Chapter Twenty Four
CADE
We arrived at the brownstone twenty minutes later.
"I'm going to put this in the freezer real quick," she said, shimmying her hips through the house. “Oh, you got more wood delivered?”
“I prepared everything to start a fire.”
"And I thought this evening couldn't get any better," she said. Her energy was addictive.
She busied herself in the kitchen while I started the fire. I was much faster with the whole process now.
When I was confident it was going strong, I joined her in the kitchen.
I went up behind Meredith, kissing her neck. To my surprise, she’d already taken out champagne glasses.
"How did you know where they were?” I asked.
“Oh, I saw them when I emptied the glasses from the dishwasher. Do you mind?"
"No, I want you to feel comfortable here, Meredith."
It made me happy that she knew where everything was, that she felt at home here.
I turned her around slowly. "I've never been this close to anyone."
"Neither have I," she admitted, her eyes searching mine.
"When I saw today that we made it to the next stage, I didn't think about celebrating with my family. I wanted to celebrate with you."
"Really?"
"You're important to me, Meredith. You’re an integral part of me."
I tilted closer, kissing her slowly. She tasted like orange juice. She moaned against my mouth, putting her hands on my chest. Breaking the kiss, I smiled down at her.
"Champagne first,” she said, “or I have a feeling you're going to make me forget all about that."
"You're right." I took the bottle from the freezer, popping open the cork and pouring it in glasses.
It had chilled surprisingly fast. I was going to take the bottle with us.
I had plans for the rest of it. "I'm sorry you didn't make it to the next round.
" I meant it sincerely. She’d put in a lot of effort.
"Honestly, it doesn’t matter. It was only a means to an end for Sonya anyway. But for you, the win itself is important. And I'm so happy for you." She was genuine; I could see that in the way she looked at me. It slayed me.
I felt invincible when I was with her, and I wasn't talking about business. I felt as if I could take anything life threw in my way. It was incredible.
We clinked glasses. "Bottom’s up," I said.
But we only took a few sips before I put down the glass, and she did the same. I was too hungry for her to drink champagne. I put a hand on the back of her head, kissing her even deeper than before. With my other hand, I grabbed the champagne bottle, then walked her backward.
"Where are we going?" she muttered.
"In front of the fire. That’s where I want you tonight.”
I wanted to claim her in a primal away. The rug in front of the fireplace was thick enough to be comfortable. I put the champagne on the floor.
"What are you going to do with that?" she asked.
"You'll see." She was wearing a skirt and a sweater, a change from her usual dresses. Those came off quicker, but this wasn't bad either. I took off her sweater, and then she shimmied out of her skirt and tights.
"I will never tire of looking at you. You're so damn sexy." Her curves were endless, and I wanted to worship them.
"Mmmm," she muttered, coming close to me. "You should wear these shirts more often."
"Why, because they're easier to take off?" I asked.
"That, too, but also because your muscles look so damn delicious in them.
" She took it off right away, then moved her mouth to my chest and continued in a downward trail, lowering herself to her knees.
She undid the belt buckle of my jeans and yanked them down before doing the same with my underwear.
I kicked them to one side. Fuck, I was so hungry for her.
"I like this. Already hard for me." She palmed my cock.
"I've been hard for you ever since we stepped through that door," I admitted.
She licked once from the base up to the tip.
I dropped my head back, groaning, moving my hips back and forth.
Then I straightened up, focusing on her again.
She was like a vision on her knees in front of me.
The fire lit up half her face and body. She lowered her mouth on my cock, and it was all I could do not to thrust even deeper.
Pace yourself, Cade. Pace yourself. But I was hanging on by a thread. Her mouth felt spectacular around me.
I took a step back, lowering myself to my knees as well. She pouted. I grabbed the bottle of champagne and instructed, "Lie down."
She did as I asked. I dripped champagne on her chest, then everywhere I found a dimple from where I could drink, before licking it up. Then I spread her legs wide open and poured right over her pussy.
"Oh my God, Cade."
I put my mouth on her clit the next second, catching the champagne and sending her into a tailspin.
The liquid was cold; my mouth was hot. Meredith bucked her hips, grasping at the carpet with both hands, kneading it between her fingers.
I circled her clit with the tip of my tongue, feeling her entire body vibrate.
I'd never tire of making her come, of bringing her so much pleasure that she completely lost herself.
"Oh my God, Cade. Cade." She chanted my name faster and faster.
I didn't increase the rhythm of my tongue.
I knew she desperately needed to come, but if I dragged it out just a bit longer, her release would be that much stronger.
My erection was damn painful, trapped between the floor and my thigh, but right now it didn't matter. She was all that mattered.
Her entire body shook when she gave in to her orgasm. I interlaced my fingers with hers, keeping her hands tight in mine while she wriggled along the floor, and then I kissed up her body, over her belly and her breasts.
Her smile was sated, her eyes unfocused. She licked her lips, lifting her head, and I kissed her. It was more frantic than before. I touched her everywhere I could reach. My cock was now trapped between her belly and mine.
When her eyes focused again, I kissed one corner of her lips before pushing myself back on my knees. I drew my hand down her inner thighs, resting them on her ankles.
"Turn around," I said. She swallowed hard. "On all fours. I want to be inside you while we both watch the fire."
Her eyes glinted as she moved swiftly, turning around and pushing that gorgeous ass up to me.
This right here was everything I needed to be happy: Meredith on all fours in front of my fireplace.
I gripped my erection, and I didn't tease, not even one bit.
I was too hungry for that. I needed her too much.
I pushed inside, moving slowly, inch by inch, feeling her warmth, her perfectly pink and snug flesh.
Being inside her without a condom was the best thing in the world.
"Oh my God, Cade," she exclaimed when I was inside her to the hilt.
I wasn't gentle or slow. I gripped her hair, threading my fingers through it as I moved my hips back and forth, determined to give her all of me. I didn't want to hold anything back. I thrust and thrust until I felt her grow tighter around me, and then I moved faster still.
"This is… Oh my God." She lowered her head, and I let go of her hair.
She put one hand under her forehead and brought the other to her clit.
I felt her fingers at the base of my cock on every thrust. I came at the same time she did.
One second she was tightening around me—the next I was shaking uncontrollably, calling her name.
My knees turned so weak that I had to put one hand down to support myself.
Then I turned us both onto one side. She was shaking too.
I held her from behind, arm around her waist.
"Oh God, that was so intense," she murmured as we lay down on the carpet.
"I've got you, babe."
"Yeah you do," she murmured.
I kissed the side of her neck.
"Are you comfortable?" I asked.
"I’m perfectly happy."
Hell yes. I wanted her to feel like she belonged here. I had the burning desire to intertwine our lives. How had that happened? I liked this feeling of her being around the house, hearing her footsteps on the hardwood floors.
For my entire life, my instincts had told me that settling down was not an option. For the first time, I was doing my best to fight that instinct.