“Are you watching me sleep, Miss Andric?” I fix her with a lazy squint and smile. She has an unruly mess of curls from sleep and my hands tangled in them last night, making her look dishevelled but stunning. Her breasts spill over my chest, intensifying the dull throb of my morning wood. Perfect. This is how I need to wake up every morning. I’ve been waking up to her most mornings since we returned from Wales a week ago.
She runs a finger down my chest to where the duvet has gathered around the V taper of my waist. “Guilty,” she whispers. “Looking like an Adonis when you first wake up is not a small feat. Well done.”
Bringing my mouth up to meet her sinfully beautiful one, I remember how amazing those swollen lips felt around me last night. I pull back, surprised. ‘You’ve brushed your teeth?
She blushes. “I do it as soon as I wake up, then creep back into bed.”
I chuckle as I study every line and feature of her face.
“What?” She smiles at me, confused.
“Nothing,” I murmur. “It’s just you take my breath away. Every morning, I wake up with you. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to this.” My voice was hoarse with need and I wondered if I’d come on too strong. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her away.
It was true though. The mornings that I wake up with her are the mornings that my stomach isn’t contorted with knots of stress.
Cheeks flushed, she stares at me, dazed, like my words come as a surprise. Can she not see how infatuated I am with her? “That’s such a sweet thing to say.”
I trail a palm down her jawline, her collarbone, her breasts and lower stomach, peeling the blankets off her as I do so. My fingers tease the delicate soft skin just above her clit.
She stares at me with those big blue eyes and pouty lips, mewling softly. Ready for me. Wanting me. Begging me.
Damn.
Her hips swivel, and she hoists a leg over mine, splaying herself open, on top of me. I tug aside the lace crotch of her pants and thrust two fingers inside her to find she’s wet already. Probably because she’s been rubbing against me all night, wearing nothing more than lacy underwear, getting us both worked up in our sleep.
Her lower stomach shudders in response as I plunge my fingers in and out of her opening. Damn, she feels amazing. I watch her face contort and her breathing become jagged as she arches her back and really starts to ride my fingers, her muscles tightening around them. She whimpers as my thumb finds her clit and I rub it in small teasing circles. Hers is a beautiful face that I could spend hours watching.
My cock throbs with anticipation, waiting for its turn.
“Please,” she moans. “Please, Tristan.” A blush crawls up her neck, telling me she’s close. I love it when she begs.
“Not yet, baby,” I manage hoarsely. “I want to taste you.” This morning I want to have her in the most intimate way a man can. I pull my fingers out of her wetness, and she groans.
She lets me pull her underwear down to her ankles. With small breathy pants, she wriggles out of them and pulls down the duvet so my cock springs free.
“You are so ready for me all the time, aren’t you?” I murmur.
Taking her hips in my hands, I lift her up in the air so that she’s straddling my waist. She squirms, attempting to level her entrance up with my cock but I lock her in a tight hold.
I smile wickedly. “You’re going up, not down. I’m going to spread you wide on my face.”
Her eyes pop wide. “I’ve never—” She stops when I push myself down and grab her legs so that she’s straddling my chest.
“Higher,” I say.
Elly tentatively inches forward so that her beautiful wet heat is directly above my face. With my hands around her thighs, I push her down on my face so that my tongue enters her.
From above, I hear her strangled cries as my tongue pushes in again and again.
“Oh my God!” she gasps, her hands shaking the bedpost.
My hands controlling the tempo, I grind her back and forward across my mouth, my tongue lashing against her clit each time. She squirms and writhes above me, letting out little grunts and moans that send me wild.
“Good girl,” I grunt, thrusting my tongue relentlessly inside her like a man starving. Who needs morning coffee when I’ve got this to wake up to? “Relax, sweetheart. Let me give you what you want.”
She’s lost all the shyness that she had minutes ago and is now spreading her legs wider around me, squirming against my face. Her hips buck and jerk, telling me she’s close.
