10. Harrison
Chapter 10
Harrison
I might have made a big fucking mistake.
But I don't have the balls to regret it.
In fact, I'm going to do it again.
I roll to my side, taking Ivy with me, tucking her back into my chest while we catch our breath. I run my fingers through her hair like I once imagined, then ghost them down her arm and over her hip, where I settle my hand possessively.
Her breath hitches. “That was… wow.”
“Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”I can't believe she gave me her virginity. I should have stopped right there when she confessed. I almost did. But I couldn't ignore the pleading look in her eyes, knowing that if it wasn't me, it would be some other random guy who might not give a damn about her well-being. About trying to make it as good for her as possible. But that’s not the only reason.
When she mentioned the scandal, fearful I’d send her packing, many thoughts raced through my head. I instantly compared the two situations. That was strictly a one-night stand. There were no emotions involved. I didn’t continuously think about her day after day, night after night like I do Ivy. Hell, I don’t remember what she looked like never mind the little details like hair or eye color, how she smelled, how she felt. Her little quirks. Ivy’s features and scent are ingrained in my brain. I’m getting to know her little idiosyncrasies and I can’t wait to learn more.
“No.”
“Let me get a warm cloth and clean you up.”I start to get up, but she stops me.
“I can do that.”
“No. You stay here, and I'll be right back.”
I climb from the bed and stroll into my bathroom, where I remove and discard the condom, take a piss, and then grab a cloth to clean myself. Then I grab a clean one, soak it well under warm water, and rinse it. When I return to the bed, she's under the covers, the sheet pulled up to her chin. She looks adorably sweet.
And young.
And no longer innocent.
Her green eyes glow, and her cheeks flush. With a tug, I remove the sheet from her fingers' grip and peel it away.
God, she's stunning.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I nudge her legs apart. I squeeze water from the cloth, letting it drizzle down over her flesh before I tenderly wipe her clean, taking care to keep an eye on her expression to see if she's sore anywhere I touch. I catch her watching my every move. “Don’t be embarrassed.”
“I'm not.”
I laugh softly. “I don't believe you.”
“Okay, maybe a little.”
When I'm satisfied I've done all I can, I toss the damp cloth onto my bedside table and then crawl back in beside her. Lowering my head, I take a nipple between my lips and swirl my tongue around it until it's a hardened pebble. I love how responsive she is. And it amazes me how quickly my body responds to hers.
She gasps softly, turns toward me, and slips her hand around my neck to hold me close.
The taste of her skin is incredible. I nuzzle my face into her cleavage, inhaling deeply as I lick a path to her other nipple.Her heart races beneath my ear, and her fingers curl into my hair. I grin against her skin, knowing how much this turns her on.
Ivy's breath hitches as I suck, eliciting a moan from deep within her throat. Her hips buck, coming into contact with my already hard cock. Shifting her onto her back, I move lower, trailing kisses down her stomach until I reach the nest of silky hair between her legs. Dipping my head, I sweep my lips against her clit. Nothing illicit, closed-mouth nudge, but she groans loudly and arches off the bed, mewling for more when I tease that tiny nub with my tongue and lips.
“Are you tender or in any pain?”I hate the thought of her hurting.
She shakes her head.
I know she must be, at least a little as I lick and nip at her sensitive folds. But her scent is intoxicating, and my cock twitches against my stomach, begging to feel her clenching around me again.
“Please,”she whispers shakily, sounding almost as distraught as she did when she begged me to be her first.
Without warning, I plunge two fingers deep inside of her, filling her up slowly as I continue to work my magic on her clit. Steadily pumping them in and out, curling them to stroke her G-spot.
She cries out even louder this time, her body tight with anticipation. Her inner walls squeeze around my fingers, telling me how much she enjoys and needs this.
“Harrison, I'm…”
She doesn't get the chance to finish her sentence because she's caught in the throes of her orgasm, her body shaking violently against mine as I hold onto her, determined to see her through it.
“Beautiful,”I murmur in the aftermath. Using my lip and fingers, I trace soothing paths up and down her trembling legs. I explore every inch of her thoroughly until I've got myself so worked up that a simple thrust into the sheets and I'd probably come.
Ivy reaches for me, wrapping her fingers around my arms and pulling me into the cradle of her legs.
“Are you sure?”My voice is rough with desire. I want her again so desperately, but I don't want to overwhelm her or cause her any discomfort.
“More than anything.”Her eyes search mine, so determined and sure of what she wants.
I reach into the drawer for another condom and waste no time covering myself. With great care, I guide myself to her opening, and slowly push inside, my muscles straining, trembling with tension as I watch her stretch around me, sucking me deep. With each inch, she puffs out air, her expression shifting from a short twinge of pain to utter rapture. Before, I encountered resistance, but this time, there's just warm, tight, wet acceptance.
“Look at me,” I command softly.
She lifts her eyes to meet mine and I rock back and forth, pulling almost all the way out, plunging back in again, andsetting a slow and steady rhythm that unhurriedly builds until we're sweating, panting, and teetering on the edge of something monumental.
