Layers(47)

“Hmm, don’t get too excited. I have the most terrible headache.” I add an agonized expression to emphasize my misery. His mouth turns to a flat line, eyebrows slightly pushed together; he couldn’t look more disappointed.

I stare at him for a while. “Relax, kid, your toy is good to go. I’m just messing with you,” I giggle. “You should have seen your face, you were all, ‘my toy is broken, I am so upset’.”

He laughs and immediately turns serious. “Don’t ever do that again, Hayley. You don’t play with food, and you don’t joke about sex.”

I laugh deep belly laughs and tease, “Is that so? Are these the house rules?”

“Come here you, or else you won’t get what you were ogling a minute ago.”

Jerk. He doesn’t let go. Without further ado he pulls me on top of him.

“Well, I’ll admit to the ogling, but you’re the one who’s completely ready.”

Through a wide grin he releases a raspy laugh. “I can’t help it. It’s those damn shorts.”

“I can always take them off if they’re an issue.”

“If you put it that way I think all of your clothes are a major issue, Hayley. For f**k’s sake, get rid of all of these issues.”

“So keen to play?”

“Take them off already, and let’s work on some burning projects.”

I giggle again, cooperating.

~~~

I am being spooned by Daniel Stark, sleeping, literally sleeping, in his bed.

“Good night,” he whispers through my hair and turns to the other side. Why did he turn? I want some more of this Daniel cocooning.

What the hell? Do I hear right? Daniel recites the AA serenity prayer. What the hell? I am completely freaked out. His voice is low and sincere, almost weary.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

My mind is frantically riling up. What’s going on here? Should I say something? Well, he did recite it loud and clear enough for me to hear. Does he want me to say something?

“Daniel,” I choke as I try to talk. What should I say? Seriously, should I even address that? I’ve never had to deal with a recovering addict before!

“Relax kid, your toy is not an addict. I’m messing with you.” He breaks into a healthy, contagious, husky laugh and I quickly join in, utterly relieved.

JERK. Demented. Handsome. Psycho. He turns back to cradle me and I pull back to minimize the gap between us so he can scoop me up in his firm, serene embrace. He kisses my hair and breathes me in.





Chapter 17: Nooner


“Hayley,” Daniel whispers, pressing a soft kiss with his delish scent on my sleepy lips. “Double shot, extra hot, not too much foam cappuccino, wake up.”

I open my eyes to see Daniel, steamy in boxers, sitting cross-legged at my side, a cup of coffee in his hands. My lips curve with delight.

“Screw the coffee,” I mumble, stretching out my hand to touch his thigh.

“I like where you’re going with that.” His hoarse morning voice is accompanied by a wicked, thin smile, tempting me.

“What’s the time?” I yawn.

“Seven thirty-ish.”

“Well, it’ll have to be a quicky. I need to get your car from home.” His smile stretches, and the cup of coffee moves to the nightstand.

“I’d rather work with ‘quick’ over ‘no go’.” He shifts closer. “Anyhow, it’s not about duration, it’s about quality,” he says, now propped on top of me, a wide smirk stretched across his bristled morning face.

I gaze at him, elated. What a superb way to wake up …

“So we’re going for quality over quantity this morning, Miss. Ready, steady, go …”

I giggle, tilting my head back as he lightly bites my chin. And quality it is.

Quickly we are deep in the deed and as promised he’s taking his pledge of quality very seriously. Each thrust, each interaction with the very deep of my delight is more enhanced and more intense. His lips are all over me: ears, lips, breasts, neck and those achingly sweet, precise encounters with the spots that make me quiver in pleasure. He definitely knows what he’s doing, and with such remarkable aptitude. I open my eyes to look at him; on his face is a wild look of pleasured concentration that pushes me higher. With his touch and the vision of him above me, those full lips, these unbelievably rough looking scars, I climb higher and higher. In accordance to my body’s reaction, he adapts his pace. The sensation he causes within me with his steady and passionate precision, skillfully aiming at the exact spot, sends me to an overwhelming ecstasy, and as I whimper uncontrollably he joins me with a loud gasp.




I can’t move. Circles of bliss travel through me. God. I can hardly gain control of my uneven respiration, though, my body, inside and out, is in seventh heaven.

“Definitely pure, unadulterated quality,” I breathe, shifting my head to look at him.

His eyes wrinkle with silent joy; his mouth twists into a small, crooked, I-knew-what-I-was-doing grin. I sigh in sheer bliss.

“Glad to meet expectations.” He pecks my lips, inching up to stand. “Now, coffee, and off we go if we need to pass by your house. Up, Hayley.”