Only Love (21 page)

I grabbed her cheeks before she could go on and I think I surprised us both when I crashed my lips down on hers, tasting her. Really tasting her finally.

“Yes,” I told her, not letting my lips leave hers long enough to say it. “Yes, Aubrey. Yes. That’s what want.”

God, she didn’t even know how much.

In the next moment, she was in my arms, her legs locked around my hips, and I was taking her to her room, her bed. I lay her down and my lips didn’t leave, not once. I couldn’t.

By compulsion, I went for her shorts first and they were barely gone before I sought for a sight, for a taste of her lower lips. I wanted it all. I needed to taste every part of her. Removing her thong, the center so wet, I saw her arousal, made for me, reserved for me.

“Adam…”

I was between her thighs, pressing them open down to the bed. She shuddered with every lick, every suck of her clit. I pushed a finger into her heat, then two, using my tongue to aid in her sensitivity to my touch.

She pressed a hand to my hair, moaning my name and if that wasn’t the most wonderful sound. She wouldn’t let herself be loud the first time, but now she seemed not to care.

I had no warning before her legs rocked beneath me, her body twitching. Her taste overwhelmed me while she came and I didn’t waste a sweet moment of it, drinking her in. She was so sweet every bit of her.

Sitting back on my haunches, I removed my shirt, and she lay there beneath me, the most beautiful sight both exhausted and satisfied.

I wanted to satisfy her more. Rolling her shirt up, I left her bra on at first. Lowering, I pressed a kiss to her stomach, then another, and so many more. I loved every part of her. Her beauty lied in what she only felt were her imperfections. Because of them, she had Rissa. That meant they could only be wonderful.

Using her toes, she kicked at the waist band of my jeans and my heart raced as she maneuvered down between us, running her toes along the seam of my pants, against my shaft.

Groaning, I unbuckled my jeans, and she moved her foot inside, pushing my jeans down enough to get right up on me. God, I felt like a teenager. She could probably make me come just with the feel of her foot.

I think she knew because she scooted up, and her hand replaced the job her toes were doing. Staring into my eyes, she fisted my length, licking her lips like she wanted a taste, and I could resist when I pressed my lips to hers.

She removed her bra as I brought her to me by her waist. “Condom,” she whispered, hesitating.

I hadn’t forgotten. She had to be careful. Rissa made her careful and I only respected that. I got one out of my wallet and took the time to do it right, smooth it completely down my shaft. But once I had, I needed her. I hadn’t even removed my jeans and boxers but this couldn’t wait. They remained below my hips while I raised her above my lap, her long limbs winding around me.

Using her hand, she guided me inside her and I took her mouth again, rocking my hips up while she rode me above.

She pushed her fingers into my hair, smoothing it down while she pressed urgent kisses against my mouth, dancing my tongue with hers.

I gripped her hips, bringing her down hard with every roll of mine. She felt so good, so perfect.

Rolling us over, I got her on her back and raised her leg, going deeper. While I did, she reached up, touching herself and squeezing her breast. If that wasn’t the sexiest thing in the world.

Crashing my lips down to hers, I played with her bud, taking her higher, taking her with me to my own peak. My emotions whirling, I said so many things to her. How beautiful she was, how it felt to be inside her, so many things that I couldn’t remember, but when I said three words I remembered those clearly, I knew them because she said them right back.

I pushed to the hilt, saying them again. “I love you, Aubrey. I love you.”

She came apart in my arms and I touched my lips to hers. That’s when she said them again too.

“I love you, Adam. I love you.”

Long before admitting my feelings aloud to Adam, I’d admitted them to myself. Not readily, but only because I’d never fallen so hard so fast.

I love you
—three words that changed everything in the fraction of a second it took to speak them. Adam had saved me in more ways than one, but the most significant was that he saved me from myself. By showing me what I’d been missing out on, what I should’ve sought after
years
ago, I was able to untangle the ball of emotions I had for Javi, put them out in the open, and see them for what they were. To my surprise, it wasn’t love that had me bound to him still; it was my unwillingness to let go of something familiar, coupled with the bond we shared because of Rissa. Nothing more. That was it. Adam helped me see that without even trying. Just by being who he is, I figured it out.

The light graze of his lips to my collarbone made my heart flutter. That happened often when he touched me—almost every time. My hands went to the sides of his neck and I coaxed his mouth toward mine, savoring the feel of his tongue as his shaft, still locked inside me, slowly began to relax. He came so hard—harder than last time. We both did. I figured it was because we were getting more comfortable with one another, but it could’ve also been because being intimate had brought us closer.
Much
closer.

I’d turned Adam onto his back, leaning deeper into him, when the oven timer sounded off, leaving me to dread the idea of moving from this spot, perched in Adam’s lap with my naked thighs spread across his waist.

“I think I should… go get that,” he said breathily in between kisses.

“Well, I strongly disagree,” I shot back, taking in a heavy dose of the scent that seems to linger on his skin naturally. “I think we should stay right here, just like this. To hell with dinner.”

He gave a throaty chuckle as I teased him, rocking my hips back and forth while his long fingers gripped them. He released a groan and I relished in the sound of it for a few seconds before sliding to the other side of the bed. Adam stared like my
‘to hell with dinner’
idea was sounding good to him as well. I smiled and stood beside the bed, searching for the clothing he’d removed from me. The mattress shifted when he too got up and then disappeared in the hall, headed toward the bathroom. Deciding to take the casserole from the oven, I made my way to the kitchen, smelling the savory aroma of the meal he prepared.
He
prepared. I had to smile at that.

