Chapter 14
EZRA
My name was sharp, clear, and it pierced through the night.
My body jolted forward, adrenaline flooding my veins, obliterating any rational thought. I was moving toward the cottage before my mind fully registered the urgency. The porch light cuts through the darkness, shadows dancing frantically around me as I race up the steps.
I don’t hear anything.
“Scarlett?” My voice is strained, and I don’t know why I’m panicking.
I reach for the door, heart hammering wildly, and knock urgently—once, twice, three times—sharp raps echoing against the wood. My breath is ragged, chest tightening as I wait for a response, every muscle in my body ready to move.
The door swings open abruptly. Scarlett stands there, flushed and startled. Her eyes are wide, swollen lips parted as she stares at me, cheeks bright.
“Ezra,” she whispers breathlessly, eyes darting over my shoulder, searching the shadows behind me as if something might be lurking.
Relief and confusion wage war inside me, my pulse still thundering in my ears as I take in her shaken appearance.
I search her eyes carefully, my voice a tense whisper. “Are you okay?”
Scarlett stands frozen in the doorway, her hand gripping the edge of her fuzzy robe like it’s the only thing holding her dignity in place. She blinks rapidly, confusion mixing with embarrassment as she stares back at me, clearly as startled as I am.
“Are you okay?” I ask again as my pulse slows just enough for me to register the awkwardness of the moment.
“I’m—y-yes,” she stammers, her cheeks darkening with a blush that reaches the tips of her ears. She shifts her weight nervously. “I’m fine. Completely fine.”
I glance around, confusion drawing my brows together. “Then…why were you screaming my name?”
She lets out a strangled laugh, quickly covering it with a cough. “Oh, that. I—uh—I thought I saw…a spider.”
“What color was it?” I ask skeptically, tilting my head.
Her embarrassment is starting to look painfully adorable.
“Black?” she insists weakly, biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing.
“You must’ve been scared shitless,” I tease, my mouth twitching up into a smile.
“It was enormous,” she says. “Practically had its own zip code.”
I chuckle as I lean against the doorframe. “Do you need me to check?”
“Um, sure. My hero,” she says, stepping aside.
I move into the cottage. A warm, intoxicating scent lingers, unmistakably intimate, making my pulse quicken, despite myself. Scarlett lingers by the doorway, eyes nervously following my movements as I glance around, still half-expecting some sign of trouble.
The bed catches my eye, sheets tangled, clearly disturbed, and a purple vibrator lying against the stark white comforter.
Realization hits me. Amusement and desire flicker through my veins as my throat tightens.
I glance back at Scarlett, whose cheeks are now flaming red. She looks like she wants to disappear as she bites down on her lower lip.
“I’m guessing that’s your spider,” I tease, fighting back a laugh. “You’re right about it having its own zip code.”
Her eyes widen in horror as she lunges forward, grabs the vibrator quickly, and then places it awkwardly behind her back.
“Oh my God,” she groans, covering her face with her free hand.
I grin, stepping closer, enjoying the nervous energy buzzing between us.
She hesitates, breath hitching gently, then releases a nervous laugh, the tension loosening around her. Her eyes meet mine, shy but brave. “You make me lose control.”
Heat surges through me, and every nerve in my body burns with anticipation. I tilt my head. “Mm. I think this might be the first time anyone’s ever gotten off to thoughts of me.”
Scarlett takes a slow breath, her eyes darkening as she holds my gaze. “I highly doubt that.”
The air around us thickens with desire and a playful tension. I pause, my pulse increasing.
“Is this the first time?” I ask, wanting to confirm my suspicion from the other night.
“No.” She doesn’t flinch and doesn’t look away. Instead, a knowing smile touches her lips, eyes sparkling with quiet triumph and anticipation. “The other night,” she confesses. “I don’t know why I told you that.”
I savor the intimacy that hangs delicately between us.
