For Authentication Purposes (14 page)

Plus, I had to wonder if there were other people’s love eruptions on those bricks.

“Here.” He was quiet as he pressed the napkins into my open palm. I’d thanked him and moved to clean up when I felt him drop his hand between my thighs and press a wet napkin to my skin. With a tender touch, he cleaned me up a little, and I followed behind him with the dry napkins, feeling taken care of or something.

“What did you tell Candace?” I asked while I straightened my skirt.

He sighed and looked over toward the restaurant. “Um, I didn’t have to say much at all. Nolan was waiting for me when I left you. It looks like Candace had sent him to find us because she noticed something was up.”

“What are you saying, Wardo? Oh my God, did he see us?” My heart was jackhammering in my sternum.

“I don’t think he saw what we were doing. It might have just looked like we were having sex. And I’m saying that we’ve done a shit job of concealing what’s happening between us in front of Candace and Nolan.”

Even in the dark I could see the heat in his eyes and I took a deep breath as I let his words sink in.

“What
is
 happening between us?” I asked with a whisper.

He took a small step toward me, and I blinked fast as his arms encircled my waist to pull me to his chest. Pressing his lips to my cheek, he let out a soft exhale. “It’s not a good idea for you to come back inside. You have jizz all over your skirt. And shoes.”

“Damn it.”

Warner laughed. “I’m going back in to tell them goodbye. I’ll text you my address. Meet me there as soon as you can.”

“Okay.” I pushed away from him a little.

His mouth hovered above mine before he placed a delicate kiss to my top lip. “Bring enough clothes for the entire weekend.”

“What?”

Another kiss. “You heard me.”

“Planning on keeping me hostage?”
 

It was a joke but his eyes opened and seared into mine, making me squirm. “Pretty much. Oh, and remember to bring your toys, too.”

I snorted indelicately.

“All of them.” With that last instruction, he kissed me hard, leaving me breathless before he stepped away and pulled my hand until we were out of the alley and back on the sidewalk. I tottered in my shoes as I tried to make it to my car without falling down on my now weakened knees. And when I pulled away, I saw him watching me from the front door of the restaurant. Like he was making sure I was safe.

Pulling up to his building made my stomach explode into butterflies. What was going on with me? What had he turned me into, some kind of drooling sex addict? It was like being near him and having him bring me to orgasm was something I craved almost as much those badass white chocolate macadamia nut cookies from Subway.

I’d run into my apartment and shoved as much as I could into an overnight bag, packing the vibrators and beads. I’d also slipped in a couple of pieces of lingerie, just in case I was allowed time to change between whatever kind of lessons he had planned for two days and three nights of pleasure.

Damn. He sounded like an advertisement for a Hedonism cruise.

Obviously, I took a shower.

It was weird how fast I could block everything else out when I knew I was going to be seeing him. Even knowing that I would have to discuss what had happened at dinner with Candace at some point didn’t stop me from opening my car door. Knowing that I had lied about fruit fly experiments to Nolan didn’t keep me from taking my overnight bag in my hand.

I had the distinct feeling that whatever steps Warner had wanted us to take, we had done them. There was no way he could teach me everything sexual that he knew without us having sex. And the thought of having him inside me after all our time together made my entire body vibrate with anticipation. After experiencing what he could do with his mouth and his hands, I was beyond sure that his little Wardo could very well render me immobile. And I would let him do it. Repeatedly.

“The hell?” I muttered to myself as I got onto the elevator and pressed the button labeled ‘5.’ My eyes roamed around the small space, and I noted the mirrors that made up the four walls, my mind conjuring up images of me spread eagle on the handrails and Warner’s face buried between my thighs as he made me come in record time before the elevator chimed to let us off on the fifth floor.

The doors whooshed open, and I licked my dry lips, very aware I had been mouth breathing and about to hyperventilate because of my own imagination. Walking toward his apartment, I heard music floating out from beneath the door and wondered for a moment if he would hear me knocking. Instead of chancing it, I jiggled the doorknob and felt my tummy dip a little as it gave way.

He’d left it unlocked for me.

Now a million scenarios were going through my head. His apartment could have been empty and unfurnished, with just milk crates as chairs to sit on. Or it could have been painted with graffiti all over the walls. Maybe there would be green shag carpet on them to make him feel like he was at home in his childhood bedroom.
 

My mouth fell open as I looked around the fully furnished and clean living space. With art on the walls above the couches. And were those lamps?

“I must be in the wrong apartment.” I turned back toward the door, feeling more than a little embarrassed.

“Dawn?” Warner’s voice called to me from above the melody coming from the living room speakers, and I spun on my heels to see his torso leaning inside from a window. His legs and feet were still outside on the fire escape, a cigarette dangling from his lips and a beer bottle between his fingers.

The same two fingers that had made me pass out.

“This is your place? For real?” I might have yelled it at him. Maybe.

He laughed and nodded, taking the cigarette from his mouth and exhaling sideways. “Why? Did you expect me to live in government housing or something?”

My mouth opened to speak but I had nothing.

Crawling back inside, he closed the window behind him and ran his hand through his damp hair, appearing to have just taken a shower. “You know nothing about me at all, Bunny. Why would you assume?”

“But your car.”

“What can I say? Live in a nice place and drive a shitty car or drive a nice car and live in a shitty place. Why even have preconceived notions anymore?”

