23. Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Weston
C aroline blinks several times as my words settle in, like she can’t decide if I’m full of shit or not. Eventually, her lips twist into a smug grin. “Sounds like you’re kind of obsessed with me.”
“That’s one way to put it,” I respond, forcing myself to give her a matching half-smile.
Her joke doesn’t surprise me because the more time we spend together, the more I learn that praise isn’t something she knows how to process. It’s like every time I say something remotely positive, she deflects and abruptly changes the subject.
And while it doesn’t bother me, I still want her to hear it. I want her to know she’s important to me.
Caroline’s stormy-blue eyes flash with frustration as silence settles between us.
I hold her gaze as her teeth clamp down on the soft pillow of her lower lip, and it gives me a surprising amount of enjoyment to see her flustered like this. If I had to guess, she wanted me to respond differently and isn’t quite sure how to move forward.
Less than thirty seconds later, she breaks our standoff and spins on her heel to walk toward the edge of my bed, making a show of dramatically looking around the room like we haven’t been in here for the past five minutes.
“So . . . this is where the magic happens.”
The obvious question in her statement makes me bark out a laugh. “Actually, no magic has happened in here.”
I lean against the wooden mantle to anchor myself so that I don’t follow her.
Caroline drags her fingertips over my dark-gray duvet cover before she turns her attention to me. “None?”
She searches my face like she’s trying to uncover a lie, and while her disbelief stings a little, I understand—that’s who I used to be. That’s who she used to know.
“None,” I confirm with a single shake of my head. “I mean, unless you count solo sessions. But even those have been few and far between the past year.”
Caroline purses her full lips like she’s considering my statement. “Interesting.”
“My lack of sex is interesting to you?”
I start to roll my sleeves up my arm to give myself something to do with my hands.
If I had to think about it, the last time I had sex was in Chicago over a year ago. I met a couple of ER nurses at the hospital who were a good time, but as soon as I got the call from Carter’s mom that she was pregnant and I was about to become a father, everything changed.
Since then, getting myself—or anyone else—off has been pretty much the last thing on my mind until . . . well, until Caroline. It’s like she’s reawakened this side of myself that I had forgotten about. This side of myself that I missed.
“So the hot tub . . .”
I chuckle as I shove my hands into my pockets. “The first time in a while. Why do you think I almost came in my pants?”
Caroline’s lips twist into a sheepish smile. “I kind of wish you had. That would’ve been hot.”
She sinks onto my bed, crossing her long legs seductively, like she knows exactly what she does to me.
I swallow harshly because it’s taking a conscious effort to remove my mind from the gutter. To stop thinking about the times I’ve jerked off in the past month to the memory of her coming on my tongue, or the idea that she might let me do it again.
“Well, sorry to disappoint, princess.”
Caroline’s gaze drops to the bulge that’s definitely visible through my shorts. “I feel like we should fix that.”
My heart slows because I’m positive that I heard her wrong. “You want me to . . . come in my pants?”
I’m pretty sure most women would be turned off by the idea of a man prematurely ejaculating during a hookup. But if that’s what she’s into, I’m totally down to make it happen. Maybe I was wrong about some of her kinks, and she’s super into humiliation. I could see it, given the bossy little attitude she likes to give me.
Caroline’s tongue runs over her upper lip as her eyes drag back to mine. “In your pants. In my mouth. I don’t care where you do it. I just want you to come for me, Wes.”
Fuck.
How the hell am I supposed to say no to a request like that?
When I told her that she was welcome to come over tonight, I honestly didn’t consider this as a possibility. Of course I hoped that she would give me another shot eventually, but I figured it would be a while. My first priority above anything else was making sure that she knew she could trust me. That I’ve changed. That I wanted her in my life in whatever capacity she was willing to have me.
But now my cock is thickening at an uncomfortable rate, and I don’t know what to do. “That’s not why—”
“I know,” Caroline replies, interrupting me mid-thought. “I know that’s not why you left the porch light on.”
I glance at the baby monitor on the mantle to make sure it’s on. “Are you sure? You said it wasn’t happening again.”
Her brows furrow in confusion.
“Where did you . . .” She trails off as the realization hits her. “Fucking Morgan.”
“She didn’t tell me. I went to grab refills from the beer fridge and overheard you guys talking.”
Even though our friend is a blabbermouth, I don’t want Caroline to think we were talking about her behind her back. I might have bragged about past hookups to anyone who would ask, but this is different. I want to keep every intimate detail about her to myself.
