15. Tara
15
TARA
I’m trying not to panic, but the longer I lie here, the more intensely I’m feeling all my emotions, and I know I’m not going to be able to hold it in much longer. That was not a one-night stand, a booty call, or anything else.
Why did he have me look at him? That makes it all the more real, and it’s hard to keep a balance between what’s real and what’s fake.
It’s fake. It meant nothing . That’s what I’m telling myself.
“Uh, I was going to get cleaned up.”
He lifts up, pulls the condom off, and ties the end of it. “Stay right here. I’ll take care of it.”
I lift my head from the pillow and look at the bathroom door that he just disappeared behind and the bedroom door. Should I escape? I could get up and leave. And as I’m about to do just that, he comes back out with a cloth in his hands.
He stands over me, pushing my legs apart, and embarrassment takes over. I try to reach for the towel. “I can do it.”
He holds it out of reach and sits down on the bed beside my hips. He cleans me up and then takes the cloth into the bathroom. When he comes back out, I’m searching for my shirt. Where the hell did I throw it?
“Where are you going?”
Startled, I answer, “Uh, the bathroom.”
He swaggers toward me, still fully naked, his manhood semi erect between his legs. How is that fuckin’ possible?
He pulls me toward him and then walks me to his bathroom. “Have at it.”
I point to the other room with one hand while I try to cover myself with my other arm. “Uh, I thought I should go.”
He chuckles. “You’re not going anywhere.”
I know my eyebrows go up so high they hit my hairline. “Uh, excuse me?”
He puts a hand at my waist. “Go on, take care of business. Then I thought we’d shower?—”
I interrupt him. “Together?”
He laughs. “Yeah, together.”
His hand slides around my waist, and then he cups my ass. “I’m not nearly done with you, Tara. If you’re only willing to give me one night, then I’m going to take the whole night.”
My eyes bug out of my head. “Uh, you want to do that again?”
His other hand comes up to my face, and he strokes a finger softly on my cheek. “Yeah, and again and again.”
Speechless, I just stare at him.
He nuzzles his nose against my neck. “Is that okay with you?”
“Yeah,” I croak and then nod and try again. “Yeah, I want that.”
His smile is possessive, and he surprises me by swinging me up in his arms. I squeal with laughter. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to help you shower, and then we’re going back to bed, and I may let you up in time to make the wedding.”
At that exact moment, my stomach growls, and it’s so loud, Cruz stops his trek to the bathroom. “Uh, okay, change of plans. Shower, food, and then bed.”
I put my hand on my bare stomach. “I couldn’t eat at dinner.”
He sets me down next to the shower. He turns the water on and holds his hand under the spray, waiting for it to get hot. When he’s satisfied with the temperature, he gestures for me to get in. “I’m going to call for room service. I’ll be right back.”
He kisses me before walking away.
I step into the shower and let the water roll over me. I’m thinking about everything that just happened when Cruz steps back into the shower. I jump when I feel his body pressed against my back. “This okay?” he asks.
His hard cock is pressed against me, and I turn to look at him over my shoulder, smiling up at him. “How are you hard already? I thought men couldn’t?—”
He shrugs. “Honey, any time you’re around I’m hard. I’m not sure what to do about it.”
I reach behind me and wrap my hand around his girth. “Oh, I can think of a thing or two.”
I only stroke him twice, and he groans, pumping his hips into my hand. He reaches around me, sliding his big, firm hand between my legs. His fingers stroke me, and I arch, pressing into him. “You’re so wet, baby.”
I nod, reply with the same reasoning he gave me. “Yeah, any time I’m around you, I’m wet. I’m not sure what to do about it.”
He chuckles as he applies more pressure to my clit. I grind into his hand, wanting more.
His cock is rubbing between my thighs, and all I have to do is bend over and I’ll have him where I want him. I lean forward, and his manhood strokes along my core. With each pass, his tip hits my clit, putting me into a tailspin.
I’m leaning over, facing the shower wall one second, and the next, I’m flipped around and lifted into his arms with my legs around his waist and arms around his neck. He leans in until our mouths are inches apart. “I need you to know who’s making love to you, Tara.”
He leans my back against the shower wall and slides his hand up my chest, across my shoulder and then cups my jaw. His cock is bobbing against my ass, and I wiggle in his arms. Did he just say “making love”? I wait for him to take it back or to retract his words, but when he doesn’t, I just assure him of the truth. “I know exactly whose arms I’m in, Cruz Payne.”
He grits his teeth, and he doesn’t seem happy with what I said. Trying to guard my heart, I kiss him so he can’t look into my eyes and know what I’m thinking or how I’m wanting this to be more than it is.
