Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Spade

I see her start to fall but can't grab her before she is on the floor.

"Oh my God! Are you…are you alright?" I help her up and watch as she rubs her butt.

"No! I just realized my brother got all the sexy in my family and I got all the clumsy."

I can't help but laugh when I realize she is not hurt and laughing too. "Need me to kiss it better."

"No, crazy, I fell on my…oh!" Her eyes widen and her mouth falls into a perfect round ‘o'.

"I know." I wrap my arms around her and pull her close to me. "I have a surprise for you."

"Really? It"s not a kiss on the butt, is it?" I shake my head no. "What? Tell me, please."

I laugh again and decide not to make her wait any longer even if it would be fun to draw it out and make her guess. "You know that movie you heard about with the detective who falls in love with the woman who needs his help solving her brother's murder?"

"Yeah." She asks like it would be inconceivable for her not to know about the upcoming movie. "It's going to star Banner Arden and the new girl…what's her name? This is her first movie. Wisteria…?"

"How would you like to meet them?"

She doesn't say anything but the look on her face is priceless. She starts jumping up and down.

"Are you telling me…? No, it can't be." I nod. I could totally watch her do this all night long, especially if I got to be under her when she was doing it.

"Yep, if you want to go spend an afternoon on set and meet the stars then all you got to do is give me a kiss."

"Oh my God!" She wraps her arms around me and starts bouncing and kissing me.

I could get used to giving her presents and pampering her, especially if this is the way she responds. I eventually end up picking her up so her legs are wrapped around me like her arms are. Our mouths meet and before I can stop myself, I'm turning us and trying to find a flat surface to put us on. I end up turning us to the island and sitting her on it. She doesn't unwind her arms and legs from around me and I don't mind that one little bit.

My own hands dive into her hair so I can bring her closer and devour her mouth. There's an urgency in our kiss that transfers to our hands. When I push my hands up under her shirt this time, playing with the strip of flesh right above her jeans isn't enough. I need more. With that thought - and only that thought - in my mind, I pull her shirt up over her head leaving her in only her bra. Instead of scaring or worrying Pearl, when I put my hand on her lace-covered breast it makes her thighs tighten up around me and she moans in my mouth. She's driving me crazy.

I take the kiss even deeper before lowering my mouth to trail kisses down the column of her throat. Her head falls back as I find a sensitive spot right under her ear that makes her gasp out loud before giggling. I take her mouth with mine again and our tongues duel with one another. Even through the material of her bra, I can feel the heat of her skin, the hard point of her pebbled nipple, and just how god damned soft she is. I test the weight with the palm of my hand before rubbing my thumb over the hardened nub.

She gasps and this time pulls away from our kiss. Her eyes meet mine with uncertainty and questions in them. Her breath is coming in quick pants and her lips are swollen and rosy. She looks like a woman who has been good and loved. I move my thumb again and watch the expression change on her face from one of doubt to one of curiosity.

"Is…is this…? Do…? I don't think friends do this with one another, Spade."

"We do. Is that alright?"

I pause all the motions that I am doing to give her time to check in with herself. I need to make sure she is alright with this.

"Does it feel good?"

Her lips curl in between her teeth but her eyes stay on mine. She slowly nods her head answering my question.

"Do you want me to keep doing it because you like it?"

"Yes."

As soon as I get the okay, I pull the cup of her bra down so her breast falls into the palm of my hand.

"Oh!" Her eyes widen at the sensations and the newness of what I'm doing to her but she doesn't try to pull away from me either. This time when I slowly rub my thumb over her hardened nipple, I watch her face very closely so I see the look of surprise and passion hit her eyes. "Oh!"

This one comes out far more breathy and softer than the first one. Her eyes close with a sigh as she soaks in the feel of my hand on her body. The fact that I am the first person to ever touch her like this is obvious to me but I still want to hear her say it.

"Have you ever…?"

"No! I've not…all of this is new to me. The kissing, the touching, the…all of it."

"We'll go slow, beautiful. You can always call a halt on this at any time."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. I won't be mad or try to push you for more than you are ready to give to me."

A sense of what looks like relief washes over her face. I take one more gentle brush against her before I follow up my statement with a question, so she understands I am serious about this whole thing. "Do you want me to keep doing it?"

She doesn't say anything, but her eyes come back open. They had closed when I touched her tight nipple again.

"Do you want me to do it again, sweetheart? Do you want me to touch you like this again?"

"Yes. God, yes."

I shock a surprised gasp out of her when I take her nipple between my fingers and start playing with her. Her mouth comes open, but she doesn't say a word. I apply a small bit of pressure and watch her breath leave her and her head fall back, her hands come up to circle my wrist but not to pull me away from her. Instead, she just keeps them there like she is trying to anchor herself by holding onto me.

"Kiss me, Pearl."

She nods before offering me her mouth. There's a bite to the kiss now that is hard to hide, even to her inexperienced senses. I don't take my mouth from her when I speak so that I am talking out of the side of my mouth. "Let me have you, Pearl. Can I have you?"

Her eyebrows draw together in question.

"Can I put this in my mouth, beautiful?"

"Oh!" her eyes widen and her mouth falls open in shocked surprise. "Um, you want to…to me?"

I nod, never taking my eyes off her, even if I am dying to look down at what I have uncovered.

"O…okay."

"Yeah?"

She nods emphatically, "Yes."

It's all the permission I need.