40. Thought You’d Never Ask
THOUGHT YOU’D NEVER ASK
EMBERLEIGH
“It’s all on video,” Elias says, pointing to the phone.
“And Exton has other angles from the camera system,” Braxton adds, turning me in his arms and moving with me to the sofa. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly, holding my gaze while keeping hold of my hand.
“Best thing we could’ve asked for was that punch,” Eli continues.
The whimper that escapes me has them both turning my way.
“Sorry,” they say in unison.
I wave my hand dismissing them.
“Some time ago, I came to the conclusion that Emerson was brilliant in her assessment of our lives, her premonition, or whatever.” My hand signals my lack of specificity.
“I don’t know if she knew,” I say as warm tears slide down my cheeks.
“But she knew that Colt would be better off with someone she’d known for a couple of days, than with my parents. ”
All movement stops as both men gape.
“Why she didn’t name him Carrington and have a will where I was his legal guardian, I don’t know.” My voice gets quieter as I speak. It’s like laying my soul bare when I consider that my sister didn’t want me involved. It slices through me, and I can’t stop it.
I roll into the corner of the sofa and ball into myself, closing my puffy, hot lids that burn with all the shed tears.
“Come here,” Braxton says quietly, but tugs me toward him and holds me to his chest, stroking my back.
“I don’t know why Emerson made the decision she made, but I know two things.
One, I’m grateful as fuck. I can’t imagine life without Colt.
And two, she had to have known you’d be integral to his life.
If she thought for one moment, you wouldn’t be involved, she’d have never done it. ”
“You didn’t know her that well.” It’s a cautious statement. I’m not being rude, but he can’t know that, especially after a one-night stand.
“But you did. Am I wrong?”
I shake my head, but don’t confirm verbally. He’s right.
The stroking on my back is lulling, and my warm eyelids are heavy. I’m overwhelmed at my parents’ behavior, how the Rangers have taken me in, and the joy I have at Colt.
As I drift asleep, I can hear my father’s shouts as sirens continue to wail, while blue and red lights dance off my closed eyelids.
I wake in a ball on the same sofa, the soft leather warm below me, a blanket draped over me. Braxton is in the same place, only Colt is in his arms and both are asleep. It’s a moment I’ll have to commit to memory because my phone is still in my room.
Eli is gone. It’s just the three of us. And I hold the image in front of me until it’s burned on my brain.
Braxton, when I take an honest assessment, is more than handsome.
He’s pissed me off so many times I’ve been able to ignore it.
But he has olive skin, tanned from years of working outdoors.
The smile lines that radiate from his eyes are deeper than they should be for someone his age.
But they indicate hard work, a love of being outside, and that he’s had a happy life.
A solid brow, Roman nose, and full, almost-pouty lips that now I know are soft. And the scruff on his jaw is like he trimmed it into a five o’clock shadow. I know that isn’t the case. He leaves every morning clean-shaven, but by midafternoon, his face displays his mother’s Italian heritage.
Wide shoulders, broad chest, solid hips. He’s not fat, probably not an ounce on him, but no one can call him lean with his build. He’s solid—tall, big, thick. I wonder if he’s big and thick everywhere.
“Looking for something in particular?” he muses, a smile in his voice.
My eyes fly to meet his, and I feel the heat rise up my face. I never could hide my emotions, especially embarrassment. I don’t answer and can’t look away from his penetrating stare.
His face holds no humor, but it holds a heat I’ve never seen. Even earlier when he kissed me, his eyes weren’t on fire like they are now.
I have no clue what comes over me. It’s so unlike me.
But I rise up onto my knees and lean forward and touch his cheek with my hand, run my finger over his full lips and more gently over the swollen split there.
I watch my finger trace his mouth, see his lips part, and so slowly, it’s like I can’t stop myself, I trade my lips for my fingers.
His big palm slides up my hair and grips the back of my head, pulling me into him, crushing me to him. His mouth opens, and mine does too. And holy shit! He can kiss.
I don’t even recognize the moan that rips from my chest.
One hand still holding his face, I lift myself higher and push myself deeper onto him. I fight to get closer.
I feel a gentle tug at my hair and open my eyes, pulling back. Burning with embarrassment, I glance away and mumble, “I’m sorry. I—” I just attacked him with an unwanted sexual advance in his home.
