Chapter 24
Chapter twenty-four
Kate
Sleep had been an elusive companion.
And not because sleeping next to a six-year-old felt a lot like being on a battlefield or inside an octagon with a seasoned MMA fighter.
Oh no, the cause of my poorly timed insomnia came in the form of the six-foot-something man occupying my bed. Or more specifically the dirty, dirty thoughts my mind conjured up about him.
I’d tossed and turned most of the night, wondering what would’ve happened if I’d stayed. The images my mind provided as answer had molten lava running through my veins. Which was why I found myself padding down the hallway instead of sleeping like I was supposed to.
To be fair, it was only an hour before my alarm was set to go off.
“Might as well get an early start on the day.”
The kitchen was the destination I had in mind, but for whatever reason, my traitorous feet carried me to my bedroom.
And since I was already there, I pushed the door open and peeked inside.
My jaw hit the floor.
At some point during the night, Tristan must’ve decided that clothing was optional. Not all clothing. He was still wearing his briefs. Which honestly didn’t mean shit when they were so tight and riding so freaking low on his hips.
A deep sense of awareness prickled at my nape, the slightest sliver of guilt on its heels. Gawking at him while he was sprawled out and asleep was a bit creepy. I simply couldn’t help myself.
The man looked like sin.
And my poor sex-deprived mind had a field day. I was bombarded with an image, a very vivid image of waking him up with my mouth and hand wrapped around him. I’d work him in long slow strokes until he fisted my hair and forced me to take him deeper.
Licking my lips, I imagined the sounds he’d make. The words he’d say.
The ache, that had never really gone away, was back. And if I didn’t get out of there fast, I’d do something stupid, like act out the scene inside my head.
Careful not to wake the sleeping giant in my bed, I crossed the room into my bathroom and closed the door with a soft click.
I welcomed the warm spray of water against my sensitive skin. Tilting my head back, I dragged my fingers through my hair and blew out a long, heavy sigh. One part exhaustion, the other frustration.
So much frustration.
It was all Tristan’s fault. He’d put me in this state when he had those big hands on me and that sinful mouth on mine.
Then he made everything worse with the previous night’s drunken ramblings.
Maybe I should’ve stayed when he’d asked me to.
Or maybe I shouldn’t have run away that first time at his place.
What was so wrong with having him take care of my needs, even if it was just for a little while?
You’re better off taking care of those needs yourself.
That tiny voice in the back of my head wasn’t wrong.
A look at the door confirmed it was still shut. A delicious shiver worked its way down my spine as I slowly smoothed my hand down my middle. I’d barely touched myself when an ear-splitting creak filtered in from the bedroom.
“Shit.”
I didn’t want Tristan or worse, Millie, walking in while I was indulging in a little self-love. Which meant that damn needy ache wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Groaning, I shut off the water.
Wrapped in my fluffy purple towel, I brushed my teeth and rinsed out my mouth. I’d just wiped my face when another creak rang through the bathroom, this one much, much louder.
Clutching my towel, I spun around and let a string of curses fall from my lips.
“What the hell, Tristan? Forget how to knock?”
His brow slowly arched. My mouth went dry, unlike other parts of my body. The man had a mighty fine case of sex hair going on, the dark strands mussed in the best way possible with the longer parts defiantly flopping over his forehead.
He hadn’t even bothered with his shirt, simply threw on his jeans.
I’d seen him like this so many times before. Bare-chested with his inked skin proudly on display, and not once had it affected me. At least not like this.
My skin burned hot. My blood thrummed deliciously.
Keeping his gaze on me, he twisted at the waist and tapped his knuckles against the closed door. “Happy?”
“No.” I hugged the towel tighter around my body. “I never said you could come in.”
He hummed low and stalked toward me. “Then tell me to go.”
I should do that. Tell him to get the hell out of the bathroom, out of my apartment.
Out of my life.
But my lips stayed glued shut as the man took a few more steps, until he was right in front of me. Those eyes lingered on mine for a couple of heart-stopping moments before his gaze slowly raked over my body.
My breathing picked up. A direct result of the wild thrashing of my heart. It slammed against my ribs, fast and furious. So damn loud too, I was certain he could hear it.
I swallowed hard. “Tristan?”
“Are you real?” Our gazes locked once again. “Pretty sure I just had a dream where you were half-naked and dripping wet.”
That mouth.
If I wasn’t wet before, I sure was now.
“H-how’s your head?” My attempt at changing the subject was so freaking weak.
