Secrets That We Keep Page 27

  Yellow saw all the nerves I was experiencing too. As soon as I found a parking spot in the lot next to her building, and I hurried to meet her at her car, she took one look at my face and asked, “Everything okay?”

  I nodded. “Yep.” Then I reached for her hand. When her cold fingers wrapped around mine, we walked up a set of outside steps together to the second floor, and then three doors down to the right until she paused in front of a door with a black metal letter N inside a decorated hanging circle.

  Looking out over the balcony at her neighborhood as she unlocked her door, I nodded. This place seemed like her. Calm, quiet, steady, safe. When the door came open behind me, I turned back to find her stepping aside to let me go in first.

  The first thing I noticed was the peachy smell. Then Yellow flipped on the light, and I lifted my eyebrows.

  “Damn, you’re clean.”

  Everything was decorated in shades of blues and tans and dusty rose colors. And everything seemed to be in its proper place, save for a crumpled blanket on her couch with a remote control next to it, an empty but clearly used cup on the coffee table, and a pair of running shoes splayed on the floor next to a zipped sports bag.

  I mean, I wouldn’t say I was a slob, but I certainly never picked up this well, especially when I had no idea I’d be having company.

  “It’s nice, though,” I said as I turned to her.

  She just stood there, her hands clasped tightly at her waist. “Thank you.”

  With a small smile, I stepped toward her. “I would pay some serious money right now to know what you’re thinking about.”

  She blinked, then blurted, “Eleanor Roosevelt.”

  I laughed. “Okay.” With an obliging nod, I added, “Totally not what I was expecting you to say. Why her?”

  “She has some amazing quotes,” Yellow answered, lowering her gaze to my body and then lifting it again to my eyes. “One of my favorites says something like everyone should do one thing every day that scares them. So I was just thinking that right now, the one scary thing I want to do is...you.”

  My lips parted and anticipation roared through me. But instead of letting her know she could do any fucking thing she wanted to me, I murmured, “Am I scary?”

  Her head bobbed immediately. “Oh definitely. But the safe, thrilling kind of scary.”

  “Ah…” I murmured. “I’m scary but safe. Right. Well, that clears up absolutely nothing for me.”

  She chuckled through a silent laugh. “You’re, you know, the safe, controlled-environment kind of thrills people seek, like roller-coaster rides, haunted houses, or skydiving. People actually pay to experience them, hungry for that sudden rush of endorphins, not sure if they’re going to die in the next moment while knowing it’ll actually be okay. That guy with the bloody chainsaw won’t really try to chop you into a million pieces, so you go back for another round because it’s seriously that addictive to get your heartbeat racing and your blood pressure spiking. It’s the best kind of scary ever.”

  “Hmm. I think I’m starting to get what you’re saying here.” I eased close enough that she’d have to look up at my face to see it. “So is your heartbeat racing right now?”

  Her eyes crinkled in amusement from under hooded lashes. “Why don’t you find out?”

  Taking my hand, she lifted it to her heart, just above the swell of one breast. As soon as my palm pressed against the fabric of her blouse, warmth seeped through to greet me.

  I closed my eyes and bowed my head, feeling the accelerated heart rate.

  “I need to be honest with you,” she whispered.

  When I opened my lashes, I lifted my eyebrows, ready to hear something awful like she did knowingly and willingly sleep with my sister’s fiancé after all, and she didn’t regret a second of it.

  But what she said was, “I, uh, I don’t actually have any coffee in my apartment.”

  I grinned, relieved. “That’s fine. I don’t like coffee.”

  “What?” Her brow furrowed. “But I’ve been meeting you in the breakroom for coffee, like, all week long.”

  “I’m not sure what you were paying attention to in that breakroom, Miss Nicksen,” I told her, unable to stop smirking, “but it certainly wasn’t what I’ve been putting into my cup. Because I’ve been drinking tea all week long.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Oh my God. Have you really?”

  I snickered out an amused laugh before gravely telling her, “And here, I could tell you exactly how you take your coffee. Extra dark, two sugars, and one scoop of French vanilla creamer.”

