Chapter 13
Thirteen
SARAH
Theo sprawled on his side across the bed before me in nothing but boxer briefs.
I watched him, feeling a strange mix of giddy and apprehension as I nibbled at cheese on crackers.
I sat up against the headboard in nothing but a robe, in desperate need of a shower.
However, Theo had insisted we eat first.
We’d just had what could only be described as a sex marathon. And I think the only reason we stopped was because I was getting a wee bit sore. From everything I’d read and heard, I was extremely impressed by Theo’s stamina. Moreover, I was gleeful I turned him on that much.
Who knew?
I’d never have imagined when I knocked on his hotel room door all those weeks ago that we’d end up here.
Truthfully, I’d lost count of my orgasms today. I was exhausted and enervated all at the same time. Since we hadn’t eaten in hours, Theo disappeared into the kitchen to pull together a picnic on a breakfast tray.
We watched each other as we snacked. The air of sexual tension still crackled between us. In fact, it felt heightened, which surprised me since I’d have assumed it would’ve dissipated now that we’d slept together.
Not that the intention had been to sleep together.
But maybe the kiss experiment had just been an excuse on both sides to give in to an attraction that had been growing for weeks.
“Well, your shyness certainly took a holiday today,” Theo drawled, eyes glittering with teasing amusement and sex.
I smiled around a bite and waited until I’d chewed and swallowed before I replied, “I feel like I became another person entirely.” It was true. I’d been more confident naked with Theo than I’d ever been just talking to a man I found attractive.
“You even stopped blushing.” His gaze dipped down my body and back up. “I think I rather miss it.”
“I’m sure it’ll make a return,” I replied dryly.
We fell into companionable silence again, just watching each other. Then Theo cleared his throat. “What are you thinking?” He blinked, as if the question surprised him.
I considered my answer carefully. I didn’t want to overanalyze what was happening between us.
I didn’t want rules or expectations. Whatever would be, would be.
That’s what I wanted. But I’d been waiting for the last twenty minutes for Theo to lay down ground rules.
To tell me that sex between us meant nothing. I was dreading it.
“I’m thinking I shouldn’t tell you what I’m thinking because your ego doesn’t need to swell any bigger.”
Theo grinned. “Oh, now I demand to know. C’mon. Give me your thoughts and I’ll reward you with multiple orgasms.”
I laughed, shaking my head, which only made him grin harder, like a mischievous boy.
“C’mon,” he insisted.
“Fine. I was just thinking that today was pretty good.”
He mock glowered. “Pretty. Good?”
My lips twitched as I shrugged.
“Oh, yes, with accolades like that, my ego is tumescent with arrogance,” he growled dryly.
Laughing, I grabbed grapes from the tray.
Theo huffed. “Is that it? That’s all you’re going to say.”
“What would you say?” I couldn’t stop smiling.
His eyes narrowed. “It was fucking glorious, and you know it was. My cock hasn’t stayed hard that long since I was thirteen. I deserve awards for what happened here today.”
I nearly choked on a grape I laughed so hard.
“You disagree?” Theo looked affronted.
I shook my head, trying to speak around my amusement. “Not at all. In fact, I’m impressed by your stamina.”
“Impressed by my stamina?”
“I enjoyed myself very much.”
“Sarah …”
At his warning tone, my grin softened. “I didn’t know sex could be like this.
I … for the first time in my life, I feel …
I feel truly awake.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to take them back.
They were too much. And I didn’t want Theo to think that I thought what happened between us meant anything beyond two people giving into their insane attraction.
Theo’s expression grew alarmingly blank.
Damn it.
I opened my mouth to explain, but he beat me to it.
“Let’s take a bath. It’ll help soothe that pretty pussy of yours.”
“Oh.”
“Do you think tomorrow you’ll be able to take me again?” He took a swig from one of the two bottles of water he’d brought in. “If not, we can do other things.”
Pleased my words hadn’t chased him off, I shrugged as nonchalantly as possible. “You mean, like writing?”
“I mean like you suck me off while I eat you out,” he answered bluntly.
And just like that, I was ready for him again. Goodness, this couldn’t be normal. I blushed at my rampant horniness for the man.
Theo grinned. “Ah, there it is.”
“Thigmophilic,” I said suddenly.
His expression sharpened at my randomness. “A love for touch?”
I’d never met anyone who knew the same unusual words I did.
It was fun being able to blurt them out randomly and have Theo understand.
