Chapter 18
Good girl
Finn
The drive back to Alex’s house was quiet, both of us lost in thought after a successful evening. She’d navigated her family with grace, and I’d found myself enjoying the chaos—the kids’ questions, the adults’ easy acceptance, how Alex had naturally included me in every conversation and inside joke.
But by the time we reached her house, I’d noticed the small signs of overstimulation creeping in—the way she’d grown extra quiet in voice and energy, the slight tightness around her eyes, her fingers tapping against the steering wheel at every stop.
The build-up of a full day of managing her emotions while playing a part—playing two parts. I swallowed at my guilt.
“I’m going to change,” Alex’s exhausted tone followed us through the door. She kicked her sandals off by the entrance before turning on the lamp by the sofa. “Do you want to watch a movie or something when I’m done?”
“Only if that’s what you want, darlin’,” I set the empty serving bowl in the sink, glad everyone had devoured our offering.
“I need something to help me decompress,” she moved down the hall. “You did good today, Walker. You did real good.”
I heard her bedroom door shut, followed by the sound of water running through pipes. I stretched—my back crackling as I bent—and decided I was ready for more comfortable clothes.
After changing into pajama pants and a t-shirt, I returned to the kitchen, turning on the lights above the sink and island so I could look for her coffee grinder.
She had to have one since Enzo mentioned she often forgot to make her own cold brew.
I quickly located it. Hand crank. Praise Ray for his and Dom’s insistence on strength training during my recovery.
I opened cupboards until I found a bag of coffee beans—Peruvian with hints of lemon, chocolate, and honey.
Her choice didn’t surprise me in the least.
I measured the beans into the grinder, working the handle for just under a minute before finding a large glass jar with a lid.
“What are you doing?” I hadn’t heard Alex return. I looked up at her—glasses on, hair hanging loose, wearing a silky, lavender-striped pajama set with loose shorts and a button up top. She looked relaxed. Perfect.
“Making cold brew,” I turned back to my task, pouring the grounds into the jar and looking for a measuring cup.
“They sell cold brew concentrate at the store,” Alex pulled out her glass liquid measurer and handed it to me.
I glanced at her, not hiding the smirk on my face. “Please. I may have been hit in the head and ejected from the burnin’ wreckage of a jet, but I’m not stupid. If concentrate was good enough for you, you’d have some in the fridge. But you don’t. So, I’m makin’ cold brew.”
I slowly poured water over the grounds before securing the lid. “Do you normally leave it on the counter or put it in the fridge?”
“Fridge works,” she rested her hands on the counter as she settled onto one of the stools.
“Is it because you don’t have a machine grinder?” I slipped the jar onto a shelf before turning back to her.
“No,” she shrugged. “I just... don’t do it. I guess I talk myself out of it since it’s just me and iced coffee is fine.”
“Just fine?” I came around the island and she turned in her seat. She smelled warm and earthy, mixed with something darker that pulled me in.
“It takes too long,” she set her chin as she looked up at me, faint sparkle in her eye. “I never was one for delayed gratification.”
“Then you haven’t been doing it right,” I couldn’t help teasing her a bit, the air around us snapping to life.
I leaned closer, tracking the way her lips parted slightly, her eyes flicking down my body and back up to my face.
I’d seen the same look in her eyes the first time I’d kissed her, and when she introduced me to her team.
A challenge mixed with lust. She was in chase-the-adrenaline mode, and I’d be lying if I’d said I wasn’t feeling the same.
I slid between her bare thighs, ignoring my brain’s orders to stop.
“You see, if you know what you’re doing,” I trailed a knuckle down the side of her neck before pushing the collar of her top to the side to trace over what I’d seen that morning, noting the sharp intake of breath, “that prolonged denial of gratification makes its eventual arrival even better.”
The air crackled between us for a split second before she threw her arms around my neck, our mouths crashing together as I staggered back—catching myself and leaning in, wrapping my hands over her hips and gripping her ass.
She moaned softly and that was nearly the end of me.
“Couch,” she rasped, pushing us in that direction.
I was all too happy to oblige, backing us into the living room until my calves hit the edge of her sectional and I fell into the corner of it.
She climbed over my lap, knees on either side of my hips as she fisted my shirt in her hands, moving her lips along my jaw and down my neck.
The heat of her thighs bracketing my legs, soft curves pressed against me everywhere—shit, this woman was going to wreck me before we even got started.
I spread my hands over her hips, feeling the tension in her thighs—she was keeping all her weight on her knees, holding herself up instead of relaxing against me.
“Sweetheart,” I nipped at her lip. “Relax.”
She shook her head slightly, her cheeks darkening as she moved her hands up around my neck again.
“Alex,” I set her away gently, holding the sides of her face so I could look into her eyes. “Please.”
“I don’t want to...” Her eyes slipped to the side as I brushed a thumb across her cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you.” Her hands stilled on my shoulders.
“Look at me,” I waited until her eyes met mine. “I need you to believe me when I say I’ll be fine. I want to feel your weight against me.”
Her eyes searched mine for a moment before she slowly relaxed into my lap, the soft, all-encompassing heat from her body igniting fire in my belly. The pressure was devastating in the best way possible—better than anything I’d experienced before.
I let out a groan. “Good girl.”
Her hips rocked against me at the praise, a strangled whimper escaping her throat.
The full weight of her settled against me—soft and warm and perfect—nearly undoing me right there.
