Chapter Twenty-Four
Jack
Rising to my feet, licking the remnants of Ria’s arousal off my lips, I press my body against hers. I can feel the thump, thump of her heart through her chest matching mine.
Fuck, I want to be inside her, but I want our first time to be special. She deserves more than a quickie up against the janitor”s closet wall. I should have resisted tonight, restrained myself, but the way she looked in that dress and the feel of her in my arms, I snapped. I had to taste her, be close to her. I know she wanted it to too but I hope to God I haven’t scared her and fucked this up. I press my lips to hers and hear her whimper as she tastes herself on me. I need to know we are okay. Need to know she”s not getting ready to run again.
I feel her hands at the waistband of my pants and the tug of my button coming undone. The kiss turns frantic again and I start to lose myself in her. She reaches inside my pants and pulls free my hard cock; the tip dripping with precum. She swipes her thumb over the end, smearing my arousal over me before she rubs her hand up and down my shaft.
“Fuck, Ri,” I groan, not breaking the kiss. I am seconds away from coming and I need to try and make this last. I reach in between her legs again as a way to distract me from my own building pleasure, but she pauses. Looking at me through her thick lashes, her crystal blue eyes glistening under the fire exit light, she licks her lips. The air crackles between us and I can’t fight this anymore. I want her, I need her.
“You are so beautiful,” I pant, fighting the urge to blow my load there and then. She sinks to her knees.
“My turn for a taste,” she whispers.
“Ri, baby you don”t have t-t—” My sentence is cut short by the sensation of her hot lips wrapping around the end of my length and her tongue licking my pre cum.
She moans around my dick and I have to plant my hands against the wall to steady myself and she goes to work on my dick.
“Jesus, fuck, you keep doing that sweetheart and I’m gonna come,” I say on a strangled breath. But that just spurs her on.
She looks fucking incredible on her knees before me. She must sense my eyes on her and she looks up at me, her eyes watering slightly, her now swollen lips wrapped around my dick, and it may be the hottest sight I”ve ever seen.
My dick is throbbing, my heart racing, my breathing heavy as that wave of white-hot pleasure builds. “Ri, baby, I’m close,” I warn.
But in true Ria style, she surprises me, taking me deeper, her head bobbing and her hand comes up to cup and massage my balls, pushing me over the edge. Cumming with force, I explode in her mouth and she drinks it down, sucking me dry before she uses her tongue to lap up the last drop, looking at me as her throat works, swallowing it down.
My knees go weak and I have to brace my hands on the wall to steady myself. She releases my cock from her mouth with an audible pop and wipes the corner of her mouth with her fingertips.
“That was… fucking incredible,” I pant as I help her up. “You on your knees like that… fuck.” Pressing my lips to hers, tasting my arousal, her arms wrap around my waist.
She breaks the kiss, pressing our foreheads together and we stay like that, losing all sense of time.
“People might wonder where we are,” she whispers eventually.
“Good, let them,” I reply. “Stay with me tonight?”
“I’d love that, but I think we need to talk about… this,” she says hesitantly, gesturing between us.
“I know, but I don’t wanna push you, Ri. We go at your pace, whenever you are ready, whatever you want.” A relieved look washes over her face.
“Okay,” she sighs, “but not tonight, okay? Let’s talk tomorrow morning.
I just want to have fun tonight and just be with you.”
“Sounds perfect to me.”
We straighten ourselves up and I reluctantly give Ria her underwear back. I”d love the thought of her bare under that dress, but the idea of someone seeing her that exposed builds a rage inside me.
We head back towards the party, and I”ve lost all sense of time. God knows how long we”ve been gone, but it must have been some time because Ali is actually giving Harry the time of day and dancing with him, while Gabby is talking with Brad at our table.
It”s clear everyone has been taking advantage of the free bar in our absence, and on route to the table, I take two glasses of champagne from a waiter walking past us.
“And what have you two been up to?” Gabby asks knowingly, looking back and forth between us with a smirk. They’ve moved to a low table surrounded by couches near the bar.
