Meant To Be Ch. 02

I suspected he still had reservations about our age difference, assuming that was what had bothered him in the first place. He'd never spelled it out for me and I refrained from asking. Since my outburst, he hadn't commented on it again, and if he was still uncomfortable, he hid it well. I followed his lead in public and other than holding my hand or placing an arm around me, sometimes kissing me in a secluded spot, we didn't display much affection when we were out. According to Gwen, anyone would be able to tell by just looking at us. I know I always felt the palpable charge between us even if we were on separate sides of a room, so I expect she was right.

I didn't know exactly how to define what we had - there was no mention of a specific label for our relationship, but I couldn't decide what made me uneasy about that. Gwen pointed out that spending that much time with me made his feelings clear, and I essentially agreed. Maybe this is what relationships were like in the real world. It wasn't high school where the boyfriend/girlfriend label was more of a status symbol, and it wasn't college where people either hooked up without commitment or fell in love then married right after graduation. I did my best to push aside my doubts, since whatever it was between us was exhilarating and fulfilling.

We hadn't spent the entire night together yet; I lived so close to work that it made more sense for me to come home if we'd been at his place, and the lack of privacy at my apartment wasn't appealing. Although I wouldn't have minded getting up earlier than usual, he never seemed to expect me to stay and I wasn't yet brave enough to ask. I was trying not to let myself have any expectations so he'd surprised me a few nights earlier when, still tangled up together in his bed, he'd tucked my hair behind my ear and looked at me almost shyly.

"Cassandra, will you stay with me this weekend?" He'd asked hesitantly. "I want to be able to wake up with you and make love..." He had paused, his lips teasing my neck. "I want to cook you breakfast and take a shower with you and spend the day with you." He'd raised his head, searching for my eyes. "Will you stay?"

My chest had swelled, his words washing over me like warm oil, caressing my skin. Unable to speak, I had simply nodded and kissed him.

Nick met me outside my office building after work, enveloping me in a big hug. My face pressed into his coat, I inhaled his scent, warmth and desire spreading through me. He released me and kissed my forehead, pausing to pull at one of my curls. His gaze traveled over my hair and he smiled appreciatively. Silly as it may be, I hadn't straightened my hair again. He bent to pick up my bag.

"What do you think about stopping by a pub for dinner before we head home?" he asked, taking my hand.

"Sure," I said happily, squeezing his hand.

The pub was dark and crowded. We sat in a corner booth, his arm around me while we waited for our food. He began telling me about his plans for the weekend while I watched him, amused. He noticed my expression and poked the tip of my nose.

"What's funny?"

I grinned. I would have been perfectly happy not leaving the house all weekend, but Nick was an active guy, the type who got antsy if he didn't get out of the house daily. Still, it seemed like an adventurous itinerary and I said so. He chuckled and leaned in to give my ear a quick bite.

"Don't fret, love, I'll still have plenty of energy left for you."

I flushed and giggled. Our dinner arrived and I ate quickly, staring at him as he took his time finishing. He chuckled.

"In a hurry?" he teased, feeding me a French fry.

I poked his side. "Not at all. Do you want another round?" I asked innocently, starting to stand.

"Don't you dare," he said, grabbing my hand.

In the cab he covered my hand with his and leaned back against the seat. Feeling giddy at the prospect of spending the weekend with him, I nestled against him, my lips tickling his neck. I felt his breathing change and smiled to myself. He moved our joined hands to rest on his knee, and I untangled our fingers, boldly stroking his thigh until I neared his crotch. He sucked in a breath and grasped my hand, squeezing it tightly to keep my fingers still. I snickered and he looked at me, his eyes heated and menacing.

"Don't be naughty, pet," he breathed.

"Whatever do you mean?" I asked, batting my eyelashes.

His mouth curved in a half-smile but his eyes still looked dangerous. He gripped my chin and stared at me, running a finger along my jawline. A nervous thrill ran through me, my lips parting in excitement. He held my face, staring at me silently for the duration of the cab ride. We entered his building and the elevator, his hand still closed around mine, his other carrying my bag. He continued watching me steadily and I could only stare back, my heart racing. He led me calmly to his apartment but once the door was closed behind us, it was as if a switch flipped.

