Chapter Seventeen
Theo
When we got back home, I hovered while Esther put away her groceries, watching for any sign that she was going to change her mind—or give in to the shuddering panic that had thankfully dissipated while I held her in the truck—and forcing myself not to think about my brother.
Fuck, I wished our reunion hadn’t taken place in front of a full audience, especially one including the woman I was about to romance, but I didn’t want to reflect on how it felt to see my little brother again.
Definitely didn’t want to think about how much he hated me.
As far as Esther was concerned, instead of falling apart, the routine activity only seemed to strengthen her resolve. She lined my three apples up along the countertop, flashed me a saucy grin, and gestured for me to follow her.
As soon as we reached the bedroom, I swept her off her feet with an arm behind her knees and tossed her onto the bed.
Her laughter floated around us as I crawled over her.
This room was quintessentially Esther, comfortable and cozy and feminine, decorated in a mixture of soft grays and rosy pinks.
The curtains boasted stripes of both colors, shot with silver strands that glittered in the light of the setting sun.
“I wish I’d woken up beside you today,” she murmured when I kissed my way along her jaw.
“You made the no sleepover rule,” I said against her throat. “But if you’d like to rescind that one, I think it can be arranged.”
It didn’t take long for her to grow impatient with slow, teasing kisses that gave way to nipping little bites across her incredibly soft skin.
She struggled into a sitting position and threw off her sweatshirt and bra, baring her torso.
Before I could move to feast on that bounty, she shoved me playfully away and ordered me to strip.
As I rose to my feet and started pulling off my shirt and jeans, her eyes followed every movement.
I paused once I was standing there in just my boxers, but she just waved imperiously for me to continue.
With my gaze locked on her face, I shoved the waistband over my hips and stepped out of them.
I couldn’t decide what was more erotic, the sight of her lying there waiting for me or the dazed, hungry expression she wore.
“Esther,” I said softly, waiting for her eyes to meet mine. “You’re calling the shots.”
She nodded, scrambled off the bed, and pulled off her leggings, tossing them onto the dresser in the corner.
When she turned back to face me, I could see the rapid rise and fall of her chest with each breath, the faint flush under her skin.
Though she opened her mouth, she snapped it shut again and held out one hand.
I took it, drew her body against mine, and kissed her until she started shifting restlessly against me, trying to get closer.
“You’re an impatient little thing,” I growled against her lips, then I dropped my hands to the perfect globes of her ass and pulled her hips tightly to mine, grinding against her. “Is this what you want?”
Her head fell back on a quiet gasp. “Oh, yes.”
Without releasing my hold, I walked us backward until she tumbled down onto the bed. I kneaded her hips gently, my eyes locked on those dark curls at the apex of her thighs. Before I said anything, she spread her legs just enough to reveal a flash of hidden pink flesh and I groaned.
“Do you have any idea how bad I want to be inside you?”
“Then what are you waiting for?” she demanded.
I bent down and nipped the inside of one thigh until she opened further, then kissed my way across the softness of her stomach as I cupped one hand between her legs.
She gasped when I slid a finger inside, moaned when I added a second, then bucked against my hand when I curled them and pressed the heel of my palm against her clit.
“So. Fucking. Perfect.”
“Theo, please,” she whispered, but her hips lifted helplessly as I began to tease her in earnest.
I captured one nipple between my teeth before soothing it with my tongue, using every drop of knowledge I’d gleaned about her body the night before to draw her closer and closer to release.
By the time I switched my attention to her other breast, she was panting, writhing beneath me, her muscles quivering as the pressure built.
Just before she crested, I shifted up to kiss her sweet mouth, swallowing her cry as she shattered.
My fingers slowed, soothing and teasing, as she caught her breath.
No matter how many times I’d gotten her off last night, it was still a beautiful revelation, watching her let go.
I couldn’t imagine ever getting tired of seeing it.
“Theo,” she groaned, dropping her head back as I dragged my lips along her throat, “please tell me you have condoms.”
“Esther,” I replied between kisses, “I have condoms.”
She tangled her fingers in my hair. “Then you should grab one and acquaint me with your Long John, hmm?”
I snorted a laugh against her neck and rolled away to grab the string of foil packets I’d shoved into my back pocket earlier.
As I rolled one on, Esther turned onto her side to watch me.
She looked sultry, sexy, like a goddess awaiting her due.
I was more than ready to worship her, to spend the entire night at her service.
