Chapter 8

"So,"Todd said casually over dinner about a week later. "When is your lease up?"

"Uh..." Allison tried to think back to when they had first signed the thing.

"In about a month," Diana said.

They were sitting around Allison and Diana's little round kitchen table, eating a meal Todd had prepared for them. The three of them tended to take turns cooking, and tonight had been Todd's turn, which meant they were eating seriously well. He'd learned how to cook at a much earlier age than either Allison or Diana, and the girls eagerly looked forward to any night it was his turn. Since he was staying with them, he did it a lot since Allison wouldn't let him help with rent. It was his way of giving back to them for putting him up while he waited for his house to be built.

"Are you going to renew the lease?"

Allison quieted the surge of excitement in her stomach, although she was pretty sure she knew where Todd was leading.

"We hadn't really talked about it."

"If Allison has a reason to leave, I'll probably still stay here," Diana said, her eyes glinting with repressed excitement. Obviously, Allison wasn't the only one who thought Todd was asking the leading questions for a reason. Of course, nothing showed on his face, but Todd had a great poker face. It was part of how they'd ended up together in the first place. "I can afford it."

Nodding his head, Todd turned his attention back to his dinner, knowing the two girls were sitting on tenterhooks. They shot glances back and forth to each other, not realizing Todd could see their facial expressions as they did their best to have a silent conversation. Allison didn't want to be the one to ask him why—partly a pride thing, partly, she didn't want to put pressure on him or step on his toes. Diana had already set him up to say something with her admission, she could live in the apartment comfortably without Allison. Yet he was just sitting there eating dinner as if nothing had just happened.

Ass.

Fortunately, Diana was less patient than Allison.

"Is there any reason you ask?"

"Just curious," he said mildly. Allison stuck her tongue out at him, and of course, the second she did, his eyes flashed to her face. He grinned at her as she blushed. "You'll pay for that later."

That set her grinning as her blood hummed with energy. She always liked when Todd made her pay, even though it was usually frustrating in the beginning. Diana rolled her eyes. While she wasn't jealous of Todd and Allison's relationship, there was some part of her that envied their easy camaraderie and Todd's take-charge attitude. Obviously, Allison's cousin didn't provide that for her; he was much happier with Diana being in charge in the bedroom.

"Did you hear Roger and Veronica broke up?" she asked, just to get under Todd's skin, annoyed he wouldn't say anything further on why he was asking about their lease.

"What? No, why?"Allison looked genuinely concerned, but Todd didn't look perturbed at all, just stoically ate his dinner.

"What do you mean, why? She was so not good enough for him," Diana said with a small laugh. "I'm guessing he finally figured out she's a money-grubbing snob with no ambition other than sitting around a pool, tanning. Not exactly his type."

"True."

Not that she really knew what Roger's type was, although he had been much more supportive of her job than her parents had been. She was pretty sure Veronica wouldn't have been able to give him the kind of warm companionship he wanted out of a marriage. There was nothing warm about Veronica, although she'd obviously faked it well enough to hook him for a bit. Allison made a face. Not she wanted Roger back, of course, but Diana was absolutely right when she said Veronica wasn't good enough for him. She cared enough to want him to be happy and was relieved to hear he was away from that poisonous bitch.

"Maybe you should call him and make sure he's doing alright," Diana said, although she was looking at Todd, still trying to needle him. It was bothering her he wasn't responding the way she'd expected. Allison shot her friend a look and reached across the table to grab Todd's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Looking up and realizing both of the women were focusing their attention on him, Todd laughed.

"She can call him if she wants to," he said, directing his comment at Diana. "It's called trust, Diana. I have no need to be possessive. I trust Allison. Your lack of understanding is probably why you aren't happy with any of the men you've been with. Although if you're really so interested in how Roger's doing, you should be the one to call him, rather than playing high school games and having Allison do it for you."

It was the harshest he'd ever been to Diana, although she often made a game of trying to get under his skin.

"Todd!" Allison said in surprise, slightly scolding, but her heart wasn't in it. She was too busy watching her friend turn red, then pale, then red again. How much truth was in what Todd had said?

"She's been trying to get a response like that from me for a while, Allison," Todd said calmly. His brown eyes were warm but stern. He wasn't angry, just saying things how he saw them. Turning his head back to Diana, who was still frozen in her seat, he continued. "You see what Allison and I have, and you want someone like me. You can't help trying to find out if what you see between us is what you really want, and that's why you keep trying to get me to set you down. Well, now you know."

