Chapter 16

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

Oliver

If you had told me six months ago that I’d be here, I’d have laughed in your face. If you’d also told me that I’d be the most relaxed I’d been in years, that too would have resulted in laughter.

However, here I am with my back against the arm of the couch, my legs propped up on the coffee table, with Blakely lying on my chest, her legs stretched out on the couch, and you guessed it, we’re watching another Christmas movie.

“Gah, I love this time of year,” Isla says, standing and stretching. “I need to go, or I’m going to be late.”

“Where’s Todd taking you?” Blakely asks her.

“I don’t know. It’s a surprise. All he said was to pack an overnight bag.”

“Nice.” Blakely nods. “Are you packed?”

“Not yet.” Isla grins.

Blakely chuckles. “Do you want me to help you?”

“No, I’ll be fine as long as I get moving.” She takes off down the hall, leaving us alone.

“Are you getting hungry?” Blakely asks me.

“I can always eat,” I tell her.

“Are we cooking? Ordering in? Going out?” She holds up her fingers, lifting one with each choice she presents.

“Whatever option keeps us here. A quiet night with you is what I’ve been craving.” I run my fingers through the silky strands of her hair.

“Well, that eliminates option three. I don’t mind cooking, but I’m kinda craving a steak hoagie with banana peppers.”

“Then we order in. Do they deliver?”

“They do.” She scrambles from the couch and rushes to the kitchen. She comes back with a menu and hands it to me. “I have them on speed dial.” She waves her cell phone in the air. “Look that over, and I’ll place our order.”

“Just get me the same thing.” I hand the menu back to her.

“Okay, and how do you feel about breadsticks?”

I laugh. “I can eat a couple of breadsticks.”

“Hmmm, maybe I should get two orders.”

“I said a couple. That’s two.” Teasing her and being relaxed with her is my new favorite thing.

“I know, but they’re so good. We’ll do two. We might want a snack later.” She taps the screen of her phone. “I love online ordering.”

“Here, put it on my card.” I reach for my wallet, and she swats my hand away.

“Dinner is on me tonight. I feel like you’re always feeding me. Didn’t your parents ever tell you it’s nice to take turns?” She smiles. “Done.” She sets her phone on the table, and I grab her, tugging her into my lap.

“They taught me to take care of the lady in my life.” I nuzzle her neck.

“Oh, so I’m the lady? Fancy,” she jokes.

“You kids behave,” Isla says, entering the living room with her overnight bag slung over her shoulder and heading toward the front door.

“Have fun!” Blakely calls after her. “I’ll probably be losing my roommate soon,” Blakely muses after the front door closes.

“Yeah? Things getting serious between them?” I ask, brushing her hair back from her face.

“He worships her.”

“So, that’s a yes?”

“That’s a yes. I’ve never lived alone. It will definitely be a new experience. I’ll be able to see what it’s like to sit around naked watching TV.”

“A dream of yours, is it?” I laugh.

“No, but now I kinda wanna see what it’s like.”

“Lock the door, and I’ll have you naked in no time.”

“First of all, food. Second, there are a million keys to this place floating around. So yeah, not the best idea.”

“Fine, let’s move to my place. We can be naked on the couch there.”

“Ollie! Food!” she exclaims, her laughter filling the air around us. I tickle her, and she squirms, trying to get out of my hold. The knock on the door is what saves her.

“It’s here.” Her grin is wide as she speaks. I pull back, and she rolls off the couch onto her hands and knees. She jumps up and races to the door. “Tip’s on the card. Thank you.” She returns with the food, and it smells delicious. “Are we eating in here or in the kitchen?”

“I’m wherever you are.”

“Then we’re eating in here.” She sets the food down on the coffee table. “I’ll be right back.”

I open the boxes, and she brings us napkins, plates, and two beers. “I’m driving,” I remind her.

She shrugs. “You can stay.”

My answer is to take one of the beers from her and take a long pull. “Now you’re stuck with me.”

