Page 24 of Meet Me at the Metro (Gildenhill #1)

24

SOMETHING FOR YOU

T H E O

T he melody of Dad’s song wraps around my mind as my fingers glide along the black and ivory keys of the piano. The chords lull me into a trance of bittersweet memories as I slowly recall the notes I was beginning to fear were lost forever. As the strings of the instrument echo through the private practice room, I can’t help but smile, knowing that I’ve finally managed to piece together another line of the composition he so graciously left behind in this world. I stop playing and quickly draw the pencil from behind my ear, scribbling down the notes along the lines of the music sheet in front of me.

The rush of fingertips against my torso startles me from my work. Without even having to turn around, I know whose arms are now snaking and settling around my waist. I kick my legs around the piano bench and turn around to greet Nora.

My heart is still racing from her abrupt arrival, and she giggles—clearly amused at how flustered she’s managed to make me. I yank her toward me, feeling my chest warm and my nerves calm as she settles between my legs.

“You think you’re bloody funny, don’t you? Sneaking up on a grown man like that and—”

“Scaring the shit out of him,” she finishes. “You’re a jumpy little thing, aren’t you?”

I clutch the dips of her waist and give her a playful squeeze. “Smart arse. ”

The sound of her laughter melts over me like warm wax. I love making her laugh like this—the way her smile looks as it reaches her eyes.

I trap her between my legs and ruthlessly tickle her sides. It isn’t hard to detect this girl’s weak spots, and I’ll be damned if I don’t make it my goal to find every single one of them. She squirms and jerks around in a poor attempt to escape, but she’s too weak with laughter to put up much of a fight.

“Looks like you’re the jumpy little thing to me.”

“ Stop!” She snorts.

“Did you just fucking snort?”

“Teddy, stop! I can’t breathe!”

I’m filled with the greatest satisfaction when she makes the sound again. “ What was that? Let me hear that again.”

“Please!” She cackles, but it isn’t until my hands accidentally catch beneath the hem of her shirt, finding the warmth of her skin, that I stop. Our child-like commotion reduces to a calm quiet as my thumbs smooth along her lower stomach, and our breaths begin to slow.

I carve the feeling of her skin beneath my fingertips and the look in her rich eyes into my mind, hoping that years from now, I’ll still be able to conjure up the memory of them. I don’t ever want to know the cruelty of not being able to remember all these small but significant moments with her.

“You have a good day?” I ask as she settles down against my lap.

“Now I am.”

She averts her eyes, and I can tell something’s wrong. I stroke her cheek with the back of my knuckle, evoking her to look at me. “First day of the new class not what you were hoping for?”

“It was fine.” She lets out a long, pent-up breath. “Just a long day, that’s all.”

“I think I know something that’ll make the long day worth it.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhmm .” I nod toward the brown paper-wrapped box in the back corner of the room. “I got something for you.”

She’s blushing the second her eyes land on the gift. “ For me?”

“Yeah, fo r you . ”

Nora jumps up from my lap like an excited child and rushes over to the box. There’s a huge smile blooming on her face as she hitches it off the floor and carries it back over to the piano. She sits beside me on the wooden bench and plays with the bright pink ribbon I’ve poorly tied into a bow.

“First, can I just say how impressed I am with your wrapping skills?”

I chuckle as I look over the over-tapped mess in her hands. “Bite me.”

“What? I think the pink bow is very pretty, Theo!”

“Would you shut the hell up and open the damn thing already?”

Patience is a quality I’m severely lacking, and if I’m being honest, I think I’m more excited for her to open this gift than she is.

My heart is racing like a fool as her dainty fingers begin to pull away the wrapping paper. As she removes the final remaining shred from the teal Victrola case, I can’t hide my satisfied grin. I can tell she’s still trying to piece together what it is as her palms smooth along its silver carrying handle and leather outer surface.

Her entire face lights up when she releases the latch, opens the small briefcase, and discovers the small turntable built inside. “ You got me a record player! ”

Her pretty, delighted smile is worth so much more than every single pound I spent on it.

I try to act nonchalant, even though, truthfully, I’m gorged with satisfaction. “I figured you needed one of your own to keep at your place so you’d have another way to listen to those awful show tunes you like so much.”

She smacks my arm at the innocent insult, but her contentment is written in every endearing crinkle around her eyes.

The truth is, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that night she opened up to me about her parents. I loved how animated she got as she recalled all of the memories she had with them at that bookstore back home. When I spotted the record player in the window of the consignment store on my way home from work the other night, I had to buy it for her.

“You seriously shouldn’t have done this. ”

“There’s one more thing,” I admit, reaching into my brown-leather bag for the vinyl inside. “ Here. ”

She squeals as her wide eyes take in the album cover of the Funny Girl soundtrack. “Shut the hell up! How did you— where did you even find this?”

