Chapter Nine
It was odd to know several weeks had passed already, but Freya felt like she was still getting to know Elijah, even if technically she did know him. They’d spent time together at her home, and she showed him around, pointing out the things she’d changed, and the things she’d kept as memories of her mother and father. And then he’d taken her into the city and they’d spent time at his place.
She was in wonder and awe at the scenes she’d see from the balcony, of the sounds that rushed up to greet her from the city below. He had money, a lot of money, but he didn’t flaunt it just for the sake of showing people he was wealthy. He was discreet, respectful, and even spending time with him he never showed off the things he had. He was just a normal man, and she was just a normal woman, and when they were together this electricity zinged between them. It was undeniable, that was for sure.
They’d already finished eating dinner, and were currently sitting on her couch. The TV was showing some very bad zombie movie, but she wasn’t interested in watching the show. He was currently looking over her movie collection, probably hating the current show that was on, or maybe he, too, needed to find himself occupied with something.
He’d asked if she wanted to go to dinner, someplace fancy, out of town even, but she’d ended up making him something at her place. Freya was a very simple girl, one that didn’t need anything fancy, but of course she liked his apartment and the nice things he had. But that didn’t mean much when it came to someone that she cared about. And she cared about Elijah, very much in fact. As the days passed she was having stronger feelings for Elijah.
When he turned around he didn’t have a movie in his hand, and instead came over to her and sat beside her. They stared at each other for several seconds, and then she smiled.
“What?”
He didn’t smile in return, just reached out and brushed a lock of her hair away from her cheek. “Nothing. I just like looking at you. You’re beautiful.”
She felt her cheeks heat at his compliment. “Sometimes I feel like this isn’t real.” She hadn’t realized she said those words out loud, but when she did her face got scorching hot.
“Why?”
She shrugged, but then cleared her throat, not about to hide how she felt. She wanted to be open and honest with him. “Because you seem too good to be true.” She chuckled after she spoke, and he did the same.
“I’m not perfect, far from it.” He sobered. “But you know why this feels so good, so right?”
She didn’t need him to tell her why. She knew.
“Because you and I are meant to be here, right now, with each other. We’re meant to be together.”
Those were strong words, especially after only a few weeks’ time, but she couldn’t deny that they were the truth.
“Tell me you feel that, too.”
She nodded, not hesitating. “I feel it, too. I felt it as soon as I saw you at the store, Elijah, and it’s only grown since then.”
He smiled and was silent for a couple of seconds. She could see him thinking because of his expression. “Come with me to a business fundraiser next weekend, and then after that come with me to my cabin for the weekend.”
She was stunned to be asked to go to a business event, let alone spend the weekend with him at a cabin.
“If you have the time off, that is.”
She had next weekend off, but spending the entire weekend with him would be hard, not because she’d be with him, but because she knew she wouldn’t be able to control herself around him. She already wanted to have sex, to just get naked, and let him touch every part of her. Even now just thinking about it made her delirious with lust, but she schooled herself and focused on what he was asking her.
But even if she’d known Elijah for a long time, it seemed like she was rushing it after only a few weeks. But still, they were adults, and wasn’t sex the next logical step to take when she cared about someone? It certainly seemed like it made sense.
Placing a hand on his chest, she leaned in and kissed him. “I think I’d love to go with you to the gala and the cabin,” she whispered against his lips.
He cupped the back of her head, held her mouth to his, and for a second they breathed the same air.
Sex was definitely on her mind, and of course she was old enough and they’d known each other long enough that it shouldn’t feel like it was rushing it, but still, she’d wait, see how everything went, and then go from there. To Freya, Elijah might be the one, might be the man that she spent the rest of her life with. She certainly could see that, hoped for it even, but only time would tell how everything went.
She didn’t care about what others thought, because this was about them, and not anyone else. It had taken her all these years to realize that she wasn’t alone, even if she felt like that. It took her four long years of being on her own to realize that she deserved to be happy, that she deserved to stop putting herself down. And she was going to start letting herself live with Elijah.
****
“You really don’t have to do this, Elijah,” Freya said for what felt like the hundredth time. She was currently at some expensive dress shop in the city, Elijah insisting she let him buy her a gown for the fundraiser that was tonight. Of course she had dresses, could even buy her own, but there was a part of her, a very feminine part, that was excited Elijah wanted to buy her things. She never thought she’d want a man to take care of her, but she didn’t care and wasn’t ashamed to admit that right now she loved it.
“Freya, sweetheart, for the tenth time,” he chuckled softly, “I want to do this for you. I want to be able to spoil you.”
That was definitely a sigh moment right there, and she smiled.