She smiles and takes a seat next to me on the floor. She wastes no time digging into her food, but now, all I can think about is sleeping next to her all night. This time, we’ll be in a bed. My cock thickens, and I force myself to think about the food and the movie on the TV. The heroine is trying to save her family's inn, and an old flame shows up as a guest and wants to help her. It’s Christmastime, of course.

After our dinner has long since been demolished, where I did, in fact, have more than two breadsticks, the movie ends, and I help Blakely clean up our mess.

“Do you want another beer?” she asks.

“No. I’m good. Thanks, though.” I could have done without the first one, but it sealed my fate of spending the night, so I took it. However, I want to be sober for this. I don’t know how many nights I’ll get with her lying next to me in my arms, so I need to make sure I remember every second of this one.

“We can watch another movie out here, or we can go to my room and watch. It’s getting late.”

I tuck her hair behind her ear. “I’m here for you. Wherever you go, I’m going to follow.”

“Sweet Ollie is so agreeable,” she teases.

“I just like to see you smile.” That smile I love so much widens, and her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink.

“Let’s take me and my smile to my room, so we have more space to stretch out.”

“You’re not going to hear me complaining about being cramped with you on the couch.”

She stops and turns to look at me over her shoulder. “So you’re going to complain about being in my bed?”

“Nope.”

She laughs and turns back around, skipping off down the hall. I make sure the door is locked and turn off the lights before following her.

“You can sleep in here with me or on the couch. The choice is yours. Oh, I guess I could also sleep in Isla’s bed and let you have mine.” She shrugs, like any of the options are viable when that’s not the case.

“I’m wherever you are. If I’m on the couch, you are too. If I’m in your bed, so are you.”

“There’s Mr. Bossy Pants.”

“I thought I was grumpy.”

She shrugs. “You have many layers, Dr. Thompson.”

“Where are we sleeping tonight, baby?”

“Here.” She points to her bed.

That’s all the confirmation I need. I take a spot on the bed, crossing my legs at the ankles and lifting my arms behind my head.

“Comfy?” she asks with a smile.

“Not yet.”

“What do you need?” She furrows her brow.

I tap the bed next to me. “You.”

Her only reply is a shy smile as she shakes her head. She does, however, turn out the light and crawl over top of me to lie next to me.

“Better,” I say, wrapping my arm around her and holding her close. She hits Play on the remote and gets lost in the movie, while I get lost in having her in my arms.

“You want to know a secret?”

“Yes, if it’s yours.”

She doesn’t raise her head from my chest. “That night with you on the couch, that’s the first time I’d ever slept next to a man all night long.”

My hand that’s playing with her hair pauses as I process her words. “How is that possible? You’re twenty-three, right?”

“Yeah,” she replies. “I’ve just never met someone who I felt like was worth my time, you know? Growing up, I witnessed so much love and devotion. I saw it every day in every couple in my life, and I wanted that. I want that. Most of the guys I’ve met up until now, they weren’t interested if I wasn’t giving up the goods.”

No. There is no fucking way. She can’t be. “Assholes,” I mutter, still trying to wrap my head around what I’m pretty sure she’s trying to tell me.

She’s still looking at the TV with her head on my chest when she rocks my world with her words for the second time in a matter of minutes. “I know you don’t want more. You don’t want permanent, but I think you’re worth my time, Oliver Thompson.”

My heart feels as though it’s cracking wide open. So many years of pain and hurt have been locked away, and somehow, this tiny woman in my arms is making it all better. I try to find the words to tell her what it means to me that she thinks I’m worth her time, but they won’t come. The pain of my past lingers. The deception clouding every interaction.

My gut tells me that Blakely is nothing like Hannah. In fact, I’m certain of it from the short amount of time we’ve been hanging out, but the fear of heartache and rejection are still present and making themselves known.

I don’t know what to say, so I’ll try to show her instead. “Blake.” My voice is gruff. She lifts her head and peers at me, and every thought in my head disappears, all except for one.

