Chapter 23
In retrospect, “doofus” probably wasn’t the most romantic name Xavier could have called Justine, but a heavy wave of lust and affection blindsided him, making it difficult to do anything but stare.
The moonlight cast a glow over Justine’s already pretty features, and as she glanced up at him, the moon reflected in her eyes. Her smile lit as if from within, and he thought he’d never seen a more gorgeous woman in all his life.
He leaned down to kiss her just as she reached to pull him down toward her.
Unlike the other kisses they’d shared, this felt more intimate, filled with a heady warmth under all the passion that convinced him they were more than just friends. A pair of people so in tune with each other that they would be crazy not to seek more.
He slowly pulled back, his entire body alive with excitement, lust, and lo—a healthy dose of like. “Wow.”
“No kidding.” She blinked up at him and caressed his chin. “Your beard is so soft, not scratchy at all.”
“I condition it. Yes, I’m vain like that.”
She smiled.
“Justine, I like you.”
“I like you too.”
He needed the words that refused to come. “I like you a lot. A lot-lot.”
“I get that sense, yes.” She squirmed in his hold, obviously feeling the erection pushing through his jeans into her.
“I—” He’d said she should set the pace of their relationship, and yet it was all he could do to hold in his new feelings.
This excitement might be due to their newness or to the explosive chemistry they shared.
But he’d never been so bowled over by any other woman and had no idea how to classify them as a unit. Friends? Lovers? Something more?
She kissed him again. “You what?”
“I can’t think when you’re in my arms.”
“Oh, wow. That’s poetic.”
“And true. We need somewhere private so I can show you what I mean.” Before he lost his mind and started doing a lot more than kissing in public.
“I know just the place.” She laughed with him as they ran together back around the corner to the apartment complex.
He had her hand in his as they brushed past Adam and Max talking in the courtyard.
Max frowned at them and shook his head.
Adam shot Xavier a thumbs up and grinned.
Despite feeling like a cliché, Xavier was pleased Adam knew Justine belonged to—with—him.
“You have me acting like a caveman,” he muttered and kissed her on their way up the stairs.
The sound of a door slamming shut from the floor below had them springing apart.
“Hurry.” Justine flew up the stairs, Xavier hard on her heels.
All talk of relationships and letting her make decisions for them both fled from his mind. The moment the door closed behind them in Justine’s apartment, Xavier had her in a kiss against the back of the door.
Her lips moved over his, inviting, seducing, and he was happy enough to go where she led. Helpless to follow, he raised his arms when she tugged at his shirt and stepped out of his socks and shoes while she kissed him.
Somehow, the quiet Justine from dinner had transformed into a woman who could make Xavier beg without even trying. She spun them when Xavier was finally naked, putting his back to the door, and went to her knees.
He stared down at her shiny hair, watched his dick disappear into her mouth, and laid his head back, his eyes closed as she sucked him close to orgasm in no time.
“Justine, oh yeah. God, baby. Please.” He rambled, not sure what he meant by anything except to never stop this moment with her.
As he closed all too quickly on that pleasure, he didn’t want to go over alone.
He pulled her to her feet and kissed her, swallowing down her moans of pleasure. He stripped her naked and lifted her in his arms.
“Oof. You better not drop me,” she warned. “That’s not sexy. But you holding me? That’s totally hot.”
He pretended to bobble her, and she shrieked with laughter.
Until he reached the bedroom. He paused and looked down at her.
Her laughter dried up, that sexual tension between them present and growing.
Along with other things.
“What are we doing, Xavier?” Justine asked, her voice soft.
Was this a trick question? “We’re getting ready to have sex?”
“Yes, I know.” She paused while he set her down and flushed when his sex brushed against her belly. “But… I really like you. I guess I’m confused, because this is better than any relationship I’ve ever had, and it’s fake.” She wrapped her hand around his dick and gently squeezed.
He closed his eyes, not needing to see her touching him. Bad enough he felt it. If she kept it up, he’d come too soon. He put a hand over hers to slow her when she started pumping him. “Easy. I’ll come too soon.” Xavier swallowed around a dry throat. “Condom?” Please, God.
“I just…” She continued to hold him, but at least she’d stopped jerking him off.
Which meant she actually wanted to talk.
He shouldn’t have stopped her from blowing him earlier.
No, no. Rein it in. She wants to… talk. No matter how much it hurts, hear her out.
“Inconvenient timing,” he had to say. “But talk. I’m listening.” He swallowed hard. “I’m trying to listen.”
