16. Gemma
Chapter sixteen
Gemma
T he crowd’s energy is rubbing off on me. This is exactly what I needed tonight, and leave it to Eoghan to give it to me. The way this man takes care of me and can tell what I need without me saying a word has me convinced he's some sort of mind reader. Never in my life have I felt so completely seen. Not even with Richard, who I dated for years. Though it might have something to do with the fact he was getting his dick sucked between legal briefings. I’d always held something back with Richard, maybe knowing somewhere in the back of my mind he was never going to be “the one”—whatever that means. But with Eoghan, it's been different. I told him things about my past I’d never told anyone. And when said past came back with threats against me and the people I care about, he stepped in the line of fire for me, the girl whose own mother sold her out, who no one ever really gave a shit about other than her best friend from college. The girl who told him over and over that she would never give him a shot.
The same girl sitting here tonight realizing that love can come in unexpected ways, from unexpected people.
Never in a million years would I have thought Eoghan Monaghan would be the man I’d fall in love with, but damn it to hell, it’s true.
The band is amazing and the place is starting to get packed. Eoghan glances from the two bartenders behind the bar to the sea of waiting customers, then back to me.
“I’m going to jump back there and help out for a minute, yeah?” he yells over the music and the cheering crowd.
“Okay.”
I turn in my seat and watch him walk behind the bar. The bartenders’ relief shows on their faces. Eoghan smiles at the customers who have been waiting and begins pouring drinks, handing them off and collecting cash. He works the crowd like a pro and moves around the other bartenders with effortless ease. A couple of women send him flirtatious smiles and stand just a tad taller when he talks to them. With the music so loud, it’s impossible to hear what they’re saying, but Eoghan smiles graciously back at them, that adorable dimple on display. I honestly don’t think the man can help his naturally flirtatious personality, nor would I expect him to suddenly stop talking to half the world’s population. I’m not the jealous type by any stretch, and when he looks at me after the girls have gone off to meet up with the rest of their friends, the smile and wink he gives me is the reason I know I’ll never have a reason to be suspicious of Eoghan. He can turn his flirtatious smile toward anyone, but the one that holds sinful promises—and something else that I’m hoping I’m not imagining—is all for me.
The thought that he could feel the same about me is exhilarating. It doesn’t scare me or make me wonder if this is too much too soon. Eoghan has always let me lead this little dance we’ve been doing with each other, and I know this is going to be no different. Though I have to admit, this is one instance where I wouldn’t mind him taking the lead. Maybe it’s my insecurities rearing their ugly heads, but the only thing that scares me is me saying the words I want to hear from him first and him not reciprocating.
Get out of your damn head and enjoy the music, that little voice in the back of my mind tells me. So, I do.
An hour passes, and once the crowd has thinned to a manageable pace, Eoghan comes back over to me. The band is taking a break with one more set before they call it a night, but I’m ready to go now.
“There’s something about seeing you back there that I really liked,” I tell the man smiling down at me.
“Really?” Eoghan places his hands on the bar on either side of me, caging me between his strong arms against the bar.
“I never had a thing for bartenders, but you may have just changed my mind.”
“Well, good for you that I’ve always had a thing for feisty blondes with an attitude and a fantastic ass.”
“So, I’m your usual type.”
“Blondie, I can say with utmost certainty there’s nothing usual about you.”
He leans in and kisses me breathless in front of everyone, and when he pulls away, I can almost hear the breaking hearts of every single woman in the room.
“What do you say we get out of here and go home?” I ask.
“I say that’s music to my ears. You know what else I want to hear from you?”
“What’s that?”
He leans in close, his lips brushing my ear as his warm breath tickles the column of my neck. “I want to hear you screaming my name while I eat your pussy. Then I want to hear you begging me to fuck you, to fill you with my hard cock. I want to hear how hard I make you come, how no one else will ever be inside your cunt again because you’re mine.”
Never in my life have I considered myself someone who likes to be referred to as mine by any man in that possessive tone. Never. I thought it was antiquated and stifling to my autonomy as my own person. But hearing those words from Eoghan’s mouth has me throwing those thoughts straight out the fucking window.