He gave me a knowing grin, that infuriating half smirk that made smart women dumb. “Much better than it should be. Thanks for that.”
I’d left water and aspirin on the bedside table after I’d slipped out the previous night. “Welcome.”
“You left me.” The confusion that took over at the abrupt change in topic must’ve shown on my face because he added, “Last night. I asked you to stay and you left.”
“Actually,” I licked my lips. “I asked you to stay and you left.”
He winced. “I know. I’m sorry.” The smirk returned in full force. “But I came back.”
“Drunk,” I said. “You showed up at my door at stupid o’clock, smelling of alcohol, and waffling on about some other woman.”
I hadn’t meant for the words to sound so…bitchy or jealous. Even if that’s exactly how I felt.
“I didn’t touch her, Kate.”
“Yeah, so you said.”
I turned around but before my rotation was complete, Tristan grabbed my arm and spun me to face him.
“I haven’t so much as looked at another woman since you brought those contracts to my apartment. It’s been you. Only fucking you. I go to sleep; I dream about you. I wake up, I think about you. No.” He shook his head. “I fantasize about you.”
“You…what?”
He stepped closer. “Every minute of every day. I dream about those eyes. Those lips. That unforgettable kiss. You’ve branded me like this ink embedded in my skin.”
I didn’t know what to say to that so I said nothing at all.
“And last night,” he went on, planting a hand on the sink next to my hip. “Last night, all I could think about was the feel of your skin against my palm. The taste of your nipple in my mouth.” Dipping his head, he ran his nose along my ear. “And the sweet, sweet sounds you made.”
There my poor heart went again, thumping away to a wild rhythm with no signs of slowing down.
“Hmm,” he grunted. “Maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t stay.”
“Why’s that?” The breathy question was out before I could stop it.
Lips grazing my skin, he sent a bone-rattling shiver down my spine.
“I wouldn’t have been able to keep my hands to myself.
” Using his free hand, he trailed his fingers up my throat.
“The moment I saw you, I wanted to yank down those tiny purple shorts and bury my face between your legs. I wanted to lick you slow, fuck you deep with my tongue. Torture you like you’ve been torturing me for weeks. ”
“Oh,” I gasped.
“Yeah,” he rasped. “You would’ve liked that, wouldn’t you?”
I nodded. No use denying it when the man clearly knew how he affected me.
“Picture it…me sucking on your clit while you ride my face. Can you see it?” A featherlight touch brushed over my collarbone. “Feel it?”
“Yes.”
“Keep picturing it.” He sucked on the skin below my ear until a sharp hiss tore from my lungs. “Your hips moving faster, chasing that sweet, sweet release just out of reach. Faster and faster.”
It was the weirdest thing. He wasn’t doing the things he’d described, but I swear I could practically feel him between my legs. Could even feel the beginning of a buildup low in my belly.
This was crazy. Could he really talk me into an orgasm?
“You’re so close,” he whispered. “So, so close… But I can’t let you come.”
What? No. A whimper pushed past my lips without my permission.
“Do you know why?” His voice was low and gravelly.
I shook my head.
His chuckle was deep, his touch soft as his fingers traveled along my jaw. “Because I want to hear you beg for it.”
A sting of pain registered when he sank his teeth into the skin below my ear, shortly followed by a wash of pleasure.
“This is your last chance to tell me to go, Kate.”
More headshaking. I couldn’t do that. Hell, I doubted I could even string two words together. I’d never been that turned on in my life, and the man wasn’t even touching me.
“Then tell me what you want.”
Since I was incapable of speaking, I tilted my head back and rolled onto my toes. Because he was a giant, I couldn’t get to his lips without a little help from him. He lowered his head. The butterfly wings in my belly got a shot of adrenaline. Three inches. Two. One.
Instead of our lips meeting, his long fingers gripped my chin. “Words, baby.” His breath fluttered over my skin. “I need to hear it.”
I inhaled deeply. Once, twice, then one more time. “Kiss me.”
His mouth was on mine so fast, I barely registered the kiss when his tongue thrust past my lips. There was nothing sweet or gentle about it. It was brutal and urgent.
He sucked on my tongue then drew my bottom lip between his teeth, teasing me over and over again before finally biting into the swollen flesh.
I cried out. Not in pain, not entirely, just so damn turned on. I wanted to reach between my legs and chase the relief I so desperately craved.
“Tristan.” I all but panted his name.
Sinking his fingers into my hair, he trailed his mouth down my throat. “Tell me,” he murmured between kisses. “What do you need, baby?”