Chapter 24 Allison
I set the flowers on the desk as Tate walks us past, his face buried in my neck. He plants soft kisses, sucking and licking.
“I’m starting to think you have a fascination with my neck,” I chuckle.
“I have a fascination with you.” He lays me gently on the bed and crawls up over me. His hooded blue eyes gaze down, a small smile on his lips. “No, fascination isn’t the word.”
“Oh? What is?”
“Reverence.” His voices come out deep, gravelly— honest. My breath catches.
My eyes flick between his. The raw honesty and heat in his gaze do nothing but prove his words.
My knees fall open. He settles between them. I crush my mouth to his, when I lick the seam of his lips, he opens.
Tate kisses me until we’re both breathless. My hands start pulling at his clothes, trying to get them off. Anything to be closer to him.
He smirks against my lips and halts my hands. Standing to his full height, he makes a show of pulling his shirt off in that way men do. He kicks off his jeans, leaving him in only his boxers.
Tate is truly gloriously built. His palm rubs his erection through his boxers. I mentally thank Emalyn for the XL condoms. Hope he doesn’t mind pink.
He shoots me a smirk when I pull the shirt over my head. I lift my hips and shimmy out of the soft pajama pants.
To see this massive man drop to his knees in front of me stuns me.
My brows raise an inch.
His calloused hands wrap around my ankles, drawing soft circles. His grip tightens and pulls me down the bed until my legs are on his shoulders. His face is just inches from my most intimate parts. I feel my blush turn crimson.
He turns his head and plants a kiss to my thigh. I gasp and squirm. He kisses my other thigh. No one has ever taken their time with me like this before.
When he kisses higher, my legs try to clasp shut at the sensitive sensation.
"Sorry, I just–"
"Dont ever apologize to me, Alli." He murmurs. His fingers hook into my panties and slide them off. His mouth is on me in an instant. My hands fist in the sheet as sensation ripples through me. My eyes roll back in pleasure as I hear myself moaning his name.
Tate takes his time, learning me instead of rushing to an end. When release crashes through me unexpectedly, I grip him tightly.
He groans against me like he truly enjoys what he's doing. Then, he does it all again. And again.
After I'm panting and all time has ceased to exist, Tate climbs on the bed and pulls me into his chest. I kiss his lips, tasting myself on him and not caring one bit. He relaxes back onto the pillow, not letting me go when I try to snake down his body.
"You know, this feels a little uneven. How many times have you taken care of me?" I ask. He doesn't say anything, only brushes a strand of hair away from my face with a furrow between his brows.
"What's uneven exactly?” He whispers. He slowly plants soft kisses along my jaw. My cheeks heat. He's really going to make me say it, isn't he? He gives my ear a little nip.
"Well, you know…” My eyebrows raise imploring him to fill in the blank. His thumb draws distracting circles on my hip. I shiver when he trails his nose up the length of my throat, inhaling.
“The score, so to speak." I say, letting out a nervous laugh. He stills. My defences instantly rise, not knowing what I did wrong. He leans back until he can pin me with those sapphire eyes.
"I don't understand…" His eyes bounce between mine trying to figure out whatever he sees there. My own face mirrors his confusion. "What are we keeping score of?"
Oh. Something deep in my chest loosens.
This time when I pull back, he lets me go. Disappointment and confusion flash across his face. Until he understands my intention.
“Are you sure?”
I rub his impressive length over his boxers in answer.
He sucks in a sharp inhale. I pull him free and stroke him.
His head tilts back on a sigh. I smirk, enjoying having this effect on him.
I feel powerful and sexy. When I decide to return the favor, it's not because of the score.
It's because I want to make him come undone in the same way I did.
I want to see him lose that control he always holds so tight to.
When I put my mouth on him, he releases a loud groan and his hand flies to my hair. Not doing anything but anchoring himself to me. I hold back my grin as he curses and pants.
I take my time exploring him, learning what he likes.
He sucks in a sharp breath when I trace the vein that runs the underside of his length with my tongue.
I experiment. Twisting on the upstroke. Gripping tighter, swirling my tongue around the tip then taking him to the back of my throat.
He lets out a low growl that sends new sensations of pleasure rippling through my body.
He gently stops my movements and nudges me away.
“If you keep that up, I’m gonna cum. And I really need to be inside you before that happens.” He’s already reaching for his wallet and pulling out a condom when I look back up.
I watch as he rolls it on. It’s bigger than what I think any woman really has a use for, but like hell is that going to stop me.
For a moment, I think he’s going to reach for me. Try to take control of the moment. Instead, I place a hand on his chest and nudge him to lie down on his back. He places a hand over mine on his chest.
