Page 49 of Thirst

In a breathy whisper, I repeat it. “I need you inside me.”

“Good girl,” he says, just before sliding his thickness inside. He starts at the tip, teasing me before pushing himself all the way in.

His girth makes me feel unbelievably full. It stretches me with each long stroke he takes, and the strokes are long. Amari pushes all the way in and flexes his ass to make sure he maximizes his depth, before pulling all the way out until there's nothing in me but the tip. Then he's back in again, picking up speed and pounding in and out of me. The sound of our bodies slamming together fills the room, sounding like a sledgehammer hitting spikes, especially when he puts my legs on his shoulders and somehow takes it even deeper. He gives it to me until I'm a crazy person who can't differentiate between fantasy and reality. I don't know where I am or what time it is. I simply exist in a world of beautiful agony that makes my mind feel fractured. I am splintered into a million different directions and can't tell which way is up. I am gone. I am his.

He uses his ungodly strength to flip me over, forcing me onto my stomach as he makes love to me in the prone position on the couch. I have to bury my face in the cushions just to protect the public from my wailing as he fucks me relentlessly. Again, he has me lost in the sauce. He has his way with me and I come two more times in the matter of an hour of sex. When he finally orgasms, he pulls out just in time and shoots on my ass while he strokes himself. I turn my head to watch him, feeling the liquid coat me, surprised by how cool it feels compared to what I'm used to. Then again, everything about Amari is different than what I'm used to.

When it’s all over and I'm cleaned off, we lie naked on the couch together. Luckily, it’s big enough to hold both of us as I rest between his legs with the back of my head on his chest. We watch the blue fire dance around as I listen to the sound of him breathing. His skin that was once warm as we had sex, almost immediately drops its temperature to the touch, feeling cold quickly.

“You really need to get your circulation checked out,” I quip, rubbing circles on his knee with my finger.

“I know,” he says. “I'm always cold. Can't help it. You warm me up, though. Inside and out.”

I smile wide. “You wore me all the way out. I'm about to fall asleep right here. I don't wanna make you uncomfortable, though.”

“Why would I be uncomfortable?”

“You down to let me sleep over? That wouldn't scare you?”

“Nah,” he says with no hesitation. “Go ahead and close your eyes. I'm good with it. I’ll be right here to keep you safe. It’s the least I can do for wearing you out.”

We share a laugh that slowly fades out and is replaced by the sound of my own breathing. I feel myself dozing once, and we laugh when I jolt myself awake. But when I doze the second time, I can't stop it, and exhaustion pulls me under the waves.

I wake up to the sun shining brightly into the massive windows, illuminating the entire space with yellow and orange light. I feel its warmth on my skin and the softness of Amari’s pillows on my face as I roll over. I slowly get up, and I'm surprised when I look around and find that Amari is not with me. I'm covered with a soft blanket instead of his arms. I frown as I stand up to look around, but then jump back and scramble to cover myself when I see Shawn sitting at the bar.

“What the hell?” I bark, covering my naked body with the blanket. “Shawn, what are you doing in here? Where’s Amari?”

Shawn, wearing black slacks with a white button-up and black tie, glances at me for a second, but then goes back to doing something on his phone.

“He had an important business meeting and had to go,” he replies without looking at me. “He told me to apologize on his behalf, and he felt terrible about having to leave you alone, but well, business is business. Your dress is folded right there on the couch next to you. Once you're dressed and comfortable, I can have some breakfast brought up, or take you back to your place if you’d prefer. Whatever you wanna do.”

“Whatever I wanna do?” I say, immediately frustrated, my sun-filled morning ruined in the blink of an eye. “You've been in here watching me sleep? I was naked.”

“I wasn't watching you sleep naked. I wouldn't even watch you sleep fully clothed because … well, that’s weird. I simply sat back here, where I couldn't see you at all, and waited for you to wake up, which were my instructions from Mr. Goddard. Now that you're up, I'm fulfilling the rest of my instructions and informing you that your dress is folded on the couch, and I can have breakfast brought up or take you back to your apartment. That’s all I'm here to do. But I understand your frustration with waking up naked and alone.”

“Well I'm not alone if you're here, am I?” I snip as I try to reach for my dress, but can't because I'm holding the blanket. “Can I get some privacy, Shawn? I need to get dressed.”

“Absolutely,” he says as he gets up and walks past me, headed for the hallway leading to the elevators.

I spend the next minute or so getting dressed and trying to deal with the onslaught of emotions I'm feeling. I'm embarrassed for a handful of reasons, and pissed that Amari had to leave me by myself after saying he’d be here to protect me if I fell asleep. We’d had such an incredible night.

“Alright, you can come back,” I yell down the hall.

Shawn returns, still pressing his lips together in a way that annoys me for some reason. He stands at the end of the hall like he's waiting for me.

“What?” I bark, my annoyance peaking.

“Would you like breakfast?” he asks calmly.

“No,” I snap as I stomp my way toward him, sniffing the air. “Did you have someone already start making it? Because it smells like bacon in here. Ugh. Just take me home.”

He clears his throat. “You got it.”

We stand at the elevator silently, and even the quiet gets on my nerves as I lean against the wall. This is not what I was expecting, and I feel so let down by the fact that Amari isn't here. We went all the way last night, and it was so good. Spending the morning together would've been the perfect cherry on top. I understand that he's a busy business man, but goddamn. If there was ever a time to call in sick or push a meeting back, this was it.

I let out a loud sigh as the elevator finally reaches us. Shawn steps on first, and as I push myself out of my leaning position against the wall, I glance down the hallway to where Amari’s room is. The door is closed, and there isn't even a speck of light coming from beneath it. The entire penthouse is lit by the sun, the massive windows doing their job so well that lightbulbs are of no use right now. Yet, there is nothing but darkness in Amari’s room—pitch black reaching from underneath the door like a shadow blocking the light.

I step onto the elevator confused about the phenomenon as Shawn presses the button for the parking garage. As we descend, I wonder why Amari’s door was the only one that was closed in the entire penthouse. Every door that I could see was wide open, except that one.