The Critic (22 page)

His deep eyes looked into mine. “I’ll go with you if you’d like. Just let me know when.”

My lips curled into the biggest smile they could. “You would? Really?”

He pulled me closer, until we were chest to chest. “Yeah. I’d love to be there for you.”

The word
for
didn’t escape me. “Okay, it’s a date.”

His arms grew tighter as my hands gripped his muscular back. I knew how much he wanted me when his erection grew against my pelvis. I arched my back to look at him. His eyes were hooded and exuded desire. For me. This beautiful man desired me, and at that moment, all I needed was him.

“Bentley? I know you said we didn’t need to have sex and you wanted to get to know each other, but I’m done talking for now.” I placed my lips against his. I didn’t move them, just rested them there. Our eyes opened at the same time. I felt his warm breath on me, and his hand inched up my shirt.

“Are you saying you want to have sex with me?” His voice was playful and sexy as hell.

“No. I want you to make love to me.”

Before I knew it, his lips were on mine, and ours tongues danced as our hips grinded in a steady rhythm. My panties grew damper with each swirl of his hips. A moan escaped me, and my breath hitched. He lifted my shirt as I slid my thumbs under the band of his boxers. I actually had to move them forward then down to lower them as far as I could. My shirt was tugged over my head as my hands went back to work on his shorts. He rolled onto his back, and I made my move. I straddled one of his legs as I stripped him. His cock bobbed as if it was saying, “Take me.” So I did.

I lowered my mouth to the tip and licked it as if it were the best piece of candy I’d ever tasted, and at that moment, it was. Feeling his smooth skin against my tongue was bliss. I took him deep into my mouth as my tongue continued its ministrations, making Bentley groan in pleasure. His enjoyment was more of a turn-on than anything else. I cupped him as I gingerly stroked between his legs, making his hips thrust forward. I took him as deeply as I could, licking, sucking, and enjoying him.

“Andi. Please. God. I need to be buried in you.” His voice sounded animalistic, almost a growl.

I kept going while I let out a hum. He grabbed the tops of my arms, and I released him with a quiet pop before he effortlessly pulled me toward him. He flipped me over and planted his mouth on my breast. My hands flew into his hair. He worked between both left and right breasts before he trailed kisses down my stomach. My muscles quivered in anticipation. My need for him was growing at an accelerated pace.

Either I was holding my breath, or it had evaporated. “Bentley, I need you too, please.”

He moved so he could reach the drawer of his nightstand to grab a condom. My heart sank a little at the thought of the other women who had been in his bed. I knew I wasn’t the only woman he’d been with, but going forward, I needed to be. I watched his deft fingers roll the rubber down his long, hard shaft before he brought them between my legs and touched me in the most intimate, sensual way.

“You’re so wet and ready for me.” My hips rose as one of his fingers entered me then another, making me throb around them. “I’ve missed you.”

He moved up my body and rested on his forearms. The weight of his body warmed me as I wrapped my legs around his waist. As he slid into me, my chest rose, and my heart filled with love. I couldn’t love this man already, especially after everything we’d been through, but my feelings were definitely headed in that direction.

We moved in unison. My body trembled as I began to contract around him. He was deep inside me, and the feelings that radiated from him penetrated my heart. He rounded his hips, just about sending me over the edge. He pulled out, and I immediately needed him back. I pulled him back with the heels of my feet on his toned ass.

“I want this to last.” His voice reverberated through me. His scruff-covered cheek brushed against mine. “You smell so sweet. I’m going to take my time and ravish you until you splinter into a million pieces around me.”

I rolled my head to the side, giving him access to the curve of my neck.

His tongue grazed my earlobe, and he whispered, “I’m going to make you come now.”

All I could do was nod. Before I knew it, he was inside me, filling me in the most delicious way. His movements were steady and deliberate. He definitely knew how to please me. As his pace increased, I shook. He grumbled something completely inaudible as his eyes rolled back under his hooded lids.

In the most tender way I’d ever been touched, Bentley placed his hands on the sides of my face and leaned down to kiss me, beginning at my forehead, to the tip of my nose, to my chin, and back to my lips. No words. Just us and whispered kisses.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She drifted off to sleep, and I prayed she felt what I did. When she’d asked me to make love to her, I’d never felt so relieved. I pulled her closer, and she shimmied toward me in her sleep. I buried my nose in her hair and absorbed everything about her as sleep claimed me.

When I woke, she was facing me in the morning sun. Looking into her ocean blue eyes was the best view I’d ever had.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” I said.

Her arms stretched above her head, making her breasts jut toward me. She squeaked and relaxed back into my arms. I stared at her while I kept my hand on her back.

“You look great in the morning.” She smiled and played with my hair. “I think you’re sexy.” She giggled. Apparently, she was a morning person.

I laughed. “Oh yeah? Well, you aren’t so bad yourself.”

“I’m sure I’m a mess.” She trailed her finger down my jawline. “But not you, Mr. Chambers.” She gave me a cute, crooked smile. “You wake up all pretty and flawless . . . very fuckable.”

