Chapter Fifteen
Harley
When I open my eyes again, it’s daylight. Although I’m not aware of having opened my eyes in the middle of the night. I’m just aware of feeling scared, that horrible sense of falling, and of there being no-one to catch me… except, of course, outside of that horrible dream, or whatever it was, Pierce was there. He was holding me, and he told me I was safe, just like I needed him to. I was safe enough to fall asleep again almost immediately, right here in his arms. He’s still holding me, his breathing soft and measured, and I smile, studying the detailed swirls of his tattoos. The ones on his chest are right in front of me, and if I turn my head just slightly, the ones on his arms come into view. I’m surrounded by ink, and I love it, taking in the complicated design. It looks almost tribal, the ornate patterns interlinking with streaks of light provided by his skin. As I glance from one arm to the other, I notice how symmetrical it is, with not one dot or curve out of place. Whoever did this was good at their job… but that’s not a surprise. Pierce would never have settled for anything less than perfection when it comes to art, including the art on his body, and that thought makes me smile even more.
I stretch my legs, trying not to cry out at the pain in my right one. It hurts, right up by my hip, and I wonder if this might be the bruising the doctor spoke of last night. Part of me wants to take a look, but I like it lying here, and I nestle back against Pierce again.
He lets out a slight moan, as though he sensed that movement, or maybe my discomfort, although he hasn’t woken yet, and I shift a little closer to him, wishing I hadn’t when I feel that nagging pain in my leg again.
It looks like I’ll have to limit my movements today. But at least it’s Sunday, so there’s no need to rush up and get ready for work… or get up at all, for that matter.
What a wonderful thought…
I tilt my head, trying to see what I can of his bedroom. I wasn’t paying much attention to the decor last night, for obvious reasons, but I like it… at least what I can see of it.
There are three landscape pictures hanging above the bed. These are of the creek, rather than seascapes, and I’m fairly sure I remember being there when Pierce sketched them. That thought makes me smile again, although I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just that I like being with him, no matter where we are. That must be it, I guess, and I glance over his shoulder at the closet, which is metal framed and open, his clothes neatly on display.
At the end of the bed is the window, the deep blue drapes hanging open, and I let my eyes fall to the chair in the corner, my breath catching in my throat. Pierce wore his jacket when he came in here to change last night, and he obviously left it lying over the arm of the chair. Now, in the cold light of day, I can see the back of it. I can see the shredded leather, the torn shards of fabric hanging loose, and the internal padding bleeding through.
A sob leaves my lips as I think about how close we came… how close he came… and I hold him tighter, unable to stop myself from crying.
“Hey…” He wakes, taking in the sight of me, his eyes searching my face, and a frown forming on his as he pulls me hard against him. “Hey, babe… what’s wrong? What’s happened?” I can’t speak, but I sob into his chest and he waits, stroking my hair and whispering, “It’s okay. I’ve got you,” until I finally gather myself together, and pull back, looking up at his concerned face.
“I just saw your jacket,” I murmur.
He twists his head around, glancing over at it, and then looks down at me again. “Yeah. I don’t think I’ll be wearing that again.”
“It’s so torn.”
“I know. But so is yours. I noticed it last night.”
“Mine’s nothing like as bad.”
“It’s bad enough, babe.” He hugs me tighter. “But you mustn’t cry. They’re just clothes.”
“I know, but that… that could have been you.” I’m struggling to control my voice, and he pulls away just slightly, cupping my face with his hand.
“It wasn’t, though, was it? I’m here with you, and I’m safe, and you’re safe. That’s why I always wear protective gear.”
“Unless it happens to be a night when you insist on making me wear your jacket, and your helmet,” I say, recalling the other evening.
“Yeah.” He smiles down at me. “Because protecting you will always come first.”
I shudder against him, thinking about what might have happened.
“It could have been you,” I whisper, repeating myself.
“I’m okay. I promise.”
“But you risked so much to save me.”