“Ermm, Jack just had to show me something,” Ri mumbles, avoiding eye contact.
“Oh really, like his dick?” she slurs drunkenly.
Brad snorts, choking on his drink.
“Gabriella,” Ria scolds.
Gabby falls back against Brad”s chest and they both erupt into laughter. I swear, I”ve never seen the man laugh like that. It”s good to see him relax and enjoy himself.
Ali heads over to us, walking like Bambi on ice with Harry hot on her heels. ”Well, you”re looking mighty relaxed, both of you.” She winks at us. ”I just don”t know if I can forgive you for leaving me with this whiny ass.” She points to Harry as he approaches us.
“I don”t whine,” Harry shouts over the music, sounding as pissed as Ali looks.
“Ali, why are you so mean to me? Ali, why don’t you wanna fuck me? Ali, why won’t you reply to my texts?” she mocks.
Harry glares at her, looking like someone has pissed in his cereal. “Have you taken some extra bitch pills today?”
“I have. They were doing a two for one special, so I stocked up when I knew I had to spend the evening with you.”
He gives her the middle finger and walks off towards the bar. Ali falls back onto the couch, cackling like a witch.
“Are you gonna put that man out of his misery?” I ask, my eyes pinned on her.
“Now that wouldn”t be fun, would it, Jack?” she says, laughing as she pokes her tongue out. I shake my head and roll my eyes, taking a sip from my glass. I think taunting him has become a sport for her.
I let out an exhale and sink further into the couch and look up at New York”s night sky. Not a star in the sky can be seen, just the twinkling of lights from surrounding buildings and a plane flying overhead. I love New York. I dreamed of moving to the Big Apple my entire military career. It was the only thing that kept me going during deployments. The idea of getting out and moving to New York apartment with views of the city and having someone to share it with… with her.
“I just need to make a quick call,” she announces, freeing herself from my hold and pulling the phone from her bag. She gives me a chaste kiss and heads over to the corner of the rooftop to make a call. I can”t take my eyes off her. The sway of her hips as she walks, her long toned legs showcased thanks to the killer heels she”s wearing and I have to adjust myself in my pants at the memory of her leg over my shoulder and my head buried in her pussy not too long ago.
I watch as she talks to someone on the phone and I don”t miss how her body stiffens and her head swings round, scanning the rooftop. She turns her back to me so I can”t see what she”s saying, but her body language tells me everything her words aren”t. Her shoulders are hunched, and she is visibly shaking. My gut instinct is to go to her rescue, but I know I have to let her handle whatever she is dealing with. I have to tread very carefully when it comes to her girls but I”ll be here with open arms when she”s done and will do what I can to ease the stress.
She ends the call and rubs her forehead, looking frustrated. I watch as she strides towards the bar and signals two fingers to the bartender. He slides two shots of something toward Ria and she necks one after the other.
Oh, fuck, this can’t be good.
She then asks for two more and that has me out of my seat and walking toward her. “Ri, what”s wrong?” I demand.
She throws back another shot before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
She turns to face me and plasters a fake smile on her face. “Nothing,” she bites.
“Really?” I question, unsure of what to make of her obvious lie.
“Really. Now let”s go dance.” Taking my hand, she drags me to the dance floor.
It”s clear she doesn”t want to talk and wants to lose herself in the music, in me. We move in sync, her ass grinding against my dick, my hands on her hips. She reaches behind to hold the back of my neck, turning her head, and pulling my face towards hers, kissing me. I don’t know what’s going on with her, but if this is what she needs right now, I”ll give it to her.
My erection thickens as Ria rotates her hips. It”s clear the shots have hit. Her balance is slightly off and her eyes are hooded.
She turns. “I want you. Let”s get out of here.”
It takes a second for me to register how forward she’s being. I love it but I can”t help but feel there”s something going on with her and she isn”t acting herself. I don”t want to question her here, so I simply nod and take her hand.