He got up from the dinner table, finished eating, and put his dishes in the sink. It was Diana's turn to do them tonight. The two girls sat in silence, Diana staring at her food, and Allison alternating her anxious glances between Todd and her friend. Todd turned and smiled at her reassuringly before dropping a kiss on top of her head.

"I'll be in the bedroom, Princess. Come on back when you're ready."

"Um. Diana?" Allison asked, unsure how to start. When Diana looked up, she had an expression on her face Allison had never seen before—shame and a bit of embarrassment. With a small moan, the pretty little Asian propped her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands.

"How did he know?" she asked in a near whisper—another unusual thing.

"Which part?" Allison wasn't entirely sure what she meant.

Certainly, some of the things Todd had said and implied came as a surprise to Allison, especially if they turned out to be true. Although she'd picked up on the fact Diana might be a little envious Allison was in a steady relationship, she hadn't realized how envious Diana might be of the type of relationship or curious about the dynamics of being with a man who was in charge. Her friend was so in control of herself and so confidently aggressive when it came to men, it never occurred to Allison she might crave the same kind of submissive, out-of-control sex Allison enjoyed.

Diana raised her eyes to meet Allison's, looking miserable.

"All of it. I mean, I'm really not interested in Todd, even if he wasn't your man, but I wonder about being with a guy like him. Seeing the way you are together... it makes me want to know what it would be like. When Todd put me down, yeah, it was embarrassing, but I also knew I deserved it, and it felt kinda, I don't know, nice to have someone not let me run right over them. I liked that he didn't put up with my shit. Lately, I've been wondering if I push the guys the way I do, like being dominant with Chad, because I'm hoping they'll turn the tables on me."

"Guys aren't mind readers," Allison said. "You have to let them know what you want."

"I guess I haven't really found a guy I felt comfortable admitting that to or that I think would do a good job of it."Diana's eyes shifted away from Allison's, and she suddenly realized there was something her friend wasn't saying.

Her hazel eyes narrowed as she thought back to what Todd has said. Diana said he'd been right about "all" of it. Including one part Allison hadn't considered?

"Are you interested in Roger?"

Whoo-boy, that got a reaction! Not one she was expecting, either. Her normally devil-may-care friend was suddenly shifting in her seat, unable to meet her gaze.

"He's your ex."

"That's not an answer," Allison said, scooting her chair over. Her heart swelled with compassion. Diana really was such a good friend. It was now obvious to Allison, she must be attracted to Roger and hidden it for Allison's sake, even after they'd broken up. "I don't mind if you are, you know. I don't have any feelings for him beyond friendship and wanting him to be happy."

"I don't know," Diana said, blowing out a gust of frustrated air. "I mean, when you two were dating, I definitely didn't, but then at the Christmas party when he asked me to dance... I don't know. I always thought he was a good guy, but I didn't really look at him that way until we were dancing, and there was... something. I tried pushing him, but he shut me down. I figured it was because he was there with Veronica. Maybe I imagined it."

Allison knew what Diana was talking about; she'd seen it herself a time or two. Under that veneer of upper class, well-bred behavior, Roger had some dark desires of his own. There was something dominant inside of him, or Allison probably wouldn't have stayed with him for so long after Todd. He had always chosen what they were doing and where they were going, although he knew her preferences and kept them in mind. He was always on top during sex and rigidly controlled, keeping a tight rein on himself in bed, so much so, only hints of what he might want were revealed.

Allison was pretty sure Roger was at least a little dominant, possibly kinky, which is why he'd had such a strong reaction every time she'd suggested something a little risqué. She suspected he was afraid of those desires.

"I saw it, too," Allison said. "Underneath all his manners, there's definitely a bit of an alpha male. I'm just not sure how much or if he'll ever push past his upbringing enough to let it out."

"Is that why you broke up with him?"

"Partly," Allison said, chewing her lip. Diana obviously wanted reassurance she wasn't stepping on her friend's toes. "He didn't challenge me, and we didn't have the connection that I was looking for. No spark, not enough of one, anyway. I was still in love with Todd and hadn't gotten over him, and now it doesn't look like never will."

They both giggled. Diana shot a sidelong glance toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms. "He is so going to ask you to move in with him."

