Chapter Twelve
Ah fuck!
Elodie craned her neck, pressed her head against the pillow and she gasped for a breath. She drove her hand over his head and through his thick hair. Most partners she’d had in the past hadn’t been as ardent with giving oral as they had with receiving it. Not Oz.
His fingers dug into her thighs, forcing her legs to spread further apart. It not only left her open and exposed, but it gave him a new angle. Ah, fuck, yes! Her toes curled as his tongue ravaged her clit, sending a trembling heat through her veins. It was too much and not enough. Elodie wasn’t even thinking coherently anymore. She bit her bottom lip so hard, she feared she may have drawn blood. The combination of pleasure and pain was putting her over the edge. She moaned, fisted his hair, and rocked her hips against his mouth. She was so close.
Elodie had barely made it into his house when she was stripped down and carried to his bedroom on the second floor. It took her a while to even figure out what was happening. She was so lost in her desire, her need, and his touch. Lust. It was the only way to describe everything she was feeling.
Her breathing shallowed and her muscles tightened. She was seconds away…
What the… She blinked her eyes open, and everything was hazy. What happened? She been on the verge of a mind-blowing orgasm. She peered down watching Oz press his lips across her stomach, sensually caressing her skin and moving up to her breast. He tongued her nipple before sucking it between his lips in a hard pull. This man was a god with his mouth.
She dropped her head back into the pillow and slid her hands over his shoulders. His lips brushed over her chest and up to her neck.
“I wanna come.” She moaned.
“When I tell you.” He growled.
Elodie fought against a smile and lost. Never in her life had she seen herself as a woman who wanted to be dominated. And yet here I am. Oz had changed the game. She wrapped her arms around his back as he drove inside her, stretching.
“Oz—” She barely got his name out before gasping for a breath. Her lips slid over his neck, and he grunted softly. Unlike Elodie, he wasn’t very vocal. It made his masculine groan even more satisfying. She grazed her teeth over his neck and clenched her thighs.
Oz slid his hand down to her thigh, gripped it hard, and pushed it up level with her chest. The angle at which he was fucking her had him hitting a spot she hadn’t known existed. She ground her teeth, overcome with the electric sensation shooting through her body.
His mouth dropped to her ear, his warm breath fanning her neck. “Come for me.”
Yes, sir! Elodie didn’t have to be told twice.
She dug her nails into his back, pressing her lips against his neck while feeling him deep inside of her. She bit down on his neck and moaned, feeling a tingle through her veins. Her knees locked, her muscles tightened seconds before riding the best orgasm of her life.
Elodie melted into the mattress with Oz’s weight coming over her. His breath was heavy, blanketing her skin. Elodie slid her fingers over his back, wanting him to stay close. Oz had other plans. He brushed his lips across her forehead and pushed up. He rolled off her, and she immediately felt the loss. He sat on the edge of the bed, stretching his back. All his muscles were defined. He stood, giving her a perfect view of his backside, and disappeared into the bathroom.
She peered around the spacious room. It was masculine, tastefully decorated with warm tones and the size of her kitchen and living room combined. She snuggled into the bed and covered her yawn. It had to be after midnight. She dropped her hand to her belly when her stomach growled.
When he walked out of the bathroom, she propped up on her pillow, watching him make his way back to the bed. He wore a pair of dark sweats and nothing else. It was odd to see him in anything other than a suit. I like it.
Oz had mentioned something briefly about dinner when she’d first walked in, but as soon as he’d kissed her, she’d found herself in his bedroom, naked and spread with his face between her legs.
“Are you going to feed me?”
The corner of his mouth spiked, and he grabbed his phone. “It’s waiting downstairs.”
She threw off her covers and went in search of her clothes.
“Did you bring your financials?”
She hooked her legs through her panties. “Yeah, but there’s not much there. As I said, I don’t have a formal contract with Julian. I did bring everything I’ve gotten from the lawyer. You want to see that too?”
When he didn’t answer, she glanced over her shoulder. Oz’s gaze scanned her body, and his gaze darkened. A chill ran over her skin. She’d been with a few men, but none had looked at her like he was looking at her now. She arched her back and pointed to the bed.
“We could skip dinner.”
Oz smirked and lifted his chin. “Get dressed.”
