Chapter 18
He trapped me with his body and stared down at me with those lovely, glowing, sensual eyes while I tried to catch my breath.
Selene
Neil was still in Detroit with me.
When we got back from the grocery store, he helped me carry in the bags, and then we had lunch together at my house.
I had no idea how long he would stay, and I was afraid to ask him, but I was happy I got to spend time with him.
It felt like we were actually getting to know each other for the first time.
He seemed to get more comfortable with talking as the hours passed, though he would still frequently close in on himself. When he got particularly broody, he would light up a cigarette and scowl, staring off into nothingness.
In those moments, I would just watch him admiringly as he inhaled long drags of smoke. He was beautiful even while doing the most mundane things.
“Why are you staring at me?” He blew smoke out his nose and gave me a serious look. His eyes looked even brighter in the light from the fire I’d lit in the living room’s fireplace to keep us warm.
“You’re smoking in Judith Martin’s house. She’s going to kill me when she gets back,” I said unhappily. I hated that he smoked. I wanted to get him to quit, but I knew he was too stubborn to listen to me about it.
“Relax, it’ll be okay.” He took another drag and got more comfortable on the couch while I crouched down by the TV, trying to choose what to watch on Netflix.
“Find an action movie, not some ball-shriveling romance,” he clarified while I inched across the carpet to sit down on the floor next to the couch.
“What are you doing down there?” He frowned, and I cleared my throat awkwardly.
“Because I’m not going to be able to watch a movie with you right next to me, Neil,” I told him, and he laughed lightly.
“I won’t bite, Tinkerbell.” He winked at me and nestled more deeply into the sofa, his cigarette dangling from his lips.
“Yeah, you’ve probably taken plenty of bites out of your blonds recently.” I continued to scroll through the offerings, hoping some thumbnail would catch my eye.
“What makes you think that?” he asked from behind me, but I didn’t pull my eyes away from the screen.
“You haven’t touched me since we got back from the store.
Just from that I can surmise what’s been going on in New York,” I said placidly.
Although I had slowly gotten more comfortable with him and could have a calm conversation, I still knew that I needed to measure every word with Neil.
Even more crucially, I had to figure out what kind of mood he was in before I said certain things to him.
“Is there any cherry pie left?” He changed the subject, and I looked over my shoulder at him. He’d already eaten half the pie, and I was glad to see him enjoying it so much.
“My mom is a real magician when it comes to desserts, isn’t she?
Wait here.” I got up from the carpet and went into the kitchen.
I walked immediately over to the remains of the pie on the counter, but just as I was about to pick it up, I was surprised by the ringing of my phone.
I tugged it out of my pocket and frowned when I saw Ivan’s name flashing across the display.
“Hello?” I answered uncertainly.
“Hey, Selene. Are you at home? Janel wants to know if you want to come with us to this party,” he offered, though it was hard to hear him over the weird sounds in the background.
“Not true, Selene! It was his idea to invite you!” I recognized Janel’s voice immediately and grinned.
“Well, I actually—” I began to answer, but Ivan was bickering with his sister.
“What the hell are you telling her? Selene, you there? Get ready. We’ll come get you in half an hour,” Ivan said rapidly, and I was instantly alarmed.
“No, no! Ivan, we’ll have to rain check. I have guests over right now, and I can’t go out.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and sighed heavily.
“Oh, okay. But you’ll come out next time?” he asked, and just as I was about to agree, Neil’s hands came to rest on my hips, making me flinch.
“Y-yeah, for sure.”
My heart fluttered in my throat, and I ended the call and turned off the display before setting the phone down on the counter and pushing it away with my fingers. Neil stood motionless behind me. His chest was plastered against my back, and his erection insinuated itself between my butt cheeks.
“Who was that?” he whispered in my ear, quiet but commanding, as his fingers crawled along the elastic of my pants, heading for the front.
“Ivan. He wanted me to go to a party with him and his sister.” I tried not to fumble with my words, though it was difficult to keep a cool head with Neil so close to me.
“Hmm, Ivan again.” His breath felt like a light breeze on my neck. “Anyway, I changed my mind. No pie; I want something else instead.” He slipped his index finger beneath my waistband, grazing the outside of my panties.