I lean back and finish the glass of wine sitting on the bar top. “Well, we should probably go then. Sounds like you have your work cut out for you.”
Eoghan backs up a step to allow me space to get off the stool. He waves at his bartenders then grabs my hand, hauling me out the door to his waiting car, then speeds off toward my apartment. Once we’re inside my building, he presses the elevator call button, and thankfully, the door slides open right away. Eoghan wastes no time pushing me against the wall of the elevator as the doors close and takes my mouth in a brutal kiss.
“Fuck, blondie. I’ve wanted to ruin your lipstick since you walked out of the bedroom.”
“Funny. I’ve been waiting all night to see how it looks around your cock,” I say, rubbing his hard length through his denim.
“Fuuuck,” he breathes out, pressing his forehead to mine a moment before diving back in for another kiss.
The doors open on our floor and Eoghan picks me up, rushing to my front door. It takes a minute for me to navigate getting the door unlocked while being wrapped around him as he trails his tongue and teeth over my neck. When I finally manage, Eoghan opens the door with such force it bounces off the doorstop and nearly slams back into us before we make it across the threshold. He slams it closed with his foot then shoots off like a heat-seeking missile to the bedroom. I love this wild side of his. The one that can’t seem to go another second without touching me or being inside of me. I’ve never felt that kind of basic, nearly feral need from myself or any other man for that matter, just with Eoghan.
“You’re wearing too many clothes,” he growls, setting me on my feet before ripping the jacket from my arms and throwing it across the room. Laughter bubbles from me at his desperate need to get me naked and sink into me, that any little hindrance causes him the utmost frustration.
“I don’t know why you’re laughing instead of stripping,” he says when I take a step back.
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you that patience is a virtue?” I ask as I play with the hem of my shirt.
“Fuck patience.” Eoghan grabs the hem and whips the shirt over my head before removing his. The harsh bruise still mars his otherwise smooth skin, but if he’s in any pain from the injury, it doesn’t show. The only thing I see on his face is molten desire mixed with irritation that I’m still clothed.
His mouth attaches to my nipple over my bra, and a bark of surprise followed by a moan from deep inside my chest falls from my lips. My fingers tunnel through his thick hair, gripping the soft strands. Eoghan reaches for the clasp of my black lace bra with one hand and manages to snap it open, yanking the straps down my arms before he throws the material over his shoulder.
“Nifty trick,” I moan as his mouth finds my bare nipple and he sucks it into his hot mouth. God, I love the way he uses his mouth on me as though he needs to devour every inch of me.
He releases my nipple with a pop and kisses his way up my chest before claiming my mouth, his tongue delving in. Eoghan’s hands grip me around my waist as I clutch at his shoulders, both of us still standing at the foot of my bed half-clothed.
“If you like that one, you’ll love what else I have in store.”
He lifts me and tosses me onto the mattress before kneeling on the bed, taking one boot off, then the other.
“Brute,” I say when he crawls over me to take my mouth in another kiss.
Looping my legs with his, I flip us over so I’m positioned on top. The surprised look on his face makes me chuckle as I sit on top of him, my center rubbing deliciously against the hard bulge behind his zipper.
“You have some of your own tricks, I see.” He cups both of my breasts and rubs his thumbs over my stiff nipples, sending tingles straight to my core.
“I did a little jiujitsu training with Alessia and Enzo. Comes in handy sometimes.”
I lean down and graze my lips across Eoghan’s before running them down his neck and over his firm chest, dipping my tongue into every groove of muscle as I go. When I get to the zipper of his pants, my hand pulls at the waistband, not enough to take his pants off, but enough that the head of his hard cock is exposed. I lean down and lick the saltiness from the tip, and Eoghan hisses, his hand lifting my hair back into a ponytail so he can have a front-row view. I swipe my tongue a few more times, rubbing the rest of his hard length through the jeans.
“Fuck, blondie. Stop teasing me,” he says with a groan, tightening his grip on my hair.
“Why? You tease me all the time.”