Much to her surprise, he hadn’t been lying about dinner. It was fully prepared and plated when they arrived in his kitchen. They opted to eat in his office while he looked over her paperwork. She sat on the couch, devouring her meal while Oz was seated at his desk, sifting through her files. He hadn’t even touched his food.
She placed the empty plate on the table, and strolled across the room, sidling up next to his chair. His hand wrapped over his beard in a stroking motion with his gaze hardened. Two small lines indented between his brows. While she appreciated him looking over her financials, he hadn’t said much since he’d started thirty minutes ago.
“So, what’s the consensus?”
He looked up with a harsh glare. It was almost scolding.
“You made a bad deal.”
She sighed. “I know.”
His brows tightened. “Why didn’t you have something written up?”
“Because he was a friend that I trusted for years. And he caught me in a very vulnerable state.”
It was the first time all night, but Oz’s features softened. He was still carrying anger, but it seemed redirected toward Julian rather than her.
“I have my mediation the day after tomorrow. Hopefully it works in my favor.” Elodie wasn’t optimistic. Neither is my lawyer.
“Discussing payment?” he asked.
She snorted. “I hope. Up until now he’s been demanding full reimbursement. But my lawyer said he’s going to try and get a payment plan set up.”
This was the last thing she wanted to discuss while spending time together.
She waved her hand. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Okay?”
Oz eyed her, slowly nodding.
Thank you, Oz.
*
Elodie stretched her arms over her head and curled toward the warmth of his body. It was early with no light streaming through the blinds. She hiked up on her elbow and squinted. 5:37am. She’d always been an early riser. Her internal clock never allowed sleep past six. It seemed Oz was different.
She slowly got out of bed, dropping her feet from the high mattress to the floor and peeking over at him. He was completely out. I did that.
She tiptoed through the eerily quiet house. That might’ve been downplaying it. Oz lived in a mansion. Elodie had been in really nice homes before but not to this magnitude. As she passed by the window, she noticed two men walking the perimeter. Again with security. She made a mental note to inquire more about it.
She walked into the kitchen and flicked on the lights in search of a coffee machine. Instead, she came face to face with a cat sitting on the counter staring back at her.
“Hey there.”
The cat meowed and hopped off the counter, stalking toward her. He weaved through her legs, and when she bent down to pet him, he curled his head into the palm of her hand.
“Aren’t you sweet?” She scratched the scruff of his neck, and he flopped to the floor and rolled onto his back. “Rolling over, huh?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the cat flipped over and walked to the corner edge of the counter. He sprung up and nuzzled his face against a sealed ceramic jar. She walked over, opened the container, and smiled. Cat treats. Oz was the last person she’d expect to be an animal lover. The cat jumped off the counter but remained close by her feet with a loud rumbling purr and a barrage of meowing.
“Do you do any tricks?” Elodie teased. “Can you sit?”
Much to her surprise, the cat immediately sat down.
“Oh shit.” She giggled and grabbed some of the treats, eyeing the cat. “Can you give me your paw?”
The cat held up its paw, and she gasped. “How about laying down? Do you do that?”
When the cat laid on his belly, she burst out laughing and then widened her eyes when he rolled over. Holy shit! She dropped the treats on the floor and watched him devour them. Who would’ve thought?
He went into full cat mode once the treats were gone. She reached down to pet him, and he side-eyed her and skittered away into the other room. Still, she was impressed. She made her way over to what looked like a coffee machine, but it was anything but basic. Elodie wouldn’t even know where to start, let alone where to find the coffee. Oz obviously had expensive taste.
She gave up her quest and was heading upstairs when she passed a birthday card lying flat on the table. She grabbed it and flipped it open.
To Oz, Love Dahlia and Trey.
When was his birthday? And more importantly, why hadn’t he mentioned it? Technically, this had only been their third date. It shouldn’t bother her she didn’t know his birthday. But it did. She ignored the gnawing ache in her chest.
****
Oz had woken up fifteen minutes ago to an empty bed. It was his norm, but it left him unsettled. He reached for his phone, pulling up the house cameras. Elodie couldn’t have left without triggering the alarms. He found her in the kitchen. He watched intently as she played with the cat and then picked up his card on the table.
When she walked out of the kitchen and through the hall, he set his phone down on the nightstand. A few minutes later, she emerged through his bedroom door.