He leans back a little more, his eyes locked on mine. “Of course I did. I love you, Harley, and I’d risk it all again, a hundred times over.”
He dips his head, his lips meeting mine as he kisses me deeply, rolling me onto my back. We’re both still beneath the covers, but as he shifts down slightly, they go with him, settling just above his ass. I can feel the weight of him, and I love it, parting my legs wide for him to lie between. He moans into my mouth, reaching over to the nightstand. I know what he’s doing, and I flex my hips upward, just to let him know that’s fine with me.
He breaks the kiss for a second, tearing into the foil packet with his teeth, just like he did last night, and then kneeling up and quickly rolling the condom over his erection, before he settles between my legs again. He doesn’t raise himself up this time, but keeps his arms tight around me, using his legs to part mine a little wider, and then entering me.
I let out a sigh of satisfaction, clinging to his shoulders, as he moves with slow precision, keeping it gentle, every stroke a new journey.
I need this, and I think he does, too, his moans and sighs meeting mine.
“I’d do it all again,” he whispers. “Even if it had happened on Thursday night, when you’d been wearing my gear, I’d have done exactly the same thing.”
“No!” I stop moving beneath him and he stills inside me, waiting as I pull back as far as the pillow will allow, looking up into his tortured face.
“Yes.” He rests his forehead against mine. “Yes, baby. It’s my job to keep you safe… at any cost,” he whispers, moving inside me again.
I raise my hips as he grinds into me, desperation getting the better of us. He reaches behind me, raising my ass off of the bed, and I grasp his arms, clenching them, clutching at him.
“Please, Pierce… Please.”
“I need you. I—I need you so much.”
He grunts, slamming into me, over and over, relentless in his pursuit until I feel a now familiar fluttering, deep inside me.
“I’m close…”
“So am I. Come for me. Please, babe. Come for me.”
There’s an urgency in his voice that takes me by surprise, pushing me over the edge, and I fall, holding him, knowing I’m safe, as waves of pleasure and emotion clash and mingle, tears falling down my cheeks, even as rapture threatens to overwhelm me. I feel him swell inside me, hear him cry out my name and suddenly, it’s too much. It’s all too much. I can’t take anymore. But as I look up, I realize I’m not alone. Pierce’s eyes are glistening, tears about to overflow, and as he lowers his lips to mine, he whispers, “Any cost.”
“No,” I say, calming suddenly, knowing this needs to be said. It’s important. He has to understand. “You can’t say that. You mustn’t.”
“I can and I must. I told you last night that what happened had scared me, but that doesn’t even come close to it.” He sighs, resting his forehead against mine again. “I’ve come off of my bike a few times now, but it’s never been like that.”
“You mean that was the worst crash you’ve had?”
“No. I mean, it’s never mattered to me before… because I’ve never had so much to lose. As I was trying to grab your hands, and then pull you up over me… all the while we were spinning across the ground, all I could think of was what I’d do if anything happened to you. I’d already told you I couldn’t live without you, but I didn’t expect to put that to the test so quickly. Coming that close to losing you, I realized… I realized I can’t. I can’t lose you, Harley.”
His voice cracks and I feel a tear drop and mingle with my own. I reach up, putting my arms around him, holding him tight.
“Hey… it’s okay. You didn’t lose me. You saved me… and just so you know, I feel exactly the same, Pierce. I can’t lose you either.”
He kisses me in slow, sweeping movements, his tongue caressing mine as we hold on tight, and I wrap my legs around him, sighing to his touch.
We lie like that for ages… or what feels like ages, just breathing, holding and loving each other. It’s what we both need, but eventually Pierce pulls back, looking down into my eyes.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Okay.”
He pulls out of me, kneeling up between my legs and looks down, taking his time and letting his eyes wander. “I love you so much,” he whispers, his fingers tracing a line from the base of my neck, between my breasts, across my stomach to the tops of my thighs.
“I love you, too.”