When I settled back onto the bed beside her, I smoothed one hand over her hip, relishing the way her flesh filled my palm.
“I want to know what you like, what you don’t like, okay?” I murmured, peppering her face with kisses.
“Okay. It’s just been a long time, and it…wasn’t great even then.”
I cupped her cheek in my hand and kissed her lips. “We’ll discover together, then. Just tell me what you’re feeling while we do.”
This time, her nod was more confident, then she shifted onto her back and tugged me over her.
I dropped my head to nuzzle the sensitive spot below her ear, braced myself on one elbow so I could stroke my fingers between her legs again until she whimpered in frustration, then positioned myself at her entrance.
With her pale eyes locked on mine, I pressed in, an inch at a time, watching her lips part on a soft, sweet sigh when I was finally fully seated inside her.
“Good?” I murmured against her lips.
She wrapped her legs around my hips and whispered, “Very good.”
Understatement of the century. All of that sweetness I’d enjoyed the night before was now concentrated into the blissfully sleek heat of her. I froze for a moment when she tightened around me, stifling a groan of pure need.
Though a small voice in my head urged me to speed up, I ignored it, moving slowly as I acquainted myself further with her body.
I paid attention to each sound she made, each gasp, each lift of her hips to meet mine, and adjusted accordingly.
A slight change in angle drew a low moan from her throat and I hid a satisfied grin against her skin.
Of course, that angle was fucking amazing, and I was determined to give more than I took. “Ready to try something else? I think you’ll like it.”
She mumbled her assent almost incoherently when I thrust deep once more before reluctantly withdrawing. I guided her onto her side so she was spooned in front of me, draped her top leg over my hip, and eased into her from behind.
“Oh, Theo,” she breathed, arching so the lush roundness of her ass nestled snugly against me.
I grinned against her shoulder. “Good?”
“Beyond good,” she replied.
Cupping her breast in my palm, I teased her nipple, rolling and pinching, drawing those sweet sounds from her throat as I moved slow and deep inside her. I let my teeth graze the spot where her neck met her shoulder, then soothed it with my tongue and slipped my hand down between her legs.
With a low purr of pleasure, she spread her legs as far as she could in this position and I took full advantage, keeping my thrusts slow to ensure she came again before I did. Based on the way she squirmed, she was getting close.
“That’s it,” I murmured in her ear, the low words making her shiver. “I want to feel you letting go. Go on.”
On a guttural cry, she did, her hips rocking hard against mine as every muscle clenched around me, squeezing like a vise.
I trailed kisses over her shoulder and the side of her neck, leaving my fingers in place to brush over her sensitized skin as I increased my pace and started thrusting in earnest.
“So good,” I whispered. “You feel so good around me. I could spend all night inside you.”
A soft whimper escaped her as she dropped her head back against my chest. “More. Please,” she whispered.
“More of this?” I asked, circling the tip of my finger around her clit, then I shifted to grip her thigh and thrust hard. “Or this?”
“That,” she gasped, clamping her hand over mine to keep it there, pressing my fingers deeper into her soft flesh.
I laughed hoarsely against her skin and did as she commanded. Her muscles still rippled around me from that last orgasm, driving me closer and closer to the edge. Both of us were panting, moaning softly, until I couldn’t tell whose breath was whose.
When Esther’s grip loosened, I cupped my hand between her legs and stroked twice until she arched again and let out a trembling moan as another orgasm rocketed through her. I buried myself deep and came hard, muffling my own groan against her shoulder.
For a long moment, we stayed linked together like that, then her body shuddered in front of me.
“Hey, hey, don’t cry,” I whispered frantically, horrified.
She rolled her head to look at me and I realized she wasn’t crying at all—she was laughing.
That elusive dimple was out in full force, her rosy lips curved into a glorious smile, green eyes aglow.
I stared at her, fascinated, until she twined her fingers with mine and lifted our joined hands to press a kiss to my knuckles.
“That was incredible,” she said dreamily.
Her laughter was contagious; even before I pulled out of her, I started chuckling into the silky mass of her hair.
“You are incredible,” I corrected.
As I withdrew, she lifted her leg off of me and curled into a little ball of contentment. I kissed her shoulder one last time before rising to throw away the condom, then I curved my body around hers and blanketed her with my arm.
While my pulse slowed and my skin cooled, I was overcome by one thought: I would be happy to stay right here for the rest of my life.