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—Banks—
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Christ, she had me lost yet found all at the same time. Simone was my complete and utter undoing. Her confidence slowly unfurled and grew a little more each time we hung out, and each new piece she showed me was more incredible than the last.
I thrust again, groaning with frustration over the two layers of material separating us.
“It’s been so long... Everything’s so sensitive,” she whispered, voice shaky and breathy. “It feels so good when you...” She drew another shuddering inhale.
I clenched my teeth and willed myself to hold it together. To not let lust cloud my better judgment and destroy the trust I’d managed to forge.
“Like that, keep going,” she whispered, wistful and far away as she focused on each minute touch.
A low growl wove its way free as the final ounce of my restraint obliterated. I glanced around to ensure we were alone, then thrust harder. “Ride me, baby. Take all you want. Anything as long as you make yourself feel real damn good.”
Truth be told, she could take everything from me, and I’d let her. She had me smitten from that moment she bumped into me in the diner. I’d let her use me again and again if it meant the broken parts of her could heal. Nothing else mattered aside from having her close, in my arms, breathing the same space as me while her hips rocked back and forth.
“Oh fuck,” she whimpered and tilted her face to the midday sun. “I think I’m going to come.”
I hissed and grazed my lips down the seductive curve of her extended neck, then bit down softly on her smooth flesh. “Then come for me, baby.”
Another of her panted gasps spurred me to push a little further. My lips suctioned before retracing the path up her neck, leaving wet, needy kisses in my wake.
When I reached her jawline, I hesitated and swallowed hard. How far? How far? How far? chanted on repeat in my head.
Nails bit deeper into my shoulders, followed by a long, lust-laden groan.
It broke me.
I smoothed a hand up her torso, over her breasts, and climbed until my thumb hooked over her chin. With little coaxing, her chin dropped, bringing us nose-to-nose.
I saw my chance and took it. My mouth claimed hers and tongue immediately sought access between her sweet, plump lips. Her eager tongue met mine, setting the last of her inhibitions free.
Simone rolled her hips to hit just the right spot.
I thrust.
She gasped for air between urgent kisses.
I kissed her harder.
Eyes scrunched closed and head tipped back again, Simone’s body primed further. I gritted my teeth and released a low groan that tangled with her higher pitched mew. Her moan turned deep and throaty in the next instant, then her entire body shuddered as her orgasm hit.
Watching her shatter in my arms had my dick filling to the point of pain.
“Oh my god,” she panted.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” I hissed. The need to combust left me near tears.
When I thrust against her again, Simone’s eyes cracked open.
“I’m close, babe,” I murmured hoarsely.
With a subtle nod, she held my gaze. All it took was a single tilt of her hips to encourage mine to jut forward harder.
A deep growl of pleasure knotted in my chest. “Fuck, I wish I was filling you this time. I bet you’re good’n tight from your orgasm.”
One word breathed past her lips almost buckled my knees. “Pretend.”
So I did. I gripped the back of her neck and tugged her mouth back to mine—tongue lashing tongue, I devoured her as if I had every right to. My other fingers desperately bit into her hips, forcing her to meet each of my hungered movements.
I held her like I was fucking her for real and felt my face redden from the building pressure. Burying my nose in the crook of her neck, I came so hard it tore the breath from my lungs and left me seeing stars.
“Jesus Christ,” I hissed.
A giggle vibrated under my face. “Happy?”
I smiled while fighting to catch my breath. “Extremely.”
All too soon, Simone’s legs detached from my lower back, and she slid from my arms. The loss of intimacy and warmth was immediate, emphasized by the cool falls water.
Before she escaped further, I hooked my fingers around the nape of her neck, and panted, “Simone, I—”
“Don’t say it,” she interrupted.
A frown pulled my brow low. “Say what?”
“That you’re sorry, or it shouldn’t have happened.”
I puffed out a dumbfounded exhale. “I’m neither sorry nor regretting having you fall apart in my arms, Simone.”
I let her slip away when she resisted my hold, then lowered until my shoulders were beneath the surface.
She stood on a submerged rock just out of arm’s reach with unease filling her expression. “What were you going to say, then?”
“Doesn’t matter. It was stupid.” Besides, the moment was gone. I wasn’t going to argue then immediately tell her that I’d fallen for her. That secret would have to keep for the time being.
She swam over to me and set her hand on my shoulder. The simple touch seared me to the bone. “I’m sorry if I’ve upset you.”
I smiled. It took a lot to upset me and now wasn’t one of those times. A genuine grin formed as I pulled her into my arms again.
“As you can see, I’m so upset and the only way to fix that is to have you right here.”
Her laughter danced along the misty droplets in the air as I effortlessly flipped her and held her princess-style in my arms.
“Don’t laugh, new girl. You’re crushing my heart,” I teased.
“I don’t believe that for a second.”
“You should. Hold your breath.”
“Wh—”
I gave her zero time to ask questions before dunking her beneath the water’s surface. She came up coughing, spluttering, and cursing me to hell two seconds later.
“Banks Gatlin, I’m going to get you back for that!”
She lunged, rising on straight arms to press on my shoulders, though having no effect aside from thrusting her chest in my face.
