Chapter Seven
“Oh. Oh God!” Sage’s moan roused her from sleep to find Alexander’s face buried between her thighs, lapping at her clit. The man couldn’t leave it alone, not that she was complaining. Best wake-up call ever.
Two more licks and she came on his tongue, writhing and gasping. “Alexander!”
They’d made love three times during the night, each experience better and better.
Add to that his filthy mouth. She hadn’t realized she enjoyed dirty talk until him. Maybe because the words, the sentiments came from his lips—the man she’d held an inextinguishable torch for, the man she couldn’t forget.
She’d almost believed she’d successfully moved on, until she saw him again—until she recognized that no other man had measured up and never would. That she’d subconsciously clutched on to her virginity until Alexander reappeared, like her unconscious mind had grasped on to hidden hope—hope she thought she’d lost.
All her quashed feelings crashed into her psyche, demanding attention. And now, with the determined focus on his face and his buff sinewy body and thoughtful, honest words… How could she ever deny him?
Fingers crossed she wouldn’t die trying to keep the only man who’d ever captured her heart, not when he’d just returned, not when they’d finally reconnected, not when she could have everything she’d ever wanted, ever dreamed about. Could fate really be so cruel?
Alexander crawled up her body and gave her a deep, swoon-worthy kiss. Tasting herself on him made the whole encounter extra erotic.
He broke away and licked his lips as though he didn’t want to waste a drop of her, his heated gaze peering into her eyes. “Have lunch with me today, baby.”
“I need to make it in to work first.” She feigned a glare, but she loved every minute in his company. If she didn’t have clients booked, she’d have worked from home. But she couldn’t have promised much productivity.
He slapped the side of her ass, his sly smile almost extending to his ears. “Well, go and get ready. I’m not stopping you.”
Except he was. Not forcefully… The way he looked at her, touched her, she didn’t want to be away from him at all.
Sage reluctantly climbed off the bed and headed into her en suite naked. She could feel his eyes roam over her body, making her nipples bead and her sex super wet. He hardly had to do anything—look, stare, speak—and she virtually liquefied into a puddle of bliss.
She flipped on the mixer tap in the shower, adjusted the water temperature and slipped underneath the liquid warmth. Closing her eyes, she savored the heat cleansing her skin, though part of her didn’t want to wash off Alexander’s scent.
The shower door squeaked, and she snapped her eyes open. Alexander, mouth-wateringly nude, joined her under the spray. How many times had she entertained that fantasy? And the man, whoa, he really was magnificent—all hard planes, and angles and well-defined muscle without excessive bulk.
“I know you don’t have much time, but I need to fuck you, baby. A quickie, against the wall. You okay with that?”
Best suggestion ever. She nodded, temporarily rendered mute by lust.
“I need to hear your words, your consent.”
She met his bone-melting gaze. “Yes, I want you, too.”
Without saying anything else, he pressed her back to the cool shower tiles. She secured her arms around his neck and hooked her legs around his waist, his massive erection pressing eagerly into her stomach.
She rubbed her sex along the length of him.
“Fuck, condom. Hold on—”
“Don’t worry. I’m on the pill. So if you’re STI-free…”
“I am. I haven’t slept with anyone in over two years, and I get tested regularly.”
“Then go for it. I want to feel you come inside me.”
He growled and smashed his lips to hers, probing her mouth with his questing tongue and gripping her ass tight.
“I need you.”
And he miraculously seemed to interpret her exact meaning, notching the head of his cock against her entrance and thrusting in deep. A little cry left her lips, and he stilled.
“You okay, baby? If you’re too sore—”
“Keep going.”
Pumping harder and faster, he angled his pelvis perfectly to stroke her clit. Two more thorough thrusts and she splintered into rapturous shards, milking his throbbing shaft.
“Sage. Oh fuck. Fuck!” He roared as he came, spurting his seed into her core.
They rode out the pleasure together, his cock shuddering inside her, his breath pelting into her neck. “Fuck, baby. I can’t get enough of you.”
She could totally relate. Normally an orgasm satisfied her, and she could move on, but Alexander was addictive. She craved more and more and more. So greedy. Was it possible to get too much of a good thing? It definitely didn’t feel that way.