Caroline considers my words and then rolls her stormy-blue eyes. “I said that because she wouldn’t shut the fuck up. If I had told her the truth, she would’ve been incorrigible.”
Pride swells through me, and I push off the mantle, unable to help myself from stalking forward. I stop in front of her, widening my stance to frame her crossed legs.
The way her gaze lands on my belt, like she’s undressing me with her eyes, sends me into a completely different headspace. It makes me want to put on a show for her.
I reach down, pinching her chin between my thumb and forefinger to redirect her attention to me.
“And what is the truth, princess?” I ask, hearing my voice drop to a level I’m not sure I recognize. It’s gritty and filled with an obscene amount of desire, just like the rest of my body.
Caroline’s lips part, but no words come out.
I’m desperate to kiss them. To feel them against mine for the first time in years. And from the way that her breathing has shallowed, something tells me she is too.
“Hmmm?” I tighten my grip on her chin. “What did you really think of me that night? That I sucked in bed? Or was that a lie too?”
I believe the words she used were “ fine ” and “ vanilla, ” but I’m paraphrasing.
Her eyes narrow in a challenge. “Technically, it wasn’t a bed.”
My cock jumps at her defiance, like it wants to feel more of that fire. To continue to see how hard she’ll push back before she breaks. But given everything I’ve learned in the past month, I’m not touching anything like that until we can have a conversation. And now is definitely not that time.
“Caroline,” I warn, clenching my jaw.
She’s never held back with me before, so I’m not sure I understand why she’s warring with herself now.
Eventually, she lets out a dramatic groan. “Fine. The truth is that I loved it. Okay? I loved it.”
I release my hold on her chin, sliding my fingers to the back of her head so she can continue.
“I hated that I loved it because I wanted so badly to keep believing you were the same asshat I met when I was eighteen. But you weren’t . . . you aren’t.” She blinks up at me through her thick lashes and whispers, “And part of me wonders if you never have been.”
I fight a massive grin. “Never to you.”
Caroline swallows like she finally believes me as I gently stroke her neck. “You want this.”
It comes out as a statement, but it’s really a question—a question I need her to confirm before we go any further.
She nods, reaching up to touch my forearm reassuringly. “I want this.”
I weave my fingers through her hair, tugging her to her feet as all of my hesitations evaporate into the thick air between us.
Do we still have things to talk about? Yeah, of course.
But that’s not what’s important right now. What’s important is doing something I should have done a long time ago—kissing her properly.
Caroline gasps from the sudden movement, parting her plump lips at the exact moment that I lean in to claim her. I press my mouth to hers, forcing myself to go slow. To savor everything about this moment.
I focus on the way she smells like sweet honey but tastes like pure sin. The way her moan sounds as it travels down my throat and lodges itself in my heart. The way her touch feels as she clings to my arm, firm and confident in what we’re about to do.
What’s happening between us feels different than it did in the hot tub. It feels like a surrender—a swirling admission of need and desire between the two of us.
If I were a stronger man, I would kiss Caroline like this for the rest of the night. I would lazily explore every inch of her, studying every sound and movement she made.
But the passion between us is impossible to ignore.
And I can’t stop myself from taking more.
I snake my free hand around the small of her back, pulling her flush against my chest so that I can deepen our kiss. But Caroline beats me to it. She greedily angles her head, trying to steal control by sweeping her tongue into my mouth.
Before she can get too far, I rear back.
I like being the one who she goes to when she needs to let loose—being the person she relies on. And right now, she’s going to rely on me to give her what she’s looking for.
Caroline lets out a frustrated groan as I hover my mouth over hers, just out of reach. Her grip on my arm tightens in warning, but that only spurs me on—it makes me want to drag this out.
I flick the tip of my tongue over her upper lip, just like I did to her clit the night she held herself open for me. I remember thinking that life couldn’t get any better in that moment, but I was wrong. Nothing is better than knowing that she wants me . . . or at least, that she wants my body.
Caroline whimpers as I repeat the movement, and I smile against her lips, drinking in her desperation.
She tries to go in for more, forgetting that I have her in the palm of my hands . . . literally.
I tug on the hair at the nape of her neck, and the sound that escapes her is genuinely beautiful—desperate and filled with wild desire. Several seconds pass, but they feel like an eternity as she lets out needy, frustrated breaths against my lips, waiting for me to release her.
I don’t.
