28. Noah
Chapter twenty-eight
Noah
"Everything OK up there?" Awa asks from inside the car. I tamp down on the urge to channel my inner grumpy old man and shake my fist at the kids. I offer my hand to Awa instead.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Some college students almost ran me down."
When she places her warm, soft hand in mine, I look to her mouth and find a mischievous grin.
"College students, huh? Don't tell me you're one of those guys who hangs around freshmen trying to relive his glory days."
I scoff and gently tug her upright.
"Please. These kids wish they were as cool as me. I just love being in the center of everything. This neighborhood has a certain energy, you know?"
Her teasing eyes say she still thinks I'm out creeping on undergrads in my spare time, but that's OK. I'm about to show her my type is grown, sexy, career women with plenty of sass and more than a little ass.
She whispers something to her driver, who nods, then retakes my arm and follows me to the building.
"I hope you didn't tell him to wait," I joke with a wink. "We're going to be a while."
Her lush laugh goes straight to my dick, already hard after a full day and night of shameless flirting.
"You know, the cocky asshole bit isn't usually my vibe, but it suits you."
"Oh, I'm plenty cocky," I answer with a chuckle. She rolls her eyes, but I don't miss the racing pulse at her throat. She's as into this as I am.
After Carl grants us access to the building, we make our way across the lobby in silence. The tension is palpable; the expectation that tonight will make up for our last disappointment looming heavy in the air. This time, I'm the one in unfamiliar territory.
"Welcome to my humble abode," I murmur, pushing open my front door and waving her through.
My apartment is modern, but still homey, with lots of family pictures, a painting Henry gifted me from one of his art collector clients, and some colorful throw pillows that Adam's wife, Maya, makes.
I'd have more space if I left the city like Henry, but after years in LA, I know New York is the only place for me.
Awa turns away from my stellar view of Sixth Avenue to receive a glass of crisp white wine.
"Thank you," she murmurs, taking a sip and drawing my eyes to her full, burgundy lips.
"I was pleasantly surprised you had an elevator. I wasn't in the mood for a fifth-floor walkup after all day in these heels."
"Do you want a massage?" I offer, gesturing to the couch facing the wall of windows.
I sit first, and after a moment of hesitation, she joins me. She's like an exotic bird, ready to take flight at the slightest provocation. I can't mess this up. Not when I finally have her in my apartment. Not after so many years of unconsummated desire that was clearly mutual.
She doesn't protest when I lift her legs into my lap and slowly remove her heels. The moan she releases when I rub my thumb into the arch of her foot is damn near pornographic.
"Oh God. That feels amazing. Where on earth did you learn to massage like that?"
"Oh, you know," I reply vaguely, but the moans stop and her legs go a little stiff.
"Come on, Awa," I groan, beyond frustrated at being so close to either heaven or devastation, depending on what's running through her mind right now. "If I told you I learned with another woman, would you leave?"
She shrugs, but doesn't remove her legs from my lap.
"No. I guess not. But it is a good reminder of the kind of man you are. Even after all those sweet nothings and gestures tonight, you're still the type to be gone in the morning."
I resume rubbing her feet while she eyes me warily.
"I can't very well leave my own apartment," I quip, which earns me a raised eyebrow. "OK, that was a bad joke. I didn't promise anything when I brought you up here, Awa," I say with a sigh. "If that's what you need to move forward—"
"Quite the opposite," she interrupts, placing her hands over mine to stop my ministrations. "I think it's best if we make it clear from the start that this is just sex. Just for tonight. You can get me a latte tomorrow, or not, but we're not anything outside this room."
I've given a version of that speech countless times.
I remember saying something similar in her dorm room all those years ago.
And that twinge in my chest probably has more to do with chili-spiced prawns at the event earlier than her words.
I'm Noah Park. I've always been here for a good time, not a long time, at least where women are concerned.
But is that how you feel about Awa? my subconscious unhelpfully asks.
She felt different then, and she feels different right now, but clearly different isn't where her head is at tonight. I'm not about to get cock-blocked just because of some feelings I haven't even figured out yet.
"We're on the same page," I respond, smiling. "Alors, s'il te pla?t, est-ce que tu veux bien me laisser te baiser?" Her eyes darken, just as I'd hoped.
The surprise when I first showed off my French months ago had been delicious.
She probably thought I forgot how she used to tease me about my terrible pronunciation.
How she practically begged to teach me some basic phrases, if only to spare her eardrums. Our…
relationship fizzled before she got the chance to make good on those plans, but I never forgot.
Her words, the brief but scorching memories of our time together, stayed with me.
She leans back, resting against the plush cushions of my couch, and spreads her thighs open to tempt me.
God damn! Lacy panties that match the cobalt blue of her gown peek out at me from between her legs, the dampness at the apex making my throat constrict. It's going to take a miracle not to chase her when she walks out the door.
I lean forward, pressing my body flush with hers, and take her lips in a searing kiss months in the making.
The sharpness of the wine mingles with the tanginess of the blackberry cheesecake from the party on her tongue, drawing me in deeper until I'm plundering her mouth, pillaging every corner of her sensual heat.
Her desperate moan when I grab her hips and squeeze sends a wave of pleasure up my spine.
It's so fucking hot. Too fucking hot, when mere hours ago she would've been happy to never see me again.
Little did she know that her snark, her frequent digs at my expense, only made me want her more.
Want to feel the fire that smolders beneath her intimidating professionalism.
I could never tame her, but I'd gladly worship her, even for just one night.
My hands move of their own accord, from the globes of her ass, along the supple flesh of her abundant thighs, and between her legs to the warmth that's been pressing against my crotch, ratcheting up my hunger with each grind of our hips.
