Page 19

Chapter Eighteen

STELLA

Packing for a toddler is so much more involved than packing for myself.

If I forget a shirt, I can just wear whatever else I brought. However, if I forget to pack the exact outfit that Harper decides she wants? It’ll be the end of the world. I made sure to have her help me pick out clothes last night, reminding her that we will be on vacation so she can’t change her mind about anything once we’re there. We’ll see how well that holds up if she decides she’s missing something.

All that’s left to pack are my toiletries, which are currently all spread out on the kitchen table so I can organize them in the travel bag the right way. Even with deciding that I don’t need to go full glam makeup while we’re gone, traveling with all the products I need for my skin and hair routine still takes up a considerable amount of space.

I’ve been nonstop moving for the past few weeks, so I haven’t had any time to overthink this trip. Between my new role as an executive assistant for Paige, taking Harper to gymnastics and play dates after daycare, and finding time to spend with Greyson when he’s not working, there just hasn’t been a second to pause. Needless to say, I am looking forward to five days in the mountains with just Harper and Greyson.

I move our bags into the living room, reminding myself that it only looks like a lot because we’ll be there for Christmas. Which means traveling with presents so that Harper has stuff to open on Christmas morning. Even though my sweet child told me it was okay if she had to wait to come back home to open her presents from Santa. It was so adorably innocent and understanding, that I decided to bring presents from “Santa” with us to put out for Christmas morning and saved the ones from me for when we get back. That way, she gets to celebrate twice.

Even though Greyson and I agreed on no presents for each other, I couldn’t say no when Harper wanted to get something for him. So there are also a couple things wrapped for him too.

Dropping my carry-on bag next to the suitcases, I sigh in relief when the doorbell rings.

Since our flight isn’t until this afternoon, I dropped Harper off at daycare for the morning so I could finish packing uninterrupted. Now that everything is done, the excitement is starting to settle in.

The door swings open, hitting the stopper with a thud, but I ignore it and focus on Greyson.

“Hi,” I say, sounding winded even though I’ve done nothing to warrant being breathless.

Grey steps through the doorway, immediately envelops me in a hug, and kisses the top of my head. I melt into his embrace.

“I missed you,” he mumbles against my cheek.

“You saw me two days ago,” I tease, not mentioning the fact that I was feeling the same way this morning.

His hands move to my hips, and he pulls back just enough to peer down at me.

“And that was two days too long.”

When he dips his head, I push onto my tiptoes and meet him halfway for a kiss. The tension that builds around us the second our lips touch is almost palpable.

My body lights up in response when he swipes his tongue along my lower lip. Surely it shouldn’t be like this. It made sense when we were teenagers. The hormones running through our bodies overpowered everything else.

Now, though, with all the changes my body has gone through from giving birth, I can’t wrap my brain around it. Maybe it’s pent-up energy from never having any personal time to relieve myself.

Or maybe it’s because there has always been intense chemistry with Greyson and chalking it up to teenage hormones is doing both of us a disservice.

Ever since the first night of the hurricane when he made me come, every time he’s around only seems to wind me up more. Yet neither of us has made a move to do anything more than kiss or cuddle.

And now that we’re alone again…

I break away from the kiss, barely biting back my moan when Grey kisses along my jaw and down my neck.

“We should get the bags loaded.” I gasp when he finds the spot just below my ear that has me shivering against him. Clutching his biceps, I try to stay focused. “We’ll be late picking up Harper if we don’t?—”

“No, we won’t.” Grey chuckles, spreading his palm over my ass and hauling me against him. My eyes widen at the feel of his hard length pressing against me. “I’m early.”

“You are?” I move to grab my phone and check the time, but Grey holds me tighter.

“Practice let out early. Everyone is too excited for the four-day break.” He brings his free hand up and traces his thumb over my bottom lip. “Since I was already packed, I figured I’d come see if you needed any help.”

Oh, I do…but not with packing.

As if he can read my thoughts, Grey smirks. Before I can say anything, he’s kissing me again. The hand at my back glides up, slipping beneath my shirt. We both groan at the contact, and he continues up, finding the band of my bra.

I reach for the hem of his shirt in response, shoving it up and reveling in the feel of his skin against mine. His chiseled abs against my palm remind me just how strong he’s become, making me wonder how he can use that to make us both feel good now.

He cups my breasts in his palms, stopping my advance of removing his shirt, but it doesn’t lessen the desire building.

Fuck the lingering kisses and PG cuddles. I want Greyson to remind me what it feels like to have him inside me.

I give up on his shirt, finding the button of his pants instead. There’s no use being subtle about what I want. He curses as I lower the zipper and start working to shove his jeans down.

“Stella, if we don’t stop, I’m gonna…”

“If the rest of your sentence doesn’t end with the words ‘fuck you,’ then we’re gonna need to have a conversation about being on different pages.”

Greyson pulls me flush against his body, stopping my pursuit to get in his pants. My hands thud against his chest and I drop my head back with a frustrated groan.

Maybe throwing a tantrum because I’m not getting dicked down isn’t exactly mature, but if you finally had your first proper orgasm in almost five years only to have the next one dangling just out of reach, you’d be on the edge too.

