- PIP -
What else was a girl to do when the man she’d wanted for so long was begging?
“I’m scared,” I admitted.
“I’m fucking terrified.” Gage laughed. “But we can’t keep going the way we are. I want to touch you, kiss you, make your toes curl while you scream out my name.”
I snorted. “Mr. Romantic.”
“I want everything with you.”
I closed my eyes, savouring all the right things coming out of his mouth, but there was a problem with everything he was saying. I’d heard it all before. Well, not the confession of love but the claim to want everything, that he wanted me, and I was his. I’d heard it the night before he broke my heart.
For me to trust he wasn’t going to run off again, I needed a promise of forever, because I couldn’t handle watching him walk out on me. Not twice in one lifetime. It was unfair of me to put that on him or to make demands. Which was why I wanted to wait.
But waiting wasn’t an option when his hands skimmed down my sides and back up again. Cupping my face, he tilted my head upwards and dropped his lips to my neck.
An involuntary groan escaped when he found the sensitive skin below my ear.
“I mean it, Pip. This would’ve happened six months ago had it not been for Dad and the personal shit I had to deal with. And you heard my father’s dying request. Unless you want to be haunted for the rest of your life …”
I chuckled. “I believe that was you he threatened, not me, but I also don’t want his words to be the reason you’re with me. Your dad just died, and his dying wish was for you and me to be together—”
“No, it was for us to realise that dancing around the subject of us is stupid, and I agree with him. I’m not doing this because it’s what he wanted. It’s what I’ve wanted for almost eight Goddamn years.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I wasn’t strong. I definitely wasn’t strong enough to hold back like he had for so long.
My mouth found his on its own, and there was nothing gentle about the way they moved against each other. His tongue thrust into my mouth, claiming me.
Where I was expecting Gage to rip off my dress, throw me down, and take me, he surprised me by becoming gentle where his touch counted. His lips became softer; his mouth moved slower.
He pulled me close, and with steady fingers, he lowered my zipper until my little black dress fell and pooled at my ankles. My braless chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, and his eyes burned with heat.
His big hands trailed over me, and his thumb brushing over my nipple made me shiver.
This guy … he knew me inside and out. He knew which buttons to push, how to drive me crazy, and how to go from zero to fuck me now in the blink of an eye.
“Dammit. I was planning on taking this slow, but I can’t.” He pushed me onto the bed and covered my body with his.
I didn’t even have the chance to laugh at the pained tone of his voice before he was assaulting my mouth with need once again. We’d had a breather, but now the fire burned twice as hot.
My hands went to his fly, fumbling to get the button open and zipper down. Once I released his cock from the confines of his pants and boxer briefs, I gripped him and started stroking.
He shuddered above me. “Fuck.” Without hesitation, he pulled back and my underwear was gone a second later. “Please tell me you’re ready. Been way too long.”
I nodded.
My hands gripped his shirt as he thrust into me. “Gage,” I cried out. The slight sting of fullness didn’t compare to the need growing inside me. I probably could’ve done with more foreplay, but the tiny discomfort was worth it knowing it was Gage causing it. Because he was with me. Inside me. I’d do anything to keep this moment alive.
“I’m home, Pip.” He started a hard, fast rhythm but kissed me tenderly. “This is where I belong. Only with you.” He continued to whisper claiming words into my ear until his hips became frantic and his words more strained.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, not caring that he was completely dressed while I was naked beneath him. If anything, that made it hotter.
My orgasm crept up on me but hit with full force. When I let out a cry of pleasure, he froze and spilled inside me.
“Fucking hell,” he grunted while convulsing. He rolled off and collapsed beside me, breathing heavy. “Round two I’ll go slower.”
I laughed. “Maybe we should get some sleep. We have a big few days ahead of us. A wedding, flights back to Australia, work to catch up on …”
“Ugh, I’m not ready to return to reality yet. I swear these last six months without your pussy have felt longer than the eight years I refrained from sex completely.”
I rolled over to face him.
“What’s up? I can feel you staring.” His arm covered his eyes, while he still breathed hard.
“In the seven years we’ve known each other, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say the word pussy. Apart from the night we were together.”
His mouth quirked up on one side. “What can I say, I guess your pussy brings it out of me.”
“It’s not the sexiest of words.”
“Which is better? Snatch, cum box, cun—”
“Okay, okay. Pussy’s fine.” I shook my head. “I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation.”
“You brought it up.”
“Actually, I believe you did.” I sighed. “We should sleep.”
“That sounds good.” He already sounded half-asleep.
“Come on, let’s get you undressed.”
He swiftly reached out and grabbed a hold of my wrist. “You touch me, we won’t be getting any sleep.” Stumbling to a standing position, he shucked off his shirt and his pants, tucked himself back into his boxer briefs, and then collapsed back on the bed.
Within seconds, we crashed.
***
James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go” played through the speakers of an old, run-down lounge bar on the northern end of the Vegas strip.