She gave him the sweetest grin, and his heart felt like it fell at her feet, waiting for her to pick it up. “Do you know how sexy it is to know how much you want me?”
“Justine, I’m trying really hard to concentrate and not come all over you. But you keep touching me and I won’t be able to help myself.”
She let go, and he cursed himself for being honest. “I like…” She paused, looking both confused and aroused. “I like having sex with you. Being with you. Having you with me around my family made dinner almost fun.”
“Almost.” He cupped her cheek, taken with her softness, and had to kiss her. Once he pulled back, he noted her lust-filled gaze, Justine clearly distracted, which hadn’t been his intention. He wiped a thumb over her lips and nearly lost it when she nibbled on him. “Talk faster,” he rasped.
“I just want you to know how much I—”
“You—?”
“How much I appreciate you. All of you,” she said and boldly squeezed him again.
“I appreciate all of you too.” He kissed her, unable to help himself. “So much.” A little too much, he thought but didn’t say, worried about how fast he seemed to be falling for her, no matter that he’d been trying to be mature and responsible and—
She rolled a condom over him and cupped his balls, rubbing lightly.
It was enough to make him lose control. He yanked her into his arms and kissed her breathless before tossing her on the bed.
She bounced and gave a breathless laugh, soon cut off as he followed and devoured her mouth, losing himself in her taste and touch.
She felt soft everywhere, and the berried pebbles of her nipples begged a bite or two.
He nibbled and sucked, gratified when she hissed his name and ran her fingers through his hair, holding him while he drew on the hard nubs.
But when he kissed a trail farther down, she let him go, stroking his hair until he found the wet, hot center between her legs.
“Xavier, yes, oh yes.” She arched up into his mouth, and her pleas made him that much harder.
It didn’t take long for her to come so sweetly, but then she was urging him up her body. “In me,” she commanded, breathless and needy.
He plunged into her, sliding easily through her slick, tight sex. The viselike grip of her body had him pumping harder, fucking her to own her, so that she’d experience such pleasure and let go.
Xavier felt his end nearing, his balls tight, the pleasure almost unbearable. “Coming,” he warned and shoved one final time, seizing in an almost painful rapture. He poured into the condom, thrusting as deeply inside her as he could go while she pressed kisses into his chest and shoulders.
“Fuck, Justine,” he swore, so sensitive after that obliterating climax.
“I know,” she murmured. “You feel so good inside me. Like you’re supposed to be there.”
“Yeah,” he agreed and kissed her while swirling his hips and shuddering, jetting the last of his seed into the condom. After some relaxing petting, they both came down from their sexual euphoria and settled into a warm hug.
“You’re still in me,” she announced.
“Um, I know. I’m the one with the dick.”
She laughed. “I like this.”
He leaned his forehead against hers, doing his best to ignore the irrational fear that admitting to enjoying their relationship might jinx it somehow. Could Justine possibly be this much fun all the time? So lovely and kind, even when she didn’t get her way?
Like Christine, May, Johanna. The relationships had all started out so wonderfully then gone downhill. He didn’t want to imagine losing Justine in that same way.
“Xavier?” She frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Hold on. My brain hasn’t caught up yet.” He felt her relax and sighed. “I’m an idiot.”
“Why?”
“Because I should give you space and not pressure you to be together. But I don’t want to.
” I want to snap you up before someone else does.
He pushed deeper inside her when he started to fall out.
“And I want to come inside you over and over again.” Just the thought made his dick twitch.
“Justine, my fake girlfriend. I’m putty in your hands. ”
“Ah, I see. I can get you to do anything I want if I let you inside me.”
“Anything, yes. Everything. Whatever you want. Anytime, anywhere.”
She laughed. “So easy.”
“I’m really not. It’s you.”
She smiled into her eyes. “No, it’s you.” She kissed him.
“Before this conversation gets any more cloying, let’s just agree to disagree so we can have sex again in another few minutes.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, okay. Now let’s go take a shower together. You like me wet.”
“I really do.” He withdrew and grimaced, missing her heat. “We could always wait here until I slide inside you again.”
“But I wanted to swallow your very clean, very wet cock.”
He couldn’t help a groan. “That’s it. I’m going with you to every family dinner from now to eternity so you can reward me with your steel-trap lady parts.”
She burst out laughing. “Let’s get clean, my not-a-doctor hero.”
“I’m no one’s Mitch, that’s for sure. Get it? Not bitch. Mitch. Heh.”
“Keep it up and I’ll Mitch-slap that fine ass all the way to the shower. Or would you rather forego my tongue cleaning?”
He’d never moved faster to the bathroom in his life.