Chapter Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Vaughn

I count in my head.

One.

Two.

Three.

Then? I take off like a shot, heading toward the only place she could go, which was out the door. I get to the landing, and stop for a second, listening for her. She's quiet, but I can track the sound right as she goes off the last step. The edge of her hair flowing behind her is all I can see.

Taking the steps two at a time, I head down, and then glance around. I didn't hear the door close, so she's got to be in the alley, or in between the cars. If it were me, I would head in between the cars, so I decide to head to the alley.

When I turn, and glance down, I see her, pressing her body against the brick wall, like she can blend in. Maybe her life before, she was able to blend in, but for me, she's such a bright light. Our eyes meet, and I walk slowly toward her. Val shrinks, but not out of fear, as if she wants to make herself blend in. There's no way this woman can do that. She sparkles and shines like a disco ball, or glitter on the types of dresses that girls wear to prom. It comes from within her, and that's the most beautiful part of it all.

She has no idea what an amazing person she is.

I stalk her, daring her with my gaze to run further. But she doesn't. Instead she turns to face me head on. "If you catch up with me, what are you going to do?" Her voice is stretchy and thin, not necessarily scared, but unsure of herself.

"I'm going to give us both what we want." I rub my fingers over my beard-covered chin. "Obviously you have the right to say no if it's what you don't want, but if it is what you desire, we're going to get to know each other very well."

She pushes her hair out of her face. "Like with our clothes off?"

My cock thickens. All it takes is to think about what could happen between the two of us. "Yes, if that's what you want."

Trailing her finger down her hair, she twirls the end of it around her knuckle. "There is something very specific I'd like. Can I ask for it?"

My gaze tracks her tongue as it sneaks out and runs along her dry lips. All I want to do is keep her talking, to keep watching that melon colored mouth keep moving. "You can ask me anything. Whatever it is, I'll do my best to make it come true for you, Val. I promise."

She blows out a calming breath. "What if I want you to teach me?"

My blood pressure spikes. I think I have an idea of what she's asking, but I need her to say it. She has to be the one to put into words what she wants. There have been so many others who have pushed their views on her, and I don't want to be more of the same. Instead, I'm interested in being who she needs, because that's her decision. "Teach you what?"

Her eyes plead with mine. "What makes people go to war, what causes men to act crazy, what encourages women to assuage the ache within their bodies. I want you to teach me all of it, Vaughn. I trust you."

Stalking toward her, I lick my lips, while shaking my head. "You probably shouldn't. I like it hard and rougher than you're used to. I've never been with a woman who hasn't had experience, but there's something about you, Val. Whatever you need? I'm gonna be the person to give it to you."

"I don't know what that is." Her shoulder lifts. "I've been reading romance novels, I've watched what people I was around called spicy movies, and I've got questions. There's a heaviness right here." She cups her breasts. "When I watch them. There's an ache..." her hand travels down between her thighs. "That I can't seem to get rid of. You can help me, I know you can."

Fuck my life. Reaching down, I cup my cock. "I can. I will."

"I know." She whispers. "I want you to. Please help me feel like a woman, show me what I've been missing, Vaughn. I trust you, trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone else in this world. Teach me, and make me burn."

Fuck yes. I will do all of it. I take the few steps that separate us, before grabbing her chin and tilting it so that our eyes meet. Her light to my dark, and I take a moment to gaze deep into hers. I search there, for any doubt, for anything that she might be feeling that will cause her to be scared of what I want to show her. I pitch my voice low. "There will be a few rules, and you have to promise me that you're going to be honest."

"I will." Her breaths are shallow, moving her chest up and down.

I'm playing with fire and there's no doubt I'm going to get burned by her. The closer I get the hotter it is, it's already starting to singe. The match is close to being lit and it's going to blaze. But for her I'm willing to do it. She has all the power in this relationship and I want her to revel in it. I want her to live in this, take it with both hands, and not be afraid to do whatever she wants to do. "You need to tell me if you're uncomfortable with anything I do. There's no breathing through it, no making it through. If you don't want to do it, and you say stop. We stop."

"Okay, what if I'm not sure?"

"If you're not sure, then it's a no, Val. We'll get there. We don't have to do it all today, or tomorrow. We will get there."

She pushes her shoulders back, exhaling. "Okay. What else?"

I'm not great with words, and there's no easy way for me to say this. "Do you know about birth control?"

Her cheeks flash with a red blush. "Yes, I didn't until a couple of months ago. I went and got on it without anyone knowing."

"Okay, I'll use condoms too, until you can make an informed decision about whether you want to have unprotected sex or not, and we'll be doubly protected with an unexpected baby. Do you have any questions for me?" There are a ton of things I'm missing, things I won't think about until we're in the moment, but right now all the blood is south of my brain, and I want nothing more than to teach her all the stuff she's asking me to.

She licks her lips. "What if I want to initiate sometimes?"

"Then do it, babe. I'll be up for it, I promise you."

"Women in my community were told that it was the devil in them that made them want to have sexual pleasure. We were told not to be wanton."

"Fuck that and fuck them." I tilt her chin back so that our eyes meet again. "Your pleasure is mine. What you want is what I want."

"Will we have sex tonight? What if we fall in love?"

It's such an innocent question for her to ask. All little girls probably think about falling in love. "We won't have sex tonight, and who's to say if we're going to fall in love, Val? Love is something I've never thought of, have you?"

"Only when my parents would tell me they loved me, then explain how disappointed they were because I'd questioned religion. Love didn't seem real, but I've watched Boone, Alexis, Daisy, Jasper, Abel, Kara, Barrett, and Gabby; they obviously love each other. The feelings are there, and they're real. It must be a possible emotion, I'm just not sure how to feel it." She pulls her lip in between her teeth. "If it's what you're expecting, I may not be able to give it to you."

"I'm not expecting anything, Val. I'm the product of divorced parents, remember? I love them, but I have zero example of what it means to have a healthy emotional relationship with someone. I'm not going to pressure you in any way. Whatever happens with us, happens. I don't want you to think I have expectations. I absolutely don't. You give me what you want and what you can. I'll do the same." I wrap my hand around the side of her neck. "Are we good?"

"Yeah." She smiles, although it's shaky. "We're good."

"Okay, are you ready for your first lesson?" My stomach tightens as I think about how sweet this is going to be. Her eyes wash over my face, and I see the slight fear, but I also see how brave she is. How much she wants this, and what she's willing to do in order to get it.

"Yeah." She swallows roughly. "I am."

"Okay, first thing we need to do is get out of this alley, babe. I don't want anyone to see us. Not when we don't yet if you're into voyeurism or not."

She looks around. "I forgot where we were, I'm glad you at least kept your head about you."

If she only knew, I'm ready to get her behind closed doors so that we can get to know one another in the carnal way I'd like. "I wouldn't say I kept my head about me, I'm just very motivated to get you alone, Val. Let's go."

Her lips part on a gasp when I reach down and put my hands at her hips, lifting her up and encouraging her to wrap her legs around my waist. My hands travel down to her ass, holding on tight as I walk us back to the stairs and then take them two at a time. Once we're back in the apartment, her gaze travels over to the stove.

"I was going to make us dinner..."

"Don't worry babe, I got everything I wanna eat right here."