Ezra bit back a laugh while I fumed inwardly.
She pushed the bag down the chute, and then walking slowly, as she passed us on her return, said, “Have a nice evening. And I think you should let him inside, Monroe. You don’t need all theyentasin the building knowing your business.” She reached her apartment and locked the door behind her.
Laughing silently, Ezra fell against the wall. “Pot meet kettle? That was priceless.”
“I’m glad someone finds something funny about this.”
“Come on, you heard her. Do you want everyone here to know what’s going on between us?”
Shooting him a murderous look, I grabbed the keys from his hand and opened my door. On my heels, Ezra followed me into the kitchen, where I headed right for the refrigerator and took out a bottle of beer. Only hesitating a moment, I took out another one, twisted off the tops, and handed one to him.
“Thanks. First of many tonight, I’m thinking.” He drank thirstily, and I watched his strong throat swallow. I looked away and gulped down half my beer.
“You know it.”
“I’m glad this happened, in a way,” he said. “It makes it easier now.”
Openmouthed, I stared at him in disbelief. “You’re glad she manipulated us and lied?”
“Well, she’s old, Roe, and she said she didn’t remember at first. And I’m also certain that by the time her memory did come back and she saw us acting like we were together, she was so happy, she didn’t want to do anything to screw it up.”
“That’s no excuse. I knew your idea was a bad one right from the start. We never should’ve played into it.”
“Yeah, I guess you can blame me for that.” Not looking the least bit contrite, Ezra moved from the kitchen area to the couch, where he sat and stretched out his legs. “But I stand by what we did. I’m sure it helped her recover.”
“Yeah. And you got me into your bed.”
“Do you really think that’s why I did it?” His brows pulled together. “That’s pretty low. I thought you had a higher opinion of me.”
At his crestfallen expression, I felt a little ashamed and a whole lot confused. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to think anymore. I feel manipulated. Again. But this time you and my grandmother are doing it, not your mother.”
The force of the anger in his amber eyes reached me from across the room. He set the bottle down. “Really? You think I manipulated you into my bed?” All this was said in a quiet, shaky voice.
“Didn’t you? We wouldn’t have spent so much time together if it wasn’t for your plan.”
“Fuck you, Roe. I don’t need to play games to find someone to sleep with.” He rose from his seat and advanced on me with his hands balled into fists. “I didn’t notice you telling me no last night when you made love to me.” His hot breath hit my face. “And notice I saidmake love, not just sex.”
Did I believe him? Myself? I didn’t want us to simply burn bright, then fade away, leaving me with nothing but the memory of what we once had. I wanted to hold on to him and never let go.
“It wasn’t just sex for me.” The words tumbled from my mouth before I had a chance to think. This day had started out with such promise, and I couldn’t believe how fast things were going down in flames.
“I’m glad to hear that.” He pushed me against the kitchen counter. “Was in the hallway earlier a mistake?” His mouth hovered over mine.
My heart thundered in my chest, but I managed to find my power of speech to answer. “No. Being with you could never be a mistake.”
“Then nothing else matters anymore. No meddling parents or grandmothers,” he whispered and kissed me hard. My hands fisted his sweater, and I held on to him tight as his tongue thrust into my mouth and his thigh pressed against my erection. “You and I are right together. It’s never been a mistake.”
“Ezraaa,” I moaned, unable to hold myself together any longer, and he took it as a green light to continue. I’d hardly had a chance to draw a breath before he popped my zipper, yanked down my pants and boxers, and sank to his knees.
“It’s always been you in my head…in my heart.” He licked the head of my cock, and a bright-hot line flared from the base of my spine to the nape of my neck. I rocked on my heels, craving the touch of his lips on my skin, but he teased me, continuing only to flick light kisses up and down my dick.
“Fuck. Ezra, please.”
“The past is gone. There’s no one here but you and me, and I still want you. I’ll want you tomorrow and the next day and the one after that. I’ve always wanted you. I always will. Tell me, Roe.” He rubbed his thumb over the flared head of my dick, and I hissed at the delicious friction, painful shards of pleasure stabbing through me. “Tell me how you feel.”
His urgent pleading broke me apart. I placed my shaking hands on his shoulders and gazed down at the face of the man I’d loved half my life. “Years ago I made a promise to a boy that I’d wait for him. Now I’m standing before you, the man I couldn’t forget, and I want you more than my heart will beat in a lifetime. It might’ve taken longer than we thought, but once I was with you, I never wanted to be with anyone else.” My hand cupped his smiling cheek, and my fingertips touched his lips. “Happy now?”
A twinkle lit his eyes and lightened his face. “I will be in a minute.” He took me into his mouth and sucked so strongly, holding me in such a tight, wet clasp, I thought my head might explode. My fingers tangled in his thick hair to hold him steady while I rolled and flexed my hips. His full lips slid over my wet, gleaming cock, and I pumped faster, wanting to hear those sexy whimpers he made.
