Holding her close, I pressed my nose into her nape, kissing the point where shoulder meets neck. Her scent tickled my nose. Citrus and vanilla. It was a scent I knew intimately and I loved it. I showered the side of her neck and shoulder with soft kisses and continued my efforts as I slowly began to move. I worked her in slow, shallow thrusts, feeding off her pants and quiet whimpers. “Like that, baby?”
“Oh, yeah,” she moaned. “Love it. I love it.”
“Feel good?” I asked.
“More. I need more,” she begged.
I would give her what she needed. Increasing the speed of my thrusts, I panted into her nape. “You feel so good, Mia.”
She groaned, pushing back into my thrusts. I drove into her, reaching deeper than before, deeper than she’d ever had. I knew the exact moment I’d hit her g-spot. I knew, because she cried out, “Oh! Oh! Oh,” as she convulsed sporadically.
My tongue flicked out to lick up the side of her neck, working myself at the same pace, in the same spot. Reaching around her hip, I draped my arm over her, palming her mound. “Want to come?”
“Yes!” she exclaimed, clearly outraged at my question.
I took my middle finger and ran it through her wet slit, searching for her taut button. I found it easily and rubbed small circles over it. Within seconds, Mia’s body drew tight as a bow, her back arching against me. My arm tightened around her, holding her firmly as the first of the spasms began. Panting, she moaned out, “Yes! Oh, thank you, yes!”
I’d never felt more accomplishment as I had then. A willing woman, taking me as I was, appreciating the pleasure I gave her with a simple thank you. Not with money. Right then, life was good. Fuck, it was wonderful.
The feel of her tight pussy clenching around me was too much. I leaned my chest away from her, reaching under the side of her body to grip her hips. I drove into her with everything I had. The deep friction was enough to fuel her orgasm, drawing it out.
“Quinn!” Her voice turned hoarse. I loved it.
Sweat started to bead on my forehead. My brows drawn, I bit my lip as I panted through my thrusts. My stomach tensed. The skin at my lower back prickled and my balls drew tight. Eyes closed, I freed my lip and grunted. “Fuck. Yeah, baby.”
Then she did something. She titled her hips back, as if instinctively, and my cock drove inside, impossibly deep.
It caught me by surprise. My orgasm swept through me in a mess of spotted vision, rigid muscles, growling low in my throat, and clutching her hips hard enough to bruise. I stilled deep inside her wet pussy. My cock jerked uncontrollably, spilling spurt after spurt of hot cum into the condom.
Spent, I collapsed behind Mia, my hands still resting on her hips, albeit weakly. I ran my hand down her hip to the smooth skin of her thigh. My lips against her shoulder, I pressed a long, gentle kiss there, hoping it would convey the words I couldn’t say.
When she rested her hand on mine, squeezing, I was sure it had. Slowly pulling out of her, I stood, removed the condom, and wiped myself off. Zombie-like, I crawled back into bed behind her.
She yawned.
I yawned.
She reached down to pull a sheet over our tired, spent bodies.
I drew her close, placing a soft kiss at the area under her ear.
She sighed blissfully.
And then we napped.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mia
It was official. I was a floozy.
Losing my virginity one night then all but begging for sex the next afternoon…
Yep. I was definitely a tramp.
As I tiptoed around Quinn’s room, trying to be as quiet as I could while retrieving my clothes, I couldn’t help but glance over at him as he slept. His face had softened in a way that looked almost innocent and childlike. His breathing deep and even, he hugged a pillow. A stray piece of hair had fallen over his brow. If I weren’t so worried about waking him, I would have pushed it back, ran my fingers over the stubbled rough skin I liked so much, and kissed his forehead lovingly. He looked so peaceful. I couldn’t bear to wake him.
We’d napped together for a few hours, and although it felt so natural for Quinn to hold me while I slept, my body pressing back into his, I would be lying if I said it didn’t freak me out.
It freaked me out, because it was definitely something I could get used to, and what Quinn was offering was not a forever type thing. He said it before. ‘If you start seeing someone, playtime ends.’
It didn’t even bother him, the thought of my dating another man. I mean, of course it would be a double standard since he was an escort, but the thought obviously hadn’t induced jealousy. That said it all.
