He chuckles, the sound low and dark and it skitters over me, making me shiver. “Yeah?”
I nod frantically, as much as that hand at my neck will let me. “Come over tonight.”
His fingers tighten, squeezing this time, forcing my chin up so he can stare at me. He’s squeezing just tight enough to restrict my airway, but not enough to close it completely. It’s thrilling and so fucking sexy my knees threaten to buckle. Who is this man? I’m loving this side of Theo.
“You better think real hard on that, Angel,” he rasps, his words gravelly. “Because if I come over tonight… You understand what’s going to happen, right?”
I swallow, the motion stilted slightly with his hand collaring my throat the way it is. I nod. He bites down on his lower lip, a growl rumbling up his throat. I tremble.
“I’m going to fuck you, Noelle. I’m going to fuck you exactly how I’ve wanted to, and you’re going to take it, aren’t you?”
“Holy shit,” I moan on a stilted breath. His fingers loosen and I suck in a full breath, my head buzzing.Oh, that’s hot. Yes please.
“Say it, Noelle,” he rasps, tilting my face up to his again.
“Yes, Theo.”
“Yes, what?” he asks, trailing his lips along mine. I shudder with arousal and anticipation.
“I want you to fuck me.”
His approving growl lights me up from the inside out, like those damn lights twinkling everywhere.I. Am. Unwell.
“Are you wet for me, Angel?” he asks. The hand at my back moves, sliding around until he’s cupping me through my leggings. His fingers find my clit through the thin material and I gasp, rocking into his hand. I nod frantically. “Fucking Christ, I can feel how hot and wet you are through these. I can’t wait to feel it, taste it. You’re going to come so hard for me you’re not going to remember your own name, baby.”
Normally, if a man talked like that to me, I’d haul off and punch him. It’s cocky and arrogant…and I have no fucking doubt that he means every word. Damn this Theo is hot as hell.
“Go get your things and say your goodnights,” he says before kissing me again. Thorough and hungry.
He releases me completely, stepping back. I stumble at the loss of contact, my knees shaking. He raises his hand, drawing his thumb over my lips, and my breath catches in my throat as his next words reach my ears.
“I’ve wanted to do this for so fucking long, Noelle. I’ve wanted you forever.”
Chapter Fifteen
Noelle
I’m Theo’s mystery girl.
The realization crashes through me as I stumble my way out of the study and down the hallway. My lips feel kiss swollen and I drag my fingers over them, as if by touching them I can go back and live that all over again. Because good lord, the man can kiss.
I’m Theo’s mystery girl. The one he said didn’t know he existed… the one he said the timing wasn’t right with…
Wait, I am his mystery girl, right? I suppose he could have been talking about someone else last night. He could just be saying all of this as a trick to get some easy ass.
Shaking my head even as the ridiculous thought starts, I know that isn’t it. Theo isn’t a playboy, a use-em-and-lose-em kinda guy. He isn’t just going to say pretty words to get a woman into bed, especially me. Our relationship—hell, our friendship—is currently balancing precariously on the precipice of a life-altering change. He wouldn’t be saying this, doing this, if he didn’t mean it. Our friendship runs too deep, has for too long, to chance ruining it just for some easy sex.
No, I believe every word that came out of his mouth. And it’s opened my eyes to what has been there this whole time. He’s wanted me for a long time.
I’m happy to oblige. If he’s as talented at the rest of it as he is at kissing… I just may cease to be part of this earth tonight. But what a helluva way to go.
I’m still half dazed when I make my way back to the kitchen where our families are congregated around the kitchen counter. I picked up my wine on my way through the living room and take a sip of it as I look around the kitchen. Mom and Marnie are hugging each other again. I know they’re both overjoyed with tonight. They’ve both waited a long time for this, even though this is Val’s second marriage… no one liked that cheating asshole ex-husband of hers anyway.
What’s that saying about marriages? Oh yeah, they’re like pancakes. You can always throw the first one out.
I scoff to myself at my own little joke and cough to cover it as they all turn to look at me. “Sorry,” I wheeze, thumping my chest, holding up my wine glass for show. “Swallowed wrong.”
I sense Theo come up behind me then. As our families turn back to what they were doing, he leans in close, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. His breath is warm, rustling the hair at my temple as he whispers, “You’ll swallow everything I give you tonight, Angel.”