“I swear to God, I’ll never do it again. Just please take my cock out and put it in your mouth,” he begs, but I’m not done. Instead of doing as he asks, I wrap my lips around what’s peeking out the top of his pants and moan, causing the vibrations to travel down his length. Eoghan jerks his hips and curses under his breath, and I can’t help the smile that forms. God, I love taking him to the point where he’s about to break. And I love it even more when he does.
When I lift my gaze to his and shoot him a wicked grin, Eoghan shakes his head. “You’re an evil, wretched woman.”
“I mean, I could stop if it’s that bad.” I shrug as though it doesn’t matter one way or the other to me.
“Don’t you fucking dare.”
I give him a wink and slowly undo his zipper before pulling his jeans down his legs and sliding them from his body.
“Your turn,” he says, pointing to the fabric still covering me. I stand from the bed and slide out of my jeans and panties before crawling between his thighs and lowering my mouth over his length in one motion.
“Fuck,” he moans into the otherwise silent room as I bring my mouth to the tip and suck the head before moving my mouth back down.
When my eyes move up, he’s lying back on my mattress, and our eyes meet. His arm is slung behind his head, with his other hand holding my hair away from my face. The toned muscles of his torso are tight with anticipation, probably also holding himself back from pumping into my mouth as I continue to bob my head up and down. He loses the battle with himself and pumps his hips up, causing his cock to hit the back of my throat. Instead of gagging, I open my throat and swallow around him. When his eyes roll to the back of his head, I know he’s close, even though he’s desperately trying to stave off his impending orgasm.
“Fuck, baby. I want to come inside you.”
I pop my head up and before I can blink, Eoghan sits up from the bed, taking my mouth in another brutal kiss. “Your mouth is too fucking good, blondie.”
He reaches over to grab a condom from my bedside drawer, but I put a hand on his arm and shake my head.
“I don’t want…I don’t want anything between us.”
Eoghan stills and stares into my eyes, not saying anything.
“I have an IUD and tested negative on everything at my last visit.”
He still isn’t saying anything, which is freaking me the hell out and making me second-guess every clue he gave me that this thing between us is more than two people dating and only living together for appearance’s sake. What was I thinking? Eoghan is charming, but that doesn’t mean he’s serious about anything between us—
His lips crash to mine, cutting off my train of doubtful thoughts.
“Same here. Not the IUD but the testing negative. I haven't been with anyone since, except for you.”
Eoghan kisses me again, his hand cupping both of my cheeks, relieving the doubt and second guesses that were plaguing me only moments ago. But hasn’t that always been the case? I can be a mess of self-doubt and insecure about my emotions where Eoghan is concerned, but as soon as his lips meet mine, it’s like my brain…just stops. It’s a comforting silence I’ve only had with him.
Lifting my hips, I position myself over his cock, holding it in my hand as I slide onto his length, bare for the first time. I swear to Christ, the world around us narrows into this one singular sensation, this one moment of being closer to him than I’ve ever been with another person.
I break the kiss to look at Eoghan's face. Our lips are parted as we tumble headfirst into the incredible sensation of him being inside me bare for the first time. Our breaths mingle, sharing the same air as I slide up and down his length. There’s so much in the depths of his blue eyes, things I’ve never seen before. A connection so strong it’s as though it would be impossible for either of us to look away.
Eoghan takes my mouth in another kiss and leans back, pulling me with him. Our chests are pressed together when his hands find my hips, and he guides me up then slams me down, thrusting forcefully into me from underneath.
“God, it feels so good. You were fucking made for me, Gemma.”
My walls clench around him as he continues controlling my hips, pumping in and out of me. It’s almost too much but not quite enough at the same time.
“I’m so close,” I pant into his open mouth.
Eoghan moves one hand between us and his thumb begins strumming my clit with expert precision. That’s all I need before I explode around him, my pussy tightening, making each stroke of his cock inside me that much more intense.
“Goddamn baby, strangle my cock just like that. Fuck,” he hollers as I feel him jerk inside me and his release washes through him.
I collapse onto his chest, the damp heat between our bodies feeling so euphoric, I can’t even think about moving, let alone actually do it. Eoghan traces the tips of his fingers up and down my damp back for several long moments. I want to tell him I’m in love with him, that when all of this is over, I don’t want him to move out. I don’t want to spend another day coming home to an empty apartment or sleep in my bed alone. But I don’t. I keep all those thoughts locked tightly in my heart. I’m not ready to voice them. I will. Just not tonight.
