Chapter 17 #2
She turns slowly, moving onto all fours, coming to me.
“Tongue out,” I say.
She moves toward me, her tongue already out, like she knows exactly what I want, what I expect from that pretty mouth of hers.
She stops in front of me, looking up. Her pupils are blown wide, the whites of her eyes showing as she stares at me, hungry, desperate. Mine.
“Good girl,” I murmur.
I rest my cock on her tongue, watching as she takes me in. Her lips part wider, slowly taking half of me before her throat tightens and she gags.
My hand comes up, a sharp slap against her cheek. Then I slide my hand to her neck, my fingers pressing there, guiding her.
“Relax,” I whisper.
I ease her down further, feeling her throat take more of me. She chokes around it, her tongue moving beneath the length, her hands wrapping around what she can’t take yet, working me in slow strokes.
She sucks, licks, takes me deeper, and the sound that leaves me is low, rough.
“Fuck,” I groan, my head falling back, eyes lifting to the ceiling as I let her have me.
She keeps going, her throat tightening around me in a way that makes my body tense.
I feel it building.
“Don’t stop,” I breathe.
And then I lose it.
My release hits, spilling into her mouth as I hold her there, not letting her pull away. She gags around me, her throat working, swallowing every single drop I give her.
I keep her there for a moment longer, making sure she takes it, then slowly pull out, watching her as she breathes again.
I wipe her mouth with my thumb, catching what spills from the corner, then press it back against her lips, watching as she takes it in. Her eyes are glassy, tears clinging to her lashes as she looks up at me.
“I can’t get enough of you,” I murmur.
I push her back onto the bed and follow, hovering over her until a soft chuckle slips from her lips.
“I wish we had more time before,” I say quietly, my gaze dropping to her mouth as she drags her bottom lip between her teeth.
“We have time now,” she says.
I pull her closer as I lie back, her head settling against my chest while my hand moves slowly up and down her arm.
“Yeah,” I say.
“Can I ask you something?”
She lifts herself onto her elbow, her eyes finding mine.
“I know it will come to me, but I want to know,” her gaze drops to my chest, “why shouldn’t I have answered?”
My eyes drift from her lips to her hand as I take it in mine.
“You really don’t remember?”
She shakes her head.
“I called you six years ago.” My thumb brushes over her knuckles. “It was the night before the wedding.”
I pause, feeling it all press back in.
“It was after midnight. I’d had too many glasses of whiskey.” I smile. “And I dialed your number.”
I let out a slow breath. “Part of me hoped you wouldn’t answer.”
My eyes soften as I look at her. “But you did.”
I close my eyes, and the memory slips in like it never left.
It was early September of 1987.
She answered on the second ring. “Hello.”
“Hey,” I said. “Can you talk?”
A soft breath slipped through the line, almost like a smile. “With you, always.”
I closed my eyes, pressing my fingers against my temple. “I… I’m having second thoughts.”
Silence filled the space between us, broken only by the quiet hum of the line.
“She’s… she’s like a mother to Helena. She’s been here for me,” I said, slower now. “But I need to know if there’s a reason I shouldn’t marry her.”
She’s silent again.
“Only one reason I can think of.” She paused. “If you love someone else.”
“I do.”
Another silence, heavier this time.
“Did you tell her?” She asked, her voice softer.
“I couldn’t. She’s in love with someone else.”
A quiet inhale.
“Well… if you love her,” she said, slower now, “maybe you could wait. Maybe she’s having second thoughts too.”
“What are the chances, Kitten? How long do I wait for someone who can’t love me back?”
She didn’t answer right away. I heard the broken cry she tried to hide.
“Yeah… yeah, you’re right,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You should marry Lilibeth.”
Her words broke me in half.
“Yeah,” I said, the glass pausing at my lips before I took another sip of whiskey. It burned on the way down. “I should.”
“Nathaniel.”
“Yeah?” My voice came out rough.
A breath trembled through the line. “Would you make a different decision if I hadn’t answered the phone?”
The truth forced its way out. “I wouldn’t marry her.”
“I shouldn’t have answered,” her voice cracked.
I pressed my eyes shut, the sting building behind them. “You shouldn’t have answered,” I repeated.
For a second, I stayed there, listening to her breathe until I hung up.
My mind snaps back to the present, her voice pulling me out of it as she finishes her story. Her eyes shine with tears.
“I was so dumb back then,” she says. “I hope you can forgive me.”
I lift my hand to her cheek, my thumb brushing just beneath her eye. “There’s nothing to forgive, Kitten. We just didn’t have the right words then.” I hold her gaze. “We do now.”
She nods, a soft laugh slipping out of her. “I think I’ve had a crush on you forever.”
I let out a low chuckle. “I know.”
I always did.
It just wasn’t the right time.