38. Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Maci
F alling asleep in Sutton’s arms with him running his fingers through my hair and holding me tightly against his body was everything. Waking up still cocooned in his warmth is pure bliss. I don’t think we’ve moved the entire night.
Curtained darkness blankets the room when my eyes flutter open. I have no idea what time it is. It doesn’t matter. I’ll stay here all day given the opportunity.
I suck in a giant breath of his leather and hay scent, basking in the peace of the moment. Undecided if I want to wake him or not, I press a tender kiss to his sternum. Something about the heat of his skin on my lips does things to me and wetness gathers between my legs. I press another kiss to Sutton’s chest, this one longer with my lips parted. I ache to taste him.
Sutton sucks in a deep breath and stirs. “Morning, Firecracker,” he mumbles into my hair. A delicious tingle snakes down my spine.
“Hi, Cowboy.” Kiss. “Want to make it a good morning?” Kiss.
His lips press into my hair and his arms squeeze tighter. “It’s always a good morning waking up with you in my arms.”
To hide my heating cheeks, I tuck my face deeper into the soft sheets. My heartbeat has kicked up and those stupid butterflies are threatening to take flight .
“How are you feeling?” He shifts us in the bed so he can take in my face. My forehead is beginning to ache and I suspect there’s a bruise.
“Mm. My head hurts a little.” Sutton places a soft kiss on my forehead and begins to untangle himself from me. My protest comes out as a whine. “Where are you going?”
His low chuckle causes more wetness between my legs as he pads to the bathroom in boxer briefs. “I’m going to get you some Tylenol.”
Groaning, I roll onto my stomach and place my chin on my folded hands, eyes trained on the doorway. “I hate for you to leave, but I love to watch you go,” I call after him.
Another chuckle floats into the bedroom. “Yeah, you caused yourself some damage last night.”
“Nope,” I say, popping the P. He returns, holding out a glass of water and two pills.
My phone begins vibrating atop his dresser as I swallow them. With an annoyed grunt, I slide off the bed, finishing the rest of the water as I check the caller ID. Stephanie. “Well, this should help my headache.” Next to me, Sutton’s eyebrows raise.
Cringing, I swipe to accept the call and press the phone to my ear. “Yes?”
“Maci,” she huffs. No doubt because of my less-than-appropriate greeting. “I’m planning to be in town Saturday to discuss Mother’s house with Randi—"
“You mean Randi’s house?” I begin searching through the clothes I left previously for something to wear. Normally, the annoyed tone Stephanie has adopted wouldn’t bother me, but I’m emotionally tapped out from last night.
“If you’d let me finish. That’s not why I called. If you will be in town, I’d like to have lunch. ”
I plop onto the bed. I can’t remember the last time my mother and I had lunch together as an event. Our relationship was already so strained when I was in high school, it had to have been prior.
Sutton sits with his back resting on the headboard. Even in my peripheral, the intensity of his eyes isn’t lost on me.
“Alone?” My voice betrays the kernel of hope buried deep within.
“Yes.” I half expect her to tack on that Alan has an engagement which will prevent him from coming, as if her preference would be for him to be there, but she adds nothing else.
I slide my eyes to Sutton before pushing off the bed. “Yes, that will be fine.” My voice is mechanical. “I had planned to be back in Austin, but I can extend my trip.”
Following my conversation with Stephanie, Sutton and I take turns in the shower. He lets me go first and when I’m dressed in my mauve babydoll dress with hair blow dried, I come out to find a steaming mug of coffee waiting for me.
Warmth floods my system. He always knows just the right way to care for me. “Thank you.”
He winks from his place against the woven headboard.
“I’m keeping you from work again.”
“Not at all. I checked in earlier with Dad. Everyone seems fine so far. I’ll get out there in a bit.” He rises, running his hands down my arms. “I wanted to be with you when you woke up in case you had any complications with your head from being a badass last night.” He grins.
I throw my head back and laugh. “Not exactly how I planned on showing off my skills.”
His lips press tenderly against my hairline. “I hate that you had to defend yourself, but I’m glad you could.”
For the second time this morning, my phone vibrates along the dresser. Upon inspection, it’s an Austin number I don’t have saved.
“Take that. I’m going to check in with Shane and jump in the shower.”
Making a mental note to find out who the hell Shane is, I answer the phone.
“Hi, Maci? It’s Jessica at the front office.” A pleasant, professional voice greets me on the other side.
My brain stalls, trying to process how I should know a Jessica who seems to know me. The front office? “Oh! Hi, Jessica!” My voice comes out too loud when I realize it’s the property manager at my apartment complex.
“I’m calling because we haven’t received your notice to vacate or request for a lease renewal.”