  “Oh, Gracen. I’m so sorry,” she murmured, looking horrified as she set her hands over her cheeks. “I feel like I’ve been totally objectifying you because, no, I definitely did not notice you were drinking tea instead of coffee.”

  “Well, you know the best way to fix that, don’t you?” I asked, taking her hand. “Show me to your room and get all those nasty, objectifying ways out of your system, so then maybe tomorrow morning, you can actually look me in the eye and find out how many packets of sugar I put in my tea.”

  “One,” she said, looking in my eyes now. “You put in one packet. Now, follow me.”

  Turning, she led me to her bedroom.

  This space was decorated in blacks and whites with splashes of bright yellow. Just like her name. All it needed was a streak of Gray.

  But I’d wait until later to streak. For now...

  I glanced around in wonder, learning more bits and pieces about her until she stopped us by the bed and turned to me. Flattening her hands across my chest, she watched her own fingers spread wide, moving across my pecs before she looked up.

  “You’re not going to get mad if I don’t come, right?” she asked in a rushed, very nervous voice.

  I blinked, not expecting her to say that. “What?”

  “I mean…” She shook her head and waved a hand. “I probably won’t. Actually, I definitely won’t. But that won’t make you feel deficient in any way, will it? Is that something that’s a big deal for you?”

  Uh… “You mean, when I come but my partner doesn’t?”

  Nodding, she bit her lip.

  Yeah, that was kind of a big deal for me.

  She looked so worried and concerned about my feelings on the subject, though, that I just took a moment to blink and think all this through. Then I lifted a finger and said, “Question. What makes you think you won’t come?”

  “Because I never have before. I mean, not during, anyway. And Liam, a boyfriend I had for over a year, tried in, like, every way imaginable. It’s just not possible for me.”

  Huh. This was definitely not the conversation I thought I’d be having tonight.

  But I simply watched her, letting her explain everything before I asked, “But you’ve had orgasms before, right?”

  “S-sure.” With a bashful shrug, she blushed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I mean, when he—when he went down on me, or I—I took care of myself. But never when he used his—you know—his penis.”

  I would bet some serious money that just now was the first time Yellow had ever uttered the word penis before. I nearly burst out laughing, watching her face turn bright red as she talked about something that was so clearly uncomfortable for her, and she did it in such a no-nonsense, businesslike manner, too.

  It was fucking adorable.

  “Not that I was asking you to go down on me just so I could get off,” she rushed out. “I’m actually going to forbid that tonight since I even mentioned it. I just—I didn’t want you to go away feeling in any way disappointed, in case you were one of those guys that needed the woman to feel pleasure too. And you strike me as one of them, so—”

  “Yellow,” I cut in softly, gently grasping her shoulders to calm her down and get her to look into my eyes. “Breathe.”

  She obediently heaved in a breath and winced when she focused on my face. “Oh God, you have that challenged look on your face. You do not have to try to prove anythin
g to me, Gracen. Please don’t think every other man has been wrong, and you’re finally going to be the one to find my G-spot. You’ll go away dissatisfied. I promise you. And that is what I don’t want.”

  “Oh, I won’t be going away dissatisfied,” I promised right back. “And neither will you.”

  “Ugh,” she groaned and pressed her palm to her forehead. “I should’ve just kept my big trap shut. I’m sorry. Just forget I said anything. Alright?”

  “Nope.” Like hell was I forgetting this. “Sorry, can’t do it,” I told her. “I have a mission now.”

  “Gracen,” she growled on an irritated frown. “Listen to me. I know my body better than you do, alright.”

  “And I wasn’t disputing that,” I shot back with a lifted finger. “But I clearly heard you say there were two ways to make you come. And you just expressly forbade me from implementing one of those ways on you tonight, so…” Slapping my hands together and rubbing them in preparation, I asked, “Where is it?”

  I moseyed around her bed, picking up pillows and looking under them before opening her bedside drawer and poking around inside.

