Chapter 39

Thirty-Nine

HENRY

Lucy’s been upstairs for hours. She insisted on her privacy as she got ready, and I reluctantly obliged. With my suit in hand, I head to my temporary dressing room for this evening, Finn and Mia’s room.

With some more time to kill before I need to begin preparing dinner, I decide to text Max.

Henry

All is well, Lucy and I are back at my place. Planned a romantic dinner for this evening, making her your chicken Alfredo. Thanks for everything.

Max

Buon Appetito, Henry.

I shower quickly but don’t dress in my suit just yet. I hang it in the bathroom downstairs to change into at the last minute. I don’t want to get anything on it while I’m cooking. I made Lucy promise not to come down until I texted her that everything was ready .

The chicken sizzles in the pan as the pasta cooks in boiling water and I mix the ingredients for the sauce together. I choose to add less garlic than the recipe calls for. Max must smell like it for days after if he uses this much. Tonight, it is necessary that I have fresh-smelling breath.

The meal comes together rather quickly and I’m plating it in no time. The table is set, wine glasses full, with glasses of water next to them, as I know she likes.

I dash into the bathroom, leaving my cooking outfit on the floor in a pile. I put my suit on quickly and take one final look in the mirror before I pull out my phone.

Henry

Dinner is served.

I take my place by the table and watch for her to reach the top of the stairs. The first thing I notice is the long leg that breaks free of her skirt with a black strappy high heel at the end. My gaze travels up to the top of her hip.

She’ll never wear this anywhere but in our home.

She descends the steps slowly, exactly as I’d film it for a movie, and her hand slides effortlessly down the banister. The top of her dress is a solid form that is exceptionally low in the bust, which leads me to believe if she moved any faster, she may risk falling out of it. Her shoulders are bare apart from her hair that falls in loose curls around her.

I move to meet her at the final step, holding my hand out, but she hesitates and then looks back at me, eyes filled with desire.

“It’s now my favorite step too,” I confirm .

She smiles and allows me to walk her toward the table. With these heels, she is almost as tall as I am. Sexy. Her brash gaze moves up and down my body.

“Enjoying the view?” I ask.

“Very much,” she answers.

I pull out the chair at the head of the table for her. Candles fill the table, and I move to dim the lights in the room before claiming my seat next to her. It’s immediately apparent I’m no longer very hungry for the meal I’ve spent an hour preparing. It tastes just as it should, but I’m craving the more appealing woman sitting on my left.

Discussion during dinner is minimal—she compliments the food and I bask in her praise. Conversation flows as it always does between us. Yet, when we both go quiet, I can almost hear the buzz of lust filling the air between us.

It’s not long before we are both ready to abandon our meal and proceed to the rest of the activities. Before we head upstairs, I suggest we retire to the lounge. I refill our wine glasses and walk her to the loveseat in front of the fire.

With the lights still low, I imagine us being in this setting every night, enjoying the privacy of our home together. Dinners with us dressed up for each other, wine in hand, and no need to restrict my attraction to her.

I take one final sip and then abandon my wine glass on the end table. It’s taking up prime real estate in my hand, and right now, I’d much rather use it to caress Lucy’s delicate skin.

Leaning closer to her, running my hands down her legs until I hit the cuffs of black fabric that rests around her ankles. Without notice, I pull them up onto my lap, and her body follows, forcing her to lie sideways facing me.

That’s better.

My hands began massaging her legs. Fortunately for me, when I turned her, the skirt bunched to the side, and the slit opened up further to give me adequate access to both legs. She smiles at me over her wine glass but doesn’t make any indication for me to stop.

“Have you worn this dress before?” I ask.

God, I hope no one else has ever seen her in this dress. I’m certain no one else will in the future.

“No, this is the first time,” she says as she flexes under my touch. “I just got it.”

“Oh, really? For what occasion?”

I hope she purchased it for an evening with me.

“I purchased a couple of dresses for New Year’s Eve. Yet, when this one came, I realized it might not be right for that occasion.”

“I believe you have successfully found the right occasion for this dress.” I inch my hands higher on her thighs. Her shoulders shiver.

As I move my firm touches back down her legs, I hook my hand under her left knee and bend it to bring her calf up and over her other leg. Those strappy black shoes with the dangerously high heels sit in my lap. A great debate wages in my mind.

