Keep Me (26 page)

It wasn’t an outlandish request, and yet it wasn’t the most feasible, but I would have to get used to sharing my special lady with Luca if I wanted this to work. “Okay, sounds like a plan. But I can’t lie—” I bent down and whispered in her ear, “I’m happy the little bugger will be out of earshot tonight. I have plans for you.”

“Don’t you ever get enough?” She ogled me with a devilish glisten in her eye. I could see right through the modest act. She loved that I was insatiable when it came to her.

“I already told you the answer to that. I get hard just thinking about you, pretty girl. But seeing you in this dress, smelling the sweet addicting aroma that is
you
, and just being this close—I think I just came in my pants.”

“Marcus!” She slapped me on the arm.

I laughed as I escorted her into the house with my hand at her back.

As she crossed the threshold and looked back at me her lids were hooded, her eyes darker than usual. “You have the same effect on me, baby,” she whispered. “My panties have been wet since I pulled up to the house.”

My eyes bugged out of my face at her admission. She was so sexy when she talked dirty, and it was even better when we
weren’t
having sex. “Okay, Luca man. Time to get ready for bed.” I tickled under his chubby chin and he dribbled happily.

“Fat chance, buddy. He slept a little in the car. You’ll have to be patient. But don’t worry, I’ll make it worth the wait.”

We ate an early dinner together—well Tessa and I ate while Luca made a mess. She told me she was introducing new foods to him, little by little—something apparently every parent knows, but I just thought you fed them on demand, whatever they wanted.
Here, kid. How about peanut butter and jelly and diet coke?
Today was his first try at pasta with sauce and he was wearing the sauce… all over.

Tessa stared at him like he was a spectacular sight, laughing and cooing while she tried her best to clean him up. I understood it, and sure, Luca was one awesome little dude, but A) I wanted to get in his mother’s pants sometime tonight and he was preventing that right now. And B) how could the sight of tomato sauce hardening in crevices and curls and underneath fingernails make her feel anything but… disgust?

“How do you do that?” I asked.

Swiping a wet cloth across Luca’s filthy cheeks, she questioned, “Do what?”

“That.” I pointed at the glob of sauce encrusting his left eye. “See past the gross and just… I don’t know, love him so unconditionally?” Was I digging below the surface with a hidden meaning? Maybe. But in truth I was in awe of Tessa and
how
she loved. Maybe I wanted that to rub off on me. Maybe I wanted a little of that unconditional Tessa love, too.

“I don’t know,” she said, shrugging and yawning. “I just feel blessed. Plain and simple. I would do anything for him. Anything…” She trailed off with another yawn.

“Uh, oh, that’s two yawns in five seconds. I can’t have you falling asleep early. I’ve got too much planned, pretty girl.” I stood up, going over to the sink to get some more paper towels to help her out and then I had an idea. “Hey, why don’t you let me get this? I’ll finish cleaning him up—it’s safe to use Windex on his skin right?”

“Marcus!” She tilted her head smiling.

I bent down to her adorable pout and stole a quick kiss. “I’m joking, Tessa. I’m not a complete idiot
and
you’re exhausted. Go take a little nap and rejuvenate yourself for… later.” I raised my eyebrows up and down, letting her know exactly what my intentions for
later
were.

“Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Why would I mind? Luca and I are pals. We could use some guy time. Right, buddy?” A smile crept across my lips as I looked at his sauce-stained face. I was slowly starting to understand—even if it was only a teeny fraction of what his own mother felt for him. He really was an adorable kid, and as much as I thought of him as a hindrance to my alone time with Tessa, I seriously liked having him here, too. He was a part of Tessa. That’s all that mattered.

“Go on. Go up to the bedroom and relax. I got this. I want to take him out on the dock to see the stars. Maybe it will make him sleepy.”

Tessa put the last of the dinner plates in the sink and came up behind me, wrapping her arms around my chest. “You’re incredible. You know that?”

“Remember those words.” I turned around to face her, then dipped down and nibbled on her earlobe, whispering, “I’m incredible at a lot of things.”

With a kiss for each of us, Tessa retreated to the bedroom and I straightened up, nodding my head. “Yup. Just you and me, kid. Want to help me set up my surprise?”

Luca kicked his feet, excited. I knew he couldn’t answer me back, but his excitement was enough to make me think he understood. “Little man, I have it bad for your Mama. I think I’m falling hard.”

Luca seemed to approve, because for the next hour he was my sidekick… like literally attached to my side because I couldn’t put him down. I told him stories about our summers here—ones that included his Mommy, ones about my own. Sometimes having someone to just listen was better than anything else. As his lids became heavy, it was a comfort to know that my voice soothed him, and it made me happy to know that if Tessa and I were headed in the direction I hoped, I’d have Luca as an added bonus.

When Luca finally went down for the night at almost ten o’clock, I nearly fist pumped and did a jig. Tessa would be a few minutes getting him tucked in and herself ‘freshened up’ so I took the opportunity to put my finishing touches on everything.

Never one for the romantic stuff—well there was never a reason to be—I did my best at the boyfriend thing. There was no denying we had a strong sexual connection—I was about to implement that theory on her in a few minutes. Eventually, I’d have to dig deeper and show Tessa who I was—more than just a superficial model that was good in the sack. I knew she was already seeing past that, but I needed to keep it on the surface so she wouldn’t forget.

