Page 29 of Stay With Me (Griffin’s Den #2)

TWENTY-NINE

Luna

Cleaning did not calm me down how I hoped it would, and I’ve read the same sentence for the last fifteen minutes. I set my Kindle down on my lap with a sigh.

Nerves wreak havoc on my stomach as I fiddle with the corner of the case on my Kindle, my mind racing.

Is what I’m wearing okay?

Is this really happening?

It isn’t long before I hear the sound of Noah’s tires coming up the driveway. I peek through the window as he climbs up the steps.

He walks inside and closes the door behind him. “Hey, baby, was Jess excited to spend the day with Am?” he asks, setting the bags he’s carrying on the island.

“Yeah, apparently, at school, she asked Cassidy if she could read about aquaponics and has a list of things she wants to talk about.”

A smile takes over his face as he walks toward me. “She might be shy, but I love her thirst for knowledge.”

“Yeah, I know it should be a good thing, but one day she’s going to know more than me, and I won’t be able to help her,” I say as I rub my hands on my thighs.

“I think every parent feels that way at some point. My mom used to tell me to do my homework my way, and she would do it hers, and that’s how she would check it.” He sits next to me, pulls me close, and kisses my forehead. “Want to eat some lunch?”

I lean back and meet his eyes. “Lunch?”

He brushes his hand up and down my arm. “Yeah, lunch. I haven’t eaten yet, and I can tell you’re nervous. So let’s eat.”

He stands and holds his hand out. I place my shaking hand in his, because he’s right.

I’m nervous.

He leads me to the kitchen and lets go of my hand when he gets to the fridge. Rummaging around, he pulls out some condiments and deli meat. He glances at me over his shoulder with a soft smile. “Want to grab the plates, and we can make some sandwiches?”

I nod and turn to the cabinets and grab two plates and set them on the counter and open the drawer to my left and pull out a knife. Before I can turn around, I feel him behind me.

He kisses the side of my neck. “Thanks, baby,” he whispers next to my ear.

“N-no problem,” I say softly, my heart rate picking up.

We work together to build our sandwiches, our hands brushing as we reach for the ingredients. Sparks race up my arm with each touch.

“I bought a new seasoning at the store the other day. Want to try it before sprinkling some on?” he asks as he holds a spoon up for me.

I flick my eyes down and see a small amount of the seasoning on the spoon.

“Yeah. What is it?” I lean forward, open my mouth, and close it around the spoon.

Without breaking eye contact, he responds. “It’s an asiago-flavored everything seasoning.”

He brushes a stray piece of hair behind my ear, and heat sweeps through me as desire pools in my stomach. His eyes are locked on my mouth.

I slowly part my lips and lick them. “That’s good,” I say softly.

Will he make the first move?

Should I?

What if he really is hungry?

Screw it. I’m not hungry anyway.

I go on my tiptoes and brush my lips against his. “I don’t think I’m very hungry.”

“Are you sure?” he asks and bends slightly, putting his hands just under my butt and turning us to set me on the island.

My cheeks flush as I nod, and his mouth descends on mine.

The kiss is raw, full of emotions.

His lips are soft, commanding, as I follow his lead. His fingers dig into my hips as he pulls me closer, and his hardness presses against my core. The essence of him draws me in every time his tongue brushes against mine.

Unsure of how to move forward, I fist his shirt and pull my chest flush with his.

I’m overwhelmed with the urge to touch him everywhere.

He rocks into me, causing my blood to hum with pleasure.

Oh my.

My fiery moan breaks the heated silence. He deepens the kiss, threading one hand through my hair to angle my head exactly where he wants me.

Tentatively, I rock my hips against him.

“Goddamn, Luna, I can feel the heat of your pussy through my jeans, baby,” he growls.

His words are like an electric current through my blood.

“That’s good, right?” I say breathlessly.

“Yeah, my Lunabella. It’s good. Wrap your arms around my neck and hold on.”

He kisses me quickly as I follow his directions. He lifts me, and I tighten my grip, locking my ankles and clinging to him as he walks us toward the table. He grabs one of the bags he set down before he heads to his bedroom.

I kiss him again as I adjust my ankles, and my core brushes against his erection, causing him to stumble.

“Lunabella, if you aren’t careful, I’ll take you against this wall instead of the bed like you deserve for your first time.”

I moan at the thought of him taking me right here.