Shit. “I’m sorry. I’ve been in and out of town and I meant to stop by with the form for you.”
“I know you’ve had a family emergency…So, that’s why I’m calling. You’re required to provide a 60-day notice to vacate. That’s today. Or we can renew for twelve or eighteen months.”
“Today?” I stand from the couch. “I’m not in town today.”
“You don’t have to be here to file. I can upload your preference to the Resident Portal.”
Speech evades me. Since the first notice I received, I had planned to renew my lease. Standing here in Sutton’s bedroom, I think of all the reasons that have trickled in, or become clearer lately, as to why I haven’t completed the form.
My life is in Austin. Right? My business is there.
My friends’ and family’s subtle comments over the last few weeks run through my head. My business is easy enough to move. In fact, there’s nothing saying I can’t still schedule shoots in and around Austin while building clientele here.
What makes a life anyway? My friends and closest relatives are here.
A man I think I’m falling in love with is here.
Does he feel the same? Or has he been comfortable knowing I planned to be here short term?
When I don’t answer right away, Jessica speaks again. “Which document would you like me to upload?” Her professional tone holds a bit of uncertainty herself.
“Um.” My eyes are flying around the room. What do I want?
I want Sutton. I want more time with my friends. More time with my loved ones.
“I can give you until the 3rd. Sunday.” Authority has taken over Jessica’s voice. “I’ll upload both documents. But I need one completed by Monday morning or we’ll assume you intend to renew and prepare the lease for your signature. If you decide not to after that point, you’ll be responsible for an additional month’s rent.”
“Thank you, Jessica,” I say, finally finding my voice. “I’ll make sure to have everything completed by Sunday. I appreciate your understanding.”
“You bet. Have a good day, Maci.” She doesn’t wait for me to respond before hanging up .
I busy myself, folding and packing all of my belongings. The zipper of my duffle spears the room as Sutton steps back in with a towel wrapped around his waist and wet hair.
My breath catches.
I’m torn between wanting to jump him and confessing everything going on in my head.
With a composed face, he studies me. “Everything ok?”
“Yep.”
His eyes narrow. I swallow. The bed separates us, but he steps forward anyway. “Was that your mom again?”
“Hmm? Oh, no. It was my apartment complex.” Snatching the phone from the dresser at the end of the bed, I round the foot to tuck it into my purse which sits on the couch. Behind Sutton.
“Firecracker?” He knows.
I lean around him, shoving the phone in my bag before standing fully and facing him head-on. “Cowboy?” The usual coy tone that accompanies his nickname is gone. Instead it comes out unsteady.
He presses my chin between his thumb and forefinger and lifts my face, drawing my gaze up. His voice is tender. “Tell me what’s going on.”
How does he expect me to talk when he does things like that? “There’s a form I need to fill out by this weekend. I forgot with everything going on.”
A slight purse of his lips and narrowed eyes betray his suspicion, but he releases my chin.
“What did Shane say? And who is Shane?” I need to move on to another conversation for now.
He looks me over once more before turning and pulling a white tee from a drawer. “Shane is the sheriff.” He pulls the shirt over his head .
It fits entirely too perfectly and my mouth begins to water. I press my thighs together. He catalogs my fidgeting legs with a smirk. “I was calling to check on the status of finding Colt.”
Cold floods my system. “Oh.”
His jaw tightens. “They haven’t found him yet. I made sure they had the MC information to check in.”
“Ok.” The look he gives me says ok is not an acceptable response, that I should be more upset. “What’s on your agenda today?”
“You keeping tabs on me, Firecracker?” His grin is edible.
I chew my lip. “It turns out I’m going to be in town a few more days.”
Mischief gleams in his eyes and he takes a step back toward me, still clad in a towel and his white tee. I put a hand up quickly and he halts, his eyes widening and face going slack.
“If you plan to dress and get work done today, I suggest you not come any closer.”
He snorts before a full-body laugh bursts from him. “Otherwise, what? You’ll have your way with me, Firecracker?” Not heeding my warning, he comes close enough for his warmth to seep through my linen dress.
“I will.”
“I’m not sure you’re in a position to threaten me.” Two fingers dance along my thigh near the hem of my dress and wickedness fills his eyes again.
That’s all it takes for my body to light up and wetness to renew between my thighs. So I trace two fingers along his waist, above where the towel is tucked into itself. “It seems to me you’re in a very precarious situation yourself.”
I press up on my toes, leaning into him as if for a kiss. His head drops to meet me and his eyes darken. Just as our lips brush I whisper, “You’re playing with fire, Cowboy, and I’m not sure if you’re prepared for the fallout. ”
The hand playing with my dress presses firmly against my thigh and he crashes his mouth into mine. Threading my hands into his still-wet hair, our tongues battle and dance together.
