“And you’re sure it’s not an early midlife crisis?”
“What?”
I laughed as I felt the tiniest of tension releases, seeing the playful smirk on her face. If she were making light of this, then my admitting I was in love with her must not be such a bad thing.
She smiled even bigger, tilting her head. “It’s what Mia and Bea are hoping,” she explained. “Bea still thinks you’re just infatuated.”
I had to roll my eyes. I should’ve known. “They can hope all they want. My grown ass should know the difference between being in love and infatuation.” I paused for a moment, unsure if I should say it, then thought fuck it. I’d held it in long enough. If I was going to admit this, I wouldn’t water it down. “Make no mistake about it, Henri. I’m absolutely and hopelessly in love with you.”
There was a sudden shine in her eyes, and she chewed the corner of her lip as she pushed herself away from the doorway and took a few steps forward sashaying toward me as my heart thundered in anticipation. “I’m absolutely and hopelessly in love with you too, Aaron.”
The moment she was close enough, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me. “Don’t ever disappear on me again,” I whispered before kissing those lips I’d ached to kiss for too long then pulled away to look at her before kissing her even deeper.
Her mouth was even softer and sweeter than I’d imagined. It was a struggle to remain calm and kiss her as softly as I knew I should, but I’d been dreaming of this for too long, imagining what it would be like to hold her in my arms, taste her mouth, and now, even as I was doing it, I couldn’t get enough.
She ran her fingers through my hair gently as I pulled her even tighter against me. I let my hands roam up and down her back, not sure if she’d object to more than just kissing even if this weren’t just kissing anymore. I was devouring her mouth, and she moaned softly in response. My mouth moved down the side of her mouth, kissing her chin. She let her head fall back, and I dove in, sucking the soft skin on her neck and making her entire body quiver and moan even louder.
I knew we should talk. There was so much we needed to discuss—get straight—but I was almost afraid to. I wasn’t sure what exactly was happening here. Why did she even come here tonight? Saying something that might stop whatever it was that was happening was a risk I was not willing to take. I’d waited too damn long for this. My body had yearned for this before my mind would even allow me to admit how badly I wanted this—wanted her.
My hands moved further down the side of her thighs then around back, caressing the swell of her ass over her soft pants. There was zero resistance. If she had resisted, I was ready to back off, but she only squirmed and pressed her body against me—her breasts against my chest even her upper thighs against my throbbing cock.
On instinct, I lifted her up suddenly, spinning around slowly as she took my face in her hands and kissed me greedily, sucking my tongue then my lips. It was so fucking hot. I sat her down on the edge of my desk and spread her legs. She wrapped her legs around my waist swaying her middle against my aching crotch.
“Fuck yeah,” I groaned, feeling her hand slide over the front of my bulging erection.
In all the wet dreams I’d had of making love to Henri—and I’d had plenty—they were just that—making love. Slow and beautiful. Not that this wasn’t beautiful because gadamn, but I never imagined our first time, if that is where this was headed, for me to be fucking her on my desk. Then she said the magic words. “Do you have protection?”
I froze, gulping and staring breathlessly into those beautiful eyes. Without another thought, I practically jumped over my desk, reaching the other side as she giggled, and opened the top drawer. I grabbed my wallet then pushed everything off my desk. “Or we can go into my bedroom,” I offered as I pulled the condom out of my wallet.”
“No,” she said, sliding back onto the desk with a wicked smile. “This is exciting. I wanna do it here.”
My heart nearly pummeled out of my chest when I saw her starting to pull her pants down. Her wicked smile flattened when I pulled my sweats down and sprung right out fully erect. I was so fucking ready. She all but stopped pulling her pants down and stared almost in a trance.
“You okay?” I asked, slightly amused as I began slipping on the condom.
She nodded but continued to stare, and then it dawned on me. At her age, it was highly possibly she was still a virgin, albeit not an entirely innocent virgin since she had been living with her lesbian lover for months. From the way she’d dived so eagerly into this tonight, she was coming across as a bit of a sex kitten, as if she couldn’t be any more perfect. But this could be her first time with . . .
“Henri,” I said before my mind could even finish wrapping itself around the thought. “Have you ever been with a man?”
She shook her head, and our eyes met momentarily, but then hers traveled down again.
“This is your first time?” I asked, trying not to sound too alarmed.
“Yes,” she said, looking up at my eyes again. “But it’s not like I’ve never had anything . . . you know . . . inside me. Edi did use her fingers a lot.”
“Baby, that’s not the same,” I explained, as impossibly I felt even more aroused from the visual she’d just given me. But I still wondered if maybe we shouldn’t take this into my bedroom where I could at least try to be gentler and things were softer.
“Sometimes more than one at a time,” she added as her eyes continued to roam back down.
“Still not the same,” I said, suppressing a groan, but she started pulling her pants down again. “Are you sure about this?”
She took my hand and pulled me to her as her pants and panties dropped to the floor then spread her legs, murmuring in my ear. “Absolutely. You have no idea how long I’ve been fantasizing about having you inside me.”
