Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I glance over at Key and Teddy, sprawled out on the couch, pouting like kids that were grounded for sneaking cookies before dinner. I can’t help but smirk at them. Key narrows his eyes, giving me the finger, while Teddy gives a shrug, acting the unbothered mastermind as always. They want time with her too, but tonight? Tonight, she’s all mine.
Grace pulls me by my hand, her fingers soft but insistent, guiding me toward the stairs. I shoot the guys a final look, something between a smug grin and a warning. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the group dynamic–we all have a pretty good thing going here–but there’s something about having her to myself for a few hours. No interruptions. No teasing from Key. No strategic inputs from Teddy. Just me and Grace.
We head up the stairs, the soft creaks under our feet setting a rhythm that makes the whole scene feel cozy. I can feel Grace’s excitement bubbling next to me, her silver-blue eyes glinting like she’s got something up her sleeve. And honestly? I don’t care what it is. Just being close to her is enough.
The bedroom door closes with a soft click behind us, and she turns, that playful grin lighting up her whole face. Damn, she’s beautiful. My heart does this weird little twist every time she looks at me like that, like she’s thrilled to have me here. I watch as she moves across the room, kicking off her slippers before climbing onto the bed, her tiny frame barely making a dent in the oversized mattress. She leans back on her hands, waiting for me.
I stand by the door for a moment, just taking her in, her hair falling around her shoulders in soft waves, her eyes never leaving mine. She’s mine tonight. The thought stirs something deep in my chest, a protective instinct so strong it almost knocks the breath out of me.
“You just gonna stand there all night, Attie?” She teases, using that nickname she knows I hate. Yet on her lips, it sounds like pure perfection.
“Maybe I like the view,” I murmur, my voice low as I finally cross the room, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her.
She rolls her eyes, but there’s a flush creeping up her neck that tells me she loves the attention. I sit next to her, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, my thumb grazing her cheek. She leans into the touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment before they snap back open, mischief dancing behind them.
She shifts closer, her legs brushing against mine as she settles in, resting her head on my shoulder. For a moment, it’s just the sound of our breathing filling the room, and I can feel the tension melting away.
“Can I ask you something?” She murmurs after a while, her fingers tracing small circles on my arm.
I tilt my head toward her, a little curious now. “Anything.”
She doesn’t say anything right away, but I can feel her thinking, her mind working through whatever it is she has to say. Finally, she takes a deep breath and looks up at me, her expression serious in a way that tugs at something deep inside me.
“Do you ever wonder…if this is too good to be true?”
I blink, caught off guard by the question. “What do you mean?”
She shrugs a little, looking down as if she’s embarrassed to even ask. “I don’t know. Just...everything. You guys. This crazy situation. How fast things have happened between us. It feels like a dream sometimes, like it’s all too good to last. I’m scared that I’m going to wake up, and it’ll all be gone. You’ll be gone. And I really don’t want that.”
I feel like someone just punched me in the gut. I turn her gently so she’s facing me, her small hands resting in mine, and I wait until she looks up at me.
“Grace,” I say quietly. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re not going anywhere.”
Her eyes search mine, and I can see the vulnerability there, the part of her that’s still scared to trust, scared to let herself believe that something good can last. I know that feeling better than I’d like to admit. Before her, I never thought anything could last either.
“I get it,” I continue, running my thumb over her hand. “This feels fast. It feels crazy. But if you want me, you have me.”
She closes her eyes for a moment, and when she opens them again, I see the relief there, like a weight she’s been carrying has finally been lifted. She lets out a soft laugh, a little shaky, but it’s real.
“You make it sound so simple,” she whispers.
I smile. “Because it is. We’re complicated, sure. But this? Us? That’s the one thing I know for sure.”
She leans in then, her lips brushing mine, soft and sweet. It’s not the hungry, desperate kiss we’ve shared in the past. This one is different. This one feels like a promise, like she’s finally letting herself believe.
When she pulls back, her eyes are shining, and she rests her head back against my chest, her hand still holding mine.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“For what?”
“For being you. For making me feel like I’m not crazy for wanting this to last.”
I chuckle softly, running a hand through her hair. “You’re not crazy, Grace. You’re perfect.”
We sit there in the quiet for a while, just holding each other, the chaos of everything else fading into the background. This is what I needed. This is what she needed.
Finally, she breaks the silence with a soft giggle. “You know, Teddy and Key are probably dying downstairs, trying not to come up here and crash the moment.”
I groan, but I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. “They better stay grounded or I’m locking the door.”
She laughs, her whole body shaking, and I swear it’s the best sound I’ve ever heard. I hold her tighter, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“I’m glad I have you to myself for a while,” I admit quietly.
She tilts her head back, giving me that teasing smile. “Oh, so you like me all to yourself, huh?”
I nod, not even bothering to deny it. “Yeah. I do. Don’t get me wrong, I love the chaos with the guys, but...this? Just us? It’s different. It’s good.”
Her smile softens, and she presses a hand to my cheek. “I feel the same way.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
Grace’s smile widens, that mischievous spark in her eyes as she edges a little closer to me on the bed. Her fingers rest lightly on my knee, and I feel the warmth of her touch seep through my jeans. She leans in, her voice dropping to a soft murmur, her breath brushing my cheek.
“I was thinking,” she starts, her fingers tracing slow circles over my thigh. “We really haven’t gotten any alone time…”
Her words send a surge of heat through me, making my pulse quicken. I know exactly where she’s going with this, and it takes all my restraint to keep myself from pulling her into my lap right then and there.
