-huh.” I snuggled back into him, enjoying the intimacy far too much to overanalyze it. It was official: I’d been fucked senseless.