Page 35

CHAPTER 34

LIZZY

WANTED

Clay moves in a frantic blur after I come. In a flash, he’s picked me up in one of his toned arms and flipped me on to my back. Now I’m back against the headboard with him in between my thighs.

I’m still riding my post-orgasm high, but the way he looks down at me, hungry and possessive, lights a new fire in my core.

“Now, can I take this out and fuck that wet pussy properly?”

He looks down at the toy still inside me. Then his eyes meet mine, his chest puffing out with each breath.

I nod. “Yes, please.” My words come out as a faint breath.

He reaches down, easing the toy out, dragging it against my clit as he does it. I savor the feeling of each ridge, each vein, and knob against my sensitive clit. When it’s out, I gasp and feel my walls clench, instantly missing the fullness.

I look at him, my eyelids still heavy. His eyes are blazing, with no trace of hesitation or question in them now. He notches himself at my entrance before caging my head in with his elbows.

His full lips meet mine in a powerful, consuming kiss as he thrusts himself in to the hilt. I gasp into his mouth as he moans into mine. The almost painful sting of him filling and stretching me is sheer ecstasy. It’s like he was made for me. I hear a hiss through his gritted teeth.

“You’re so goddamn tight, princess. You still needed me to fill this pussy, didn’t you?”

I wrap my arms around him, feeling his warmth against me and his muscular back under my palms.

I whimper into the crook of his neck against the rose tattoo. “Mmhmm. ”

“Good.” He rocks his hips into me, pushing himself in deeper.

I wrap my legs around his waist, bringing him in further, prompting a guttural moan from deep in his chest.

He starts thrusting harder and faster, grinding his length against my clit and hitting that spot deep inside me. My lips part and I feel my own breathing quicken. He pulls his head back just enough for our eyes to meet.

He pounds into me, but his eyes never leave mine. And the look he’s giving me now sends a fire down to my core. I feel that knot of tension low in my stomach building again. Just minutes ago, he played my game with no pushback or judgement. He gave me everything I wanted and just watched me in awe. Anyone else would have made me feel ashamed, but Clay, he made me feel perfect just the way I am.

And now, the look in his eyes is one of almost feral need. He breathes me in like I’m his air and drinks me in like I’m his water in the desert. This feels like so much more than I’ve ever felt in my life with anyone. It feels like that other four letter word that I keep buried in the back of my thoughts, never to see the light of day again. That word I don’t know if I’m ready for.

He leans down, pressing a kiss to my forehead. My thoughts instantly come back to the way he consumes me and works my body. When I look back at him now, I can see the fiery lust in his eyes. His breath is ragged and uneven, and I know he has to be getting close. Just seeing that drip of precum on his cock when he wasn’t even touching himself yet was almost enough to make me unravel on the spot.

I tease him between panted breaths. “Surprised you lasted this long.”

He grins back at me, baring his teeth, his wicked grin only slightly softened by his boyish dimples. He pulls himself almost completely out, leaving me gasping before he seats himself back in again, bottoming out in one fell push. I cry out into his shoulder.

“You and I both know we’re so fucking close. Now I’m going to fuck you until you remember this pussy is mine. Your orgasms are mine.” He picks up his pace again, erratic but still grazing my clit with each thrust. “All of them. I want you coming on my face, on my fingers, on this cock. I want my name on your lips each time, because you’re mine .”

Those words on his lips, that look in his eyes, all of it undoes me. That knot of tension unravels and I feel myself come apart and clench him buried deep inside me.

“Fuck, Lizzy.” He grits out. “Yes, just like that.” I feel his cock throb and twitch as he spills himself into me. We stare at each other, our breathing the only sound in the room. But I feel it, I know it. This is more.

I reach up to him, my hand running through his tousled inky hair. “What are we doing, Clay?”

“I have no damn clue,” he says softly, still catching his breath.

“But I know I’m craving every second I can get with you.”

I smile softly back at him. “Or in me?”

He snorts a laugh that I can feel to my core with his hard cock still in me. “Yeah, and that.”

His eyes search my face and that soft smile, the one I saw on the river today, is there. I can practically feel the words on the tip of his tongue before he speaks.

“But I know one other thing.” He runs the calloused pad of his thumb over my flushed cheek. I reach up to hold his hand there. “I know that I’m madly in love with you, Lizzy.”

My lips part and I know he can see it in my eyes. I might feel it too, but I’m not ready to admit it to myself, much less say it.

As if he can read my thoughts, he puts a finger to my lips, making me focus back on him. “I know you might not be there yet. I know you might not be ready.” He brings his lips to mine for a tender, short kiss. “But when I said you’re my everything, I meant it. I can never get enough of you and I will spend every waking minute waiting for you to get there with me.”

I swallow hard and nod. “OK.”

“OK? So we’re doing this for real?” he asks, that boyish excitement from earlier is back on his face. The one that makes my stomach feel warm and fuzzy.

I roll my eyes before smiling back at him. “Yes. We can give this a real shot. I’m pretty much able to work in Utah at the plant or remotely indefinitely. So yes, let’s try this.”

His infectious, giddy smile hardens and his thumb traces my cheek again. “I mean it though. You know I don’t open myself up to heartbreak, but I trust you. I’m trusting you with my heart.” He swallows hard and I can feel the tension build in him. “And I’m going to be here in this with you, waiting for you to catch up. I’m not going to run from this because I know you feel it too.”

I reach up to him, running the back of my fingers over his stubble, a feeling I’ve come to crave.

“I know. Thank you. I’m not going to run from it either. I think I’m just a few steps behind you.”

A thought hum rumbles from his chest while I think about what just happened. “So now what?”

I wrap my hands around his head, pulling him down to kiss me. “We could go again.”

He cocks his head, looking away in mock thought. “I think we’d actually have to have stopped to be able to go again.”