He smiles, his eyes still shining, and I smile back, nodding my head. No other words are necessary. I think we both know how we feel now, and he crawls off of the bed, turning away. I watch him go. There are no visible bruises on his body, but he stretches as he walks from the room, and I wonder if his back is hurting. My leg definitely is, although I distract myself by looking out the window, noticing the overcast sky.
Pierce is back within moments and sits on the edge of the bed, gazing down at me, like I’m new to him, which I suppose I am, even though he knows me so intimately now.
“Is it still raining?” I ask.
“No, but it feels kinda cold. Much colder than yesterday.” I shift a little closer, wincing at the pain in my leg. “What’s wrong?” he asks, leaning over.
“My leg hurts.”
“Why didn’t you say?”
“Because there were more important things to talk about… and do.”
He nods, but then studies my leg, letting his hand roam upward from calf to thigh. “I can’t see any bruising yet,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean it won’t be sore. Are you hurting anywhere else?”
“Not yet. What about you?”
“My back’s kinda stiff, but it’s not too bad.”
“And you didn’t think to say anything, either?”
“Like you just said, there were more important things to say… and do.” As he finishes speaking, he shifts a little closer, placing his finger beneath my chin to raise my head, and kisses me just briefly. “Do you wanna come shower with me?” he asks.
I nod my head and he takes my hand, helping me to stand, and then leads me out of the bedroom, into the living room, and then through to the bathroom.
It’s just as masculine in here as I would have expected, the white-tiled walls contrasting with the black framed shower unit, which fills one end of the room. Along the wall, there’s a vanity, with a sink set in the middle, and a shelf underneath, stacked with white, fluffy towels. It’s functional, but I like it.
“How do you take your showers?” he asks. “Cool, or scalding?”
“Somewhere in between.”
He nods, turning on the water and adjusting it slightly. It’s powerful, but relaxing at the same time, and I let him pull me into his arms, looking up at him.
“Okay?” he says.
“Yes, thank you.”
He bends his head, kissing me again, and I feel his arousal pressing in to me, although there’s no pressure to do anything about it, and he just holds me close, our bodies locked, our tongues entwined, until eventually, he pulls away and tips his head.
“May I wash you?”
“If you want to.”
He smiles, and reaches behind me for the soap, lathering his hands before he touches them to my body, starting with my shoulders and working downward. He pays particular attention to my breasts, swirling his fingers around my nipples, making me moan, and then he moves on, caressing his hands across my stomach, and down between my legs, kneeling before me, although he tips his head back, his eyes never leaving mine. There’s something very erotic about being touched like this, his soapy fingers sliding between my folds, and I’m breathless by the time he’s finished. He moves around behind me, repeating the process, his hands wandering down my back, stroking my ass, and then journeying south, down my legs. He’s kneeling again, and I feel his lips brush over my ass in gentle kisses as he brings his hands up in front of me again.
“Sorry. I think I missed a bit,” he says, rubbing his fingers against my clitoris.
“I think you might have done,” I murmur, parting my legs, and he rubs a little faster.
“You’re so hard to resist, babe.”
“Then don’t.”
He chuckles, rubbing faster still, my body quivering already. “You’re close, aren’t you?” he says.
“Very.” I lean forward slightly, resting my hands on the tiled wall, just as my body succumbs, pleasure crashing through me. I scream his name, the word echoing off of the walls, and he grabs me around the waist, holding me up. I need that. My legs are barely able to support me, and as my climax subsides, he stands, his fingers still circling me gently as he pulls me back against him, my back to his front, in a warm embrace.
“Okay?” he whispers in my ear.
“Better than okay.” I turn and look up at him. “May I wash you now?”
He chuckles. “If you want to, but don’t expect me to come.”
“Why not?” I ask, my face falling.
“Because I only came inside you about thirty minutes ago… not to mention twice last night. There’s such a thing as recovery time.”
I glance down at his straining erection. “Really?”
“Yeah. Really. I’m hard because you’re here, and it seems being hard is like second nature when I’m around you… but that doesn’t mean I can come again. Not yet.”