He dropped my bag on the floor, kicking off his shoes. Pushing me against the wall, he unbuttoned my coat and tossed it on the floor. He gripped my waist and crushed me to him, his eyes still locked on mine. I gasped in surprise, feeling the hardness beneath his pants. He took my wrists and raised my arms over my head, pinning them against the wall. I watched him breathlessly as his eyes trailed over my face and my body, slightly uneasy at the hard expression on his face and at my body's response to it.

"Would you like me to show you what happens when you tease me?" he asked, his voice controlled.

I blinked and looked at him warily. He ran his eyes pointedly down the length of my body before meeting my eyes. His expression cleared momentarily and he gave me a wink. My mouth relaxed into a soft smile and his gaze darkened again. He released my wrists and took a step back.

"Undress for me." His voice was soft yet commanding.

I swallowed, unable to move. He saw my hesitation and leaned in until his mouth hovered near my ear.

"Take off your clothes, love," he ordered in the same quiet tone.

My hips arched toward him instinctively but he drew away before our bodies touched. I gulped and reached for my blouse, shakily undoing the buttons. Rolling my shoulders to shrug it off, I was glad I had kept my eyes on his. His expression was still controlled, but I saw his nostrils flare slightly, saw the noticeable increase in his breathing.

I am turning him on - me. I am making him respond, I thought in amazement. My mouth twitched in a smirk as I reached behind me and undid the zipper of my skirt. I let it fall to the floor and stepped out of it, gratified at his response.

I was wearing black lace panties and thigh-high stockings held up by garters, my feet still in my black pumps from the office. Nick's eyes widened as they traveled from my breasts to my shoes and back again. I flattened my palms against the wall behind me, my legs weakening. He studied me for several minutes as though he kept finding new details that drew his eyes. When he met my stare again, he simply looked at me expectantly.

I raised my hands and cupped my breasts for a moment, then released the clasp in the front. His eyebrows jumped slightly in surprise, then he looked at me approvingly as I opened the bra and pushed my shoulders back, letting the straps fall off my arms. I paused for a moment, my fingers hovering over the garters, watching him as I unsnapped them from the stockings. Taking a deep breath, I pushed my underwear down my legs and carefully tugged them off around my heels. I looked at him again, my fingers on the top of one of the stockings. His head jerked back slightly, then he gave me a slight shake of his head. Placing my palms on the wall again, I waited.

His eyes devouring every inch of my body, he shucked his coat and suit jacket, then raised his wrists one at a time to unbutton his shirt cuffs. My teeth caught my lower lip. I loved taking off his clothes, but watching him undress was a beautiful sight. My eyes followed his fingers as they gracefully undid the buttons of his shirt. He took a step toward me while unbuckling his belt and I stifled a whimper. His hands moved to his trousers and my eyes fluttered shut briefly. Opening them, I saw he had moved one step closer to me, his pants and socks in a puddle on the floor behind him.

He reached up to undo the knot of his tie, sliding it off. My legs trembled at the sight. How can he make removing a tie look so incredibly hot? He slipped it around my neck, tugging lightly on each end so that my head came forward. He wound the tie around my neck once, running his fingers down each end, tickling my skin before drawing away. Shrugging his shirt off his shoulders, he whipped the undershirt over his head and shoved his boxers down his legs. By this point I was panting slightly, clutching at the wall.

He took the ends of his tie and pulled, bringing my body to meet his. His skin was hot, his muscles taut against me, and I let out a soft moan. I placed my hands on him but he quickly shoved me back to the wall, raising my arms above me again, his hand easily encircling both my wrists.

"No touching," he instructed.

I blinked in surprise and he gave me a smug smile.

"You keep your hands still. Understand?"

His dark eyes bored into me. I nodded.

He tugged on the tie again, drawing me off the wall and leading me toward the couch. He walked backward, his eyes still on mine.

"Oh," he added as if it were an afterthought. "And you're not to come until I tell you."

"What?" I whispered.

He nodded, giving me a wicked grin. The backs of his knees had hit the couch and he scooped me up, tossing me lightly on the cushions. Holding himself over me, he removed the tie, dragging the silky fabric over my skin teasingly. He took my wrists in his hand again and wound the tie around them. I could feel my eyes growing larger with fear, but there was no mistaking the heat flushing my body. He didn't knot the tie, I noticed, and realized it would be relatively easy to wiggle out of it but I didn't attempt it.