Show her.

Without asking, she lifts further and straddles my lap. I sit up and wrap my arms around her. We’re chest to chest. Mine is heaving with all these conflicting, swirling feelings inside me, and hers, well, I’m not sure, so I place my hand over her heart. I can feel the heavy beat beneath my palm. The steady rhythm soothes me.

She places her hand over mine. Our eyes meet, and something passes between us. It’s a feeling I’ve never experienced, one that sparks not only desire but need. I need to get closer to her. I can’t ever seem to be close enough.

I cradle her cheeks, tilting her head slightly before pressing my lips to hers. I kiss her once, twice, three times before she takes over and slides her tongue against mine. I drop my hands to her hips and let her have control. I don’t know how far she wants to take this. And to be honest, I feel so wildly out of control. I need her to take the lead tonight.

“I need this off,” she says, gripping my shirt.

“Yes, ma’am.” My hands go to the back of my shirt at the neck, and I pull it off, tossing it to the floor. Her palms roam freely over my chest, and she exhales.

“Better,” she mumbles, moving in for another mind-numbing kiss.

I slide my fingers up under her shirt, tracing her ribs, until I reach her bra. She pulls away from our kiss and tugs her shirt over her head. My hands slip around to her back and unclasp her bra. With a naughty glint in her eye, she slowly peels the straps off her shoulders before pulling it away and tossing it to the side.

“Perfect,” I rumble. There’s a slight tremble in my hands as I brush my thumbs over her pert nipples. I don’t understand why I’m acting this way. What is it about this woman on my lap that has me so unhinged that my hands are shaking?

“Ollie?”

“Yeah, baby?” I ask, my eyes still laser-focused on her chest.

“More.”

“More what? This?” I bend down and capture a nipple between my lips. I lick and suck and nip gently, just enough to have her squirming on my lap. “Is this more?” I ask, moving to her other breast, giving it the same attention.

“Yes.”

I palm her breasts, testing their weight. They’re perfect. She’s perfect in every way. “Tell me what you want, Blake.”

“I want to come,” she states boldly.

I love that about her. That she’s not afraid to ask for what she wants. She’s not afraid to be open and vulnerable. “Can we take these off?” I tug at the waistband of her leggings.

“Only if you take yours off too.”

I glance down at the dark sweats I’m wearing. I knew we were just hanging out this evening, so I went for comfort. When I nod, she moves from my lap and shimmies out of her leggings while I do the same to my sweats, which leaves me in just my boxer briefs.

“All the way, Thompson.” She gives me a pointed look, like I should already know she wants me naked.

I swallow hard. I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold back if I’m all the way naked, but I also know I can’t tell her no. How this woman is still single is beyond me. I’m thankful that I’m the lucky bastard who gets her time. For now.

“You better catch up, old man,” she says. I look over to see her with her panties in her hand. She swirls them around her finger before she tosses them to the floor.

Knowing there is no turning back, I peel my boxer briefs over my thighs and kick them to the floor. My cock slaps against my stomach, and she makes a sound, something between a groan and a hum of approval. She lies back on the bed, and I turn to my side to study every inch of her. I’m thankful for the glow of the TV giving me the light I need to take in her beauty.

“You got me in my birthday suit, Dr. Thompson. What are you going to do with me?”

“Just Oliver. I’m just Oliver when I’m with you.”

“You’re still a doctor.”

“I know, but I just want to be us. Blakely and Oliver. Making good decisions.” I wink at her. She laughs, and fuck, do I love that sound. “You’re missing your movie, baby.”

“I’ve already seen it.”

“Then why are we watching it?”

“Ollie, it’s Christmas. You must watch Christmas movies at Christmas. Even if you’ve seen it a thousand times before.”

“Well, you watch your movie, and I’ll watch you.” Reaching over, I trace my thumb over her nipple.

