Chapter 30
Nora
‘Home.’
I catch the triumph in Theo’s voice as he shuts the door to his flat behind us, but I’m not quite up to speed on why it’s there.
God knows why he looks so smug. I can’t help but feel deflated, which seems the more appropriate emotional state.
The flat is quiet, especially since Olive’s still at the sitter’s.
We’ve left our glorious, sun-kissed bubble, the magical place where Theo lifted the veil and showed me what our bodies were capable of together. How extraordinarily good it could be between us.
He was spot on about chemistry trumping love in bed. Holy crap. It’s hard to believe I can have such a crazy connection with a man I’m not in a serious relationship with. Or any kind of relationship, for that matter.
But Theo called it. And he was right.
I wasn’t myself in Cap Ferrat. I was looser. More hedonistic. More in touch with my body. Like someone had Bridget-Bardot’ed me. And this man should take most of the credit for bringing out that wilder side of me.
Like last night, when he threw me over his shoulder, kicking and screaming with laughter, marched me back to our room and peeled my dress and thong off me with what can only be described as reverence before ordering me to sit on his face (spoiler: I obliged happily).
Or this morning, when sleep yielded to the most delicious, hazy sort of consciousness with Theo’s warm, hard body flush against mine, his erection ready for action, his hands busily adoring my skin and his voice already in my ear, rough and dirty.
But now I’ve stepped off the jet, and we’re back here, and we’ll probably be back to being fake boyfriend and girlfriend, both with clear agendas that don’t include each other, and possibly occasional benefits, now we’ve smashed through that particular barrier, and it’s so depressing I could cry, and—
Theo takes my bag, drops it on the floor, and whips me around, pushing me up against the door, his eyes darkening as they zero in on my mouth.
He drops his lips to mine and kisses me.
Slowly. Deeply. His tongue dominating my mouth.
His fingers tangling in my hair. His other hand sweeping up my waist so his thumb can brush the underside of my breast in my wrap dress.
Oh, Jesus. My annoyance, my churlishness at the fun being over fades into a blissful sense of fluidity as I rake my fingers through his gorgeous hair and grab his even more gorgeous ass as hard as I can.
I arch my back and luxuriate in the heaven that is hard maleness pressed up against me and the invasion of my mouth by Theo’s hard, delicious tongue.
Maybe it’s not so bad being back, after all.
‘I’m so fucking happy to have you home,’ he mutters against my mouth.
I laugh. ‘Why? We just left paradise. Now we’re back to reality.’
He pulls away enough to meet my eyes.
‘It’s reality with you. That’s the difference.’
Holy shit. What the hell does that mean? His eyes are dark. He’s unsmiling. Intense. He drags his thumb roughly along my jawline.
‘I—uh…’
‘We’re back, except everything’s different.
Before we left, I had you right here, but I couldn’t actually have you.
I’ve fantasised about fucking you on every surface in this flat, Belle.
The island. The floor. The terrace sofa, that morning after Lotta’s party.
My shower. The bath. My fucking bed. But I couldn’t touch you.
’ His eyes soften and his mouth curls up into a wolfish grin. ‘And now I can.’
Ohhhh. I get it now. He’s talking about sex.
Phew. I thought he was about to get deep for a second there.
I feel more shy now we’re back on his turf. Off kilter, somehow. In France, everything got a bit confused. We were acting out a role for the others, masquerading as a couple. As equals. And discovering our ridiculous chemistry on the side.
But in this flat, I’m still his inconvenient guest. I’m not here because I’m his girlfriend. I’m here because he was doing his cousin a favour. Usually, initiating gratuitously awkward conversations is Theo’s domain, but perhaps I should clear the air.
‘So…’ I release his hair and bring my hand around to stroke down his pec, so firm below the soft cotton of his t-shirt. ‘Are we, like… Should we talk about how this should work? I mean, I can sleep in my room, obviously, and maybe if we want to have—’
He clamps a hand over my mouth. ‘Belle.’
‘Mmph?’
‘Shut up.’
‘Mmph.’
‘Listen to me. It’s very sweet that you think I’d let you spend a single night in that room. It’s not your room. It’s officially now your dressing room. You sleep with me. Got it?’
I open my eyes wide.
‘Don’t weaponise those Disney princess eyes. Don’t fuck with me, Belle. Have you got it?’
I nod, not sure why my bikini bottoms are suddenly feeling a little damp.
‘Excellent. Look. I know your little left-brain, boundary-obsessed mind is going crazy now we’re back in the real world.
