Chapter thirty-eight
AVA
Ionlywentto the party because I felt like Stone really would have come and got me and taken me there in whatever state I was in, but also because Cole was up for it, and dancing with him without fear of someone shredding my clothes sounded like a good time. Didn’t that turn out to be a mistake?
I don’t know why I didn’t want anyone to know who had freaked me out. Maybe because Stone didn’t deserve to play the protector and get revenge, or maybe because I had lingering issues with feeling like a damsel in distress and needing a man to help me. Maybe I was scared he would be all talk and no action when he found out who it was and he’d do nothing. I’ve had plenty of experience of a man taking liberties and complaints being brushed aside. Men always stand up for other men. I honestly don’t know, but my guard was down when Mason called through the door, and I couldn’t have hidden my reaction even if I’d wanted to. Now I’m sitting in the movie room, not paying the slightest bit of attention to the film I’ve put on to distract me, waiting for Stone to get home. Cole offered to stay, but it was unnecessary—there’s only one person I want to be with right now, and I think he’s currently showing Dane exactly why he should stay away from me.
Suddenly, the door bursts open, and Stone is striding into the room.
“Ava!” he booms as I jump a foot into the air.
“Fuck, you scared me!”
“You? I’ve been shouting for you, I thought you weren’t here.” He sits so close our thighs are pressed together, but it’s only a second before he’s pulling me into his lap. I don’t fight it, feeling like he needs this, and I need it too. We sit like that for a while as I feel his heart rate calm down and his muscles relax around me until I shiver, his wet T-shirt pressed against me making me cold. I pull back slightly and notice the blood covering his forearms and hands. It’s smeared and faded, like he hurriedly wiped at it but didn’t clean off well. As for his T-shirt, it’s not leaving a stain, so it seems to just be soaked in water.
“What did you do?” I ask, and he notices me looking at where the blood has smeared onto my skin.
“Shit, sorry,” he replies, rubbing at the smears but making them worse. I go to stand but he doesn’t let me, holding my hips down on his lap.
“Let me take care of you now,” I say gently. His brow furrows, but he lets me stand, taking my hand when I offer it and standing with me. I lead him up to my room and straight through into the bathroom, letting his hand drop so I can put the shower on. No one wants to be in a bath tinged with blood.
“Get in,” I say as he stares at me, and I know this is a one-eighty for me, but I want to take care of him like he tried to take care of me. I cock a brow at him standing there, and his lips tilt into a smile before he pulls his T-shirt over his head with one hand. I do not need the distraction of a strip show from Stone right now, so I leave him to it, walking to his room to find some sweats.
When I get back, he’s still washing, so I get some bits and settle them onto the counter just as the water shuts off. I fiddle with the things to stop myself from perving on Stone as he gets out, but when he stands next to me, he’s still dripping wet in nothing but a towel, and I nearly combust. His hair is like ink, pushed back from his face, and his muscles shine all the way down to the V that disappears into the towel slung low on his hips. By the time I make my eyes return to his, they’re molten with lust and my mouth is dry.
“Let me do your hands,” I blurt out, grabbing one in mine. His knuckles are all busted, but at least now they’re clean. Blotting them dry, I cover one set in liquid bandage before repeating the process with the other. Then I fan and blow on them both to make sure they’re dry. When there’s nothing else I can do but I’m still staring down at his hands, Stone lifts one to cup my cheek, bringing my face up so I can look at him.
“He won’t ever breathe the same air as you again, let alone touch you. Okay?” I nod without speaking. In that instance, I believe him, and I trust him to make that true. When did that happen? “I’m so fucking sorry, Ava.” He’s apologised before, but this one feels like a balm over my heart. I feel all of the residual resentment and blame I feel towards him draining from my body, leaving me lighter than I’ve felt in a while. Pressing up onto my tiptoes, I kiss him softly, pressing my lips to his. I go to pull away, but he wraps his hand around the nape of my neck, pulling me back to him and deepening the kiss. Spinning so his hips pin me to the counter, his towel does nothing to hide how he feels, pressing against me in the best way. His tongue licks at my lips and delves into my mouth as I open it. When I pull back, Stone’s eyes are gunmetal grey, his jaw tense.