The newlyweds were the only ones on the dancefloor, and minus a pair of middle-aged drunks at the end of the bar, we had the place to ourselves.
“Should we join them?” Gage asked and tipped his head in Garrett and Blair’s direction.
I held out my hand. As soon as we hit the dancefloor, I planted my head on his chest.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I’m trying to be happy for them right now, but it’s hard. No, that’s a lie. It’s easy to be happy for them. Just look at them.”
Garrett and Blair stared at each other as if no one else in the world existed. Their gaze burned with endless love that could—and had—endured the worst.
The wedding ceremony was fast, and much to my dismay, not performed by an Elvis impersonator.
In their tuxes, the grooms were so cute, and their smiles couldn’t be wiped from their faces. All our friends back home, plus Garrett’s parents, gathered at Hunter and Sara’s house and watched the ceremony on TV via live video that Tony streamed from Garrett’s phone. I stood by Blair’s side, Gage by Garrett’s, and by the end, both Garrett and I were blubbering messes.
Now that it was all over, Garrett and Blair seemed … at peace. I didn’t know how else to explain it. It was so much more than a piece of paper to them. That was obvious in the way they were with each other. Every tender touch, each time Blair squeezed Garrett’s hand, or they stole a quick kiss, they were all little gestures that validated their love. Everyone deserved that type of happiness.
“You want this?” Gage asked. “Because I’d give it to you in a heartbeat. I want to marry you.”
“We’ve officially been together for all of two days. We haven’t even told anyone yet. I think Garrett and Blair suspect because you haven’t stopped touching me—”
“Odie knows. He heard us having sex last night and gave me a lecture today before we left about not messing it up. I’m not saying we should get married right now—although, if you said yes, I’d march you back into that chapel before you could even blink. What I mean is, whatever you want, I’ll give. I love you.”
“I love you too,” I croaked. He’d said it often the last two days, and I knew it was the truth, but I wasn’t convinced he was in love with me.
Doubt, insecurity, and all those other ugly traits made me anxious about taking this step with Gage, but we were already on the roller coaster and strapped in for the ride. Our one night changed everything, and there was no going back. All I could do was hold on for dear life and hope we both came out the other side unscathed.
“My brain hurts from all your thinking,” Gage complained.
“Just dance with me,” I said.
He held me close, and I tried to keep my deep thoughts to a minimum, but the more I worried, the stronger he held me. I wasn’t fooling either of us.
Gage finally loosened his grip when the happy couple interrupted.
“We’re out,” Garrett said.
“Happy honeymoon,” I sang.
“Yeah, I get to work on my honeymoon,” Blair said.
“What time’s your flight to L.A. in the morning?” Gage asked.
“Early,” Garrett said.
Gage hugged them both. “Guess we’ll see you guys back in Australia then. I love you both and all, but screw getting up early to see you off when we’ll all be home in a few days.”
Apparently, death made Gage’s I love yous fall out of his mouth easier now.
“I need to steal our oven for a sec,” Garrett said and dragged me away from them.
“Hmm, I don’t know if I like the nickname of oven.”
“Are you two fucking?” Garrett asked.
“Wow. Straight to the point there, dude.”
“Dude? Oh, you’re so fucking. You don’t call anyone dude.”
“We’re … together?” I hated that it came out as a question.
Garrett wrapped his arms around me. “I’m only going to say this once. No fucking while my baby is growing inside you.”
I pulled back, my mouth dropping open. There’s no way he said what I think he said. One look at his face and I knew I was wrong. I definitely heard that correctly.
He held onto the seriousness for all of five seconds before he broke out into a smile. “I’m messing with you. I read all about it when Gage first came back, because I thought this was inevitable. Sex is fine for the baby.”
“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation.” God, it felt like when my mother tried to tell me about the birds and the bees.
“You’re welcome.”
Blair approached his husband. “Has he had enough messing with you yet?”
At the same time, I said “Yes,” and Garrett said “No.”
Strong arms wrapped around me from behind.
“Shotgun best man at your wedding,” Garrett said as Blair dragged him away.
“See you back at home,” Blair called out.
“Good luck with your meeting,” I yelled.
Gage’s lips landed on my neck. “Now they’re gone, want to go up to the room?”
I didn’t answer. I grabbed his hand and dragged him out onto the street in the direction of our hotel.
***
Gage crashed out hard as soon as we reached the hotel room. He was all over me on the walk back, promising dirty things to come, but by the time I’d brushed my hair out of the hairsprayed mess the hotel salon had done for Garrett and Blair’s wedding and then brushed my teeth, Gage was snoring.
I let him sleep. He still wasn’t sleeping well—and still lying about it. I was a light sleeper, so when he got up, I was conscious of it.
After a shower, I came out of the bathroom to find him sitting on the edge of the bed running his hands through his hair.
“Sorry, did the shower wake you?” I asked. “I tried to be quiet.”