The bathroom door creaked open and a few seconds later a set of strong arms surrounded my waist, then a chin nuzzled into the side of my neck, bringing a laugh out of me when his stubble tickled my skin. I put the potholder down and let my eyes drift closed while he held me from behind, listening to him breathe me in. He inhaled and exhaled deeply as I trailed my fingers over his arms.

“Is it just me or does this feel like it’s too good to be true,” I sighed, silently praying that nothing would ever change—that we’d be like this always.

“It’s just you,” he replied, bringing a smile to my face. When I was released from the embrace, I watched as Adam stole the potholder I’d grabbed to take the food out, again cutting me off at the heels in my efforts to assist him.

“You’re territorial in the kitchen,” I joked. “I’m seeing a whole
new side of you.”

He grinned and placed the dish on top of the stove, shutting the oven door before responding. “Blame my moms. I’m sure you got a taste of how they are when cooking is involved.”

I smiled, thinking back to the tight ship they ran in the church’s kitchen the night I volunteered with Adam. He got it honest.

Feeling virtually useless as Adam took over, I plopped down in a seat and resorted to pointing in the direction of whatever items he requested—plates, bowls for the fruit salad, and serving utensils. If he wasn’t careful, I’d get used to being waited on. However, something told me that getting me used to being treated like a queen was his goal—his sole reason for catering to me tonight.

I suppressed a smile when he brought my portion over and set it on the placemat. “Hope you like it,” he said with an air of confidence that told me long before I’d brought the fork to my mouth that I wouldn’t be disappointed. He took the seat beside me and dug right in.

“Oh my gosh!” was my honest reaction to his cooking. I expected for it to at least need a sprinkle of salt and pepper, but I was wrong. Like everything else having anything to do with him, it was perfect. “I’m glad Gabby isn’t here,” I said, holding my hand over my mouth when I made the statement before swallowing.

Adam chuckled and gave me a weird look. “Why’s that?”

I finished chewing first and then explained. “Because she’d tell you you’re a better cook than I am.”

He laughed louder, shaking his head. “I don’t know about that. I just dabble,” he replied modestly.

I protested against his statement with nothing more than a look as I took another forkful. The meal was so good that I didn’t speak again until I finished. Full, I glanced over at the remaining casserole, wondering if I could manage another helping. My eyes went to Adam next when he stood from the table and grabbed my empty plate. I ringed my fingers around his wrist, though, stopping him.

“No, I can’t let you cook
and
clean up, too. I’ve got it,” I asserted, attempting to reestablish control of my kitchen only to be shot down.

“I won’t hear of it,” Adam replied, continuing to gather the things from the table. “I made the mess, I’ll clean it up. Consider this your official notice that tonight’s your night off.”

A night off. I didn’t even know what that was supposed to mean. It’d been so long…

Adam started the water to wash dishes, adding a drizzle of soap once the plug was in. “I’ve got this covered if there are other things you need to do.” He glanced over and melted my heart with a faint smile. “You don’t have to entertain me. I’m a big boy.”

The statement wasn’t meant to be dirty, but that was instantly where my mind went. I couldn’t help it.

Yes… yes, you are…

I suppressed the inappropriate comment and gave an innocent smile and nod, remembering that I did in fact have some reading I needed to get done for class. I retreated to my bedroom and plopped down on the bed, textbook in hand. Nearly twenty minutes later, Adam came in to join me, having a seat beside me. I eyed him as he glanced over at the chapter I was skimming. When I made moves to close the book to give him my attention, he stopped me by placing his hand on the page.

“I told you I don’t need to be entertained. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

I stared at him wordlessly, wondering if he knew how perfect he was—how every word that rolled off his lips made me more sure of the feelings I’d confessed. No whining about how my studying takes time away from him? Actually
encouraging
me to study? Before I looked away, Adam pulled his phone from his pocket and checked his email to occupy his time. I turned back to what I was doing, but something came to mind and I decided to ask him before I forgot.

“Oh, hey. Are you going to that little block party thing the new Representative put together? Representative Garcia?” I asked. “It’s two or three weekends from now. Three, I think.”

Adam didn’t give an immediate response. His eyes lingered on his phone screen for a few moments longer before he met my gaze. “Uh… yeah. I’ll be there.” The smile he gave afterward was tight, almost forced, but I had no clue why.

“I’m taking the girls I think. There’s supposed to be hotdogs, face painting, a clown, and a moon bounce. Rissa loves those things. Makes me nervous because she’s so small, but Gabby always looks after her when she wants to get in—keeps the bigger kids from getting too close.” I zoned out for a moment, thinking about how strange it was not having my girls around. I missed them.
A lot,
actually.

“My moms will be there, too,” Adam chimed in.

My face lit up with genuine excitement. “Really? That’s great. Rissa just adores them. You should’ve seen how she clung to Joan when I got to the daycare to pick her up the first day.”

He smiled at that. “They love her too—talk about her all the time.”

And I believed him. His moms were just as wonderful as he was and were both responsible for raising such a great son. My mind drifted back to what he’d told me about his father and how he’d inherited his tendency toward alcohol. It made me feel closer to him knowing that he trusted me with the details of his past—even the ones that weren’t so pretty. His honesty was like a much needed breath of fresh air.

Staring at him, studying seemed like such a waste of time. I could think of at least five things I’d rather be doing to
him
instead. When I slammed my book shut and tossed it aside, Adam watched me curiously, but only for a second. Climbing into his lap made my intentions clear and he didn’t resist my advances, the bulge in his pants growing fully erect in record time.

I breathed him in while planting a persistent kiss on his waiting lips, drawing him closer by palming the back of his head. “I know I’m supposed to be off duty tonight, but…” I took his tongue into my mouth when I paused. “… does that mean we can’t fool around again?” I asked, feasting on his bottom lip while he sat in silence.