“How long will it be before you can?” I ask and he leans in and kisses me.
“I don’t know. It’s not something I’ve ever tested before… not like this. Give me a couple of hours and we’ll see what happens.” I giggle, unable to help myself, and he pulls me close. “Still wanna wash me?”
“Of course.”
I take the soap, lathering my hands like he did, and then replace it, studying his body as I run my fingers across his inked skin.
“You like my tattoos, don’t you?” he says, watching me.
“Yes. I always did. I remember when you first had them done, it was like you’d taken perfection, and made it better.”
“Perfection?”
“Yes. You’ve always been perfect to me.”
I glance up to see he’s smiling at me, although I quickly revert my gaze to his abdomen… to his rippled muscles, leaning in to kiss them before I soap them up. He sighs, and then moans more loudly as I clasp my hand around his erection, sliding it back and forth.
“That feels good,” he says. “Looks good, too.”
I smile up at him, cupping his balls in my hand, which makes him gasp. “Sorry,” I whisper.
“Hell… don’t apologize. I liked it.”
I do it again, and this time he groans and flexes his hips slightly.
“Are you sure about needing that recovery time?” I ask.
“Positive. I’m in no danger of coming, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy what you’re doing.”
“Okay.”
I move lower, crouching down to wash his legs. His erection is right in front of me, and before I get up again, I nudge him backwards so he’s right underneath the water, letting it wash off the soap, and then take I him in my mouth.
“Jesus, Harley,” he murmurs, his hand coming down on the back of my head. “You’re really good at that.” He flexes his hips just gently, and I look up at him, nodding my head. “You want me to fuck your mouth?” he says. I nod again and he smiles, holding my head still and moving back and forth. He keeps it gentle, careful not to go too deep, but I have to say, I love this… I love everything about it. Except my leg is hurting, and after a few minutes, I have to pull back.
“I’m sorry,” I say, looking up into his eyes as I stand. “My leg…”
“That’s okay.” He clasps my face between his hands. “What you just did was amazing, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
He hands me some shampoo, taking some for himself, and we wash our hair before switching off the water and stepping out. He wraps me in a towel, kissing me briefly, then takes another for himself.
“Just give me a second,” he says, wrapping it low around his hips and leaving the room. I don’t know where he’s gone, but I take a moment to rub the towel over the sore spot on my leg. It doesn’t hurt to touch, which seems odd, especially considering how much it hurt just now. Still, I guess it’s early days. Pierce comes back into the room, bearing a brand new toothbrush, still in its pack, and hands it to me. “There’s no storage space in here,” he says as I unwrap it. “So I keep all my new toothbrushes and soaps and shampoos in the bedroom.”
“I see.”
He offers me his toothpaste, and we both load up our toothbrushes, staring at each other in the mirror above the vanity while brushing our teeth. It’s such an everyday thing to do, and yet it feels so intimate, doing it with someone else. Maybe that’s because we’ve shared so much over the last twelve hours or more. Or maybe that’s just because it’s Pierce who’s staring back at me. Who knows? Who cares? It just feels so good to be here.
“I’m guessing my clothes are dry?” I say as Pierce takes my hand and leads me back to his bedroom.
“They will be. I’ll fetch them for you.”
He leaves me by the bedroom door and I wander inside, smiling at the state of his bed. The covers are pushed aside, and the pillows scattered. We may have slept in here, but it’s clear there was more to it than just sleeping, and that thought makes me giggle.
“What’s funny?” he says, coming back into the room, carrying my clothes, bundled in his arms.
“I was just looking at your bed.”
He glances across the room, and turns to me, smiling himself now. “Looks like we had a good time.”
“We did, didn’t we?” I gaze up at him and he drops my clothes and pulls me into his arms.
“We had the best time, babe.”
That’s good to know, and I lean up and kiss him, pulling away before either of us can turn it into something more. Pierce bends, collecting up my clothes again, and carries them over to the bed.