"I hope so." While it wasn't something she expected from him, there was no denying what she wanted, what she hoped for. She'd changed so much over the past year, really since meeting him, and she loved the way her life was now. Even though her parents weren't talking to her, in some ways, she was the happiest she'd ever been. While she wasn't entirely sure what Todd got out of their relationship, she was entirely assured he was happy with her. He'd definitely let her know if he wasn't.

"He will." The utterly confident Diana had returned. She sat up, as authoritative as her petite frame allowed, and nodded firmly. Allison had to laugh, then Diana shifted again nervously. "Would you be okay with it if I started, um, talking to Roger?"

"Of course," Allison said, reaching over and hugging her friend warmly. They clung to each other for a moment, then Allison pulled away. "I'd better go see what Todd's gotten into."

Diana laughed. "Then I'm out for the evening. I'm going to find someone to go dancing with. Much better than sitting here and listening to you and Todd have fantastic, mind-blowing sex. I swear, I've never masturbated so much in my life."

Blushing furiously, Allison said goodbye to her friend and trotted off to her bedroom. Todd was sitting on her bed, shirtless but wearing pajama pants, reading a book. Just seeing him sitting there, waiting for her gave her a supreme sense of satisfaction. When Diana had first started poking at him about Roger, she'd half expected a jealous fit. Todd was definitely possessive—she still remembered how he'd marked her when he'd come into town, and they'd spent the night together. Apparently, now that they were in a relationship, that all went away. He knew he didn't need to worry about any competition. The level of trust he gave her was monumental, and she didn't take it for granted. How many other guys in the world wouldn't care if their girlfriend was concerned about an ex? It was just another way Todd showed himself to be a wonderful boyfriend.

Of course, she had no doubt, he wouldn't hesitate to stake out his territory if he felt as if someone was disrespecting his position, but he wasn't going to try to hamper Allison's decisions when it came to her friends or any other man in her life. That meant a lot to her. She gave him a silly, happy smile when she came into the room.

Looking up from his book, Todd raised an eyebrow. "You look happy."

"I am," she said, bouncing over to him and jumping on the bed. She curled up to him, pushing her head under his arm, where he was holding the book, so she could snuggle into the little nook between his bicep and chest. Giggling, Allison squirmed against him until he laughed and put the book down, turning his attention to her. Part of her wanted to ask him if he was going to ask her to move in with him, but she already knew the answer. Maybe he wanted her to ask, so she decided not to and focused on how much she enjoyed her life with him—finally. Looking up at him with starry eyes, she felt a surge of warm emotion. She was so incredibly lucky to have him in her life.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Princess. What brought this on?"

"Just you being you."

Todd kissed her, slowly and sweetly, pulling her body up and pressing his lips down, so her head had to tilt back to accommodate him as he thrust his tongue into her mouth. This silly side of Allison was another treat for him, one he hadn't discovered until he'd started spending more time with her at the apartment. There were so many layers to her personality that had been hidden away under the socialite exterior she'd had to cultivate. Her parents probably had no idea they had such a goofy, passionate daughter and probably liked it that way. Although he liked knowing Allison had stood up to them and fought for him before knowing they would now probably consider him ‘eligible' and ‘appropriate' for her, he still wanted their acknowledgment and blessing for their relationship. Allison clammed up every time he brought them up. Eventually, he wouldhave to do something about that.

Someone needed to make the first move, eventually, but not tonight. Not now when he had his sweetly compliant Princess in his arms, especially when he still needed to reprimand her for sticking out her tongue at him. They both liked it when he gave her a little punishment.

Ending their kiss reluctantly, Todd grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, so he could look down into her eyes. Allison's pupils dilated with arousal as he forcefully held her. There was no doubt she loved being handled.

"Since you like sticking your tongue out at me so much, why don't you find something useful to do with it." His tone made the question a demand. Her soft lips parted as she let out a little moan. God, he loved her mouth. Picking up his book with his free hand, Todd guided Allison down to his crotch by her hair. Since he was wearing pajama pants—not by accident—it was easy for her to open the button and pull his already hard dick free of the fabric. As her lips wrapped around the head and began to slide down his shaft, he let out a satisfied sigh. "You may play with yourself."

Smiling happily around the meat in her mouth, Allison glanced up to see Todd watching her over the edge of the book he was pretending to be reading. She smirked at him. Just how she liked it.

