Page 74 of Casino King

“If he comes back, I’ll tell him to call you.”

“Thanks, Tessa.” He nods, then adds, “How are you doing?”

I give him a small smile. “I’m good. Thanks for asking.”

“If you ever need anything and Alec isn’t around, I’m here.”

“Okay. Thanks, Vinny.” The way he said that was a little odd, like he’s hiding something, but I’m sure he’s just being nice.

After he leaves, I put my mug in the sink and go and take a shower. I have a class to teach in an hour.

♠♣♥♦

I’m exhausted. Teaching classes after barely getting any sleep from Alec’s relentless need for me has me going straight for a hot shower and changing into something simple and comfortable when I get back to his house.

I relax on the couch and watch a little TV for a few hours until my stomach growls. I haven’t heard from Alec all day, but he’s probably just been busy, so I decide to root around his cabinets and fridge, finding everything I need to make creamy tomato and basil chicken over linguini with a side of homemade garlic bread.

I taught myself how to cook when it was just my brother and I. He was hopeless in the kitchen, and with him working all the time and us on a tight budget, I had to find ways to get creative. I learned to make what was simple taste extraordinary.

When I have everything made, I check my phone and still see nothing from Alec. I don’t want to bother him while he’s working, so I send him a simple text just telling him I have a surprise for him and to come home soon. But when an hour passes and I still haven’t heard from him, I’m beyond starving and decide to not wait any longer. I make myself a plate and eat alone on the couch while I watch an episode of a mindless reality TV show.

Another hour passes, and I’m starting to not be able to keep my eyes open, so I clean the kitchen up and put all the dishes in the dishwasher and the leftovers in the fridge. I leave Alec a note on the counter for when he gets home, telling him to check the fridge if he’s hungry, and then head off to bed.

♠♣♥♦

Moaning, my eyes pop open and I grip the sheets in my fists. Looking down, I can see the shadowed outline of Alec between my legs from the moonlight glowing in from the windows. His tongue is doing magical things to me while I try and decipher if this is a dream or not.

“Alec,” I croak, lifting my hips to him. Holding me down, he swirls his tongue around my clit and then presses it down flat as he slides a single finger inside of me. That’s all it takes. My mouth falls open as my throat closes around a strangled cry.

Alec crawls up my body and slides right inside of me as he kisses me deep. I’m still in a dream-like state after being woken up in the best possible way, but his kiss feels different. More urgent and filled with a deep need to tell me something without words. But I don’t know what that is. I just know he needs this right now and I’m all too willing to give him anything he wants.

He moves inside of me like he’s savoring me. He doesn’t take me hard and fast like he’s chasing off his demons. No, this is different too. It’s so unlike him, but deliciously good all the same, and I don’t have the brain capacity to analyze it further while he’s inside of me.

Picking up his pace, Alec lifts my hands above my head in his and kisses his way down my throat, sucking on my nipples through the silken fabric of my camisole. Moaning, I meet his every thrust with my own, needing him to give me more. I always need more from him.

Alec looks down at me, and in the faint glow of light that reflects off his eyes, I see something in them that scares me. But when he realizes I can see him, he kisses me hard, and I lose all sense of thought.

The pressure builds in me, and when Alec bites down on my bottom lip, I explode, that bite of pain the tipping point.

Groaning into me, the vibrations travel through my veins and make my inner muscles pulse around him continuously until I have nothing left to give him.

Alec collapses next to me, pulling me against him. I don’t say anything, and neither does he. It’s just our uneven breaths as we come down from the high and the leveling of our combined heartbeats to fill the silence of the middle of the night.

As my eyes grow heavy again, I’m struck with what this felt like and why I couldn’t decipher it in the moment.

I saw regret in his eyes and felt goodbye in his touch.

Chapter 26

Tessa

Alec has been avoiding me. I don’t know what happened, but something is off. He leaves every morning before I wake up and comes home long after I’ve gone to bed. Sure, he wakes me up with his hot mouth on my core, or the quick invasion of his cock, but I haven’t talked to him for days.

I would never complain about having him like that, but I haven’t looked him in his eyes unless it’s his in the dark as he takes me. I haven’t heard his voice unless it’s to command me to come. And I haven’t felt his touch unless it’s his rough grip on my hips as he pounds into me.

I don’t know if I’m reading too much into it, but it feels like he’s pushing me away.

Tonight, though, we’re going to his mother’s for dinner, and because of how he’s been avoiding me, my nerves have been amplified. I don’t know what to expect from him.

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