Whereas when it came to Quinn, I couldn’t even think about his work as an escort. I could only push the thought aside and pretend it didn’t bother me, for both our sakes. Honestly, how could it not bother me that the man I had started to develop real feelings for was sleeping with other women four to five nights a week?
It bothered me. It bothered me a lot.
But this was Quinn, and I had no claim on him. If I could only have him for a lover, even if for a short while, I’d take it. And when it became too much for me, when I started to feel dangerously in love with him, I’d start dating someone else, ending our non-relationship with the hope that I could find a man who made me feel half of what I felt when I was with Quinn.
It didn’t seem fair somehow, but that was life. It felt nice being wanted, even if it was only temporary.
It was now close to seven p.m. The sun was setting, and being a national holiday, if I didn’t leave now, I’d miss the bus and have to catch a cab. Cabs were expensive. I wasn’t a millionaire.
Dressing soundlessly, I took one last look at Quinn, and at that very moment, he let out a rumbling snore. Quickly covering my mouth with my hand, I chuckled quietly.
My smile fell as I kept my gaze on him. These were the moments I would cherish after our time had passed. These moments were bittersweet.
I shook my head as I walked down the hall, retrieved my purse, and slipped on my flip-flops. With a quick last look around, I opened the door then closed it behind me, walking down the stairs and out the building.
I watched the sun set, splashing of orange and pink across the sky.
The bus arrived and I stepped onboard, taking a seat right at the very back. Thoughts of Quinn assaulted me: his bright smile, his bold laugh, his uncharacteristic playfulness. I ran a hand down my face, suddenly weary as I asked myself a silent question.
How would I come out of this unscathed?
Sitting cross-legged on my bed, the TV on, playing a show about a female lawyer going about her business in all her badassery, I ate tasteless bran cereal for a late supper.
With hair still wet from my shower, as I couldn’t be bothered to dry it, I dressed for comfort in yoga pants, a loose sweater, and fluffy slippers. I called it a quiet night at home, and being that it was close to ten p.m., I hadn’t expected visitors. So when my doorbell rang, I paused with a spoonful of cereal halfway to my mouth, frowning in confusion.
Placing the bowl of cereal on my nightstand, I went to the door and asked, “Who is it?”
The usually sassy voice responded a very tame, “It’s me. Ella.”
My fingers fumbled at the locks, throwing the door open. She looked terrible. Well, not terrible, but terrible for outgoing, feisty Ella.
Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, her curls looking surprisingly pacified this evening. She wore jeans, flat shoes, and a cardigan. I looked her over and uttered a cautious, “Hey, I’ve been trying to call you.”
She smiled sadly. “I know. Sorry, I went AWOL.” She shrugged and uttered a hushed, “Licking my wounds, you know.”
That statement saddened me in such a way that my throat thickened, and in one quick motion, I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around her protectively, wanting to surround her in my warmth. After a moment, her arms folded around my waist, taking all I was giving.
>
We held onto each other for a minute. Then she pulled back, her eyes shining, her voice shaking. “It just sucks, you know?”
I blinked away my own tears. “I know, sweetie. I know.”
“I thought he liked me.”
“I know,” I repeated.
Her voice quieted and her face turned pained. “He called me a piglet.”
“Oh, sweetie.” My heart ached for her. “The guy was an asshole. But most assholes can be very charming.”
She scoffed, her eyes wide. “You’re telling me.”
A small smile pulled at my lips. “The bartender liked you.”
She sighed. “Yeah, well, I screwed that up too.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.” Pulling her inside, I shut the door behind us and led her into the kitchen, taking the piece of paper from the top of the fridge and handing it to her. “He asked me to give you this, but I knew you weren’t up for it the other night.”
Her pretty eyes narrowed in confusion. She unfolded the paper and read silently.
Eyes wide, I shook her arm and asked excitedly, “What does it say?” I was dying to know. Having held that damn paper for two days and not reading it was absolute torture.
Her brow rose. “You didn’t read it?”
“No!” I shook her again. “Tell me!”
A small smile graced her face. “It says…” her breath caught, “…You’re worth more.” She folded the paper and stuck it in her back pocket, emotionless.
I blinked. “That’s it?”
She nodded. “That’s it.”
“No number?”
She shook her head slowly. “No number.”
I stayed silent a second before I burst out an outraged, “That’s bullshit!”