Should I remove them and gain access to additional areas of her body to massage?

Or do I leave them on and have her wear them while I strip the dress off her body?

Yes, the shoes stay .

Lucy tips back her glass and extends her neck as if taunting me with a piece of her I cannot reach. Well, that just won’t do. With great ease, I return her feet to the floor and rise from the loveseat. There will be plenty of nights to sit among the fire, but for now, it is time we move to the bedroom.

I take her empty glass and place it on the end table before holding out both hands to help her stand. I can’t imagine walking in those shoes is very easy, but after two glasses of wine, I’m slightly concerned for her safety. “Those shoes look like a hazard.”

“Oh, you don’t like them? Should I take them off?” she asks.

I pull her flush against me so she can feel just how much I enjoy the shoes. “I love them. And they are staying on.” My voice comes out deep with my directive. “I’ll be close by as we make our way upstairs.”

“What a gentleman.” She leans in to kiss me but moves to my neck without warning. I allow myself a small preview of what’s to come. Tightening my arms around her, one hand to pull her closer to me, the other to stroke her bare back.

Goodness, this dress is tight. How I long to release her from it.

Her hands explore my chest. With my jacket still in place, she slips her hands beneath it and begins to slowly unfasten each button of my dress shirt. Pleased with my decision to skip the tie tonight. Her lips move agonizingly slow in a downward movement toward the opening she has created above my chest. “Lucy…” My arms continue to caress every inch of her body within their reach. Her to ngue slips past her lips and draws a slow line back up my neck until she meets just under my ear. Moving upward, her breath on my ear. “Yes, Henry?” she whispers.

Exhaling the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, I take a step back. I need to regain my senses and be alert enough to assist her up the stairs. My hands are on my hips as I shake my head, I look up at the mischievous smile on her face.

“Upstairs.” This is the only directive I give before taking us hand-in-hand to the staircase.

“We are taking these slow. No need to rush and break an ankle,” I say to her with a smile. I could whisk her into my arms and run up the stairs, but this somewhat awkward moment may be the perfect time for another awkward conversation. “When we reach the top of the stairs, I’m not going to want to stop and talk. I plan to worship every inch of your body without any interruption. I’ve acquired protection, so that’s taken care of.”

She smiles beside me with one hand on the banister and the other holding mine. “I almost forgot about that. I honestly haven’t been…active…in quite some time.”

“Well, prepare for that to change.” I wink at her and she laughs.

“I am still on the pill, though. I didn’t want to give up the other perks of it,” she says with a shrug as we reach the top step.

“I’m also all clear...since my last…interaction.” Lucy drops her gaze at my statement. I hate how this is upsetting her. Could she be wondering how long it’s been for me? I need to put her mind at ease. “In fact, that was th e same interaction that you caught me walking home from.”

“Let’s not talk about that morning, I don’t really want to think about that right now.” Her voice is pleading, I understand why, but I continue the discussion.

“I don’t necessarily want to either, but I think you need to know something about that morning and the evening prior.”

I continue as I stalk toward her. “I was falling for you even then. Like a child refusing to acknowledge my emotions, my feelings were hurt when you left that night. I only went home with her because you pointed them out earlier.”

I keep moving, forcing her back until her shoulders touch the wall behind her. “When I saw you that morning, my regret consumed me in such a way I never felt before. Since that moment, I haven’t cared to look at anyone but you.”

I feel her body rise and fall as she breathes again my chest. Placing my hands on the wall around her, I bring my face as close to her as possible without letting our lips touch. “Lose the dress.”

“Here?” she asks and looks around like she will find people standing in the hallway.

“I plan to have you in every room of this house, and since it’s just us tonight, there’s no harm in starting here.”

Lucy regains her footing and stands with a straight posture. She tucks her hands under her right arm and pulls aside a strip of fabric that is covering a small black zipper.

She tortures me by pulling the zipper down in a slow- moving motion, staring directly into my eyes, but I break the connection to watch the trajectory of the zipper. It ends where the slit at her hip begins. She lets it go and the dress falls to the floor around her.

I freeze in place as I take in the sight of Lucy standing in front of me. All that remains of her attire is a black lace panty that hangs around her hips and dips down to disappear between her legs. She doesn’t move to cover herself under my stare but proudly stands in those black heels. She is perfection.