I vaguely hear myself mumbling about her how this is the best feeling in the world, how I’ve obsessed about her since I met her, how much I absolutely adore her and other truths I’ve never said out load, my words spurred on by her pleasure.
I hear her loud cry as her thighs shudder and she comes hard against my tongue. Exhaling heavily, Elly collapses on top of me, planting her entire body weight down on my face.
“Baby,” I choke, struggling to breathe as she smothers me.
“Oops.” She giggles, hoisting her hips up to release me.
Breathing deeply, I push her hips towards my aching cock. A gyrating Elly coming on my face has made me so wound up, I’m not patient enough to give her time to recover. I line my cock up against her drenched opening and slide it in. “Yes.” I groan as her muscles clench my cock.
Her breasts bounce as she takes control of the tempo, rising up and down.
“That’s it, baby,” I say, my voice thick with lust as she drives my cock in and out of her in quick motions. I’m not going to last.
How can I when those big blue-green eyes stare down at me with undeniable adoration? All I can do is stare right back with the same intensity.
***
Pulling her into the shower, I take in every line, every curve of her body in the bright bathroom lights, like I’ve just been given the gift of sight. She loves this shower. I don’t blame her, I had a glimpse of the shower in her house, and she’s better off washing with a bucket and hose. My shower, on the other hand, as she likes to tease me, is a smart shower. To her delight, I got Natalia to pick her up a robe, slippers and set of toiletries. Maybe it’s my attempt to keep her here.
Under the water, she plays with the spray functions until she reaches the maximum pressure. “It’s like a spa,” she purrs as the soapy water forms waterfalls over her breasts. “You know I’m only using you for your bathroom.”
“Fine. Whatever it takes.”
“Can I stay in this shower forever?”
“Be my guest,” I grin down at her, washing every inch of her body with meticulous detail.
“I can’t.” She groans, closing her eyes as the water runs down her face. “Daniel will be here in an hour. I’ll get dressed and get out of your way.”
“Stay, Elly.” The words leap out of my mouth. Even as I say them, I’m conflicted.
Her eyes open and she rubs the water from her face. “What? Did Gemina cancel?”
“No, Daniel’s still coming,” I say slowly. “But I don’t want you to go. It’s fine, I’ll introduce you as a friend. I’m allowed to have female friends.”
I watch her reaction, surprised to find I’m nervous. She’s twenty-five. She didn’t sign up for this.
“Sure,” she whispers, pressing her wet body against mine.
“Good,” I reply, relief flooding me. In the moment, I realise just how much it meant to me for her to stay.
“That still leaves us thirty minutes.” I give her a wolfish grin as my hands rove over her. “What can we do in that time?
***
“Relax.” I slide my arm around her waist.
She chews on her lip. I’ve never seen her this nervous.
“It’s fine,” I repeat gently. “You’re just one of Daddy’s friends.”
She raises a brow. “How many of Daddy’s friends has he met?”
“Just platonic friends.” I smirk. “None who sit on Daddy’s face.”
“Tristan!” she hisses, thumping my chest. “What if he doesn’t like me? This is a big deal.”
I kiss her forehead. “Why wouldn’t he like you? If anything, I’ll need to tell him to behave himself.”
She chews on her nails, and I move her hand from her mouth. “Elly, we also have to consider informing HR soon.”
“What?” she squawks, looking at me like I’ve just suggested we bathe in an acid bath. “Everyone will talk about me sleeping my way to the top. No, I can’t handle that.”
“It will be the minimum people required to know. I get that you want discretion, but we have to go public sometime.”
“But what if it all ends?”
My face tightens. “And what if it doesn’t end?”
She waves her hands at me. “Don’t put both of these things on me on the same day. I’m about to meet your son.”
A car horn toots outside, and she jumps.
“We’ll continue this later,” I warn her and walk to the window. Daniel sees me from the car and gives me a lopsided grin. My throat constricts like it does every time I see him.
