Ribbons of Love Page 7

  While he balanced on one arm, his other hand worked the button and zipper on my jeans. The anticipation for him to touch me had every second hurtling through my brain as flashbulb memories. My hands couldn’t stop exploring his body. The features of his handsome face, his broad chest, his taut stomach and down, down, until I was skimming my fingers along the top of his jeans, wanting to explore all of him. He sucked in a deep breath as I rubbed his hard cock through his jeans.

  He worked my jeans and underwear down my legs. And there I was, displayed to a man, and by his salacious grin I could tell he was happy with what he saw.

  Bryson stripped in front of me. The light from the corner of the room made his body glow, the large crown of his erection shimmering. I wanted to reach out and touch him. I lifted my hand but instead grasped his waist.

  He placed his wallet next to us and his eyes met mine. His hands skimmed up my legs and he lay down on the bed, between my legs.

  To see him down there was both daunting and liberating. This was the man I would share a moment with that I’d never get back, but it was time, I was ready, and I couldn’t imagine a man more perfect.

  Brushing his fingers across the fish tattoo on my hip, he looked up at me. “Damn, that’s sexy. Does it mean something?”

  “I don’t know. Never asked.”

  He kissed the tattoo, then kissed his way further down.

  “Do you want me to kiss you here?” His lips hovered right above my wet heat.

  The blast of an intense blush seared my body. “Yes, please, kiss me there, Bryson.” I writhed on the bed anticipating his touch.

  Bryson’s nimble fingers spread me open as his damp breaths against my softness made me moan. The warmth of his wet tongue was like silk sliding against the slickness of my inner folds. Having a man explore me with his mouth, inside and out, was intimacy multiplied by a hundred. My hands gripped the headboard for leverage as I moved in time to the lapping of his tongue. He moaned against me and the vibrations triggered a rush of heat to the area.

  Bryson’s voice pulsed against the sensitive skin of my thigh. “You taste like I dreamed you would. A perfect blend of sweet and spicy.”

  My body heated low in my stomach.

  His lips moved and he gently tugged my clit into his mouth. The sensitive tissues ignited under his tender but firm devotion. One of his hands moved and teased at my body’s entrance.

  I sucked in a tight breath as my body halted mid-movement.

  “Avery?” He brought his head up and moved a hand up to my face. “What’s wrong?”

  I let go of my breath. “I’ve never…” My eyes diverted from his as embarrassment feasted on my confidence.

  He pushed up, hovering over my body. “You’ve never what?”

  I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see his disappointment. “Done anything.”

  Bryson lay beside me and rolled me to my side to face him. “Avery, hey, please, open your eyes. We need to talk about this.” His hand tangled through my hair to grasp my neck and guide my forehead to his.

  As I opened my eyes, his lips hit mine. I parted his lips with my tongue to taste my essence. He moaned his appreciation, and I delivered the same back.

  He pulled back slowly and cleared his throat. “You’ve never had sex?”

  “I want you to be my first.”

  He rubbed my arm. “Not that I wouldn’t be honored to be your first, but I don’t want to just be the guy who’s at the right place at the right time.”

  “You’re not. I can just feel it, you’re the right guy … period.”

  His long fingers flexed into my neck.

  With his eyes holding to mine, I embraced his face in my hands. “The physical part doesn’t scare me. I want to share my body with you. It’s all the intense feelings for you that scare me.”

  He exhaled a deep breath and smiled, before leaning into me again to share a long kiss. The feeling of our naked bodies pressed against each other was comforting and relit a warm fire within me. He lifted my leg and draped it over his body. The tip of his finger spread my swollen tissues. As he teased the slickened area, he kissed me deeper until I relaxed into him.

  There was pressure as he worked his way through the untouched tissues, but I’d seen his man-goods. It was nowhere near as small as his finger. “You’re so soft, Avery. And damn, you’re hot everywhere.”

  Working his way in and out of me, I panted with each gentle and slow thrust of his hand.