“Did you say fuckable? Is that even a word?”

She laughed and raised her right shoulder. “I don’t know, but if it isn’t, it should be. Just like lickable.” Her soft pink tongue grazed my chin.

“Lickable, huh?”

“Yeah. Lickable.”

“I’ll show you what’s lickable.”

Before she could say a word, my mouth was on her breasts. My tongue claimed her nipples one by one. I continued down her taut stomach until I reached her hip bone. My name came out of her mouth as a benediction.

I positioned her body until we were face to face. “I’m going to make you mine. I need to make you mine.”

As I claimed her she sighed, “Yeah. . . . yours.”

This was definitely the way to wake up, but we still needed to discuss London. “Let’s have breakfast.” I figured talking would be better on a full stomach. I rolled out of bed and grabbed her hand. “Come on. Let me cook for you.”

She tossed on a T-shirt and the sweats she’d ignored last night while I put on basketball shorts. We walked to the kitchen, and I opened the fridge to see what I could make us.

I called to her. “Do you like eggs?” When she didn’t answer, I looked toward Andi.

She was standing in the family room with the manila folder open in her hands. “What’s this?” Her face was pale and her forehead creased.

I closed the fridge and walked over to her. “Come sit with me.”

She scanned the papers. “You’re leaving? When were you going to tell me?”

I raked my hand through my hair. “Well, in all fairness, I didn’t know you’d be here, but I was going to tell you before I left.”

She yelled, “In all fairness? That’s fair? What do you find fair about this, Bentley? We talked last night. You had ample time to tell me about this before you took me to bed. What did you want? A couple more romps before you dropped this bomb on me?” She closed the folder and tossed it on the couch. “Well, I hope it’s fair that I’m going now.”

She hurried into my room, and I chased her. I stood in the doorway and watched her strip off my clothes and put hers back on.

“Andi, let’s just sit down, have some breakfast, and talk about this.”

“I’ve lost my appetite.” She pushed past me and hustled through the living room toward the front door.

I was right behind her. I couldn’t let her leave like that. I put my hand on the door before she could pull it open.

“Move.” She glared daggers at me.

“Let’s talk about this. You haven’t even called for a cab. Just stay. Don’t go.”

“So now you want to talk about this? What if I hadn’t found the folder? When would we have talked about this? Oh wait, you already said—before you left. Well, I’m leaving now.” She tugged on the door, which hardly budged. “Let me out.” Her chest rose higher with every intake of breath.

I reluctantly moved my hand, but I positioned myself in front of her. She dropped her shoulders and looked at me. The spark that had been in her eyes just a few moments ago was gone, just like our happiness.

“Come with me,” I said.

Her brows scrunched together. “What?”

“To London. You can come too. We can be together there.”

She shook her head. “You’re crazy.”

“Yes, about you I am.” My eyes pleaded with her.

“So you want me to drop everything I’ve been working for and move across the Atlantic with a man who didn’t think twice about withholding important information until he saw fit? I don’t think so.” She shifted to the left to try to get around me.

I decided to let her go. Once she was out the door, I called after her, “You were always the one for me. I just want you to know that.”

She stopped and looked back at me. “I thought you were the one for me too.”

“Then don’t leave just yet. Please, Andi. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not sure what you think that will change. I can’t move away. My life is here. Everything I’ve ever wanted is here.” She sucked on her lips, obviously realizing what she had just said.

I walked toward her. “I see. Well, I’m not going to live there permanently, just for a few months.” I watched her breathing slow to a normal pace. “The longest I’ll be there is a year. I’ll still be connected to the theater business, so if you decide to forgive me and come along, you could work there.”

She lowered her eyes. “I don’t think I can.”

“You can’t forgive me or come to London?”
Please let it be London.

“London.”

“Can you at least come back inside? I just got you back, Andi. Please let me make this right.” I placed my hand on her elbow. She didn’t pull it away, which was a good sign. “I’ll make coffee.” I gave her the best smile I could. I knew she loved her coffee.

I was exhausted, and I’d just woken up. Granted, we hadn’t slept much, but my brain was on information overload. Our relationship had been so strained, and most of it was because of me overreacting and jumping to conclusions, which Bentley had forgiven me for. I guessed it was my turn, so I agreed to hear him out.

He handed me a cup of coffee and sat next to me. “Thank you for staying.”

“You didn’t give me much choice.” I blew on my coffee before gingerly taking a sip.

“Andi, you always have a choice.”

I raised my brows, and he scrubbed his hand across his face.

“Look, I didn’t handle this correctly, but to be honest, having you here with me last night was more important than anything else. I’d been dreaming of having you in my arms again. Please forgive me for not broaching the subject of London. When Scott told me about this position, I thought it was great timing. We weren’t seeing each other, and if I was thousands of miles away, I could try to keep my mind off you.” He placed his hand on my knee, which made chills race up my spine.