“I don’t know. This one is one I’ve never seen before.” She surprises me when she reaches between us and palms my cock. “I think I like this one.” She strokes me gently, almost as if she’s unsure of what she’s doing, but she’s going for it anyway.

“You’re beautiful.”

“You don’t need flattery. You already have me naked in my bed.”

“It’s not flattery. It’s the truth, and I wanted to tell you. I don’t know if I ever have, and with you here next to me, I need you to know that I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

“You make me feel beautiful. I’ve never had a man look at me the way you do.”

I lean in and kiss her. It’s meant to be just a soft press of my lips against hers, but she moves closer and tosses her leg over mine. Her tits press against my chest, and my cock is close to her pussy. I can feel her heat, and it’s driving me insane.

Slowing the kiss, I say, “Tell me what you want, baby.”

“I… I don’t know. I know I’ve never felt like this. I’ve never had this… need to be close to someone. To touch them, to kiss them, and to just be with them.”

“You set the pace,” I tell her, because I still have this gut feeling that she’s not very experienced, which at twenty-three surprises me, but it also turns me the fuck on when I think about the things I could teach her. Then I think about her doing those things with someone else, and anger makes itself known.

“What if I want you to set the pace?” she asks, kissing my chest.

“I can’t.”

She lifts her head, and from the soft glow of the TV, I can see her brow is furrowed. “Why not?”

“Because I’d take it all, Blake. I’d sink inside you, and I’m pretty sure if that happens, I’ll be addicted, and you’re a forever kind of girl, and I don’t know that I can do that—not after Hannah.”

“Shh, we don’t speak her name. She’s no one to you. She’s not welcome in your life. In our lives. I’m not going to lie to you. I’m falling for you. I know I’m not supposed to, that this is supposed to be a ‘for now’ kind of situation, but you’re making it really hard. I’ve never dated anyone who treated me like I was special. Like my dad treats my mom, and my uncles treat my aunts.”

“Blake….” My voice cracks.

“You don’t owe me anything, Oliver. I knew the deal going into this. I just didn’t expect Mr. Grumpy to turn into Mr. Swoon, and now, here we are, and I don’t know how to stop these feelings that are growing for you.”

“I’m still grumpy,” I grump, and she laughs softly.

“Yeah, you are, but not to me, and if I had to guess, not to others either, at least not as much as you used to be. You smile more.”

“That’s the Blakely effect,” I tease. I’m trying to lighten the mood and hide the fact that my heart feels as though it could pound right out of my chest and my stomach is in knots. I wish things could be different. She makes me want to be different. I’m terrified this is the end for us. I’m not ready to lose her.

“Hmm, let’s see what I can do to get one of those smiles.” She pulls away, and I’m ready to object because I need her body next to mine. Clothes or not, if she’s close, I need to be touching her. I don’t understand it, and I refuse to dig into the whys.

Before I can get the words of protest past my lips, she’s got my cock fisted in her hand, and when I feel her lips as she kisses the head, I just about swallow my fucking tongue. “W-What are you doing?”

“Trying to get a smile.”

“Baby, come here. You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to. I set the pace, right? That’s what you said?”

I swallow thickly. “Yes.”

“So, let me. Oh, I know, you can say this is my early Christmas present.”

“This is for me. Let me give you an early Christmas present.” My mind is already running wild with all the ways I can make her come without my cock being inside her. I don’t know if she’s ready for that yet.

“What? This is for me. I want to do this. I’ve only done it two other times, and I don’t think I was very good at it, so you’ll have to tell me what you think. I know my grumpy Ollie will be honest with me.”

“Baby, no way you’re bad at… that.” I nod to where she’s fisting my cock, her mouth hovering as if she can’t wait to get another taste.

“You’ll tell me, right?” She smiles softly. When she looks at me like this, I’ll tell her anything she wants.

“You don’t have to do this,” I say again.

“Will you be mad if I do?”

“What? No. Of course not, but I don’t expect you to.”

