Chapter 18
Tyler
Ishouldn’t have just shown up like this.
What if her mom is here with her?
My steps falter as I cross the parking lot. I don’t know what possessed me when I climbed into my truck at eight forty-five at night and drove to Audrey’s apartment. But the need to see her was eating away at my gut until I was on the road, and I knew I had made the right choice.
As I get closer to her door, I start to doubt if that’s true.
Blowing out a breath, I rap on her door, debating if I should send her a text, when the door opens. Audrey looks up at me with a confused smile. “Tyler?”
My heart hammers against my ribs. She looks deliciously captivating in her pajamas, her hair damp and loose around her shoulders.
“I should’ve just called, but I wanted to check up on you.”
I’m doubting myself even more as she continues to just stare at me until she steps back, and I take that as my invitation. I step inside, and the door clicks closed behind me. I hold up the grocery bag. “I know it’s been hours, but I brought some ginger ale in case your stomach is still upset.”
She bites her luscious bottom lip and grins. “You didn’t have to do that.”
I shrug as she takes the bag and walks into her small kitchen. “I know I didn’t, but I wanted to.”
Following her into the kitchen, I lean against the counter and cross my arms as she puts the cans in the fridge after setting one on the counter.
Audrey cracks open the can and takes a sip as I ask, “Are you feeling better?”
“I am. I came home and laid down for a little bit. With some rest and a shower, I feel a lot better.”
“Good to hear. Did your mom enjoy today?”
She leans against the counter across from me and sets the can down next to her. Her smile grows. “Yeah, she had an amazing time. She told me on the ride home that”—her voice catches with her next words—“it was the most alive she ever felt.”
Before she finishes her sentence, I close the gap between us and gather her in my arms. Her cheek goes to my chest. I rest my chin on the top of her head, pressing a kiss there as her body trembles against me.
I ask the question that has been on my mind since earlier today. “Audrey, is your mom sick?”
Her body shakes even more, and she sniffs. “How did you know?”
Kissing her hair once more, I explain, “You needing to go as soon as possible seemed like, I don’t know, a bucket list item type of thing. And you said that she was the one who wanted to go.”
She shifts in my arms, and I don’t let her go, but I loosen my hold so she can look up at me. The pain on her face breaks my heart into a million pieces.
“I can’t lose her, Tyler.” Tears stream down her cheeks.
My hand rests on the side of her head, and I pull her back into my chest. “I’m so sorry, Audrey. I can’t even imagine how you feel.”
Her arms go around my waist, and she grips my T-shirt at my back.
I don’t know how to help her, so I hold her tight as she cries silently against me, her tears wetting the front of my shirt.
I’d hoped I was wrong, but now that I know, all I want to do is find a way to help her carry this heavy burden of her mom’s illness.
After a few moments, Audrey’s soft, muffled voice calls my name, “Tyler?”
I run my hand up and down her back. “Yeah, mama?”
Her back expands against my arms in a shaky inhale. “Please stay.”
I swallow hard, not wanting to misunderstand what she’s asking. I’ll be more than happy just holding her all night, but I’m not sure if that’s what she wants. I gently move her away from me so I can see her.
Brushing the hair away from her gorgeous face, I search her eyes. “I’ll stay with you.”
She grips my wrist, her gaze intense and sorrowful. “Will you make me think about anything but that?”
I hesitate. Not because I don’t want her—I want to have sex with this woman more than I want to breathe—but because I’m worried about her state of mind. “Audrey, at any other time, the answer to that will always be yes, but I don’t want you to regret this.”
Her chest rises and falls in rapid pants. “I don’t think I’d ever regret being with you.”
My stomach tightens with desire as I weigh this decision.
My gaze dips to her mouth, and her pink tongue darts out and wets her bottom lip.
I groan and look into her eyes again. “If at any point you want to stop, you’ll tell me, Audrey.
I don’t care if I’m already inside you. Tell me you understand. ”
A whimper hits my ear before she agrees, “I understand, Tyler. I’ll tell you if I want to stop.”
Because I can’t wait another moment to touch her, I press a chaste kiss to her lips before grasping her hand and pulling her toward the hall, adjusting my jeans as we go. Just the thought of being inside her has me half-hard already.
“It’s the one on the right,” Audrey whispers behind me when we get to the end of the short hall.
When we’re inside her dimly lit room, I spin around and bury my fingers in her thick hair. I pull her up to meet my lips while she grips the wrist of the hand holding her.
Her other hand finds the bottom of my shirt and yanks on it.
I chuckle against her lips. “So impatient,” I murmur.
“Yes, Tyler. Take off your clothes.”
A smirk grows on my face. “No. Turn around.”
Her adorable scowl lights me up. I love her impatience. When she finally does as I instructed, I gently move her hair over one shoulder, allowing my fingertips to trail over the skin on the back of her neck. She shivers under my touch.
One hand slips around the front of her neck and pulls her back to my chest, angling her head just right so I can kiss the exposed skin and inhale her sweet scent.
“I can’t even count the times I’ve dreamt about this moment.