Freya looked at herself in the mirror of the department store, and that smile changed to a cringe. She couldn’t deny that it was weird being in this expensive part of the city, allowing Elijah to buy her a dress that cost as much as some people’s mortgage. She lifted the price tag on the side of the dress, and her throat clenched. Yeah, definitely mortgage sized prices.
The dress she had on was the third one she’d tried on, and the first she actually liked on her. She wasn’t overly large, but had gained weight and curves over the last four years. Looking at herself in these harsh florescent lights made her feel unattractive. Still, this dress was by far the best. It was an emerald color, had crystal and lace detailing under the bust and around the hem of the dress, and she had to admit her breasts looked incredible in it.
The knock on the dressing room door had her heart racing. She cleared her throat. “Yes?” She was nervous, and right now she felt especially unattractive, especially since she knew Elijah would want to see her in this dress.
“Are you going to let me see?” he said with a teasing note in his voice. Freya found herself closing her eyes and saying a little prayer that he’d like it, because of course that feminine part wanted to please him.
She looked at her reflection once more, raked her gaze over her body, and told herself she looked good, that her self-esteem didn’t have to be brutal. Taking a deep breath she turned around and opened the door. Elijah stood on the other side, his hands in the front pocket of his slacks, and his gaze raking up and down her body.
“What do you think?” she asked, her voice shaking a little. She’d never dressed like this in general, and certainly not for a man. She’d never wanted to impress someone, but with Elijah she found herself wanting his approval, his desire for her and what she wore. Maybe it was not something a strong, independent woman should want, but fuck it, because Freya wanted that right now.
He didn’t answer for several moments, and then cleared his throat and looked at her in the eyes. “How do you like it?”
She looked down at her body, saw the rise and fall of her breasts, at the impressive cleavage she sported, and felt herself shrug. “I feel a bit exposed.” Although the dress was floor-length, it was form fitting, showing off her tucked in waist and a little too-wide hips. He didn’t respond, and when she lifted her head, raking her gaze over his pants, she could see the front of his slacks was tented. Swallowing her arousal, she continued moving her gaze up his massively defined chest, and looked into his eyes.
“Aside from the exposed part,” he looked down at her breasts, cleared his throat, and lifted his gaze back to hers, “how do you like it?”
“I like it, but is it too much for where we’re going today?”
He looked at her body again. “No, it’s definitely not too much.”
She couldn’t help but smile at the fact it was clear he most definitely liked the dress. “It doesn’t show off too much, doesn’t show a little too much of the unattractive parts?”
“Unattractive parts?” he said with a bit of astonishment in his voice, shaking his head as if stunned by her comment. He turned and looked behind him, and then looked back at Freya. He moved closer, so close that she was forced to take a step back, her back hitting the mirror. Elijah closed the dressing room door, sealing them in. The scent of him was intoxicating, and she took a stuttering breath in.
“Elijah,” she whispered. “What are you doing?” She was heating up in all the right places.
“For the record,” he said in a soft voice as well. “I happen to think there are no unattractive parts on you.” He placed his hands on the mirror beside her head and leaned forward so his face in close to hers. Elijah spoke in a deep, but whispered voice again. “In fact, I’d like to take this dress off of you, press your naked, very attractive body to mine, and make you come.”
She had never heard Elijah speak so erotically, but she liked it. Dammit, she liked it. Freya was having a hard time breathing, especially with the scent of everything that made up Elijah filling her head. He glanced down at her lips, and licked his own.
“I want you so much right now, Freya.”
Her heartbeat filled her head, and she grew dizzy from his words, the scent of him, and her own arousal.
“I want to slip my hand under this dress and touch you.” He leaned in closer. “I bet you’re wet.” He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. “God, just thinking about how wet you could be between your thighs has me so hard.”
Her mouth went dry, and she parted her lips, trying to breathe, or maybe trying to respond.
“Stop thinking you’re so unattractive, because you are the most beautiful woman in the world to me.”
She swore her heart stopped beating.
He grabbed her wrist in a firm, but gentle hold and put her open palm right over his big, hard erection. He leaned toward her face again, pushed her hair aside, placed his mouth right by her ear and said, “If I didn’t find you so damn attractive, I wouldn’t get this hard just looking at you.”
She turned her head slightly to look at him.
“I don’t mean to be so crude around you, or in what I say, but I can’t help myself with you, Freya.”
“I kind of like the crudeness, Elijah,” she whispered.
“God, sweetheart,” he said and closed his eyes, breathing harshly. He took a step back. “I feel like tearing away your clothes and just devouring you.” His voice was a harsh growl, like an animal barely able to control himself.
She placed her hands on the cool mirror behind her, bracing herself, stabilizing herself because if not she would have fallen to her knees.
This man was going to be the death of her, but what a way to go.