* * *

Saturday morning,Todd rousted Allison from bed before she was ready. Although she had no problem getting out of bed for work or class during the weekdays, she cherished sleeping in on the weekends. Sometimes, she missed the days when she wasn't both working and going school and had been able to schedule all her classes for later in the day, so she could sleep in. Even though he got her coffee, it wasn't until he had her strapped into the front seat of his car, she realized he was acting a little strangely—excited.

Taking a sip from her travel mug, her watery brain was finally coming up for air as the caffeine hit her system. Since he hadn't told her he wanted to go out this morning, she'd been up late, reading last night.

A small smile creased her face. She hadn't spent a lot of late nights reading, although it was one of her favorite activities as an English major, but she wasn't sure she'd ever spent a Friday night that way. She used to have dates, gone out with friends, or spent time with her family—she cut off all thoughts of that last one as soon as she had it—but now, she enjoyed staying in with her boyfriend, doing nothing. Of course, Todd had then kept her up even later with passionate lovemaking, but he didn't seem at all affected by lack of sleep.

Then again, he'd known what was coming.

She scowled at him as he got in the front seat of the car, but he just grinned at her and leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the lips. That was surprising. Normally, he would threaten to spank her to get a nasty look off of her face. She did like her spankings. Maybe he had something worse in store for her. The scowl slid right off of Allison's face. It was always fun when Todd got creative, but a little terrifying, too.

"Where are we going?" She took another sip of coffee as they pulled out of the apartment complex's parking lot.

"It's a surprise," he said, reaching over and engulfing her hand in his. Allison squeezed his hand, even though she was still a little annoyed at being woken up at eight a.m. on a Saturday. Todd did love his surprises. Underneath that domineering exterior was a cushy marshmallow of romantic inclinations. She really enjoyed both sides.

Since it was early, they just listened to the radio as they drove, heading out toward the higher end of the suburbs. As Todd pulled into a neighborhood, Allison perked up. Was he finally taking her to see the house he'd been having built? He'd been very mysterious about any of the details, saying he didn't want to jinx anything while they were building. More like he just wanted to show off the final product.

The neighborhood was upper-middle class, not the return to the socialite neighborhood she'd half expected. Knowing how much Todd made, she'd thought he would want something more like what she'd grown up in. She was relieved to find he wanted a home, not a mansion. The house they pulled up to was a little separated from the rest of the neighborhood, but the house blended into the general atmosphere. It was a gorgeous single-family home with a creamy beige exterior, white shutters, and dark grey roof. The front yard had a little hill next to the driveway, so the walkway up to the house included a staircase with a wrought-iron rail. Flowering bushes spilled down the side of the hill, a riot of color and fragrance. The driveway was a semi-circle in front of the left side of the house, with the option to pull into a two-car garage.

"Oh, it looks wonderful, Todd!" Allison said, squeezing his hand tightly.

He laughed. "This is just the outside, Princess, do you want to see the rest of it?"

"Of course!"

Despite his modest demeanor, she could tell he was very proud of his house from the way he was holding himself and the little smile as she complimented him. They walked around the outside, so she could see the flower gardens on the sides of the house and the deck with the Jacuzzi and grill on the backside.

"I want to put a pool in there," Todd said, pointing out a space in the backyard. "I figured that could wait until after I moved in, though."

"Pools are always nice," she said, gripping his arm and smiling up at him. He looked so cute with his hands in his pockets with an ‘aw shucks' stance as she admired everything about the house. The porch was beautiful, made of sturdy light-colored wood and shiny with newness and its weatherproofing veneer. Small pots of flowers were tucked into corners, and the little lights were, bolted down to the railings for nighttime, were decorated with dragonflies. It had a very warm feeling, not like the cold rock, marble, and granite backyard her parents had, which was beautiful but felt more like a hotel than someone's backyard.

"Let's go inside," he said, and they walked up the steps to the porch. He headed toward the door, but Allison turned to look at the view. There were a few neighbors within eyesight, the backs of their houses visible but far away. The wide expanse of green grass was dotted with wildflowers, a few trees, and bushes. It was absolutely gorgeous.

She was starting to get nervous. So far, Todd hadn't even hinted he wanted her to stay here with him, just seemed intent on showing it off. Didn't he want her here? Had he only been staying with her because he needed a place to live?

Allison knew he loved her, but that didn't necessarily mean he'd want to officially live with her yet. She just hoped, eventually, he would.

