Lace and Paint (True Colors Book 1) by Ally Sky (11)

I stand in front of a large white wooden door, shaking.

He’s probably sleeping.

Knock already!

I knock loudly, twice. If he’s sleeping, he’d better hear them.

I wait. Maybe I should knock again.

The key turns, and the door opens, surprised, green eyes stare at me. I don’t know if I woke him. He’s standing there shirtless, in dark jeans and barefoot, and I can hardly breathe.

God, he looks so good. His chest is smooth and muscular and his shoulders are broad. I swallow hard.

“Talia?” He stares at me confused. “What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”’

“You shouldn’t be here,” he says gravely. We stare at each other and the tension between us is undeniable. It’s electrifying. Intoxicating.

“I’m here. Now let me in.” I can see his chest heaving. He pauses for another moment, perhaps trying to stop me, or himself. Then he reaches out swiftly, pulls me inside. Before I realize what he’s doing, he presses me against the door and I can feel his heart pounding. And then he kisses me.

His tongue explores my mouth and he tastes amazing, just like I remembered. I drop my bag, wrap my arms around his neck, and kiss him back, biting his lip and inhaling the divine scent of clean skin and his familiar, heady aftershave. His hands graze down my back and slide beneath my ass, lifting me. I wrap my legs tight and he holds me close, carrying me into the bedroom and laying me down on the soft bed. I lift my arms as he pulls off my shirt, His eyes widen in surprise when he sees I’m not wearing a bra. My breasts are perky, small, and firm. He rests on top of me, still wearing his dark jeans, the bulge in his pants rubbing against my pelvis, his green eyes stare into mine. He kisses me again as his hand finds my breast and he takes it in his palm, caressing it and smiling when I moan softly

He kisses my protruding collarbone, his tongue slowly sliding to my navel while his hand wanders down to the line of my pants. The warm feeling between my legs intensifies. I want him. I want him so bad.

I kick off my flats and wiggle free of my pants and panties as he helps pull them down. When I’m naked, with my heart pounding, I lie back on the bed and sink into the soft mattress. The only light in the room is the night lamp by the bed, illuminating us softly. His mouth goes even lower until I can feel his breath on my pubic hair.

My heart cringes in fright. “No.” My hands reach out and lift his head.

“No?” He turns, confused. I shake my head, not wanting his tongue down there.

He lifts himself and I reach out and open the top button of his jeans. He takes off his pants and boxers and his erection springs out, large and aroused, and I just want him inside me.

He lies on top of me again and kisses me, his breathing quickening, his heart beating fast against my chest. His hands reach for my curls and he pulls my hair slightly. He lifts my head a bit, kissing my chin, my ears, sucking slowly on my earlobes, his warm, moist breath driving me insane.

“Talia…” he groans. “What are you doing to me?”

What am I doing to him? What is he doing to me? I want him more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life, more than I ever thought it possible to want someone. My hands dig into his back and I spread my legs wide, ready for him. He takes his hand from my hair and slides it between my thighs, his fingers stroke my inner thigh gently and slowly, inching up. He stares at me intently and, without any warning, he pushes a finger inside me.

I moan loudly and my legs stretch out to the edge of the bed.

“You drive me crazy…” he murmurs. His finger slides out slowly and I groan in protest. He slams it in again forcefully and I let out a moan of pleasure, wet and waiting.

He takes out his finger and looks at me with bright eyes. He leans on his hand so I won’t feel the full brunt of his weight and stretches his free arm toward the chest of drawers. I see a tiny tattoo, a name, on his muscular arm, but I can’t see what’s written there. He takes out a box of condoms. “We need to be careful,” he whispers as he takes one out.

“Yeah,” I whisper back, “not that I can get pregnant.”

Fuck. My damn filters fail me again. Why did I have to say that?

He stops and looks at me, baffled. Way to ruin the mood with that sentence.

“What does that mean?” The way he looks at me causes me to cringe with embarrassment.

“I don’t get my period,” I stammer.

“Talia.” He sounds concerned, freaked out. What happened to ‘you drive me crazy’?

“You don’t have to put it on if you don’t want to,” I whisper and glance at the condom in his hand.

“It’s not only so that I don’t get you pregnant, you know.”

“I’ve been a good girl. I haven’t been foolish. Can you say the same about yourself?” I look at him and watch his reaction.