“Baby, I’ve barely been holding myself back from fucking you every time we’re alone.”

I frown at him. “Why the hell would you do that?”

He shrugs. “We never talked about being intimate with each other. I didn’t want to push you after we agreed to take things slow.”

Well, shit. He has a point.

“I don’t want any more misunderstandings or confusion about what’s going on.” I start mindlessly running my fingers over his chest. “So, first, I need us to agree that if either of us is uncertain about what’s going on between us, that we’ll talk about it.”

When Greyson nods, I continue, “That being said, I think there’s a difference between going slow and going with the flow. If things between us were to get physical…” I shrug. “As long as we’re communicating about what we want and how we feel, I don’t see why either of us should be holding back. Unless there’s anything medical I should be worried about?”

My cheeks flush as I slip in the vague question. I have no issues telling him that I haven’t slept with anyone else, and I wouldn’t hold it against him if he’s been with others. If I wasn’t spending every free second taking care of Harper, I might have started dating a few years ago.

Greyson tucks a finger under my chin, forcing me to look directly at him.

“There’s nothing to be worried about. The last woman I was with is currently in my arms.”

I try, and probably fail, to contain my shock.

“You mean you haven’t been with anyone else in five years?”

“Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could have. None of them would have been you.” He adjusts his hand to cup my cheek. “It’s only ever been you, Stella.”

“For me too.” I feel the tear slide down my cheek.

He kisses me with an urgency that wasn’t there before. I reach for his shirt again and this time, he helps me remove it before switching his focus to my leggings and underwear. The second they hit the floor, he bends forward, hands gripping my thighs. I wrap them around him instinctively as our mouths clash together.

My back hits the wall behind the door and Greyson grinds himself against me, sending a shockwave of pleasure up my spine. Dry humping might have been enough when we were nineteen, but the delicious ache that’s taking hold is much more demanding now.

I slip my hand between us and attempt to get his pants the rest of the way off as he adjusts his hold to allow me access.

“Fuck, baby, I should take you upstairs. But I don’t think I can wait that long to be inside of you.” His breath hitches as I shove my hand inside his boxers and stroke him.

“Then don’t wait,” I murmur against his lips. “Please.”

Grey shifts his hold on me, supporting my weight in one arm so he can push his pants and boxers out of the way.

When his cock slips between my thighs and glides along my pussy, I don’t bother holding back the moan. He’s barely even touched me, but my body is reacting as if he’s spent hours working me up. The tip of his dick catches at my entrance and a desperate ‘yes’ escapes me.

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed your pretty sounds, baby.”

He thrusts his hips gently, slowly working his length in. By the time he’s fully sheathed inside me, I’m a panting mess of nonsensical words.

My skin buzzes, every fiber of my being accepting and anticipating the building orgasm.

“You feel like coming home.” Greyson groans, pulling out until just the tip remains before thrusting back in.

I nod, but no tangible words come out. On his next thrust, I cry out as he slams back in and freezes. I try to wiggle, needing him to move, but his fingers flex on my thighs.

“Shit, Stella. Your cunt is heaven.” He drops his head to my shoulder and leaves a gentle kiss. “I’m not wearing a condom, though.”

I shake my head, swallowing thickly and forcing a sentence to form.

“Birth control,” I rasp. Not quite a sentence, but it’s hard to think clearly when Greyson’s impressive cock is buried deep inside me.

“Thank God,” Grey breathes out on a relieved exhale.

Finally, he picks up his pace. My shoulders dig into the wall behind me, and I use it for leverage as Grey thrusts into me. Not that I can do much. He uses his hold on my hips to pull me up and down, making sure my clit gets attention on each upward stroke he delivers.

Warmth spreads across my chest, those tell-tale tingles pooling low in my stomach, and I moan his name.

“I know, baby. I know,” he whispers, nudging my head to the side with his nose so he can kiss my neck. “Now remind me what it feels like to be choked by your beautiful cunt.”

He moves with a frantic determination and the only choice I have is to ride it out. Grey tilts my hips, pounding into me at a new angle that leaves me crying out in ecstasy.

“Fuck.” He slams back into me. “Baby, touch yourself. I don’t have a chance of lasting with the way your pussy is gripping my cock.”

In a daze, I find my clit. The added sensation is almost too much and my orgasm crashes through me. Greyson grunts, his movements turning frantic before he thrusts one final time and comes with a curse.

Neither of us moves right away, both catching our breaths and slowly coming down from our orgasms.

After a few more moments, I bend forward to kiss his temple.

“Thanks for coming over early.”

He laughs, shaking his head and finally lowering my legs to the floor, but he doesn’t let me escape his embrace.

“If I had known this was gonna happen, I would have skipped practice and spent all morning wrapped up in you.”

I snort. “Pretty sure it’s frowned upon to cut practice just to fuck.”

I move to step around him, but he presses forward and keeps me in place.

“Let me be clear. You are so much more than just a fuck. I’d pick you over hockey every time, without hesitation.”

My cheeks flush at his words, loving the seriousness in his declaration. I should remind him how important his career is to him, should tell him that I’d never put him in a position to have to choose. But for this moment, I greedily let his words wash over me.

I’d never make him choose, but I won’t lie, it’s nice to know he would pick me.