Page 110 of A Win-Win Situation
Her back is pressed up against the wall and I move closer to her—close enough that she has to tilt her head back. She watches my every move, unsure of what I’m doing, but as I raise myhand to press the red button on the control pad, her whole face changes.
"What are you doing?" But it’s too late. The elevator stops with a sudden jolt, and I can see the panic in her expression but I quickly reassure her.
"Just trust me," I say, my voice calm and steady, even though I’m nervous. If this doesn’t make her relax, I’ll probably have caused more damage than good.
Her eyes are squeezed shut, and her chest is heaving with every breath she tries to take. "Lucas. Please, make it move again," she says in a low voice. "P-please."
I reach out and gently cup her face, making her focus on me. "I would never do anything to hurt you. We’re going to create a new memory here," I explain. Her eyes snap open and lock on mine. "Something to replace the fear with something better. Call it cognitive behavioral therapy. Something you’ll enjoy, okay?"
She swallows hard but nods, her trust in me evident, causing my own heart to beat faster. With the elevator at a standstill, I lean in and capture her lips in a soft kiss. At first, she’s tense, but as the seconds tick by, she eases into the kiss, her body melting against mine.
Her arms find their way around my neck, pulling me closer—a silent plea for more. I respond by pressing her into the wall with a bit more urgency, allowing our bodies to meld together. A soft, melodious moan escapes from her lips, and I seize the opportunity to deepen our kiss. She allows my tongue to explore every part of her mouth, tasting her sweetness and hunger.
I move from her lips to her neck, savoring the taste of her skin. My lips find the sensitive spot, and I press gentle kisses there, eliciting a low moan from her.
Her fingers tangle in my hair, urging me up to find her mouth again in a fervent, hungry kiss. Her taste is addictive—I can't get enough of it, and I curse myself for not allowing this to happensooner. I want to worship her every chance I get, to make her feel cherished and adored. Every sigh and moan that escapes her lips fuels my own need, driving me to seek more of her and to give her everything I have.
I break the kiss once more, my gaze locked on hers. The fear that flickered in her eyes a few minutes ago has vanished, replaced by a fiery desire. Her ragged breaths now rise and fall in rhythm with mine, the earlier elevator-induced anxiety completely forgotten. It seems my idea has been working, but I’m not done just yet. I’m still hungry.
"So, this is the medicine I've been needing?" she asks with a giggle, a rosy blush adorning her cheeks.
"You're so beautiful when you're flustered," I murmur, my lips hovering near her ear. "But we're far from finished."
A curious yet assertive smile dances across her lips as my hand trails down her hip to find the hem of her sweet dress. It has been driving me insane since we left the apartment.
"We can't," she whispers, her voice trembles even as her body leans into mine, telling a different story. Her hands grip my shirt, fingers clutching the fabric tightly. "Not here." Her breath is unsteady, even as her body betrays her.
I chuckle softly, my breath hot against her skin. "We absolutely can. Who's going to stop us?" I murmur, my fingers slipping under the fabric of her dress. Slowly, I trace her delicate, soft inner thigh and stop when my fingers brush against her underwear.
When I feel how wet she already is, I groan loudly and lean my forehead against hers. "You’re killing me, Leora." She bites down on her lip, trying to stifle the moan that threatens to escape.
My good girl.
"I think it’s you who’s actually trying to kill me," she says into my lips as I lean down to capture them again.
I’m too hungry to be gentle right now. She gasps when I grab her underwear and rip them off, placing the ruined piece in my breast pocket. Then I kneel, my tone commanding, "This is what I want you to remember every time you step into an elevator." I don’t wait for her to answer. Instead, I shove my face forward, devouring her as her moans sing symphonies that echo in the small space.
THIRTY-EIGHT
LEORA
I've made him watch bothMamma Miamovies today, one after the other, and now we're watching a third movie, which, to my surprise, he's never seen. It's a disgrace, but I'm doing my best to fix him.
"So you're telling me he dies because she's too lazy to move?" he asks, completely enthralled with the movie, his eyes fixed on the screen. I nod, not able to speak as tears run down my cheeks. The movieTitanicalways makes me emotional and the end makes me cry every single time.
"That's complete bullshit. They both could fit on that door. She can't leave him freezing to death!" he exclaims, shaking his head in disbelief. I mean, he's right, if Rose had just scooted over a bit, Jack could have climbed up, and he'd never have died—and yes, that’s the hill I’ll die on.
I wipe away my tears and look at him with a mix of amusement and agreement. His brows are furrowed, his hand pointing toward the TV as if he’s trying to tell Rose to scooch to the side.
I laugh a little bit at him. "You’re so right, they would have fit. I wish they did, those two were soulmates. But hey, it's the age-old question that keeps everyone coming back to the movie."
Lucas chuckles, shaking his head. The dimple I love more than anything on full display again. "Soulmates wouldn’t let each other die withouttryingto save each other." His hand goes to my back and moves in a soothing motion before he murmurs, almost as if to himself, "I would have made room for you."
He must feel the way my heart starts to pound. It’s almost as if it’s trying to break out of my chest in an attempt to reach his.
I would have made room for him, too.
When the credits roll, exhaustion washes over me, and I let out a big yawn. Lucas looks at me, amusement twinkling in his eyes.