“I need to shower,” I say quietly, and he nods, blinking down at my stained skin before stepping back. Just when I think he’s leaving me to it, he spins me and drags the zip of my dress down, pushing it off my shoulders and letting it fall to my feet. I watch his face in the mirror and shudder at the heat flashing through his eyes as he takes in my naked body. Lace up sides don’t really allow for underwear, although he already knows I wasn’t wearing any. Wanting to tease him, I rest my hands on the edge of the counter and lean over slightly, pushing my ass out to him. His eyes snap up to mine in the mirror as he grips my hips, pressing his length against my cheeks.
“This is your only chance to shower,” he says with a growl, and I straighten, turning and heading past him to climb in. I can’t wait to have his hands on me again, but I do need to get this blood off me. That doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun, though. I put my hair into a bun on top of my head and leave the door open, turning the water on. Squirting some body wash onto my hands, I wash my arms and legs before reloading and running my soapy hands over my stomach. Sliding them higher, I wash my breasts, caressing them and squeezing gently, all in view of Stone through the door. He doesn’t react, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his eyes following the path of my hands over my body. That is, until my hand sneaks down my front and between my legs. Then he pushes off the wall, strides over to me and pulls me out of the water, and throws me over his shoulder as he shuts it off, holding me tightly around my legs. A few seconds later, the world is the right way again when he tosses me onto the edge of the bed.
Quite liking the idea of him losing control, I grip his hips before he can push me back, keeping him standing in front of me as I sit on the end of the bed. He frowns until I untie his towel, letting it drop, and take his solid length in my hand. He lets out a growl when I lick my lips before licking a line up the underside of his shaft. He jerks in my hand and I moan, feeling my thighs tense in reaction. As I look up at him through my lashes, he cocks a brow, until I twirl my tongue around his head, sucking it into my mouth when he growls again. Pulling away, he moves me back with his hands around my waist and settles himself on top of me.
“Play time is over, Ava. My turn.” He kisses me until I can’t breathe, and I pant when he pulls away, my brain swimming. “Fuck, I need to be inside you.”
“Yes,” I breathe, just as desperate as he is. There will be a time for foreplay, but right now I need him. I gasp in shock when he flips me over and sits back on his feet, pulling my hips so I’m on my knees, shoulders down. Running his hands up the backs of my thighs, he trails a finger between my legs as he goes up and over my ass, spreading my arousal along my seam then circling my entrance and drawing a line back round to my clit. I push my ass back against his hand, desperate for him to give me some relief, but he chuckles, sliding a finger into me slowly as I tighten around the single digit.
“So ready for me, baby.” He adds another, giving a few tentative strokes before pulling out and replacing them with the head of his cock, but only the tip.
“Stone,” I whimper, and I can hear the pleading in my voice.
“Take it,” he growls. What? “Move your hips, Ava. Take what you need.” It’s not the usual position to take control, but I test it, pushing back against him as he slips inside of me. It feels incredible, feeling him filling me up so slowly as I take him in until he’s fully seated. “Fuck, Ava, you look sensational.” I look over my shoulder and see his eyes glued to where we meet, watching as I rock forward away from him and then back again as he disappears into me. Seeing him so turned on ratchets my pleasure up a notch, and my pace stutters as I can’t get enough force.
“Stone,” I plead again, but he doesn’t move.
“Say it,” he growls, making me restrict around him at the command.
“I’m yours,” I promise, and his eyes move from where we’re connected to mine. There’s so much emotion swirling in his as he reaches to grab a pillow, settling it under my hips before lowering me down, still inside me. He pulls my legs further apart and thrusts into my elevated pussy, making me moan when he hits deeper, leaning onto his hands either side of my shoulders.
“Again,” he says, and I can’t resist. How I held out so long, I’ll never know. We both knew this was going to happen from the beginning.
“I’m yours, Stone. I’m yours.”
His restraint has well and truly gone, this teasing enough for both of us when we’ve wanted each other for so long. He pounds and grinds into me, the sound of his flesh slapping against mine mixing with our pants and then my cry as I come spectacularly, my orgasm hitting me like a freight train. It feels like every muscle in my body tightens and then releases as pleasure courses through me. Stone continues thrusting until I’ve ridden it out and then stills, inside me up to the hilt, pulsing inside me as he gets his release. He collapses down on top of me, only just avoiding crushing me by resting on his forearms while we catch our breath. Then he kisses the bend of my neck and pulls out, climbing off the bed and heading to the bathroom while I just breathe. He comes back with a washcloth and gently cleans me down before pulling the covers back so I can climb into bed next to him. He’s the perfect big spoon, as usual, and his arms encompass me. I fall asleep with the steady beat of his heart against my back, surrounded by the scent of him that I’m so used to waking up to.