"Coming?" Todd asked from behind her.

"Yeah," she said, turning away from the view and her maudlin thoughts.

They walked into a gorgeous kitchen with cherry wood cabinets, tan countertops, and ivory accents. There was a huge island in the center, perfect for preparing food, with a slightly lowered section that had chairs tucked under it in case people wanted to eat in the kitchen or sit and chat with the cook. She could see a door to a pantry on the other side of the very large refrigerator, and a rack for pots hung from the ceiling over the island. Two fans to provide a breeze were hanging far enough away from the rack, the breeze wouldn't cause the hanging pans to knock into each other. To their right was a large empty space of hardwood floor, perfect for a casual dinner table, and beyond it was a thick beige carpeted area that looked like it was just waiting for a couch, cushy armchairs, and a television.

"Wow," She was honestly amazed at the beauty of the space, although she was surprised Todd hadn't furnished it yet. He was normally such a ‘finished product' kind of guy. "This kitchen is amazing." It truly was, and she wasn't surprised. From the muttering under his breath and the pictures she'd seen him looking at in magazines, she knew the kitchen was his biggest obsession when it came to the house. Considering how much he liked to cook, that wasn't surprising. She just hadn't realized he'd want it set up for gatherings and parties as well, although it made sense since he was still up-and-coming in the business world.

Walking forward, she put one hand on the island, looking around at the empty space, imagining it filled with food and people. Todd came up behind her, the heat of his body pressing against her back. Pushing her hips back, she smirked as she felt the thick bulge of his erection pressing into her ass. Turning her head, she looked up at him.

"See something you like?" she asked archly, wriggling her hips to rub against him.

Todd's eyes bore into her as his hands slid down her arms and grasped her wrists, placing her hands on the island and making her shiver with heat. It was so hot when he took control, going from a humble guy eager to show off his new abode to a pure alpha male, rigid with lust.

"Don't move your hands, no matter what," he said, practically breathing the words into her ear. Allison trembled as erotic heat washed through her, her breasts and pussy lips plumping with anticipation at his words. Their eyes remained connected as her tongue flicked out and licked her lips.

Lowering his head, Todd kissed her, his hands going to the hem of her shirt and pulling it up and over her breasts. Reaching into the cups of her bra, he caressed her sensitive mounds, teasing her nipples as his tongue danced in her mouth. Allison moaned, opening her lips farther as his tongue delved, turning her body into the kiss as much as she could, but Todd's hips moved forward and trapped her against the island. Pinned and helpless, his erection grinding into her from behind, heat and wetness coiled between her legs.

Todd's fingers pinched the base of her nipples, then pulled, slowly tugging on the tender buds and scraping his skin along their sensitive surface until her back arched, and his fingers reached the tips and fell away. He repeated the process until Allison released his lips, writhing as he tormented her, the sensual torture of her breasts soaking her panties.

She moaned as he released her breasts and undid the button on her jeans, leaving her hard nipples jutting out from her chest, the cups of her bra forcing her soft flesh upwards. Todd yanked off her pants and underwear, sliding his hands along the back of her legs, his thumbs pressing on the soft inner flesh of her thighs.

"Spread," he ordered in the sexy, authoritative voice that made her knees want to buckle. Moving her legs apart, she leaned forward on the counter, so he would have the best view of her weeping pussy. Fingers pried apart her buttocks, and his breath blew over her swollen lips. Even though she was embarrassed every time he examined her this closely, it turned her on. His tongue slicked across her center, and Allison leaned forward more, shifting more weight onto her hands, so she could spread her legs farther apart.

Todd knelt between them, his hands holding her thighs apart, face upturned into her pussy. It gave him the most incredible view of the globes of her ass as she rotated her hips, moaning as she ground down onto his face. She gasped as his mouth moved, and he tongued the sensitive bundle of nerves located around her anus, teasing her back door as two fingers slid into her sopping pussy.

"Oh, fuck… Todd…." she moaned, humping her hips back, her breasts swaying as she bent forward. His fingers twisted and dragged, rubbing playfully against her g-spot while the thick muscle of his tongue stabbed at her crinkled rosebud. He stroked, sucked, and licked, tuning her body, readying it for his pleasure and christening his new home at the same time.

