She glances at her watch and yelps. “Shit, yes. I’m sorry! There’s just one last thing I want to do…”
Shaking my head, I busy myself with pulling the register and taking it to the back room to lock it up in the safe. When I return to the store floor, Pen is standing on top of the old, shaky ladder we found in the back, reaching up toward the puffy cloud above the display.
“Pen!” I can’t help but shout in alarm, which causes her to gasp, losing her balance.
It’s like time stands still as she teeters but it’s the stillness that gives me time to race across the floor. Pen slips off the ladder, falling sideways, right into my arms. My heart races as I look down at her, her eyes are closed tight, clearly bracing herself for impact.
“Are you okay?” I breathe. Pen nods, not opening her eyes or moving a muscle. She’s stiff in my arms, and yet so, so soft. “I’m going to help you stand now. Are you ready?”
“Mhmm,” she squeaks as I help her upright.
“Breathe, Pen. I’ve got you.” With my hands still wrapped around her, I go to rub her comfortingly, but freeze as I realize her hoodie and tank top have ridden up on her left side. My right hand touches Pen’s bare skin, and this realization hits her at the same time, her eyes popping open.
“Oh,” she whispers, staring up at me, her hands fisting the sides of my shirt. “You caught me.”
“Yeah, of course I did.”
A blush covers Pen’s cheeks and she laughs, the fake laugh she does right before she says something that’s not true. “Just surprised I didn’t crush you, but you are pretty fit.”
I can’t stop myself from pulling her closer to me, my hand pressing possessively against the soft skin of her waist. “Don’t,” I growl. “Don’t do that.”
“I’m just?—”
“No. You are fucking perfect, Pea. You always have been. And now all I can think about is why it took you falling off a ladder to get into my arms?” Desire courses through my veins, possibly laced with insanity, and everything I’ve tried to convince myself of up until this moment— how it wouldn’t be fair to lead her on or get involved knowing I likely won’t stay— slips out of my goddamn mind.
Not ready to remove my hand from her skin, I take my left hand and tilt her chin up. “You have three seconds before I kiss you, Pea. If you don’t want?—”
Pen surprises me by tugging hard on my shirt, pulling me flush against her, and standing on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to mine. She moans against my lips and I slip my tongue into her mouth, stroking and licking, staking my claim. Fuck, she tastes so good, like the sweetest, most elusive candy.
“Dom,” she groans, trying to press further into me.
With both hands on her hips, I walk her backward a handful of steps until she’s pressed against the shelves of our romantasy section. I can’t get enough of her, it’s like she’s everywhere, all at once; her curves beneath my hands, tongue in my mouth as I suck on it, her whimpers in my ears and the way her hips press up toward mine.
Breaking from our kiss, I moan, “Put your arms around my neck.”
Her eyes, hazy with lust, flash to mine in protest. “Dom, no?—”
The words, dominant and forceful, fall from my lips. “Be a good girl and put your arms around my fucking neck, Penelope.”
I know her inherent desire to be good gives her a natural praise kink, and she wraps her arms around my neck. Sliding my hands from her waist to beneath her ass, I lift her up, tilting her hips against mine, her back braced against the shelf behind her.
“Oh, fuck, Dom. Yes!” She moans as she grinds against me. My cock is hard and aching, pressing against the zipper of my jeans. I desperately want our clothes, the barriers between us, to disappear. Would give anything to feel how hot and wet and needy she is, right at this moment.
But we’re in the middle of the store and, while it’s late, literally anyone could walk by and see us. I couldn’t give a fuck about that, but I know Pen would.
Burying my face against her neck, I kiss and nip at the soft skin there, delighting in all the ways it makes her moan and whine. “Pen,” I rasp, about to tell her I’m taking her home tonight.
“Dom.” She groans with longing, as she slips a hand between us and palms my cock through my pants.
“Fuck! Pen, oh god.” I freeze, my body betraying me as it shudders against her touch. My cock, so desperate and needy for this woman, just could not wait. I couldn’t wait. My release slams into me and I shudder through it, internally screaming at myself. Slowly, I lower Pen to the ground. With a hand on her waist, I lean forward and bang my head against the shelf next to her head. “Fuck!”
Pen is breathless when she asks, “Are you okay? Did you… Did you?—”
“Yeah.” Not lifting my head from the shelf, too embarrassed to face her, I take a deep breath. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Pea.”
Her gentle hand cups the back of my neck, squeezing softly. “Look at me, Dom. Please?”
I feel like I’m in junior high all over again, the humiliation of coming in my pants washing over me in waves. But her touchand tone are gentle, and she deserves for me to look her in the eye after dry humping her against the bookshelf.
