Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
New Year’s Eve
If you’d asked me six days ago what I was doing for New Year’s Eve, I would have told you absolutely nothing.
That was my plan. Quiet evening at home, by myself. Probably on call because inevitably I’ll be needed at some point tonight.
But six days ago, Genesis Nikolaou turned my life upside down. Now, if you ask me what I’m doing tonight, I’ll tell you I’m ringing in the New Year with my girlfriend.
When I step off the elevator onto Gen’s floor, I can smell the cinnamon wafting through the air before I even make it down to her apartment.
Rapping my knuckles against the door, I hear light music playing behind it, and I picture her in the kitchen, dancing happily as she prepares whatever she’s surprising us with.
Gen insisted she cook dinner for me, Zee, and Miller, who will be here in about an hour. She said it would be casual, followed by game night, but something in my gut tells me she’s pulled out all the stops.
If there’s one thing I can say with certainty, it’s that she loves to celebrate.
Moments later when the door swings open, I’m face to face with the woman who continuously steals my breath away.
Holding a mixing bowl in one hand with a wooden spoon still buried in whatever’s inside, she’s wearing a dark green sweater dress, leggings, and dark gray fuzzy socks pulled up.
Her wild curls are pulled back into a messy bun she’s tied off with her favorite red sequined bow, and there’s a smear of flour on her face.
Her apartment smells delicious, but more importantly, she looks delicious.
There’s no way I’ll make it through tonight without tasting her.
“Hey,” she greets, a smile pulling wide across her face.
My chest tightens, squeezing my heart so tightly I’m afraid it might burst. Fuck, I’m falling hard for this woman. “Hey, beautiful.”
Stepping over the threshold, I kiss her cheek and am barely pulling back when Pebbles comes barreling out of the living room, her giant limbs skidding across the laminate flooring.
Slamming against my legs, she licks me in greeting, her slobbery jowls dripping, barely missing my shoe.
“Pebbles, ew!” Gen uses one hand to shoo her dog away, but it’s no use—Pebbles and I have already become best friends.
This is only our second time meeting, but our introduction went off without a hitch.
“Hi, Pebbles.” I laugh, giving her ear a scratch. She leans into me, so I continue rubbing her face.
“Quick—don’t think, just answer.” Gen flashes me a cheeky smile. “If I made you pick between me and Pebbles, who would you pick?”
My gaze drifts from the dog snuggling up against me to the woman who’s trying so hard to suppress her laughter.
I lift my shoulders nonchalantly. “Pebbles.”
“I knew it.” Gen pulls the wooden spoon from her batter and points it in my direction. A dollop of dough falls onto the floor, and Pebbles lies down to lick it up.
“Can you blame me?” Pushing her apartment door closed so Pebbles doesn’t escape, I stalk toward Genesis.
Taking the mixing bowl from her, I put it on the entryway table, then sink my fingers into her hips, pulling her close. My hand slides around the back of her neck, desperate to feel her soft skin. “I choose you every day.”
Her cheeks flush, and she presses up on her tiptoes to kiss me. “Back atcha, Doctor Hottie.” She winks and pulls away too quickly for my liking, dancing out of my arms. “I have to get these cookies in the oven. Make yourself at home.”
Shrugging out of my jacket, I drape it over the back of one of her dining chairs and follow her into the kitchen.
The scent of cinnamon I smelled out in the hallway was nothing compared to the richness in Gen’s kitchen. Sweet and savory twist together—spices, butter, meats, and something I can’t put my finger on.
The baking sheet clanking against the oven rack draws my attention, my eyes locking on the pillowy baked good Gen’s pulling out.
She slides the tray onto the open space on her stove, then grins at me from over her shoulder. “Ever try spanakopita?”
“Can’t say I have. It’s Greek food, right?” Standing between her barstools, I lean against the counter, happily observing.
“You haven’t lived until you’ve tried spanakopita! It’s delicious.”
“What’s in it?”
“I make mine with traditional ingredients: feta, onion, spinach, and herbs, wrapped in phyllo dough.” She presses her index finger against the outside of one. “Let them cool for a few minutes and then you’re trying it.”
“Deal. What’s next? How can I help?”
“Just stand there and look handsome while I get these cookies in the oven.”
As she rolls the dough into precise balls and places them on her parchment-lined baking sheet, I cling to her every word, watching as she works effortlessly.
