15. Charlotte

15

CHARLOTTE

M y legs still quiver from the climax Gray teased out of me with just his mouth. Still, my heart pounds at the prospect of getting more of him. All of him.

Gray undoes his pants and pulls them down, tendons and catlike muscles playing across his bare chest. The tattoos snaking along both of his arms draw my gaze. Though they seem to be unconnected at first glance, upon further inspection they’re arranged intentionally.

A black and silver skate, with the laces moving up to form angel’s wings, occupies the middle of his deltoid. The arcing curls of an Asian-influenced dragon’s tail frame the skate on two sides.

I look up at him with a saucy smile. “Riddle me this Mr. CIA. Isn’t it forbidden for agents to have tattoos?

Grayson chuckles. “That’s a common misconception. Only tattoos on the head, face, or neck above the collar are prohibited. Besides, I got most of these done after I left the agency.”

He sees my eyes move back to the winged skate. Gray touches it with his index finger, tracing the bold lines.

“This is for my sister. She used to love to skate.”

“I’m so sorry.”

He shakes his head gently.

“Don’t be. The grief means I’ll never forget.”

Ribbons of muscle and tendon flex as he stands up straight. His body is both a living canvas and a work of art all on its own. My eyes go past the hard knots of muscle on his abdomen to the bulge in his underwear.

“Black silk tighties?” I say in a shaky but amused voice.

Grayson grins as he pulls fully out of his trousers.

“If they offend you so much, I can get rid of them.”

He peels the silk away from his toned physique. Gray’s stiff cock springs into view. My mouth falls open at the sight of him. He’s just perfect. His thick, throbbing member begs me to touch it.

My hand closes around his shaft, fingers barely making it around. I can feel his pulse, throbbing against my palm. I open my mouth and extend my tongue, licking the tip of his cock while staring right into his silver eyes.

Grayson clenches his jaw, his head going back. I continue to work my tongue over him, tracing lines of saliva over his hot skin.

“Oh god, that’s nice…” he gasps.

“Nice? I’ll show you nice.”

I take the tip of his cock inside of my mouth, playing my tongue along the underside. Gray lets out a groan through his clenched teeth, his hand going to the back of my head. I lean forward further on the sofa, taking more of his length inside of me.

“Charlotte,” he cries. “Oh, Charlotte…”

His hand is gentle on the back of my head. I hold him inside of me for a long moment, then slowly drag myself off.

I go after him again, rolling my eyes up to his face. Gray’s eyes squeeze shut. I drag off of him and smile prettily.

“You’re amazing,” he gasps, lowering his body atop of my own. I lean back on the sofa, enjoying his weight pressing down on me.

“I’m on the pill,” I say, breathing heavily. “So we don’t have to worry about–”

I lose my ability to speak as Gray kisses my neck, my bare chest, and my mouth. His shaft nestles between my thighs, sending a tingle through my entire nervous system.

“Charlotte. Beautiful Charlotte,” he whispers in my ear before nibbling the lobe. I clutch at him, wrapping my limbs up around his body.

Grayson raises his hips, and grabs his throbbing shaft with one hand. He positions himself and then glides the head of his member inside of me. I gasp as he glides in deeper.

He slides in all the way, triggering a wave of magnificent contractions. My body seems to want to take him in deeper, to swallow him up. I’ve fantasized of this moment since the second I laid eyes on Gray.

I would never be able to be this free, this open to the pleasure, if he hadn’t been so amazing all along. I want to believe Gray is for real. He feels real, very real…

Gray thrusts and pulses of delight throb through every inch of me until they explode in my brain. My whole mind and body feel like they're aglow with fire that spreads sheer pleasure. I want it to consume me. I want to be immolated by Gray’s desire.

Gray pumps his hips, hands going to the armrest over my head. He strains against me, taut as a high tension wire. I grind back, the intensity building and building as I near another climax. Grayson adjusts his position, the speed of his thrusts, slowing down and hitting all the right spots. He’s gauging my reactions, and changing accordingly. It’s like he’s inside of my head as well as my body…

I grab his chest and knead like a happy cat, eyes squeezing shut. Every time he slides in and then glides back out, he pushes me further toward the edge. I’ve never had it this good before. It’s like we just click on every level, without having to try.

“Charlotte,” he cries, filling my name with meaning. “Charlotte!”

I cross my ankles at the small of his back, clenching him to my body, giving him permission to let loose. His cock throbs as it empties, pushing me over the precipice. I suck in a deep gasp of air, hold it for a long moment, and then let out a scream that makes my throat feel raw from its sheer intensity.

Pulse after pulse of ecstasy shoots through me, turning my body into a mere puppet. I writhe and twist beneath Gray, unable to speak or think, only to exist in this moment of profound pleasure.

Grayson collapses on top of me, wrapping his arms tight around my chest. I clutch back at him, even as my whole body shakes like a bowl of jelly. My brain glows with the golden light of utter satisfaction.

Gray kisses me on the forehead, the cheek, the lips. I kiss back as best I can, though I’m still lost in the throes of ecstasy. I’ve never had a climax like this before. Not ever. Gray and I just work. That’s all there is to it. At least, on a physical level.

