16. Amelia
Chapter 16
Amelia
I jolt awake, my heart pounding.
Only a sliver of moonlight sneaks through the gap in the curtains. It casts an eerie glow across the center of the bed and toward the door.
I never slept in West’s bedroom last night. After everything that’s been said, I never thought it was appropriate.
Still, my hand reaches out, searching for his warmth. Only I find nothing but cold sheets.
My heart sinks into my stomach. He’s not here. Of course he’s not. I told him to forget about me…us…and return to his life at Club Elysium.
I shouldn’t have told him to go. I shouldn’t have pushed him away. But how can I take it back now?
I know I can’t.
Still, the realization hits me like a punch to the gut, that I don’t want him to forget me. I don’t want him to give me up, but he’s going to when we get to the end of our deal, anyway. So, he might as well do it right now. He doesn’t need the danger I could bring to his life.
Especially as I’ve heard from office gossip that West was once a kidnap victim. In the cold light of day, he’ll never take that risk again.
I sit up, hugging my knees to my chest. The silence of the apartment presses in on me.
Did he go to the club?
Why does the thought of West with someone else makes my stomach churn?
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to banish the image of him with another woman that is flooding my mind. But they persist.
I slip out of bed, my bare feet sinking into the plush carpet as I walk to the door, down the corridor, and to the staircase.
Tentatively, I reach the top and go to his room. The door is open, but his bed is empty, lifeless. There’s no sign of West.
Tears coat my eyes, and my throat tightens as I make my way back to the living room and sink onto the couch.
What have I done? I pushed him away, thinking it was for the best.
Is it for the best?
Of course, it is a fake arrangement. I fit the bill because he doesn’t want anyone permanent in his life.
My heart sinks into my stomach. My life is already a mess and now these emotions I’m feeling are making it so much worse.
Lying in the dark on the couch, wide awake with my mind racing with regret. I stare out of the window as the night stretches on.
Nothing moves.
I even will the elevator to chime. Waiting… Hoping for him to come home. Instead, I’m mocked by the ticking of the clock on the wall, each second a reminder that this isn’t my life.
Resigned to him not coming home, I curl up on the couch and drag a throw blanket over my body.
The fabric smells of West’s cologne. I pull it closer, burying my face in it, and wait.
“Amelia.” His voice echoes, over and over, like I want the way it sounds etched in my mind. “Amelia, wake up princess.”
I open my eyes and blink, and again as the darkness of the room fades until I see West kneeling in front of me. His eyes catch the faint light from the window, revealing a softness that surprises me.
“Why are you sleeping on the couch?” he asks, voice low and steady.
“I was waiting for you.”
“You were?” Surprise coats his words.
My heart skips. “Did you go to the club?”
He shakes his head, a small smirk playing on his lips. “No. I went to East’s for a pep talk.”
A wave of relief washes over me. I expected him to have gone back to that world, to escape from whatever mess I’ve created between us.
“You didn’t want me to?” he asks, leaning closer.
“No.” My cheeks flush with warmth.
The admission feels like a leap of faith, and it’s both frightening and exhilarating to admit it to him.
He studies my face for a moment, searching for something hidden behind my expression. “I promised you.”
“Thank you.” I smile, too scared to admit how he makes me feel. Yet, the more I think about it West is an open book to me.
“It’s time to go to bed,” he says, his voice thick with intent.
“Can I sleep in yours?” The words tumble out before I can stop them, and I wince. “I need to be close to you.”
What am I doing? This is supposed to be temporary; I shouldn’t want this so badly.
A flicker of surprise crosses his face, then he grins—a devilish glint sparking in his eyes. “Are you sure about that?”
I swallow hard, locking eyes with him. “Yes.” My heart races as I hold his gaze, knowing that whatever comes next is a leap of faith.
West pushes one hand under my thighs and the other under my shoulders, and lifts me off the couch. He rises without much effort and carries me upstairs and to his bedroom without another word.
He places me on his bed. I slip under the covers first and watch him as he undresses down to a fitted tee and boxers.
As I settle into the warmth of his bed, my eyes trace the lines of his body, taking in every detail of his taut muscles. His strong thighs.
He catches me staring and smiles. So, I watch his face.
His near-black hair falls over his forehead, the strands tousled as if he’s just woken up. He might be ten years older than me, but when he’s tired, it gives him a boyish look that draws me in even more.
My gaze roams over his tall frame, wide shoulders. His whole body is taut and commanding. His muscular arms have just the right amount of definition. He’s not bulky like some muscle-heads I’ve encountered.
When he wears a suit, he looks better than any other man. From the way the fabric hugs his broad shoulders and tapers at his waist, it is nothing short of mesmerizing.
There’s a strength there that draws me closer. And there’s the power and dominance he has without uttering a single word.
But now he is virtually naked, he is something else. He carries himself with an effortless confidence that makes my heart race.
But it’s always his eyes that hold me captive. The pale blue shimmers with such intensity. I want to dive in and unravel what secrets he hides behind them.
I’m staring at him as he moves across the room. The motion is fluid and purposeful, making my pulse quicken.
My heart is racing so hard I press my palm against my chest to stop it from pounding out my rib cage.
“I need a quick shower,” he says before disappearing into the bathroom.
Enough time to stop my racing heart.
But what feels like minutes later, it’s still going crazy, and my breath hitches as he approaches the bed.
Anticipation buzzes in the air around us, pulling at my core, doing things between my legs only he can do.
He pauses for a moment before climbing in beside me, close enough for our bodies to almost touch, but not quite. It’s electrifying, and every nerve ending within me is pulsing.