I dropped my bag to the floor and took a small step forward, feeling drawn to him as we moved closer to one another. “Then tell me something about yourself, Warner Green.”

He raised that one eyebrow at me and pursed his lips. “Like what?”

I shrugged. “Like what the hell is this music you’re listening to?”

Eyes wide, he pointed to the stereo. “That is real, classic music. Not the synth-pop, auto-tuned, regurgitated shit that we get fed now.”

“I had no idea I was offending your hipster ways, Wardo.” I moved by him to make my way to his stereo. “On vinyl, no less!”

His body heat permeated the back of my shirt and I closed my eyes as he pressed his chest into my back, his arms wrapping around my waist and chin settling on my shoulder. “Show some respect for Tommy James, Bunny.” Warner’s arms tightened as he pulled me closer, and I allowed my eyes to close as he began to sway us from side to side. The song was slow and sweet and after a few seconds I heard him singing in my ear. I relaxed into him and allowed him to lead as he sang, his breath soft and warm against my skin.

If I had to pinpoint right when the dynamic of our agreement changed, it was right then. As he turned me toward him and pressed my chest to his. When he brushed my hair away from my face. The look in his eyes before he bent forward and pressed an honest to God kiss on my lips that made my entire body tense and relax before buzzing with excitement.

I fisted his hair and tugged as he roamed my mouth with his tongue. The taste of him, the beer and cigarette he’d just had in his mouth making a heady combination. At any other time, with anyone else, it would have been disgusting, but somehow, it was so erotic when it was Warner.

He lifted me against him and moved a step toward his couch before seeming to change his mind and pivoting to head into his bedroom instead. I could smell the remnants of his shower as it hung in the air. I felt the slight breeze of his ceiling fan cooling my overheated cheeks as he laid me against his pillows. I took in the softness of his comforter against my legs as I settled there with him hovering over me.

“What did you bring?” He kissed a soft trail over my neck and collarbone to nip right above my breast.

“Everything.” I sighed, letting my head roll to the right.

“Good.” He stepped away, and I watched in confusion as he left the room and returned less than a minute later with my bag. He unzipped it and dug around for whatever it was that he was looking for, and once he’d found it, he looked so pleased.

“I want you, Warner.” I hoped he would hear the truth in my voice.

“I know. I want you, too. But I’m not done yet.”

Feeling frustrated, I crossed my arms and made a face. “Can’t we just . . .”

“No.” He said quickly. “No.” Crawling over me on the bed, he pressed his forehead to mine. “But I can tell you that it will happen this weekend. If you stay with me here, it will happen.” His kiss to my lips was sweet. I melted against the bed as he pressed his weight onto me, molding against my body with his lips and hands and legs. It was amazing how fast I reacted to his touch. How turned on I was in such a short amount of time. Breathless, I was tugging at his shirt and pulling at his jeans, desperate to get him undressed.

His gaze held mine as he moved away to disrobe, and then pulled me by my feet to the edge of the bed to take my clothes off. When we were both naked, I paused and took a calming breath. It was like everything was right. He was hard, and his cock was wavering in front of my face, making my stomach tighten and moisture pool between my thighs.

Tentative and shy, I lifted my hand and ran the back of my knuckles along the smooth shaft, giggling as it bounced a little. Looking up at him, I could see the confusion on his face, questioning what I was about to do. And instead of asking him, or saying something stupid to ruin it, I leaned forward and planted one kiss to the tip.

He groaned, and I smiled in return, taking my hands and wrapping them around the middle so that I could kiss it again. My lips parted, and I breathed out, warm and slow across the head before letting my tongue slide out and across it a little. His stomach contracted, and I watched his hands ball into fists at his sides.

“Show me,” I whispered and had to hold back my laughter at how fast his hands were in my hair, cupping my skull as his hips shifted forward a bit.

I opened my mouth and took him in, self-conscious since I’d never done it before. He was smooth and soft against my tongue and I sucked with light pressure, wondering if it was enough. “Is that okay?” I glanced up to see his eyes closed and lips parted.
 

“Yeah, it’s more than okay.”

“I want it to be good, though.”

“Then let me show you how I like it. Lie on your back.” He sounded like he was being strangled. I did as instructed, watching as he leaned forward, pulling my head almost all the way off the side of the mattress. Stepping away for a moment and taking his place in front of my face, I couldn’t suppress a smile as he lowered himself to me, kissing me upside down. Running his tongue on my top lip, he sighed. “Relax your throat. I swear I won’t hurt you,” he promised before standing back up.

I had no reason not to trust him, so I waited as he gripped his cock and brought it to my lips. Opening as wide as I could go, I let him fill my mouth, sliding my tongue over the soft and firm skin of his head and then the shaft.

“That’s it.” He sighed. My hands settled onto his thighs as he leaned over me a little and pushed forward to fit more into my mouth. His hands were roaming my stomach, and I felt him spread my legs to make them fall open. His fingers trailed a slow circuit between my breasts, across my stomach, and toward my pelvis. His middle finger caressed my clit once and my mouth widened as I took him all in.

His hips shifted back a little as he inhaled a deep, shuddering breath. From somewhere to my left I heard a soft buzzing sound and then felt his fingers sliding between my lips as his pelvis tilted forward and he filled my mouth again. Warner straightened up a little, looking down at me with glassy eyes. “You have no idea how beautiful you look with my cock in your mouth, Dawn. Take your tongue and press it right under the head.”