Chapter 9
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Sydney let the waves of pleasure wash over her as Marco’s magic fingers moved inside her, extending her orgasm. She felt so free with him, so uninhibited. She wasn’t worried about what faces she was making, or if the angle of her leg was causing belly rolls.
None of that mattered with Marco. When he looked at her with awe shining in his eyes, she felt like a goddess. And when he touched her, she felt like a superhero. Like she was Wonder Woman.
She began to wonder if it would always be this way with him but stopped herself from heading down that route.
No. Not going there. Not going to ruin a beautiful evening by overanalyzing it and wishing for more. She would appreciate it and live in the moment and let the stunning beauty of this night turn into a precious memory that she would carry with her forever.
Tonight, for once, she wasn’t going to get lost inside her head.
When her body finally stopped spasming with the utter delight and release of orgasm, Marco did exactly what he’d said he wanted to do and kissed every inch of her body. His lips were warm and gentle, but firm and demanding at the same time. Every time they made contact with her skin, they sent new and more subtle tremors racing outward from the point where they had touched her.
This felt distinctly different from anything she’d ever experienced. It sent such a confusing mix of feelings racing through her.
Lust.
Adoration.
Nostalgia.
Hunger.
And that barely scratched the surface of the endless depths of what she felt for him.
When he’d made his way up to her neck, he hovered over her and she wound her fingers into his soft, dark hair and pulled his head up until it was even with hers. She had to kiss him—she couldn’t wait one more moment.
As soon as he was within reach, she lifted her head to press her lips against his. Her tongue shot into his mouth and she kissed him with desperation that lit her entire body on fire.
Her hands roamed across the sculpted planes of his shoulders, through his hair, down his chiseled back. Every single place she touched was a hard ridge of muscle, rippling underneath the skin like a caged wild animal. There was a heat coming off of him in waves, a primitive energy that left her feeling like, in different circumstances, he might not have been so civilized—and that sent a rush of electricity straight to her core.
She had to feel him, take him in her hands. She had to hold onto his manhood, feel it pulse in her grasp, grow under her attention.
She reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his thick member, feeling its heft and letting the wonder of it flow through her from head to toe. It felt right in her grasp like her hand had been made just for this. Like his dick had been made from a perfect mold created to the exact specifications of her fingers and palm.
Her hips bucked slightly as she dragged her hand slowly up his shaft and then back down again; and then again, and again. She dropped her forehead down onto his shoulder as she pumped her hand over him, nuzzling her face into his neck. His arm snaked around her and held her close to him. She felt safe in the strong circle of his embrace, like a small and delicate flower that was flourishing because its every need was being well tended to.
She brought her palm up to her mouth and licked it a few times to get it wet and slick and then grasped his shaft again with her freshly lubricated palm. She moved her hand quickly up and down, building up a fast rhythm.
Marco’s breath sped up against the top of her head, she felt it moving her hair, sending tingles down her back, and in the fast and almost violent rise and fall of his chest as he clutched her to him.
She pumped harder and harder, the aching in her core growing with every millimeter of friction that passed between his sensitive skin and her palm. She knew she couldn’t maintain it much longer. The tension in her lower belly was too great. Something was going to snap soon if they didn’t take it to the next level, and fast.
“I want you,” she gasped. “Inside of me.”
He pulled back and grinned at her, his breathing still labored as he ran his hand through her hair. The intensity of his stare caused her inner muscles to clench. “Say that again.”
She smiled as he lifted her hand to the side of his face. “I want you. Inside of me.”
He closed his eyes briefly and then he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and finally, her lips, all with a heartbreaking tenderness.
All of the feelings that she’d kept bottled up for years exploded in her. And even though she’d convinced herself somewhere along the way that it’d been nothing but silly puppy love, the stuff of adolescence—this encounter was proving to her that, at the very least, there was some very adult chemistry between the two of them.
His lips left hers as he reached over her and collected the condom that he’d set on the night table. He rolled over onto his back and grasped the package between his teeth. He ripped it open and pulled out the latex disk, unrolling it over his stiff erection.
She stared at his entire body, marveling at his physique, wishing she could grab her camera and take a few pictures so she’d have it for reference on lonely nights. His chest, arms, and torso all looked as if they’d been sculpted out of clay to create the perfect man. And his magnificent musculature was not all that she had to look at. What took it over the top was his tattoos. They were the icing on the sexy cake.
