Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I held Lily as she fell asleep, unable and unwilling to let her go.
I felt like an asshole, but the way she came around my cock over and over again, her reddened ass sucking my fingers in as if they belonged there was nirvana.
I knew about sub-drop, in theory, though I’ve never had a session with a woman that experienced it.
I kept a distance with them, only looking for surface level pleasure that prevented either myself or the women I had fucked from letting go. I never had that distance with Lily.
Fuck.
There were no barriers between us. She gave her trust to me so easily and held my heart for so long that I should have seen it. I should have known and prepared her better for what that was like.
She clung to me, needy even in her sleep. I tried to imagine life after this, when she wasn’t curled into my chest, her pillow—because it always would be now— smelling of her, the pleasant warm feeling of coming so hard that I nearly blacked out turning me boneless and relaxed.
I couldn’t give this up. I couldn’t give her up—her ridiculous books, her cries of pleasure, the way she teased me so easily and then begged for me the next, the way she leaned into me without even realizing it, wanting comfort from me. Me . The town fuck-up.
She was mine. I felt like a possessive asshole at the way I wish I could brand it on her, make sure everyone who even looked at her twice knew not to fuck with her.
The primal part of me she brought out celebrated that no one else had touched her, that no one else had brought her so much pleasure—felt her clench around them as she screamed their name.
She had been mine since before I even knew what that meant. I wanted to feast on that knowledge, feast on her .
A tear slipped down my cheek. No. I would not give up on us. She may have had her little one month stipulation, but I was going to fight for more. Being her friend wasn’t enough anymore. Not after all this, not when we could be so much more.
A plan formed in my mind. I needed her undivided attention for this, preferably after a round of lovemaking, because yeah, we fucked, but damn if I didn’t love her with the whole fiber of my being.
I knew what stood in her way, why she felt so disconnected and unlovable. That was all bullshit. I’d always loved her. She just needed to know it, to know that nothing needed to stand in our way.
I wasn’t lying when I asked her to let me create a world just for her. I could do it, and I needed to remind her of just how much actual power being a billionaire gave me. More than enough power to give her exactly the life she deserved.
The little words she muttered in her sleep as she tossed and turned, unable to stay still even in sleep, were like a goddamn siren song. I was certain I could spend entire nights just watching her sleep.
I fell asleep, determined to tell her exactly what I wanted. No more running. No more deals.
Just us. Forever.
Warm, wet suction on my cock pulled me from my sleep. I reached for Lily before even opening my eyes, brushing my fingers along her cheek and tangling in her hair.
The covers were on the floor. The sun hadn’t come up yet, but the faint blue glow of pre-dawn shone through the window, bathing her in its pale light.
She pulled off my cock, but stroked it slowly, like we had all the time in the world. If I had my way, we did.
“My turn.” She smiled at me and lowered her head to lick a strip from my balls to the head of my cock before sucking me back in and twirling her tongue around my head.
I brushed my thumb along her hairline, just needing to touch her, to have my hands on her as she took my cock deep.
“ God . It’s like you were born to take me.” I arched my hips up as she pushed herself down me, trying to take more. “Swallow around it and breathe through your nose.”
I pushed lightly, encouraging her to take me deeper, and groaned when she followed my directions. She gagged and backed off, but didn’t pull off completely before she sucked me back down, a little further this time .
“There you go, baby, just like that.” Both my hands tangled in her hair now, guiding her head in just the right rhythm. She moaned, seeming to love the illusion of having no choice.
She reached down and gently rolled my balls in one of her hands while she gripped me with her other and focused on my head again.
“Fuck, baby. You feel so good.” She took me down deep again, moaning around my cock as it reached her throat. I lost control and thrust hard into her, making her cough.
“Shit, sorry.” She pulled off and a string of saliva connected us until she wiped it away.
“For enjoying yourself?” She stroked me, twisting every other time she reached my head, like she wanted to tease me, but that’s it.
“For pushing too much.”
She sighed, and her hand on me stilled.