We both look down between us, again realizing he’s still deep inside me. Laughing, we fall into each other's arms, one thought running through my mind.

Maybe I can do this. If there’s anyone I’d want to try with, it would be this man that makes me feel ok to be me .

No. Not just ok. He makes me feel good about being me.

Both of our heads snap up when we hear the double chime of the alarm system for the garage door.

“Shit,” he says, getting up and sliding out from me, leaving me feeling unexpectedly empty. He gets out of bed and grabs his sweats in the corner of the room he left the other night. “Stay there. I’ll go see who’s here.”

Before he can even reach the door, there’s a knock and we both freeze.

“Relax you two, it’s just me.” Grace’s voice calls from the other room. I look at Clay, the same sense of relief washing over his face as the one flooding me. “I tried texting you, but I’m assuming you two were too busy to check your phones. We called it an early day on the slopes. You’ve probably got about five minutes before the other lovebirds finish putting their gear away in the garage.”

Clay palms his face, sighing. “Thanks, sis. See you in a bit.”

A laugh echos from the other side of the door. “God, I love being right.”

Clay throws his head back groaning before walking back to the edge of the bed. He looks down at me, my head propped up on my elbow, while I admire the way his sweats hang off his hips and his still mostly hard erection strains against them. I look up to meet his eyes, practically melting under the heat of his stare.

“You still want to hold off on telling them?” he asks, a concerned look taking over his face.

I shrug. “I honestly don’t know yet.” Part of me is aching to. I don’t know the last time I felt so completely happy and at peace. I want nothing more than to share this with my best friend. And I want him to be able to share this with his brother. Part of me is still scared to open my blissful little bubble to everyone else and bring in the expectations that come with a relationship. I take in his soft smile, seeing no worry or hesitation there. “I still need a minute. But soon. Ok? We’ll know when it’s the right time.”

He nods. “Whatever you need, princess.” He turns and leaves the room, leaving me watching the man of my dreams walk out. The man that minutes ago told me he would wait his whole life for me to feel the same way as him. In this moment, I know it will be sooner than either of us think.

I wake up the next morning, a mix of blissed out from another night with Clay and groggy knowing that I need to get up and stick to Veronica’s first chair schedule. Clay’s already gone for his run and I check my phone. There’s a message waiting from him.

Grumpy Roommate: Out early. I’ll see you later today, princess.

Me: Can’t wait.

I add the emoji for good measure. For some reason, waking up already knowing he was thinking about me makes my stomach flutter. I pry myself out of the comfy bed, and get dressed in all my base layers for the day of skiing. I head downstairs to meet everyone else for breakfast.

They’re already around the dining room table with TJ. There’s a plate ready for me, I’m sure courtesy of V. I sit down next to Grace who gives me a knowing smirk after nearly catching us yesterday.

“Did you guys see Clay this morning before he went for his run?” I ask, taking a sip of my store bought nitro cold brew that Clay restocked for me. If he could put a nitro tap in his house, I’d truly be in heaven.

Tanner and V shake their heads before TJ chuckles at the end of the table. He looks down smiling at his coffee, like he knows something we don’t. “He was up even earlier today. I swear I never thought I’d meet someone who’s more of a morning person than me.”

Grace scoffs at him. “Yeah. What time do I need to get up so I can get a cold plunge in before you’re out there fishing?”

TJ rolls his eyes. “I just want to fish in the morning without having someone scare all the fish away.”

I hold my coffee to my lips, instantly intrigued by this exchange.

Grace glares back at him, flicking her hair over her shoulder in a wave of bright colors. “Did I scare the fish or are you just saying that because I nearly made you jump out of your waders?”

“Whatever, Rainbow,” TJ groans before taking his plate to the sink. “I’ll see you guys around later. Have fun out at the mountain.”

Tanner and V lead the way back to the lodge for lunch. A late season storm rolled in last night and brought more snow this morning, so we had an unexpectedly nice powder day.

In Aspen Valley they go out of their way to groom as many runs as possible. It seems like the locals here in Oregon really like untouched powder though. It’s only been half a day of skiing and my quads are burning . I make a mental note to tell my accountability buddy, and now boyfriend, that he’s going to have to step up my workouts. We definitely need to hit quads more.

Wait. Boyfriend ? Is that what he is now?

I think about that the whole way down the mountain, catching up with V, Tanner, and Grace who already have their skis in the racks outside the lodge. I ski up next to them and I click out of my own skis. I rest my goggles on top of my helmet when I hear Grace shout something at Tanner .

“Hey. Is that…” Her voice trails off and I look up to see her pointing up the slope, both of them watching something. V joins them and I follow their gaze until my eyes spot it.

There’s one skier, clad in black gear, effortlessly, methodically, beautifully working their way down the ski run towards where we’re standing. He makes his way down and hits the shallow run out of the slope, skiing up to the others and clicking out of his skis. The only thing visible from under his gear, helmet, and goggles is his proud, square jaw.

But from where he is, I recognize that figure, that posture, that presence.

No.

There’s no way.

Tanner and Grace stand there in disbelief as he brushes past them and strides right to me. I look up, noticing the mirrored goggles, tinted a brilliant green, one that I know matches the eyes underneath them that are boring into me.

I stand there in disbelief, my jaw hanging open, watching until he’s standing inches from me. My arms hang down at my side helplessly and I’m pretty sure I look like a deer caught in headlights.

He takes off his helmet and goggles, throwing them to the ground and looks right down at me.

It’s him. I still can’t believe it.

He looks at me in such an intense, longing way that makes my heart flutter. He reaches down to tuck one of my slut strands out of my face, his finger grazing my exposed skin, which sends a spark through me.

His voice is low and gravelly when he leans down for just me to hear. “Is now the right time?”