"Yesssss!" she hisses when I slide a finger past the satin of her panties into her already soaking core. I release my own groan, feeling the strong grip of her hot cunt around my finger. How the fuck am I going to last in that? I won't; that's how.
Instead, I pull away, moving down her body.
"No!" she whines, trying to pull me back up to her tempting lips. My chest puffs out at that, at the fact that she might hate what my mouth says, but she loves what it can do to her.
"Don't worry, baby," I coo against her neck.
I untie the belt of her dress to expose more smooth, ebony skin.
I kiss down her chest, push her breasts together to surround my face as I lick her sternum and the azure lace of her bra, and hum a moan of appreciation against her rib cage.
The dark velvet under my lips is intoxicating, hypnotizing, irresistible.
She stops pulling at my shirt when my shoulders settle between her open legs, my intentions clear.
"I'm going to eat you to within an inch of your life," I promise, my eyes burning into hers. "Then I'm going to fuck you until you're nothing but a puddle of pleasure on my couch."
The old Awa would have quivered at my words, cowered at the thought of pleasure she'd only seen in movies. But this Awa, the Awa who offers herself to me like the most sinful feast, simply smirks.
"Well, what are you waiting for?"
I smile. So mean. So perfect. I'm going to wipe that smirk right off her face.
I make a show of rolling up my shirtsleeves, then wrap my left arm around her plump ass, while my right hand rips the material of her panties to expose her fully to me.
"Hey!" she protests. "I liked those!" But she doesn't pull away. Doesn't close her legs. Doesn't even drop her teasing smile.
And so I lean in and take her engorged clit into my mouth with a firm suck.
She bucks into me at the direct contact, but I don't let up.
To the suction on her clit, I add a finger into the tight channel of her pussy, thrusting and curling the digit as the muscle memory of her pleasure comes back to me.
"Oh my fucking God," she screams, pushing her heat further into my mouth and drowning me with her arousal. "?a fait tellement de bien. S'il te pla?t, ne t'arrête pas!"
"Oh, I'm not going to stop. Not until you make a mess of my face, baby."
She writhes against me as I lick up and down her moist flesh, nudging her clit with my nose with every stroke. Her whimpers are more French than English now, and my cock is leaking into my pants at the implied praise. It feels good to know I can drive her as mad as she makes me.
"Noah, I'm going to cum. I'm going to—"
She's already cumming, her release flowing onto my tongue as her legs shake uncontrollably against my shoulders. If all we get is one time, I'm going to make it fucking count!
She's still shaking, legs splayed, as I sit back onto my knees and rip open my shirt.
I loosen my tie just enough to yank it over my head and throw the ruined material behind me without a care.
My belt is next, yanked unceremoniously through the loops of my pants, which are then shucked down along with my boxers.
My dick bobs proudly at Awa, who stares, still speechless. Maybe this is how to get on her good side: drive her senseless with orgasms until she forgets all her little snide comments.
I dig in the pocket of my discarded suit jacket, where I stashed some rubbers just in case things went according to plan. I may not have won her over fully—it's still just sex and for one night only—but I'm here, she's here, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make it memorable.
I roll the condom down over my rigid length as she watches, then I fall back into the warm cushion of her body. I'm a little pissed she's still got on her bra, since it means I won't get to feel her pebble-hard nipples scrape against my chest, but I can't wait; I have to have her now.
I lift her knee up to my side to get the best angle; I want her to feel me in the back of her throat.
Then, I line myself up with her dripping entrance and slowly sink home, reveling in the keening sound escaping her lips.
Her juicy pussy is squeezing me tighter as I push further into her, and she grabs my waist to bring me closer still.
"Oooh, shit, Noah. I never imagined you had all that."
"But you did imagine, huh?" I taunt, playing it cocky when I'm actually seconds from blowing my load into the regrettable condom. Feeling her skin to skin would be incredible, but I know it's out of the question…for now.
She rolls her lips together to keep from speaking further, and I know I've caught her. She might spit daggers, but she's felt this thing between us. She's thought about how good it would be. And boy, is it living up to the fantasies!
I don't call her on her bullshit, instead pounding into her with a relentless rhythm that drives us both crazy. She's scratching my back with her acrylic talons, and I'm practically snarling into the hollow of her neck. Dirty, filthy growls that seem to be making her wetter.
"Fucking dammit."
"So tight."
"Arch a little more, like—Yes! Just like that."
"Do you like that? Am I hitting it right?"
"Don't run now, Awa. Keep your pretty little ass right there."
I feel possessed by some horny demon, but I could not give two fucks. I'm mindless, the sound of our slick skin smacking together driving me closer and closer to ecstasy.
"Are you ready, Awa?" I grunt. She nods, but I shake my head. "No, baby. You can't be ready. I don't hear you begging. I don't think you really want it."
"Give me your cum, Noah. Fuck that thick cock into my tight little pussy until I can't think. Until I can't remember what an asshole you are."
The unexpected barb drags a laugh from me, but I cum anyway, my entire being shooting from the root of my dick straight into Awa. I'm falling, sinking, losing myself in her. I'm out of breath, awed, overwhelmed.
Because it's never felt like that. Not with anyone. Even when we were together before. There was an inkling, but I had no idea it'd be like this.
Her lids are heavy with impending sleep, and that hot feeling in my chest from earlier turns warm. I hope she falls asleep. I hope she forgets she was going to walk out and pretend this didn't happen. I hope she decides to stay and finally see what this feeling between us really means.
She's dozing now, and I pull her closer, even though my fucking legs are tangled in my stupid fucking pants. I don't give a shit. I'm going to hold on to this for as long as I can. I can overthink later. For now, sleep.