“Listen here, Duke. We’ve talked about this. You have to trust me. You’ve never hurt me. I pulled off when I needed to. I liked that you lost control. I lose control every time you touch me, and you don’t see me apologizing for it.”
Her grip on my cock tightened, just enough to add a little bite to her words, and somehow the fire of them burned through me. My dick twitched, needing more of her harsh treatment and stern words.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Now, do you want me to keep sucking your cock until you come in my mouth, or do you want me to ride you and let you fill me up?” She kept stroking me but brought her other hand to her breast and just held it up, an offering to me, showing me exactly what my view would be.
“Ride me.”
She did, her head thrown back, my hands on her hips guiding her as she cried out in pleasure. I reached up and pulled on her nipple when she came, prolonging the pleasure until I came in her, filling her exactly as she asked.
She laid out on me, her legs still wrapped around my hips, and traced one of my tattoos.
“Lily?”
“Hmm?”
“How do you feel about helicopters?” I ran my fingers up and down her spine, playing with the strands of her hair that lay across it.
She bolted upright, excitement lighting her eyes as effectively as the rising sun behind us.
“I’ve always wanted to ride in one. Wait? Do you have a helicopter?” She didn’t move from her spot on my pelvis, and my cock gave a twitch of interest at the position before giving up the ghost—still not ready for more.
“I have a helicopter, and I would like to take you for a ride.” I ran my hands along her thighs as a myriad of emotions played across her face.
“Yes. Oh my god, that sounds amazing. Where are we going? Like a tour of the city?” She started wiggling in her excitement, and I decided this was my new favorite view—excited, naked Lily bouncing on me with the golden light of early morning caressing her curves.
“Leave that to me. I’ll get it all worked out and message you the information so you can agonize over it all week, like I know you enjoy.”
She squealed—actually fucking squealed—before launching herself onto me and kissing every inch of my face.
This was going to work. I could feel it in my bones. She was mine. Now, all I needed to do was tell her.
The morning I set my plan in motion dawned bright and clear, with low humidity and chirping birds.
I couldn’t imagine a more perfect morning, like nature gave me its blessing.
We were at the tail end of storm season.
Fall was coming to Savannah—well, our version of it—and today promised that the oppressive heat and humidity would be coming to an end.
I couldn’t have asked for a better day to take Lily out in my helicopter for the first time.
Frankly, I’m a little surprised I hadn’t done this before.
What was the point of being rich enough to own a helicopter and trained by the military to fly it if I wasn’t going to use it to woo the woman I loved?
My chest felt light and free at that thought. The woman I loved . I’d loved her forever, but it felt so damn good to admit it to myself. I didn’t even fear she would say no. How could she when we were so good together?
I worked through the pre-flight check of the chopper carefully.
Lily would be here in an hour, and I needed everything to go perfectly.
I knew as soon as I thought of this ride exactly where I would take her.
A little island off the coast. It wasn’t on maps, but I’d flown over it enough to know where to find it.
A few of Lily’s comfort foods sat next to champagne, cheese, and grapes tucked into a cooler in the small storage compartment.
Towels, soft blankets, and several pillows filled the rest of the space.
I wanted her to relax today, so all she had to worry about was saying yes to continuing this and turning it into an actual relationship.
“Duke,” the very woman I couldn’t get out of my head called.
She appeared before me like a vision in a white bikini, only barely concealed by a sheer dress.
My mouth went dry, and my dick came to attention.
All thoughts fled my mind while I watched her saunter toward me.
I knew for a fact that she didn’t have a clue what she did to me and that made it all the sweeter.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the other men in the hanger watching her closely, and the possessive asshole I barely kept in check reared his ugly head.
I jumped down from where I had stood frozen, inspecting the helicopter, the last thing on my mind now. I grabbed her in a hug and spun us, pushing her against the side of my bird.
“What are you wearing?” I growled, my hands clenching in her dress, both wanting to tear it off her and hide her from the world.