“Do you want to see my blood tests?” he replies teasingly, and I feel totally relieved.

“No, I think I believe you. Now shut up and kiss me.” I pull his head toward my mouth as he throws the condom on the floor and puts his lips on mine once again. He tastes so good. I spread my legs wide open and feel how every nerve in my body yearns for him.

He raises his head and looks at me again, his eyes smolder with passion.

And then he enters me and fills me up, inch by inch.

I moan loudly. This is all I want.

I wrap my legs around him and press my pelvis to him, letting him penetrate me slowly. I can hear his accelerated breathing. He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he slowly pulls out.

And then he thrusts into me. God.

I squirm beneath him, the sounds I make spur him on as he slams into me again and again. I moan loudly. He dictates the rhythm, thrusting in and pulling out. He quickens the pace and I raise my pelvis to meet him each time, in anticipation. He’s merciless. My heart pounds, and I can’t control the sounds falling from my mouth. My nails sink into his exposed back and his mouth is next to my ear, panting heavily.

God, I’m lost…

He continues, in and out, the feeling of him is addictive. He throws his head back, closes his eyes, and then thrusts in one last time and climaxes loudly, holding himself inside of me. He falls onto me exhausted, leaning on his arms.

I wrap my arms around him, my fingers floating over his back. His breathing calms down slowly, becomes quiet and weak. I let out a tiny sigh, as he pulls himself out and lies on his back next to me, his eyes closed.

I turn onto my side and cover myself with a blanket. I stare quietly at his chest going up and down. His eyes open slowly, and he turns his head to me and smiles.

“Now it’s your turn,” he whispers, and I open my eyes in surprise.

“My turn?” I don’t understand what he’s talking about.

“Your turn.” His eyes are shining. “I want to watch you come.”

Oh no. He’d better not start with his nonsense now.

I laugh self-consciously and blush. “That’s not going to happen.”

“What do you mean?” My response baffles him.

“I don’t…” I mumble and blush once more, thankful for the dim light.

“You don’t what? Come?” The disbelief in his voice is evident. That’s probably not what he expected to discover about the seductive femme fatale who’s been chasing him for the past few days.

“I come,” I answer coyly. “Just not in company.”

“You’ll come with me.” He’s dead serious.

What the hell?

“You’re sweet. But I’m not coming in front of you.” My heart is racing with fright.

“What happened?” He won’t give up. “Are you afraid to let go? To lose some control?”

“I can’t.” I shake my head.

“Of course you can,” he whispers, his low voice sending vibrations between my legs. Again. He strokes my cheek softly with his long fingers. “In my bed you’re safe and protected, and you will come.”

What am I supposed to do now? I look at him, terrified.

He sits up in bed abruptly.

“Come on.” He signals with his head.

“Where to?”

“The shower.” He gives me his hand. “I’ll deal with you there.”

He’ll deal with me there? What’s his plan?

I give him my trembling hand and allow him lead me to his en-suite. It’s spacious and airy. I stand behind him while he turns on the water. I stroke his solid back, then his muscular shoulders. Ben stretches an arm behind him without turning to look at me and pulls me in front of him.

“How’s the water?” he asks, and I put my hand under it.

“Perfect,” I reply. He presses himself against me from behind and gently pushes me under the water. I close my eyes and lean my head back onto his chest.

“Now, where were we?” he asks softly, and my heart almost bursts out of my chest.

He pulls the showerhead off the wall, presses a button, and the water changes direction, spurting out of the handheld showerhead in his hand.

“Close your eyes,” he whispers in my ear.

What does he think he’s doing? I’m petrified, but I do as he says. Right now, I’ll do anything he asks. “Lift your hands around my neck.”

I do that. My body stretches up and my breasts stick out.

I stand taut, leaning back against his chest as he lets the warm water flow over my breasts. It feels wonderful. He lowers the showerhead and the water caresses my stomach. A slight chill goes through me.

The water strokes my thighs, climbing up.

He lets the showerhead find my clit.

Fuck! I stand on tiptoe, breathless and still under his skilled hands.

My eyes are closed. Amazing sensations tear through my body. This isn’t happening…

Then I feel his confident fingers on my clit. Massaging in circles. Faster. Faster. And that’s all I need—I can’t help myself. I fall apart between his seductive fingers and come loudly, reaching a heavenly orgasm. Oh God!