Unaware of her blatant appreciation for his all-male form, he moved so that he was hovering over her. Her legs spread like a welcoming committee and he moved between her thighs, positioning himself at her entrance.
He looked into her eyes, searching for something. What, she didn’t know. Then he asked, “Are you ready?”
She nodded, her voice stolen by the bond she felt strengthening between them. They looked into each other’s eyes.
It was pure magic. Just like his kiss. Just like his touch. Just like his arms around her.
That was him. Magic Marco.
He thrust into her, then. Her eyes flew open wide, and her arms and legs wrapped reflexively around him. She opened her mouth in a silent cry as he pushed further. Pain mixed with pleasure from his sheer girth.
She couldn’t feel anything in her entire body at that moment except the all-encompassing sensation of being stretched to the limits from the inside out. It was amazing. Like her first time again…except significantly less stressful, and fumbly, and painful. So, basically like she had fantasized her first time would be—perfect.
She was tempted to write off her entire romantic history up until now. She felt like her emotions were doing that on their own anyway, so she figured she might as well go along with it.
When Marco was buried entirely inside her, all the way to the base, he stopped for a moment. He held himself inside her and kissed her neck, stroked her hair, and whispered sweet things in her ear.
She felt like everything she’d never believed in—like a fairytale princess that finally kissed her prince. Everything about this night felt pure and good and right. Everything that had happened in her life up until this point must’ve been destined, she reasoned in her arousal-laced and frenzied fog, because it led them to this moment. It was meant to be.
He drew his pelvis back and then slid it back in again, every movement slow and deliberate. He never broke eye contact with her as he did this. It was one of the most intense experiences she’d ever had. A strong feeling grew inside her belly with every movement.
She couldn’t deny what that feeling was, even if she didn’t plan on allowing herself to get bogged down by thoughts about what the future might hold. That feeling was a bond, as strong as any she’d ever felt with another human being on this earth.
Flattening her palms against the ropey muscles of his back, her fingers gripped his hot, velvety skin. A thrill ran through her at the way his body tensed under her touch as he slowly pumped in and out of her. Every twitch of every muscle was a reminder that this was an intense experience for him too, and that sent her into stratospheric heights of arousal.
Her inner walls clamped down around his steel-hard shaft, tightening the slick tunnel inside of her even more. She could see herself growing addicted to feeling him stretch her out like this.
She knew exactly why. It gave her the illusion that her body was being permanently changed by his in some way. Like he was marking his territory. Like he was branding her. Making her his.
And she loved that. She wanted that. She wanted to be his. If she was honest with herself, in some ways, she always had been. This explosive encounter was just the validation she’d never allowed herself to feel before.
She felt a deep and gnawing hunger growing. It caused her to move independently of her conscious thoughts. It was all primal, all instinct. At that moment, it was causing her hips to buck in a rhythm that was much faster than the one Marco was employing.
It was her body’s attempt, she realized, to tell her that she was done with the sweet stuff and she just wanted him to bang her senseless.
Taking her cue, he sped his rhythm up, and it was everything that gnawing hunger had been craving. She dug her fingernails into his back as he thrust roughly into her again and again, every single stroke drawing a visceral reaction.
She arched her back and drank in the heady sensation of his chest moving back and forth, rubbing up and down against her sensitive nipples as he drove into her. Being stimulated from so many different pleasure points gave the illusion that his body was everywhere, and thus the waves of sensation emanated from everywhere. It was the opposite of being locked in a sensory deprivation tank—instead of being unable to feel anything, she was bombarded by feeling everything all at once.
Sydney moved her legs so that her heels came up almost under her butt so as to give her increased leverage. She and Marco began moving in a perfectly balanced rhythm, going slow at first and gradually building speed as the moments wore on. Marco clamped one hand onto her hip to control the movements of her pelvis.
“You feel so good, so big, inside me,” she gasped and saw his eyes darken and grow thick with lust.
That look.
That look in his eyes was the ultimate aphrodisiac. When he fixed those hungry eyes on her, she felt like a piece of meat—and not in a bad way. She liked it. Marco could throw her on a George Foreman grill for all she cared. If he were the carnivore who was hunting her, she was happy to be his prey.
He picked up his speed and lifted up on his arms for better leverage, and the change in position allowed him to go even deeper. She cried out, raising her hips up to meet him with every thrust. She loved this feeling, this crazy and wild feeling of total recklessness and freedom like she was on the back of a motorcycle with her hair flying free in the wind behind her.
