CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Liam

 

I went by my apartment on the way to work the next morning. I hadn’t gone by since the contractor called to tell me the work was complete. I walked in the front door and the first thing that struck me was the quiet. Had it always been this quiet?

I walked through the apartment, checking the plaster repairs and the bathroom reno. Satisfied, I went back to the living room and dropped down on the couch. I had half an hour before I had to be at the restaurant, and I figured I’d enjoy some alone time, something I’d been without the entire week.

But within a few minutes, I was bored. I picked up my phone and texted Maggie.

How’s your day going?

I quickly got a reply.

It just started. Let me go work.

I’m bored. Entertain me.

I thought you said this arrangement was no strings attached.

Touché. Then I saw the three dots.

Where are you?

I realized I hadn’t told her the apartment was ready.

I’m at my place. Reno is done. Looks great.

Great. Gotta go work. Later.

I shoved my phone back in my pocket and sat there a while longer. A few more days and my life would be mine again. I could get back to working hard and partying harder. For some reason, the thought didn’t thrill me. I decided to head into work and take down a side of beef. That would clear my head.

 

*

I was well aware of the huddle taking place across the room as I muttered to myself while using my largest santoku knife to part meat from bone. I was standing behind a work table, my apron drenched in blood and a pile of cow parts sitting before me. Adam, Toni, and Bree were all watching me, apprehensive.

“You sure everything is okay?” Toni called.

“Positive,” I grunted, hacking away through a piece of sinew.

“I’ve seen him like this once before, when he was after this blond who wouldn’t give him the time of day,” Adam said in a stage whisper to the other two. The meat separated from the bone. Success.

“This has nothing to do with Maggie,” I said.

“You’re sure?” Bree asked for the millionth time.

I put down the knife and turned to them.

“Her parents leave in two days. After that, it’s done. Finished. Got it?”

I turned back to my work.

 

*

It was a late night at the restaurant. Toni had been gracious and covered for me most of the week so I could help Maggie out, but once Friday came around and the weekend crowds descended, I had no choice but to stay until closing.

I took advantage of the time away from Maggie to remind myself what my life was all about: the kitchen, the booze, the available women. When the last diners left and Bree started pouring staff drinks, I had no reservations about staying late and drinking my share.

I had zero desire to bump into Maggie’s father in the living room, or her mother in the kitchen preparing a late-night snack, which she wouldn’t fucking need if she ate properly during the day. I’d gotten in the habit of bringing leftovers home and more than once I’d caught her at the fridge, take-out box in hand, a guilty expression on her face. I wanted to scream at her, instead of a meal supplement, eat a fucking meal.

I realized my mood was not conducive to Maggie’s cause, so I made sure it was past one when I walked through the front door. I knew I’d blown my chance of getting any play that night, but I honestly felt it was for the best. For someone who’d subsisted on one-night stands their entire life, this on-the-regular shit was freaking me out.

The house was dark, and I was drunk as fuck. I stumbled through the kitchen towards the stairs, tripping over an area rug that I’d hated from the moment I set foot in the house. It would be good to get home, back to my own shit. I conveniently pushed aside the memory of that empty feeling I’d had that morning, sitting on my couch.

I crept past the guest room and made my way up the stairs, using the flashlight from my phone to find my way. Had there always been this many stairs? I took a break halfway up, sitting down and burying my head in my hands. What the fuck was I doing?

Drinking probably hadn’t been the smartest decision I’d ever made, but agreeing to do this “favour” was pretty high up on that list, too. I sat on that step for a long time, trying to figure a way out of this mess. After a while, I concluded I was far too drunk for serious thought, got up, and stumbled my way up the rest of the stairs.

I pushed open the bedroom door, closed it behind me and slowly made my way through the bedroom to the bathroom. I stripped off my clothes, down to my boxer briefs, and got ready for bed. Flipping off the light, I went back into the bedroom, got down on my hands and knees, and searched for the mattress. Nowhere. I collapsed on the floor for a moment, but the rough nub of the carpet stung my cheek.

I sat up, looked around, and for the life of me couldn’t remember where she kept the damn mattress. I felt around on the floor, under the bed, nothing. I contemplated my options. I could head back to the living room and sleep on the couch, but I had serious doubts about my ability to make it down the stairs. Fuck it. I got up and slid into the bed next to her.

I pulled up the covers quietly, hoping not to wake her. The entire room was spinning, and I closed my eyes and willed it to slow down, even just a little. I almost hit the ceiling when I felt Maggie’s hand on my thigh.

“Sorry,” she murmured sleepily.

“It’s okay,” I said, waiting for my heart to start beating again. “I’m sorry. I had a little too much to drink. Couldn’t find the mattress. Want me to hit the couch?”

She slid over closer to me, draping her arm across my stomach. My muscles clenched, unprepared for this kind of contact. My dick, however, was more than happy at this sudden turn of events. Maggie made a happy little purring sound, tracing the outline of my abs with her fingertip.

“No,” she said. “You can stay.”