“They’re all kinda tangled up,” he says, and I join him, pulling my jeans away from my t-shirt. My underwear is caught up inside my top, and I retrieve it, dropping it onto the bed.
“I don’t think I’ll wear that,” I say, shaking my head.
“The underwear?”
“Yeah.” He raises his eyebrows, trying not to smile.
“Oh?”
“It might be dry, but it’s not clean.”
“No. I see your point,” he says, pretending to be serious, even to the extent of faking a frown, right before he pulls me into his arms. “Is going without underwear something you do often?”
“No. I’ve never done it before.”
“Well… there’s a first time for everything.”
“I noticed. Although I doubt this will be as exciting a first as last night’s.”
He tips his head. “Maybe not… but I’m sure we can make something out of it.”
“I hope so,” I whisper and he chuckles, pulling me closer still.
“You can count on it, babe.”
He holds me for a moment longer, and then lets me go, so we can both get dressed. My jeans feel a little strange when worn without panties, but it’s okay, and not at all uncomfortable.
“Would you prefer to wear a clean t-shirt?” Pierce asks from the other side of the room.
“I don’t have one.”
“You can borrow one of mine.”
He grabs a pale gray one from the shelf and tosses it over.
“Thanks,” I say, smiling at him, pulling it on over my head. It’s kinda long, but really soft and comfortable, and I straighten it slightly before I turn to face Pierce, who’s still over by the closet, pulling on a pair of stonewashed jeans.
“You’re not wearing any underwear either?” I say, observing his bare ass as he pulls them up, and he turns around, grinning at me.
“It seemed only fair.”
“I guess so.”
I walk over to him as he pulls a white t-shirt from the shelf, yanking it on over his head. He stands for a second or two, thinking and then says, “It’s kinda cold, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
He rakes through his shirts, finding a dark red one, which he takes from its hanger, and then he turns to me, looking me up and down and narrowing his eyes just slightly before he spins back around and grabs a hoodie from the shelf below the one where he keeps his t-shirts.
“Take this,” he says. “It’ll keep you warm.”
I unfold it, hugging it to myself, and then pull it on over my head. The sleeves are far too long, and it comes down to the middle of my thighs, but it’s about the most comfortable thing I’ve ever worn and I hug myself up in it. “You realize you’re never getting this back, don’t you?” I say as he rolls up the sleeves on his shirt.
“That’s fine with me, babe.” He pulls me close, reaching around behind me, his hands on my ass. “I love you,” he whispers, and I smile up at him.
“Do you?”
“Yes. With all my heart.”
I hadn’t expected that, although I don’t know why after everything that’s happened between us, and for a moment, I struggle to swallow down the lump in my throat.
“What did I do to deserve you?” I say once I have control of my voice.
“It should be me asking that, not you.”
“And how would you answer?”
“I don’t know. It’s not even as though I have anything to offer… other than breakfast.”
“I’ll take it.”
He chuckles, bending to kiss me, and while I expect him to take me to the kitchen, he surprises me by leading me over toward the bed.
“I’ll just make this look presentable,” he says. “You might wanna do something with your hair.”
I raise my hand to touch it, realizing what a mess it is.
“Do you have a brush or a comb?”
“Bedside table,” he says, nodding toward his side of the bed.
I wander over, retrieving a comb, and return to the bathroom, taking a while to drag it through my hair, before I braid it. By the time I come out again, Pierce is in the kitchen, fixing coffee.
“Can I help?”
“Sure. If you wanna take over doing this, I’ll scramble us some eggs.”
I nod my head, finding cups in the cabinet by the microwave, and setting the table. He’s made toast as well as the eggs, and when it’s all ready, we carry it to the table, putting down the plates and cups. My jacket is still over the back of the chair, and Pierce takes it, studying the sleeve for a moment, his face darkening.
I know what he’s thinking, and I step closer to him, looking up into his eyes.
“It’s okay,” I whisper.
