Chapter 36 #2
He reached for the pineapple, and I giggled as I realized I was holding it close to me. His hands grazed my chest when he pulled the fruit from my embrace, and my nipples woke and tingled at his brief touch like a fuse ready to be lit.
He began to slice the pineapple with the finesse of a master chef, quick, fluid movements and dramatic flicks of his wrists. The instant the pineapple was opened, the sweet smell filled the room. “If you despise pineapple so much, how do you know how to slice it so easily?”
“First, I don’t despise pineapple. I just think it’s abhorrent to put it on pizza. Second, I’m very competent with my hands.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
I met his flirty brows with a challenging lift of my own, but my facade couldn’t be further from the quiver those words sent through my body.
“I also might have googled it,” he admitted with a thoughtful scrunch of his perfect lips. “And practiced.” His cheeks pinkened slightly as he smirked down at the fruit, continuing to use the knife skillfully.
He finally pulled a perfectly triangular slice from the cutting board and brought it to my mouth, his eyes locked on mine. “Open,” he urged, his voice lowering and turning rough. Keeping his eye contact, I flicked my tongue against the fruit, the tanginess of the core hitting my senses first.
“Mmm,” I murmured as I wrapped my lips around the chunk, the juices immediately trickling down my chin.
Squeezing my eyes shut as the sticky sweetness continued to drip, I bit into the flesh and slurped, trying to lap up every drop.
This man had found the most succulent pineapple that ever existed.
I briefly met his gaze, before the pineapple vanished and was replaced by his hungry lips.
The soft nibbles were gone. This kiss was commanding, Reed’s tongue exploring vigorously, taking tastes from my mouth, jaw, and down my neck.
After a final lick up my throat, he pulled back, staring down at me with eyes glazed over.
“Mmm, so sweet. I don’t know about pizza, but it tastes decadent on you. ”
His lazy, lust-induced smirk lingered as he scanned my face, then focused on the mess down the front of my shirt. With a sticky brush of his thumb under my chin, he guided my gaze, all while plucking at the hem of my shirt. “Well, this is quite messy. Guess we will have to take it off.”
His confident hands glided up my torso, grazing my breasts while peeling off my top and flinging it to the ground. Goose bumps covered my skin as he smoothed his pinky finger along my bra straps, then down and across my breast line. He sucked in his lower lip with a hiss. “Fuck, Cienna.”
Yearning sizzled through me, and my breath hitched as he gripped my waist, and with one quick movement, he had me perched at the edge of the counter.
Rather than the hard surface of the counter meeting my ass, something squished beneath me.
Throwing my head back with an insouciant laugh, I felt under my seat and tugged out a piece of pizza dough from the ball I’d set there a few minutes before.
“My crust might not be edible now. But it makes a nice cushion.”
Reed’s chuckle came out as more of a grunt as he swatted the dough from my fingers, not a bit worried about dinner but looking ravenously at me.
His hands left a fiery imprint as he cupped my breast over my bra, then slid his hands around to the back.
With one finger, he caressed between my shoulder blades.
Soft lines and swirls danced on my skin, sending shivers down my spine.
My knees squeezed in as he bit my lower lip, his hands teasing the clasp of my bra. “Can I?” He stared, a genuine question behind his glowing emerald eyes.
“Yes, please,” I panted.
A single flick, and the confining tightness of my bra released, my straps sliding down my arms. The air and Reed’s piercing gaze tightened my nipples. “God, you’re perfect.”
“Are you talking to me or them?” A giggle bubbled up my throat as I tried to conceal my nervousness with humor.
Settling his hips between my thighs, he huffed and dipped his mouth low on my breastbone. He turned his head, nuzzling one of my boobs, then skimmed his tongue across until he found my nipple and circled it with swipe after torturous swipe.
“Reed.” I arched into the prickly heat of his breath.
Needing more contact, I wrapped my legs around his hips and scooted myself closer.
A pleased hum rumbled from where he had pulled my nipple into his mouth, then traveled back up to my neck, nipping and sucking.
I let out a squeal, and he grunted and yanked me forward, my bottom teetering on the edge of the counter.
The thin fabric of my leggings allowed me to feel the press of his jeans against me, further igniting the lust-filled throb between my thighs.
My nipples brushed against the soft cotton of Reed’s shirt, sending shivers through me, but I wanted more.