But whatever this is, there’s no denying there are fucking fireworks between us.
Yes? And I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t walk away from that if I tried.
It took me long enough to get you to open up to me. ’
My eyes crinkle in amusement, and a wave of something passes over his gorgeous face.
‘Yeah, baby. Damn right you opened up to me. For me. And if you think I’m going to put that behind us and let you go back to pussyfooting around and giving me a wide berth, then you’re sorely mistaken. Okay?’
He removes his hand from my mouth.
I search his face for a sign that he’s serious. ‘Okay.’
‘Unless you don’t want it?’
His eyes go practically liquid, and my heart follows suit. This man. He’s so bloody cocky, the whole time, and after giving me the best series of orgasms of my life he chooses now to have a crisis of confidence?
‘Are you kidding me?’ I massage his pec. Mmm. ‘Of course I want it, Theo. Have you seen what you do to me?’
‘Yeah.’ He smiles softly at me, stroking the back of my neck.
‘I’ve had a front-row seat and you are fucking magnificent.
It’s just—I’m aware I’ve been taking the lead.
You’ve been an eager participant, but I’ve initiated things every time I’ve fucked you.
I just want to make sure I’m not steamrollering you. ’
Oh my God. He’s so right. I’ve let him initiate everything. Every time.
He has no idea how much I’m going to fix that. No idea at all.
‘I’m so sorry.’ The anxiety is rising. ‘It’s just—I’m not very good at asking for what I want. I’m not as confident as you. And you’re so good at reading my mind. I like being taken by surprise. It’s—it’s hot, not knowing what you’re going to do next.’
I smile, and it must placate him, as his gorgeous mouth curves up.
‘Got it. Say no more, gorgeous. And never apologise. Can I take you to my bed now? I want you in it so badly. And I promise I’ll make you cacio e pepe after.’
‘No crumpets,’ I mutter as he kisses me. ‘I don’t want to be a cliche.’
He chuckles softly. ‘No crumpets. And you, Belle, could never be a cliche. Now let me at this beautiful body of yours.’
I stand there, unless with anticipation, as he unties the knot holding my wrap dress in place. It’s an old DVF, sleeveless and slinky and suitcase-friendly, and, as it turns out, easy access, too, because Theo has it hanging open in seconds.
I’m in a string bikini, and he hums his appreciation as he gets to his knees in front of me, his hands ghosting up the sides of my body so his thumbs can swipe over my nipples as he drops his face to my stomach and kisses the sensitive skin there.
The brief touch ignites an already-familiar need for him, and my breath hitches. This body of mine is a quick learner.
My fingers go to his hair, and he looks up at me with the puppy-dog eyes that make me lose my mind.
‘I’m obsessed with your body.’ He reaches behind me and pulls on the tie of my bikini top. The triangles spring up above my breasts and he groans. Palms them. Rubs lightly. I sigh with pleasure.
The strings at the sides of my bottoms are next to go, and the bottoms drop straight to the ground.
Theo dips his head again, kissing right above my landing strip as his leisurely fingers slip between my legs and part my folds.
Now it’s my turn to groan. This man has pinned me against his front door within seconds of our getting back to his flat and got me naked within minutes.
I stare down at him through a haze of desire.
Loving that I’m in his hands.
His obscenely capable hands, whose fingers are currently gliding in and out of me achingly slowly. Crooking and pushing and teasing. His thumb finds my clit and my head drops back against the door with a defeated thump.
‘This feel good?’ he asks in a low growl. I manage to find some strength in my neck to look down. He’s gazing up at me, eyes pitch black.
‘Amazing,’ I manage.
‘Touch your tits, Belle.’
I don’t need to be told twice. I roll my nipples hard between my fingers and thumbs and the sensation in my body quadruples. Theo’s thumb on me. His fingers deep inside me. My nipples aching. I shuffle my legs a little wider as pleasure builds and builds.
‘Fuck’s sake.’ Theo drags his mouth up my front, getting to his feet so he can suck and lick at my breasts, his hand still between my legs. ‘You’re too fucking beautiful. Need to be inside you.’
‘Me too,’ I gasp as he pulls his fingers out of me and hoists me up under my bum, my legs and arms wrapping around him. For a second I think he’s going to undo his flies and take me up against the door, but he turns and carries me through to his bedroom, kicking the door wide open.
Oh, Jesus.
Theo’s bedroom.
The room I’ve studiously avoided because it makes me think of sex, even more than being in the rest of his flat makes me think of sex.
The huge bed, with its pristine white linen and four dark wood posters rising almost to the ceiling.