“You have a cat.”
Oz hooked his arm under his head, staring up at Elodie as she crawled across the bed. Her hair swung past her shoulder, and her hands were braced on either side of his chest. It wasn’t a position he’d found himself in often. She was essentially caging him in.
“Yes.”
Her brows dipped, and she leaned an inch closer. “Did you know he sits on command, gives his paw, lays down, and rolls over?”
Oz didn’t know much about the habits of felines, but he’d had his very own freeloader for the last seven years.
“Yes.”
Her jaw dropped, and her mouth fell open in the cutest O. “Did you teach him that?”
“I taught him manners.”
Elodie’s smile broke into a grin, and she laughed. It was high pitched from the belly and authentic.
“That’s amazing. Cats are usually assholes.”
Oz scoffed. “He is an asshole.”
“Yeah, but he’s an asshole who does tricks.” She giggled, leaning closer and dropping her breasts to his chest. “What’s his name?”
“The cat.”
She knitted her brows and remained silent for a few seconds.
“Yeah, the cat. What’s his name?”
Oz steeled his features. “The cat.”
Elodie pushed up on her elbows and darted her gaze across the room. It was perfect timing with his cat strolling in through the door.
“Yes, we’ve established, I’m asking about the cat. What’s. His. Name?”
Oz forced himself not to give in to his amusement. “The. Cat.”
Elodie shook her head and scowled. “This feels very, ‘who’s on first?’”
Oz was old enough to know the reference. Not necessarily from the original but in a movie he’d seen in his younger years. He was no match for Elodie’s quip, and he gave in to a smile. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and her face softened. This was Oz letting his guard down.
Elodie slowly slid down to his chest and brushed her hand over his beard, nestling closer.
“His name is the cat , isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Elodie moved closer, kissing him softly. Oz’s immediate reaction was to wrap his hand over her waist and pull her closer.
“Aside from your talented cat, I noticed something else downstairs.” She squinted. “When is your birthday?”
Fuck me. He should’ve gotten rid of the card. It was the first time in decades he’d received one. Oz couldn’t remember the last time he’d celebrated or even acknowledged his birthday. In his mind, it was just another day. When he was a kid, it was always overlooked. The only time his birthday held any significance was when he’d turned eighteen and aged out of the system, taking Rogue and Trey along with him.
“I don’t celebrate.”
She slid her mouth down his throat, whispering, “That’s not what I asked, Oz.”
Her lips traced over his stomach, down to his abs, and he felt his cock harden. This woman had an unnatural control over him. She wrapped her hand over his length and peered up through her lashes.
“Are you opposed to some happy birthday head?”
Fuck!
The corner of her mouth curled as she spread kisses over his chest. All he could do was watch as she teased and taunted. Foreplay. Oz was used to getting what he wanted, but Elodie was going to make him wait. Her mouth trailed over his stomach as her grip tightened over his cock, stroking.
This was where his dominance was forced to take a backseat. But he wasn’t above encouraging. He scraped his short nails across the back of her neck. Elodie moaned as her lips parted over the crown of his cock.
Fuck!
He weaved his hand through her hair as her mouth descended, taking him down her throat. He closed his eyes, stretching his neck and tightening his hold. Elodie didn’t need pointers or guidance, she knew exactly how to please him.
Oz didn’t last long. He fisted her hair, watching her lips devour his length. When it came to this woman, his control was limited, and he proved that a minute later, spilling inside her mouth.
He could’ve spent the whole day in bed with her, but both their schedules wouldn’t allow for it. They took a shower and got dressed. Oz offered her breakfast, but they’d spent too much time in bed, and she was running late at the store.
Oz walked her to the door just as security pulled up in front of the house with her car. Elodie chuckled and turned, hooking her arms around his waist and peering up at him.
“I love that you have valet service at your house.”
Oz was never one for public displays of affection in any scenario, particularly in front of security. It didn’t stop him from cupping her jaw and kissing her. He had faith his men would look away, allowing them privacy. When he broke from the kiss, his suspicions were confirmed.
“Call me later,” she said and walked down the stairs. Oz watched one of his men hold the door open and wait for her to get settled before closing it. Once she was driving down his driveway, he turned, walking back into his house and directly into his office.
I have some calls to make.