“I have a thing for pyrotechnics,” he says on a breath and kisses me again.
I flick my hand to his waist, tugging the fabric apart and dismissing his towel. “We’ll see about that.” I sink to my knees.
As far as cocks go, his is pretty and impressive. I don’t think he wants to hear the first part and I’m not going to stroke his ego by telling him the second. Instead, I grip the base of his shaft in one hand and stroke him up and down twice. His erection pulses.
Fingers grip my hair and Sutton uses his hold to pull my head back, forcing me to look up at him. “What are you doing, Maci?”
Maci.
Wetting my lips with my tongue, I watch his chest rise and fall with deep breaths. “If you aren’t familiar with this, then you’re in for quite a show.” I tighten my grip on his shaft and circle my tongue around the head of his cock, maintaining eye contact.
A groan rumbles out of his body, urging me on. His hand in my hair squeezes tight and the other comes to cup my cheeks. “You don’t have to do this.” His voice is strained.
Not releasing his eyes, I lick him from base to tip. Pure lust overtakes his features. “I want to.” I don’t give him a chance to respond before I take him into my mouth.
His hips jerk forward, shoving his cock deeper and I hum around him. “Fuck, you’re going to be the death of me.”
His thumb rubs my cheek as I continue to suck and lick. He lets me set the pace even as his grip in my hair tightens, gloriously painful at this point .
I’m on fire underneath his gaze, soaked from his attention and his pleasure. The room fills with sucking and quiet moans from me, heavy breaths, and occasional grunts from him.
Simultaneously, I open wider, taking him deeper, while slipping my free hand beneath my dress and plunging two fingers inside myself. His hips jerk again and a quiet grunt slips from his mouth.
“Are you playing with yourself?” His heated words shoot straight through me and I moan my response, full of him. He thrusts deeper. “I don’t know what I’m enjoying more. Your perfect mouth that was fucking made for me, or the fact that you’re enjoying my cock in your mouth so much that you wanna come.”
His dirty talk is adding to the rising tide within me. I suck my cheeks in and release him with a resounding pop. Pupils so wide there’s hardly any color left, his voice is deep and husky. “Let me taste.”
I offer my hand to him from my position on my knees and he ducks his head, sucking my wet fingers into his mouth. Renewed wetness drips from me. I imagine my face mimics his own. Lustful, hungry.
“Fucking delicious,” he says with a final suck.
“My turn.” Without warning, I retake him in my mouth, sucking stronger and faster than before. His head drops back momentarily, groaning loudly. When he returns his eyes to me, I pull back to his tip, licking delicately around the head. “Let go, Cowboy.”
Finally, finally , he pushes back into my mouth forcefully. I let him set the pace now, eager for every thrust and jerk of his hips as he claims my mouth.
“Fuck, Firecracker. You’ve ruined me.”
I whimper around him and am rewarded with his release filling my throat. Neither of us breaks eye contact as I swallow every drop .
He helps me to stand before grasping my face with both hands and kissing me possessively.
His hands reach down to the hem of my dress and the tips of his fingers whisper along my thighs as he begins to lift. “Do you trust me?” he asks against my mouth and I can’t help but grin against him and moan assent. “If you don’t want this to continue, tell me now.”
“Don’t stop.”
He leans back from me, peering deep into my eyes, and lifts my dress over my head slowly. The time it takes is excruciating, while the tickle against my skin as it lifts away is exquisite. All of my nerve receptors are at heightened awareness.
With eyes darkened like the sky before a Texas thunderstorm, Sutton studies my body. He grips my face in his hands, both possessive and gentle. “You’re fucking gorgeous.” His hot lips press against mine and I drink in his kiss before he pulls away to remove his fresh shirt.
One of his hands dips into my hair, grabbing the base of my neck, while the other slips around my back to unclasp my bra. The bra falls to the floor unceremoniously, but still his eyes roam over me. Power courses through my body at the hunger reflected there.
My nipples tighten and peak under his gaze. I’m about to step toward him when he reaches both hands down to slide off the scrap of fabric left over my aching core.
When we’re both fully nude, Sutton takes one last look over my form before sitting back onto the couch and pulling me to straddle him. His thick erection presses against my pussy and I moan low and needy.
He draws me close enough to whisper into my ear. “I fucking love the sounds you make. ”
I rock against him in response. “I hope you plan on putting this to good use.”
He chuckles against my ear, vibrations shoot through my chest and down to my pussy. “Oh, you wanna use me, huh?”
“Not any more than you want to use me.”