I gripped her ass, fingers sinking into generous curves that filled my palms perfectly, letting her ride me as her mouth returned to mine.
I bit at her lower lip, soothing it with my tongue before pressing forward.
Her lips parted, her tongue meeting mine as she ground against my quickly hardening cock.
“You... feel... so good,” she panted against me, pulling my hand to her chest. I kneaded and pulled at her generous breast, brushing my thumb over her hardened nipple.
She gasped against my mouth, sending heat straight through me.
I made quick work of the snaps on her top, exposing her completely.
She was gorgeous—all soft curves and flushed skin, her breasts full and lovely.
I palmed one, feeling her nipple harden against my palm.
I took it into my mouth, sucking, biting, and licking before moving to the other—addicted to the sounds I pulled from her and the way her body responded to every touch.
Her movements against my cock became more frantic, and I couldn’t stop the grin tugging at my mouth at the thought of making her come.
I spread one hand against her lower back and moved my other between us—the heat and slick wetness I found there making me groan.
“Fuck, darlin’, you’re so wet,” I couldn’t stop the curse from tumbling out.
I shuddered, my cock throbbing. I needed to get her off before she completely undid me and rendered me useless to please her.
I made a fist, pressing my knuckle hard against her center as she bucked against me.
She fell over the edge, grinding down hard—her full weight bearing down on me in the most devastating way—as she rode out her orgasm.
The sounds she made, the way her body trembled and clenched, the heat and wetness soaking through my pajama pants—I’d never experienced anything better.
My body was still on fire as she started to push off me. “Stop,” I groaned, smoothing her hair away from her face and giving her a light kiss. “Sweetheart, don’t move. You might kill me.”
“Are you okay?” She nuzzled against my neck, snaking her arms around me.
The weight of her against my body began to settle the buzzing happening under my skin.
Her soft curves molded against me, her warmth spreading across my chest and lap—grounding me better than any breathing exercise I’d ever attempted.
“Yes,” I kissed the top of her head. “But if you move, I won’t be able to get up from this couch.”
She lifted her head just enough to kiss my jaw. “Because of the flaming wreckage you were ejected from?”
“Because I’m fuckin’ hard and one wrong move might ruin your sofa,” I huffed a laugh. “But yes. It’s hard, no pun intended, on me sometimes. I’m already tired from the evening and—”
“Why didn’t you say something?” She had the sense to nestle back down instead of sitting up more. “We didn’t have to do anything.”
“You were pretty direct in what you wanted, and I wasn’t about to turn it down,” my cheeks warmed. “And when you finally settled onto me? Shit, darlin’, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”
I felt her snuggle against me more, obviously pleased by the truth.
“Isn’t it going to hurt more if you don’t…” I felt her swallow—felt the heat from her face against my shoulder, “… if you don’t take care of things?”
“Nah, I’ll be fine,” I lied, kissing the top of her head. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Then… is it okay if we never mention this again?”
“Absolutely not,” I hitched a smile, tracing circles over her back with both hands. “Already texting Dom to tell him I won at being the lucky twin.”
“He’ll be inconsolable,” she murmured.
“Good.”
I trailed my fingers over her shoulder, looking for the tattoo on her chest again.
Now that I’d seen it—a feather that wasn’t longer than my thumb curving up gently above her left breast—I wanted to know more.
The color transition had been striking, changing from dark purples to reds and oranges while the feather itself turned to watercolor flames.
The lines were perfect, but she’d had it for a while. How had I never noticed it before?
“Tell me about this?” I traced two fingers over the raised texture of the ink, feeling the heat of her skin underneath.
“Hmm?” She turned her head, leaning back to see what I meant. “Oh,” her cheeks flushed pink. “That’s my feather.”
“Your feather,” I huffed in amusement, still running my fingers over it as goosebumps erupted across her skin. I felt her nipples harden against my chest and nipped at her lip. “What does it mean? I know it’s not random. Nothing you do is random.”
“Maybe it is,” she smirked. I pinched her side in response, earning me a squeak. “Okay!” She laughed. “I got it just after my diagnosis and Graham dumping me. After my mother’s disappointment and then landing the Legends contract.”
My jaw clenched and she smoothed her fingers over it before kissing it lightly.
“It’s a phoenix feather. Rebirth after destruction,” she deposited another kiss on my neck, threading her fingers into my hair as she moved to kiss my lips. “But also my Dumbo feather. Reminding me I know how to fly.”
She bit softly at my lower lip, smoothing it over with her tongue before licking gently, requesting access.
I opened my mouth to hers, deepening the kiss as I thought about the significance of what she’d just told me.
The more I found out about Alex, the more I wanted to know—the more I needed to know.
She rocked against me once and kissed my jaw again before settling back down—resting her head on my shoulder as her arms slipped around me. I kissed her forehead and held her. We stayed there in the stillness a while longer. The only sound coming from the ticking clock in the kitchen.
“Do you want to come to my room?” her voice was drowsy and happy—hopeful. I had to be very careful.
“More than anything,” I answered honestly. “But Alexandra, I think we both know that if I do, neither one of us is going to get much sleep and you have that work call in the morning.”
“Stupid work,” she tipped her head back so she could look at me. “That’s what I get for girlbossing too close to the sun, I guess.”
“Just like Icarus,” I kissed the tip of her nose.
“Poor Icarus,” she sighed.
“More interestin’ things on the ground though.”
“Agreed.”