He turns and pushes me up against the wall. “You like that idea, baby? That I can’t control myself and take you right here?”

I nod slowly.

The thought that I can make this man lose control is empowering.

He groans. “Another time.” He pulls me away from the wall and closes the distance to his room, kicking the door open. Once we get close to the bed, he taps my leg twice, and I unlock my ankles and slide down his body.

He takes a step away, and I shiver with the loss of his body heat. He flicks the lights on and sets the bag on the nightstand next to me.

Suddenly, my nerves come swirling back. I fidget with the hem of my shirt.

Slowly, Noah walks toward me and grabs my hand, pulling it up to his mouth and kissing my palm.

“You run this show, Luna. If you say stop, this stops.”

“Okay,” I whisper.

He goes back to the nightstand and pulls a box out of the bag. I squint at it and tilt my head.

“Condoms,” Noah says like he can read my mind. “We haven’t had the talk yet, but we will. I’ve never seen you take birth control since you’ve been here, so either you’re on the shot, or you aren’t on any. I’ll never make a choice about children without talking to you first.”

“I’m not on anything. Thank you for thinking about it beforehand.”

He moves back to me and frames my face with his hands. “My Lunabella?.?.?. Don’t you know that if you let me, I’ll always take care of you?”

My breath catches, his words adding fuel to my desire. He leans down and takes my lips.

His hands leave my face and slowly go to the bottom of my shirt. He pulls it up and breaks the kiss only to pull the shirt over my head. The chilled air whispers across my fevered skin as he seals his lips to mine.

After he tosses my shirt, he brings his hands to the waistband of my leggings and drags them down until he has to pull away from our kiss.

He drops to his knees to finish pulling them off. I fight the urge to cover myself as I’m left in my black lace bra and panties. A set I splurged on last year and never thought I’d have a use for.

He looks up at me. “You’re so beautiful. Thank you for giving me this.”

He reaches behind him and pulls his shirt off. My eyes roam his body, his lean athletic build on display.

“You like what you see, Luna?” His warm eyes meet mine.

“Yes,” I breathe out. And I do. He’s breathtaking.

My heart pounds in my ears.

He kisses me on my stomach, and goose bumps break out across my skin. Then he lowers my panties down my legs and stands back up.

Suddenly, his mouth is back on mine, his hands reaching around and unclasping my bra. He slides the straps down and steps back just enough to let it fall between us without pulling away.

He deepens the kiss, his mouth dominating, while guiding me down onto the bed. Bringing his leg between mine, he kneels over me. I brush my hand against his belt buckle, but he grabs my wrists and puts them over my head.

“Not yet. We need to get you ready for me.” He withdraws his hands from mine, the tips of his fingers brushing my heated skin until he cups my breasts. “So perfect.”

My eyes are wide as I watch him lower his head and take a beaded nipple into his mouth. “Oh,” I pant.

His gaze meets mine as he switches to the other one.

My back arches as pleasure I’ve never felt before races through me.

“You like this, baby?” he asks.

I nod, words failing me.

He continues to lavish attention on my breasts, alternating between my nipples.

Once I’m a withering mess, his kisses travel lower.

He settles between my legs, kissing my inner thighs.

I lift my head, unable to look away.

Part of me feels like I should be embarrassed about where he is, but the moment his eyes lock with mine, all I see is raw desire, and my desire for him overrules any feelings of embarrassment.

Bringing one hand under my butt, he lifts me to an angle he likes, his other arm draped across my lower stomach. Without breaking eye contact, he slowly licks up and down my core.

My body hums with the exquisite torture.

Just when I think I can’t take anymore, he latches on to my clit.

“Oh my… ” I cry, my head thrown back as my back arches.

As my orgasm grows closer, he slows down, and I squeeze my eyes shut as I groan.

He pulls away slightly. “I got you, baby. I promise.”

He inserts a single finger inside me, and I hiss at the snug invasion as he slowly moves in and out. Using his tongue, he brings me back to the edge.

He slows down again before inserting a second finger.

My hands come down and tangle in his hair, pulling a little with every stroke.

“That’s it, my Lunabella. That’s it. Can you be my good girl and come for me?” he croons.

Dampness floods my core at his dirty words. “Yes,” I moan.

He slides one more finger in, and I take a deep breath at the tightness. His groan of approval vibrates through me, sending me over the edge.

