12. Julia
12
JULIA
E xcitement fluttered under my rib cage as Nick followed me up the stairs.
“You bought the entire building?” he asked from behind me. The thought that he had a view of my ass had my embarrassment rising even higher than it had been when I thought he was checking me out a few minutes ago. When we got to the landing, I took a step back so my ass wasn’t in his face anymore, although I wasn't sure he minded it. Maybe I didn’t mind it either.
But I told the wetness soaking my thighs at the thought that I'd already decided that it wasn’t going any further.
Why did you invite him up to your apartment, then?
Stupid small voice. I shook it off and followed him through my front door. When I closed it behind me, I answered, “Yes. It was such a good deal, and I could live here and work, so commuting isn’t an issue. Things in Buffalo were a lot more expensive. I have the loan, but it’s nothing my work doesn’t cover, so I’m good there too.”
He smiled and took his jacket off. I stepped over and reached for it. “Here, I can hang it up.” I tilted my head. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” I hung his jacket up and turned. He had taken a few steps closer, and I could smell his spice scent. My belly warmed, and goosebumps rippled over my arms.
I brushed them away and forced myself to remember that this wasn't a good idea. Jared, Jared, Jared , I told myself. But Nick wasn't Jared. Not even close.
“Are you cold?” Nick stepped closer, right next to me now. He took his hands and rubbed them over my shoulders and arms. I shook my head, unable to say anything when he was so close. I was positive my voice would crack or sound like a breathy bird. I wasn’t sure which was worse, but I wasn’t in the mood to find out. His hand rode up my neck and cupped my cheek.
“I needed a break.” His sapphire eyes connected to mine, and the air around us crackled.
As if I couldn’t be any more embarrassing, my cheeks flamed. I placed a hand over his hand and took it away from my face. Our fingers laced together, and my nerves skittered in my chest. “Yes, I should be at work,” he said, stepping closer. I wanted to close my eyes and kiss him again, but Mia’s warning and my fear began to make a lot more sense.
I took a step backward and dropped his hand. “So, do you want anything to eat?” I walked over to my refrigerator, and opened the door. “I have bologna, American cheese, and white bread.” I pulled out the items and grabbed some mustard, and it struck me that I was offering him cold meat when his restaurant served gourmet. It only made my cheeks hotter.
His thick brows rose. “That’s what you eat for lunch?”
“Well, no,” I responded. “But I haven’t had a chance to get out to the store this week yet.”
“I’m appalled that you have bologna and American cheese at all.” I remembered he made his own cheese, or the restaurant did, so the thought of American cheese probably did appall him. He came over and took the bread from one hand and the mustard from the other.
“You don’t know what you’re missing.” I smiled and closed the refrigerator. “If we had Ruffles chips, it would make it even better, but alas, I’m out.” I laughed. He looked at me like I was crazy. But even that look was sexy.
“Fine, please, make me a bologna sandwich.” He looked around the room and asked, “What can I do to help?”
“Um, nothing.” I pulled down two plates and set to making the sandwiches.
“Your tree is great,” he said. I turned to see him walking up to the small tree on an end table. He looked at me over his shoulder and went to touch an ornament.
“Wait!” I dropped the bread and rushed over. “These are very old. Very special,” I said, taking the ornament out of his fingers.
“Oh, sorry.”
“No...” I shook my head. “Lots of sentimental value here. I made these with my mom when I was a little girl. Before she died.”
Awe swept over his features and softened to a sentimental expression. “Wow. That’s incredible.” He touched the ornament gingerly. “I’m sorry about your mother.”
“Thank you.” I pursed my lips together and watched a wistful look ride into his eyes. His hand came back to mine again, and he tucked his fingers around it. Sadness followed the wistfulness, and I stepped back, pointing to the couch.
He followed and we sat down. “I always wanted kids, but Kendra… Well…” He waved his hand through the air. “You know I don’t have any.”
“It’s not too late. You can still have kids.”
He laughed. “I’m too old, plus… damaged goods here.”
I perked a brow. “I already know that you know you’re not too old. And calling yourself ‘damaged goods’ isn’t being fair to yourself. Each relationship comes with its problems, and not everything about your marriage was your fault. Maybe you’re a bit… shaken up by it, but that’s far from damaged.
“You just need more space between what happened in the last few weeks and today. Soon, you won’t even be bothered by whatever she does. You have lots of time to do the things you want to and lots to offer. Don’t give up hope. You’re a great man, and anyone would be lucky to have you. You’ll definitely find someone to love again.” I did my best trying not to scrunch my face up at the last line because I got a little carried away.