“Harrison!”Then, the dam breaks for both of us as pleasure cascades over our bodies in waves that leave us both breathless and clinging to each other.
As aftershocks ripple through me, I wonder how I'm supposed to let her go. Because, of course, she'll leave. She's young. She has plans. She came to New York for the experience. And I'm the start of her adventure.
There's a sudden pounding at the door that jolts us apart. The real world crashing back in, cruel in its timing. Annoyed at the interruption, I roll off of Ivy, rip the condom off, and grab my pants from the floor. “Stay here. I'll find out who it is. It has to be one of my neighbors because nobody else can get on this floor.”I make a quick trip into the bathroom to dispose of the condom and slip on my pants.
When I emerge, I see that Ivy has ignored me. She's busy pulling her dress over her head, covering her gorgeous body, but not before I spot the redness that marks her stomach, her breasts, and between her legs, where I rubbed my beard and gave her love bites. Bitter disappointment slams into me. I hate that she's covered up the signs of our lovemaking.
The pounding starts again.
“Damn it,”I mutter under my breath. Irritated, I give her one last glance and then storm from my room. Unlocking my door, I yank it open. “Somebody better be seriously injured.”
Leaning against my doorframe, looking like he's seen better days is a man I don't know but suspect he's my new neighbor. I don't even know his name yet, but I saw the movers earlier in the week. The guy is big and bulky, and he's clearly had his nose broken in the recent past, given the crooked shape, bruising, and black eyes.
“Hey, man, you gotta help me out.”He slurs, obviously drunk and smelling like a brewery. “I got locked out.”
“Did you check with the doorman?”
“Doorman?”He blinks like an owl, his jaw slack, his eyes glazed.
“Yeah, the guy downstairs at the desk? He can let you into your apartment.”
“Oh. Okay. Can I stay here until he comes?”
Not likely. I don't know him from Adam, and I have Ivy inside. “How about I call him for you?”
“Sure, thanks, man.”He twists away from the doorframe and stumbles. I automatically stretch my hand out to steady him, but he sidesteps, missing the help. “Whoa.”He takes another step, then places his back against the wall, and slides down until his ass hits the floor with a hard thud. “I'll wait right here.”
“Okay, then.”Leaving my door open to keep an eye on him, I reach over to the intercom and press the button for the lobby.”
“Mr. Ashe, sir, how can I help you.”
“Hi, Giles. I think my new neighbor needs some assistance getting into his apartment. Can you bring up a spare key?”
“Of course, sir. I'll be right up.”
“Thanks.”
I hear a door open and click shut and look up to see Markus striding toward me. “Hey, Harry. Is everything okay? We heard some pounding.”
We both glance down to see the new guy snoring softly.
“Looks like our new neighbor locked himself out.”
Markus scrunches up his nose. “And got himself shitfaced?”
“That too.”
The elevator dings, and Giles joins us. “Oh, dear.”
“If you can get the door, Markus and I can get him inside.”
“Of course.”
It takes a few minutes to get him settled in his apartment. We drop him on his bed, remove his shoes, and toss a blanket over him. After thanking Giles and saying goodbye to Markus, I return to my place to find Ivy waiting for me on my couch—fully dressed and obviously ready to leave.
“Who was that?”She asks, her voice slicing through the silence.
“My new neighbor,”I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “Locked himself out, drunk off his ass.”
“I should go,”she blurts out, though it's not unexpected at this point. If she planned to stay, she'd still be in my bed.
“You don't need to rush off.”I had high hopes of holding her in my arms all night. But I get that she might need some space after what happened between us.
“I think it's best.”Her gaze darts around the room before awkwardly settling back on me. “Tonight was?—”
“Amazing?”I finish for her, and her lips quirk in a half-smile that wreaks havoc on my resolve. I want to haul her into my arms and return her to my room. I want to feast on her all night, making her come over and over again until she begs me to stop.
“Complicated,” she corrects.
Damn. “Let me take you home.”
“Thanks, but it's not necessary.”
I study her face, looking for any sign that she regrets what happened here tonight. All I see is a tenderness that melts my heart. “Then I'll call you an Uber and wait with you. But you need to promise me you'll let me know when you're home safe.”
“Promise.”
With my hand on her lower back, we walk to the elevator. I hold her hand all the way down and out to the front of the lobby. I hold her tight while we wait for the driver to arrive, and then I threaten him with a stern look to ensure he takes her straight home. I get his name and license plate and make sure he knows I have both.
There's so much I want to say, but the words tumble around in my head and get stuck in my throat. Instead, I tuck her into the backseat and kiss her goodbye.
“Thanks... for everything,”she says.
“You gave me something precious tonight, Ivy. I don't take that lightly.”
Despite Dean Martens' warnings, I took a taste of Ivy Kendrick. As she disappears into the night, part of me knows it won't be the last.
It can't be.
And I’ll do everything in my power to ensure it’s not.