Page 42 of Beautiful Mess

I don’t have to look at Grace to know she’s rolling her eyes. “Whatever. All I’m saying is I know the expectations after dates. That’s all.”

Reaching over and grabbing her hand, I link our fingers together. “I’m not sure the type of guys you’ve gone out with in the past, but I don’t expectanythingfrom you, Grace. There are no ulterior motives for taking you out tonight, nor will there be for bringing you to my house to feed you. Just because we’ve already had sex doesn’t mean you owe me your body tonight. Or any other night. Taking you out isn’t an I’ll-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine deal. If you want to have a bite to eat at my place before I take you home, and that’s it, that’s more than okay with me, or if you’d rather me take you home now, that’s more than okay too. Zero expectations, Grace.”

My words hang in the air for a long, silent moment. Grace’s hand squeezes mine, sending a bolt of electricity up my arm as it races through the rest of my body.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that.” The words are spoken softly. “That wasn’t me saying I wasn’t down to end the night that way.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” I turn my head and meet her gaze before returning my focus to the road ahead of us. “You take the lead for the rest of the night. Tell me where to take you, and I’ll do that.”

She pauses briefly, and then, “Take me to your house.”

Nineteen

Grace

Tonight is nothing like I imagined it would be.

When Conway asked me out, I figured we’d go out to dinner,maybecatch a movie. Something simple and easy. In no universe did I see him putting real effort into a plan. The way he figured out an evening for us based on something he knows I enjoy, something he’s heard me talk about before, was unexpected. It was so…thoughtful. It was his way of showing me that he hears me, that he takes in things I’ve talked to him about. It made me feel oddly emotional, like I’m getting to see him in a whole new light. Which isn’t exactly ideal for this go-with-the-flow, be-casualthing I’m attempting to do with him.

After we got back to Conway’s house, he whipped up a couple of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I’ve ever eaten. Seriously, every last bit of it was like an orgasm in my mouth. Music plays softly from the television while I sit with my back against the couch in front of his coffee table in the living room as he saunters back into the room, two glasses of white wine in one hand and a very familiar pink box in the other.

“When did you go to my bakery?” I ask with a chuckle as he hands me one of the glasses before taking a seat beside me.

A smirk tips his lips, and he looks pretty proud of himself. “This afternoon after you’d already left for the day.”

“Oh, really? Think you’re sneaky now, huh?” Taking the box from his hands, I open the top and groan as the sweet, rich smell reaches my senses. “Is this my chocolate champagne cake?”

Conway nods once. “The lady working behind the counter told me it’s your favorite.”

“Sara Beth,” I tell him. “And she’s right. I could easily eat my body weight in this and still want more.”

Pulling a fork seemingly out of thin air, Conway cuts off a small bite and brings it up to my mouth, while his attention warms my body from the inside out. My lips part, and I can’t help the moan that pulls from me as he eases the chocolatey goodness into my mouth.

“Damn, whoever made that knows what she’s doing,” I tease, making Conway chuckle, the gruff sound washing over me and making my nipples hard. Taking the fork, I break off a bite and say, “Your turn.”

The way he holds my gaze as I feed him is heady. Watching somebody eat cake has never been so arousing, and that’s saying a lot coming from me. My throat is thick as I watch him chew and swallow before licking his lips.

“Well?” I push. “Best cake you’ve ever tasted in your life, right?”

“Eh.” He shrugs. “It’s okay.”

“Oh, fuck off!” I laugh. “It’s life changing, and you know it.”

Hunger fills his gaze as he rakes his eyes over me. “It’s damn good, I’ll give you that,” he drawls. “But it’s not the best thing I’ve tasted from you before.”

The clear insinuation paired with his husky voice has wetness pooling between my thighs. Swallowing thickly, I set the box and fork down on the table, moving on instinct alone as I toss my leg over and slide onto his lap, the form-fitting dress I’m wearing riding up. My mouth crashes down on his, and from the second I make contact, it’s fire and frenzy from both of us. An electrical current runs from my body into his, tingles spreading along my flesh, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Large, sure hands grip my hips as Conway’s tongue devours mine, the lust brewing between us making it hard to catch my breath. My heart pounds to a vigorous beat as my body heats to scorching levels, the desire to have Conway touch every inch of me all-consuming. The number of times I’ve replayed the moments we’ve been together should be concerning.

The hallway at the school. How hard he made me come with nothing more than his fingers and that filthy fucking mouth of his.

The jealousy-fueled fuck on my porch. I’m not typically one who enjoys making somebody jealous, but watching Conway claim me in such a primal way was one of the hottest things I’ve ever experienced. The way he fucked me roughly, and the way my body responded to it. I’venevercome during intercourse before.Ever.

And then the night he came over to my house. The spanking, the squirting, the blow job. All of it was straight out of my deepest, most salacious fantasies.

There’s something about Conway that makes me more confident. He has this way of relaxing enough to experience things I haven’t before. Like with him, I can drop my inhibitions and let my body do the talking. Letourbodies do the talking. And that’s exactly what I want. Pleasure bursts from my core as my lace-covered pussy grinds down on Conway’s denim-clad cock, and I moan when I feel how hard he is for me. Knowing he’s just as turned on as I am has my head swimming. It’s a rush. I rip my mouth away from his as I twist my arms over my body, grab the hem of my bunched-up dress, and pull it over my head, letting it drop on the floor beside us.

Sitting on Conway’s lap in nothing more than a black lace bralette and matching panties, I revel in the way he shamelessly checks me out. The desire in his dark eyes as they travel down my face and over my breasts is intoxicating. I’ve never had a man look at me the way Conway does, with such raw and intense appreciation before. He looks at me like I’m the most beautiful and sexy woman he’s ever seen, and more than that, he makes mefeellike both of those under his gaze.

---