23. Make Us Stronger
23
MAKE US STRONGER
T ori was one step into her closet to look for something else to wear and then decided against it.
Hyde said she looked nice today so she might as well stay in her dress.
It was comfortable enough and she did look good.
She felt confident in it too and that was what she needed.
She kicked her shoes off and realized she had a nice sexy vibe going barefoot.
When the buzzer went off, she realized she needed to put shoes on to let Hyde into the building.
Her flip-flops were by the door and she slipped them on and dashed down the stairs to see him standing there. Another tenant was coming through with their card and let Hyde in.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hey,” she said. He was still dressed from work too and she wondered if he was staying late. Raina normally left around five or earlier. Of course Raina had to get Duke from daycare too because Cody didn’t have the flexibility with his job.
He followed her back to her apartment, she swiped her card and went in, kicking her flip-flops off.
“Want me to remove my shoes?” he asked.
“That is up to you,” she said. “You don’t have to. I just put them on quickly to run down and get you.”
“You look cute with them off in that dress,” he said, yanking her in and giving her a kiss like she wanted earlier.
If she was disappointed he didn’t kiss her like that in his office, she wouldn’t complain. That wouldn’t be appropriate in the least.
“I wasn’t going for cute, but sure,” she said.
“Are you trying to turn me on?” he asked.
“Doesn’t every woman want to turn a man on they are dating?”
“You’re blushing,” he said, running his hand down her cheek. “Why?”
“I get so embarrassed around you.”
“I’m not sure why,” he said. “I’d like to think we’ve seen each other at the most vulnerable. In several ways. That should strengthen us, not weaken.”
Why didn’t she think of these things?
“I’m thinking you’re much smarter than I am. It’s a bit embarrassing.”
He snorted. “I won’t be insulted that you said that. Maybe I’ve realized you need a lot of work and I shouldn’t take it personally.”
Her back wanted to get up over the comment of “needing a lot of work” but she told herself to simmer down.
They were still bopping around each other and he wasn’t being mean.
He was actually talking softly and still caressing her.
“Don’t take it that way,” she said.
“Good for you not letting the words come out of your mouth that were reflected in your eyes.”
“Guess I’m not good at hiding that much either,” she said.
“Speaking of hiding things,” he said.
Oh boy. Here it came. “What?” she asked.
“The Fierces,” he said.
She frowned. “What about them?” she asked. “And can we talk in the kitchen? I need to check on dinner. It should be done soon.”
She moved toward her kitchen with him following. “That smells good, what is it?”
She opened the oven and pulled out a casserole dish. “I remember you saying how you lived off of tacos for a period of time and hadn’t had them in a while. I love them too but rarely make them. This is a Mexican casserole. Kind of like a taco bake. I used chicken rather than beef though.”
“I love messy food. That’s kind of the joke with me.”
She laughed. “You told me. So there you go. Something I know you like in two forms.” She got two plates down and handed them to him while she got the silverware. “Tell me about the Fierces.”
They sat at the table and he helped himself to a big serving. The cheese pulled away, and for the first time making this, she was pretty proud of how it came out.
“You know they like to set everyone up,” he said.
“Yep,” she said. “I’m sure they are trying to set you up. They want to with me too. Diane even stopped me weeks ago to say she had someone in mind.”
“I know,” he said.
She frowned. “You do?” she said.
His head went back and forth. “I heard Diane saying that to you one day. That she has some civil rights attorney or something.”
She laughed. “Yeah. I just pacify her. I had no intention of saying yes, but if I said no, then she’d double down on her efforts. It was right about the time...”
Right about the time he said he wanted to go on another date with her.
She remembered that because she had been thinking about what Diane said to get Hyde out of her mind but then told herself that would be stupid and a waste of time on everyone’s part to take Diane up on the guy she was suggesting.
“I know where your mind is going,” he said. “And that is why I’m bringing this up.”
“Where is my mind going?” she asked. She ate because if there was food in her mouth, she might watch her words better.
“That you think I only asked you out because of that. That I was jealous or something.”
“Is that the case?” she asked.
“That isn’t the reason I asked you out. I’ve told you everything and I hope you believe me.”
She was going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“I do.”
But then he ruined it and said, “But I was jealous over the thought of you going on a date with someone else.”
She put her fork down and took a deep breath. “Please don’t tell me that was your driving force to ask me on that date again.”
“No,” he said. “It’s not. I’m saying that I can’t get you out of my mind. It’s like this crazy addiction I just picked up and it’s got me locked into craving more all the time. I can’t think straight. I can’t talk right. I say the stupidest things and it bites me in the ass, yet I keep setting myself up for more and more. I see the fire in your eyes and I’m like I don’t give a fuck, I’m going to get through this with a few burns because I need more.”
Her jaw dropped. “I don’t know what to say to that.”
He reached over and handed her the fork back. “Eat and process it before you speak again. It might save us both another fight.”
She wasn’t so sure she liked he could read her mind, but she was going to do what he said because she didn’t want to fight.
But she wanted the truth.
And he gave it to her.
He started out doing it too.
She would give him credit for that.
After a few minutes, she said, “This is hard for me. I’ve never dated anyone like you.”
“Like me how?” he asked.
“Aside from your looks, which makes me think you don’t want someone like me.”
“Don’t go there,” he said. “You’re beautiful not just on the outside but on the inside. There is more to you and anyone else than looks. I’ve outgrown that. I’ve matured. I don’t need to say that again, do I? Every woman I was in a relationship with wasn’t anything like the women I had fun with.”
More things to process. “Okay,” she said. “But there is also the fact that you have a lot more experience than me. You’re more outgoing too.”
“I call bullcrap on the outgoing part. You’re very outgoing.”
“For my job,” she said. “But in my personal life, not really. I rarely put much time into my personal life. I spend most of my time on my career, friends, or family.”