  “Where is what?” Yellow asked, sounding confused. “What in the world are you looking for?”

  “Your vibrator,” I clarified. “The magical tool that helps you give yourself pleasure.”

  Pausing after I opened her top dresser drawer, I lifted my eyebrows at all the silky, lacy undies I found inside.

  Damn. If she was wearing anything under her clothes right now that looked like any of these panties, I probably wasn’t going to last very long tonight. Shaking my head past that thought, I plunged my hand inside the lake of silk and lace and fished around, hitting pay dirt a second later.

  “Aha!” I triumphantly pulled up a glimmering lime green clit stimulator.

  Yellow blinked at me, not at all amused. “Well, that wasn’t intrusive at all.”

  I winced, realizing I had just gone through all her things without asking for permission first. But she was going to thank me for it in about half an hour. I swear.

  “You can tie me up and spank me for my snooping ways later,” I assured her as I approached. Then I held up the vibrator. “But for now, I have an epic plan. Here, you take this.” Reaching out, I grabbed her hand and manually turned it until her palm was facing upright and ready to hold something. Then I slapped the vibrator into her possession. “And pleasure yourself with it however you usually do. Then I’ll slip in from behind—or the front, however you prefer—and bam, my new green companion here and I tag-team the fuck out of you until all three of us have a nice happy ending.”

  “So…” With a distrustful frown, Yellow glanced down at the plastic wand in her hand, then up at me. “You want to have a threesome? With my vibrator?”

  “Yes!” I cheered enthusiastically with a big grin. “I love that idea. Good thinking. And I bet he likes it too.”

  Reaching out one finger, I pushed a button on the side, making the vibrator buzz to life. “See.” I pointed, my eyebrows lifted. “He does want in on some of this action; he’s literally trembling in anticipation.”

  Yellow shook her head before breaking out into a nervous laugh and uncontrollable smile. “My God, Gracen. Why have I never met anyone like you before?”

  “Because there’s only one of me,” I told her as I stepped close and took her face in between my hands.

  “Then how was I lucky enough to get the one and only you?” she whispered, her eyes struggling with misery as if she didn’t think she deserved this moment between us.

  I kissed her lips softly. “It was always meant to be. We just had to wait for the right time.”

  I went back in for another kiss, and this time, she met my mouth eagerly. One of her hands gripped the front of my shirt as she rose onto her toes and pressed in close.

  Our bodies came together, heat for heat, and our fingers were suddenly everywhere, grappling to remove clothing and stroke freshly exposed flesh. The third member of our party was dropped somewhere to the floor in the pile of discarded shirts and pants.

  Neither of us noticed as I backed her toward the bed and she sat down when the backs of her knees hit the mattress. As she shimmied herself backward toward the headboard, I latched my mouth onto hers and followed, crawling on hands and knees above her until she found herself a comfortable spot. Then I lowered my hips first, shuddering when my aching dick brushed against pubic hair.

  Yellow made a sound under me. I couldn't tell if it was from pleasure or nerves, so I broke my mouth from her and pressed our brows together so I could ask, “All good?”

  “Definitely,” she breathed, wrapping her legs around my waist and hooking her ankles together at the base of my spine. Then she ran her hands down my back, her fingers gripping muscles as she went until she was gripping my ass. “God, you feel so nice.”

  “So do you.” I kissed my way along her neck and ground the base of my cock against her pussy.

  “Now, what should I explore next?” I murmured once I reached the base of her throat. “Hmm. I say we’re going to…” I pulled up off her just enough to glance down and settle my attention on her chest. “That mountain. Don't ask me why, just a hunch, just feels right.”

  She furrowed her brows. “Did you just quote The Croods? In the middle of this?”

  I grinned innocently. “Maybe.”

  Yellow threw her head back and shouted out a laugh. I used the moment to latch my mouth around a pouted nipple, and she broke off her amusement with a gasp of surprise.

