23. Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Echo
" S tay the night, please." I wasn't ready for him to leave me, not after the wonderful evening we'd had. He drove me home, not allowing me to take an Uber, and now that he was at my doorstep, I didn't want to be alone.
"If that's what you want."
I felt his heart beat faster, and it made me smile. He was as nervous as I was, and there was comfort in that.
All the previous times we had sex, Remi left right after. This time, I didn't even know if we'd have sex, but I did know that he'd stay the night, not leave in the middle, kissing my forehead, saying he'd see me later. He hadn't said he wouldn't leave, I just knew he wouldn't. It was one of the things we'd talked about. He had explained how he didn't stay the night with women and didn't let anyone stay the night at his place either.
We got into bed, him in his boxer shorts, me in a tank top and panties. I felt a surge of warmth, and some of my concerns were dispelled. He was here with me. He was going to stay the night. A few hours ago, he was ready to tell the world we were together. Remi was serious about us. He wasn't playing with me.
We lay on our sides, facing each other, having tacitly agreed which side of the bed belonged to each of us. There was a relief in the ease of our wordless communication, just like before.
"Why did you date Marina?" I asked after I turned off the bedside light, needing the darkness to ask the questions that invaded my heart and made it go cold.
"She was after me, a lot. We had sex, and it was good. I knew Mama wanted me to date her. And, I thought, why not give it a try."
He stroked my cheek gently.
"You stayed the night with her?"
He traced my upper lip with a finger. "No. We always slept at her place, and I left, didn't stay the night."
I frowned. "But she was your girlfriend."
"I wasn't comfortable sleeping with her."
"Remi?"
He chuckled. "Yeah, Doll, the first time I stayed the night with a woman was with you, in your bed. I didn't even know it, but I'd been saving that experience to share with you."
I was immeasurably touched.
"But why? I haven't had a lot of sex, but even I've fallen asleep with a guy."
"I don't know. I always wanted my privacy, and I wanted my own space."
"If you're uncomfortable here, you—"
"I told you I want to be here. I feel good with you. Safe," he cut me off. He lay on his back and pulled me to him so I could put my head on his shoulder. "I love you, Echo."
My heart stilled. He'd been saying that for a while now, and each time the three beautiful words spilled out from him, I felt like the sun was shining right on my face, warming me all the way to my soul. I wanted so desperately to tell him that I loved him too, but the words seemed stuck inside me.
"No one's ever said that to me, not until you," I confessed.
He held me tighter. "Not even your mama?"
"I can't remember."
"Well, Doll, I'm going to tell you every day that I love you. Every fucking day." His voice was hoarse with emotion. "Because you're the most lovable person I've ever known."
I raised my head and saw that his eyes were bright with tears. "Remi."
"Fuck, Echo. It ain't cool that you didn't have people tellin' you that you're loved. I love you. I ain't ever gonna stop."
I hated seeing him sad. I shifted to lay on top of him, my knees cradling his hips. I kissed his mouth. "Don't be sad."
He crushed me to him and kissed me hard, his mouth devouring mine. His hands moved over my back and went under the elastic of my panties, cupping my ass. As he kissed me, his hands moved me over his erection. Just that friction made me weak.
"Remi," I managed to say, freeing my lips from him.
"Baby Doll." He was making me rub against him. " Fuck, Echo . I can feel how wet you are."
I wanted him so badly. My lungs felt constricted. I could hardly breathe. I moved so I wasn't covering him, and my hand went down his stomach, and I cupped him.
He caught my hand, his breathing rough. "Echo."
"I want you," I murmured, my lips nuzzling against his shoulder. I threw a leg over him and rubbed myself against his thigh.
" Fuck ," he cried out and kissed me, rough and hungry.
My hand moved over his erection and I began to stroke him. He cupped my ass and helped me ride his thigh. We were like teenagers, not wanting to remove our clothing but wanting to get off. There was an innocence to what we were doing, and it was so damn erotic.
Then, as if he couldn't stand it, he gripped my wrists and flipped out of position, so I was on my back. He secured my hands over my head.
"Stop," he ordered gruffly.
I tried to wriggle out of his grip. "Why?"
He chuckled, amused with my desperation to have him.
My thighs were splayed open, framing his hips, and I began to move my hips, feeling his hardness against the moist lips of my pussy. The fabric of my panties and his boxers were the only layers between us, and I desperately wanted them gone.
It had been a tumultuous day, and my emotions were all over the place—I knew that. But I was also certain of what I wanted from Remi right now, what I wanted for us. It was frustrating as hell that he was holding back.
He groaned when I began to rub myself against him, wanting the friction.
"You want me, Doll?" His voice was strained.
"So much." I arched my back to get closer to him.
He kissed me again, and this time, we were frantic. I so badly wanted to hold him, but he didn't let go of my wrists. Not being able to touch him made me even more eager, which I was sure was what he wanted all along.
He began to thrust his hips, his cock rubbing against my panty-covered clit. "You're so fucking hot." He suckled a nipple through my tank top.
I gasped and began to thrash under him, desperately wanting to come.
He sucked hard on a nipple, and I lost control. My breath became choppier, and I rocked, grinding my clit against his erection.
He moved his hips, lifting them off me when I cried out. "No, Remi. Honey, I'm so close."
His breathing was erratic now. "I want inside you."
"Me too," I sighed
"But not tonight."
"Why?" I whined.
He chuckled. "I love the way you pout."
" Remi ," I protested.
"I know, Doll. You want to come?"
He started to brush himself against me, and the tension built deep inside me. As I unraveled, I threw my head back, screaming. I hadn't come this hard, in forever, and that, too, without him inside me, was intensely arousing.
He released my wrists, and immediately, I wrapped them around him. He rolled his hips against mine, my release, making me moan in response to the aftershocks.
"You look so fucking pleased with yourself," he remarked.
I finally came down and laid contently under him. I felt lethargic. The emotional upheaval combined with a hard-won orgasm was lulling me to sleep. But I wanted to give and not just take. I cupped his ass and stroked his crease.
"No, Doll, tonight is only for you."
He moved away from me and got on his back, heaving like he'd just run a hundred-meter sprint. I snuggled into him. I felt him kiss my forehead and whisper, "I love you, Doll."
I kissed his shoulder. "Goodnight, love."