A Natural Act (Contradictions) (17 page)

“
She’s awake,” he chuckles wryly as I unfurl my body and stretch out feeling well relaxed.

“
What time is it?” I ask as all lingering sleepiness fades away.

“
Four AM,” he chuckles.

“
Really?” I sit up, not failing to notice that he’s still naked.

“
What happens when you fall asleep at eight,” he laughs.

“
Have you slept?” I ask him because I don’t care what he says – everybody needs sleep, even if they have Carter genes.

“
A bit,” he shrugs, scooping me and my nakedness up to sit on his lap.

“
How come you didn’t sleep?” I pout, stroking his cheek.

“
Thinking,” he shrugs.

“
About?” I prompt, moving my hands back to his trapezoid muscles so I can gently massage them.

He shrugs.

“Don’t overthink this,” I plead softly. I know he’s upset at himself for having sex with me. I know he didn’t necessarily plan on it but it felt too right for him to regret it.

“
Too late,” he chuckles bitterly.

“
Craig,” I make sure his eyes are on mine. “You are the single most attractive man I’ve ever met. You’re kind and thoughtful, strong and supportive, cheeky and relaxed. I like being with you but – like I said before – I don’t need more than you’re willing to give.

I don’t want to lose the chance to feel that experience with you again. I don’t want to lose your friendship. If you want, this can be sex and nothing more?
”

Am I really offering that? I swallow past the doubt because I know
without a shadow of a doubt that I need to feel him like that again and I need it often.

My major problem with that arrangement is that it might not let me get under his layers.

It also might mean he could sleep with others whilst sleeping with me. That idea is abhorrent.

“
Wanna be fuck buddies?” He asks somewhat sarcastically.

I don’t answer because he can probably tell that I don’t like that term. I like even less that it’s not something I’d ever have considered previously.

“Too late for that, lady,” Craig sighs, pulling me into him for a cuddle. His large arms come down around me and he holds me against him. Chest to chest.

“
I don’t understand,” I whisper uncertainly.

“
Not done that in years. Doggy. Always from behind. No eye contact.”

I frown because it takes me a few seconds to understand what he’s saying. I know he’s had a lot of sex with a lot of women. He implied as much when we first started getting to know each other. Is he saying he always does it from behind? That he never looks these women in the eye?

“But,” I start, not sure what to say.

“
But it’s different with you. Everything is always different with you.”

“
I’m not sure what you want, Craig,” I tell him cautiously.
I want to give you whatever you want
.

“
Not sure either,” he admits, carefully lifting me off of his lap and onto the sofa next to him.

“
Craig,” I rest my hand on his thigh. “It’s hardly a secret that I’m attracted to you, body and personality alike.”

“
Can’t give you that fairy tale happy ending you deserve, Bella,” Craig shakes his head, pulling away.

Frustrated to the point of destruction, I grab his arm and pull him back to me.

“I don’t want or need a fairy tale romance, Craig. Fairy tales have endings and I don’t ever want our story to end.”

He’s silent for so long
that I almost implode with the tension.

“
Our story,” he smiles just as I’m ready to bury my head in the sofa and scream. “I like that.”

“
Me too,” I breath out a sigh of relief as discretely as I can.

“
Not promising I’ll be a good boyfriend, Bella,” he frowns, taking my hands in his. “Not got much experience.

“
You do everything you do perfectly, why would this be any different?” I tease him and he grins. “Seriously, Craig. We can figure this out as we go along. We just have to be all honesty, all the time. Are you sure you’re willing to stop being a man whore for me?”

“
Man whore?” he grins. “I haven’t slept with anybody else in months, lady.”

“
Months?” I prompt because that’s a little vague and I don’t like the idea he was rolling in the hay with somebody else and then sleeping in bed with me.

“
Since the night before we met,” he elaborates with that cocky glimmer in his eye that tells me he knows what I was thinking.

“
Good,” I nod my head with satisfaction.

“
Jealous?” He raises an eyebrow.

“
My doctor,” I nod.

“
Funny you should say that,” he smirks.

“
Why?”

“
Promise you’ll listen to everything before you get mad?” He prompts, picking my feet up so he can gently massage them on his lap.

“
Why?” I frown, thoroughly confused.

“
Promise,” he insists, squeezing the arch of my foot gently for emphasis.

“
Okay,” I agree tentatively.

He brings my foot to his face gently kisses the sensitive ankle as thanks.
“Last night, at Reed’s flat,” he begins. “There was this girl. Shana.”

I swallow because this is not a good way for him to start a story that he doesn’t want me to get med about.

“Typical cage bunny,” he shrugs. “Girl was all over me from the moment she arrived. Couldn’t take a hint. Wasn’t interested,” he reassures me.

I nod because I know he’s always honest and I can see by the slight look of disgust that he wasn’t impressed.

“When I went to take a piss, she tried to get grabby,” he shakes his head.

I wrinkle my nose because that’s just nasty.

He nods his head in agreement. “Anyway, my first thought was ‘crap, what will mia Bella say’ and that sorta made me realise what you’re doing to me. I never promised you anything but I was worried how it would make you feel. Realised I wanted you to be jealous. Wanted you to feel that possession.”