“Hmm. Apparently, almost all mammals are thigmophilic. I never really thought I was … I liked a cuddle from my grandpa and Jared, but … there was always a disconnect when anyone else tried to touch me. Now …” I felt my breathing grow a wee bit shallow at the thought of what he’d just proposed.
“Now?” he asked quietly.
I hesitated. Again, I didn’t want Theo to get the wrong idea.
In answer, he pushed off the bed and then slid one arm around my back and the other beneath my knees. I squeaked in surprise as he lifted me into his arms. “What are you doing?” I clung to his shoulders.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he carried me into the bathroom and gently put me down. I watched, bemused as he turned on the bath tap, tested the water, adjusted it, and lifted my bottle of bubble bath to smell it. The room filled with the scent of citrus as he poured it into the running water.
He turned, eyes locked with mine, and tugged on the belt of my robe without saying a word. My breath hitched as the fabric fell open and he pulled it off until I was naked. Theo’s gaze roamed slowly down my body and movement caught my eye. He was growing hard again.
“Ignore it,” he said as he shucked off his boxer briefs. “Evidently, you naked equals me hard.”
Lips twitching with delight at that, I waited to see what he’d do next.
He held out his hand.
I took it.
And then he guided me into the tub with him. We stood as the water flowed around our ankles, Theo’s hands coasting down my waist, caressing, soothing. “Turn around.”
I did.
His erection bobbed against my arse cheeks and I heard him suck in a breath before his heat disappeared. I glanced over my shoulder to find him settling himself against the bathtub, his legs spread. To accommodate me. “Sit,” he gestured.
I lowered myself between his legs, and Theo wrapped his arms around me, a proprietary hand over my breast, the other on my stomach as he gently tugged me toward him until my back rested against his chest.
“Relax,” he murmured in my ear.
He grabbed my purple bath sponge, dipped it into the rising water, and gently rubbed it over my body. My limbs melted against him until it felt completely natural to be like this together. Finally, once the bubbly water had reached our waists, he switched off the tap.
“How are you feeling?” he asked quietly.
“Good,” I murmured drowsily. “How are you feeling?”
He guided the bath sponge down my torso, between my legs as his other hand began gently kneading my breast. My breath hitched. I felt Theo’s chest rise and fall a little faster behind me. But he didn’t answer my question.
Instead, he asked another. “Are you terribly sore?”
My cheeks grew a wee bit hot. “A little.”
“Inside?”
I nodded.
He released the sponge but only so he could press two fingers over my clit. My hips jerked in reaction. “But not here?”
I couldn’t speak. My fingers curled around his strong forearm as he circled the bundle of nerves at my apex, while caressing my breast at the same time. I turned my cheek against his upper chest, moaning as sensation thrummed through me.
“Theo,” I whispered.
“Yes, little darling …” His voice was hoarse in my ear. “Is this all right?”
I nodded frantically. “Aye, pl-please.”
The pressure on my clit intensified and before I knew it, the tension inside me shattered. I shuddered and shivered against him as he petted and caressed me through it. Exhaustion melted through my limbs and my eyes fluttered shut.
I was aware of Theo’s hand resting between my legs, not with intent …
just resting there as we drowsed. It felt possessive and claiming …
but I decided it was most likely neither.
Theo wanted to claim no one and possess nothing but his career.
And that’s okay, I thought sleepily to myself.
All I wanted was to experience life to the fullest. If this was all we had of each other, I could more than live with that.
I was only half awake as Theo roused me from the now cold bath and lifted me out of it. He towel-dried me with efficient gentleness, reminding me of how he’d cared for me when I was sick with flu. That felt like a lifetime ago now.
Once I was dry, he pleated my damp hair and guided me back into the bedroom. Heavy with exhaustion, I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes, vaguely aware of him clearing away our picnic.
A few minutes later, he nudged me awake again and I held my arms up for him while he slipped a nightdress over me. Then he tucked me into bed.
I expected him to leave. But feeling his continued presence, I opened my eyes.
Theo’s expression bordered on irritation as he looked down at me.
Suddenly, he shrugged as if we’d just had a conversation and he rounded the bed.
He slid in under the duvet and pulled me back against his chest like he’d done all those weeks ago when I’d had fever chills.
“I’ll probably want you in the morning,” he murmured in my ear as if by way of explanation.
Too tired to analyze whether that was the whole truth, I nodded. And then nodded off.