I smirk. “That’s classified information.”

Nora carefully sets her gifts down, and as she turns back to me, she sweetly embraces me. She laces her fingers into my hair and draws her mouth to my ear. “Thank you, Teddy.”

“You’re welcome, Nora.”

“This is the best gift anyone’s ever given to me.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. You’re so good, Theo .”

I wince, not truly believing those words,even if hearing them seemed to meld together every fracture of my soul.

She’s so good— so much so that I’ve somehow found myself completely transfixed by every part of her.

I pull her over top of me so that her legs straddle mine, squeezing her in silent gratitude. “I just saw it and thought of you.”

“ So thoughtful ,” she hums, nuzzling her head into the crook of my neck. Her lips brush across my skin and cause goosebumps to spread like wildfire.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I chuckle, raspy and low.

“ Why not? ”

“Cause you’re making me as hard as a fucking rock right now.”

Nora relaxes her hips on top of me, smiling knowingly as her ass presses against my hard-on. She forces my head back and hovers her mouth over my neck in a cruel fucking tease. After an agonizing long moment, she finally relieves me from purgatory and licks up the side of my neck.

All the blood in my body rushes straight to my dick.

“I like you hard like this, though.”

“Nora ,” I growl, my restraint slipping.

“ Theo .” She slides off my legs and drops onto her knees in front of me. “Can you unbutton your pants for me, please? ”

I stare at her for a long moment. Then, I crouch and yank her up off the ground. “Get off your fucking knees.”

Nora’s got a confused look on her pretty face as I ease her to sit back onto the piano bench. “Don’t ever get on your knees for a man like that.” I drop down onto my own, spreading her legs as my hands travel up the skirt she’s so conveniently wearing tonight. “Make them do it for you.”

Her breathing goes fast, and I watch the rise and fall of her chest like it’s a cinematic fucking movie and wait for her approval before touching her any further. She nods for me to continue, so I do.

I part her lace panties and run a finger between her slick folds. I don’t even wait for her next breath before pushing two fingers into her core, enjoying the moan she lets out and the way she relaxes back against my piano.

I love watching her body react to me—how her legs widen with every pump my fingers make inside of her. I could get drunk off the way her body sways, pleading for me to touch her more.

“I’ve missed you this week,” I confess, bringing my mouth to her cunt. I give a rough, fierce lick against her clit, and she cries out my name, her voice frenzied and strained with lust. I suck at her just to hear her say it again.

“ Oh, Theo .”

Nora arches further back against the piano’s keyboard, rocking her hips in a desperate plea for more pressure. “I want to taste you, too,” she whimpers.

I swirl my fingers inside of her and lap my tongue around her sweet spot. “You don’t have to return any favors.”

“This is for me.” She smiles and kicks me back. “So hush and get up.”

I do just as she commands and eagerly unfasten my belt. There’s a sudden, powerful rush of blood coursing through me as she draws my hips toward her and swiftly unbuttons my jeans. She yanks my pants and underwear down in one singular movement, and I watch the way her throat bobs as her eyes take in the full length of me.

I tilt her chin up to look at me and step closer, the tip of my penis grazing her lips. “Are you sure, Nora?”

She opens her mouth wide, not even willing to entertain me with a verbal answer.

Such a stubborn little thing.

I smile wickedly as I slowly inch my hard-on into her mouth, hissing with satisfaction when her lips close around me and begin sucking me off. I wrap the length of her hair around my hand and tug, pulling her head back so I can still see her eyes as the tip of me reaches the back of her throat.

The sensation is so overwhelming that I have to bite my bottom lip just to stifle my building climax.

“Oh, fuck. Your pretty mouth feels so perfect around me.”

I can’t keep my eyes off her as her mouth moves up and down my shaft. She continues to suck me off until my toes are literally curling, and my eyes are rolling to the back of my head.

“Hell, Nora,” I growl, having to pull her off me because I’m one flick of that tongue away from coming undone completely.

She pouts, “I wasn’t done.”

“Neither am I. Come here.”

I pull her to her feet and draw her body against mine. She moans into my mouth as our lips collide, and she leads my hands beneath her shirt. I happily slip my fingers beneath the hem of her bra until her pebbled skin and hardened nipples are flush with my palms.

I push her back until her body meets the piano. The loud, chaotic chord that echoes through the room should be our warning to stop, but we’re both in such a lust-driven haze that it’s not even an option.

We become nothing but a flash of limbs and flesh as we pull off each other’s clothes, ridding ourselves of them until we’re both starkly naked. The feel of her soft skin against mine overpowers every logical sense in me that tells me I shouldn’t fuck her out in the open like this. Someone could walk in at any moment…

“I need you to fuck me, Theo.”

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I did that right here and now?”

“You’re not a gentleman.”

