Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
IVY
He’s not mad.
He’s watching me with tender, patient green eyes, and he’s holding my hand while he listens to my fears, and now I feel silly that I didn’t say something sooner. I know him. He would have been like this from the beginning.
But anxiety isn’t always rational.
In fact, it’s never rational.
But I have so much more to tell him.
“I quit my job today,” I say, and his eyes shift to mine. “Because I don’t want to travel back and forth. I want to be with you.”
His hand tightens on mine.
“What else have you been up to?”
“Well, I signed paperwork to sell the bar property to Walker. I also hired a realtor to sell my house.”
“You have been busy. And you don’t have to worry about a job, baby. I’ll be your sugar daddy all day long, but if you want to work, I’m sure the team would be happy to have you.”
“Oh, I already have a job, thank you very much.”
I lift my chin and he raises an eyebrow.
“The team offered me a position before I left here the other day. I accepted it yesterday. And I had to bring Cally with me because she’s lonely and I miss her. Where you go, I go, and she needs to be where we are too.”
“Of course, I’m glad she’s here. I missed her too. I’ll buy her another crazy cat tree for the penthouse.” He leans over to kiss the tip of my nose. “What else is going on with you, sweetheart? I’ve missed a lot.”
I exhale, feeling lighter already. “You’re my favorite, you know.”
His eyes narrow. “Favorite what?”
“Player. Person. Everything. I should have told you sooner, and I feel bad that I didn’t. The game was fun, but it’s not funny anymore. You’re my favorite. You always have been.”
He gently picks Cally up and moves her to the side, then stands from the couch, tugs me to my feet, and lifts me into his arms again, as if he can’t handle the thought of not having his hands on me.
“Say it again,” he murmurs as he carries me though the penthouse to the bedroom.
“You’re my favorite, Xander Nathaniel Hendrix.”
He lifts both eyebrows this time. “How did you figure that out?”
“I had breakfast with your dad.” I lean in and kiss his jawline and then over to his ear. “Do you know how insanely hot you are?”
“Mm. No. Tell me everything. Use your filthy words, wildcat.”
I laugh and then yelp when he tosses me on the bed.
“I should shower. I’ve been on an airplane.”
“After. We’ll have plenty to clean up. Now, get back to me being hot.” He strips off his blue Henley and drops it to the floor, and I salivate at the sight of his bare torso. The washboard abs. The defined arms and shoulders.
“Your muscles might be illegal in some states.”
He smirks and unfastens his jeans and lets them fall as he steps out of his shoes and pants, and then he’s just left in black boxer briefs, and he props his hands on his hips.
“Wow,” I whisper. “Hockey works for you.”
“I need to get you naked, Red.”
“Oh, I’ll get naked.” I crawl over the bed and push my fingers into the waistband of his shorts, tugging them down until his hard cock pops free, and that little piece of metal winks at me in the lamplight.
“Damn, Xander. I so love this piercing. And I love that I’m the only one that’s had the pleasure of enjoying it. ”
Before he can reply, I wrap my lips around him and sink down, then tighten and pull back up.
“Fucking hell,” he growls, his hands fisting in the back of my hair. “You’ve got such a fantastic mouth on you.”
“Hmm.” My hands are moving up and down on him as I suck him hard, exactly the way he likes it.
And just when I feel his muscles tense, he grips my shoulders and pulls me off, bends over to kiss me hard, and then says, “Naked.”
In less than three seconds flat he has me stripped down and lying on my back, and he crawls over me, kissing his way up my body. He pauses to nibble on my nipples, making my back bow and my legs scissor.
“Xander.”
“Do you have any idea how fucking crazy you make me?” He bites my nipple then soothes it with his tongue. “Every goddamn inch of you is a fucking miracle. You’re so soft and you smell like heaven, and you were gone for way too fucking long. Depriving me of what’s mine.”
His hand glides up my inner thigh, and when he reaches my core, he hums against my skin, sending electricity through me.
“Fuck, you’re wet, Red.”
“Duh. Hot, remember?”
He smiles and presses two fingers inside me, and holy shit, the jolts of electricity that just went through me are insane. “I’m going to fuck you all night long.”
“Okay.” I don’t think my brain can function well enough to form any other words.
He makes a Come here motion with those fingers, brushing that most sensitive spot, and I moan.
“Jesus Christ, the sounds you make, Ivy.”
How does he get me to the edge so quickly? Every single time? But before I can fall over, he takes his hand away and then brushes his fingertips over my lower lip, painting my essence there. I lick it away, and he grins with naughty satisfaction.
“You’re perfect for me. You know that, right?”
“I need you to fuck me, Xander.”
“Hard or soft? Fast or slow?”
“Yes.”
He huffs out a laugh, lines his cock up with my opening, and slides right inside, making us both groan in satisfaction.
“Shit, you’re snug.”
“You’re big. Not my fault.”
“Both can be true.” He nibbles my lips, leaning on his elbows as he stays seated inside me. “How are you, baby? I need to know that you’re okay.”
“I’m with you.” My hands drift down his back to his ass and then back up again. “So I’m perfect.”
His eyes close, and then he starts to move in long, slow strokes that drag that piercing over my G-spot so damn perfectly, it makes my head spin.
“This pretty pussy is mine,” he says against my lips as he starts to pick up the pace. “Only mine.”
I can’t answer him because his mouth is on mine again, kissing me hard. He brushes his tongue over my own until he has to pull back to catch his breath. He’s pounding into me so hard and fast now, shaking the whole bed, and holy tap-dancing Jesus.
“Xander!”
“Fuck, your pussy is strangling the fuck out of me. You gonna come, Red?”
“Shit, that’s so good.”
“Go over for me, baby.”
I lick my fingers and reach down to press on my clit, and that’s all it takes for me to tumble into oblivion.
“Fuck, Ivy,” he says just as he comes with me, his eyes never leaving mine.
Our breaths are heaving as he rolls over and takes me with him, snuggling me up to his side. He kisses me softly and pushes his fingers into my hair, brushing it away from my face.
“I love you,” he says before kissing my forehead so gently, it brings tears to my eyes.
“I love you.”
“Why didn’t I know you could make the best grilled cheese in the world?”
We’re sitting at the island in the kitchen munching on the warm, gooey sandwiches that Xander made us. He’s only in black sweats, with that amazing torso on display. I’m wearing one of his Flurry T-shirts.
I need to be wrapped up in him, even when he’s not holding me.
Needy?
Hell yes.
I don’t care.
“I have many hidden talents,” he says around a big bite of a sandwich. He already has two more on the stove.
“What else can you do?”
“That’s just something you’re going to have to figure out over the next seventy years or so.”
He winks at me and then turns to flip the sandwiches on the griddle. I stand and walk around to where he is, wrap my arms around his waist, and kiss the middle of his back. He’s so warm, and I feel so much better now that we’ve talked.
And fucked. Let’s not forget that.
Although, who could?
“You okay, Red?”
I nod against him, and he turns around to hug me back.
“I’m so much better now.”
“Good.” He kisses the end of my nose. “Want another grilled cheese?”
“Yes. And then I want to go back to bed.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”