I chuckled from within the depths of her cleavage. “Now here’s a position a man could get used to.”
My laughter became smothered as Simone wrapped her arms around my head and squeezed. She clung like a limpet, so I dived off the ledge I stood on, forcing her backward into the deeper pool. While it had the desired effect of her letting go, I immediately needed her in my arms again.
I reached for her as soon as she surfaced and swam us to the underwater ledge. With her back to my chest, I secured her within my hold. “I crave you being anchored against me.”
That made her smile. “Make the most of it while you can.”
A hum knotted in my throat and my arms bound tighter. “Trust me, new girl; I am.”
Easy silence settled over us. The view and roar of the falls took precedence for the longest time before Simone leaned her head against my shoulder and asked, “Are you a boobs man or an ass man, Banks?”
Humming, I smoothed my splayed hand across her breasts while pressing a kiss to the shell of her ear. “I’m a you man, Simone. Have been since the day you collided with me at the diner in one helluva hurry.”
She giggled—the sound barely rising above the din of cascading water. “It was a desperate situation: I needed the bathroom.”
I snickered against her wet hair. “I’m glad it was me you collided with.”
“Don’t sound so smug; you didn’t make a good first impression.”
“Because I got into your car uninvited?”
“Exactly!” Simone exclaimed.
A deep laugh radiated up my throat. “Okay, I may have taken it a little too far; I was desperate to find out who you were before you got away. But in my defense, you pepper sprayed me. My goddamn eyes burned for hours!”
“That was in my defense!” she exclaimed, then turned in my arms. Her dazzling blue eyes met mine and held. “I’m sorry about it, though. I was panicked and desperate to escape. You. Reality. My past... Everything. That saddens me now.”
I shook my head and ran a thumb along her lower lip. “I’m sorry about it too, sweetheart. You know the way I’ve found it easiest to get through the tough times? Look forward, not back. Doesn’t mean you have to forget, but the future is a bright place if you allow it to be.”
Her lips pursed, pinching the barest amount of my thumb between them, and I worried I’d pushed her too far. She withdrew a little, leaving my thumb hovering in mid-air.
With her head cocked off to one side, Simone eyed me for a moment. “You know what? From the snippets I’ve seen so far, I kinda believe you.”
The grin on my face spread. “Now that’s what I like to hear. Told you I only needed a week to change your mind.”
“That was about you, not the future,” she sassed.
“I like to think I’ll be included in yours.” I held my breath, waiting for her response and expecting her to shut me down. Instead, a little glint entered her eyes, and she cocked her head again.
“For a guy who has five brothers, you’re unjustifiably cocky.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Hate to break it to you, babe, but we’re all cocky. It’s how we throw shade on each other.”
“Your poor mom,” Simone drawled.
An amused snort left my nose. “Mom tolerates it. Though I was always the one she slammed the hardest, and I’m pretty sure it’s because I’ve got her personality, and it drives her fucking insane.”
Simone laughed in my face. “Ah, that’s something her and I can immediately bond over.”
Instead of throwing back a cheeky retort, I simply stared with a stupid-ass grin.
She poked my cheek. “What’s that goofy smile for?”
I leisurely swayed her from side to side through the water. “I like hearing you picturing snippets of your life entwining with mine. For what it’s worth, my mom would love you as much as I—” I cut off and swallowed, then didn’t try to stop Simone when she slid from my arms.
The subtle, denying shake of her head had my heart dropping. “You can’t possibly love me. Please tell me that’s not what you were going to say,” she murmured, voice trembling.
I forced a smile that felt as uneasy as Simone’s expression looked. “Well, I could lie and say that I don’t, but that would be... a lie.” I shrugged.
“Banks!”
“Please don’t let this be weird.”
“It is weird!” she exclaimed, throwing up her hand, creating a spray of water droplets.
I nodded slowly while eyeing her. “I understand it is for you; it’s not for me.”
She searched my expression for the longest time before wordlessly swimming to the side and climbing out. With a dejected sigh, I fell backward off the ledge into the deeper part, then swam after her.
Simone squeezed the water from her hair as I came to her side.
“Simone,” I murmured.
She kept me waiting five long breath cycles before finally meeting my gaze.
I smiled. “Thank you for today; it was my most favorite with you so far.” Leaning in, I pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Please don’t overthink it.”
Retreating a few steps gave her the space I thought she needed. It went against my built-in need to touch, comfort, and nurture. By the time I’d redressed and retied my shoelaces, Simone still hadn’t uttered a word.
I wiggled my cap into place until it sat just right, then linked my fingers behind my head, elbows splayed wide. Overlooking the falls smoothed some of the ache, but not all. Not the part that Simone owned.
A palm pressed between my shoulder blades startled me out of my thoughts.
“Hey,” she whispered.
I smiled down at her, hiding my inner unrest. “Hey. Ready?”
She nodded, then tugged my shirt when I began to turn away. “Banks?”
“Yeah, babe?”
She rose onto tippy-toes and gently pulled my face down to meet hers. The sweetest kiss I’d ever received was then pressed to my cheek.
“Today was my favorite so far too.”
Well, I’ll be damned.