I nip her small, perky breasts with my teeth in playful reprimand .

“Do you not want to fuck me?”

“You already know the answer to that.”

“Then, what are you waiting for?”

“What will we do if someone walks in and sees my cock inside of you, huh?” I taunt, closing the fallboard of the piano as I turn her around. I guide her body down until she’s bent over the instrument and positioned perfectly to take me from behind.

I swiftly reach over to my bag and fetch out a condom, slipping it over myself as I step toward her. Her breaths grow shaky as I hitch her skirt around her hips and drink in the sight of her exposed pussy. I swear my head gets a little dizzy.

I glide my fingers along her widened, swollen lips and smile as she lets out a hum of satisfaction.

“You’re dripping, darling.”

She glances over her shoulder, licking her lips. “You like this side of me?”

“Abso–fucking–lutely.”

Nora’s body stiffens with anticipation as I firmly grab hold of her hips and slowly inch myself inside of her.Her body grows lax beneath mine, and we both release a hiss of pleasure as I fill her completely.

I grasp onto the nape of her neck as I thrust in and out of her,enjoying the feeling of it in my hands a little too much. Our moans become louder with every movement our bodies create, and as she grows wetter around me, there’s no use in fighting to stay quiet. This feels too good.

If someone walks in on us, we are absolutely screwed—literally and figuratively.

“Harder, Theo.”

I work her harder, just like she asked. She cries out as I sink deeper into her core, and my legs grow weak at the strained rasp of her voice as my skin slaps against hers. Nora’s desire is a nearly indistinguishable reflection of my own—all I can seem to want is more, more, more.

I want every-fucking-inch this girl is willing to give me.

Nora’s panting as I keep up my steady rhythm, and I admire the way her breasts bounce with each rock of my hips. I squeeze the taunting, pebbled flesh, and when she glances back, her eyes grow wild as she watches me move inside her.

Her moans are melodic, the most beautiful sound my ears have ever had the privilege of hearing. I’d do anything to learn how many different notes I could evoke from her, and I’d gladly let the sight of her bent over my piano like this be my undoing.

“You better not stop, Theo,” she pants. “Even if someone comes in.”

I slow my rocking pace just enough to tease her. “Or what, sweet thing?”

“Or I’ll never have sex with you again.”

“No?” I laugh darkly and reach around until I have two fingers flush against her clit—I give it a provoking stroke as I continue the back-and-forth movement of my hips. “You sure about that?”

“Oh, God.”

“What’s wrong?” I swirl my fingers along her sensitive bud again and reward her with a series of unrestrained thrusts. “You want me to stop?”

“Do. Not. Fucking. Stop,” she snarls.

God, I love hearing her sweet mouth turn so callous—even if it’s at my expense. I’m fond of winding her up and watching her react.

I look down at the place where our two bodies meet and groan with pleasure, enjoying seeing the evidence of her satisfaction glistening along my hard shaft. I relish how soaked she gets for me; it’s validation that I’m taking care of her the way she deserves.

And fuck, it feels so good for me, too.

“Do you enjoy getting wet for me?”

“Yes. God, yes. You make me want to come.”

“Yeah? Show me—show me how good you come for me, Nora.”

As if my words are an instant trigger, her vagina tightens around me. I hold onto her securely as she comes undone beneath me, finishing right alongside me. My eyes roll to the back of my head as I fill up the condom, and a rush of satisfaction, intimacy, and pleasure wash over me like an unforgiving wave .

My chest heaves for air as the once unrestrained movements of our bodies go still, and we work on catching our breaths.

I laugh as Nora goes completely limp against the piano. “I worked you that hard, did I?”

Her body shakes with amusement, but she doesn’t move from where she’s at, too exhausted even to budge an inch. I grab her by the waist and pull her off the instrument, enjoying the way she looks at me with her bright eyes, rosy cheeks, and disheveled hair.

“You’re so damn gorg—”

The sound of a distant door opening shuts me up immediately.

Nora and I dive for our clothes scattered around the piano in a panicked hurry. I quickly pull my pants up my legs while she swiftly slips her blouse back over her head. The sound of approaching footsteps has me reaching for the light switch.Darkness falls over the practice room as I find Nora in the shadows. I quietly drag her behind the door with me and pull her tightly against me, covering my hand over her mouth to quiet her rapid breathing.

A silhouette appears in the doorway, and adrenaline races through my veins. I fully believe for a moment that we’re about to be caught in the sticky, wet mess we’ve put ourselves in, but the person shuts the door and leaves.

We stand for several long moments in complete silence, but as soon we hear another door shut, Nora bursts into a fit of laughter.

“You’re more trouble than I ever anticipated you’d be.”

Her head falls against my chest as she gets lost in another fit of giggles. “Yeah, but who doesn’t love a little trouble?”

And she’s absolutely right. I fucking love it.