“Don’t you fucking dare apologize, Emberleigh,” he growls, the gravel in his voice apparent.
When my eyes swing back to his, I see desire there.
“I... Uh, I—”
He holds my head, watching me as I stammer. I look away, staring at Colt, pretending he holds my attention while I fight for an excuse for my behavior.
His voice is gentle when he says, “You, uh, what, Emberleigh?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper.
“You do.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry I came on to you. That’s twice that a Carrington has physically assaulted you today.”
“Do I look like I disliked it?”
I swing my gaze to his and shrug.
“Tell me, Emberleigh, did I push you off?”
I shake my head.
“Did I ask you to stop?”
Another shake.
“Do you want me, Emberleigh?’
My face flames. He’s asking me to lay myself bare, and this can only be a stupid decision.
I close my eyes and try to dissolve into the sofa.
He takes his hand from the back of my head and grabs mine, moving it to his jeans and to the hot, thick length that strains there.
“Are you under the impression I don’t want you too?” The gentleness is gone from his voice.
My eyes snap to where our hands are and then back to him.
I say nothing but lean into his mouth, reigniting the kiss, running my hand over his jeans.
Without any warning, he moves, standing from the sofa, Colt still asleep on his chest and tags my hand, dragging me with him down the hall.
He walks into his room and places Colt in his crib.
When he turns to me, he takes my face in both hands, and falls on my mouth, plunging his tongue inside, drinking deep.
He backs me up, until the slowness of our joined pace irritates him and he lifts me to wrap my legs around him, my center near his straining erection, and walks me into my room, depositing me on the bed.
He doesn’t come with me. He just stands above the bed, hands on his hips, looking down at me, leaving me entirely vulnerable.
Without a word, he leaves the room.
I’m bereft.
I left myself vulnerable, and twice today I’ve been cut straight through.
Braxton
I return to her room to find her curled in another protective ball.
“Baby?” I lean a fist on either side of her waist, bending over her body, waiting for her eyes.
“Yeah.”
“Thirty seconds ago, your pussy was hot against me as I carried you in here.” She opens her eyes at that. “You want me. I want you. What happened when I went to get condoms?”
Her eyes almost look exasperated, but it’s cute as fuck. “Oh.”
“Oh?”
“I didn’t know.”
I know there’s a huge grin on my face, but can’t help it when I say, “You were disappointed I left?”
“No!”
I pull back enough to roll her under me, and drop to my elbows above her, legs framing hers. I hold her gaze, not letting it go. She holds my eyes. I drop my mouth to hers and just before I take it, a smile plays there. “Liar.”
She wants to stay mad; I can feel her frame trying to hold on to it. But during the kiss, she melts. Her sounds of pleasure make me harder than I already am.
I push up, tagging my tee from between my shoulder blades pulling it over my head. She watches and the hunger in her face is the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever experienced. I strip her shorts and the barely-there thong down her legs and see her very bare, very wet pussy looking back at me.
“You want my mouth, Emberleigh?”
She just stares, wide-eyed, and nods once.
I kiss up one calf, then the inside of her thigh, moving my fingers along the other one, teasing. I move to the other thigh, all the while watching her squirm. I fold one leg wide and throw the other over my shoulder.
“Hold on, baby. I’m going to feast on your pussy and tongue fuck you until you see stars.” And I bury my face in her heat. I lick and suck. I finger fuck her and tongue fuck her. I torture her clit with circles of my tongue and flick it until she’s on the verge only to back off.
Her growls and moans are music to my ears.
“Fuck, you taste good, Emberleigh. Could eat you all day.”
I can’t be positive, but I swear I hear, “You’re taking long enough.”
That makes me laugh and the moan that’s drawn from her mouth as I play with her body is worth hearing again.
I suck her clit and hum against her there as I toy with her entrance.
The sound of her orgasm almost has me blowing in my pants. Holy Fuck! I didn’t know anything could sound that erotic.
She holds my head as she bucks into my mouth pulsing around me.
“Again,” I growl and pull out another. The sound of her coming is the best thing I’ve ever heard.
I kiss up her belly, keeping one hand playing at her pussy and make it to her bra before I lose patience.
“Off.” I don’t mean it to sound harsh but I need it gone. I need to see her—all of her. Everything she’s been teasing me with for months.