Earlier with Luca, I had set up a cozy spot for the two of us on the dock. The candles and the portable iPod speakers were already in place with a few blankets and pillows scattered to make us comfortable while we stargazed and sipped on her favorite wine. I wanted her to know I was paying attention while we were spending time together—learning her favorite foods and music. There was still a lot to uncover about the remarkable Tessa Bradley, but what I knew already was what kept me coming back for more.

When everything was in place the way I wanted it, I ran back into the house to find her. When she walked out holding her Gibson guitar and wearing not a single stitch of clothing, I thought about forgoing the entire star-lit picnic and just pouncing. “Wow,” I gawked, pretty sure my chin was touching the floor.

“You’ve seen me naked before, Marcus.”

“Yeah, but something about you like
that
… holding that guitar… you gonna play for me like this, pretty girl?” I inched closer to her, my fingers aching to touch her.

“Will it fulfill a fantasy?” She backed away and lifted the guitar, stringing the strap around her neck. When she let go it hung at her belly, leaving her gorgeous tits exposed but covering parts of her I wanted to stare at a little longer.

“With you, Tess, I’m always fulfilling a fantasy. I want to go outside. Here,” I said taking off my t-shirt. “Even though it pains me to cover up a piece of art so fucking beautiful, put this on and we’ll continue this fantasy dock-side.”

“Your wish is my command, oh sexy one.” She bopped her head like that chick I saw in re-runs of that genie show, and I was suddenly eager to see her head bopping up and down in other places.

Once on the dock, her face lit up like one of the flickering candles. “Wow, you did all this for me?”

“Mmmhmmm,” I murmured against her neck, snuggling close with my arms encasing her delicious body. “Anything for my girl.”

“You sure you’ve never dated before? You’re really good at this boyfriend thing.”

“Mmm. Is that what I am?” I smiled against her ear, so happy to hear that word from her lips.

“I thought that’s what you wanted. I hope I wasn’t being too presumptuous.”

I spun her around and cupped her flawless face in my hands, looking into her deep blue eyes. “This is what I’ve wanted—from you—for a lot longer than I’m willing to admit. You make me want so many things; to be a better man, to have someone to call my own, to settle down and think about the future. I know you have this preconceived idea of who I am and it doesn’t help that Riley’s been force-feeding you her version of things, but with you—baby, I don’t think you understand what I’m willing to do to make you happy.”

I felt her nipples harden against my chest. It was by no means cold out here—in fact I was starting to break a sweat—so I knew her body was reacting to my words. But her eyes said more than her body ever could. They were guarded. She wasn’t entirely sold on the Marcus Grayson bad-boy-to-boyfriend transformation.

“I don’t want you to change for me, Marcus.” She tipped her head, looking down at our bare feet. “Part of the reason I… part of the reason I’m here, in this moment, with you, is because I fell for the
whole
package. Don’t get me wrong, I love this sweet side of you, but don’t give up yourself for me—for
anyone.
”

I didn’t know if it was just with me or if Tessa found a way to incorporate her issues with Zack into all her relationships. “This is a good thing, Tess. This whole growing up and settling down is long overdue. I’m not saying we have to hang up our party hats and ditch all the carefree fun, but I’m ready for a change and it’s all because of you.” I tapped her on the tip of the nose and she giggled. I loved that sound, the way it vibrated through her chest and escaped her plump, delicious lips.

“Don’t go changing
too
much.” Her finger traced a path from my neck down to the waist of my shorts. “I kinda like the smooth talking, chiseled, tattooed sex god that weaseled his way into my panties with his smoking hot charm and his dirty mouth. Let me get my fill of you in all your glory before you go retiring your bad-boy status.”

“Bad boy, huh?” My cock was so hard it was actually painful. I needed to be inside this woman before my balls turned all shades of blue. “Come here. Maybe I can turn
you
into a bad girl.”

“Oh please, baby. I want to be very, very bad tonight.” Her hand dropped from around my neck and she lifted the T-shirt up and over her head in one swift, but graceful, movement. “I can play the guitar for you later, but first I need you to fuck me under the stars again.”

She didn’t have to ask me twice. I picked her up and carried her against my chest, dipping down to taste one of her ripe, pink nipples. She laughed and kicked all the way to the blanket where I laid her down against a pillow and quickly shucked my shorts.

“Commando, perfect. Now get down here so I can taste you.”

Sweet mother of God!
Dominating Tessa was the biggest fucking turn on ever.

I knelt down on the blanket, facing her. My hands roamed her body, the dampness of sweat creating a glistening glow on her skin. When my fingers tugged at her hair and I pulled her face to mine to kiss her, she resisted. “Lie down.”

With her delicate little hand, she pressed me down to the blanket and covered my body with hers. The skin-to-skin sensation, out in the open night air, was incredible. The shit you saw in movies. But I wasn’t thinking about
The Notebook
right now with Tessa sliding her way down my torso and cupping my tightening balls in her hands. This blew all that shitty porn I used to watch to get my rocks off to shame.

With her head between my legs and her hands stroking my cock, she looked up to find me watching her. “I don’t think I ever told you how big you are, have I?”

I shook my head, concentrating on her parted lips and how it was inches away from my throbbing flesh. “No, you haven’t.”

She dipped down and circled the head of my cock with her tongue, sliding it around the top and then tracing a wet trail down my length. “Biggest I’ve ever seen. I think about it all the time. How much it satisfies me. And on the nights when you’re not with me,” she paused to lick me from base to tip, tormenting me. “I touch myself and wish it was your big, delicious cock inside me.”