“No, it’s not.” He drops my jacket, pulling me into a hug. “Never again,” he murmurs, his voice cracking slightly, and then he leans back, our eyes locking just for a second. His lips are on mine before I can snatch a breath, his hands cupping my cheeks. “Harley,” he murmurs, over and over, between kisses. “Harley… Harley… Harley…”
“I’m here.”
He deepens the kiss, like he needs to prove the point. We’re both here… and we both need this, more than I think either of us can say.
Eventually, he pulls back, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth, taking his time over bringing our kiss to an end, and then gazing into my eyes.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Are you?”
We both nod at the same time, and then he turns, pulling out the chair for me to sit. I do so, looking up at him as he picks up my jacket, throwing it onto the couch, and then joins me, taking the seat beside me. That’s not how I laid the table. I assumed he’d sit opposite me, but he pulls over his plate and cup, grabbing the silverware, and then takes my hand in his. It’s like he doesn’t want to let me go, and to be honest, I feel exactly the same.
The eggs are still just about warm, and we eat quickly to make the most of that, Pierce topping up our coffee, as he finishes before me.
“I guess I’ll have to go home soon,” I say, taking a sip and pushing my plate away.
He turns in his seat, holding my hand a little tighter.
“Go home? Don’t you wanna stay?”
“Of course, but I don’t have any clean clothes, and I’ve gotta go to work tomorrow.”
“Hmm… I see your point,” he says, frowning, although his face quickly clears. “Couldn’t we go to your place and get some clothes? We could pack a bag and bring it back here. And then you could stay for as long as you like. I—I don’t feel like letting go of you.”
I smile, reaching up and caressing his cheek with my fingertips. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
“In that case…”
“I like your plan, but is there any reason we can’t pack some of your clothes and stay at my place?” I ask.
“No. It’s just that staying here is more convenient for work… for both of us.”
I nod my head, seeing the sense of that. “Okay.”
“Does that mean you agree with my logic, or you agree we should go to your place and bring some of your things back here?”
“Both,” I say, smiling, and he leans over and kisses me, although I pull back after just a few seconds. “How are we gonna get back to my place?” I ask.
“I’ll call a cab. We can drive your car back here, can’t we?”
“Of course.”
I sit and watch while he calls a cab, and we use the ten minutes it’s gonna take to arrive to clear the table. Pierce stacks the dishwasher, while I put on my boots. They’re still a little damp, but I don’t have any other footwear, so I grin and bear it. Once he’s done, he wanders into the bedroom, returning with gray sneakers on his feet, pocketing his phone and wallet, just as I hear a car horn outside.
“Ready?” he says, holding out his hand, and I take a moment to retrieve my keys from my zipped jacket pocket, leaving it behind on the couch before joining him and letting him lead me down the stairs.
He doesn’t let go of me all the way back to Willmont Vale. In fact, his eyes don’t leave mine, and when we arrive at my parents’ place, he pays the driver, both of us watching as the cab reverses down the driveway.
I let us in and take him straight up the stairs to my room.
“I’ve never been in here before,” he says, looking around, and I suddenly feel a little embarrassed by the pale pink walls, slightly darker pink throw on the bed, and the white rug with pink edging on the stripped pine floor.
“It’s kinda girly.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” he says, giving me a smile, his eyes sparkling. There’s something about his expression that makes me sigh, and he tilts his head to one side. “What’s wrong?” he asks.
“I was just thinking…” I say, glancing toward the bed. “It’s a shame we can’t…”
He follows the line of my gaze, a mischievous grin forming on his lips. “Can’t we?”
“No.”
“Is your leg hurting too much?” he asks, taking both of my hands in his.
“No. It’s just that I don’t have any condoms. I’ve never needed them before.”
“Hmm… I noticed,” he says, smiling, although I shake my head at him.
“I’m sure you did. But that’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
“We can’t make love.”
He releases one of my hands, reaching around and pulling out his wallet. “Yes, we can,” he says, and I giggle, the sound silenced by a bruising kiss. He pulls my body hard against his, both of us moaning and sighing our way over to the bed, where he lowers me onto my back, raising himself above me. “I’m sorry,” he says, confusing me.