From the driver’s seat, Gemina waves at me, and I give her a curt nod.
“I’ll go outside and explain to him.”
She nods, scuffing her toe into the ground. “I’ll wait here. Send me a message if you need me to sneak out the back.”
Sneak out the back door? I’m more worried about her running away of her own accord. I open the front door and walk towards the car with a big smile. Daniel takes out his fire engine-shaped backpack and skateboard from the seat.
I hunker down to be eye level with him as he runs into my arms. “Hey, buddy,” I greet him as Gemina drives off. “I’ve got a friend visiting.”
“Uncle Danny?” he asks excitedly.
“Not Uncle Danny. My friend, Elly.” I take his hand and lead him into the house. “Are you okay with Elly spending the afternoon with us?”
He shrugs, not bothered.
Elly stands awkwardly beside the kitchen island as we enter.
“This is Elly, Daniel.” I meet her eyes.
“Hi, Daniel.” She gives him a formal smile like she’s meeting a prince. “It’s so lovely to meet you.”
“Hello,” he says politely. He turns to me. “She’s a girl friend.”
Elly’s eyes widen in horror.
I study my son’s reaction. So far, he doesn’t seem upset. “Yes, Daniel,” I confirm, something fluttering in my stomach. “She’s a girl friend. My girlfriend.”
He tilts his head to the side. “Like my girlfriend?”
I try to remember her name. “Talia?”
“No!” He scoffs. “Miss Hargrove. I told her yesterday.”
Oh, Jesus, I’m going to get another angry phone call from the school.
He turns his attention to Elly. “Do you skateboard?”
“Love it,” she responds without missing a beat. I arch a brow.
“Good.” He approves. “I have my skateboard upstairs. Do you know any tricks?”
Her eyes widen at being caught by her lie.
“When were you last on a skateboard?” I ask casually.
“Quarter of a century ago, give or take,” she mutters.
“Perhaps we’ll eat before Elly shows you all her skateboarding tricks. Are you hungry, buddy? Elly is going to cook for us.”
“Like Natalia? Are you here to help Daddy?” he asks uncertainly. His face scrunches up as if he’s trying to remember something. “I know you. You were the lady on the boat.”
Oh shit.
Her breath hitches sharply. “Uh…”
“That’s right, Elly’s a friend who likes boats too,” I say smoothly. “Do you want to know what we’re eating?”
Elly clears her throat. “A dish that I used to have a lot when I was a kid,” she explains. She looks tense. “A traditional Croatian casserole.”
“What that mean?” he shoots back.
“What does that mean,” I correct him. “Do you know where Croatia is?”
His forehead furrows into a deep frown like I’ve asked him the cure for Aids. I reach for my phone. “Here, I’ll show you.”
“Yes!” He nods firmly. “Reema’s from there. I went to her party.”
I give him a blank look. I’ve met Reema’s parents before and they are not Croatian. “Oh no,” I say. “That’s Croydon. Croatia is in South Central Europe.” I show him on the map.
“Is that why you’re so pretty?” he asks Elly, his expression serious. “Is everyone pretty in Croatia?” It sounds like my son has picked up a few tricks from me.
She laughs. “Thanks, Daniel. I’m half Croatian but I’m Welsh, I was born in Wales. I’m not as pretty as your mum, though.”
I clench my jaw. She has got to be joking.
He tilts his head, inspecting her. “You’re prettier,” he replies, matter-of-fact. The boy has got good taste, just like his father.
“Do you want to help cook, Daniel?” she asks. “We can make a mess in your dad’s kitchen.”
I raise my eyebrows, and she smirks back.
“Okay,” he agrees. “Should Daddy help as well?”
She looks between us. “Probably not. I’m not sure he knows how to operate half the devices in the kitchen. We’ll give him some of the easier tasks.”
I fire a napkin at her but take a seat at the breakfast bar. If she wants to go easy on me because I’m useless at cooking, that’s fine with me. I’m not a man who’s ashamed to admit his weaknesses.
