Chapter 24
24
GRANT
We made love twice last night, and I woke up still wanting her, but she remained asleep next to me. “I love you,” I murmured into her hair as I pulled her close, knowing she couldn’t hear me and wasn’t ready to anyway. If there was anything I knew for sure about Tessa, it was that she couldn’t be rushed. She was quiet and sensitive and she needed time. I had time—a whole lifetime here in Bridgeport to prove to her I was exactly what she needed, not just for now but forever.
For a long time I lay holding her, thinking about the day and the night ahead of us. I was sure both our mothers would be happy about our relationship, but Tessa’s sisters were likely to be less agreeable. I decided to let her take the lead when handling Emily and Claire, since she knew them best. And even if the day was made hard by her sisters, at the end of the night we would come back here and drink wine by the tree Tessa had bought and sleep together in my bed.
Tessa rolled over in my arms. “You’re awake,” she said, her voice thick with sleep.
“I am.”
She ran a finger over my brow. “Your crease is out. What are you so busy thinking about?”
“I was thinking about sleeping in a bed tonight,” I replied with a chuckle.
Tessa lifted up on one elbow, looking down at me. “Are you sore, old man?”
I laughed. “I’d be mad about the old-man comment, but, as a matter of fact, I am sore after a night on the floor.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, smiling down at me. The smile alone was all the treatment I needed. Well, that and a good stretch, probably, but the smile helped a damn lot. “What time is it? I should go home and get changed before going to your parents house.”
“I thought you wore pajamas on Christmas?”
She looked down and I followed her gaze to the heavy breasts that peeked out from the comforter. Unable to resist, I stroked one, tweaking her nipple. She swatted me away. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not wearing any pajamas.”
Holding her ribcage, I lifted her until my lips could reach that tempting breast, drawing the nipple into my mouth. She groaned her appreciation as I shifted, allowing me full access to her body. Once she was under me, I couldn’t resist peppering her with feather-light kisses, kisses that worked down her skin and back up again. I rolled on a condom and Tessa clutched at my ass, canting her hips so that I nearly entered her. “You’re impatient,” I joked.
“I want you,” she replied, not bothering to argue.
“You have me.”
“Grant,” Tessa hissed, clearly unmoved by my sentiment.
I laughed. “I know. I know. This is the part where you ask if that sounded romantic in my head.”
She ran a hand down my cheek, her expression softening. “It was romantic, but you literally have a woman laying under you begging to be fucked, so I’m going to need you to choose your moments.”
“Deal,” I said, shifting my hips so that I filled her in a single thrust. Tessa gasped and I stilled, my eyes wide. “Did I hurt you?” The words were barely a whisper.
“No. You feel amazing. Would you—” she hesitated, which was unusual for Tessa, and I raised my brow in question, but she didn’t finish her statement.
“Were you hoping I’d do that thing from porn where the man hooks two fingers into the woman’s cheek?” I asked, struggling to smother my smile at the joke as I proffered my first two digits.
“God, no,” she said, laughing as she swatted at my hand, and I smiled down at her, happy to see the suggestion had relaxed her, as I’d hoped. “Do you mind if I’m on top?” Tessa asked tentatively, and I rolled us over before the words were fully out of her mouth.
“That’s always a yes,” I said seriously, though my lips curled in a smile. It seemed I hadn’t been able to stop smiling since Tessa and I had come home last night. My fingers dug into her thighs, encouraging her. “I want you to take everything you need from me, Tess. I want to watch you come.”
Holding my gaze, she bit down on her lower lip while her hips pumped in needy circles. “Grant,” she panted, her voice high and shaky. “I’m gonna—oh, God.” Tessa’s speed picked up and she let her head fall back, a position that put her gorgeous breasts on display.
“Tess,” I murmured, reaching up to pinch and turn one of her dusky nipples.
She let out a low moan, her muscles clamping down on me, and I held her hips, anchoring her to me.
“Hold on to me,” I said, my voice sandpaper rough. I lifted my hips and Tessa toppled forward, nearly falling, but I caught her. “You okay? Hold on.”
Tessa took hold of my shoulders, her fingers libel to leave marks as I pressed my hips up and then lowered myself to the floor. I repeated the motion once, twice, and then like a piston, and Tessa’s face dropped forward, her hair hanging low, as she gripped me. She issued a low moan that didn’t pause, even as I felt her muscles clench and twitch once more, a tightening that had me coming only moments later.
As soon as the sensation passed I loosened my grip on Tess and she sagged forward. It was a full minute before she looked up, catching my eye. “Merry Christmas,” she said with a grin.
“That was fucking amazing,” I said. “My grinch heart grew three sizes. I think I love Christmas after all.”
Tessa laughed. “Was that your heart I felt growing?” she asked, shooting me an impish wink as she stood.