Tate makes me feel safe. I don’t feel like he’s picking apart my appearance or taking note of every stretch mark on my body. With him, I feel sexy.
I want this man to see how much I love his eyes on me. He stays holding my hand to his heart while I brace myself over him.
We both watch as I sink down on him. Only halfway down before I rise again. This time I take all of him, until our hips are flush together. My mouth falls open, trying to get enough air to my lungs.
“Fuuuck.” Tate’s gaze is glued to where we meet. His hands squeeze low on my hips as he guides them back and forth over his length. “You take me so well.”
The angle he keeps hits that perfect spot every time.
My hips roll back and forth under his large hands.
I trail my fingers down my neck, between my breasts following the faint line down my abdomen.
His eyes follow my hand with rapt attention.
When my fingers dip to my center to touch myself, he tosses my hand away.
My mouth opens to protest but he quickly cuts me off.
“Let me.” His thumb finds my clit, drawing perfect circles and driving me further into oblivion each time.
His hips buck up into me at a delicious pace. Each grunt and groan from him sends hot sparks of pleasure through me, pulling obscene moans from me.
This wasn’t exactly what I had planned when I climbed on top of him, but I quite liked this outcome. The way his large hands gripped and pulled me closer like he wanted to touch— no, claim every inch of me was something I'd never experienced before.
“Taaate.” My hands braced on his chest are the only reason I manage to stay upright on him.
With a hand grasping the back of my neck and ass, he flips us so I’m underneath him. Those deep blue eyes of his look almost black with his pupils blown with lust.
“Say my name again, darlin.” His voice is a deep timber of arousal that sends a shiver through my body as he pushes inside me. I rake my nails down his back.
“Tate,” I pant as he picks up the pace. Then because he seems to be spurred on by it, I slowly repeat, “Tate, Tate, Tate.”
His arms wind up my back, and he takes a hold of each of my shoulders, pulling me down to him with each of his thrusts upwards. His pubic bone puts pressure right where I need it. I’m breathless, my mind blank, beginning and ending in only this moment.
“Now, scream it, Darlin.” He says as he sucks my nipple into his mouth and slams into me. My entire body draws impossibly tight— until all at once I shatter.
“Tate!”
His rhythm stutters as he buries himself deep inside me and comes with a guttural roar that he smothers in the crook of my neck.
We lie there, intertwined and panting. I take my fingers through his hair. He props himself up on his elbow and plants kisses on my face down to my breasts.
I look down to where he cups one with his hand and jiggles it slightly.
“I fucking love these.” Tate says, drawing a giggle from me before he kisses them again.
I hiss softly when he pushes in deep one last time before withdrawing from me completely. He rolls away and disappears to the bathroom. I hear the snap of the condom and water running before Tate returns with a washcloth.
I start to sit up and hold my hand out— but he just gestures for me to stay. Heat spreads across my cheeks when I realize he intends to clean me.
“I can do that.” I protest weakly.
“I know. I want to.” The warm cloth is dragged across my skin gently, soothing the slight ache as he cleans me. When he’s done, he joins me back in the bed without dressing.
He pulls me into his still heaving chest and takes my face in both hands. He smiles against my lips, and we share a breathless laugh.
"Alli, baby, you are fucking amazing." He whispers softly and kisses me.
When I'm tucked securely in the crook of his arm, he secures the blanket around us. There’s no awkward silence, now worry if one of us should offer to leave or anything.
We simply talk about the game tomorrow and the kid's youth hockey game on Friday. He tells me more about the ranch he grew up on and the house he built nearby.
“We could take them fishing out on the lake and have a big bonfire.” He says softly, tracing circles on my bare shoulder. I still.
“We?” My brows raise slightly. I try to take a calming breath and not get excited for what I think he’s implying. Casual couples don’t really visit family and hometowns together. Right?
“Yeah. There’s the All-Star break coming up at the end of January. I wasn’t selected to play like Fitz and Grady so I thought a trip home could do some good.” He tips my chin up to look him in the eye, “I’d really like y'all to come with us.”
The sincerity in his eyes makes an emotion bubble up in me, one that’s too big to name right now. I shove it down. It’s way too early for that. A shaky exhale escapes me.
“I’d…” My eyes flick between his hopeful ones. “I would really like that.”
His breath wooshes out in relief. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I grin against his mouth. His hand comes up behind my head to hold me as he kisses me deeply.
There’s a knock on the door. This time, it’s take-out Tate ordered in for us. Claiming I’d need my energy for the night we have planned.
He’s right.
The more time I spend with Tate, I feel something waking up inside me. Something that’s been asleep for a long time. I don’t know what’s scarier— how alive he makes me feel or the fact that I don't want it to stop.