The noise finally stopped as Riley's drowsy murmurs of appreciation and encouragement turned impatient, and his hips arched off the bed as I pumped hisshaft.
It had only been a few days but I knew his body, his patterns. The way he'd bring his mouth to my skin, licking and biting when he needed to reel himself in. How he liked a flash of pain—fingernails, teeth—when he was about to detonate. His words, the ones that started dirty, found their way to filthy, and then turned depraved. And he made the best noises. Growls that grew in depth and intensity. Sighs and moans that I wanted to stow away for myself likesecrets.
"Give it to me harder, Honeybee," herasped.
I turned my head, brushing my lips over his nipple. I dropped tiny kisses there, and dragged my tongue over the dark circle, teasing him a bit. Then I sucked at his skin, sharp and deep like I was searching for the basis of his being. Then Ifoundit.
"Ohfuckyes." Riley spilled onto his belly, uttering every deviant desire in his mind while hedidit.
And then the noise startedagain.
"Seriously. Whatisthat?" Levering up on an elbow, I scanned the room,bleary-eyed.
"If you don't come back here and snuggle me right now, we'll be having words about hand job protocol, Alexandra," Riley said, his voice still raw, rough. He trailed his fingers down my back, and I would've leaned into his touch if the sound wasn't scratching mybrainstem.
"I think it's an alarm." I glanced to the side table, and spotted his phone flashing and vibrating. I held it up for him, but he was busy wiping the orgasm off his stomach and didn't notice. "That's your wake up call. I'm turning this bitch off before I stab it with ninescalpels."
"Oh, fuck," Riley mumbled, shooting a glimpse at the clock. "I have to go." He curled his arm around my shoulders, sighing into my hair as he held me close. "I have a meeting at seven thirty, but I also have to make a few stops before heading to the office. Can I take a quickshower?"
"Of course," I replied sleepily. Only a fraction of my brain was awake. A small fraction. "You can also take a longer shower if you'd like. Bathe as much as isappropriate."
Riley laughed and tightened his hold on me. It was like he was testing how hard he could squeeze me. Whether I'd bend or break, or squeeze him right back. Then he kissed my neck and rubbed my ass, and said, "Go back tosleep,Aly."
The mattress shifted, and soon I heard the water running. I debated joining Riley, but our time wasn't our own this morning. He had a meeting, I had rounds. I tucked the quilt around me and nestled into my pillow, and promptlydozedoff.
"Honeybee," Riley whispered, kissing my forehead and jaw. "I'mleavingnow."
He was dressed in the suit he'd worn to the gala, now creased from two days of abandonment on my bedroomfloor.
"You're cute even when you're wrinkled," I said. I ran my hand down his chest, over his shirt's buttons, smiling. "Your vests make mecross-eyed."
Riley cupped my chin, his thumb stroking my cheek as his brow furrowed. "Isthatgood?"
"Yes," I replied. "I've wanted to rip it off you since that night in August, at theSevenAles."
He blinked at me for a second, his jaw tight. "When I come back," he growled, his hand abandoning my face and traveling down, stopping when he was between my legs. I throbbed against his touch. "I wantthisbare."
"And when willthatbe?"
"Whenever you'll have me," Riley replied, exasperated. "When that time rolls around, I'm going to fuck you hard and call you princess. Do youunderstand?"
"I don't want to be a princess," I said with an undeniable pout in myvoice.
He leaned in, nipped at my lips. "Whynot?"
"Princesses need saving," I said, my mouth on his jaw and my hands sliding over his shoulders. "I don't need any ofthatshit."
"No, you don't, Honeybee," hereplied.
Riley kissed me gently, like I was precious and delicate, and he hadn't made good on his promise to spank the shit out of me lastnight.
* * *
"I'm not ready for winter,"Hartshorn muttered at we crossed the footbridge to the park. "It's too damnearly."
I looked up at the sun-filled sky and breathed in the autumn air. It was crisp and cool, but that wasn't stopping us from enjoying a late lunch outside. Nick was waiting for us at our usual picnictable.
"This hardly qualifies as winter," I argued. A whimper squeaked in my throat when my backside hit the cold metal bench. It was yet another reminder of how thoroughly used every corner of my body was feelingtoday.
