Chapter 11
11
The school run with Bea has me pondering the blessed quiet of the office after only a few days. Mostly I don’t have to say anything, just listen. But the ideas her eight-year-old brain can come up with — the mind boggles. Do I think frogs celebrate April Fool’s Day? Is it possible to dye the inside of an Easter egg without changing the outside shell color? Her teachers deserve a raise, that’s all I can say.
I’ve spent every night with Noelle, only going to my place in the morning to shower and change before running Bea to school on the way to work. You would think things would be awkward, meshing two different household routines, but they really haven’t been. At least not until Thursday evening. Miranda is loading the dishwasher and Bea is assembling her lunch for the next day when Noelle turns to me with a slight frown.
“I used to think that you went out on dates every Friday night, but now I know that’s not true, so where do you go?”
She was paying attention to when I was home? I want to tease her about it, but I can tell Noelle’s not quite confident enough for that yet. “Book club, or rather, the IPDIESAC study group. That book you started reading? The one that’s kinda about me? That’s what the group is all about. But my attendance is not required, so we can do whatever you want.”
Noelle shakes her head firmly. “No, I think you should go. I promise not to get into any accidents while you’re gone.”
At first I’m thinking she’s ready to put some space between us, but my thoughts must show because she’s up and pulling me into the living room in an instant. “Stop it, Sam. I just want you to maintain your friendships. There’s absolutely no need to sacrifice your own social life one night a week. Go, have fun, and you can tell me all about it when you get home.”
“You wouldn’t rather snuggle on the couch with a movie?”
She shrugs with a smile. “I can do that with the girls tomorrow night and with you on Saturday night. And I’m going to keep telling you I love you until you believe it in every single cell in your body.”
I don’t let her get any more words out. I’m too busy kissing her ferociously.
And on Friday when I show up at Damien’s place, somehow the guys all know instantly before I can say anything.
“Fess up, North. Who’s the girl? Have you made your move yet?” One of them jibes before sticking his head in the fridge.
I shake my head in bewilderment. “Her name is Noelle, she’s a neighbor, and I’ve essentially already moved in.”
“And I thought I moved fast,” Dom mutters.
“So did you finally sign up for one of those classes?” Dean asks kindly.
I shake my head. “Naw, literally found her right next door. She works at the college and that’s partly why I didn’t want to go there. Too embarrassing to explain, I guess. Anyway, turned out she was sorta watching me too.”
There’s a few raised eyebrows from the guys that are positive there’s more to the story, but they don’t push for the details.
“Good for you, Sam.” Damien claps me on the back. “It’s good news for me as well, because now maybe Buttercup can stop matchmaking on your behalf.” He raises his voice, which means his wife is hiding out in the kitchen. We’ve kept up the pretense of the study group being men only even if most of the men are married now with a wife in residence at whatever house we hold the meeting at. And everyone knows she’s likely within hearing distance, but it keeps it our thing. I guess I see Noelle’s point now in wanting me to continue participating. I’ll go say hi to Tamsin, aka Buttercup, in a few minutes.
By the time we’ve discussed the new trend in spicy small town shifter romances to death — with examples — I’m ready to get home to Noelle and inquire if she’s read any of them.
Somehow I corral the girls into something resembling our old Friday night routine — which only lapsed two weeks ago, so this shouldn’t be so difficult. But Sam has slotted into our life like he’s always been a part of it, so somehow his absence is making the house seem empty. Which we all need to get over because he needs some things that are just his. I don’t know how I know this, I just do.
Still, I’m delighted when I hear his car in the driveway next door. That’s another thing we need to sort out. I leave for school and work earlier than he does and come back later, so it’s difficult to get the cars arranged correctly in the narrow driveway, but there has to be some practical solution.
I wait in the open doorway for him. His pleased look of surprise has me biting my lip to suppress a grin. I’ve been working on a plan…
Sam lowers his head for a quick kiss. “Were you a good girl while I was gone, like you promised?” he murmurs against my lips.
I couldn’t ask for a better opening. I shake my head. “No. I really wasn’t. I had some very naughty thoughts, possibly even dirty fantasies.”
His eyebrows climb sky high even as his gaze heats with interest.
“Girls in bed?”
I nod as I tug him inside and toward the stairs.
“Not so fast, beautiful. Why don’t you go get ready to confess these dirty thoughts while I double-check the locks?”
