I look at him as if to ask for an explanation.
He responds by lifting my ass and sliding the pillow under it.
It's a sex pillow.
"Is that also for me?" I ask.
"Yes."
He undoes his buttons one at a time then slides his shirt off his shoulders.
Desire overwhelms me. It pushes away my nervous energy.
He stands to slide out of his slacks and boxers. It's almost like he's stripping for me.
I take in the contours of his body the best I can. Those broad shoulders, that strong chest, the narrow waist.
Nick's eyes connect with mine. He stares at me like he knows I'm gawking.
There's no shyness on his face. Only confidence.
He grabs a condom and kneels next to me.
His lips press against mine. There's less softness. His movements are hard. Needy.
I kiss back, exploring his mouth with my tongue.
Nick unwraps the condom and slides it over his cock.
His hands go to my knees and pry them apart. With my ass on the pillow and him kneeling, our bodies are perfectly aligned. He's inches away.
My sex clenches from anticipation.
He pulls out bodies together. His cock strains against my sex, teasing me.
I groan.
He does it again.
My body pulses with anticipation. So close to getting what it wants but not there yet.
Again. Again. Again.
"Nick. Please." I squeeze my knees against his hips.
He adjusts my legs so my feet touch the bed. He's holding me in the air, in bridge pose. The weight of my hips is in his hands.
"You want to come again?" He rakes his nails over my hips.
"Yes."
"Use me."
Use him? He must mean his cock. My sex clenches in anticipation. He's making me work for it. There's something thrilling about that.
I ease my weight into my legs, tilting my hips to test my range of motion. I shift my hips. Again, his cock strains against me. It's not enough.
I arch my hips again. He strains against me.
Almost.
I sigh as he slides inside me. God, that feels good. Like everything in the universe is where it's supposed to be.
He groans. His nails sink into my hips. But his grip doesn't falter. He's still holding me just enough that I can barely move.
It takes a few tries to test where to put my weight. Once I've got it, I shift my hips as much as I can. It pushes him deep inside me. I do it again. Again. Again.
Sensation overwhelms me. I have to close my eyes to contain it. I forget about any hint of shyness, forget that he's so composed, and I let out a loud moan.
I get louder the deeper and harder I push him. All the muscles in my lower body get tired. My legs are already spent, but I can't stop now.
I go harder. Harder. Until it's just right, then I shift again and again.
His eyes fill with pleasure. His shoulders shake. He's close, too. I want to feel him.
A few more thrusts, and I'm greedy. I'm so achy I can't stand it anymore. I need to come. Screw everything else.
I lose control of my breath, groaning with pleasure as I rock my hips against him.
God dammit, he feels good.
An orgasm rises up inside me. It's so much more intense than the last. Everything in me clenches tight. It releases in a wave of pleasure. So much it knocks me to my ass.
Nick shifts off me. He pushes the pillow aside, lowers me onto the bed, and presses my legs apart.
In one quick movement, he lays his body on mine and thrusts into me.
God yes.
He rocks into me. I open my eyes to watch the pleasure fill his expression. It's a good look on him. It's sexy as hell.
He moves faster. He kisses me, his tongue claiming my mouth, his nails claiming my shoulders. We're locked like that for minutes, his tongue in my mouth, his cock in my sex.
I can feel the orgasm rising up in him. He groans, his thighs shaking, his breaths rapid.
There. Even with the condom, I can feel his cock pulsing.
I shift my hips to hold him deeper.
His groans echo around the room like some kind of beautiful music.
When he's completely drained, Nick shifts off me. He takes care of the condom and gently undoes my restraints.
One at a time, he examines my wrists. His touch is careful. Affectionate.
He plants a kiss on my lips then steps back into his boxers. "Can you move?"
"Doubtful."
He lifts me into his arms and carries me to the couch. This doesn't feel very casual. It's overwhelmingly intimate.
I'm too spent for thoughts like that. I nestle into his body as he turns on the TV and picks out a movie.
It's The Terminator.
He's starting our AI marathon.
I rest my head on his chest. I try to keep my eyes open, but I'm out of energy.
I fall asleep in his arms.
He's not there when I wake.
The other side of the mattress is cold, like he's been gone for hours.
I get up, brush my teeth, find my glasses on the table in the living room. There's coffee brewing and there's a note on the counter.
Lizzy,
I'll be out all day. Stay as long as you like. I'll see you tomorrow morning.
- Nick
It's certainly to the point.
I raid the fridge for breakfast. Nothing but milk and condiments. He never eats here. Never entertains beyond a cocktail. It's such a beautiful apartment, and it's so empty.
It must be lonely.
I try to shake the image out of my brain while I get dressed and walk back to my apartment. But it's there during my yoga routine. It's there when I shower.
It's still there when Kat comes over to watch a movie. After a dinner of takeout Indian food—a mix of chicken vindaloo and vegetable curry—we settle on Ghost World. It's based on her favorite graphic novel.
She points out every visual detail, only stopping when she falls asleep.
There's a knock on the door. That must be Blake, coming to collect his fiancée. I make my way down the tiny hallway to let him in.
He's standing there with his hands in the pockets of his designer su
it.
"How are you?" His voice is warm.
"Good. Tired. Long week." I motion to Kat, asleep on the bed. "Are you going to carry her out of here or would that attract too much attention?"
"I'll wake her." He presses the door shut. "After I speak with you."
"Planning something for Valentine's Day? You must know her tastes as well as I do by now."
"It's not about Kat."
I shift my weight, suddenly in need of an excuse to end this conversation. Kat worrying about me when she should be enjoying her first chance at taking care of herself is bad enough.
I won't be able to stand it if Blake is worrying about me too.
He looks at me, dead serious. "It's about Phoenix Marlowe."
"Oh." I clear my throat, attempting my best poker face.
"It's confidential."
Blake makes eye contact, a look that asks if I'm prepared to be trusted with confidential information.
I nod. "Go on."
"One of Odyssey's lawyers reached out to our acquisitions department with an offer to sell us the Haley Bot project."
My stomach clenches. That doesn't make any sense.
I take a deep breath. "Nick wouldn't sell Haley."
"Nick?"
Fuck me. My silence is an ineffective protest.
"I need you to know something, Lizzy."
"Yes?" I brace myself for a lecture.
"You're my family now. If Marlowe hurts you, I'll destroy him."
"He won't. I trust him."
"I've seen what happens to smart women who fuck their bosses. It ends fine for the bosses—"
"Even at Sterling Tech?"
"It's against policy, but it happens." Blake frowns. "He must be thirty."
"Twenty-seven. And you're five years older than Kat."
His eyes get intense and protective. "Does she know?"
"No, and I appreciate you keeping this between us. She's spent enough of her life taking care of me. Do you know anything else about this offer?"
"No. But I can find out anything you want about Nick."
"Like what?"
"A girlfriend."
"He doesn't have a girlfriend."
He frowns. "Do you have feelings for him?"
"It's just sex."
Blake raises an eyebrow like he's not sure if I can handle a strictly sexual relationship.
Is it all men that think they know better or only the rich ones?
Behind me, Kat stirs with a loud yawn. "What are you two whispering about?"
"Surprise for you. Don't eavesdrop." I lower my voice. "Thank you for the information, but I've got it under control."