“I like the way you think,” I say, my voice rougher than I intended.
She lets out a soft laugh, the sound teasing, as she leans in closer, her lips brushing the side of my neck. “I thought you might.”
I don’t wait anymore. My hand moves to her waist, pulling her closer, my fingers slipping beneath her shirt to feel the warmth of her skin. She’s so soft, so perfect. The way she moves against me, slow and teasing, is driving me insane.
“Come here,” I growl, tugging her onto my lap, and she lets out a surprised little gasp before her legs straddle my waist, her hands resting on my shoulders.
For a second, we just look at each other, her silver-blue eyes searching mine, something deep and raw between us. I can feel it–a pull, something more than just desire, something that goes beyond the physical.
I cup her face in my hands, my thumbs brushing her cheeks as I lean in to kiss her, slow and deliberate. She melts into me, her lips parting as our mouths meet, the kiss deepening almost instantly. Her hands slide up my chest, tangling in my hair, and I groan into her mouth, pulling her closer until there’s no space left between us.
Grace grinds against me, her hips moving slowly, teasingly, and I can feel the heat of her through her thin shorts. It’s enough to drive me out of my mind, but I force myself to take it slow, to savor every moment. I want this to last. I want her to feel every single second.
“Atlas,” she whispers against my lips, her voice breathless. “I need you.”
Her words send a jolt of desire straight through me. I tighten my grip on her waist, my hands sliding under her shirt, lifting it higher until I can pull it over her head. She’s not wearing a bra, and the sight of her, bare and beautiful in front of me, makes my chest tighten with something that goes far beyond lust.
“Beautiful,” I murmur, my hands sliding up her sides, cupping her breasts, my thumbs brushing over her nipples. She gasps, her back arching, pressing herself closer to me.
“Atlas…” Her voice is barely a whisper. Her eyes are half-lidded as she moves against me, her body responding to every touch, every brush of my hands.
I lean down, kissing her neck, trailing my lips lower until I can take one of her nipples into my mouth. She moans, her fingers tightening in my hair, her hips grinding harder against me. I can feel how wet she is through the fabric, and it’s taking everything in me not to flip her over and take her right now. But I want to make this last. I want her to feel every inch of me, to know how much she means to me.
I kiss my way back up to her lips, my hands moving to her shorts, tugging them down slowly, savoring every second. She lifts her hips to help, and I pull them off, leaving her completely bare in my lap.
Her eyes are dark, full of heat and need, but there’s something else there too–something deep down. Vulnerability.
I kiss her again, harder this time, my hands roaming her body, feeling every curve, every soft dip of her skin. She moans into my mouth, her hips rolling against me, desperate for more, and I can feel her slick heat against me, driving me wild.
“I need you,” she whispers, her voice shaking with need. “Now.”
I don’t make her wait any longer. I shift us on the bed, gently laying her down beneath me, her legs parting to welcome me in. I take a moment to simply look at her and memorize every detail, every curve of her body. She’s breathtaking.
I pull my shirt off one-handed and push my jeans off, kicking them aside. Settling between her thighs, my fingers trail over her skin as I press my cock against her entrance. She gasps, her body arching, her hands reaching for me.
“Please,” she breathes, her voice barely audible. “I need you inside me.”
I push into her slowly, inch by inch, feeling the way her body stretches to take me in, the heat of her wrapping around me. She’s so tight, so perfect, and I groan as I sink deeper, my hands gripping her hips as I try to keep myself from losing control too quickly.
Grace moans, her fingers digging into my shoulders as she wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me deeper. “Atlas…”
“God, you feel so good,” I murmur, my voice rough as I start to move. Slow and deep, every thrust is deliberate. Every movement full of intent. I want her to know that this isn’t just about sex. This is something more.
As crazy as that is. It’s true.
Her hands move down my back, her nails raking gently across my skin, and I can feel her trembling beneath me. Her body responds to every thrust, every brush of my skin against hers.
“More,” she gasps, her hips lifting to meet mine. “Harder.”
I don’t need to be told twice. I pick up the pace, my thrusts growing harder, deeper, driving into her with everything I have. She moans louder, her body arching off the bed, her head falling back as she loses herself in ecstasy.
“Atlas,” she cries out, her hands gripping my back, her nails digging into my skin as she starts to come undone beneath me.
I watch her face, the way her lips part, the way her eyes flutter shut, the way her whole body tightens around me. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I lean down, kissing her neck and her collarbone, before trailing my lips lower as I thrust into her again, harder this time.
“I’m close,” she gasps, her voice breathless, her hands gripping me tighter.
“Come for me,” I whisper against her skin, my voice low and commanding as I thrust harder, faster, driving her over the edge.
Her body tenses, her breath catching as she finally lets go. Her moans fill the room as she comes undone around me. The way her body clenches around me, the way she gasps my name–it’s too much. I follow her over the edge, groaning her name as I spill into her, my body trembling with the intensity of it.
We stay like that for a while, our bodies entwined, our breathing heavy, and neither of us wanting to move. I brush the hair from her face, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, as my heart still races in my chest.
“You’re incredible,” I whisper, my voice rough, filled with emotion I can barely put into words.
She glances up at me softly, her eyes filled with the same raw vulnerability that I feel inside. “So are you.”
I smile, pulling her closer, holding her tight against me. This– us –It’s everything I never knew I needed.
And I’m never letting go.