Chapter 54

fifty-four

River

Tuesday Night

"You got it, Delia!" I shout to the closing door. The ability to lean on someone else has been an important change these last months. I won't look the gift horse in the mouth. The only mouth I want to be focused on is Lily's. Placing my palm on her cheek, I tilt her until our eyes meet. I glance down at her plump lips, counting the freckles across her nose out of habit. Placing a gentle kiss on the middle of her forehead, I watch her eyes fall before placing a soft kiss to the tip of her nose.

"God damn, Lily, you gave me a scare that I would lose you again, I don't think I could have survived that. Can I take you home, please?"

Her gentle nod presses our mouths together, and that's all I needed to press forward against her and into the front door of the bar. Breaking our kiss, she places a palm on my chest and breathily repeats, "Home. Take me home."

There's a sharp realization that passes through me. With a boyish grin, I tease, "Are you admitting that you like me , Lily?"

"I've already told you, I love you, you goofball," she chides.

"Yes, but you like me. You want to spend your time with me, you want to be on that picnic blanket in ten years with me… so you're saying that you're mine?"

With really intense eyes, she is determined. Strong, like I always knew she could be. "No, River. What I'm saying is that I'm mine." Gaze softening she adds on, "Just like you are yours. But, when the two of us are together things just work better. I'm saying that this team we started in elementary school is for the long haul. That when we have gaps in what makes us great on our own, the other steps up to gently support the other forward. So, no. I'm not yours, but this right here is ours."

Then, she leans over and kisses me. "Let's go home."

Along the walk she suddenly laughs out, "Hey! Maybe I'll even buy myself a hamper this time."

Arriving at the door a few moments later, I fumble with the keys. Tumbling inside all I can think about is how badly I need to get this woman naked. Now.

Watching as she unzips her hoodie and steps out of her shoes.

"What? Did I get something on me? Why are you staring?" she flushes.

"I just really like this view. You, comfortable, in our home." I shrug. Leaning in, I admit, "I also just really want to get you out of all of these clothes and make up for all the lost time."

She thinks for a moment before pushing the leggings and socks off together and leaving them on the floor. It reminds me of that first night all over again. Large T-shirt draped across her thighs and swimming over her, hiding all the places I've come to know so well. My ability to be patient completely exits my body and we don't make it beyond the staircase.

Hands on her hips, I help her sit a few steps up before spreading her legs wide. A thin strap of material between me and her soft, warm pussy. Reaching for the wide armholes of this ridiculous top, I pull it up over her ass, exposing her stomach, and then the tattoo on her ribs shows.

She's seated before me in nothing more than a set of comfortable yet incredibly sexy lingerie. The mesh bralette and thong are a shade of midnight blue that matches the wall to my left perfectly. Reaching forward she caresses the growing bulge at the front of my jeans. It's at this moment that I remember dressing so quickly, and I can tell I'm about to be in a very uncomfortable position with my zipper, and begin to undo the button. Placing her hand over mine, I ache for her to free me from this denim prison. She skillfully lowers the fly slightly before reaching in.

She hisses my name as she realizes that there is nothing else between us now. She gently teases me before brushing the clothing down my thighs, as I yank my T-shirt off from above.

Dropping her elbows on the step, her body falls back on an angle. She looks commanding. She's still in the thin layer, and as much as I want to rip and destroy them, I want to worship at her feet. Kneeling at the bottom of the stairs, my head meets her bent knees.

Reaching down, I take her left foot into my right hand and begin to slowly kiss her ankle, her calf, and behind her knee. I replace her foot to the ground, and begin again with the right leg. Placing a tiny bite on the inside of her thigh, I'm rewarded with a soft whimper and her knees splaying wider.

"Stop teasing me," she growls, "the last few nights without you were enough."

Standing I hold my hard-on and begin to stroke, slowly, lazily. Teasing her without touching her. It feels freeing, to fully take charge and I watch as the damp spot on her panties increases with each pass of my fist. It's clear that despite her bratty words, this is working for her too. Dropping hold of myself, my hands dance across the soft skin of her stomach, around her ribs and trace again where her tattoo shows the invisible ways she carried our home with her all along. "I fucking love this," I grit out.

Nodding in agreement, she groans in response.

I wind my hand from her ribs across the taut peak that rises off her breast. Lowering my face to her chest, I lick, nip, and lave upon her nipples through the thin mesh.

Kissing lower, I draw a line down her stomach to her core. I lap at the material before dipping my fingers into the elastic at her hips to shimmy the panties away. Taking in her arousal on my tongue as I lick her button of nerves, I'm intoxicated by the smell, taste, and feel of Lily around me. She moans in appreciation and her body unwinds slightly below me.

"I need to be inside you," I admit, despite the rush after drawing things out.

"Thank fucking god," she laughs out and I spin her away from me, with her elbows supporting her on one step, and her knees on the one closest to the floor. I stand behind her on and fist those wild waves.

I turn her face enough to see mine and vow, "If you tell me no more, I'll stop immediately." She gives a little nod.

Except then she grits out, "Don't you fucking stop," and I yank lightly. She gasps from the hair pull, and I palm her ass before slapping again with the same firm but gentle pressure.

I watch as her pussy begins to drip. "Fuck, darling, you like that huh?"

She's barely coherent, but moans as I slide home. Hard, fast, full all at once. I haven't felt so right ever. Feeling her muscles warm and wet surrounding my throbbing cock, contracting around me with each thrust.

My thoughts slip out as my body increases the pace of my thrusts. "Fucking incredible, so fucking wet for me, you like that huh? You like to give up control, and be fucked until you can't move, become a little rag doll." I yank on her hair, and her glazed eyes are unable to focus.

I feel everything starting to tense, the walls of her pussy, my balls, my legs—there's a tingly sensation building everywhere.

"River," she screams on a more forceful yank, before growling out herself, "don't you fucking dare stop, I'm right there." Then she buries her face into the step and presses her hips further back against me, taking me deeper.

Releasing her hair, I wind my hand around her stomach until I find that tiny button between her legs and begin to add pressure to her clit. The two of us are panting, sweating, and screaming before long and then she's shaking around me. Falling forward, she practically pulls me by my dick on top of her. There's no moving, no talking, just this moment of being fully sated .

Grabbing a discarded shirt, I wipe under her stomach and pull myself free and catch whatever will need to be cleaned as I go from myself.

Leaning forward I whisper, "Wait right here."

I pop into the bathroom to run warm water over a washcloth for her, when I hear her soft footsteps behind me.

"Sorry," she blushes, "can I," she eyes the bathroom, "um, I need to pee." After a beat she adds, "I realize we just went from friends to in a cohabiting relationship, but I'd like to pee alone if that's okay with you?"

Laughing, I shake my head as I step out and shut the door. I owe this girl a lot. Including a little more romance. A lot more. It's time I make a plan, just for Lily.