She just laughed at me, clear and happy.
“You said to dress for the beach. Frankie helped me pick it out.” She ran her hand along the fabric of her dress, and I followed the path of her fingers like they were my salvation and damnation all at once. I closed my eyes to collect myself. Fuck, I must have gone insane.
In an effort to regain control, I kept my eyes above her neck. She chewed her lip and looked a bit worried about her outfit choice. As if dressing like a fucking siren when I planned to take her to a private island and pour my heart out to her could ever be the wrong choice.
“So, I did.” I ran my thumb over the slight swell of her lips, soothing the place she had worked it over with her teeth.
“Well, this is beach wear. I was just going to wear some shorts and a t-shirt, but…” she shrugged.
“You look beautiful. Very beautiful. So much so I lost my damn mind.” I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. I wanted to push it further, stake my claim on her, but the other guys in the hangar didn’t need a show. Lily was mine and only mine.
She protested lightly when I pulled away, like she didn’t want it to end. I took her bag from her, stowing it away in the now full storage compartment.
“Are we ready to go?” She asked.
“Almost. I just have to finish my pre-flight check.” I picked up my clipboard to show her what was left. “Want to help?”
“Yes. Teach me everything.” She took the clipboard from me and studied it like she would be tested on it later. “How do you get the helicopter out of the hangar? I can’t imagine you fly it out of here.”
“Excellent question.” I grabbed her shoulders and turned her around so she could see what I pointed to. “See that towing-frame over there? I slide it around the landing skids and lift it up. Then all I have to do is pull it out.”
“Oh! That’s so cool.” She turned toward me, her eyes darting around the hanger like she couldn’t wait to take it all in.
“Come on, I’ll show you the different parts as we go through the list.” I held my hand out to her and guided her over to the next place I needed to check.
“Yes. Show me everything. Leave nothing out.” She stood at attention with her clipboard in hand—Little Librarian Lily, always so studious. God, that was hot.
I walked her through each part, taking every opportunity to show off my knowledge—and my body. She needed to know exactly what I had to offer, after all.
“You know, I’m surprised your helicopter isn’t fancier. I figured a car guy would want his aircraft to be as fancy as his cars,” Lily said as we finished .
“I’ll have you know this is a Robinson R66. Not the fanciest in the world—that would have been overkill for this—but it does have a Rolls Royce engine.”
“That’s the Duke I know and love.”
I froze. Surely she didn’t mean—I shook myself. No, no, she’s said she loved me like this before and it meant nothing. I gathered myself before turning back to her. She studied the seat in the helicopter, biting her lip, clearly uneasy with what she said given our new dynamic.
“Well, if you’re impressed with that, watch me lift and move this helicopter all by myself.” I winked at her and her laughter followed me as I grabbed the towing frame to move the bird out for our trip.
“I’m just surprised you don’t pay someone to do that for you. What if you break a nail?” She stepped back and gave me room to maneuver the lift.
“Oh, I could pay someone to do it, but then you’d be ogling them instead of me. Can’t have that.”
“I’m not ogling anyone,” she protested. Her cheeks flushed bright red, though, so I knew I had hit the nail on the head.
“Besides,” she continued, “it looks easy enough that I could do it. Your muscles aren’t even straining or anything.” She followed me outside as I easily pulled the helicopter to the pad.
“So, you were looking at my muscles.” I flexed for her before releasing the bird from the lift.
“Shut up.” She didn’t look away.
“Would it help if I took off my shirt? You could definitely see my straining musc—” She threw the pen she used for the checklist at my head.
“I don’t know why I tolerate you.” Her tone held a comfortable affection born from years of familiarity .
I bit my tongue before I could say ‘because apparently you love me.’ What if she denied it? What if she took it back? No, I didn’t want to deal with that now. Instead, I focused on returning the frame to its home in the hangar.
“Ready?” I held the door open for her and let her climb into the seat beside mine. I handed her a headset and then ran around to my side and got underway. I couldn’t wait until she saw the view.