There was no suppressing the groan this time. I kissed her just as frantically as she’d kissed me, bringing my hand down to touch her wet slit. I knew she was anxious and, from the touch of her, absolutely ready, but I also knew, no matter how sure she said she was, this wasn’t going to be as pleasant as she might be thinking. Not at first anyway. So as much I wanted to bury myself deep inside her with a single plunge, I had to take it slow. I slid two fingers in, and my legs nearly gave out she was so tight. She gasped, spreading a little wider.
“You okay?” Her response was to nip my lower lip then push my hand in wanting more, so I pushed in deeper, sliding in and out slowly as she squirmed and then moaned while clawing her fingers into my shoulders. “Fuck me,” she whispered in my ear.
Kissing her deeply, I positioned myself, teasing her opening with the tip, and then began sliding in slowly. “Okay?” I asked when I heard her gasp again.
“Yes.” She nodded. “Keep going.”
Feeling her fingers dig deeper into my shoulders, I slid in further, spreading apart what I knew was far more than any two fingers could ever spread. The resistance I felt as I buried myself in deeper and deeper was as delicious as it was unnerving. For me it felt damn good, but I knew she must be hurting as tight as she was.
“Still okay?” I asked as I felt myself nearly buried all the way in her.
She nodded again then kissed me. “It hurts,” she whispered against my lips, making me go stiff, but then quickly added, “but it’s a good pain.” She nipped my bottom lip again then moaned softly as I thrust all the way in. “A very good pain.”
I began sliding in and out slowly because I knew I’d be a goner if I went too fast too soon. Not to take anything from Mia because being with her, especially in the very beginning, was very special, but this was an entirely new experience for me. I felt almost dazed with euphoria but at the same time strangely worried that this was happening too fast.
While we’d both professed our love, we hadn’t discussed anything else. Her not responding to my texts for days, then not showing up for work when obviously she was feeling just fine, and then brazenly coming here tonigh
t and getting right to this was a bit unnerving. That’s when I knew how far gone I was. Only someone completely lovesick would be thinking of that at moment like this.
“I knew I’d love having you inside me.” Henrietta arched her back as I sped up. “God, that feels so good!”
I couldn’t even speak anymore it felt so damn good. The exhilaration of it all was just too much, and my climax was building to one I knew was going to be bigger and so much more profound than any I’d ever felt. I pounded into her, no longer able to use any restraint as she cried out in pleasure, and then it happened. I came with a roar, leaning over her and holding on to the desk for dear life because any strength in my legs drained out as fast as I knew I was draining into her.
We stayed that way for a while as we both tried to catch our breath. Finally, I slowly lifted myself off her, kissing her one last time before I made my way around the desk. I knew I’d thrown the box of tissue in that direction along with everything else that flew off my desk. I grabbed it and pulled a few out of the box then handed it to her. I plopped down on my chair with one hand over my still pounding heart.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her even after she’d finished putting her pants back on. “You’re beautiful, you know that, right?” I asked, staring at her. “I’ve been wanting to say that to you since day one, but it wouldn’t have been appropriate. Now you’re gonna hear it from me all the time because it’s the first thing that pops into my head every single time I see you.”
“Thank you.” She started to smile and then seemed to catch herself. “About that,” she said with a wince. “I know after tonight this changes everything, but can I ask that it doesn’t?”
“What?” I sat up, that same worry I’d felt earlier shooting through, only this time it was mixed with anger.
“I mean just in front of Bea,” she said, and the anger quickly morphed into understanding until she added, “and Edi.”
Instantly, the anger was back but even worse this time. “Why Edi? You said you ended that.”
Had she gone back to pretending she could still be gay for the sake holding on to Edi’s friendship and expected me to have some kind of secret affair with her? It went beyond everything I believed in. In all the years I’d been with Mia, I never once considered cheating on her. The closest I’d come was falling for someone else while still with her, but I’d had no control of that, and I did the right thing and ended it before even thinking about doing anything with Henri. This was fucking bullshit. I wouldn’t go along with this. Not even for Henri.
“Because it’s so soon,” she explained, coming around the desk and leaning against it directly in front of me. “That part of my relationship with Edi is over. I promise you. I went back to sleeping on my chair bed in the front room ever since the day we had the talk. Things haven’t actually been as unbearable as I thought they might be. She went out with her friends on Friday and again tonight. I think, like me, deep inside she always knew it wasn’t going to work, and it does seem as if she’s trying to be strong about it. I know it’s been less than a week, but she hasn’t so much as suggested we can’t be friends anymore. But I also assured her my not being able to go along with that kind of relationship with her wasn’t because of you. Well”—she shook her head—“not so that I could be with you. I wasn’t even certain about anything happening between you and me. All you said was that you were attracted to me—”
“I made it clear I had feelings for you.”
“I know,” she said quickly. “But I still wasn’t sure what that meant and you just came off this ten-year relationship.”
“Let me tell you what it means,” I said, trying to remain calm. “What I thought this meant.” I pointed at the desk. “You coming here tonight to confirm that I am in love with you, and then you telling me you’re in love with me, too, was the beginning of something. We’re together and you’re mine now. Something I won’t be keeping a secret from anyone.”
