Page 37 of No Merciful Corruption

I kiss the corner of her mouth and then the length of her jaw. “What else did the two of you talk about?”

“She was hoping you’d invite me upstairs for wild, crazy, vacation sex and then embark on a passionate, two-week long love affair.”

I laugh against her neck before kissing the pulse there. It jumps beneath my touch. “Really?”

“I was a little insecure. She was hoping I’d come out of my shell more.”

“I can’t imagine you’d have anything to be insecure about.”

“I did back then. Karina was much smaller, thinner, daintier…” her voice trails off. “At first, I thought you had come over to hit on her.”

Surprise strikes me. I must be wearing my emotions on my face because she throws her head back and laughs, tears forgotten.

“You thought I was after Karina? When I spent half the night trying to get you to sleep with me?”

“I thought you were being polite.”

“Being polite was the very last thing on my mind. In fact, I had a host of very un-polite things I’d hoped to do to you once I got you upstairs.” I reply. “If you’d like, I can show you right now.”

“I think you’ve shown me enough for one day.”

“Let me show you a little bit more.”

She doesn’t put a fight. I feel her smile against my lips as she kisses me and shifts under the blanket to straddle me properly. Dahlia rolls her hips against mine in search of friction but doesn’t mount me yet. I take her breasts in my hands and squeeze, loving the way she moans and flutters her lashes each time I lick her nipples. They’re soft and heavy in my grasp, the feel of them sinfully good. Maybe she’ll let me fuck them next.

Just when I think to ask, Dahlia sinks herself onto the length of me and I see stars. She grips me so well, so tight, and the way she moves her hips is maddening. She rides me so well I think I’d be happy to have sex in this single position with her for the rest of our lives.

This time it isn’t sex though. Maybe earlier when there was so much pent-up frustration and emotions that needed a physical release but not now. I can tell by the way she touches me, runs her palms up and down the expanse of my back and over my shoulders, and the way she kisses me without haste that this is different. She’s giving more of herself and I want all of it. I want all of it and then some.

“Touch me,” she whispers. “Touch me please.”

I touch her everywhere. Commit her body to memory. Neck, shoulders, arms, breasts, and the valley between them. The dip of her waist, the swell of her hips, the smooth skin between her thighs that always make her tremble when I kiss her there. I hold her in place as I thrust upward to meet her there, sending myself deep inside her. She eats up every inch with a throaty moan and her walls contract around me, squeezing with such delicious pressure, I have to slow her down so I don’t finish too soon.

Dahlia buries her face against my collarbone and bites as I stroke her clit. I glided up and down, move in circles, touch her just the way she likes and in return, her warm, wet pussy pulses and squeezes around me like a prize for a job well done. It’s so fucking good I can’t think straight and she’s moving so slowly it’s keeping another orgasm painfully out of reach.

“My God, I missed you.” I turn my face and the scent of her hair fills my lungs. Like flowers and her favorite soap. “I missed you so much.”

Dahlia grabs the edge of the sofa cushion to brace herself. She picks up the pace and I follow the steady rhythm she sets and we make love until she’s screaming and sobbing in my ear, crying out my name and God’s when she reaches the height of pleasure. I follow her there seconds later and it’s the most peace I’ve known in over a year.

LYSS AND RIAN HAVE A SECRET

Alejandro

Dawn encroaches on the horizon like a slumbering giant.

Dahlia sleeps soundly with her hair woven into a braid that runs down her naked spine. She stirs when the mattress lifts and is alleviated of my weight but sinks right back into the pillows with a sigh. She’s so exhausted I doubt she’ll open her eyes before noon.

For once, I wish I wasn’t awake. I contemplate getting back into bed with her and sleeping until the sun comes up but there are things I want to take care of now before it gets too late in Barcelona. A six-hour time difference makes working from New York tricky.

I spend nearly a half hour standing under a hot shower and trying to quiet the chaos of my mind. When I’m done I slip into yesterday’s clothes and head downstairs. One of the lamps in the kitchen is on and I assume it was left that way last night. I’m surprised to see Lyss tucked into the corner breakfast nook eating ice cream straight from the cartoon.

“Hi,” she murmurs around a mouthful of rocky road.

“Lyss…” I stumble in search of a response but don’t know what to say. I also don’t know why I feel so guilty. “I was…I just⁠—”

“You guys are really loud.” She stabs a utensil into her ice carton and only now do I realize she’s using a fork. “It’s fine. I couldn’t sleep anyway.”

I struggle in vain to string together a sentence. Lyss and I don’t interact often but I like her both as a person and as Dahlia’s friend. She’s never been afraid to tell me about myself or let her disapproval of me be known. I can honestly say she’s one of very few people whose respect I’m intent on earning one day.