“If you weren’t rushed, I’d gorge on your pussy, make you come over and over until you couldn’t stand.”
Oh God. How could she possibly concentrate on work with that image on repeat in her brain? “Raincheck?”
He pressed an all-consuming kiss to her lips, then stared into her eyes. “Fuck, yes. I’ll be counting down the hours.”
“You won’t be the only one.”
He grinned, slipped out of her and eased her still-shaky legs onto the ground. “Let me clean my dirty girl.”
Sage squeezed her thighs together, already desperate for more of his expert ministrations.
Using her pump-pack body wash, he lathered his hands and seductively scrubbed her skin. Her heart rate hammered, and her breathing turned shallow and erratic. Finally, finally, he got to her pussy. He held her back to his front, one hand on her breast, tweaking her nipple and the other, stroking way too softly between her legs.
He soaped up the sensitive area, grabbed the handheld shower, changed the setting to massage and slanted the water onto the most tantalizing spot, getting her super horny—like she wasn’t already three-quarters of the way there.
He alternated between kneading her breast and tugging on the nipple, driving her right to the brink of release. “How’s that?”
Really, really out-of-this-world-amazing, but torturous. “I need your hand…”
He thunked the shower head on its hook and circled her clit with the pads of his fingers.
“More.” She dropped her head into the crook of his neck.
He slid his fingers to her entrance and thrust two inside, the heel of his hand continuing the fantastic clit stimulation.
“You’re so sexy. I can’t wait to taste you again, fuck you deep and hard.” His searing whispered breath and filthy words had her coming all over his hand.
“That’s it, baby. Grind into my palm. Take your pleasure.”
With his encouragement, she went to Alexander-ecstasy town, shamelessly writhing against him, a second orgasm sneaking up on her, the explosive intensity sparking in every cell of her body.
“Such a good girl.” He muttered a string of soothing words in her ear, in his sexy-as-sin voice, easing her back to earth. Yet she still wanted him. If she had more time, she’d throw him down on the bed and ride his cock. She’d never felt that level of desire for anyone before. Who had he turned her into?
A sex-crazed woman.
An insatiable minx.
For him…just for him. Always for Alexander.
Later. Suddenly the worst word in the world. Later and patience, the bane of her new existence. But she’d have to put her carnal thoughts on hold.
He made sure she stood steadily on her feet, rinsed over her and himself, turned off the taps and wrapped her in a huge, fluffy towel. He positioned Sage in front of the mirror, stood behind her and dried her off…gently, thoroughly.
His all-seeing gaze met her reflection, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I love watching you climax. Hearing your moans, feeling you clamp down on my fingers, my tongue, my cock, tasting your sweet arousal.”
Redness bloomed in her cheeks. “Alexander!”
“I promised to tell you the truth. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, but—”
“Deal with it. Deal with the fact I find you sexy as hell.”
Sage still couldn’t quite believe those words came out of the real, flesh-and-blood Alexander. The real, sublime deal, not her fantasy man, not the guy she’d had so many sex dreams about she’d almost lost count. The genuine superb article.
“You need to finish getting ready, babe.”
He was right…again. Alexander proved that consistently. He aroused her, grounded her, made her see sense, made her feel loved, treasured—exactly what she’d always hoped for, what she’d envisaged from her soulmate. She turned, quickly kissed his mouth, then streaked into her bedroom.
Thankfully he stealthily snuck past her. If she’d seen him all big and rough and ready, she might have caved to her craving and called in sick. Though that wouldn’t solve the who-was-taunting-her issue. Focusing on fun might give her a temporary reprieve, but nothing positive ever came from avoidance.
“Nearly ready?” Alexander called from downstairs.
“Coming.” She wished she was in other ways—more sensual, Alexander-bringing-her-to-bliss ways.
Later. That bloody painful word.
He drove her to work, looking more panty-stripping than ever—every woman’s dream man in her eyes—in black jeans that contoured to his incredible butt and powerful legs, and a fitted black T-shirt that spanned his broad chest, enhancing his drool-worthy physique. The man loved black, and black brought out the best in him.
He turned to her at the first red light. “Are you going to tell Chase?”