“You need to tell me something about yourself whenever you want something from me. Remember our deal?” My voice was barely audible. I clutched the countertop when his big hand cupped my pubis, grasping me possessively until I sucked in a breath.
“I haven’t fucked anyone in a while.” He ground his hips against my ass, and I arched back against him with a moan that surprised even me.
I drifted into ecstasy as he began to work slowly against me.
“And I can’t come. That’s why I haven’t been touching you.
” He pressed his lips to my neck and slid his hand into my panties, making me flinch.
“Should I keep going?” He sighed against my ear, and it occurred to me how difficult it must be for him to admit something like that to me.
Although it felt like my head was spinning, I finally understood why Neil had been holding back all this time.
“Why not?” I said in a small voice, swallowing hard because my throat was suddenly unbearably dry. I turned to him, blinking in confusion, and saw his gaze lingering on my eyes. I caressed his jaw, bristly with the beginnings of a beard, and he accepted my touch without pulling away.
“That’s none of your business. But if you want to use me, I’ll let you,” he answered. I hated it when he talked like that with me.
“I don’t want to use you.” I felt a stab of pain in my chest, and for a moment, it was hard to breathe.
It felt like I was going to cry, but I didn’t want to do it.
“Why are you having this problem?” I asked again, hoping not to set him off with such a personal question.
I wasn’t stupid; him being unable to orgasm suggested a serious issue and Neil probably knew what the source was even if he didn’t want to tell me.
“There’s nothing wrong with me physically. That’s all you need to know.” He smiled, kissing his way down my neck to the place underneath my ear. He breathed in my smell and gave an appreciative groan.
“Are you in pain?” Maybe it was wrong to keep asking him about it, but I needed more information. Specifically, I needed to know if he felt compelled to have sex.
“No.” Neil rested his hands on the counter, caging me in as he stared lustfully into my eyes. As soon as I realized what his perverse intentions were, I shoved him, breaking his grasp and fleeing the kitchen in one catlike motion.
“Where do you think you’re going, little Tigress?” I heard him call out from behind me as I continued to flee, my hair fanning out into the air behind me, a thrilled—and frightened—look on my face. I wanted him, but at the same time, learning what he was dealing with had unnerved me.
I raced through the living room and up the stairs, my heart beating wildly in my chest. All I could hear was my own panting and his determined footfalls behind me. I knew he could have caught me by then if he really wanted to, but instead he was playing with me.
“I’m going to get you…” He chuckled behind me. At the same time, I threw open the door to my room and darted inside. But before I could close it, Neil leaped forward and blocked it with his shoulder, even forcing in his foot to assist in his efforts.
“No! You can’t come in!” I pushed against the door in an attempt to hold him back, but he just laughed heartily from the other side. Then he gave the door a shove, and it flew open. I staggered back, trying not to fall over.
“Where are you gonna run to now? Hmm?” Neil kicked the door closed and looked me up and down, licking his lips lustfully.
“I’ll figure something out,” I answered, backing away at a measured pace. I navigated around the bed and put more distance between us, never breaking with his carnal gaze.
“I want you, and I’ll get you, rest assured.” He quirked the corner of his mouth and advanced on me again, a hunter locked in on his prey.
“I don’t think so.” I gave him a mocking smile, and before he could grab me, I jumped up and over the bed to get to the other side of the room and made a run for the door. But Neil, quick as a gazelle, hooked his arms around my waist and flattened my back against the closed door.
“Got you.” He trapped me with his body and stared down at me with those lovely, glowing, sensual eyes while I tried to catch my breath. “Cat got your tongue, Tigress?” he taunted when I didn’t answer him.
“You only won because I let you,” I said challengingly.
“I was going to get you either way. I’ll always get you…” He leaned down to reach my neck and peppered it with moist kisses, coaxing forth my desire.
“I’d say we’ve done enough playing, and I’ve given you something of myself…” He grazed his lips over my collarbone and used both hands to grab the hem of my T-shirt, slowly pulling it up and over my head before discarding it on the floor.
“And what should I give you?” I asked breathlessly, honoring our deal. Neil pulled back slightly to look at my bare breasts and smiled in a satisfied way.
“You. All of you…” He made a rough noise in his throat and grabbed my breasts with both hands. He bent his head to envelop one nipple with his full lips.