Allison cried out, her legs and arms trembling to hold her up as Todd's fingers plunged deep into her, curving to press against that sweet spot. His other hand disappeared from her thigh, no longer helping to support her weight, and she leaned forward, pressing her stomach and breasts into the countertop to hold her up as Todd's fingers pinched her clit. She screamed her orgasm, writhing in the middle of his new kitchen, both his hands and his mouth furiously moving, extending the waves of pleasure that wrapped around her.

When she was weak and satiated, collapsed on the countertop, Todd released her pussy and anus and stood behind her. Glossy fluid coated her pussy lips and the tops of her thighs. She moaned as he turned her over onto her back, her breasts caught between her bra and her rolled-up shirt, like rope bondage. Todd couldn't resist leaning over and taking one soft nipple in his mouth, rolling it back to hardness. Allison always looked so beautiful after cumming, which made him want to take her again. Her knees pointed toward the ceiling, heels resting on the edge of the counter, he pulled her toward him, leaning over her body to enjoy filling his hands with her boobs.

Soft honeyed noises came from Allison's parted lips as glassy-eyed with pleasure, she looked at the man playing with her body. He met her gaze as his teeth sank into her nipple, and she gasped, her back bowing and thrusting her soft flesh into his mouth. Todd suckled hard, giving Allison the roughness she craved until he released the aching bud.

He couldn't wait any longer. Between her spread thighs, he undid his jeans and pushed them down, lining up his thick cock with her swollen pussy, all flushed and soupy from the pleasure he'd given her. Allison cried out as he shoved in with one hard thrust. When the builders had been working on the kitchen, he'd purposefully had them build this part of the island at the perfect height for him to stand and fuck her. The soft interior of her pussy wrapped around him like a satin sleeve, grasping him as he moved back and forth roughly. Scooping his arms under her knees and grabbing her upper arms with his fingers, the position kept her spread and open to him, and his hands on her arms allowed him to pull her forcefully against him as he thrust forward.

She curved her arms, wrapping her fingers around his elbows as he leaned over her, plowing into her spasming tunnel. The thick girth of his meat always took her a few minutes to adjust to, but she loved it when he shoved into her, stretching her quickly and straining her muscles. Groaning with the heady mixture of erotic pain and pleasure, Allison writhed on the counter like a pagan offering to the new house. The way he was positioned over her, his body ground against her clit every time he buried himself inside her sweet wetness. She clenched down on him with every rasp against the sensitive bud.

"Todd!" she screamed, her nails digging into his skin.

"Fuck, Allison," he said, almost at the exact same time, his voice hoarse with his attempt to control himself until she was creaming on his cock. "What you do to me…"

The next thrust was almost brutal in its quick plunge, and Allison's pleasure center exploded with sizzling heat that raced through her body. Her pussy convulsed around Todd's cock, squeezing and massaging him with her erotic release. Groaning with triumph, he thrust again, then held himself deep inside, rubbing his body against her swollen clit as he throbbed, filling her with his cum.

Allison could barely feel the pulses of his cock, she was so lost in her own hazy world of ecstasy. The pleasure had overwhelmed her nerve endings, and even the soft strokes of Todd's fingers on her arm sent her into aftershocks of rocking orgasm. The feel of him jerking inside of her was so deeply intense, it didn't even register on a conscious level. Tremors swept through her as Todd collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily with the aftermath of his rough passion.

With a low groan, he pushed himself up and went to one of the drawers, retrieving a cloth he dampened in warm water, then returned to where Allison still laid with her legs spread, the lips of her freshly fucked sex gorgeously red as white cream dripped from them. She still felt like she was floating, whimpering as Todd pressed the warm cloth between her legs, tenderly cleaning the sensitive folds.

"Good girl," he crooned as Allison's eyes began to clear, and she returned to the here and now. Gently, he cleaned her pussy lips and thighs. The cloths were the only things he had stocked the kitchen with so far, knowing he probably wouldn't be able to get through showing Allison his new pride and joy without celebrating it with her.

Helping Allison to her feet, he picked up her panties from the floor and put them on, one leg at a time, kissing the top of her mound before covering it with the lacy fabric. The press of his lips against her exquisitely sensitive flesh made Allison shiver again in sensual reaction. Todd helped her put on her jeans, then she pulled the bra cups back over her breasts and her t-shirt down again. Nothing could remove the messy look of her hair, her swollen lips, or the glowing satisfaction he had put on her face, though, Todd thought smugly.