Nick gripped my chin, his other hand running down my body, his eyes following his hand. He suddenly met my mouth in a searing kiss that left me panting.

"Remember, not until I tell you," he said. "If you come before I say, I'll stop."

I just stared at him, my mouth gaping. He gave me a seductive smile.

What followed seemed like hours of some kind of divine torture. Nick alternated tender, loving kisses with fierce attacks of his lips. He held my bound wrists over my head and caressed my breasts until I was quivering, then pinched my nipples roughly. He repeatedly brought me to the very edge of the cliff with his tongue between my legs, drawing away each time I got close.

He swirled his fingers inside me teasingly, then brought them to my lips. I drew both fingers into my mouth, sucking them deep. I could see his control slipping, his steady expression becoming wild. Pulling his fingers from my mouth, he trailed them to my breasts, dampening my nipples. When he removed his warm hands, the cool air in the room reacted with the moisture, causing my nipples to pucker almost painfully. I gasped at the sensation, my back jerking.

He grinned, his eyes predatory. He turned me so that I was facing the back of the couch, varying his touch with light strokes and firm grasps on my behind. Slipping his hard length between my thighs, he rocked me back and forth. My head flung back and I tried to hold on to the couch but my bound wrists made it impossible. Lifting me easily, he moved us to the end of the couch, positioning my hands on the armrest. Then, finally, he was pushing inside me.

He held my hips tightly so that I couldn't push back onto him, and dipped in shallowly before withdrawing completely. He did this again and again until my head was resting on my hands and I was whimpering and begging. I heard a satisfied growl and he plunged into me in one motion. My body sagged in relief, but not for long. He gripped my hair and pulled my head back for a passionate kiss, slowly moving inside me.

Letting go of my hair, his hands moved from my waist to my hips to my thighs, constantly repositioning me while never altering his thrusts. Tears were forming in my eyes from frustration and pent up arousal. My whole body was tense and cramped from the effort of holding back my climax. He curved around my back and kissed me again, noticing the tears. Swiping a finger under one of my eyes, he pressed his mouth against my temple. My skin felt stretched and thin, his breath burning my flesh when he spoke.

"Are you ready, love?" His voice was rough and unsteady.

"Yes," I sobbed.

"Do you want to come?" He pinched my nipple as he spoke.

"Yes!" I shouted.

He leaned back, moving my body with him so we were upright. Grabbing my leg, he hooked my knee over the armrest and pushed me forward slightly. He twisted my upper body so my shoulder was on the armrest, pulling my bound wrists in front of me. He quickly unwound the tie and flung it to the floor, then gripped my hair.

"I want to see you come," he rasped, his hips moving faster. "I need to see your beautiful face, darling..."

Our bodies were making a slapping sound as they met. His hand was still fisted in my hair, the other pinching into my waist. I had the fleeting worry that I wouldn't remember how to climax after holding it off for so long.

"Come for me, love," he implored.

Then his hand moved from my waist to the nub between my legs and my body convulsed.

"God," he gasped, feeling my inner walls clench around him.

I watched his eyes widen and twisted my body so I could grip his arm. I shrieked and cried out, his reaction spurring me on.

"Christ," he panted. "Cass - you are - the sexiest – woman - I have - ever seen." He punctuated each word with a deep thrust into me.

"Nick, Nick, oh - oh God," I screamed.

"Yes, love," he breathed. "Yes, let me see you come."

His eyes were bright, looking at me almost as if in admiration. I watched his features contort slightly and felt his hips speed up. I twisted more and reached up to touch his cheek.

"Come with me, Nick," I whimpered.

He blinked once, grabbed my hips, and pounded into me. I lost my hold on him and placed my hand on the armrest, arching back into him. He let out a long shout while I cried out in ecstasy, our bodies shuddering with our release. Chests heaving, I slumped over the armrest and his body dropped onto mine. He brought his arms around my shoulders and held me tightly. Before I could catch my breath, he was standing and cradling me in his arms. I looked at him in wonder, a bright smile on my face. I was exhausted, but also energized; he seemed to be experiencing a similar adrenaline rush.

"Have you learned your lesson not to tease me, love?" he asked as he carried me down the hall to his bedroom.

I slipped my arms around his neck and gave his chest a bite.

"Nope," I said defiantly.

He chuckled and threw me onto his bed, leaping on top of me.

"Naughty girl," he teased, his lips finding mine.