He grips my shoulders and presses me back. “Not a single thing I have done or will do is about using you. But my cock is certainly not done with your greedy pussy today.”
My eyes widen at his admission and I grin. This is what I’ve been waiting for.
With one hand on my hip, he reaches to a small table beside the couch, opening a drawer I never noticed before, and retrieving a condom. My eyebrow quirks. He sheathes himself quickly and I raise up for him to guide the tip of his cock to my entrance before he guides me down slowly.
Fully seated, I let out a half-moan, half-gasp at the sensation. I’ve never felt this full and didn’t anticipate it could feel so fucking good. “Sutton.” My head falls forward in amazement and we haven’t even started.
He pulls me in for a deep kiss.
My hands on his chest soak in his warmth and steady me. I raise up until only the tip of his cock remains inside of me before sliding back down again. Sutton lets out a hiss and trails hot kisses down my neck toward my chest. His teeth sink into the sensitive skin as I repeat the action again.
“I never gave you that mark,” he growls against me.
I move slower, sliding my hands up his neck and into his wild hair. It’s hardly damp now. My skin lights up as he nips in a chaotic pattern, interspersed with kisses. One more stinging bite and I slam down hard onto his lap .
“Fuck. You want it, don’t you? Always enticing me to lose control.” His mouth hovers over my nipple as he finishes speaking, his dark eyes trained on me.
My words come out quietly. “Yes. You’re always so chivalrous and charming. Let your wild side out. I can take it.”
His hips thrust into me and a pleasured gasp breaks from my mouth. Without warning, he lifts us both off the couch, wrapping his arms around me and taking the few steps to the bed where he drops me onto it.
Anticipation floods me as he hovers over me. One hand rests next to my head while the other slides under my back. He grabs a handful of my hair and tugs hard, pulling my head back and exposing my neck. His hot tongue traces a line up the side to my ear where he whispers, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Ravage me.”
He bites onto my skin and I groan at the pressure. The hand next to my face moves between us, where he repositions himself and thrusts into me in one swift motion, forcing a loud moan from me. It’s followed quickly by another deep thrust. “This what you want?”
My eyes fly to his. “Yes.”
His movements increase and I wrap my arms around him, digging my nails into his shoulders. He leans his head forward, biting my breast deeply, right above the nipple.
His eyes return to mine. “You’re not just going to bear one mark. Every piece of you is going to hold something of me.” He kisses me hungrily before biting my bottom lip between his teeth. Not enough to draw blood, but enough for a delicious sting.
His mouth continues to roam over me, kissing and licking here and there, nipping occasionally, and biting down in equal parts pain and pleasure over my neck and breasts. I don’t bruise easily, and despite the pleasurable pain he’s creating, I know I won’t be covered with visible marks. But the truth remains: everything will be different after this.
He draws back again, sitting on his heels and pulling me to straddle his lap. The thrusts deepen and become more insistent as my orgasm builds. I’ve never climaxed with penetration only and I’m surprised at the sensations that he’s ripping from my body. I cling to him, wrapping my arms around him and tucking my head into his neck to return the biting and sucking.
Pleasure fills every piece of me and I whimper into his neck. He keeps one arm wrapped securely around me, the other cradling my head as he leans his head back to look in my eyes.
“Don’t take your eyes off me. I want to watch you come apart completely.”
I’m not sure if I can actually do what he’s asking, but I nod vigorously anyway and grip him tighter.
“You were made to take me.” His words tip me over the edge and my orgasm rips through me. I cry out his name as my body spasms around him.
A few thrusts later, he swallows my cries in a searing kiss, his own moans mingling with mine. His next kiss is softer, before our foreheads meet and we work to right our breathing. “You’re stunning all the time, but watching you succumb to pleasure while I’m inside you is devastating. Nothing else will ever compare to that sight.”
I don’t know if I should tell him that was the best experience of my life.
His nose brushes against mine as he composes himself, eyes closed. “I want the fallout.”
“What?” I smirk at him. When he opens his eyes, they’re filled with something different. Something deep and powerful. My throat constricts .
“I think you’re on the edge of a big decision. I feel it, even if you don’t want to tell me everything. And that is entirely up to you.” His heart is shining right through his eyes at me.
“Whatever you decide, I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t tell you this. I want every part of you, Maci. The good, the bad, the ugly. I want to go to sleep with you every night and wake with you in my arms. I want to be the only one lucky enough to see you come apart in pleasure and to share mine with you alone.”
“Sutton—" Tears blur my vision.
“You don’t have to say anything.” He kisses me tenderly. “And this isn’t about what just happened. There are no words for that. Either way, you need to know that I’m all in. You’re it for me.”