"Let me show you the rest of the house," he said, his heart still racing. Not from the incredible sex they'd just had—and what a way to christen his new home—but for the surprise he was going to spring on her. Allison went up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips across his but stepped away before he could deepen the kiss. Grinning, he grabbed her hand and tugged her along to the rest of the rooms.

Nothing was furnished, no curtains or decorations, but the house was beautifully built. To the left of the kitchen, there was a formal dining room, and past that in the front of the house was a small library that connected to a small study. Upstairs, there were several bedrooms, although the Master bedroom was the best. It had a door that exited onto a balcony, just big enough to fit a small table for two, which looked out over the same expanse of land the porch did. The bathroom was incredible. The shower could probably fit at least six people. There was no showerhead, but there were a lot of places that looked like water could spray from in the walls of the shower, which looked like it was made out of some kind of rock. When she touched the material, it wasn't hard, although it was firm, so it definitely wasn't actually stone. In addition to the incredible shower, there was also a tub big enough for two—possibly three—and a vanity with two sinks.

"So," Todd said as he watched Allison prowl around the bathroom. He loved watching her take everything in and couldn't wait to show her the joys of the shower. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" Allison asked, completely confused as she turned her attention to him.

"Ready to go shopping? That's why I got you up so early. I figured you'd want to have a say on how our house is furnished and decorated."

He had the joy of seeing Allison's jaw drop, knowing he'd managed to completely surprise her. That was one of the things he loved best about her. Despite the fact she'd grown up a pampered little princess, she never took him for granted. She might hope for a certain outcome from what he said or how he acted, but she never just assumed. It made him feel appreciated and gave him wonderful moments like this.

"What?" he asked, stepping forward, unable to keep the ecstatic grin off of his face as he took her in his arms, so she had to tilt her head back to look up at him. "Are you saying you don't want to have a say?"

"I'm saying you never asked me to move in, you big jerk!" Allison laughed, slapping him hard on the chest. "You never actually ask me anything!"

"Of course not, you might say no," he replied, his face mock-serious. Allison giggled helplessly at his logic. Then he gave her a look full of hot promise for the future. "Will you move in with me, Allison?"

"Depends on the furnishings," she said haughtily. Todd's lips pursed, and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"That kitchen island downstairs is good for more than sex, Princess. I can bend you over it and spank you senseless, so you can feel it every time you sit down to try out a couch today."

Allison shivered. In some ways, that sounded appealing, but she wanted to actually be able to enjoy the furniture she picked out.

"I'd love to move in with you," she said, relenting. Todd pulled her hard against him and devoured her with his lips, the possessive kiss claiming her, and she let him sweep her away.

They spent the entire day and the next shopping. Most of the furniture would arrive on Monday, which they both decided to take off from work, so they could arrange the house to their liking. Shopping was fun. They agreed on most things since they both wanted a homey, warm feel to their house, but sometimes, they would argue over the particulars. Allison soon found Todd's way of compromising was to buy both and say they'd see which looked better in the space. Although she knew he would argue that his choice did.

When the whirlwind weekend was over, they collapsed in Allison's bed for the last time. Todd had offered to have it moved to his house, but they had ended up picking out a bigger bed they both liked, a king-sized, four-poster bed. She could already imagine herself tied up and spread out for him. All the wonderful kinky things they could do around the house danced through her mind as she curled up next to her boyfriend.

She would have been surprised to know, at that moment, Todd was thinking about her parents. Part of him had wanted to ask Allison to marry him this weekend, as well as move in, but he had held off for two reasons. The first was he wanted them to be able to establish their living rhythms together without a roommate, and he knew wedding planning disrupted people's normal day-to-day lives. He'd seen it happen to several of his friends and co-workers. The second was he wanted to find a way for Allison and her parents to come together as a family again before he and Allison did. While her parents might have objected to him as a suitable husband for her at one point, they probably wouldn't now, and he'd worked hard to get that acknowledgment. Plus, they were important to Allison, and getting engaged might make her even less likely to reach out to them. She was still so angry at them, which he understood, but someone had to be the bigger person. He'd come to the realization it would probably have to be him.

But for tonight, he held the woman he loved and enjoyed the soft curves of her body pressed against his, knowing soon, they'd be living together in their own home. It had been worth the wait.

* * *

CLICK HERE to read Claiming His Prize - will Todd be able to win over Allison's family? Or will their happily-ever-after end before the wedding bells?