She hadn’t even considered anything other than spending time exploring their new bond. But he had a point. “I think we both should, together—once he gets back.”
He reached over and squeezed her thigh. “Good plan.”
She angled herself more toward him. “Does his opinion matter to you?”
The light changed and he took off, staring ahead, his hand still hugging her leg. “Does it matter to you?”
“I asked you first.”
He smirked. “Normally, yes. In the past, definitely. Now, when it comes to you, no one can tell me what to do. Not anymore. I don’t care who it is. Any decision about our future is between us. Others can think what they want, but they’re not in our relationship.”
Sage didn’t want her brother offside, but she agreed with Alexander’s thinking. Knowing her man wouldn’t get bullied by anyone put her at ease.
She liked that he’d prioritized her opinion. It was a huge turnaround from what had happened in their past. A sign he had matured. A sign he had progressed. A sign she could put her faith in him one-hundred-and-fifty percent.
“Okay, good. I don’t want to invest in something that’s unstable, volatile, unsustainable.”
“I’m working on stable. I promise you I’m smarter, wiser. I won’t play games, I won’t assume, I won’t fuck you over. I won’t make decisions without consulting you.”
Oh yes, she really liked this revised version of her teenage crush. It reinforced that their time apart wasn’t all bad. They’d both seemed to need it to arrive at their current mentality, to allow romantic alignment.
“Thanks for being upfront.” She linked her fingers with his. “I totally trust you.”
He parked and brought her hand to his mouth, kissing each knuckle. Then he turned her hand over and pressed an open-mouthed, erotic kiss to her palm. “You never answered whether you’d have lunch with me. If you can only spare thirty minutes or less, I don’t care. I have to see you.”
Her heart flip-flopped at his admission. She wanted to see him as well. Didn’t want him to go. “Same. How about twelve-thirty? I’ll meet you in the Italian café across the street.”
“I’ll book us a table.” He held her face between his big hands and kissed her lips, X-rated style. She wanted to climb onto his lap and ride him.
Not here.
She tried to snatch her hormonal brain from its detour into sexual deviance—and just made it.
They broke apart, both panting hard. “See you soon.” Her voice came out all husky, brazen.
“I can’t wait.”
That look. Like no other woman would ever grab his attention. Like his sole focus was on her alone. Could she really be this lucky? She’d given up on the possibility, but could she have finally snagged the man of her dreams?
With great hesitation, she slung her bag over her shoulder and exited the car. Only a few more hours and she’d see him again. How had she coped before he’d barged back into her life, like a staunch strapping knight on a sleek white horse, shattering her routine everyday existence?
Sage caught the lift to her floor and beelined to her office. She reviewed her client load and noticed Mallory Perdita on the list. An unexpected surprise.
What had changed? Maybe she wanted more information on her husband’s death. Maybe she wanted to serve Sage with legal papers. Maybe she wanted to ruin her however she could.
Intrigued, Sage wanted to speak to the woman to gauge whether she took the number-one suspect spot. Miles’ recent outburst currently had him in the lead.
Once her first client arrived, she got into the groove and the morning flew. By twelve-fifteen p.m. she finished her notes, freshened up in the ladies’ room and went to meet Alexander.
The automatic doors opened to reveal him standing on the footpath with a panty-blitzing smile. Sage slowed her walking pace, trying to look calm and cool and collected.
Alexander strode into her space, whisked her into his arms and hugged her so hard, she struggled to breathe.
He planted a hot, dizzying, too-brief kiss on her lips and settled her feet on the pavement, keeping his hands possessively on her hips. “I’ve missed you.”
She pressed her palms to his chest, the stretchy black T-shirt conforming to his every muscle—and he had plenty. She couldn’t wait to get him alone again and explore every single one with her tongue. “I missed you, too.”
“Come on. I know you don’t have much time.” He released her, held her hand and intertwined their fingers. And it felt good, right, natural, like they’d been a couple for years rather than hours.
He’d booked them a great little booth seat in a hidden-away alcove, giving them some much-needed privacy.
They ordered almost immediately and got absorbed in conversation. Alexander had just confirmed he’d installed her new security system when the waiter returned with their pizzas. “Buon appetito!” he said and left them to themselves.