My heart stopped as he stared at me. There was so much emotion filling his eyes that my throat swelled. My breath slowed when he said, “Someone like you?” and squeezed my hand.
I studied his face, unsure what to say. Shock wiped my mind clean of any kind of rational thought, and when he looked up to my ceiling, my gaze followed his. “Too bad there isn’t mistletoe right now,” he whispered.
My eyes connected with his when he looked back down, and I didn’t stop the kiss from happening. He leaned in slowly, and I sat there like a buffoon ignoring the giant red flags waving in the air around me. Mia was going to be pissed.
His lips brushed against mine softly, almost hesitantly. Like butterflies dancing across my skin. His smell had me drunk, and my head spun.
I leaned into the kiss. Pulsing bursts of electricity thrummed from my lips down to my neck, rocketing low into my belly. I hummed against his lips as my mouth opened, inviting his tongue to caress mine.
He moved, sliding me into his lap. I straddled his thighs, feeling his cock between my legs. I ground down, rubbing between my thighs, letting the heated ache of want fill me up.
“My dick gets so hard for you any time I think about you.”
My excitement grew upon hearing him talk, seeing him rip his shirt up and over his head. He raked his hand through my hair and pulled me to himself. Our lips crashed together as his other hand rode up my skirt. His fingers dug into my thigh, and he moved again, swinging me onto the couch, pushing the material up my thighs, hooking his thumbs on my panties, and yanking them off and down past my ankles. It was happening so fast, I didn't know how to even protest, but then, I didn't want to. I wanted this, which was probably why I'd invited him up here to begin with. I was horrible.
“I love that you wear a skirt everywhere,” he said, tugging my shirt out of my skirt and pulling it over my head. “I sit back and think about everything I can do to you under that skirt.” His fingers caressed my inner thigh, and I rocked my hips forward, waiting for him to touch some part of my wet and swollen pussy. I whimpered as he teased me.
“Oh, yeah?” I breathed. “What have you thought about?”
“I think about sticking my head between your legs, bending you over, and letting it ride up as I drill you from behind.” His fingers teased the edges of my swollen lips. The ache between my legs throbbed.
Each position he described had me growing wetter.
His fingertips tickled the other thigh, running painfully close to where I wanted him to be. A gasp slipped past my lips and Nick smiled.
“I think you like that, don’t you?” He leaned forward and brushed my clit with the tops of his knuckles.
I moaned for him and rubbed my hips along his skin, needing to feel the friction. His thumb circled around the silky, wet skin. He wiggled his finger under the slick hood, and I arched my back.
“I think you need to touch your nipples for me,” he said to me, his finger rubbing at my center. The heat that was building between my thighs made it impossible to think about anything other than feeling his mouth on my clit.
My fingers snapped up to my breasts, and I plucked my nipples, twisting them, closing my eyes under the sensation of what Nick was doing and what he wanted me to do for myself.
He stroked the area softer, and the sharp burst of pleasure sliced through me, and he shifted to his knees and brought his lips to mine. “I love hearing you scream for me. But what sound do you want to make when you pinch your nipples for me?”
I answered by pinching the skin, letting it peak between my thumb and forefinger, and moaning with the pleasure that burst from the motion. My hips rocked onto his finger, urging him to go faster.
He slid his finger into me, and I quivered as he pumped it inside me. “You're taking my finger so well, Julia,” he whispered. His breath tightened my nipples, and his eyes fell on them. “You take my instructions well too. You look fucking hot when you do what I tell you to do.”
He shoved a second finger inside me, and my legs opened wider for him as he leaned over and took one of my nipples into his mouth. I called out as his fingers thrust and curled inside me.
“Nick, stop messing around and fuck me,” I hissed, grinding into his hand more. His tongue flicked my nipple, and I jerked forward, only to drop and arch my back. He sucked at my nipple a little harder and curled his finger inside me, brushing against the smooth, sensitive skin. I tipped my head back as he rubbed over the most sensitive spot, and my moan rode through the air, bouncing off the walls as he moved to my other nipple and squeezed the first one with his hand. He placed his mouth over my nipple and sucked at it while thrusting. I was close to coming undone.
“Do you like it when I tell you what to do?” he grunted as I ran my hand down the thick line of his pants. I blinked up at him, batting my lashes, and cupped his crotch. He growled, and I moved my fingers to the zipper, opening it and shoved my hands in.
I massaged his cock as he tried to get his pants down faster.