As she got closer and closer to release, her body tensed as flashes of light exploded behind her eyelids. She gasped as her inner walls clenched around him. Marco grunted, and he gave one final thrust into her and held himself there, and they climaxed, clinging to each other as the tsunami of release swept through them simultaneously.
Sydney wrapped her legs around Marco’s torso, hanging on for all she was worth as they rode out the intense peaks of pleasure together.
As she came down from that mind-altering high, she couldn’t help but feel the rush of the thoughts she’d pushed down come up to the surface.
Was this all there would be for them?
Was it a one-time-only encounter?
Was it going to be another ten years before they’d see each other again?
So many things she didn’t want to think about, and the adrenaline flooding her brain when they’d been in the heat of things had made it so much easier to ignore them. Now, though, they were peskily making their way to the surface and she felt overwhelmed by them.
Marco collapsed onto his back and pulled her with him; his head settled into the mound of fluffy pillows on the bed while she nestled into his chest as he stroked her hair.
As their breathing settled into a comfortable, synchronized pattern, she surrendered herself to post-coital snuggling. There was a chance that basking in the afterglow this way would only complicate her thoughts and feelings, but she decided to let that be tomorrow’s problem.
The soft rhythm of Marco’s heartbeat against her cheek combined with the soothing sensation of his fingers as they lightly scraped against her scalp lulled her into a sense of safety.
Her reverie was short-lived when she heard a buzzing and felt his body move from beneath her.
“Sorry,” he apologized as he sat up and grabbed his pants from the floor. “I need to check this.”
Feeling exposed without his body next to her, Sydney pulled the sheet over herself.
“Shit,” he cursed when he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Hastily, he tapped his screen and put his phone to his ear.
“Mom is everything—”
“What happened?” he said as he started pulling on his pants.
Sydney sat up when she heard the fear in his tone.
“Okay. Okay,” He repeated as he got dressed while keeping his phone in place on his shoulder.
“I’ll be right there.” He ended the call and finished buttoning up his shirt. His eyes met hers and she saw the fear in them. “That was my mom. Pops is in the hospital. That’s why I came home, to see him. He was doing better, but he’s just had an episode. His blood pressure dropped and he’s nonresponsive.”
“I’m so sorry.” Sydney’s mind went into nurse mode and she started ruling out things that it could and couldn’t be. She opened her mouth to ask more about his symptoms but stopped herself. That’s not what Marco needed right now. He probably wouldn’t even have the answers.
He looked down to the floor as he patted his pockets, then leaned over and grabbed his keys, which must’ve fallen out when he’d undressed. “I have to go.”
“Yes, of course. Go.” She waved her hand. “Let me know if you need anything.”
He nodded before rushing to the door, but as he reached for the handle, he turned around, sprinted back to the bed, and kissed her. Hard and fast.
Then he was gone.
For a few moments, she stared, blankly, at the door that he’d gone through.
Leaning back, she rested against the headboard. Her eyes scanned the room, stopping when she got to the window that they’d stood in front of. She shivered and tugged the comforter over her. The room felt so cold, so empty, without Marco in it.
All the times that she’d imagined finally being with Marco, she’d never thought about what she would feel like after.
One thing was for sure, she’d worried for nothing. Tonight was better than anything she’d ever imagined. She’d no longer have her fantasies as a security blanket. Now she would have her memories to get her through lonely nights.
Or would thinking about tonight just make her lonelier?
It was impossible to try to predict how she would feel in the future when she couldn’t even decipher how she felt right now.
She shifted on the bed, feeling very naked all of a sudden. Slipping her legs off the side, she grabbed her comfy underwear, sweats, and T-shirt from her overnight bag and put them on. Then she grabbed a hair tie and piled her hair on top of her head.
As she settled back into bed, she was filled with an odd combination of restlessness, a dash of numbness, and a pinch of disbelief. It was not the recipe for a good night’s sleep.
She picked up the remote and turned on the TV. Typically, she wouldn’t waste money on an On Demand movie, but tonight she needed the distraction.
As she scrolled through her options, she decided to go with The Other Guys, a buddy-cop-comedy flick. Mindless humor, that’s what she needed now.
Before the opening sequence had even started she felt a pang in her chest. She told herself that it was indigestion, but she knew that was a big, fat lie. The truth was Marco had been gone less than ten minutes and she already missed him.
She already missed him.