“
Mine,” I tell him with a small smile. I definitely hate the idea of another woman touching him but I love his reaction.

I settle back on the sofa and let him rub my feet. Our early morning chat finishes just as the sun rises and casts orange light through the curtains.

“Bella,” Craig whispers, prompting me to open my eyes.

“
Craig,” I respond, smiling over at him happily.

“
Gotta make my lady breakfast,” he tells me, lifting my feet off of his lap.

“
Naked?” I grin because he’s still very much undressed.

“
Naked,” he winks. “Come on.”

I figure if he’s cooking breakfast naked, I might as well join him in my birthday suit.

“Realise what you’re taking on with me, lady?”

“
The best man in the world?” I grin.

He just chuckles and shakes his head.
“You know how many different times I’ve pictured having you since we met? How many crazy positions and scenarios?”

“
How many?” I ask somewhat breathlessly.

He turns and faces me, his hands on my waist.
“Ever heard of a googolplex?”

“
Um, no?” I frown.

“
It’s ten to the power of one hundred. It’s written as a one followed by a hundred zeros.”

“
That’s a big number,” my eyes widen slightly.

“
And it doesn’t even come close,” he murmurs, his lips ghosting over my neck.

If the pocket cucumber is anything to go by, he’s ready to go again.

“So you have a high sex drive?” I force myself to speak normally and ignore the way his erection is pressing against my lower abdomen.

“
Understatement,” he pushes himself into me.

“
That sounds like a good thing,” I tell him, looking up to meet his eyes with a coy smile.

“
Wait and see, lady,” he grins.

I step up on my tiptoes and whisper in his ear.
“I don’t want to wait.”

Before he can fully absorb my words, I’m already on my knees in front of him.

But I can’t follow through because I’m too focussed on the surprise in front of me.

“
Craig…” I begin slowly.

“
Bella,” he smirks down at me.

“
What’s this?” I hold his length in my hands, brushing my thumb over the metal balls twinkling down at me.

“
What’s what?” He feigns ignorance, watching as my hands move over him intently.

“
You have a piercing,” I remind him sarcastically, my eyes never leaving the metallic intruder.

“
Apadravya piercing,” he nods. “Wanted a nipple piercing but I’d have to take it out all the time for fights.”

“
Why?” I look at him in horror because it must have been horrifically painful.

He shrugs.

“Won’t ask me that question once we get you on the pill and can stop using condoms.”

I glance up at this because his voice oozes sexuality. He knows with extreme confidence that those little metal balls will bring me no end of pleasure.

I swallow thickly and open my mouth because I’ve been desperate to do this for a long time. Probably since prior to the worktop experience.

Craig rests his hands gently on my shoulder, tapping me with one finger as I move to take him in my mouth.

“Don’t have to do this, Bella,” he tells me, his expression serious.

“
I want to, Craig,” I insist, mostly just because I need to move past the fear of the act.

I know Craig won’t hold me down, or pull my hair. I know he won’t choke or slap me.

“Can stop whenever you want, lady,” he breathes sharply as I take his head between my lips, circling my tongue around the tip.

I take my time in working his full length into my mouth, slowly manoeuvring closer, inch after inch.

At no point does he thrust forwards, even though I can feel his thighs trembling as he supresses the urge.

I grow more confident through his resolve to make me feel safe. I increase my pace and focus on pressing the tip of my tongue to the underside of his thick cock with every pull.

There is nothing like the feeling of power which comes from knowing that the ability to give climax rests in your hands. Or in this case, your mouth. Craig is a strong, masculine man but, right now, he is putty in my hands.

I hear his breathing quicken and I slow my pace, wanting to draw out the experience because I’m enjoying it almost as much as he is.

I never expected it to be so much fun to play with the balls which form each end of his piercing.

Craig informs me he’s nicknamed the piercing Tazer. I consider it a fairly appropriate choice considering the electric shocks it sends coursing through me.

But as with all good things, it must end. Craig is careful to tell me that he’s coming but I’m too eager to taste him so I wait for the slick saltiness of his climax to coat my tongue and lap it up eagerly.

“
Mm,” Craig murmurs as he helps me up from the floor with one hand. “Amazing.”

“
Thank you,” I grin, trying hard not to grin like an idiot.

“
Seriously,” he nods. “Amazing.”

He swoops in for a kiss which surprises me considering what I’ve just been doing but I’m only too happy to oblige.

“Breakfast,” he winks.

“
Just had mine,” I smirk because it was a little more substantial than I was expecting.

“
Funny,” he raises an unimpressed eyebrow. “Real food, lady.”

“
Okay,” I smile, letting him lift me up to straddle his waist.

We’re both still naked so I focus all my attention on not feeling what’s between my legs because I have work soon and – honestly – I’m still a little sore from last night.

“You,” he instructs me as he places me on my favourite work top. “Sit here and look beautiful, I’ll make breakfast.” He places a gentle kiss to my lips and winks as he pulls away.

I smile and nod happily because it’s a pleasure to watch him work, so comfortable in his own skin.

“When did you get the piercing?” I ask, swinging my legs as they hang off the edge of the work.