I flick my tongue again, enjoying the way she squirms in my arms.
“It seems like you’re a little worked up, princess,” I taunt, arching my hips forward so that she can feel what she does to me. “I’m a little worked up too if you can’t tell.”
I tug her in for a quick, ravenous kiss before I pull her back again, tilting her chin to the ceiling.
She glares at me as best as she can, snarling my name because she’s locked in place.
I lean in, planting rough kisses along her jaw.
She tries to grind her hips against my cock as I nibble at the soft skin of her neck, and I can’t help but think about how I love this vulnerable and frantic version of her. This version of her that relies on me. That gives in to me. That comes undone for me.
“There’s a problem, though,” I whisper, pausing for dramatic effect as my lips ghost her ear. “You told me that I get to choose where I come. And right now, all I want is to push you to your knees and watch your pretty lips wrap around my cock.”
Caroline lets out a confident snicker when I nip at her earlobe. “That doesn’t sound like a problem to me.”
“It might be when you see my cock.”
I don’t wait for a response before angling my head to kiss her again, slipping my tongue into her mouth to keep her busy while my fingers trail down her spine. I find the hem of her dress and drag the fabric higher, letting it rest at her hips while my fingers trace the curve of her bare ass.
Caroline hums with approval, widening her stance like she’s expecting me to move toward her pussy.
But I don’t.
I give her cheeks a harsh squeeze before stepping back to pull her dress from her body.
The second she walked up my stairs tonight, I was honestly grateful that she didn’t come to the party—there’s no fucking way I would have been able to tear my eyes away from her in this thing. The hem hits her mid-thigh, showcasing legs that seem even longer because of the ridiculously sexy boots she’s wearing.
“Fuck me,” I groan, taking her in as her dress falls to the floor beside us.
I have to blink a few times because I was not expecting her to be wearing sheer black lingerie with fabric so thin it barely covers her perky nipples.
Even though I got to experience her naked body at the lake, this moment feels different—sexier somehow, and a hell of a lot more intimate.
Caroline smirks and reaches for my zipper. “If that’s what you want.”
I grit my teeth and stop her, planting her hands at her side.
She has no idea how badly I want to fuck her. How frequently I’ve fantasized about being inside of her.
But after my son was born, I promised myself that I wouldn’t sleep with anyone unless I knew that they were endgame. And while tonight might feel like a new beginning for the two of us, I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
“Not tonight, princess,” I say, running my fingers up her arms and watching as goosebumps form in their wake. “Tonight you’re going to show me just how much you want me.”
I press on her shoulders and she gets the hint, lowering herself to the ground at my feet.
Caroline sits back on her heels, staring up at me expectantly through her plump, dark lashes.
I study for her for a beat, drawing the moment out longer than I should.
“Wider.” I tap the tip of my loafer against her knees. “I want you open for me when I finally feed you my cock.”
She eagerly adjusts herself, spreading her legs so I can step between them.
There was no problem with her original position. But I’ve learned a thing or two from Walker’s friend in Houston, and I want to test one of his core principles firsthand—submission.
I reach down to cradle her face.
“Atta girl,” I coo as I brush my thumb over her lower lip.
Another test.
I expect Caroline to flinch away, or shut down with the praise. Instead, she leans into my touch and lets out a needy sigh.
My dick strains against my zipper, but I ignore it and press my thumb into her mouth because I’m not ready to stop teasing her yet.
Caroline closes her lip, sucking me so hard that her cheeks hollow.
I pull my thumb out and replace it with two fingers, sliding them along her tongue, deeper than before.
She doesn’t gag. She keeps her deep-blue eyes locked on mine, rocking her hips as I pump into her.
“Are you feeling needy, princess? Does showing me how you’re going to suck my thick cock get you all worked up?” I taunt, knowing she can’t respond because my fingers are halfway down her throat. “I bet it does. But I want you to prove it. I want to see how much of a soaked little slut you are.”
She follows my command, dipping her hand into the waistband of her black mesh panties, but her eyes narrow in irritation as soon as the words are out of my mouth.
Good to know—degradation is definitely off the table.
I’m not particularly upset, though, because it felt wrong to me too. Especially when it was directed at the stunning woman in front of me. The woman I want to worship and build up the way that she deserves.
“Don’t be greedy,” I tut as she works herself. “Show me how much you want me.”
Caroline’s face scrunches up like she’s frustrated to have to stop, but she listens. She pulls her fingers free and reaches up, showing me how they’re glistening with her arousal.