The steady strum of my heart beats in my chest, and when she slides the cookies into the oven, then goes to wash her hands, I stalk over to her, unable to keep my hands to myself a second longer.
Pressing my hips into her backside, I skate my palms around the front of her, pulling her flush against me. Breathing her in, I trail open-mouth kisses against her exposed neck.
She moans under my touch, tossing the towel she’s holding onto the counter before she spins in my grasp, wrapping her arms around my neck.
I kiss her with abandon and reach my hand under her dress to rub her over her leggings.
“Lincoln—” she moans, saying my name like a prayer.
“Yes, baby?” I croon. Lifting her by the backs of her thighs, her legs wrap around me as I guide her to the counter, placing her on top of it.
“I need you.”
“I know.” I tug the hem of her sweater dress up, bunching it around her hips. “I’ve got you.”
Gen lifts her hips to help me as I pull her leggings and panties down, securing them around her ankles.
My cock hardens with a desperate need to be inside of her, straining against my jeans as I pull her roughly to the edge.
A surprised squeal flies past her lips as her back hits the counter, and it takes me less than three seconds to dip under her legs, securing myself between them.
With the first swipe of my tongue against her wet, delicious arousal, her thighs tighten around my head. I’ve never felt more at home than I do between Gen’s legs.
As my tongue continues its assault against Gen’s clit, I relish in her moans.
The way her hips squirm have me reaching down to palm my aching cock, but right now isn’t about me.
I can’t wait to get inside of her later, but for now, I’m making it my mission to bring her to ruin against my tongue before this first batch of cookies is done.
Two fingers slide into her easily as I continue to flick my tongue against her clit. Curling upward, I find her G-spot and stroke it, watching as pleasure flits across her face.
My fingers never relent as her core tightens and she begins to spasm around them, crying out when her orgasm washes over her. Her juices drench my fingers, the sound audible as I continue to thrust them inside her.
But a quick glance at the timer on the oven tells me we still have plenty of time.
“Let’s go.” Grabbing Gen’s hand, I pull her to sit, but before she’s able to hop off the counter, I grab around her waist and hoist her over my shoulder.
“Go where!” She kicks her feet playfully, and her leggings and panties fall to the floor as I walk through her living room. “Lincoln, put me down!”
“You didn’t think I was done with you already, did you?” My hand lands with a sharp smack against her exposed ass as we approach her bedroom door. Then I notice the strand of Christmas lights hanging over it—unplugged—so I pull them down, letting them drag behind me as we enter her room.
“Hey! I was going to plug those in later,” she whines playfully.
My foot kicks her door closed behind us, and I don’t bother with the lights as I take her straight to her bed, tossing her onto it.
“I can think of a better use for them.” Crawling up the bed, I straddle her body, tugging her dress up over her head. Our bodies press together—her fully naked, me fully clothed—and I grab both of her wrists as I lay her back down.
A smile tugs at my lips. Grabbing the Christmas lights I temporarily abandoned to undress her, I slowly wind them around her wrists and down her arms, securing them over her head.
“You’re tying me up?” Her eyes glitter with excitement.
I unplug her phone charger and plug in the lights instead. The room instantly illuminates with soft, multicolored lights that cast a festive glow around us.
Still holding her wrists, I lean down and kiss her hard.
She watches me with a hunger in her eyes as I shed my clothes, using controlled care to remove the fabric from my body.
By the time I lower myself on top of her, the room is charged with combustible electricity, both of us desperate for the other.
Gen’s legs wrap around my hips, pulling me closer to her. There’s no doubt in my mind that this woman was meant to be mine.
Brushing my fingers down her cheek, I kiss her softly, rolling my hips into her until we’re both writhing. I sit up and look deeply into her eyes, restraining myself from devouring her.
“Gen, you’ll tell me if I do anything you’re not comfortable with, right?” I run a finger up her stomach, softly touching her skin. She shivers beneath me, her eyes searching mine.
“Of course. Why?”
Grabbing her hips, I flip her over, pulling her up onto all fours. Her soft moans fill the room as I slowly kiss down her spine. Bringing my hand between her legs, I push two fingers inside of her. She jolts forward at the sudden intrusion, her head dropping low on her shoulders.
“Lincoln,” she moans again, and my cock twitches in appreciation.