Shaking my head, I pull myself out of the trance and offer her my hand to assist her while she steps out from the dress that has pooled at her feet. I walk her into my bedroom. No need to close the door tonight—her screams will echo through the entire house.

As soon as we come to a stop, she removes my jacket and makes quick work of the remaining buttons of my shirt. I’ll allow her to continue removing my clothes, but after that, I’ll be taking my time with her. Anxious for my turn to come, I remove my belt and throw it to the floor. She finishes with my shirt and begins to pull it from the waist of my pants as I push them to the floor. Lucy stands back to admire my naked body. As her eyes fill with desire, I commit this image to memory.

I move past her to the bed. “I’d like to revisit the other night when you were in my lap. I think we are better dressed for the occasion now.”

She exaggerates her movements as she places a leg on either side of me before she seats herself in my lap. With one final look into each other’s eyes, it’s as if a starting pistol fires in the background, and then the race is on .

My hand tangles it in her soft locks as I claim her lips with the hope that this is the only mouth I will kiss for the rest of my days. Our passion continues to build as her fingers cup around my neck and her pointer fingers graze over the scruff of my beard. The simple movements across my face are grounding in this moment of chaos.

Endless emotions flowing through my mind begin to settle at her gentle touch, evidence of one simple truth. I am hers.

I could kiss this woman for the rest of my life, but I want more.

I slowly lay my back on the bed taking her with me. She takes the lead as she rocks her hips against mine, with only the delicate lace between us. Her focus switches between my mouth and my neck, and I can’t help but submit to this moment of bliss.

Frustrated at the lacy barrier between us, she lifts her hips, and I let out a sigh at the loss of contact. Her hands move to remove the item, but I pull them back to me. “That’s my job,” I scold her and use my strength to flip us over, with Lucy’s back to the mattress and it allows me to hover over her.

I crash my lips into hers, as a lustful need engulfs my entire body. Possessively, I claim her mouth with my tongue, so sweet and addicting.

Kissing down her body, I linger at the spots that elicit a sweet moan from those beautiful lips.

Sure, that dress accentuated her cleavage, but I far prefer the view and access I have without it. My hands cup her as I move between them, licking and sucking until she is writhing beneath my touch.

Moving to shower her belly and hips with attention, I use my knee to separate her legs. When my exploration finally hits its destination, I fall to my knees in front of her once again.

I hear a soft sigh as my tongue makes contact with her most sensitive area. I would give everything to spend my days here, drowning in her sinful moans and exquisite taste. I do not tease as much as I did the first time, we have other items on the agenda tonight.

Slowly, I allow my fingers to slide inside her, matching the rhythm I set with my tongue. Soft at first, growing more rapid with each gasp from Lucy. It’s not long before her sighs turn into panting, and panting turns into begging, and then it all concludes with her screams of ecstasy.

Her legs continue to tremble as I climb back on top of her, eager to feel her around me. “How are you, my love?” I ask.

Her head moves back and forth, still trying to catch her breath. With a gentle touch of her hand on my chest, she finally looks at me. “I need you.”

I do not hesitate to follow her command. Positioning between her legs, I slowly ease into her. I hold for a moment, watching her face, waiting for her cue to continue. “Henry…” How I love to hear her beg—I can’t deny her. Quickly finding my pace as I am completely surrounded by her warmth.

In that moment, all restraint, worry, distrust, and caution leaves my body. I was meant for this woman and I will do everything in my power to meet her every need for the rest of my days .

She wraps her legs around mine, meeting my rhythm, digging her nails into my back desperate for each thrust.

I want to tell her how much I love her. No, that has to wait. With one hand holding my weight from crushing her, the other grips her hips. I am in love with her smile, with her eyes, with her hopeless-romantic personality, with her kindness.

“Henry…” she moans.

I’m in love with the way she says my name, especially while we are connected like this. I’m in love with the way her body moves to meet mine, desperate to close any space between us.

I lose track of time, lost in this woman who has turned my entire life around. Her pleasure and mine mix together in pure euphoria as we rise and fall in sync with one another.

“Lucy…”

“Yes,” she answers as if she understands completely.

With her approval, my movements become frantic as I submit to the bliss of our connection. The next moment, I’m falling over the edge, plunging into an existence that is consumed by Lucy.

My Lucy.

Mine.