“So wet for me,” I groan as I remove my fingers from her mouth to pull my erection free. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to calm myself down so I don’t blow my load the second I slide into her.
“Keep touching yourself. I want to watch that perfect pussy come while you swallow me down.”
Her tongue darts out over her lower lip as she returns her fingers between her legs. For a second I wonder if she’s about to spew some sassy comment about not telling her what to do, but her gaze is no longer locked on mine—it’s focused on the khaki shorts on the floor at my feet.
Caroline’s stunning eyes trace up my bare legs, blowing wide when they land on my cock.
I pump myself a few times, spurred on by the way she sucks in a deep breath as I step closer, like she’s convincing herself she can take me.
“Pinch me if it gets to be too much,” I tell her as I reach down to grab her free hand and place it on my hip.
“Wes,” she whispers, and I can’t tell if she’s saying my name out of desire or uncertainty.
I pause to study her, but she gives me a quick nod in answer to my unspoken question—she wants this just as much as I do.
I stroke her cheek affectionately with the back of my free hand, tilting my hips forward so that my tip is resting against her lips.
“I know, princess. I know you want to be good for me. That you want to take every inch of this cock down your pretty little throat.”
Her lips part in confirmation, and I take the opportunity to gently push forward.
Caroline hums as I slowly slide deeper.
“No sucking,” I scold, lightly tapping her jaw when she tries to take control. “I’m going to have to grab a gag if you can’t keep those perfect lips nice and wide for me.”
Caroline’s eyes close, and she lets out a single moan like she’s into the idea.
I store that in the back of my mind for later, not wanting to get ahead of myself.
After I talked to Worth, he sent me a massive box of items that he considered to be “ kink essentials .” I had no fucking idea that there were so many different kinds of gags out there, or that they could be used for different purposes, but I’ve been learning how to use them by working through the instructional videos he included in my spare time.
“That’s a good girl,” I praise as I slide my length down her tongue. “You’re doing so well, princess. Open that throat for me.”
Caroline breathes through her nose, allowing me to push deeper. The way she’s so willing to comply without challenge makes my cock painfully hard because it’s not a side of her that I was expecting—especially when I’m the person she loves to challenge more than anyone.
My balls start to tighten, warning me that I’m getting dangerously close to coming. But there’s not a chance in hell that I’m letting go until she does, so I squeeze the base of my shaft and force myself to slow down.
Caroline’s eyes snap to mine, confused.
“Don’t stop,” I grit out, trying to focus.
I brush my knuckles over her cheek and down her neck, taking in the way her nipples harden in anticipation.
She’s so responsive to my touch, and it makes me wonder how she would handle all of the ways I want to play with her pleasure.
Drool starts to trickle down her chin, her full chest heaving as she stares up at me, silently begging for more.
I reach down and tug hard on her nipple through the delicate fabric of her bra, remembering how much she loves having them played with.
Her whimper vibrates down my shaft and makes me groan in response. “Fuck, Caroline . . . you’re getting close, aren’t you? You want to come so hard for me, don’t you?”
She tries to answer, but it comes out sounding like a garbled mess as a waterfall of spit trickles down her chest.
Her eyes widen in horror but I fucking love it—I love seeing her messy like this. Messy for me.
“That’s right, princess. You’re going to come for me. You’re going to come while I fuck your face,” I confirm as I trail my fingers back up her chest, letting them rest on the back of her head. “And then, I’m going to come for you too.”
I probably shouldn’t do this without verbally confirming she’s good with it, but I trust her. I trust that she’ll pinch me if she needs me to stop.
I start pumping myself in and out of her mouth, watching her for any sign of struggle as I increase my pace. She takes every thrust, holding her jaw slack as a familiar tingle starts to race up my spine.
My fingers tighten in her hair. “Come for me, Caroline. I need you to come with me.”
As soon as the words are out of my mouth, her eyes roll into the back of her head and she lurches forward. Her lips clamp around my cock to stifle the sound of her release at the same time as my own orgasm rips through my body.
I erupt down her throat, releasing my grip in case she needs to gag.
But she doesn’t.
Her body shudders at my feet, her lips wrapped around me for so long that I actually start to wonder if I impaled her with my cock.
After a minute, I hear her swallow and slowly drag herself off my length. She lets out a satisfied hum, releasing me with a pop as her eyes flutter open and a wide grin sweeps across her face.
“Told you it wouldn’t be a problem.”