His lips find mine, warm and insistent, and the quiet sound he makes against my lips sends a tremor straight through me as he walks me backwards toward the wall outside his office. I hardly register the steps before my back meets it with a soft thud, and he's there, surrounding me completely.
My hands slide down his chest, palms skimming over hard muscle and warm skin. Feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath my touch. His stubble grazes my jaw as his lips trail from my mouth to my neck, slow and purposeful. He knows exactly how to undo me without even trying.
“Elijah,” I whisper, fingers hooking into the waistband of his trousers as a strained groan rumbles out of him.“I need you. I want you.”
I have never been this desperate for anyone before.
It's not just because he's unfairly attractive, or because he knows exactly what he's doing with that tongue of his.
It's the way he looks at me. The way he holds me. The way being this close to him makes the rest of the world fade into background noise.
He makes me feel wanted, safe and happy. Even when I’m sad, it's not the only thing I feel anymore.
He nibbles along my jaw before pulling back just enough to look into my eyes. The heat there is unmistakable. I can see exactly how much he wants me. But there's something else, too, that's keeping him from crossing that line.
“As much as I want to bend you over and fuck that pussy of yours… I want to do it right.”
A part of me really wishes he would.
“What do you mean?” I ask softly.
“It means I’m not just in this for sex,” he responds with a crooked grin tugging at his mouth. “Even though I've imagined it more times than I can count.”
“You’re not the only one.”
“You're more than a fling, Willow. And I don't want our first time to be with you pinned against a wall at my work.” his thumb brushes gently along my cheek. “I want to take you out. A proper date. I want to learn everything about you myself. Hold your hand. Tell you how beautiful you are without it being rushed or stolen between other people.”
My stomach flutters at that. “You already know everything about me.”
“I know the bits River’s told me. But I want to hear everything from you. I want to know you becauseyoutold me before I take you home and finally sink my cock inside you over and over again.”
Yes please.
The idea of a date sounds… really nice. Almost unreal. I've never actually been on one before, which makes it feel even more intriguing.
When Dad was ill, there was never time for things like that. And the first time I had sex? Let's just say it wasn't exactly a glowing, romantic memory. After that, when I came here, I dealt with grief in the messiest way possible—using people as distractions and convincing myself that numbness was better than hurting.
I smile. “Okay, when?”
He threads his fingers through my hair. “This weekend. River is going camping with his friends before the weather turns shitty, and I know just the place to take you. Far enough from here that we don't have to worry about someone spotting us.”
“It's a date then.”
I hook my arms around his neck, tugging him down, and the soft music from the Alexa wraps around us.
“What’s your favourite colour?” I ask, tilting my head up to watch him.
He frowns slightly, confused. If he wants to do this right, then I absolutely need to go underwear shopping, and what's better than getting something in his favourite colour?
“Green.”
“What kind of green? There are so many.”
“A deep emerald.” his eyes darken with a mischievous glint. “Why do you ask?”
I feel his fingers slip under the back of my top, warm against my skin, and my breath hitches.
“It's a surprise,” I murmur, leaning up and capturing his mouth in a kiss.
