The Claiming of Sadie Graves (9 page)

“I know you think
the other night was a fluke, but I feel differently.” He leans over, and puts his soft lips against mine.
Oh Jesus.
When he pushes back slightly, I breathe in and my mouth opens; he takes the advantage to French kiss me. We’re right back where we were before, except this time we’re in the confines of my own room.

I feel safe.

He leans into me and lays me back onto the
bed, hands softly brushing my arms and back. He’s licking my tongue with his, sighing audibly. Desire blooms between my legs, and I moan and kiss him back.

He takes his time. He has my jacket unzipped in minutes, and pulls my camisole down to expose my breasts. He pauses, stopping all motion, and looks into my eyes. “Jesus, fuck. You
’re so beautiful, Sadie. From the minute you came out of your office; I can’t get you out of my mind. Your breasts – Christ. They’re perfect. I want to kiss them; want to please you. Let me touch you? I don’t want you to run away again.”

I nod, unable to speak. I know he’ll probably have me once and move on. I’ve waited long enough. All this time, I’ve never let anyone get close to me.
I decide to just let go. It won’t last, and I mentally prepare myself for the worst. But the good news is…the worst won’t happen today. I exhale, and pull my jacket and camisole off over my head.

He stills, and then smiles at me
.
Crap. He’s the most beautiful man on the planet.
Lucas lowers his face to my left breast, pulling my nipple into his mouth. He traps it between his lower and upper lip, and tugs it with teeth and tongue. My back lifts off the bed in response. His eyebrows go up, acknowledging something that’s pleased me. He moves to my right breast, then returns to kiss me deeply. “Hmmm. Sadie. I want you. Are you going to make me wait?”

I sigh. “
No, Lucas. Just be gentle, okay?” I look down when I ask, so afraid he’ll ask me questions or stop.
Am I really going through with this?

“Oh, baby. I promise. I can tell you’re shy.
I can’t tell you how much that turns me on. Are you on birth control?” I nod.
I’m on the pill that lets you have four periods a year. Oh, the miracles of modern science.

He sits me up, removes my
shoes and socks, and then my yoga pants and underwear. I’m naked. I haven’t had a shower. My hair is everywhere. Then he takes his own clothes off, except for his underwear. I pause to look at him. He’s smooth all over – there’s not any hair on his chest. His muscles ripple. There’s a path of dark hair from his navel trailing into his briefs. He has a cut line between his abdomen and his groin…he’s literally mouthwatering. He lays me back on the bed, gently, and moves his face between my legs. He rubs his nose between them and breathes in deeply. “Sadie, you smell delicious. I can’t wait to taste you.”

He drags h
imself back up my body, and my breath catches in my throat in anticipation of his touch. He touches my face, my neck, and kisses me. He plants a trail of kisses to my breasts, and then sticks out his tongue to rub it over one nipple. I watch his eyes literally roll back in his head as it disappears deep into his mouth. His erection is raging against my leg, peeking over the top of his underwear. I thought he was well-endowed, but I wasn’t expecting this. I’m nervous for just a minute, but then I breathe deeply and look back at his face. 

Meeting my eyes, h
e kisses his way down my belly, licking my navel and rubbing his chin over my pubic mound. He stops to look carefully at my sex. His expression gets soft. My inner lips are like butterfly wings, exposed outside of the outer ones. They’re wet with desire. He pushes my legs apart and strokes them with his tongue, now making serious sounds of pleasure.  He moves his cock rhythmically against my bed covers, almost involuntarily. He tongues my clit, slides one long finger against my opening and slips it inside. Within seconds, I have a powerful, shuddering orgasm. I don’t make much noise, but my body is wracked with tremors.

Lucas looks at my face, wonder and lust on his. He moves up to kiss me, and I taste the tang of my
self on his tongue. He shucks his underwear, positions himself between my legs and rises up on his hands, preparing to enter me. His skin is like velvet, but he’s one lean mass of muscle. I’m soaking wet, drenched with slipperiness. He bends down to my ear, whispers my name, and starts working his thick cock deep into me. The first full, intense stroke makes my eyes open wide. I feel something pinch inside me, and there’s a sharp pain for an instant. His eyes open wide, too. “Fuck, Sadie. You’re so tight. Jesus, you’re wet.” We look at each other for just a moment without moving, and then his eyes close with pleasure. He starts to push in me, now, with something close to mindlessness. He has both hands on my hips, and his fingers dig into my flesh. His lips go back to my nipples, when he isn’t focused on his own ride. His mouth forms an “ahh”. I watch him start to peak, his orgasm close, but he chases it, slowing down. He twists his hips, stroking places inside me that haven’t been exposed to friction. Time stretches out. I feel myself start to build. He senses my change in breath and picks up speed, suddenly watching me closely as I tense up. “I want to come with you, Sadie.”

“
Come, baby.” With those words I blow apart, and he does too. He shudders and moans, his hips quaking with release. He exhales sharply. And we both still, naked and wrapped up in each other.

Embarrassingly, I fall asleep for a
few minutes. Maybe longer. When I wake up I realize Lucas is awake too. There’s something wrong. I raise my eyes to his and he looks angry. I rake my eyes down him; the whole beautiful expanse. And then I see why he’s upset. There’s blood, quite a lot of blood, on both the bed coverlet and him. It’s bright red.  I sit there quietly for several beats, embarrassed.

He opens his mouth to speak and then snaps it shut again
, at a loss for words.
Okay then.
Finally, he heaves a giant sigh and moves closer into me, hugging his body against mine. “Sadie. Why didn’t you tell me? I could have been gentler. Or at least more prepared?”