He catches me and holds me close to his chest, panting and sated. With one hand, he presses the shower button again and the water flows over us once more. He kisses my neck. I can feel his erection behind me, large and hungry.

I want more. More of him. I press my ass to him and spread my legs. He takes my hands and places them on the wall in front of us. My fingers spread out on the cold white tiles. I lean forward, his hands grab my waist, and he slams into me. I’m tense and wet, and I want him so badly. I groan loudly and he pulls out then plunges in again. His breathing gets ragged and he pumps into me, setting an intoxicating pace. I arch my back.

“Yeah…” He slams into me one more time and comes inside me. As he turns off the water and wraps a towel around me, he doesn’t say a word, and neither do I. I just follow him silently into the bedroom.

We lie down on the bed without a word, just looking into each other’s eyes.

Ben’s fingers stroke my bottom lip, caressing it, as I look at the amazing man lying next to me, and smile. My heart is filled with so much joy I can’t contain it.

“Are you angry?” I whisper, feeling afraid.

“Angry?” He frowns slightly, but his voice stays calm. He must be tired.

“Yes. That I came over.” I lie on my side without moving, waiting anxiously for his answer. He must be able to sense my fear.

“I’m not angry, just surprised,” he answers me gently.

“A good surprise, I hope.” A naughty smile appears on my face.

“Talia…” he whispers, and my heart goes wild inside my chest. “This doesn’t change a thing.”

I deflate with disappointment.

“I know. I never thought differently.” But maybe I was hoping, just a little.

“You say that, but I’m not so sure I believe you.”

“Believe me. I know you don’t want to be my boyfriend or whatever.” I try not to sound frustrated. Right now I’m in his bed and I’m not going to ruin it.

“You can’t stay,” he looks at me, concerned. I don’t know if I expected him to let me stay. He doesn’t want anyone finding out about us.

“I know.” I can’t hide the disappointment in my voice. “Do you want me to leave now?”

“Soon, you need to get some sleep.”

I stroke his cheek. I just want to touch him for a little while longer before I have to disappear from his soft bed.

“Why don’t you get your period?” he questions me, and I look at him, frightened at how he’ll react if I tell him.

“Probably because I don’t eat enough,” I whisper softly, trying to gauge his reaction. But he just continues looking at me with troubled eyes.

“Has it been going on for a long time?”

“Three months.”

He closes his eyes and sighs. His reactions confuse me. He cares about things he’s not really supposed to, that no one has ever cared about before.

“Talia, you’re ruining your body. You have to get help. One day you’ll want children and then…” He goes quiet. Children? Who’s thinking about children? I don’t even know what to answer him.

“You have to eat more. You really are very thin.” His voice is soft but stern and my stomach churns.

“Don’t you like me being thin?” I ask fearfully. He looks at me disapprovingly.

“What difference does it make what I think? You need to do what’s good for you, and not care what some random guy thinks.”

Is that what he thinks he is? Just some random guy? He’s the guy I want, and it matters a lot what he thinks about me.

“I like being thin,” I whisper my terrible confession. “That’s a big part of the problem.”

And I want him to love me.

“You really need help.” He strokes my hair and I close my eyes. “And now you need to go,” he sighs, and I think I detect a slight note of disappointment in his voice. But it doesn’t matter anymore. My time is up.

I open my eyes and see him staring at me, his expression unfathomable. I sit up and he strokes my back. He sits behind me, kisses my neck, pulls my hair aside, and breathes in deeply.

“If you carry on like this I won’t be able to leave.” My voice shakes and the choking in my throat intensifies. Why is he making me leave? Why is he inhaling me and then telling me to leave?

He lies down on his side, staring at me in silence as I get up and start getting dressed. A terrible emptiness fills me. I should be happy and fulfilled. Several moments ago I was in his arms and he was inside me. But I have to go. He doesn’t want me to stay. He doesn’t want to go to sleep and wake up by my side.

I get dressed. Then, I look at the man lying on his bed, staring at me.

“Good night,” I mumble in frustration.

“Good night, beautiful,” he replies, bright-eyed.

I leave his room and head toward the front door, wondering if he’ll ever let me come back to him.