“What for?”
“For last night.”
I’m even more confused now, and I lean back slightly. “Which part?”
“The part when I said it had never been like that with anyone else. I shouldn’t have said that.”
An icy shiver runs down my spine, and I lean away further still, no longer confused, but very afraid. “Didn’t you mean it?”
He smiles. “Of course I did, babe. I’ve never felt anything like that before, but I shouldn’t have made the comparison.”
I sigh out my relief and smile up at him. “It’s okay. Your past is your past, Pierce.”
“I know, and that’s where it’s gonna stay. But that doesn’t mean you wanna hear about it. I mean, you’ve already heard about most of it, to be fair, but I’m sure you didn’t need the reminder… especially at a time like that.”
“Maybe not, but I like knowing that what we had was better than what you’ve done before.”
“It wasn’t just better, babe,” he whispers, leaning in to kiss me. “It was the best.”
He parts my legs with his, and I feel his arousal pressing hard against me. My body aches with need for him, and although we’re still fully clothed, I know that’s not a situation that’ll last for much longer.
It’s gone noon by the time I park behind the store, in the place where my parents usually leave their car, and we get out, Pierce handing me the vase of red roses he’s been clutching all the way back here, and my purse. I didn’t have it with me yesterday, but I’ll need it tomorrow, and I sling it over my shoulder, as we both wander to the back of the car, where he retrieves my bag from the trunk. Between us, we also carry the groceries we packed, having decided it was pointless to leave them in the refrigerator to go off, and we make our way up the stairs.
“Why don’t you unpack your clothes,” he says, carrying my bag through to the bedroom. “I’ll deal with the food and fix us some lunch.”
“Okay.”
“Just move my things if you don’t have enough space.”
I smile over at him, and he smiles back, before I duck into his room and set about finding places to put the things I brought with me. It’s a mix of work and home clothes, most of which I hang in his closet. I brought a few hangers with me, so it’s not a problem, although I can’t find anywhere to put my underwear, so I just leave it in the bag, and put that on the chair by the window. It’ll do for now, and I’m sure Pierce will come up with a better solution.
I brought a couple of pairs of jeans with me, and I pull one off of the shelf, sitting on the bed to remove the ones I’m wearing, smiling to myself as I recall the way Pierce peeled me out of them earlier, when we were in my bedroom… on my bed. He removed my hoodie and t-shirt, too, although I guess they’re his, rather than mine, and once he’d done that, he kissed his way down my body, making me moan with pleasure, his tongue finding its way to that sweet, sweet spot. In no time at all, I was screaming his name, losing myself to pleasure, before he flipped me over onto my knees. I glanced over my shoulder, watching him undress and roll a condom over his erection, before he nestled behind me, and took me, admiring my ass, and grunting out my name. I thought he might climax, but he didn’t, and after I’d come down from yet another perfect high, he lay on the bed, lifting me over him, and lowering me down, impaling me deeply. That was something else, and I loved the way he looked at me, watching me rise and fall… helping me, too, so my leg wouldn’t hurt too much.
“Oh, fuck…” he murmured, bracing his legs and raising his hips, going even deeper inside me. “I need you to take me, babe. Take every inch of me inside you.”
There was something about his words that pushed me over the edge, and I leaned forward, my hands on his chest, grinding down onto him.
“Please come,” I whispered. “I need to feel you come.”
He thrust upward, letting out a howl as he pulled me down onto him, both of us lost in the purest pleasure.
He was still throbbing inside me when I collapsed onto him, totally spent, unable to move. His arms were tight around me, and I think I may have fallen asleep, just briefly, until he woke me with a kiss.
“Sorry, babe, but I need the bathroom.” I nodded my head, raising myself up to disconnect us, then rolling off of him and pointing to the door in the corner of the bedroom.
“Just through there,” I said and watched as he walked away, admiring his perfect ass.