I laugh softly, trying to manage my feelings. “I wasn’t really thinking about it, Lucas. I hope I haven’t offended you. I just haven’t let anyone close to me for a long time, and I keep my private life close to the vest. Don’t think I have unreasonable expectations of you
. I know that this is a one-time event, and that’s okay; really.” I turn my face away, not wanting to put undue pressure on him.
Yeah, and the thought of not seeing him again makes me queasy.

He moves, putting one arm around my shoulders. He gra
bs my hand, and places it between his legs. I can feel the stickiness of my blood there, along with fluids and semen. Lucas forces me to look at him, deep in his eyes. “As far as I’m concerned, Sadie, you’re bonded to me now. You’re mine. I love that no other man has touched you. I cherish it. I’d like to end all my other entanglements, if you’ll say you’re mine.”

I blink, surprised at his candor. “I’m not sure. We may not have enough in common, Lucas. You come from such a different world. I’m not sure I have the skills to navigate it.” He laughs
cynically. “You would be a breath of fresh air in my world, Sadie. Why do you think I’m so mad for you, after three days? No one I’ve met in years has your talent or your sweetness. Why don’t we just try to make this work? I’ll do whatever it takes?”

I pause, considering his offer. 

“Let’s take a shower. We can figure everything out later. I love being with you. I mean it, Lucas. I just don’t see how we can keep seeing each other long term.”
Yeah, and you’re going to wake up in about five minutes and realize I’m not a model. That I’m normal. Well, mostly normal.
I kiss him, reveling in the feel of his lips against mine. My brain almost feels like it’s short-circuited. Touching him has that effect on me.

I pull him to the en suite, turn on the
hot water full blast, and laugh as he joins me under the stream.
I can’t keep him interested. I know it.
So I love him the best way I know how, on this overcast Saturday afternoon.  We talk and laugh for a few hours, asking questions about each other’s likes and past experiences. He stays until the day goes into early dark, caressing me on the bed until his driver signals him with a text that it’s time to leave. He kisses me so hard on his way out that I almost swoon. Geez. He’s sex personified.

When he’s gone
I lie on the bed, thinking about today. I’ve just had sex with the most beautiful man alive.
Yep! Me. Sadie Graves.
Jenny has disappeared for the evening. She’ll probably read me the riot act when I see her, and I know she probably heard some giggling or something coming from my room.
How embarrassing. She knows how celibate I am. Ugh! Almost as well as I do.
I wonder idly how big of a mistake I’ve made. Can I recover from this one?

Do I even want to?

I don’t even realize I’m skipping dinner. I hug my pillow, breathe in Lucas’ scent, and fall

asleep
.                                                                                   

“She Runs Away”

Duncan Sheik,
Duncan Sheik

I wake up at 2:00 A.M., disoriented.

Oh, yeah. I fell asleep at a weird time. It isn’t morning yet
.

I realize something must have woken me, and after a couple of beats I realize my phone is on
vibrate. It’s shimmying across the floor, lit up with an inbound call.
Who could possibly be calling me at this hour
, I wonder, my eyebrows knitting together. Lucas’ number flashes across the screen. I pick the phone up, accept the call and bring the handset to my face. “Hello?” Crap.
I sound breathy. I hate that about myself.

No one responds. It takes me to the count of seven before I realize his phone has called me inadvertently. I’ve been butt dialed.
Nice
. And I wouldn’t have a care in the world, except I can tell from the background noise on his phone…Lucas Sutton is not alone. There’s some soft music playing. The phone must be either under something or in his jacket pocket. The sound is muffled, but I can make out the unmistakable timbre of his voice. He’s talking to a woman. I listen closely until I realize its Violet Emery. I’m not forgetting her voice anytime soon. For about one split second, I wonder if I’m being ethical by listening. But then I see a mental image of his face, telling me he ‘wants me to be his’.
Well, C’mon baby. Let’s hear this. 
I’m ready for him to disappoint me. And something tells me I’m going to get exactly what I expect.

I breathe softly, and the next thing I hear is Lucas telling Violet that she’s being ridiculous. She should want to model something he recommends. It will
help her career. She complains. I can only hear the tone but not the words. He laughs at her attitude and then she laughs, too. She’s baiting him, flirting. He asks her if she wants more champagne. His tone doesn’t sound tired at all. He’s his competent self. He says something else, and then there’s silence. And then, a soft sound. My brain makes the connection immediately. They’re kissing. The sound is her, appreciating his kiss.
Fuck. I probably made a sound like that earlier today.
The hair on the back of my neck stands up.

Wasn’t I just saying the worst wouldn’t happen today?
Wow. Was I ever wrong
. I’m being replaced within hours of being intimate with someone;
with a famous model
. I feel the most crushing hurt descend on me, like being buried under tons of bricks.

I sit there, with the phone held to my ear, for another 10 seconds. There’s more audible appreciation in the background, from both of them. And then I disconnect. I sit on the bed, processing for a few minutes. My face feels hot. I feel a surge of nausea, followed by an immediate and powerful chill. My teeth are suddenly chattering.

I walk gingerly into the bathroom, take off my nightgown, and sink down on my knees by the lavatory.

And then I
gloriously, unceremoniously throw up.

I make a quick stop by Mr. Alvarez’ store, grinning at him over racks of snack crackers and potato chips.
He laughs when he sees me. “Sadie! What are you doing about at this hour on a Sunday?” He comes around the counter to check me out; looking disconcerted somehow. “Mr. A, you know I’m okay. I’m taking a little trip. I’ll be back quickly. Will you look after Jenny for me?” He smiles, relieved. I must look out of sorts. He promises he will. I buy a banana and a bottle of water, hug him, and he waves me out the door.