“What do we do now?” I whisper into the silence that envelops us.
“You kiss me,” West replies softly. “You let me know you want to be here.”
“Right, so I just kiss you?” I smirk, trying to mask the flutter of nerves dancing in my stomach.
He turns on the bed to face me, before his large hands grab my hips and he turns us both until I’m lying on top of him. I gasp as his hardness presses against my stomach.
“Do you think you can handle that?” His lips curve into a smirk, and the intensity of his gaze sends shivers down my spine.
I roll my eyes.
I shift my body until my pussy is pressing against his cock, testing the waters to see how much he wants this. “I think I can.”
Before I know it, he grabs my waist and turns us again until he’s on top of me. “You’re not in control.”
“I’m not.”
He tilts his head to one side, considering me. “Admit it,” he murmurs, locking his eyes onto mine. “You want me. Admit you’ve always wanted me.”
I can’t deny the truth in his words. Heat floods my cheeks as I bite back a grin. “Well, you make a compelling argument.”
“Compelling?” Amusement dances in his eyes. “How?”
“You’re not exactly hard to look at,” I reply, roaming my eyes from his face down his body until I gulp at seeing how big he is. He really is big. “Not sure I can take that, though.”
When I look back at him, his eyes narrow. “Plenty of foreplay, and once you’re wet enough, you’ll be begging for more.”
“You’ll make me wet first?”
Felix never cared for me during sex. He liked to be sucked off before sex, but he gave nothing in return. At first, I loved how I made him feel and it turned me on, but the longer we were together, that went away.
West considers me like he is reading my thoughts.
“Always.” His voice is low and intense.
The space between us crackles with tension as we linger in this moment.
Always. Just one word makes it seem like we are more than temporary. And I tell him, “I want you.”
“You’ve always wanted me.” It’s not a question.
I smile. “Okay. I’ve always wanted you.”
“I want you too.” There’s a hunger in his eyes that I’m sure is mirrored in my own gaze. “For too long.”
My breath catches at the sincerity behind those words.
There’s no more teasing; this is real.
“Then what are we waiting for?” I challenge him, feeling bold enough to get closer still.
His fingers dig into my hips slightly, as if anchoring me to him, or if he’s struggling to take the next step.
The moment stretches as our gazes’ lock again.
We’re two people gravitating to each other when he says, “I’m scared of starting something I can’t stop.”
My heart is flipping. Is he saying he wants to stop, or he wants more?
“Then don’t.”
Before I have the chance to think about my response, his lips plunge against mine. His hands are all over my body, exploring every inch of me as our tongues dance together.
His fingers trace the curve of my hip, then they slide around until he cups my ass. He holds me still, pressing his cock against my panties, sending jolts of pleasure through me.
I arch my back to get closer.
He breaks the kiss, trailing kisses down my neck as his hands continue their exploration.
My breath hitches as his thumbs stroke over my nipples. And when his mouth reaches the sensitive skin just below my ear, he whispers, “You’re so beautiful.”
My lips curve up at the compliment.
His hands move back up to cup my face, his thumb gently strokes across my cheekbone. “I want you so much,” he says again, this time with more conviction in his voice. “More than anything.”
I look into his eyes, seeing the raw desire burning there. It’s overwhelming, but also incredibly thrilling. “You have me,” I say softly, reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer.
I want to say ‘forever,’ but he doesn’t need any further encouragement.
He shuffles off the bed before he grips my hips and carries me across his bedroom, setting me down on a dresser.
Again, his hands roam over every inch of me, and desire crashes through me with each touch.
He presses his body against mine, his cock solid against me, and it only fuels the fire between us even more.
“You’re going to make me come just like this,” he growls against my ear while rubbing his dick against my pussy. “You don’t even have to do anything.”
“I want to,” I breathe. “I want everything.”
“Such a good girl,” he murmurs as his fingers play with the hem of my panties, dragging them down.
When they reach my ankles, I kick them away.
He kisses me one last time before his mouth trails kisses down my neck. He licks over my collarbone, and down again, until he stops on my breasts, sucking my nipple into his mouth.
I groan as his tongue circles around the bud, then he pulls it into his mouth.
I lean my head back against the wall, panting as West’s tongue slides down my body again. His hands grip my thighs as he slowly spreads me wide open for him.
He lowers, inhales and says, “You are so mine.”
When his tongue slides over my clit, I don’t get the chance to reply with anything other than a moan.
I do feel I should tell him that only he has made me feel this way.
The intensity is so overwhelming, but in the best possible way.
His tongue flicks over my sensitive spot again and again. Each flick sends shivers of desire through me.
I’m getting closer and closer to the edge, and I know that I won’t be able to hold back much longer.
He swaps his tongue for his thumb, dancing it over my clit while he fucks me with his tongue.
“Come for me,” West growls against my skin, his voice low and husky. “Come on my tongue.”
Again, he pierces my pussy with his tongue, and between his thumb and tongue, I can’t hold back anymore.
“West,” I cry out as my climax reaches the peak.
West doesn’t stop until I’ve completely come down from my high. His tongue licking me even as I catch my breath.
I try to push off the dresser, but he holds me firm. “You’ve done that twice to me and I’ve—”
He presses his finger over my lips, shaking his head. “This is all for you.”
It’s a first for me—a man who wants to please me more than himself. And it makes me want him even more than I already do.
He holds my hands above my head before nudging my legs even further apart.
His cock is hard and ready, pressing against my pussy as he looks into my eyes with a hunger that makes my heart race.
“Are you ready for this?” he asks, his voice low and seductive.
As I’ll ever be.