Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
R eagan pulled her lips from Brody’s when he lost the wrestling match with the front door. She slid her hand over his and gave the key a jiggle. “The lock’s always been sticky,” she breathed.
“Lucky for me I know just the woman to fix it.” His mustached smile was crooked as he tossed the keys onto the coffee table. He kicked the door shut with his foot.
Her mouth on his again, she found herself fighting a smile. She’d never been in this position before—and she wasn’t talking about him pressing every inch of his hard body against hers. She’d never been surrounded by such opulence and wealth in her life.
It struck her that she hadn’t been particularly uncomfortable at a party filled to the brim with billionaires. Yes, she was wearing an insanely expensive dress, and yes, at first blush, the Cranes were an intimidating lot, but as the evening drew on, she’d been more preoccupied with the blister developing on her pinky toe than impressing them.
That had mostly to do with Brody, who refused to see her as less than. She considered her bias toward the newer, wealthier residents in the neighborhood and wondered if it was she who’d been classist. Just because they had money didn’t mean they were bad people.
“Lost you for a sec,” he murmured against her lips. His hand slipped beneath her skirt where his fingertips tickled her thigh. “Am I boring you?”
“No.” Far from it. She was slick with need and ready to go. “I was thinking of tonight, that’s all.”
His curt nod accompanied a frown. “Everyone blurting out my ex-girlfriends’ names. It was a long time ago, and they weren’t all girlfriends. Some were only a date or two.”
She stroked the rough patch of facial hair on his cheek that perfectly complemented his mustache. “I was thinking about how oddly comfortable I was around your family, not about your sordid dating past. But now that you bring it up…”
He hung his head. She ducked to kiss his lips and then moved that kiss to his ear where she whispered, “I’m not jealous. I promise.”
“I am. Of your clueless ex mostly. If it wasn’t for him, you’d live here.”
“I do live here.” Her heart pounded against her ribcage when he studied her for a prolonged beat. She lived with Brody under different circumstances than she’d lived with Dustin. As a reminder to herself not to make too much of this arrangement, she added, “For now.”
“For now.” He pressed another kiss to her lips.
“Thank you for the dresses.” The formal gown for the charity ball had required tailoring, but Dana had assured her it would arrive in the next five to six days. Reagan didn’t doubt that it would show up on time. “It’s awe-inspiring how well a billionaire is treated at a department store. I’ve never been catered to like that.”
“That’s good to hear.” He crouched to roll her panties down her legs, leaving her uncomfortable high heels in place. “I like to be first.”
He lifted the red fabric and vanished beneath the skirt. The next thing she knew, her knees were buckling under his slippery, wet assault. As tired as she was, she wasn’t surprised when she sagged against the nearest wall. He lifted and then tossed one of her legs onto his shoulder. Open to him this way, she was at the perfect angle for?—
“Oh!”
He continued his intimate exploration while she kneaded his head with her hands. He inserted one finger, then two, working her while he lapped at her clitoris with his tongue. The full sensation of him touching her paired with the sharp throbbing in her most sensitive part was almost too much.
Almost .
She was not the Reagan who came on contact like that first time with Brody. This version of her knew she was worthy of the finest fabrics and champagne. She conversed with billionaires at parties, never wanted for anything, and enjoyed her work more now that she needn’t worry about the bills. This version of her owned her own home—this one—and a few others in their favorite cities. She and Brody vacationed in Madrid and flew to New Orleans for breakfast on a random Wednesday…
Despite trying to stay grounded, the fantasy life bloomed in front of her, bright and vivid.
For as long as Reagan could remember she’d struggled. She hadn’t seen it as struggling at the time, and she’d never been afraid of hard work. But perhaps she’d been a little too independent. A little too accepting of her circumstances. In this fantasy world with Brody, she enjoyed the best life had to offer. She was an intimate part of his world… A permanent part.
In reality, she had no preconceived ideas about their future together. She had no idea when he planned on leaving Merriweather. And when he did leave, she didn’t know for sure where she’d be living. There were a lot of unknowns.
What she did know was that whenever he touched her, she felt alive. And whenever she inspired him to run for his laptop, she knew she mattered.
Her orgasm crashed into her out of nowhere, fragmenting the homey image of them sharing a Bromelet and coffee while reading the Sunday newspaper. The golden sunrise transitioned to fluorescent neon, contrasted against a black night sky.
She came, her hips pumping, her knees giving out, those damn shoes pinching the life out of her toes. “Ow, ow.” She slapped one hand against the wall to hold herself up as Brody emerged from under her skirt.
His hair was a disaster, his eyes glazed, his lips damp and inviting. “What happened?”
“I hate these shoes.”
He pulled them off, one after the other, and tossed them aside.
“Careful with those. They’re my only pair.”
“I’ll buy you a new pair.” He lifted her off her feet and carried her down the hallway while she laughed against the strong column of his neck.
“You’re spoiled,” she murmured before nibbling his earlobe. “You’re also great with your mouth. Who taught you that? Was it Marla? Or Petrina? Or?—”
He stamped her mouth with a hard kiss. He tasted like sex and sin. “ You bring it out in me, Reagan. This entire experience with you has been unique. That’s the truth.”
She could relate.
He set her on her feet. She ignored the throb in her toes as she unknotted the tie at his neck. “You look good in a suit, but I prefer you naked.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Listen to you stating what you want.”
“I’m indulging.”
“Honey.” He swept the hair away from her face and cradled her cheek. “You should always indulge when you’re with me.”