I tried to control my breathing, but her proximity was driving me insane. I was drunk, horny, and she was all drowsy, disheveled, and sexy as hell.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “It doesn’t seem quite fair that I’ve been having all the fun these past few nights.”

Oh, Christ.

“Don’t worry. I’ve been having plenty of fun,” I assured her, willing my dick to behave.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said. “It just seems unfair that I’m the only one who’s been getting off.”

I turned to her in the dark.

“I’ve been jerking off every night in the bathroom after you fall asleep,” I confessed.

She ran her finger up the inside of my thigh.

“Well that definitely doesn’t seem right.”

I put my hand on hers, stopping her progress.

“I am very, very drunk,” I said, adding, “In case you hadn’t noticed.”

“You’re cute drunk.”

She got up on her elbow and leaned over to kiss me lightly on the mouth. I closed my eyes and let the warmth of her lips wash over me. With my hand on her neck, I rolled her over onto her back, leaning over her and taking the kiss further. We hadn’t done that since that first time. The object of this exercise was to introduce her to new things, not make out with her like a high-school girlfriend. But if she was willing, I was game.

She was completely naked, obviously having planned for this. I cursed myself for staying out so late. I’d over-thought the situation and fucked up a perfectly good night.

“I want to touch you,” she whispered, splaying her fingers across the back of my head as I took one of her magnificent tits in my mouth.

“Be my guest,” I murmured, making small circles around her nipple with my tongue.

She arched her back, pressing my head into her as she moaned softly.

“Show me,” she said. “Like I showed you.”

I lifted my head, gazing at her with a slight smirk.

“I can pretty much guarantee anything you do will be just fine.”

She shook her head.

“Not fair. I’ve never done this. Show me how to please you.”

I took her chin in my hands and kissed her nose.

“Why don’t we do it like this? You experiment, and I’ll guide you if I think you need guidance.”

“Why are you making this so hard?” she asked.

“I’m not trying to. I’m trying to make you comfortable. I think a lot of your past stems from you not having any control. I want you to have complete control.”

She smiled and pulled me down for another kiss. As I teased her lips open with my tongue, I felt her hand slide down the front of my boxer briefs, her fingertips graze the head of my cock. I almost kicked her off the bed.

“I’m sorry!” she said. “You see? I have no clue what I’m doing.”

I laughed.

“Em, it feels great. I promise.”

She wrapped her hand around me, stroking tentatively, and it felt fucking amazing. She leaned over slowly, shyly, and licked my nipple, which once again almost made me hit the ceiling. I couldn’t recall any woman having done that to me before, and I’m pretty sure I’d have said no if they’d asked. But holy shit. I groaned, and she took that as encouragement, taking the nipple in her mouth and sucking gently like I’d done to her.

I reached down and wrapped my hand around hers, guiding her up and over the head of my cock, then back down again. She lifted her head and kissed me again, growing bold as she realized the effect she was having. I let go of her hand, running my fingertips up her side, skimming her breast as I made my way up to her mouth. I traced my thumb along her lower lip, and she opened her mouth, drawing my thumb inside gently with her teeth.

The combined feeling of her hand wrapped around my cock and her mouth wrapped around my thumb was driving me fucking crazy. Endurance was a source of pride with me, but I didn’t think I was going to last another minute like this. From a fucking handjob.

She raised her head and kissed me again, with so much passion I couldn’t believe this was the same woman I’d moved in with five days earlier. She pulled away, bit my earlobe, then whispered, “I want to taste you.”

“Fucking hell,” I groaned, as she slid down the bed and licked the head of my cock with the tip of her tongue.

I grabbed the sheets, not wanting to freak her out by grabbing her head, but fuck did it take restraint. I wanted nothing more than to fuck that beautiful mouth, but I lay still, letting her explore and experiment. She was clearly new at this, but she was also mightily invested.

Her warm, wet mouth sent me into another dimension. She lightly cupped my balls, running her finger along the base of my cock as she pulled me into her mouth. She tried everything—sucking, licking, a light scraping of the teeth. I clutched the sheets tighter, trying not to blow in her mouth.

When she started moaning, I completely lost it. It was one thing to have her doing this for research, it was totally another to know she was fucking enjoying it. There was nothing hotter than a woman who loved giving head. She got up on all fours, her ass high as she ground against thin air. I slipped a hand between her legs, finding her so fucking wet I growled.

I slipped one finger inside her as my thumb worked her clit. She pumped my hand, and before long I could feel her tensing up. The woman who hated sex was mastering the art of coming rather quickly. She moaned around my cock, making me swell further in her mouth. She gripped the base, sliding her hand up and down in unison with her mouth.

She let out a cry as she came on my hand, her mouth still wrapped around my cock. It was so fucking hot I knew I was going to follow suit at any second. I grabbed her hair, pulling her away from me, not wanting to come in her mouth on her first time out.

“What the—?” she cried.

I took myself in hand, fisting my cock until I came all over her tits. She looked down, awed, and slowly reached up, rubbing my semen into her breasts. Fuck. Who was this woman? I closed my eyes and passed out.