“I hear your brain going into overdrive, blondie.”
I chuckle and kiss his slick chest. “Let’s get cleaned up. Some of us have to go to work in the morning.”
“And some of us want to push you up against the shower wall and eat your pussy. Me. I’m the us .”
I laugh and lift myself from his chest, my muscles still feeling like jelly from the orgasm I just had. “Well, let’s not keep us waiting.”
I am tired as hell at work today, but it’s so worth it. The live music, the sex, the shower, all of it has had me smiling like a giddy schoolgirl throughout the day.
I’m about to shut down my computer and leave for the evening when there’s a knock at my door, and Natalie peeks her head in.
“Hi. I’m glad I caught you before you left.” She steps into my office and shuts the door behind her before walking in front of my desk and taking a seat.
“It’s seven o’clock; I thought you would be gone by now.”
“It’s been a hell of a day, or I would have been in here sooner.”
“What’s up?” Jean and Natalie have been having some closed-door meetings the last week. I haven’t pried since if it’s something I need to know, they’ll tell me. Besides, the new campaign has been keeping me plenty busy, but that doesn’t mean my curiosity hasn’t been killing me.
“You know how much Jean hates the Massachusetts winters.”
Of course I do. Come February, the man threatens to pack it in and move to the Caribbean every damn year.
“Well, he’s decided that he wants to open another office and studio where he can get away for the winters. We’ve been looking at properties in Southern California.”
“Wow, that's a big step.” I had no idea they were even considering an expansion.
Natalie nods. “It is. His haute couture studio will still be based in Boston. But he wants to move operations for the ready-to-wear line to California. And we think you should head the office there as VP of marketing.”
I’m stunned speechless as I stare at Natalie. VP of marketing? That’s been my dream. What I’ve worked my ass off for since coming to Aubine.
I blow out a long breath, trying to find my words. “That’s an amazing offer.”
“We’ve seen how tirelessly you work, Gemma. The ready-to-wear launch went amazing, thanks to you and your team. We want you to re-create the magic in California.”
Her smile is bright, like she just handed me the opportunity of a lifetime, which she has. Except…no, this needs to be a decision that I make for myself. This has been my goal since before coming to Boston. If I start making decisions based on a man, I’m no better than my mother, who would gladly give up her independence and worth time and time again for the opposite sex.
“When are you thinking of going out there?” How much time do I have?
“We have an appointment with a commercial realtor to look at properties next week. Jean wants something by the beach.” Natalie rolls her eyes. “I have a feeling he’s going to be a bit of a prima donna about the entire thing.”
I laugh with her, but the sound rings hollow in my ear.
Her smile is still wide as she stands from the chair. “I should have more information for you in a few days.”
Nodding, I keep the fake smile on my face as she walks out the door. God, I hope she’s taking my lack of words as being so excited I can’t talk. And I am excited. This is huge . But there’s an uncomfortable tightness in my chest and a little voice in my head that says the last place you belong is in California.
I pack up my things on autopilot and walk out of the office. The ride down the elevator into the parking garage doesn’t even register. When the doors open to my level, I grab the phone from my bag to call Alessia, but she doesn’t answer. She’s probably at the casino being the badass host that she is.
When her voice mail picks up, I leave her a message before getting into my car: “Hey, so I just got the offer of a lifetime. Jean is opening an office in California and wants me to relocate out there as VP of marketing. I…I don’t know what to do. Call me when you get a chance. I really need to talk this out.”
I grab my keys from the bag, holding my phone and briefcase in one hand as I press the fob to unlock my car. From the corner of my eye, I see a man approach, and as I turn, I recognize him immediately.
Andrei.
“What do you want?” I ask.
“Your father would like a word.”
“He can call me, then. I’m not at his beck and—” Before I finish the sentence, a hand covered in a sweet-smelling cloth clamps around my mouth. The last thing I see is Andrei’s smirking face before my eyes close and I lose consciousness.