Page 16 of When You're Gone
She leaned into him, but he didn’t linger. He grabbed her hand and headed to the exit while opening the rideshare app on his phone.
“My house or yours? I know Maddie’s home this week, but I have no idea what her plans are tonight…”
“My house,” she declared. “My dad’s not home.”
He turned around and smirked as he selected her address and requested the car. “You know, those were my four favorite words in high school.”
“Oh, I know. And I have it on good authority that he’s staying at Tricia’s place tonight, so we don’t even have to listen for the garage door like old times.”
“Good,” Rhett growled once they got outside to wait for the car. “I’m going to need all night for everything I have in mind for you, birthday girl.”
Tori practically purred as he opened the door to their rideshare. He glanced around before ducking into the car himself, grateful they hadn’t had any run-ins with the valet staff. He may not be able to control who his wife hung out with when he was gone, but he wasn’t interested in sharing any of her attention tonight.
He had offered to take Penny out and lock up the house while she went upstairs to change. After letting Penny in, he took the stairs two at a time, turning into Tori’s bedroom only to find it empty. He perched on the end of the bed, anticipation buzzing in his veins.
This was the first birthday since she had turned eighteen that they were really together. Last year, he’d talked to her on the phone for a few minutes, and he had taken her to a concert the weekend after her actual birthday, but they were still just friends-with-benefits at that point. What a difference a year could make.
Her party was tomorrow, then he had a secret appointment at the car dealership for her actual birthday on Sunday. Tonight was their time, just for them, and he was going to make the most of it.
He was still in his own head when the hallway light flicked on and caught his attention. He did a double take when Tori emerged from the bathroom wearing a sexy-as-sin sheer mesh black bra and panties set.
Fuck. He loved it when she dressed up like this. The strategically placed lace accentuated every curve and angle of her body.
“Look at you,” he crooned, rising from the bed to meet her halfway. He couldn’t have sat still if he tried. Not when they’d been apart for so long. Not when she was wearing that.
“You look incredible, V.” Grasping her face in his hands, he kissed her with every ounce of wanting in his soul. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, caressing her and giving her a preview of the way he planned to worship her all night long.
“Everhett.”
Hearing his full name on her lips spurred him on. He worked his mouth down her jaw, his lips landing on the sensitive skin right below her ear. He eagerly sucked and savored the taste of her before forcing himself to slow down and pull back.
“Wait. You took the time to put this on. I need to fully appreciate it.” He lifted her hand above their heads and tilted his chin. “Go on, then. Spin for me.”
She gave him a cheeky smile before doing exactly as instructed, rising up onto her tiptoes and turning in slow motion. She glanced over her shoulder when she was turned around, but his eyes didn’t stay on her face for long.
“So fucking perfect,” he whispered. He ran his thumb down her spine, over the sheer lace, all the way to the small of her back. Then he squatted, replaced his thumb with his tongue, and followed the same path back up. “Can I take your picture in this?” he asked as he placed a kiss on her shoulder.
She glanced back to meet his eyes and nodded.
“Get on the bed and pose for me.”
She hesitated for just a moment. That brief pause caught his attention, though. She had struggled with all the physical changes after her surgeries, and sometimes he didn’t know what to do or say to comfort her. All he could do was love her through it, take every chance he could to praise her and reassure her that he was still, and always would be, insanely attracted to her. Even more so now because her bravery and sacrifice were on full display through the scars along her body.
“I’m rock hard just from looking at you, V. You’re a knockout.”
A sultry smile blossomed on her face as she climbed onto the bed. She raised up on her knees, spread her legs, then slowly lowered back down in a pose he distinctly remembered from the boudoir pictures she had taken on their wedding day.
“Touch yourself,” he whispered before breaking eye contact to focus the camera on his phone.
She followed his instructions, placing two fingers on the outside of the see-through mesh, right over her clit. She must have applied pressure, too, which he only realized when he saw her blissed-out expression on the screen.
“How’s that feel, beautiful?”
“Annoying,” she deadpanned.
His eyes shot up to meet her gaze. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.
“I’d just prefer your hands on me instead.”
