Chapter Twenty-Six
Mia
“Congratulations…Dr. Sinclair.” My adviser and mentor shakes my hand before she pulls me in for a squealing embrace.
I can’t believe I’ve done it. I can’t believe I can finally call myself a doctor.
I passed. And I’m not going to lie, I actually enjoyed the defense.
I was so well prepared for all kinds of questions, thanks to Alfie, that I almost wanted to keep going.
I wanted to explain more about the research I’ve been doing around preventative treatment for first-time offenders and especially with how important it is to keep them out of prison and not offending again.
Alfie worked with a number of people who had court-sanctioned therapy and allowed me to use the data.
Of course, it doesn’t work for everybody, but of the patients Alfie sees, less than five percent have re-offended in the last two years. It’s pretty remarkable.
As soon as my mentor—Grace—stops jumping around, I pull my phone out to call Alfie.
“Hey,” he says cautiously.
“You need to change my contact name on your phone.”
“Oh my God.”
“Also…I quit,” I say, laughing.
“Oh my God. Mia! Congratulations. I am so fucking proud of you, you have no idea, love.” He practically shouts down the phone.
I let out a throaty laugh, feeling tears in my eyes. Happy tears of course. “I’m coming home now. Will you be there?”
Home.
Weird, but true. I haven’t stayed in my house for weeks now, which I do kind of feel bad about since the couple asked me to house-sit. But I have been popping in every day so I can at least say it’s not been demolished or taken over by raccoons.
“Yeah, we’re going to celebrate. Do you have any plans, or can I keep you?”
My pulse quickens, his words making me happier than he could ever know. “Yeah, you can keep me.”
“Great, because I actually already made plans for us to celebrate. I hope you don’t mind. Given that Lana is away, I’ve arranged an evening with the Dinner Club tomorrow night, but tonight you’re all mine.”
◆◆◆
I slip the key Alfie gave me to his house into the lock and twist. The lights are low, but the warmth of the fire caresses my cheeks the second I step through the door.
As I make my way to the living room, candles are lit on every available surface, creating a warm glow.
I look around, my mouth parted slightly. Did he do all this for me?
“Hey, Dr. Sinclair.” He smiles, leaning against the doorway that leads into the kitchen.
“Hi, Dr. Adams.” I grin back.
“Are you hungry?”
Yeah, I’m hungry for something, but I’m slightly concerned if I jump on him now, we’ll be carried out by the fire department when we inevitably leave the candles unattended.
I nod, reaching out my hand to meet his outstretched palm.
He pulls me in close, cupping my face and kissing me softly. It feels like he’s pouring all his love into it, trying to tell me something he’s not quite yet ready to say.
But I am.
I’m ready. I’ve been ready for a while. And I need him to know that I’ll wait for as long as it takes. But he’s mine, forever. I don’t want to do this job without him by my side. I certainly don’t want to live my life without him.
“I love you,” I whisper when he breaks the kiss.
His eyes widen slightly, and as he goes to speak, I stop him. “It’s okay if you’re not ready. I just wanted you to know. You’re a wonderful person, and I’m so happy with you. I don’t ever want to be without you.”
“I don’t want to be without you either. Mia, I—"
He pauses, frowning before dropping another kiss to my lips.
It’s harder now, his message deepening. I know he feels the same way.
I know in my soul that he does. And I can be patient.
Words don’t really mean anything; actions do.
And I feel his love from the heat of the candles he lit for me, from the smell of the dinner he is cooking, from the kiss that’s penetrating my soul.
Of course I want to hear him say the words, but Alfie’s told himself nearly his whole life that he can’t afford to have a love like this.
That if he does, his patients and his career will suffer.
I can be patient. Even though I’m moving on from my issues, it doesn't mean we’re in the same place.
“How do you feel about reheated paella?”
“It’s a bit risky, isn’t it?”
“Too risky?”
I shake my head, smiling against his lips.
“As wonderful as the candles are, we should blow them out. Go get into bed, and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
I nod, rushing to the room and pulling out a lingerie bodysuit I’d bought for myself last week. The silky black fabric worked in strips across my stomach, tied together with lace cups that push my boobs up so high, it makes them look two cup sizes bigger.
I slip it over my thighs, wiggling my hips to pull it up. The sheer fabric feels amazing against my skin, the lace thong sitting snug between my cheeks. I check myself out in the mirror and damn, I look good. The ice skating sessions have really been paying off, my legs are toned and strong.