“I’m not asking you to keep it a secret, Aaron. Believe me. I love that you want us to be a couple.” She smiled, shaking her head. “Are you kidding me? I can hardly believe it. But don’t you think it’s a huge slap in the face to Mia if she finds out that not even a week after breaking up with her you’re with me now? You did say you care about her, and you know how much I care about Edi. I just think maybe we should keep things under wraps for at least a little while. The other day . . .”
“The other day what?”
I reached out for her then pulled her to me so she’d sit on my lap. The days of having her this close and not being able to touch her were over. She sat down on my lap and took a deep breath but caressed my face softly with her fingers. Her touch was like magic. After hearing her concern about Mia’s and Edi’s feelings, I’d begun to feel better already, but her touch sealed it. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of her soft gentle fingers against my skin.
“The other day when Bea told me you’d told Mia you were in love with me, I’d decided I was going to quit.”
My eyes shot open.
“Because of what she said she and Mia were hoping,” she clarified immediately then pecked my lips several times until I kissed her back too. “She didn’t ask me how I felt about you, but she made sure I understood that she really hoped it was something you were just going through and when you got over it you’d go back to Mia, who you really belong with. She made it sound as if you and I are from different worlds, so it would never work. She never actually said I shouldn’t get my hopes up about you or that I should quit, but I knew in my heart it would be the only way I’d be able to stay away from you. Cutting all contact with you was my only hope of ever getting over you.”
“Getting over me?” I asked, sitting up a little straighter. “Do you believe I belong with Mia?”
“No.” She shook her head adamantly.
“You believe my being in love with you is something I’m just going through and I’ll get over?”
“No.” She continued to shake her head. “But I know it’s what Bea and Mia think—want. Eileen doesn’t even know the whole truth. Bea said Mia asked her not to tell anyone, but Eileen was also very disappointed that you and Mia broke up. It’s because of Eileen and Bea that I even have this job. They’ve been good friends to me. I felt too guilty to even consider the possibility of you and me.”
“So you were willing to cut me off just like that out of loyalty to them?”
“Well”—she tilted her head as the corner of lip twitched—“obviously my loyalty to them doesn’t run very deep, since here I am.” She smirked, running her fingers through my hair. “I had a feeling I’d be all over you the very next time I saw you. I knew I’d missed you, but”—she glanced back at the desk then smiled wickedly—“I guess I didn’t realize just how much.”
“You missed me?” I shook my head in exasperation. “I owe both Bea and Eileen an apology for the nasty mood I was in all day.”
She kissed me softly, leaning her forehead against mine. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, staring into my eyes.
“Let me ask you something.” I laced my fingers through hers. “Do you think our worlds are too different for this to work?”
To my relief, she shook her ahead again. “I’ll admit when I first met you I would’ve never in a million years thought I might have a chance with such an amazing man. But one thing I’ve always believed is that if two people were meant to be together it wouldn’t matter if they were from different galaxies. Their hearts would find their way to each other.”
“Perfect answer,” I said, kissing her nose then her lips. “But I’m not surprised so far everything about you is perfect.”
“Seriously?” she asked, sitting up with a smirk. “Are we going to be one of those disgustingly sweet couples because I’ve never met anyone more perfect than you?”
“I’m far from perfect, but I’ll let you think so for now,” I said, squeezing her tighter. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
“I doubt it’s anything th
at will free you of me, but can we please keep this on the down low just for a while?” Those beautiful eyes pleaded as if I’d have the power to say no to them. “At least until your family can accept that it’s really over between you and Mia.”
“Hell no!” This time I shook my head adamantly, but that seemed to amuse Henri because she smiled curiously. “It was almost eight months since I broke things off with Mia last time when my family had an intervention-type meeting to try to persuade me to get back together with her. Eight months,” I repeated. “And they still weren’t over it, and we hadn’t even been engaged back then. No way am I gonna keep this under wraps that long. I’ll do a few weeks and that’s only for you. I do care about Mia’s feelings, but personally, I think the sooner Mia and Edi start getting used to the idea that it’s really over and you and I have moved on, the better. And,” I said, squeezing her hand, “I think you need to start preparing yourself for the possibility that any kind of relationship with Edi might not last much longer.”
“Why?” she asked, any joy in her eyes draining completely. “Divorced people stay friends all the time.”
“Because, baby”—I kissed her cheek—“most divorced people separate because they’re no longer in love. Most of the time there are kids involved and they have to stay amicable for their sake. But think about it. You’d have no problem remaining friends with Edi because you don’t love her the way she loves you. You’re in love with me, right?” Just saying it made me so ridiculously happy I wanted to squeeze her.
“Yes, I am.” The joy in her eyes returned momentarily, and I couldn’t help it. I had to squeeze her then kiss her again. I didn’t want to stop, but I had to get back to my point, so I finally pulled away and locked on her beautiful eyes.
“Let’s say a few months from now when, hopefully, you’ll love me even more . . .” I smirked.
“I will,” she said, so bright-eyed I had to kiss her again.