“I fell into a dream about Dad. Then I woke up without you and kinda freaked out. I didn’t know where you went.”
I threw my arms around his neck as I straddled him on the edge of the bed. “I’m here.”
His large arms wrapped around me, and he laid his head on my shoulder. “I know I haven’t lived with Dad for over a decade, but I talked to him every week. How am I supposed to go on without him?”
My eyes stung, trying to fight off tears, and my nose ran.
“I wish I could tell you it gets easier,” I whispered. “I’ll be here for you no matter what. I’ll always be here for you, even if we don’t work out.”
He pulled back and frowned. “You think there’s a chance this isn’t going to work out? Not gonna happen.”
“I mean—”
His lips were soft as he kissed me, and his hands were gentle.
Like this, in his arms, I had no doubt that what he was saying was true.
Tingles trailed wherever his hands wandered from my neck down in between my breasts and back up again.
Open, wet kisses ravished my skin as he made his way down to the collar of my shirt.
“Off,” he said, pulling back.
“We don’t have to—”
“Off,” he said more forcefully.
Even though a niggly feeling told me he was using sex to avoid going back to sleep and dealing with his dad’s death, I wasn’t going to bring that up. I’d give him this. I’d give him whatever he asked for.
“You know, I never thought you’d be this bossy in bed. You’re always taking my orders at work.” I reached for my shirt and took it off.
He leant forward, taking my nipple into his mouth. My hands ran through his hair, and my body rocked into him.
“You can boss me around all you want in the office,” he said. “Here, in bed, I’m in charge.”
“And if I don’t want to?”
His hands fell away and he lay back, propped up by his elbows. “You don’t want to?”
“You know how defiant I can be when being told what to do.”
He grinned. “Trust me. You’ll like every single thing I tell you to do. Strip.”
My hands went to my pyjama pants.
“Uh-uh. Turn around and do it.” He made a circle with his finger.
“You’re pushing your luck,” I grumbled but did it.
“Slowly take them off.”
I followed his instructions, curious as to how far he’d take this bossy charade. Gage was always a yes, dear person. I imagined that if he ever did have a relationship his most uttered words would be “Yes, dear.”
The fact he was domineering in bed piqued my curiosity. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t turn me on.
He sat up, and his large hands squeezed my butt. “I love this ass.” His lips landed on one cheek and then moved over to the other. “I so wanna take your ass virginity one day.”
I glanced down at him over my shoulder. “What makes you think it’s available to take?”
“I know you, Pip. I probably know you better than you know yourself. There is no way you trusted any of your dates to go there. Hell, I’m not even sure you’ll let me go there. Won’t stop me from wanting it.”
“Dammit.” I hated he was right.
“Turn around.”
As soon as I did, his mouth was on me.
“Mmm,” he hummed against my clit.
He gripped my thigh and lifted it so my foot landed on the bed next to him and gave him better access. His tongue ran from my clit to my hole and back again. Pleasure zinged through my body like I’d never felt before.
The intimacy, the love, the adoration … everything I felt for this man consumed me.
“I could do this all night,” he said.
“I’d be tempted to let you, but we need rest.” I panted and rolled my hips.
He pulled back but was still close enough I could feel his breath on my sensitive skin. “We’ll sleep on the plane.”
His fingers snaked around the back of my thigh and between my legs, joining his tongue in driving me crazy.
“Gage.”
“I need you on my cock,” he rasped. With one hand, he lowered his boxer briefs, freeing his impressive erection. Long, hard, and thick. The perfect trifecta.
His big palm grazed over the back of my leg and gripped hard to pull me down on top of him and onto his waiting shaft.
“I want you to fuck me,” he said. “Take what you need from me.” Despite his orders for me to take charge, he was the one who gripped my hips and manoeuvred me to the pace he wanted. “Yeah, just like that.”
He leant back, taking his hands with him as he put them behind his head and lay down. His hooded eyes raked over me, and I’d never felt sexier. When they flicked up to meet my eyes, a charming half-smile appeared, showing off a dimple. “I love watching you.”
My face heated.
“And I love making you blush.” He reached for my cheek and his thumb ran over my skin to my lips. “I need your mouth.”
When I bent over and brought my lips to his, he bucked his hips. His cock hit that spot inside me. I groaned into his mouth when he did it again. My body quaked.
“You’re gonna need to come now.” He grunted.
“Touch me.” I straightened back up again and grabbed his hand, guiding it to my swollen, aching clit.
“Like this?” He teasingly moved his thumb in small circles.
“More.” I trembled.
All it took to fall apart was his thumb pressing down on me.
“Fuck, Pip.”
My mouth fused with his as he continued thrusting beneath me. He came with a moan. Sweating, breathing heavy, and one hundred percent spent, I collapsed beside him.
Gage rolled towards me, his knee going between my legs and arm wrapping around me. Soft lips met mine. “See? No chance of this not working out.”