Chapter 9
ALEXANDRIA
The bed beneath me is firm but soft and I don’t know if I’ve ever lain on anything so comfortable in my life.
Then again maybe it’s the pleasure surging through me that has me so relaxed—boneless.
I’ve lost count of the number of orgasms I’ve had tonight. Garrett has been on a mission to keep me flying off the edge. As soon as I tumble to the bottom, he pushes me back up again. Sometimes, like now, before I even reach the bottom of the incredible highs he’s delivered.
I’m sore. But Garrett is not an idiot. He’s proven how smart he is by the way he’s playing my body like a master who has done it all his life.
No man knows me as well as this one. It’s only been a few hours and yet, every squirm, every twitch, every sound, he reads like the words on a page of his favorite novel.
This orgasm is quieter, slower, the sensations floating through me like warm honey, thick and sticky; my nerves are soothed while still being inflamed. It’s like a warm cloth on sore muscles. Comforting, relieving.
“That’s it, roll with it,” Garrett murmurs into my core.
Draped over his shoulders, my limp legs tremble around his head as he devours me. His talented mouth is all over me. Kissing, licking, sucking. Soft, sweeping, lapping.
I open my mouth to say his name only it gets tangled in my throat with a moan as his ministrations take me over the peak once more.
“Yeah, like that. Nice and easy. All sweet and slippery.”
A shudder rolls over me. His words, rough or demanding, soft or complimentary it doesn’t matter what he says, it’s the way he says it. He’s seducing me with his voice as much as his body, and as I shiver through this latest orgasm, he crawls up my body, a devilish grin on his face.
Dropping a kiss on the tip of my nose, he moves to the side and pulls me in against him. I’m worn out. Spent in a way I’ve never been and I don’t care that the sun is rising and I should leave. I want to stay here for as long as he’ll let me.
I don’t give a shit where I need to be this morning. All I care about is enjoying the warmth and comfort lying in Garrett’s arms gives me.
I’ve never felt this relaxed. This at ease.
Most of the time, I’m tense, waiting for a sign I need to defend myself against something or someone. I never used to be like that, and I hate that I’m this way now. And I admit, six months ago my best friend was right. I was hiding from the world. Olivia was right to push me to date—to live again.
“Heavy thoughts or are you asleep? Asleep is fine, it means you aren’t thinking of leaving.”
Garrett’s voice floats around me, soft and rumbling, and I could listen to him talk for hours. Hell, he could recite my shopping list and I’d be all in.
Tipping my head back, I open my eyes and find his. “Awake. Thinking things I shouldn’t be while naked in your bed.”
“You can think whatever you want whenever you want as long as you’re naked in my bed.” He waggles his eyebrows with a grin.
I want to find him amusing but I can’t. There’s a heaviness sitting in my chest. “If only.”
“Why not?”
“We both have to work for one.”
“Do we?” One bushy eyebrow arches. “I’ve got enough money invested I don’t have to work.”
“What about Boyd’s?”
“I’m only there because I enjoy it.”
“Really? You don’t have to work behind the bar?”
“No. We make enough profit none of us need to work there. Not even Carter.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize.” I knew from Olivia, Boyd’s was lucrative. But if none of the owners actually have to work there, it’s doing better than I thought. “You started it from scratch, right? Didn’t buy out a bar and renovate it?”
“Yeah, took us about a year to open the doors but we worked other jobs while getting it ready.”
“That’s amazing.” Garrett has achieved his level of success with his own hands. Unlike my ex who got his position through me. I frown.
“Sorry that makes you upset.”
“Oh, no.” I push up onto my elbow so I can face him fully. “I was just thinking how others use people to achieve their goals and you and your brothers dug in and did it on your own.”
“What can I say?” His shoulder lifts. “We’re working class through and through.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“I expect it is in your circles.”
It’s the first time he’s mentioned the difference in our backgrounds. Here I was worried about our age difference and Garrett is thinking about where we come from. Well, that’s an easy one to squash.
“You have more integrity and honesty and genuineness than most of my so called circle.”
“From what I’ve heard from Livi, I’d have to agree.”
“Has she told you much? About me?” The idea doesn’t sit well. Not that I want to hide anything from him. If I shared my secret wishes and concerns, Garrett would be a good confidant.
“Not specifics. I know you’re single. Similar age to her. And you come from money.”
“Yeah, fat lot of good money does you when it comes to relationships.”
“Relationships are hard with or without money. We didn’t have money growing up and Mom and Dad fought all the time about it. Especially after he left. He wasn’t happy he still had to give her money to support us.”
“Oh.” I had no idea he was raised by a single mother. “It must have been tough.”
“Got tougher when she got sick and Carter had to take care of all of us.”
My chest tightens. With sadness for a woman I don’t know and the boys she tried to raise, and guilt. I never went without. I still don’t. I might not be super close to my parents, but they’re there and support me.
“I’m sorry.”
There is so much I don’t know about the Boyd men. In spite of getting closer with Olivia since she started dating Carter, we haven’t spoken about him or his brothers deeper than the superficial level.
I can’t deny the urge to ask more about Garrett’s past. Except we agreed on one night. No strings. And this conversation feels like more strings than a shop full of yarn.
And because I want to dive deeper into what made this man the way he is, I push away from him. Sitting up, I turn away to hide my naked chest. But mainly I look away because I can’t face him and say what I need to say.
“I should get going. I’ve got a meeting at eight.” I don’t wait for him to comment. I get out of bed and go in search of my clothes. The sooner I get away from Garrett and the emotions flooding my chest, the better.
If I stay any longer, I’m afraid I won’t want to leave at all, and that’s not what this is. I might have been out of the dating game for years but after months of walking that battlefield, I know what men want nowadays.
Garrett already got it. And more. I’m sure the last thing he wants is a middle-aged woman clinging desperately to him.
“I’ll call a ride and wait downstairs. I’m sure you’ve got things to do.”