  From there on out, I got a little carried away with appreciating her. Her body was just ripe for the plucking; she gasped and moaned with every new patch of skin I explored. And I felt like a starving man. After suckling her breasts, I kissed my way down only to pause at the damp place between her legs. My jaws physically ached and saliva pooled in my mouth as I imagined my tongue diving in to taste her.

  “I bet you taste so damn good,” I whimpered, glancing up at her with begging eyes. Her return gaze was glassy and dazed; she was fully aroused. I could probably make her come with just a few well-placed licks right now. But I was a good boy.

  For now.

  “Alas,” I moaned dramatically, “I am forbidden. Which means...”

  I sat upright in a rush and dove off the side of the bed in search of the third member of our party. Aha! Holding it up, I returned to the mattress and handed it over.

  But Yellow looked very uncertain as she reluctantly accepted it. “You were serious about that?”

  “Hell, yes,” I said. “I really, really need you to come with me tonight because I don’t want to be the only one here screaming all your neighbors awake. I gotta be able to blame some of it on you.”

  “So you honestly want me to just…?” She flushed and glanced away, waving her hand, “Pleasure myself? Right here in front of you?”

  “That’s exactly what I want, yes. You know how to work that guy better than I do. This round, anyway. The first time through is all about learning and exploration, and I need to be taught how it’s done right. So…” I waved my hand like she had. “Do your thing.”

  Her eyes warmed with affection as she looked up at me, then appearing extremely uncertain, she lowered the stimulator between her legs.

  I watched her eyes flare at the first touch. Then her nostrils. A breath hissed from her lungs, and she began to arch and move against her lime green lover.

  “Oh. Wow,” I breathed, unable to stop watching. “That is so hot.”

  Yellow blushed, but when I started to stroke myself, her gaze fell boldly to my cock. “Hey, that’s what I was going to say about you.”

  “Of course it was,” I murmured on a knowing nod. “Because you’re a copycat Gracen-phrase thief who can’t come up with your own line.”

  She snorted at my joke. Then said, “Yeah, that must be it,” as her gaze fell to my ministrations on myself again. “Damn, but you’re a masterpiece.”

  “Now, wait a second.” I scowled. “Y
ou can’t come up with something that totally blows my eloquently put wow, that’s hot right out of the water. Not fair.”

  She preened. “Face it. I win.” But then she bit her lip and moaned, obviously having hit a sweet spot.

  “But you’re not supposed to out-word me,” I told her as I tore open a condom package and rolled it into place. “How am I supposed to impress you now?”

  She licked her lips hungrily as she eyed my shaft. “I have a feeling you’ll come up with some way.” Then her gaze lifted meaningfully to mine. “Fairly soon, in fact.”

  “Do me a favor, huh?” I asked as I spread her knees and slotted myself between her thighs. “At least pretend to be completely dazzled and overwhelmed, even if you're not.” Remaining upright as she continued to buzz Mr. Green against her clit, I took myself in hand and positioned my cock just under the other guy so I could press at her entrance. Yellow sucked in a breath as I began to push inside.

  “Oh God. That’s—oh!” Her eyes rolled back as she worked the vibrator more diligently and thrust up her hips to meet me as I sank home. “Holy shit. Holy…”

  I watched the surprise and confusion and absolute pleasure on her face as she struggled to contain her reactions, slapping her free hand onto the mattress and gripping a handful of sheets as she clenched her teeth and blinked repeatedly.

  “You’re totally pretending right now, aren’t you?” I couldn't help but taunt.

  “Yes,” she gasped as I shifted deeper. “Completely. Oh my God!”

  I grinned. “Thought so.”

  “Gracen,” she gasped. “I think I’m gonna—”

  “Oh, I can tell,” I smugly let her know.

  She scowled at me for my teasing, but then let loose, crying out as the first wave of her orgasm hit her.

  It was so freaking spectacular to watch that I lost my grip on all the amazing self-restraint I thought I should have, and I began to thrust, coming with her and experiencing something I’d never experienced before.

  I think I’d just given my freaking soul to this woman. And I loved every moment of it.

  Chapter Twenty-One