Like the other times, his kisses make me crazy, and I lose all sense of reason. I lift up, grinding my hips into him, and the tip of his cock enters me. I groan.
He freezes, and I clench on to him. He’s practically panting, and the vein in his neck is vibrating. “I want you bare.”
I slide down his length even farther. “You can have me.”
He doesn’t hesitate. He pulls me down his length until he’s filled me. His whole body trembles, and then he grips my hips as I pump them up and down his length. Grinding into him, my clit is sensitive, and when he touches my engorged nub, the orgasm shoots through my body.
He pummels into me, and I can feel him expand as he shoots stream after stream of cum inside me.
As I try to catch my breath, he pulls me to him, clutching me in his arms. He nuzzles my neck. “I’m sorry.”
I freeze in his arms. Is it over already? Is he already regretting what has happened between us? “Sorry for what?” I ask, needing him to clarify.
He pulls back, searching my eyes. “I didn’t use anything.”
I laugh and let out a big breath. “I know.”
He looks worried. “If anything happens… I’ll be here?—”
And it’s then I realize what he’s thinking. “It will be fine, Cruz. I’m on the pill, and I’m clean. I’ve never, uh, you know, without a condom before.”
He shakes his head. “Me either.”
Stunned, I can’t hold back my surprise, and he laughs darkly. “I’ve never trusted a woman like that.”
The water is getting cold now. “Uh, you wanna put me down?”
He doesn’t move. “No.”
I laugh and then pat his muscled arm. “I mean, I know you’re strong and could probably do this all night, but I’m getting cold, and I’m starving.”
He switches gears immediately, and he lifts me off his manhood and then puts me on my feet. My legs about buckle, but he loops his arm around me. “You okay?”
I gently push from his arms. “Yeah, I’m okay. I should be asking you, though. I’m not light.”
He leans down and whispers in my ear, “You’re perfect.”
We clean up quickly, and by the time I’m rinsing off, I’m squealing from the cold water.
Trembling when I get out, he wraps a towel around me and then wraps another around my hair. There’s a knock on the door, and Cruz wraps a towel around his waist, kisses me, and tells me, “I’ll be right back.”
As he walks out of the bathroom, I’m trying not to freak out. All of this feels perfect—too perfect. It’s almost like we’re meant to be together, but just as soon as the thought comes, I pinch my arm to try and pull myself from this dream world because there’s no way that anything can come of Cruz Payne and me. He’s everything I’m not, and I’m sure he gave into me tonight because I practically threw myself at him.
I’m frozen, mid-thought, staring at the wall when Cruz comes in. The towel is gone, and he has on shorts, but he’s still bare-chested. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
I shake my head, forcing a smile to my face. “Nothing. Food here?”
He grabs something from his suitcase and then comes toward me. He grabs the towel and pulls it from my body. He puts his T-shirt over my head, and I put my arms in the sleeves. I look down at the Jasper Eagles T-shirt. “I have clothes.”
He pulls the hem down my thighs. “I know you do, but I like the idea of you wearing my shirt.”
He pulls at the towel on my head, and I just know my hair is sticking up everywhere. I pat it with my hand. “I should probably brush this out.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me through the hotel room, through the living room, my bedroom and then stops in my bathroom. He picks up the brush from the counter, and I try to take it from him, but he holds it out of my reach. “I got it.”
It’s awkward standing here as he brushes my hair. He’s gentle as he combs through the tangles, and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at the care he’s giving me. I’ve never—not in my whole life—had someone take care of me the way he is right now, and I’m torn between confessing my feelings for him or running from the room and guarding my heart.
When he’s brushed through my hair, he sets the brush down and puts his hands on my shoulders as he looks at me in the mirror. “Let’s eat before it gets cold.”
He holds his hand out to me, and I don’t hesitate giving him mine. He threads our fingers together, and we walk together to the living room. I go to sit in the chair at the small table, and Cruz stops me. He sits down and then pulls me to his lap.
I giggle as I shift on his thighs. “Really, is this what we’re doing?”
He loops one arm around my waist, and with the other hand, he pulls the covers off the food on the table. He uncovers burgers, fries, mini pizzas, quesadillas, and an assortment of mini desserts. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted to eat.”
I wiggle again. “No, I mean, uh, am I sitting here?”
He sticks a fry in my mouth as he kicks my legs apart. His hand at my waist dips down, and he palms my pussy. He doesn’t enter me; he just holds his hand there, but it’s enough to have me pushing my hips, wanting more.
He kisses my neck. “Yep, I want to hold you while we eat. Is that okay?”
I mean, who would say no to him? Not me, for sure. Nope, I’m going to enjoy it while I can.