“I do like it,” I said, rubbing the head of his dick. He shuddered, closing his eyes, and I unbuttoned his pants and helped him shimmy out of his jeans. “Holy shit,” slipped from my mouth as I realized I’d never seen him fully naked. He was toned and tanned. The definition in his muscles was that of a twenty-something, not a middle-aged man. God, he was so attractive.
His fingers combed through my hair and he yanked me to himself. His lips crashed into mine and he crushed me against his chest. Skin on skin, my breasts rubbing over his chest hair, our tongues tangled together, and small noises of delight fell from my throat.
My arm draped over his shoulder as he held me to himself, hard enough for me to feel supported but not suffocated. He broke the kiss and looked into my eyes. Something flashed through them, but before I could ask, his large hand engulfed my breast and his fingers twirled around my nipple.
A shudder shook down my spine, and he walked me back to the couch.
“Turn around,” he said, taking the lead. He placed his hands on my hips and spun me. He ground his cock against my ass, and I lifted my arms over my head, locking them around his neck as he bent his head down to whisper, “Hold onto the back of the couch,” in my ear.
Excitement sparked in my chest as I bent over. I looked at him over my shoulder. He was pulling a condom out of his jeans. “We were thinking the same thing,” I said, voice low.
He smiled as he pulled the condom on. “It’s the first I’ve bought them in a long time.”
“So you did come over here for a nooner, then.” The thought got me even more excited. I went to spin to say something else to him, but he grabbed me, pulling my back to his front, and grabbed onto my breast. “Fuck me,” I gasped.
“I like how impatient you are.” His lips came to my throat as he played with my nipple, plucking it awake.
“Next time, don’t worry about the condom,” I breathed, unsure of why I assumed there was going to be a next time. Before I could stop myself, “I’m on the pill,” fell off my tongue.
“I like the sound of that,” he said. “Now bend over. I want one of my daydreams to come true.” Giddiness that he’d just said I’d been in his dream fluttered through my chest, and I bent over again, holding onto the back of the couch while he pushed up my skirt. “That is good, Julia. So good.” His calluses were rough along my hips, but his overworked hands had a charge of their own.
He toyed with me, massaging my ass, my thighs, rubbing his cock against my pussy. And I stood, taking it, because each time he got closer to my entrance, the more I quaked.
He took his dick and played with my clit. “Do you know what else I like, Julia?” I loved how he said my name. He dragged his dick over my swollen lips, and my legs jolted under his touch.
“No,” I moaned, chasing the head of his dick with my hips. I hated and wanted his teasing at the same time.
He placed his cock at my opening, and his hands gripped my hips. He slammed into me, and I called out his name while he shouted mine. “I love that you’re in heels. Heels and a skirt, with my dick inside you.”
He pulled back and thrust in again. His cock pushed against my walls, sending heat, building tension. Soon, he was pushing and pumping in a strong rhythm. My fingers dug into the couch harder with each slap of our skin together.
Our energy twisted low in my core, and he kept telling me how much he liked fucking me. How he loved watching me squirm. Every word he said brought me closer to coming.
Then he slowed. I whined, looking over my shoulder at him. His eyes glinted with mystery. A coy smile curled at the corner of his lips. His thick shaft settled inside me, pressing against the right spot inside, and he rocked his hips back, rubbing over that spot. My walls spasmed around him, squeezing a grunt out of him.
Nick wrapped one muscled arm around my waist, dick still inside me, and brought me to standing as much as I could in heels, while being fucked, with a man as tall as he was.
His other arm wrapped around me, but not in support. His fingers snapped to my clit, and I cried out as his forefinger traced the silky skin and pressed into the center of me. I moaned as his hips started thrusting into me again, and the tension twisted deep inside me.
With one more rock of his hips and rub of my clit, the explosion burst through me. I clawed at his skin, needing something to dig my fingers in while he rode me through my climax. I jolted and twitched. My knees went weak, but he held me up, and the convulsions started to subside.
When my limbs were relaxed, my breaths still hard, he bent me over again and fucked me until he went rigid against me. He grunted my name, and I started to come again over his dick while he hit the highest note of his climax.
He didn’t bother pulling out but collapsed over top of me, thrusting as hard as he could as his release ebbed away.
His hand grabbed my breast. He squeezed it lightly. His lips came to my throat, and he slowly pulled out of me. I instantly missed him inside me.
I spun and planted a kiss on his lips, and he held me tightly. I might have to admit to myself that I was falling for Nick. Just the same way I had fallen for Jared. And I didn't hate it as much as I wanted to hate it. I needed to hate it. For the sake of my business, for the sake of my friendship, for the sake of this contract, I should have hated it. But I couldn't.