We lay together, our sweat mingling as it cools. I rest my head on his chest and listen to the thump thump thump of his heartbeat. Neither of us speaks. I’m not sure there’s anything that needs to be said, in this most perfect of moments.

I snuggle up against him, feeling the urge for more. I want more. The wind picks up, rattling the windows. A gust makes it down the chimney and draws bumps across my skin.

“It’s going to be a cold night. I’ll go chop some wood for the fire and stove.”

He grabs his outer shirt and holds it out to me.

“Here.”

I take it after a moment’s hesitation. Grayson goes outside, the door banging against the frame and then remaining open a half inch. Shuddering, I move over to close it fully, and seal out the increasingly chilly wind.

After a moment, I hear the meaty thunks of an ax splitting wood. I slide his shirt over my shoulders. Grayson’s scent envelops me. His shirt is still warm from being so close to his skin. I draw it around me like it’s his arms hugging me tight as I watch him chop the wood.

He moves with a grace and elegance that belies his rough edges. Grayson is clearly experienced at this sort of outdoorsy stuff. It’s a pleasure to watch him work, sending the ax in a downward arc to cleave another log in half.

Grayson gets a decent sized pile going, then slams the ax head home in the chopping block. He bends over to scoop up the wood and I move away from the window. All of the sudden, I feel weird for having watched him.

I hear him struggling with the door, and rush over to help him open it. Grayson sidles in, arms laden with roughly-hewn wood. The tendons in his forearms dance and pop as he moves over to the fireplace.

He carefully arranges a stack of chopped logs in the fireplace and rummages around in the dark shadow beside the stone structure. Grayson picks up a half-empty can of vegetable shortening and a folded paper bag.

“What are you doing with that? Going to deep fry a shopping bag?”

“It’s actually quite tasty.”

I do a double take, until I notice Grayson trying hard not to smile.

“You shit,” I say, laughing.

“This is to help start the fire.”

He tears a sheet from the shopping bag and uses it to collect some crisco, darkening the brown paper. Grayson flicks a lighter until he gets the paper lit. He quickly tosses it onto the logs as the paper goes up like a miniature star.

“See? It works.”

“Next time I go camping, I’ll have to bring some Crisco.”

I settle onto the sofa as the fire catches. The warmth spills out into the room, easing my discomfort. Grayson settles on the sofa beside me, about a foot of space separating us. It feels weird, considering how close we were not that long ago. I hope he’s not going to put figurative distance between us as well.

Grayson’s brows lift as he speaks.

“Do you go camping often?”

I cast my gaze down to my fidgeting hands.

“No, not really. I went a couple of times with the girl scouts, when I was in third or fourth grade.”

“You never went with your family?”

I look over at Grayson. The dancing flames in the fireplace create amber highlights and areas of deep shadow over his features. His eyes are full of interest. For once, Grayson doesn’t seem like so much of an enigma.

“No, we never had a chance. I asked if we could go a few times, but my parents were always busy.”

“You guys never had a chance to go on any vacations? No time spent laying in a swimsuit on the sand somewhere nice?”

I shake my head. “No, most of the time they didn’t have jobs with vacation time, or much of any benefits.”

Grayson frowns.

“That sucks. Sorry you didn’t get to spend more time with them.”

“You know, my parents had to miss my high school graduation ceremony.”

Grayson’s mouth falls open.

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was. I’m not mad at them, though. It’s just how it is, you know?”

He shakes his head, a scowl deepening the lines on his face.

“That’s just wrong. People should be allowed to see their own kid graduate.”

I sigh. “Yes. Yes they should.”

Grayson crosses his legs and turns his knees toward me, clearing his throat.

“Your parents did a damn good job, Charlotte. The best they possibly could.”

“Oh? How do you know?”

Grayson’s silver eyes are unwavering. “I can only judge their results. In other words, you. You’re a good person, Charlotte. You’re decent and kind. So yeah, your parents did a damn good job of raising you, in my humble opinion.”

My heart skips a beat, and a tingly feeling comes over my skin. Hearing Grayson give me sincere compliments means a lot more to me than I would have expected. God, I think I’m even more attracted to him now, if that were possible.

“You remind me of my sister.”

And there goes any arousal I might have felt. I smile at the absurdity of it all.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I say at last.

“It was meant as one.”

Grayson’s eyes widen, and his jaw falls open.

“Not that I think of you as a sister, or anything like that! I mean, that would be weird.”

I turn toward him and grin.

“Why would that be weird?”

“I…”

Grayson is at a loss for words. I feel like I’ve achieved some sort of victory.

“Oh, I’m just kidding. But are you starting to understand, yet?”

“Understand what, specifically?”

I toy with a stray strand of hair at my temple.

“You can understand that I’m not some spoiled, rich kid from Beverly Hills. I’m just a regular girl.”

“You’re not.”

I give him a look and he holds his hand up.

“Let me elaborate. I mean, you’re not a girl, you’re a woman. And I don’t think you’re anything like ordinary.”

A smile spreads over my face, mirroring the giddy heat spreading in my body. Grayson’s praise hits me like rain on a parched desert.

A heavy thump, followed by a clattering sound comes from outside. Grayson leaps to his feet and produces a pistol out of nowhere before I even have time to be scared.

But the fear hits me, all right. It grabs me and doesn’t let go.