“Then it’s time to put you first and maybe us together,” he said.
“But not putting you first?” she asked.
“I don’t think anyone should put another first all the time. It’s unrealistic and puts too much pressure and stress on everyone. Focus on yourself and then the rest follows. I can say that now because it’s what I’ve done for the past half a year or so. I’ve had some missteps, but I feel like everything else is falling into place.”
He calmed her irrational emotions and thoughts when he talked like that.
If they didn’t have the past they did, she’d think he was the perfect match for her.
“I’ll do that,” she said.
“Good,” he said. “Back to the Fierces. I told Ryder about us dating. I mean I told my mother, so Ryder should know too. You’ve told Raina.”
“True,” she said.
“Drake and Jade were listening outside of Ryder’s door, so they know.”
“Everyone in that building is so sneaky,” she said. “I’ve heard it from Raina.”
“Which brings me back to letting the Fierces, Ryder’s father and uncle, know we are dating. Ryder said not to. Drake, Jade, and Raina said yes.”
“You asked Raina?”
She couldn’t believe her best friend didn’t give her a heads up.
Hmm, something to think about there.
“I did,” he said. “She gave the best advice.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“To follow my gut and talk to you about it. Which I planned on doing anyway.”
“Thanks for that,” she said. “What do you think?”
“First off, do you care if they know?”
“I don’t care if anyone knows,” she said. “Secrets aren’t healthy. There is nothing to hide, is there?”
“No,” he said. “I agree one hundred percent. But I’m not going to just announce it. If it comes up, then I’ll just comment as if everyone knew but them. Jade’s idea.”
“Works for me,” she said.
He’d cleaned his plate and went for a second helping. Guess it came out better than she thought.
“This is awesome,” he said. “I’m trying not to drop any on my shirt.”
“I’ll just clean it up for you if you do. You know, you’d have to take it off for me to do that.”
“It makes me want to smear food on it now with the look in your eyes.”
“Don’t you dare do that,” she said, laughing.
“Do you want me to take my shirt off?” he asked.
She wasn’t going to be embarrassed over this.
“Yep,” she said. “Do you want me to take my dress off?”
“Nope,” he said.
Her smile dropped. “Oh.”
“I’m going to fuck you with it on just like I did the first time with your skirt. Maybe this is a thing with us.”
Her face filled with so much heat, that she was positive she was going to ignite into a full body inferno.
She gulped. “What are you waiting for?”
He pushed back from the table and grabbed her arm, lifted her up, and put her over his shoulder, then strode to her bedroom not that far away.
She was laughing the whole time until he dropped her on the bed.
“Get on your knees,” he said.
She did what he said. “Are you going to undress?”
He yanked his shirt out of his jeans and had it off in record time. “Lift your dress up and get rid of your underwear.”
She did as she was told and when she was done, got back on her knees and he was opening a condom and putting it on.
“You’re fast,” she said.
“Only when it comes to undressing,” he said. “Nothing else. I promise. Move to the headboard and face it, staying on your knees.”
She wasn’t sure how she felt with her back to him and not being able to see what was going on.
But when her dress was yanked up and his dick was probing between her legs, she knew how she felt.
Hot.
Wet.
Almost ready to come now.
“I know you know how to find it,” she said.
He put his hands on her waist and pulled her butt out a little, found her swollen lady parts, and thrust in quickly behind.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Why?”
“You let out a loud moan.”
“Because it feels so good.”
He had his chest to her back and whispered in her ear, “That’s the point.”
He jerked up into her in short fast movements. Each time she let out another groan. Maybe it was closer to a grunt.
It didn’t matter because she realized she was vulnerable again with him and she was fine with it.
She’d always be fine with it if she felt like this!
“I’m really close,” she said.
His hand moved around the front of her, under her dress that was draping over them as he was screwing her almost against the wall at this point.
She might never be able to wear a skirt or dress again around him if this was what he always thought of.
Not that it was a problem.
And when his finger found the most sensitive skin between her legs, her head went back, his mouth went to her neck and she was being assaulted in three spots and all of them equally had her losing her mind.
“I’m going to make you scream my name,” he said, biting the skin at her neck.
“It’s not taking much,” she said.
He pressed down hard with his finger like he’d found some magic button and swirled it around some and the next thing she knew, she was doing what he said.
“Let it out,” he said.
“Oh my God, Hyde. Don’t stop. Hyde!”
He shoved her head down, forcing her hips to move out more, his hands on her waist, and he was slamming into her causing the bed to rock and hit the wall.
“Oh God,” he said.
“Don’t stop. I’m still coming,” she said. How the hell was it lasting this long?
He stopped though because it was unrealistic that he could keep this up for hours no matter how much she might want it.
He moved back and she was left feeling cold without his touch.
She hurried away from the wall and got off her knees. Thankfully she was fully dressed so no reason to feel embarrassed there.
She turned and looked at him. He’d taken the condom off and laughed. “I’m starving,” he said.
She smiled. “Why do you think I made such an enormous dish of food?”
“You planned this?” he asked.
“I could have never planned what we just did because my mind doesn’t work that way,” she said. “Just that I wanted us to end up in here and figured I’d make sure we had food to replenish us.”
“You’re used to dull boring sex with the lights off?” he asked, smirking.
She laughed and walked over to slap his ass once his jeans were on. She found her underwear that she’d tossed when she’d removed them and slipped them on too.
“Never that,” she said. “Just not as adventurous. Maybe I’ve never been with anyone that wanted to be. I find I like it.”
He pulled her in for a kiss. “I’m glad you do,” he said.
“Just like I want you to finish eating dinner with your shirt off. Work me up for it again.”
“You know what, Tori,” he said. “I like it when you plan ahead.”