  He rolled me to my back and slid between my legs again. I concentrated on what he was doing with his lips and tongue and fingers. How he was so generous and patient. I’d masturbated before so I knew what an orgasm felt like. When one was going to happen soon, I wanted him to know. To know what he was doing was so right and so, so perfect.

  I panted. “I think … think I’m…”

  “Just let it happen, Avery. You’re so damn beautiful.”

  His lips surrounded my hardened nub of pleasure, and in seconds, I shook as the waves of release overtook my body. Guiding me through my orgasm, he kept up his attention until my body collapsed. Every nerve in my body scintillated like the twinkling lights on a Christmas tree.

  Bryson moved over me, his blue irises lit up with silver fireworks. “First, that was amazing, like the best thing I’ve ever fucking watched.” He kissed me. “Second, did you mean what you said?”

  “What did I say?” I tried to remember, but couldn’t.

  His hard cock pressed against my leg as he lay on top of me. It was difficult to concentrate on anything else.

  His eyes searched mine. “That you love me.”

  I swallowed hard. “I said what?”

  He grinned. “Avery Knicely, I know it’s crazy, but I love you, too.”

  Tears trickled down my face as my heart entwined eternally with his.

  “Hey, those had better be happy tears.” He kissed me and I smiled against his lips.

  “You’ll never know how happy I am.”

  “I’m going to make love to you, Avery.”

  I ran a hand down his stomach. “You seem like all talk to me.”

  He chuckled and grabbed his wallet, searching. “I have slightly embarrassing news. I don’t have a condom.”

  “There are some in my nightstand.”

  “You’re a virgin who keeps condoms in her nightstand?”

  I raised and lowered my shoulders. “I kind of had a dream, like that movie. You know the one. I dreamed if I bought them, he would come.” My eyes sprung open, and I stifled my giggle with my hand.

  “Nice choice of words and hopefully that dream will come true.” Bryson laughed with me, reaching over to the nightstand. “You or me?” He held the square package up.

  “I will.” Sitting with him between my legs, I grabbed the condom and carefully tore it open.

  “Flip it over,” he said when I went to place it on the crown of his penis.

  “Maybe you should do it?”

  “No, I like that you wanted to do it.” His hand lifted my chin. “I’d like you to touch me, if you want.”

  While the condom rested in the palm of one hand, I reached forward and wrapped my other hand around his erection. “You’re so silky on the outside, and like stone on the inside.” I stroked along his length, sending a tingle of anticipation through my body. My eyebrows rose. “Honestly, I’m more than a little nervous, Bryson. Not that I have much to compare this to, but um, you’re not … um, small.” My eyes widened taking him all in. “At all.”

  His eyebrows rose. “Thanks.” His hand lifted my chin. “I promise, we’ll go slow.” He moaned. “But I’ll be honest, it’s been a few months. You keep that up and I’m going to have a movie moment all on my own.”

  I lifted the small ring from my hand and rolled the latex down his length before I lay back down on the bed. Clamping my eyes closed, I inhaled a choppy breath.

  His hand gently worked his hard shaft between my folds and I could feel the pressure building as he pushed forward.
“Avery, sweetheart. Open your eyes. I want to see that amazing color. We’re going to want to remember this moment for the rest of our lives.”

  He pushed into me and I gasped at the slight burn.

  “Thank you for sharing yourself with me,” he whispered as if someone might hear him.

  “There’s never been anyone I even considered before you, Bryson.”

  His voice soothed me as he moved deeper and deeper. “Damn, so hot … and slick … and so soft. I could spend hours inside of you … and I plan to.”

  “Wow,” I moaned the word.

  He stilled. “Did you say ‘ow’?”

  A giggle burst from me and worry released from deep inside. “No, I said ‘wow’.”

  “Good. Keep thinking that.”

  We kissed and our hands skimmed over each other’s skin until we were both panting. I adjusted my legs, and he glided fully inside of me. I sucked in a huge breath at the significance of being filled by a man. Heart, body, soul.