I cry out my release as it takes me by surprise.

He doesn’t stop until I come back down, slowly pulling his fingers out of me.

My eyes snap open as a breeze of cold air rushes over me, and Noah is standing next to the bed, taking his pants off. He grabs the box of condoms and opens it, tearing one square off.

I watch his every movement as he rips the wrapper and rolls it down his erection.

Doubt starts to creep up. “Are you sure it’s going to fit?”

“I’m not going to lie. It’s going to hurt, but we’ll go slow, and if at any point you want to stop, we stop. Okay?”

I nod. Nerves and desire warring within me at the thought of what will happen next.

He places his knee back on the bed and crawls over me. “Are you ready?”

I nod again. I’m ready, nervous, but ready.

“I need your words, Luna.”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

He lowers to his elbows and takes my lips.

His cock presses at my core, but he distracts me with his kisses. Bringing one hand down, he brushes over my clit before reaching down to notch himself at my entrance.

He starts to push in, and the pressure takes my breath away.

“You’re so wet, baby. Are you okay?” he murmurs against my skin.

“Yes,” I pant.

This doesn’t hurt too bad.

He rocks back and forth a little. “I need you to take a breath, baby. It’ll help you relax a little.”

As I take a deep breath and he pushes forward, a sharp pain takes over, and I cry out, squeezing my eyes shut.

He freezes. “Shit. You’re so tight. Are you okay?”

“Mmhmm,” I say through a painful breath.

After a minute, he says, “We’re going to go slow, okay? But I’m going to move now.”

I nod and open my eyes. He’s looking down at me with such care, but the vein in his neck is bulging with the strain of his restraint.

Just like he said, he moves slowly, with careful movements.

Gently moving back and forth.

Soon, the burning sensation dulls, and my chest tightens with emotion. I know that if I never left The Family, my first time would never have been like this.

I look back up at him, silently thanking him for giving me this. His muscles tense and tremble as he struggles to keep every stroke gentle, despite his own urges.

He pulls away. “You still okay?”

“Yeah, it doesn’t hurt as bad anymore.”

A bright smile takes over his face, and he leans down, giving me a soul-touching kiss.

I fall deeper into the moment, allowing my body to adapt to his. As the sting recedes, I cautiously lift my hips, meeting his.

The move causes him to brush up against my clit, sending a jolt of electricity rushing through me.

Noah’s moan fills my ears, and he thrusts a little harder. “Is this okay?” he asks, his restraint evident with each thrust.

My hips meet his. “Yes.”

I curl my fingers into the corded muscles of his back, his skin coated in a sheen of exertion.

Raw, primal energy surrounds us.

My movements are uncoordinated as I try to keep pace, my desire coiling with every breath.

My release starts to build again, my eyes searching his, and I’m not sure I want this to end. I’ve never felt more connected to someone than I do in this moment.

“Give me another one, my Lunabella. Come all over my cock. I want to feel it,” he rasps as he reaches a hand down and brushes my clit.

As I get closer, he picks up his momentum. His eyes dilate with desire as we chase the oblivion of our release.

All too soon, we’re tumbling over the edge together, our cries of release filling the room.

Noah lets part of his weight settle over me as soon as it’s over, like he’s grounding me to my body. I run my fingers up and down his back, and he shivers at my touch.

Noah lifts off me and rolls to his side. He quickly gets up and takes the condom to the bathroom before returning with a warm washcloth.

“Um, what are you doing?”

“I’m going to clean you up. The warmth will help the pain a little, but I’ll have you take a bath in a few.”

“I can do it,” I say, reaching out for the washcloth.

“Let me take care of you, Luna. Please?”

I tilt my head to the side and meet his eyes. “Okay.” I drop my legs open again.

I hiss as the washcloth meets my core.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he says before tossing the washcloth to the side. He crawls back in bed and pulls me close. “Are you okay?” he whispers.

“Yeah, are you?”

He chuckles. “Yeah, baby. I’m perfect.”

“So, when it doesn’t hurt so much down there later… do you think we can do that again?”

His chest rumbles with laughter. “Let’s see how you feel later, but yeah, we’ll do that again for sure.” He kisses my forehead. “Rest now. We’ll get up and eat something for real after we nap.”

A lightness takes over me as I burrow into him, and we intertwine our legs. A rightness I can’t put into words settles in my chest as I drift off to sleep.