I toyed with putting on clean clothes, but when Pierce came back, he convinced me I could change when we got back here, and then he thanked me, and spent about ten minutes kissing me, which felt lovely, even if his thanks were unnecessary.
There’s a laundry hamper in the corner of Pierce’s bedroom and I hesitate just for a second before putting my jeans in and leaving the room. Pierce is in the kitchen and he looks up, smiling at me.
“I’m just fixing some sandwiches. Is that okay?”
“It’s perfect. I’m starving.”
“I can’t think why,” he murmurs, grinning at me, and I wander over, leaning against him. He glances down, kissing the top of my head, before he returns his attention to the sandwiches.
He’s using the salami we brought from my place, and adding mozzarella and tomatoes.
“That looks amazing,” I say as he cuts them up, putting them onto plates.
“I’ve already poured us some soda.” He nods toward the coffee table, where there are two glasses, waiting for us, and he carries the plates, letting me follow. “You changed your clothes,” he says, once we’ve both taken a seat.
“Just my jeans. Everything else is as it was before.”
“So you’re still wearing my t-shirt under my hoodie?”
“I think you’ll find it’s my hoodie now,” I say, which makes him smile. “And yeah, I’m still wearing your t-shirt.”
“Good,” he says. “I like you wearing my clothes.”
“So do I.”
He nods his head. “Did you put on any underwear?”
“No. Why? Did you want me to?”
“Hell, no.” I chuckle and he takes a bite of his sandwich. I copy him, watching as he smiles. “Hmm… that’s actually really good,” he says, sounding surprised.
“It is.” I take a sip of soda. “Although before we get off the topic of underwear, I should probably tell you, I couldn’t find anywhere to put mine in your bedroom, so I’ve left it in my bag.”
“Well… it doesn’t matter,” he says, and it doesn’t, I suppose. I can easily store my things in my bag… except that feels so temporary, and I thought he wanted me to stay. ‘For as long as you like’. That was what he said. In my mind, that meant a long, long time. Maybe even permanently. I thought he felt the same.
But maybe not.
“Are you okay?” I ask, fear getting the better of me, now I’ve sown that seed of doubt in my own mind.
“Of course,” he says, turning to me with a smile, which I can’t return.
“No… I mean, are you okay with this? I’m not crowding you, am I? I’m not being too clingy?”
I recall his criticisms of previous girlfriends, hoping that’s a good way to ask… to find out if this is what I want it to be, or if I’m expecting too much of him.
He takes my plate, putting it on the table alongside his own, then stares down at me, frowning.
“Why are you asking?”
“Because I want to know.”
“I get that, but why?”
“Because I remember what you used to say…”
“Yeah… about the women who weren’t right for me.”
“I know, but…”
He moves closer, cupping my face with his hand. “Where’s this coming from?”
I swallow hard, leaning into his touch, hoping to gain some strength from it, and then whisper, “Do you really want me here?”
His frown deepens. “You know I do. I’ve told you over and over, I can’t live without you. I don’t ever wanna let you go. What do you need me to do to prove that to you? Whatever it is, I’ll do it. Just tell me…”
“You don’t have to do anything,” I say, feeling silly now.
He tilts his head, staring into my eyes. “Oh, I think I do.”
He takes my hand, pulling me to my feet, and drags me toward his bedroom. “Pierce… I can’t. Not after this morning…”
He turns, chuckling. “I wasn’t bringing you in here to take you to bed,” he says, surprising me.
“What are we doing, then?” I ask as we cross the threshold.
“We’re gonna find somewhere to put your underwear.”
“Right now?”
“Yeah.”
“But what about the sandwiches?”
“They’ll keep. This won’t. You might not have said so directly, but I think you need some reassurance, and I’m not gonna make you wait for it.”
I pull back and he turns to look down at me. “How did you know?”
“Because I know you, babe… better than you think.” I smile up at him and he dips his head, kissing me, before he glances around the room and murmurs, “Now, let’s find a home for your panties.”