Rex (33 page)

“One day at a time. You might not be able to today, but maybe at some point you will.”

“Boy….” She lifts her head with a lopsided grin. “That therapy is really working wonders. I’m impressed,” she says, and I knock her shoulder playfully.

I don’t realize how long we’ve been talking until Nadine finally comes back again to clear our plates. “Do you two want dessert or coffee?”

“What do you think, Blondie?”

She holds her hand against her belly, scrunching her nose up. “I’m stuffed. But maybe some to go?”

“Good idea. What does Gianni have for dessert tonight?” I ask, and she points to a chalkboard behind her. “Cheesecake, chocolate fudge cake, carrot cake, cannoli, and homemade vanilla ice cream.”

“I’ll have a piece of the chocolate fudge cake, please.” She continues staring at the board. “Rex, what are you gonna get?”

“I’ll have a piece of cheesecake. Thanks, Nadine.”

“Oh good!” Vanessa says with excitement. “I was hoping you’d get something different so I could try it.”

“Oh, no you don’t,” I warn, sliding out from the booth. “Hands off. You’ve got your dessert.”

“
What
?” She fists her hands on her hips, eyes pinched with intimidation.

“Sorry, Blondie. That shit won’t work with me. I’m not scared. But….” I pull her by the hand out of the booth. “If you’re really nice, maybe I’ll give you a bite.”

“I can play nice.” She casts me a flirty smile, just as Nadine comes back with our to-go bag, and I pay the bill.

“Here you go. All set.” She hands Vanessa the bag. “Oh, hope you have an umbrella by the way, it’s pouring out,” she adds as we steer ourselves toward the door, peeking through the window at the torrential downpour.

“Oh shit. It’s seriously raining.” I glance over at Vanessa to test the waters, see what she wants to do.

She nods, an excited glow in her eyes. “I’m game if you are. We really don’t have far to go anyway.”

I fucking love her adventurous side. The fact that she’s not worried about her hair or any of that shit is such a turn on. And now I can’t wait to get her back to my apartment.

“You ready?” I take hold of her hand. “Let’s make a break for it.” And we dash out the door, heavy raindrops drenching us instantly, thunder pounding our ears. Vanessa squeals and we run as fast as we can toward my building.

“Ahhh!” she squeals again, the force of the rain nearly drowning out the sound of her voice. We finally get to the front entrance, weighted down by our soggy clothing, but Vanessa is laughing and it’s contagious.

Once inside the door she shakes her head from side to side, flicking droplets of water all over the floor. “Oh my God, I’m soaked,” she says through a fit of giggles. But her laughter stops the moment I meet her gaze and hold it.

“Even soaking wet, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

I watch as her face transforms, that dazzling smile I’ve grown familiar with, come to look forward to, appears, but this time it’s mixed with something else—a shyness that I’ve yet to see from her. A different side of her to appreciate.

I close the unwanted gap between us, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths as is mine. The heart that I didn’t think I had stumbles inside my chest because I realize I almost lost this—lost her. Stepping even closer, I lift my thumb to her cheek. Beads of water fall from her long, thick lashes, and I pad them away, never once leaving her eyes.

“I can’t believe I almost let something so precious slip right through my fingers. I’m such an asshole.”

“No. You’re not.” Her head does a subtle shake, a small smile on her lips.

My ears hone in on the sincerity in her voice and it calms me, slowing my heartbeat. The worry of loss still looms over my head like a dark shadow as I wait for it to pounce. I’ve become way too accustomed to losing the things I love most in this life.

My brain short circuits. Why is that word in my head? It shouldn’t be. It can’t be. Because I know nothing about it. And bad things happen to the people I care about.

I forget about everything and sweep my tongue across her mouth, the taste of rainwater on her lips, the sweet scent of raspberries swirling around me. She reaches for me, a shiver rocking my body as her gentle hands caress my neck, slanting my head, guiding me to where she wants me. And I’ve never wanted anyone this fucking much in my entire life. When her tongue enters and finds mine, the thread of control I was barely hanging on to snaps and I cup her ass, a low moan escaping her throat as my aroused cock rubs against her.

I could keep going, ignoring where we are, but she cuts off the kiss. Her breathing is ragged, cheeks flushed red. She peeks up at me with those steely blues, blinking several times while chewing on her lower lip. When she opens her mouth to speak, I suddenly feel sick to my stomach.