I reached under his tee, clawing in the spot at his waistline that had teased me so many times, until he jerked his shirt off over his head and pressed as close to me as possible.
“You feel so good against me, Cienna. God, I’ve wanted this for so long. ”
Reed gripped my thighs, then slid his hands up, his palms firm against me. He tucked his hands under and cupped my ass. The sounds that escaped him heightened every sensation coursing through my body.
“Oh god, I need more,” I whispered, tearing at the waist of his jeans. There was a bit of room to slide my fingers down, where I grazed and teased, feeling his tip, already slick.
A giddy jolt of power shot through me as he hissed, and I fumbled with the button on his jeans.
Shifting his hips closer, he made it easier, and the sound of his zipper and the shuffle of his pants falling left me panting.
I sank my hands into the back of his boxers and squeezed his ass. “Mmm, glorious.”
His stomach clenched as I dragged my hands up and around to his pecs, then down to the front of his boxers. Sensing his gaze following my every move, I took my time, kneading and smoothing and loving his hard muscles under soft skin.
His chin dropped, following along with the path of my hand snaking down to stroke him, causing him to grind into my touch.
The feel of his erection pushing against the fabric sent a bolt of longing straight to my core.
With so little between us, the rush of need and anticipation of more had us writhing, pressing, connecting in any way we could.
Suddenly, his strong arms lifted me off the counter. A squeak escaped my throat, and I tightened my grip on him.
“You’re coming with me.” His voice took on a growl, and I held on tight. We nearly made it to his room when his phone rang from his abandoned pants.
“Ugh,” he groaned, helping me to my feet.
“Check it. It might be Abi,” I whispered into his neck. “I’ll wash up real fast.” I gestured at my sticky face and flour-coated clothing.
Reluctantly, he took out his phone and grimaced at whatever he saw blinking on his screen.
“I’ll handle this.” He looked back to the counter, where my ass imprint was indented in the pizza dough.
With a smirk, he added, “And order us dinner.” Then the corner of his lip ticked up a smidge as he looked down at my body with the slightest spark in his eyes.
“Maybe I’ll grab dessert too.” He winked, shifting into the relaxed man I’d spent the last hour smothering in pizza sauce, pineapple, and desire.
The bathroom was so perfectly Abigail. Decorated in mermaids.
Bath toys and paints scattered across the tub floor.
Unicorn towels hung on the racks. And as I washed my hands and arms with sparkly birthday cake soap, I took in my reflection in the mirror.
If there was ever a cross between Hell’s Kitchen and WWE, it was me.
The door opened, and a shirt flew through the air, landing on my head. With no parting words, he closed the door. I pulled the shirt off my head. Across the front, it read “Princess Cruise’s Top Couple.”
Squeezing back a smirk, I threw it on, pairing it with only my underwear, and wrangled my hair into a messy bun.
I peeked from the hallway out to the living room.
Reed’s attention was on his phone, so I stole a minute to take him in.
He had a fresh shirt on with sweatpants, and his face glistened, freshly washed.
His shoulders were more relaxed as he scrolled with one hand while rubbing his hair forward and backward with the other.
He looked up when I approached. “Hey you.” His voice was casual, his face neutral until he looked me up and down and hummed in approval as I parked between his legs.
“Everything okay with Abi?”
Brushing his hands up and down the sides of my thighs, he answered, “Yeah. My mom is taking her to swimming lessons. She signed up today.” Shaking his head, he sighed.
“I’m pissed they didn’t ask me first, but Abi was so excited.
There was a waiver I needed to fill out online.
” A lengthy pause passed between us before his voice lowered into a somber tone.
“I just want her to be happy, you know?”
With the teeniest nod, I reminded him, “Your happiness matters too.”
Grip tightening on my thighs, he murmured, “You make me happy.” When he looked back up, all traces of anger, worry, and sadness were replaced with want.
“I have been in the mood for Chinese, so I put in an order of all our favorites at Bamboo Bites, but I’m suddenly craving something else.
” He smoothed his hands up and down my legs, and his focus darted to my neck, my thighs, my chest, and then back to my face.
It was like he couldn’t decide where to start his meal.
Without another word, he hauled me down to him.
His hands clasped my waist as I straddled him. “Last time I kissed you, you were wearing less clothes.” My shirt made its way up, up, up as he glided his hands over my sides.