9. Atlas
Sittingin the front seat of my dad’s limo, I watch the speedometer as Katie pushes the car to fifty.
“Can we go any faster?” I tap my foot against the floor, trying to steel my nerves. I need to see Eric before he leaves. I need him to know everything that’s in my heart. But I don’t know what I’m going to do if he still leaves after that.
As it was, my dad was angry with me when I left. He thinks I’m making a foolish mistake. But I pointed out that it’s been a long time since he was in love then I left the party.
I rushed outside to discover Katie had pulled my father’s limo to the front. She gave me a grin and dangled the keys from her fingertips. “Are you looking for an accomplice?”
Katie reaches out to pat my knee as she merges onto the interstate. “We’ll get there in time.”
“Why do you put up with him?” I ask, already suspecting the answer. I love my dad, but I don’t understand him.
“He’s not a bad guy,” Katie replies. “There’s a side of him that most people—including you—don’t get to see.”
“Is he Batman?” I ask, half-joking.
To my surprise, she giggles. “That would make me Robin and I do not look good in a leotard.”
“Maybe he’ll come around eventually,” I say, trying to keep the hope from my voice. I may have just messed everything up with my dad to be with a guy who will tell me he doesn’t want me.
This was the best night of my life.I hold tight to those words as my anxiety grows with every passing mile.
When we finally arrive, Katie pulls the limo to the front of the airport. She leans over and hugs me tightly. “Good luck. I’ll be waiting for you.”
I step into the Asheville airport and I’m instantly overwhelmed by all the gates. I wish I’d gotten his flight number.
I scan the list of departures. There’s only one midnight flight leaving for New York now. The gate number flashes, and I look around, trying to figure out which direction the gate is.
In the distance, I hear my name. It’s faint at first then it grows louder. I turn to see Eric sprinting across the airport.
My heart pounds in my chest like I’m the one running. “What are you doing?” I ask as soon as he stops in front of me.
He takes a deep breath and breaks into a grin. “I couldn’t leave. I’m in love with you, Atlas. I want you to be mine. Not just tonight but every day and night for the rest of your life.”
The hope I’ve been trying to hold at bay breaks through and I can’t help but smile, feeling like the world’s luckiest woman. “You love me.”
He wraps his hands around my hips and pulls me against him. “Damn right I do.”
I stare up into his deep brown gaze. I hope the love and happiness radiating on his face is reflected on mine. “Is this the part where you kiss me?”
He leans close to my ear. “This the part where I take you back to the hotel and pleasure you all night long.”
My knees feel weak at his words, and heat travels straight to my core. I imagine all the dirty things Eric could do to me tonight.
“Kiss her, dumb ass.”
I look around Eric to spot an older man. “Who is he?”
“A wise friend,” Eric answers before dropping his head to give me a kiss that leaves me breathless and borders on so inappropriate I’m surprised no one calls security.
“Do you want to get out of here?” He sets me back on my feet.
I nod, already needing him between my thighs again. “I have a limo.”
When I duck into the backseat, Katie grins at me from the rearview mirror. “You go, girl.”
I chuckle. “Thanks for the help, Robin.”
Eric opens the door, done with stowing his luggage in the trunk. He slides onto the seat next to me. Suddenly, the back feels a lot smaller with his bulky frame inside of it. His thigh rests against mine, sending delicious tingles throughout my body.
I give Katie my address even though she already knows it.
“I’m putting up the partition now. As a reminder, it is soundproof in the back.” She winks at us.
I blush, sure that my naughty thoughts are written across my face. “I owe you one.”
As soon as the partition is up, I’m in Eric’s lap, my thighs on either side of his. I grind against him. “I missed you.”
He cups my face. “You’re my home. Now and forever.”
I lean down and kiss him slowly, tenderly. The way I’ve always wanted to. “I love you. Now and forever.”
We spend the limo ride making out together. But it’s over much too soon when we arrive at my house.