  His deep kiss stole away my surprise and replaced it with our desire for each other.

  “What can I do to help you be more comfortable?”

  “Be smaller,” I joked on an exhale.

  His eyebrows rose and he smirked. “Someday you’ll really like that.”

  “I already do. You want to move?”

  “Like you wouldn’t believe.”

  “Then let’s move, Bryson.”

  Our bodies seemed to know each other. I began to meet his thrusts and the friction was doing amazing things to my insides.

  “That feels good.”

  “I don’t want only good. I want you to feel fucking incredible.” He reached between us and skimmed my clit with the tip of his finger. Electricity zipped through me.

  “Bryson, I don’t think I’m going to…”

  “Maybe don’t think, Avery, just feel.” His body rolled against mine, every firm muscle grazing along my body. “Feel how our bodies fit together.”

  “Amazing.”

  He slowed his movements. “Feel how my body connects with your body.”

  I moaned. “Perfectly.”

  Warmth started to build deep inside of me as his words flowed through me.

  “Feel how my heart beats with yours.”

  “Beautiful.”

  Reaching up to his face, we stared into each other. The depths of this moment rivaled the oceans.

  “I can’t believe you’re mine.”

  His lips lowered to my ear and hot breaths tickled my neck. “Sweetheart, I’m going to be yours forever.”

  Murmured promises for our future rolled from me like the waves of pleasure through me.

  He met my bliss with one last deep thrust and sighed, “I love you, too, Avery,” before his mouth covered mine in a deep kiss, and he rumbled through his own release.

  Forever.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Bryson

  My phone alarm buzzed on the nightstand. I turned it off as it repeated its urgency. She probably didn’t get up this early. Not many people did. It was habit from the military that was hard to break. However, waking up with a warm naked female pinning me to the bed and a sea of red tangled over my body made me consider ditching my normal routine.

  After extricating myself from her silky strands, I dressed and found a pad of paper and pen in the front room, wrote a note, and placed it on the pillow next to her.

  It read: Thanks for last night. That was a Christmas gift that I’ll always remember. Love, Bry

  Staring was a natural response when Avery filled my vision. She made a sweet little noise, and I decided I would leave with the memory of that sound.

  Mid-morning, I stared at my desk. Seemed being in love was inspiration. I was productive and ahead of schedule on several projects.

  On my way back from getting a bottle of water from the break room, Jake leaned out of his cubicle. “You’re damn cheerful today. Did you and Avery do—”

  “Dude!” I stepped into his area and waved at him to stop talking. I lowered my voice. “I think Rahl knows Avery.”

  “Shit! Sorry.” He matched the volume of my voice. “Did you score?”

  I crossed my arms and stared at him.

  “Let me live vicariously, please, Bry.”

  “No.”

  His eyes widened. “No you won’t tell me, or no you didn’t do her?”

  “No.”

  “She have any sisters?”

  “No.”

  “Can I date your sister?”

  “No.” He started to talk again, but I cut him off. “Wait! Do you want to date Emerson?”

  He leaned back in his chair. “Nah, I was kidding. She’s a nightmare. Whoever gets her will need to be deaf to put up with her attitude. Either that or be a masochist who enjoys it.”

  “She’s not that bad,” I said, not in total disagreement but because of some DNA-induced commitment to my sister.

  “Right. So, are you taking this Avery girl to the Triple R gathering, or Emerson?”

  “Good point.”

  Shit, I forgot to ask her last night.

  Breigh walked by. “Hey, guys.”

  We both offered simple greetings, and Jake moaned.

  “I heard that, Greenstein.” Breigh looked back over her shoulder.

  “Damn! I’ll be sitting here for the next hour,” Jake grumbled.

  “We have a meeting with Rahl in ten. I’d start thinking of something repulsive if I were you. Good luck.” I chuckled and walked away as Jake muttered a string of cuss words worthy of a special medal of achievement.

  Back at my desk, I picked up my phone.

  Bryson: Good morning. Hope you’re feeling okay today. Dinner tonight?