“I know. That’s why I want to. You never expect anything from me. You’re different from all the rest.” With that, she leans forward and takes my cock into her mouth at the same time that she strokes me.

“Fuck,” I grit out. I want to close my eyes and just enjoy what I’m sure is going to be the best damn blow job of my life, but then I’d miss this. And missing Blakely Kincaid worshiping my cock would be the greatest regret of my life.

Her head bobs as she takes a little more of my length with each pass. She never stops stroking me. Gathering her hair in my hands, I pull it to one side in my fist. My hold is gentle. Even though I want to tug, I don’t. I keep my hold loose as I watch her. She peers up at me under long lashes and takes me to the back of her throat. She gags, and fuck, I’m close. She pulls back, takes a deep breath, and goes back for more.

“Blake. Baby, you need to stop.”

My cock falls out of her mouth with an audible pop. “Did I do something wrong?” Her lips are red and swollen. She has dribble on her chin, and her hair is wild in my fist. She’s a fucking vision, and I wish I could reach my phone to take a picture of her just like this. I never want to forget this moment.

“No.” I huff out a laugh. “Baby, I’m about to come down your pretty little throat.”

“Really?” Her eyes light up.

“That’s why you needed to stop.”

“Oh, I’m not stopping. Let me do me, Thompson.”

Damn this woman. She takes me back into her mouth, and she doubles her efforts. She takes me to the back of her throat and holds, and it’s taking everything I’ve got not to come. My spine starts to tingle. Her eyes are closed as if she’s savoring the act. When they open and lock on mine, I lose all control and come down the back of her throat.

I don’t know what I expected, but it’s not for her to swallow, wipe her face on the back of her hand, and grin at me. “Well?”

“Lie back on the bed.”

“Bossy,” she teases but does as I ask and eases back. “Are you not going to tell me how I did? Give me a 1-to-10 rating or something?”

I move to hover over her. “You want me to rate the best fucking head I’ve ever received in my life? Not possible, baby.”

“The best? Really?” Her eyes light up with my praise.

“Really,” I assure her. I settle between her thighs, and she widens her legs, making room for me. I settle further, making myself comfortable as I place a soft kiss on the inside of her thigh, one side, then the other.

“Oliver?”

“Blake.”

“What are you doing?”

“Matching your pace, baby.” I wink at her before I bury my face in her pussy. I suck on her clit, and her back arches off the bed.

“Ol-Oliver,” she moans. The sound goes to my cock, and I’m already hard again.

Touching her belly with my hand, I gently push her back to the bed. “Just let me take care of you.”

“You don’t have to do that. I know some guys don’t like that.”

I stop and look up at her. “They’re fools. Every single one of them. Your pussy is the best thing I’ve ever tasted. Let me do this for you, baby.”

She falls back to the mattress and closes her eyes, and I get back to work. I eat at her like a starving man. I get lost in her taste and her smell. I take my time devouring her, cherishing the moment that this amazing woman has trusted me enough for her to be so open and give her pleasure.

“Oh, God,” she moans, and her hands find their way into my hair. She tugs as her legs tighten around my head. “There. Right… there.”

I don’t stop. I keep lapping at her, nipping and sucking on her clit until she cries out for me. My name on her lips as her orgasm washes over her is… everything. This moment with her is one I will never in my life ever forget.

I lap up everything her gorgeous body is giving me. When her legs relax and she pulls her hands from my hair, I kiss my way up her body, settling next to her and pulling her into my arms. She snuggles into my chest, and I place a kiss on her temple.

“That’s… never happened for me before. Not that way,” she confesses.

“Good.” I feel my chest expand, knowing I’m the only man who’s given her an oral orgasm.

“Good?” she asks, not lifting her head.

“I like knowing I have something of yours.”

“Just yours,” she says over a yawn. She’s asleep in a matter of minutes. Her breathing is deep and even, and my final thought before I drift off to sleep is that she’s mine.

Just mine.