“Because you wanted me to know. Because it turns you on, knowing that I know.” I take another step toward Scarlett, the tension thickening like honey. It’s slow and sweet and so fucking impossible to ignore. Her breath catches as I draw near, my voice dropping to a gentle, intimate murmur.
“Did you finish?”
She shakes her head, her eyes never leaving mine. The honesty of her admission stirs something deep inside, urging me even closer to her.
“I was so damn close,” she whispers, her voice confident.
“That’s a shame. Apologies.” My gaze locks on to hers. “But please, don’t stop on my account.”
The silence stretches between us. After a moment, she tilts her head, a shy smile curving her lips. “Don’t tease me, Ezra.”
“I’m not,” I respond, my voice husky.
“Stand over there,” she says. “In the shadow of the room.”
I move to where she says and lean my shoulder against the wall. Her confidence grows as she moves toward the bed, eyes daring.
“Don’t look away,” she whispers. Boldness and vulnerability weave perfectly together. “I want you to see everything.”
From the shadowed corner, I watch Scarlett, my pulse throbbing hard in my veins. Her gaze holds mine, and her breath is already uneven as she eases against the pillows.
“Tell me what to do,” she says.
A rush of heat floods through me, and I harden instantly.
My gaze is unwavering, my voice firm and commanding. “Take off your robe.”
Scarlett exhales as she lets the silky fabric slip from her shoulders, revealing soft curves bathed in the light of the lamp.
“Beautiful,” I praise. “Lie down and get comfortable.”
Her breathing grows more ragged as her back hits the mattress. She spreads her thighs, and the exposed vulnerability fucking undoes me.
“Do you like what you see?” she asks.
“So fucking much,” I mutter approvingly.
Her fingers slide up and down her slit, showing me just how wet she is.
“How does that feel?” I ask.
She moans, eyes fluttering as her fingertips trace down her slit, edging inward. Her breaths grow uneven, hips shifting restlessly as she gently teases herself. “Ezra,” she pants, gaze fixed on me, seeking reassurance and craving direction.
“Slide one finger inside yourself,” I instruct, voice controlled but filled with desire.
Scarlett gasps as she follows my command, her head tipping back slightly as her finger disappears inside her warmth. Her hips rise, seeking more friction, more contact. Her soft moans fill the silence. My jaw tightens.
“Good,” I praise. “Taste yourself, sweetheart.”
She withdraws her finger, bringing it to her lips before sliding it into her mouth. A rough exhale releases from me.
“Describe it to me,” I tell her.
“Sweet,” she says, giving in to the intimacy of the confession. “Warm. Salty. Like honeyed desire, silky and addictive. I taste like longing, like how I feel when you look at me like that.”
A primal growl escapes me. Her honesty is so fucking sexy. “Rub your clit for me. Show me how you like it,” I say, voice thick with need.
Scarlett whimpers, fingers moving in slow circles. Her chest rises and falls rapidly as she chases the edge of release.
“Don’t you dare come,” I mutter.
“Please, Ezra,” she begs breathlessly, hips arching desperately. “Please, I need—”
“Not yet,” I interrupt. “Enjoy yourself.”
Her pleading moans are utterly intoxicating.
I shift, aching for her, but I’m determined to watch her unravel.
“Find the edge, Scarlett,” I whisper.
She nods as her fingers work quicker.
Her body arches, and she pulls away, chest heaving. “Are you turned on watching me?”
“Fuck, yes,” I admit, jaw clenched tight.
Her breaths quicken into frantic, pleading pants as she works her clit. Her hips rock against her hand.
“I’m so close,” she begs. “Please, Ezra, please let me come.”
I see her pussy glistening, clit swollen. I let the tension linger, savoring her desperation, then finally give her what she wants.
“Come for me, sweetheart. Now.”
Her hand returns between her legs, and she shatters instantly. She cries out my name, utterly lost in pleasure.
Watching her unravel fills me with deep, primal satisfaction.
I push off the wall. “Good fucking girl.”
Scarlett smiles, her nipples hard, chest heaving as I move toward the door.