  Avery: Good morning. Just finished my workout at Triple R. Feeling great. I work late shift, until after 8. Sorry.

  Bryson: I understand. I’ll have to work late sometimes too. Would you like to go with me to the Triple R holiday party on Friday night?

  Avery: Definitely! Can’t wait! Thank you for last night. It couldn’t have been more special.

  Bryson: You’re welcome. It was special for me, too. Have a good day.

  Avery: You, too.

  After work, Jake and I sat around eating pizza and drinking a few beers while watching TV.

  “You gonna go to Avery’s tonight?” He flicked the leg-rest up on his recliner. Sometimes that chair made him look fifty instead of twenty-five.

  “No, she has to work until eight. Plus, I bet she’s sore, she’ll need a couple of days to…” My brain was on autopilot while staring at the TV screen.

  Damn.

  “Sore, huh? So I wasn’t wrong about your cheerful attitude today.”

  “Shut up, Greenstein.”

  Jake pointed when I didn’t hear my phone buzzing on the table. After I caught the flashing caller-ID, I only answered because she would call back. “Hello, Emerson.”

  “Hey, Bry. Uncle Blake finally came to his senses. I’m going to the party on Friday.”

  I covered the mouthpiece to let expletives roll from my mouth, and Jake laughed.

  She continued, “I’m taking Quinn as my guest. You’ll be there, right?”

  “Yes, with my girlfriend.”

  A huff preceded her words. “What girlfriend, Bryson?”

  “The one you don’t need to be concerned with. Stay away from her, Emie.”

  “What’s this special girl’s name?”

  The inquisitive nature and sweet pitch of her voice made my jaw tighten. I wanted to believe my sister had redeeming qualities. We were from the same DNA. There had to be a little of Dad’s patience and common sense in there somewhere. But if I didn’t give her information, she would hound everyone close to me for the intel.

  “Her name is Avery.”

  “Avery? Very interesting name.”

  “Is that all?”

  “We’ll be looking forward to meeting her, Bryson.” The way she stretched “we’ll” sliced into my brain. Quinn wouldn’t be the
problem. She was only a pawn in Emerson’s life. But Emerson could play a drama checkmate on a person in ten sly moves or less. I would need reinforcements.

  “Bye, Emerson.” I hung up and turned to Jake. “You working Friday night?”

  “Not as far as I know.”

  “Then you’re coming to the Triple R holiday party.”

  “Why?”

  “Emerson will be there and I need a buffer between her and me and Avery.”

  “Bry, I don’t really want to be a bitch-shield for you and the girl, who after a week of sort-of/kind-of knowing, you’re calling … girlfriend?”

  I’d always lived my life regardless of what was acceptable to others. I wasn’t going to start caring now. Or explaining now. There was only one person who needed to know how I really felt about her and that the timing was right for us.

  I stood to get another beer. “I know you can hold your own against the blondes.”

  “I would enjoy a tasty blonde.”

  “Huh?”

  “Beer. A blonde beer.” He held up his bottle and shook, indicating he was empty.

  My eyes narrowed. “You’ll be there?”

  “Free food and drinks?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m in.”

  I fished two beers from the fridge and we went back to watching TV.

  Emerson, don’t you fuck this up…

  Chapter Sixteen

  Avery

  I smiled at my cell phone as I lifted it from the front desk counter. Bryson had texted a quick note about every hour today. Some were sweet. Some were spicy. I loved them all. And I missed seeing him last night.

  “Nice smile, Avery,” Charlie said as he strolled by.

  “Thanks, Charlie.” I smiled bigger than before.

  Presley finished with a client and walked up to the desk.

  “How’s your month going?” I asked.

  “Slowing down. I decided to take next week off since it’s the week before the wedding. Jude’s taking Wednesday and Thursday off. We need some pre-event downtime.” She grinned. “But I’ll have another sale this afternoon when your boyfriend, Bryson, comes in to make a purchase. I think that will be my last sale for the month.”

  A whoosh of happiness pulsed through me.