She levers up and pulls the shirt and bra off in one motion. Her face is bright, and her eyes glow. Her pink cheeks are not from embarrassment or anger. She’s turned on, and I did that to her.
I suck one beautiful tit into my mouth and then the other, never letting my fingers stop playing with her pussy. She twitches when I flick her clit, wiggling to get away from the sensation. Not gonna happen.
When I’m back face-to-face, I say, “You are the best thing I’ve ever tasted in my life. I’m definitely not done with eating you or sucking you or tongue fucking you. But right now, I want to be inside you in the worst kind of way.”
She nods.
“Want to hear the words, Emberleigh.”
“Yes.”
“No, baby, tell me what you want.”
Her face flushes. “I don’t… I, um—”
“Baby, do you want my cock?” I press my jean-clad dick between her legs where my hand plays.
She nods.
“Then tell me.”
“Braxton, I want you to fuck me.” Her cheeks pink as she says it.
“Thought you’d never ask.”
I push off and drop my jeans and boxers and roll on a condom.
Her face, her open mouth, her eyes watching me, staring at my dick is the best thing I can remember in my life.
“I was wrong before.”
Her brow furrows, but I go on before she can get spun up in her head.
“Earlier, I thought your pussy and you laid out before me was the most erotic thing I’d ever seen.
But I was wrong. You staring at my cock, eyes wide, licking your lips, wanting me.
Hands down the most erotic fucking experience of my life. ”
Before she can argue, I cover her with my body and wrap her legs around my back. I hold her gaze and move my dick through her juices, flicking her clit with my head, just to watch her eyes melt and sharpen.
“I want you inside me,” she says, her voice quiet, pushing her heels into my back, pulling me toward her pussy.
I sink in all the way and take one moment, eyes clenched shut, to fight the need to come on the spot. She’s hot, slick with desire, and so fucking tight it takes me a minute to get myself under control.
“Give me a minute,” she whispers, wiggling around me.
I open my eyes and kiss her deep, rocking in little pulses, but not withdrawing.
“Another minute, Braxton.” Her fingers roaming my shoulder blades, hips trying to settle. “Sorry. You’re just… thick.”
I laugh, and the look on her face is pure pleasure. “Don’t apologize when you’re complimenting my cock.”
“I think I’m good.”
I pull out and plunge back in. “Oh, you’re better than good, Emberleigh. You’re the best thing I’ve ever felt.” I continue to pump into her. “Your pussy may be my favorite thing ever.”
She laughs then, and that’s it. The squeezing around my cock, the look on her face, the noises she makes. I’m a goner.
I plunge in, hard and fast. I reach between us and finger her clit. My mistake earlier was not watching her come. Not seeing the ecstasy move across her face. Not feeling her body clench around my dick.
Seeing that, experiencing that, my thrusts become more erratic. I’m going to explode. Soon. And I need her to come again before I do.
“One more.”
“It’s… too much. Too much.” Her nails bite into my upper arms. But the sounds she’s making, the mewls of pleasure, the sound of her coming, says too much may just be ecstasy.
I rub her clit, and she shatters. She tightens around my cock until that pain-pleasure line almost gets crossed.
She sucks me into her pussy while at the same time trying to push me out.
I thrust, strum her clit, and stretch out her orgasm as long as I can, until the pleasure is too great, and she sends me crashing.
I come harder than I can ever remember, continuing my strokes to feel the absolute decadence of her pussy, the currents of pleasure jolting through my body, the absolute beautiful hedonism of sex with Emberleigh.
I collapse but move my weight off her quickly, pulling out, to my disappointment and her light moan. I dispose of the condom and return to her, pulling her to my side. My hand at her ass draws circles as I stare at the ceiling.
“Well, that was…”
“Fucking phenomenal,” I finish.
“I was going to say nice.”
“Don’t you dare say nice. That’s practically insulting. Thought I made it good for you. No. I know I made it good for you.”
She pushes up to look down into my face, but I’m distracted by her tits. I palm the one closest to me, brushing a thumb over her nipple.
She caves her body in to withdraw from my touch, so I give it a little pinch because I can. “Ignored those. Shame on me. They’re perfect. Won’t make that mistake again.”
“Glad you didn’t, actually. I have super sensitive breasts.”