“Rex, I… I….”

Panic seizes my chest, my organs burn as I wait for what she has to say. Maybe she’s changed her mind about me, somehow realized I’m not good enough for her.

“What is it? Just say it!” My insides are screaming with my words as I force myself to breathe.

“I… I missed you,” she confesses, her voice shaky.

A whoosh of relief flows through me and I exhale my assumptions in a big breath. It’s pathetic that I always assume the worst.

“I missed you too, baby.” I palm her cheek, stroking her skin. And then I realize it’s not enough. That’s not telling her how I really feel. Dr. Billings reminded me I need to do more of that. So I stuff the fear back down my throat, steel myself for honesty and say the words. “You know… when you walked out on me that night, well, after I forced you out with those awful things I said… I felt you leave me. Your light, it was gone, and it was the absolute worst feeling in the world. All I wanted to do was see you smile and hear you laugh again.”

Stunned blue eyes stare back at me, but then a brilliant smile brings her lips up at the corners. “You missed me?” she says softly, almost as if she’s trying to reconcile it in her mind, as though it’s so hard to believe.

“I missed the fuck out of you.” I press my forehead against hers, inhaling a shaky breath. “I want you to stay with me tonight. Will you stay?”

“Yes,” she breathes out, without an ounce of hesitation.

“I love that fucking answer.” I plant a kiss on her forehead, then throw her and the bag over my shoulder without warning as I take quick strides toward the elevator. She lets out a squeaky little noise of surprise that makes me stab at the button three times before the fucking door finally closes. The wetness dripping from her hair tickles my neck, her rounded ass hovering next to my face. And I can’t resist, I move my head an inch and bite down on it through the fabric of her jeans.

“Ow,” she whines, and I smooth my hand over it to soothe her. She eases my shirt up, her cold fingers inching up my back, her touch making me tremble. “I’ve never fucked in an elevator before. I think we should do that sometime.”

“If you don’t stop talking like that, that sometime might just be now,” I say with a frustrated breath, staring at the numbers, willing them to move faster.

“Hmmm…,” she teases, and I smack her ass, chuckling at her eagerness to complete her sexual bucket list.

The car finally dings and I continue with her over my shoulder. “Let’s go, my sexual temptress.” I practically sprint down the hall and push my door open, kicking it closed behind us. When I set her down, my chest is flush with hers. “So what do you want to do now?” I cock a brow, my eyes piercing her fiery ones, and her lips turn up devilishly.

“Everything.” Her fingers skate across my stubble, the sight of her tongue swiping across her lip has me adjusting myself in my jeans. “I’m aching for you,” she rasps, her voice so sexy I nearly drop to my knees so I can taste her pussy and give her what I know we both want.

“I know the feeling.” I lift her hair, and she moans as I trail kisses down her neck.

“Rex.”

“Yes?” I continue my descent down her skin, feeling starved for her after being without her for way too long.

“I think we should go get these wet clothes off,” she murmurs, but I don’t want to take my lips off of her just yet.

“Rex?”

“God, I love the way you say my name, baby. You have no idea how the sound of your voice—makes me hard.” My gaze travels lower. “The sight of your nipples, stiff and sensitive—gets me hard.” I let my fingers rove over the space between her legs. “The smell of your wet pussy—gets me hard.”

“Hmmm… Rex, please. Let’s go get naked.” Somehow she manages to skirt around me and I chase her to my room, tackling her on the bed. She squirms underneath me when I tickle her ribs, her laughter filling the barren space with happiness. “Stop! Rex, come… on, we’re soaked, your… bed.”

I finally let up and she climbs off, taking me with her. “Strip, Rex Grayson.
Now
,” she demands, as she slides her t-shirt over her head. I do the same, and we’re meeting each other item for item until I’m in only my boxers and she’s in her bra and panties.

“It seems you’re at an unfair advantage. You have two pieces of clothing left to my one,” I say, before she falls to her knees in front of me and yanks down my boxers, speckles of mischief in her eyes when she looks up at me. “I like the view from up here,” I joke, but my laughter subsides when her tongue darts out to lick my swollen head and a shudder barrels through me.

She seals her lips around my cock, taking me into her warm mouth. And then she sucks. Hard. It feels too good and I know I need to stop her.

