About noontime, I decided to have a quick shower before delving into the world of Grisham’s brilliant mind. My spirits were high as I hummed along with Adele’s “Set Fire To The Rain” that I had on repeat at the dock located in my bedroom. Coming out of the shower and wiping my body with a plush towel, opting not to blow dry my wet hair. I instead reached for a small towel, loosely squeezing the wetness from my hair as I came out of the bathroom, needing to fetch my lotion. I stopped dead in my tracks. My body went rigid. Hot but rigid.
“Your mom said it was fine to come upstairs—she thought you were sleeping,” he said, rushing out the words, almost out of breath, while his eyes gloriously roved about, lingering explicitly on my naked body.
Fuck.
Oh. My. Fuckity fuck.
Snapping out of my shock, I immediately held onto the towel tighter, consciously pressing it against my breasts at the same time I realized that it barely covered my cleft.
Blushing from head to foot, I started to function. “Uh—excuse me,” I muttered, spinning around before going back inside the bathroom, closing the door behind me then leaning against it, my heart pounding rapidly against my chest.
His unexpected surprise had left me in a state of absolute stupefaction, yet it had been so long since I had felt this… exhilarated. Alive.
Pressing my palm over the beating of my heart, I closed my eyes, telling myself not to get carried away about by this visit. It was plausible, wasn’t it? Of course I could do that. Sure, the wounds remained open, but I didn’t feel as fragile as before. I could even go as far as striding back into the room and pretending to be the bitchy, old me. It shouldn’t be that difficult.
With my strategy decided, I plucked the pastel, yellow silk robe that hung on the door, nervously putting it on and wrapping the belt as tightly as I could. Huffing out a brave breath, I forced myself not to bother looking into the mirror in case I became a conscious fool before finally striding out of the loo with a small bit of bravado.
“Sorry, I had to put something on.”
“It’s perfectly fine. You were…” he paused, “naked.”
Well, there went my composure, I thought starkly.
Purposely making him comfortable, I didn’t comment on it. “What brings you to Kent?” Did he have business around here?
“You weren’t able to attend your graduation.” He strolled forward, an arm’s reach from me, handing me a square, velvet crème box. “This was my present for you.” His eyes caressed my face as I took the present into my hand. “I’ve had it in the car all this time, and after the lunch meeting I had, it spontaneously occurred to me that I could very well drop it off…”
I nodded, disconcertedly staring back at him. “Thank you, but you shouldn’t have.”
He shrugged before his face contorted. “It’s nothing really. After how despicable I was to you that night—”
“Don’t.” I didn’t want to recall the events of those two nights. “Let’s not talk about any of that.”
His eyes pleaded. “Wouldn’t it be better if we—”
“No,” I interjected before shakily whispering, “Let’s not.”
His eyes wanted to probe further, but I was grateful he didn’t pursue the subject further.
“All right,” he murmured. “When do you plan to come back? I can come pick you up any time you like. In fact, if you can come along with me today…” He was babbling as I stared at him like he had lost his mind.
“I’m fine, Toby. Truly.”
“You look it…” He suddenly looked intense. Appreciative. “You look more than fine. You’ve never looked so beautiful in my eyes.”
I had to look away, hurt by his words. “Thank you for the gift, but you must leave.” At once.
In a flash, I felt him come to me, cupping my cheek before pressing his lips on the side of my head. “I’ve missed you so much…” he gutted out. “Come back to me.”
Why did he have to come and thrash whatever fortress I had built around myself? I was in a moment of confusion once more, not sure how to respond to him.
“Toby…”
“I promise you, I won’t be horrid. I won’t hurt you anymore. This time, you’ll come first before anyone else. It’ll be different this time.”
God, I was tempted, but I had so much doubt…
“Demand anything, and I’ll give it you. Anything at all, just as long as you become mine again.”
In a heartbeat, I would go wherever he asked of me, but I needed him to tell me the words. The ones I had desperately needed to hear from him that night—that he still loved me—but he never had uttered.
“Lucy…” he drawled with his hot breath brushing across my ear, on my neck. “I want you.” His lips stroked the tip of my ear, sending delicious waves of shivers, waking the hidden hunger that he alone could command. His thumb easily slid inside the V of my robe, brushing, teasing a nipple, while he softly spoke into my ear. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I ache every day not having you in my arms.”
My treacherous body weakened at his expertise. “It’s not… g—d,” I stuttered before moaning out loud when he pinched my nipple, circling it with the pad of his thumb then tugging it enough to evoke pain and pleasure. With the use of his other hand, I felt him unknot the robe, letting it fall to the floor.
“I’m desperate for you,” he kept on whispering into my sensitive ear while my body was distracted. One hand on my breast and the other, skirting below, heading straight to my core. “I reach out for you at night… I need you.” His thigh parted my weakened legs, growling in my ear when his middle finger found my slit, which was throbbing with an overabundance of slick wetness.
“Hell—” he grunted out, as he fumbled with his pants. He lifted my leg to hook around his hip before pressing the tip of his cock against the opening of my slit. He then cupped my face with both hands, making me look into his eyes. He stared straight into my heart before his hips started to move, thrusting softly through my folds. “Tell me you don’t want this.”
I started to pant, drowsy from the exquisite feel of his shaft, rubbing and grinding on my clit. His cock was hard, thick, as it teased my opening, gliding across it like a rhythmic teasing for something even more blissful.
A soft sob escaped from my lips as our gazes interlocked.