She hummed, her mind firmly planted in her fantasy world. Even so, she enjoyed being in this house. With its jiggly lock, squeaky flooring, and the shelves she’d hand-painted but hadn’t installed yet. It was as if her reality and fantasy worlds had collided.
Was that possible?
She ignored the dangerous question as she worked the buttons on his shirt. She spread her hands over his bare chest and then teased one of his nipples with her tongue. His hand slipped off her jaw when she sank to her knees.
She tossed his belt aside and drew his zipper down. “Happy birthday, by the way.” She licked her lips. Slowly . She loved that desperate, pleading expression on his face. Big, powerful billionaire, at her mercy.
Yes, please.
She barely recognized this sexually charged, powerful, confident version of herself. Over the years, she’d stayed purposefully busy to avoid closely examining her life. Lately, she’d been outrunning her failed relationship and the emotional upheaval that eventually followed. But here, on her knees in front of Brody, she didn’t have to be anyone else. She knew who she was, what she wanted, and took what she needed. Bonus, she’d succeeded at reducing a powerful man into a puddle of goo.
“I’ve done this before.” She took out his cock, heavy and turgid. She licked the tip and watched as his hands balled into fists. “Not sure if it counts as special.”
“Never gets old.” His voice was rough with lust.
“But there must be something else I can do?” She swirled her tongue before taking him deep. When she released him, his jaw was unhinged and there was fire in his eyes.
“Take me almost to the edge, and I’ll fuck you from behind after.” His gruff command pulsed deep in her womb and made her nipples ache with need.
She dove back in, taking that heft and girth on her tongue. She sucked and laved, hollowing her cheeks. She worked the ridge of his cock and then the head. As she thought of his filthy promise, she lost track of how far to take him.
“Enough,” he growled.
She released him, and the next thing she knew he was pulling her to her feet.
He unzipped her dress, gentler than she expected given the shake in his arms.
“You look pleased with yourself.” He helped her step out of the circle of the skirt. “You like doing that, do you?”
“I like doing that to you.”
Something dark and dangerous clouded his eyes. He thumbed her bottom lip, then kissed it. Slowly. Slower still, he thrust his tongue into her mouth while he lightly pinched her nipples. A keening noise escaped her throat.
He continued kissing her, intentional drugging sips that had her eyes shutting out the meager light in the room. He suckled one nipple, giving the other a hard pinch. Her hips jerked. His teeth grazed her nipple before he gave it a harmless bite.
“Crawl onto my bed.” He gave her ass a light slap.
She sucked in a surprised breath but did as she was told, crawling onto the bed on all fours. Once she was positioned, she noticed the mirror in the corner. She peeked over her shoulder at him.
“It’s new. You like it?”
She turned back to the mirror, watching him watch her while he stroked himself. “I like it.” More than like. She was practically panting for him.
“You look good in this position. Those breasts.”
She focused on her reflection, unembarrassed by her nakedness, her brazenness. She was too turned on to be self-conscious. Both hands on her ass, he spread her open and entered her from behind. He filled her tight channel perfectly from this angle. She shut her eyes and enjoyed each long, slow slide. The sensation of him fucking her this way was like none other.
“Open those eyes, honey.” His breathing grew unsteady as he slid out and back in, taking his time, driving her wild. She managed to meet eyes with her own reflection. “Fucking beautiful. Look how gorgeous you are when you take me.”
A keening moan exited her lips. Her breasts swayed with each pump, her nipples brushing against the soft sheets. Her pink lips were parted, her face flushed. When her attention drifted to him, she found him hungrily eyeing the mirror as she took him. The strong muscles of his arms contracted and tightened. His bulging pecs flinched with each push and pull.
He squeezed his eyes shut, swearing to the ceiling as he picked up speed. Her fingers clawed the covers, her head dropping. He was pulling her against him so hard the backs of her thighs slapped the fronts of his. The depth of their connection was intense, the fullness overwhelming. She came again, this time burying her scream in a pillow.
She clenched around him over and over and over, milking his release until he cried out. His fingertips dug into her ass as his hips stuttered to a clumsy halt. He collapsed over her, bracing his weight with one hand on the bed. His other arm wrapped around her breasts, holding them gingerly.
He kissed his way up her spine before disconnecting them with a ragged exhale. She lost whatever strength had held her upright, flattening to her stomach on the bed.
He flopped onto his back next to her, catching his breath from that bout of exertion. She turned her head, her smile tucked into the crook of her elbow.
“Happy birthday to me.”
“Seems unfair. I had most of the fun.”
Pure male pride pulled his mustache into a cocky smile. “Guess we’ll have to go again so you can make it up to me.”
She crawled up his chest. Nose to nose with him, she set a kiss on his lips. He was so handsome it hurt to look directly at him.
“I could watch you come all day long.” It wasn’t a romantic sentiment, but the pitch of his voice in the quiet room made it sound like one. “I’m glad you’re here.”
That raw admission, she hadn’t expected. So she opted to be equally raw and honest with him.
“I never thought I’d set foot in this house again. It’s better than I imagined. Because I’m here with you.”
Something serious crossed his face before he tugged her by the elbows and encouraged her to lie on top of him. Once she was settled, every part of her touching every part of him, he clasped his hands at her lower back and stared into her eyes.
“Comfortable?” he asked.
“You make a passable mattress.” She smiled.
“You make the best blanket.” He smiled back. “Your chest on mine. Your hips on mine. Our knees almost line up. You fit.”
She fit. They fit. She tucked the idea into her heart, where fantasy had met reality in a blurry middle space. Then she rested her cheek on his chest and listened to the steady thump of his heartbeat until her eyes grew heavy.