I let Gabby and Ali know I’m taking Ria back to mine and Ali warns that she will cut my dick off if I don”t look after her. To be honest, I’m more concerned about her cutting Harry’s dick off. I warn the guys to get the girls home safe, and while they may be a pair of party boys, I’d trust them with my life and the safety of any woman.
We exit the rooftop and I wave down a cab, not wanting to bother our driver as it”s only a short drive to my apartment. Ria is visibly intoxicated and, by the time we reach my apartment building, she can barely stand. She stumbles out of the cab and falls on the curb, erupting into a fit of giggles.
“Come here, boozy. Let”s get you upstairs,” I tell her, helping her up on her feet.
We head for the door, but she stumbles again, dropping her purse and bursting into another fit of laughter.
“Okay, sweetheart, I’m gonna have to carry you.” I scoop her up like a groom carrying his bride over the threshold and she lets out a gasp.
“Oh, Mr. Lawson, my hero. I feel like Paula in An Officer and a Gentleman.” She throws her head back, waving her arm in the air, and starts to sing the theme tune, “Love Lifts Us Up, Where We Belong”.
I walk through the foyer of my building, giving a nod to the doormen as he walks over to the elevator, pressing my floor. “Evening, Frank. Thanks.”
“My pleasure, sir. Have a good evening. Please call down if you need anything.”
We enter the elevator and go to my floor, Ria’s eyes taking in the environment.
“Shit, are you rich, or rich rich?” She whistles, looking around the elevator that has mirrors throughout with a gold and wood ceiling.
We exit the elevator, and thankfully, my apartment is opposite. I place her down on her feet and reach in my back pocket for my wallet, pulling out the keycard for my apartment. I tap the card on my door panel and open the door. We walk through to the entryway and I hear Ria gasp.
“Holy shit, you are rich, rich, rich.”
I smile, knowing exactly what has her gasping like that, and it’s the very reason I bought this apartment. The entire back wall of my apartment is glass, looking out at the New York skyline.
”Can I get you a drink?” I ask, heading toward the open plan kitchen, but she”s too entranced by the view to answer me.
Taking two bottles of water from the fridge, I watch as she runs a hand along the back of my dark leather couches, taking in the room.
“What’s down there?” she asks, pointing down the hall.
“Bedrooms and the bathrooms.”
“And that way?” She points to the opposite side of the apartment where another hallway is.
“My office and home gym.”
“Oooh fancy,” she mocks, kicking off her shoes, stumbling slightly as she walks towards me.
“I”ll take a tequila slammer, please, action man.” She giggles.
“I was thinking a water or a tea,” I deadpan.
“Sorry, Daddy, didn”t realize I wasn”t allowed to drink,” she mocks.
I don’t miss the way my dick twitches when she calls me daddy, but now is not the time to unpack that.
“You will thank me in the morning if you take the water,” I say, handing her a cold bottle.
“I”d be thanking you a whole lot more if you gave me a tequila and a screaming orgasm,” she replies, slightly slurring while leaning over the island, causing her breasts to push together creating a cleavage I would very much like to bury my face in. But I will be a gentleman. I”m not sleeping with her when she”s this intoxicated, no matter how badly I want her.
“I will happily treat you to all the orgasms you want… after the water and some sleep. I circle round the kitchen island and come toe to toe with her. She reaches out to grab my shirt and pulls me towards her.
“Come on,” she slurs. “I’ll suck your dick again.” She fumbles at my buttons. I place my hands over hers, stalling her.
“Tell me what”s going on in that head of yours, sweetheart.” Anxiety is brewing in my stomach. I know something is wrong.
“Are you telling me you don’t wanna fuck me?” She stares at me with no emotion on her face.
This isn”t my Ria.
“I very much want to fuck you, more than you know, but not like this, Ri. You’re drunk and that’s not how I want our first time to be. You need to sleep it off.” I stroke her cheek, but she yanks my wrist away before storming away.
“Why does everyone think they have a right to tell me what to fucking do, or what I need? I’m a grown woman. I can do what the hell I want, when I want,” she rages, as she collapses onto my count, cradling her head in her lap.