I crawl over the bed, readying myself for when Alfie arrives and to give him the gift I’d gotten him. I’d planned to get comfy, but the door creaked open as I was on my hands and knees.
His voice drops an octave. “Fuck. Me.”
I peek over my shoulder, his eyes fixated on my ass. I bite my lip, trying to stifle a giggle watching him lose control over some silk and lace.
“Did you buy this for me, love?”
I catch his eye as he slips a finger beneath the fabric, drawing his finger from my hip down to my ass.
“Yes,” I moan as his finger brushes past my center. “And something else too. For your extracurricular activities.”
I hand him the balaclava, showing him the pink one I got for myself. I don’t expect him to wear it but he removes his glasses and slips it over his head anyway and a flood of heat jolts down between my legs.
“Stick that perfect ass up for me, face down.”
I do as he says, and he takes both cheeks in his hands, gripping me hard before leaning down to take a bite. I yelp, flinching away from him until he pulls me back, dropping a soft kiss where his teeth had left a mark.
I snake my hand between my legs, my fingers reaching for my sex, and I let him watch me rub myself over the smooth fabric.
“God, you’re perfect. You know that, don’t you?” He moves between my legs now, positioning the erection confined in his jeans right against my swollen sex. “You were made for me, love. And I’m going to keep you here.”
“Yesss,” I moan as he thrusts hard against me. The deep rumble of his voice combined with the balaclava covering his face has me panting.
“How do you want me? It’s your night. You can choose.”
“Take control.”
“You’re sure?” he murmurs.
“Please, I need it,” I practically beg him, my voice needy. The slide of his zipper indicates he’s willing to do what I ask. His heavy breathing fills the room with eager pants and muffled groans.
He slips off the bed, pulling the balaclava off and putting on his tortoiseshell glasses to take me in.
I lick my lips as I watch him pull down his jeans.
His cock outlined his boxers, hard and begging to be released.
Next, he removes his T-shirt, tugging it over his head in one swoop and dropping it to the floor.
“Will you leave these on?” I ask, my finger running along the frame of his glasses.
He nods, straightening them, his lips tug upward. My eyes roam the planes of his chest, his broad shoulders housing such strength beneath. His abs flex as he bends to remove his boxers.
Fuck, he’s delicious. I want to lick every inch of him. As the boxers slip down and his cock frees, it bounces a little, hard and angry, almost throbbing. A pearl of pre-cum sits on the tip, and I crawl over to him to lick it up.
“This is supposed to be about you,” his mouth says as his fingers intertwine in my hair, pulling me closer.
I play with him, rolling my tongue around his swollen head.
His fingers tighten their grip at the base of my neck, the strands of hairs tugging with a sharp sting.
My tongue caresses the ridges of his cock as I take him deep.
His balls tighten in my palm as his warm scent invades my nostrils.
Hissing, he pulls back until his cock leaves my mouth empty.
“You’re a menace, Dr. Sinclair.”
I flush as I trail my fingers up and down his thigh before playing with his balls. “Now I know why you like it when I call you Dr. Adams.”
“Hmm, are you going to keep torturing me with it?”
I grin. “Absolutely.”
“Like I said, you’re a menace.”
He pushes my face away so I’m facing the headboard and he can grab my ass cheeks again.
I flinch a little, worried he’d forgotten when I told him how Carter used to spank me and I hated it. I should have known better because as soon as my spine clamps up, Alfie soothes me, moving his hands to my hips and squeezing.
“I’m not going to do anything you told me you don’t like, Mia,” he says, all playfulness gone from his voice. “And if there’s something new you don’t like, you tell me and we won’t do it again.”
I nod, and he wraps my ponytail around his fist, lifting me up sharply.
By the shell of my ear, he whispers, “Are you going to do what I tell you to, love?”
I nod again.
“Are you going to show me how well you listen?”
“Yes, Dr. Adams.”
“You’re perfect, Mia. Now crawl up and hold on to the headboard.”
I do as he says, trying to slow my movements down as I sway my hips heavily each time my knees sink into the mattress.
I hear a low growl behind me and I speed up, just a little, eager to know what he has in store for me.
Once I’m gripping the headboard, he moves to the side of the bed, removing some of the pillows so there’s just one left. I feel him dip behind me, the weight of him pulling me down.
He slips a hand between my legs, unbuttoning the bodysuit. The crack of the poppers rings through the air as I brace myself for what happens next.