The night on your couch and the sounds you made while you came have haunted me in the best and worst possible way. ”
“The worst?” she asks breathlessly as my teeth dig into her earlobe.
“Yes, Audrey. Because that memory has been absolute torture, not being able to hear it again in real life.” Another bite followed by my tongue to soothe her delicious skin. “But not tonight. I want to hear those sounds over and over again.”
The vibration of her moan moves through my hand on her throat.
I let go so I can do what I didn’t get to do the first night we were together.
Gripping the bottom of her shirt, I pull it up and over her head, dropping it on the floor next to her feet.
I move in front of her and groan when I see her pert nipples poking through the thin gauzy material of her bra.
As I capture one in my mouth, her hand flies to the back of my head, pressing hard to keep me in place.
Resting my hands on her waist, I revel in her thick, curvy body. I’m already obsessed with her, and I don’t even have all her clothes off. If I ran the universe, she’d be the archetype of all women. There’s something about all that soft perfection against my hardness that just does something to me.
I alternate between her nipples until she’s squirming beneath my mouth. Standing up, I run my thumb over her bottom lip, gathering the dampness. “Take your pants off and get on the bed.” Whipping my T-shirt over my head, I let it fall on top of hers.
Her eyes rove over my body with appreciation and lust burning bright.
“Audrey, get on the bed like I said.” I have to adjust my dick as it presses uncomfortably into the zipper of my jeans.
Audrey hooks her fingers into her pajama pants, and they drop to the ground. I bite my lip when I realize she isn’t wearing any panties underneath. My eyes track her every move as she crawls onto the bed and turns around to face me.
Her knees drop together as I stalk toward the bed. “Well, that isn’t going to work.”
Running my hands up her legs, I gently ease them apart until I get a good look at what I’ve been dying to see.
In the low light of the lamp on the nightstand, I can see her arousal glistening on her inner thighs.
Not wanting to deny myself another second without a taste, I dip my head and lick the moisture from her thighs. She shivers and whimpers in response.
“I already knew you were going to be fucking delicious.” I tap her hip. “Move up the bed a little so you can lie back on the pillows.”
When she moves, I crawl onto the bed and settle between her legs. I slowly move my legs back so I can comfortably get my mouth exactly where I want it to be. Blowing across her overheated skin pulls a moan from her chest.
Without another word, I devour her like I haven’t eaten in days.
I lick up and suck her clit into my mouth as her fingers tunnel into my hair.
Just like the other night, the sounds she makes further intensify this moment.
Her moans are my siren’s song. There’s something so vulnerable yet erotic about them that I worry I’m going to embarrass myself once again by coming in my pants.
Lucky for both of us if that does happen, my refractory period is remarkably short.
I slip my fingers inside her tight channel, convinced that being inside Audrey will become an addiction I’ll never want to cure.
Curling my fingers up, I press down on her stomach.
I know I hit the right spot when her back bows off the bed and her moans increase.
I continue to suck her clit until she explodes, her muscles contracting around my fingers.
She’s breathless as she recovers. “Oh my god, Tyler. I’ve never…”
When she trails off, I get back to work until she comes two more times, each varying in intensity, but no less satisfying for both of us.
“Tyler, please. I need you inside me.” Her voice desperate and strung out.
Finally feeling satisfied that I did my job well enough, I quickly shuck my jeans and get a condom out of my wallet.
She watches me with hooded eyes as I crawl back up the bed toward her.
I sit back on my feet, and her eyes widen as I roll the condom down my length.
I’m grateful I was able to make her come multiple times so that her muscles are relaxed enough for me not to hurt her.
“You ready, Audrey?”
She nods eagerly and reaches for me. “I want you so bad.”
Moving into position, I line myself up and inch the tip in. A low groan moves through me at the sensation.
“Tyler, you won’t hurt me. Please.”
When we lock eyes, her passion-filled smile gives me the permission I need to slam my hips forward until I’m buried all the way inside her, and it takes my breath away at how perfect it feels.
I drop to my elbows so I can kiss her as I rotate my hips.
Our tongues tease each other as I pull out slowly and thrust back into her.
Audrey starts to move her hips underneath me, seeking the perfect amount of pressure. Knowing I need her to come one more time, I sit back up but stay seated inside her. My fingers circle her clit as her moans grow loud again.
“Yes, Tyler. I’m so close.”
I bite my lip, loving the way she moans out my name. “Yes, Audrey. Come on my dick, just like you did the other day. But this time, I get to be inside you. And you feel so fucking amazing.”
Her hand reaches for me, and I catch it, intertwining our fingers.
With a few more circles of her clit, Audrey’s clamping down, not only on my length but on the hand clasped in hers.
The strength of her orgasm throws me off the ledge, and I explode inside her with a deep moan, wishing there was no barrier between us so I could fill her up.
I collapse on top of her and am immediately surrounded by her arms and legs wrapping around me. I flex my hips again, causing us both to groan in unison.
With our damp, overheated, and overstimulated skin pressed together, I know definitively that I want to stay here, with her, for more than just tonight.