I walk over and sit beside her, placing a light hand to her lower back. “Ri… Who’s upset you? Tell me. Let me help.” My chest constricts at the idea of her hurting like this. She lets out an exhale, swiping her hair away from her face and wiping her eyes. Tears I didn’t realize were falling stain her cheeks. She looks so fragile and broken.
She closes her eyes as if it”s too painful to look at me while she speaks. “It was Alex. One of his asshole work buddies was at the party tonight an clearly didn”t know we are getting divorced, as he called him to tell him that his ‘wife’ was all over some guy.”
My stomach sinks, guilt hitting me. Not because what we did was wrong, but for Ria.
“He texted me to call him immediately, made it sound like the girls were sick or something, but when he answered he just went off at me, told me to act like a mother and not a slut, that I was an embarrassment and to hurry up and get this life crisis I am having over with and come home where I belong. He said I am still his wife and I should behave like it.” I can hear the disgust in her voice and feel her body tremble, visibly angry.
“That piece of shit I”m gonna fucking rip him apart,” I spit. I wrap my arm around her and press my lips to her temple, hoping my touch will comfort her.
“He’s not worth it, but I am so angry. He’s never going to let me go, never going to let me live my life. I spent so long being the good wife and doing as I was told, but tonight I just thought no, screw him. I’m not listening. I wanted to block out the noise. Forget his words and do what I wanted to do, not what I was told to do. So I had those shots and just wanted to get lost in it… to get lost in you.” She sniffs back her emotions, and I just want to fix everything for her. Take away all her pain.
“Ri, sweetheart, you should”ve told me.”
“Why?” she asks. “So you can pity me. Poor Ria. Can”t get her life together. Poor Ria, too weak to take care of herself.”
“Stop that, stop that shit. You are the strongest woman I know. Don”t you dare talk about yourself like that.” It comes out angrier than I intend, but it cuts me deep hearing her talk about herself like that.
“Oh, my God and then I come here and expect you to have sex with me.” She laughs manically. “I really am an embarrassment. I need to go” She goes to get up from the couch and I pull her back, pressing our foreheads together.
“Listen to me,” I demand. “I’m not letting you run. You have no idea how much I want you, all of you, every fucking inch of you in my bed right now, but this isn”t how I want it to be. You deserve more than a drunk fuck and I wanna know that, when it happens, it’s happening because you want it, and not to get back at your shit bag ex. Because once I have you Ri, I know I’m not gonna be able to let you go.”
I see my words register, but her eyes still look haunted. “Jack,” my name barely a whisper from her lips. “I’m sorry. I just—” Her words break into a gut-wrenching sob.
I hold her so tightly I think I might squeeze the air from her. “I know, baby. I’m sorry too.”
We stay like that for what feels like a lifetime as she draws circles on my chest with her index finger and I nuzzle my nose into her hair.
“Am I hard to love?” she whispers eventually.
Her words hurt my heart. “No, sweetheart, of course you’re not. You just chose the wrong person to love you.”
“I really want to be happy, but every time I start to feel it, something inside me tells me that I don”t deserve it, so I panic and…” Another sob escapes her lips.
“Ri, you deserve all the happiness in this world. You just got to believe that and let people in… let me in.”
“I’m scared to lose you if I let you in fully. I don”t think I’d ever recover if I lost you,” she sniffs.
Her confession hits me square in the chest. Knowing that she may feel just as deeply for me as I do for her.
“Sweetheart, you are well and truly buried in my heart to ever lose me. You deserve someone who isn”t okay with losing you, someone who will love you the way you deserve to be loved, and you won”t have to question it or fight for it.”
Her breathing slows, her body feeling heavier against my chest. I tighten my hold on her, letting her know I”ve got her.
“And if you let me, I want to be the one to show you.” It”s barely a whisper and I don”t know if she heard me, but when she doesn”t speak, I lift my head ever so slightly to find her sleeping peacefully in my arms.