“Baby, stop. I want to be inside you when I come.” I lift her to her feet then take a seat on the bed. “So, bra and panties
off
.”

Her hands disappear behind her back and I hear the welcome flick of the clasp before the straps slide off her shoulders and it falls to the floor. I know I’m staring, but her tits are fucking perfect and I need to get reacquainted with them. That is, until she slips her panties down her legs and I can’t decide where I want to go first.

My eyes move slowly over every inch of her skin, drinking her in, my cock twitching against my abdomen. “You are fucking perfect.” I crook a finger at her, wanting her near, and she comes willingly.

When she’s standing between my legs, I glide my hand up the curve of her spine to her neck and pull her down for a kiss, her breasts nearly brushing my chest, my skin tingling being this close to her again.

I back us up, breaking our connection only for a minute. “I wanted to worship you but I need to be inside you… so badly.”

“I want that too,” she breathes, and I lace our fingers together while I reach back with my other hand and grab a condom from the drawer. Her gaze doesn’t waver from mine, watching me as I roll it on.

Scooting up the bed, I lean back against the headboard. “Hop on my lap,” I tell her, and as she lifts her leg, hovering above me, I slide my thumb over her clit and she whimpers. As much as I want to be inside her, I need to feel her. Moisture drenches my finger and I close my eyes, sucking in a sharp breath. She’s always so wet for me, so responsive, and my dick grows harder, if that’s even possible.

“Your pussy is so wet,” I groan, and she rubs herself back and forth against my finger, telling me with her moans that she wants more.

Reaching between us, she takes my cock, replacing my finger, and lingers just below her entrance. She lowers herself down, taking me all the way in until I’m completely filling her.

“Slow, baby.” I take both her hands in mine. “You feel so good.”

“Oh God, Rex. It’s so deep like this. I feel you so deep,” she moans, lips parted, head dropping back. But I need to see her. I need to look at her. I
want
to look at her.

“Baby, look at me,” I command, and she immediately lifts her head up, an unreadable emotion in her eyes, and I wonder now if she was trying to hide from me so I wouldn’t see it. A part of me also considers if mine reflect that same emotion. Because I know something is going on inside of me, shaking my core, unsteadying me. Yet at the same time, nothing has ever felt better.

“This feels so right, you and me.” My voice is strained from pleasure as the words slip out of my mouth. Vanessa’s eyes shine in response, a pink undertone to her cheeks. She’s staring at me like I just gave her the world. And I think maybe I want to.

“Rex… I need to move.”

“So move, baby. Ride me like your life depends on it.” I grin, and she rotates her hips, rocking her hot as hell body against me. I separate our hands and dig my fingers into her skin, grinding my cock, taking us both higher. My mouth finds her nipple and I suck hard, eliciting a desperate moan from her throat.

“Rex… it feels too good… I’m gonna come.” Sweat glistens on her forehead, her lips opening on a shallow breath.

“Come, baby, come all over my cock.”

“Ahhhh…,” she shouts out, and I feel her pussy clenching and pulsing, squeezing my cock, spurring me toward my own release, which is going to be insane. It’s been too long.

“Fuuuck!” My breathing is erratic, and the moment she leans forward and licks my nipple is when I explode, all the pent-up frustration of the previous week releasing inside of her. Unable to manage any words, I frame her face with my hands and lift it from my chest, pressing my lips to her mouth.

“You taste sweet and salty,” she says winded, “and it’s making me hungry.”

“Ready for… dessert?”

I’m breathless, trying to come down from the absolute high she gives me. My body is completely relaxed beneath her, the idea of moving not all that appealing.

“Affirmative.” She points a finger at my chest. “You stay here. I’ll get it.”

“Good. Because that means I get to stare at your ass as you walk away,” I tease, and she makes a show of it, wiggling as she saunters off into the living room.

God, I’m fucking crazy about this girl.

Two minutes later she comes back, our to-go bag and plates in one hand, her other hand waving in the air. “Okay, what is the deal with the lack of utensils and dishes in this apartment? I’m buying you some. Don’t you ever eat?”

“You worried about me?” I ask, and she tries to hide a smile as she plops down on the bed next to me. “I eat take out a lot and sometimes if I work late at the shop, I’ll just grab something with the guys. I have popcorn though.”