I’m torn on this. I like his protective edge, but it somehow implies that I wasn’t doing a thorough job living in an all-female household. “Do you think I didn’t do that already?” I finally ask.
Sam shakes his head. “I know you did, but it’s something I need to do to settle my brain down. Something of a routine, no matter where I am.”
Hard to argue with that. “Okay,” I sigh and head up the stairs. I can feel Sam’s eyes on me as I go, so maybe my hips sway a little more than usual.
Two minutes later and he’s in the bathroom, pulling me back against him to nuzzle my neck. “Did you have a good time at book club?” I ask breathlessly.
He growls affirmatively, nipping lightly at my neck. “Tell me about these naughty thoughts you’ve been having, Noelle.”
I cringe slightly now that the moment is at hand. I was braver when telling him was at some distant moment in the future. But I’m turning over a new leaf and claiming the Noelle I want to be.
“You told me I had to cum at least once in a different position for every hour you were gone. And an extra for making you wait. And I wouldn’t be allowed to get out of bed in the morning until I’d properly greeted your cock.”
Bravely, I peek in the mirror to see how he’s taking this. Is he shocked? Aroused? His eyes meet mine and I think it’s a little of both.
“I was gone for three hours, Noelle,” he says slowly. I nod in agreement.
“And I missed you,” he adds as he slowly unties the belt of my robe from behind. He slides it down my body before tossing it over the towel rack. My breath catches. His hand descends on my hip.
“So I guess you’d better start making it up to me, eh? Bend over the sink, beautiful. I want to watch your face in the mirror as you take all of me.”
I moan as my pussy floods in anticipation. Sam waits patiently, not saying a word until I brace my arms on the counter and raise my ass. His silvery eyes stay steady with mine in the mirror even as his hands come up to cup my breasts. “Was that your only fantasy for the night, Noelle?”
I nod. “I just kept rerunning it, embellishing a little each time.”
His smile is slow and sweet. “I’ll leave you with some reading next time I’m go to the study group. I wouldn’t want you to get bored.”
Then his cock plunges into my pussy from behind, hard and determined. I gasp as he slides home and stops. My fingers curl around the rim of the sink. This was a very good idea. Sam takes his time, letting me feel the denim of his jeans against my thighs. The contrast of me being naked while he’s still clothed, only his cock released sufficiently to claim me, is highly arousing. The first orgasm sweeps over me, weakening my knees and making my head hang heavy. Sam sweeps my hair up and over his hand to hold my head. “Beautiful,” he murmurs, still pumping into me gently despite my desperate clenches on his cock.
He withdraws much too soon and sweeps me up in his arms and over to the bed. When I’m reaching for him, he shakes his head and steps back, stripping as his ruddy and dripping cock reaches for me. Then I’m back in his arms and his cock is stretching me wide again.
In no time, he’s rubbing my clit until I can’t avoid another orgasm, no matter how hard I try. My head thrashes on the pillow and then Sam cums just as I go over the edge. His possessive growl fills my awareness, making me feel replete and cherished.
Yawning, I curl into his side and wonder what he’s going to do for the third round. Sam snorts in my ear and I realize I said that part aloud. “Nothing, beautiful. I’ll make it up to you in the morning if you like, with interest.”
“I suppose.” I yawn again and pat his chest fondly. “Love you, Sam. Thank you for not making me feel stupid.”
He stills beneath my hand and then rolls us both over so he’s looming over me. “That kind of talk will earn you a punishment you won’t soon forget, baby. You are always to ask for what you want, understood?”
I blink up at him, then nod hesitantly. With Sam, I think I can do that. “What if I want to be punished?” I ask cheekily. Sam groans and lowers his head to mine.
“Be careful with your words, Noelle. If at some point you think you might want to be spanked, ask for that. A punishment in my mind for, say, holding back your fantasies would be to take you to that store you’ve sworn never to go into. And not letting you come out until you’ve spent all the money I give you.”
I shudder with both intrigue and horror. But mostly I feel highly incentivized to talk to Sam.
His wicked grin just before he switches off the bedside light tells me he’s picked up on my conflicting emotions. “Told you you’re my reward, baby. Definitely worth waiting for.”
I can feel his whole body smiling as he pulls me close, kisses my hair, and falls asleep. Leaving me to bask in this new feeling of having someone to share my most intimate thoughts with. I yawn again and wrap my fingers more firmly around his shoulder, like I’m hanging on for dear life. What are the chances that the real man would be so much better than the calendar version? I fall asleep trying to calculate those odds…