They kissed while their food cooled, then dug in, eating in comfortable, easy silence.
Alexander mopped his mouth with a napkin and scrunched it onto his empty plate. “If you need to get going, go. I’ll sort out the bill and come get you later.”
“Thank you.” She grabbed his face and slammed her mouth to his in an I-don’t-want-to-leave-but-I-have-to kiss. “See you soon.”
“Count on it.”
Sage rushed out of the café and onto the street. She watched for traffic, still half mesmerized, waited until it looked clear-ish and ran across the road. Midway, a car came out of nowhere, heading straight for her.
With a burst of adrenaline, she sprinted the remaining distance and threw herself onto the sidewalk at the entrance of her office building. She gripped the footpath, labored breaths scraping along her airways, her lungs aching, constricted.
Grateful, thankful, relieved. Her heart slowly eased its way back into a steady rhythm.
“Baby?” Strong, capable arms lifted her up and hauled her against a brawny, hard body. “You okay?”
Alexander. She clung onto him like an activated steel trap, never happier to see anyone.
His iron grasp reinforced his concern. Hers, too. No way was that an accident. Someone had tried to hurt her. He knew it as well. She could tell by the way he held her, the way he refused to let her go, like he thought his arms were the safest place. And she believed maybe they were.
“I’m fine.” Kind of.
“Did you see the driver?”
“No. Just a silver-colored car about to barrel into me.”
“It’s okay. I’ve got you. We’ll work it out.”
She liked the ‘we’. She’d worried he’d go all super-protective and confine her to a need-to-know bubble. She loved that he didn’t, that he remained inclusive and chose not to shut her out ‘for her own good’, like a true, trusting, cohesive partnership.
“I’ll come with you. Cancel your appointments, and I’ll take you home.”
“I need to see one person, then we can go. I’ll explain later. I’ll ask reception to reschedule everyone else. I should be done in about an hour if you’re happy to wait.”
“Of course. I’ve waited a long time for you, so a few more minutes is nothing.”
They stepped into the lift, and he embraced her, the heat of his body, comforting, calming, breathtaking. “I’m not letting you go. Do you understand? Not unless that’s what you want.”
“I don’t. I can’t lose you now, Alexander, so you bloody better be sticking around.”
He chuckled and slammed his mouth to hers in an unmistakably possessive kiss.
The elevator dinged, and they pulled apart, breathless.
“Let me check your office, then I’ll hang out in the waiting area.” He kissed her forehead.
“Okay.” She pushed onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his alluring lips, ‘I love you’ catching in her throat.
Not the right time.
Not the right place.
Too soon.
The elevator doors went to shut, and he waved his hand in between. They stepped out and she hurried to reception. “Is Mallory still due in this afternoon?”
“Yes, in about fifteen minutes.”
“Great… Um…could you please cancel and reschedule the rest of my appointments for today?”
“Are you all right?” Her switched-on receptionist scrutinized her from head to foot.
“Not really, no. But I should be fine by tomorrow.”
“O-kay. If you need more time off—”
“I won’t.”
The kind, loyal, efficient woman studied Sage’s eyes.
“I just have to attend to some more pressing matters.”
Her receptionist glanced at Alexander, hovering a few feet away. “I see.” She smiled, almost conspiratorially. “Consider your request completed.”
In the past, Sage would have been mortified if her colleagues believed she’d prioritized a man, sex, over work. Right now, she couldn’t care less. Yes, Alexander was rugged, handsome, irresistible and she couldn’t wait to get him naked again, but he’d also been helping her through this mess.
Sage glanced at her gorgeous guy and smiled. He grinned back, the simple gesture laden with not-so-subtle layers of communication. ‘Don’t take too long. I can’t wait to get you home. I want to fuck you until you scream in ecstasy’.
She nodded toward her office, and he followed. Then once he completed a quick safety check, he pressed another too-fleeting kiss to her lips and headed into the waiting area. She tried to tame her breathing and, with shaky hands, opened an electronic file for Mallory.
Did the woman actually want counseling? Or did she hope to gain further insight into her husband’s choice to take his own life? Maybe she thought Sage could now provide some closure.
Her desk phone buzzed, and she lifted the receiver. “Mallory’s here to see you.”