“Come in with me,” I whisper, pressing my flushed face against his bare chest. I opened the buttons of his dress shirt because I had to touch him again, had to press kisses to his sculpted abs and listen to his harsh groans.
I can feel his hesitation, the way he wants to. So I wiggle against his lap, letting my softness brush his hardness through his slacks. “These events of his always run late. He won’t be home until the middle of the night, if then.”
Reaching for his shirt, I slowly button it again. Not that Katie won’t know exactly what we were doing in here. It smells of sweat and arousal and heavy breathing in the backseat.
He slips his hands from around my waist and leans forward to adjust my top. He yanked it down on the ride over so he could suck on my nipples and tease me again. Even though I didn’t think it was possible because we were already together tonight, I’m hungry again for him. For his body.
He follows me inside and I tug on his hand, bringing him inside of my bedroom.
I survey my space with the bubble gum pink walls and bright purple blankets, wondering what it looks like through his eyes.
“Let me change out of this.” I grab a few things from my antique white dresser and slip into the adjoining bathroom.
I dress quickly in a t-shirt and underwear. I decide against the pants, figuring they’re a waste of time anyway. There’s only one thing I want right now, and pants would definitely be in the way of that.
When I leave the bathroom, Eric is sitting on my bed. A Greek statute in the middle of a girly place. He looks up from what he’s reading, and I see he found my book for the security certification program I want to take in the next year.
He looks up and heat flares in his gaze as soon as he sees what I’m wearing. “Are you going for this?”
I shrug. “I want a job in the cyber security field when I graduate.”
“Based on what I’ve seen, you have the skills. I’d definitely hire you, Miss Karma.” He flips the book closed and pats the empty space beside himself.
“I don’t know. What kind of benefits could I expect?” I ask as I cross the room. Instead of sitting beside him, I sit in his lap and face him. I grind against him. “What kind of incentive plan is there?”
His voice is husky. “What kind of benefits do you want?”
“Well, daily orgasms are a must,” I say just as fingers slide into my underwear.
“What else?” He smirks at me as he traces my folds, making it hard for me to think about anything but the feeling of his fingers against my body.
“I’d need hands-on training for a while.” I gasp as his thick fingers probe my tight channel. I’m slick and wet, ready for all of Eric. “I need you to take me again.”
“Not until after we’ve finished the hands-on training,” he teases. He twists his fingers, stroking a spot inside of me that sends a wave of tingles through my body. The edges of my vision blur and there’s an explosion of pleasure through every part of me.
I slump against him and giggle. “I like training with you.”
When I’ve recovered from the climax, I reach for his belt.
He puts his hands over mine. “I’m not doing that here.”
“Why not?” My voice comes out whiny, but I don’t care. I was looking forward to feeling his big, hard cock pumping into me.
“Like it or not, this is your dad’s house. That’s not right.” He kisses the top of my head. “I should go anyway.”
“Wait,” I fist the material of his dress shirt. “Stay with me until I fall asleep.”
He nods and helps me settle under the covers. He lays with me but stays on top of the covers. I can see the evidence of his arousal through the thin material of his slacks and it doesn’t seem fair that he shouldn’t be able to get off.
I reach for him again, but he stops me.
“He’d never know.” I can’t help but point this out, wondering why he’s so stubborn.
“That doesn’t matter. I would know,” Eric answers.
I run my fingers along his jawline, feeling the way his five o’clock shadow teases my fingers.
He leans into my touch and closes his eyes. “Start from the beginning and tell me when you decided to become Miss Karma.”
So, I tell him everything about Mexico and how he broke my heart that night. Then I talk about how I knew the only way to get his attention was to break into his computer and flirt with him that way.
“I still can’t believe you’re not mad at me about it,” I admit at the end. I keep waiting for him to get frustrated.
He gives me a sleepy smile, fighting to keep his eyes open. “I’ve never been hacked by anyone as sexy as you.”
I chuckle and watch him drift to sleep. I don’t know what the future will bring. I’m not sure everything with my dad will be fixed. But I know one thing. Whatever happens, Eric and I will face it together. That makes me happiest of all.