She gets four saucepans and a frying pan on the go. “Damn,” she mutters, then looks at me apologetically.
“I’m pretty sure he hears worse language in school,” I say wryly. “In fact, he says worse things himself.”
My phone buzzes. “I need to take this work call, Elly.” I groan, rising from the stool.
She waves me away.
True to their word, my kitchen is a cooking tsunami when I come back. Daniel has food all down his top. “Daniel, go and get cleaned up. You’re a mess.”
He runs off to the bathroom. I grab Elly and pull her to me.
“Tristan,” she hisses. “Your son is here! Don’t touch me!”
I dip my head into her neck, my lips grazing her soft skin. I can’t help myself. My hands creep down her backside when my phone buzzes again. I groan, my head still buried in her neck. “Sorry, sweetheart, I’m going to have to get this again.”
“It’s fine,” she murmurs, lacing her fingers with mine. “We have all the time in the world.”
***
Forty minutes later, and my agitation is at a peak. The building surveyor drones on in great detail about the repairs to the restaurant as I barely listen. Asha’s has received rave reviews, so Danny and I are opening a branch in Mayfair. I don’t have the patience to do this right now, it’s taking time away from Daniel.
A piercing scream makes my blood run cold. Elly. I drop the phone and sprint towards the kitchen, crashing into Elly running down the hallway.
“It’s Daniel,” she cries and my blood turns to ice. “Hurry, Tristan!”
“Where?” I bark back.
“Bathroom!”
I charge into the bathroom and see every parent’s nightmare. My son sprawled across the floor; eyes closed. Is he breathing? Jesus, I can’t tell.
I fall to my knees taking his head in my arms, stifling a cry. “Daniel!” I shake his head gently. “Wake up, baby!”
Elly bursts through the door, panting.
“Elly, the phone!”
“Here…oh, God, oh, oh, God.”
I jab 999 with trembling hands.
“Emergency Services, which service do you need?” the operator asks.
“Hi, I, uh, we n-need an a-ambulance,” I stammer. “It’s my son! He’s unconscious!”
“What’s your name, and where are you calling from?” they prompt. How can they sound so fucking calm? I half scream the details.
“Can you tell me what’s happened, sir?”
“Christ, I don’t know!” I bark. “Just send a fucking ambulance.”
“Sir, I’ll need you to calm down. Is your son breathing?”
“Um, yeah. Yes, but it’s very weak!” I lean down to make sure that he is. His breath is barely there. “He’s not responding to me.”
“I’ve dispatched an ambulance to your address, sir,” the operator explains with a continued calm. “Does your son have any underlying conditions, sir?”
“No, nothing.” I close my eyes and summon a deep breath. “How long will it be?”
“Where are you, sir?”
“In the bathroom.”
“Is there anything in the area that your son may have taken?”
“No, NO,” I snap. “When will the ambulance be here?”
“It’s two minutes away. Try to stay calm.”
“Tristan,” Elly whispers, grabbing my forearm with a shaking hand. I didn’t even notice her standing over me. “Tristan” she repeats. “Oh my God,” she sobs. “I th-think he got them from my bag. I asked him to get my phone when we were cooking and he, he must…”
I snatch the empty pill bottle from her. “What?” I snarl. “What are these?”
“Valium.” She gulps.
She recoils as I yell “Valium! He’s taken Valium.”
“Can you determine how many he has taken?” the operator probes.
Fumbling, I check the bottle. “There were twenty pills in the bottle.” I don’t know, I can’t think. Fear clenches my chest. “Please,” I wail. “Please hurry.”
“Ambulance is one minute away,” she says in a soothing voice. “Are any of the pills on the floor?”
I scan the floor. “Um, some, four, maybe five.”
There’s a loud knocking on the front door. Elly runs out of the bathroom as I bundle Daniel in my arms and carry him to the hallway.
Three paramedics meet me with a stretcher. One of them feels his pulse while the other secures an oxygen mask around Daniel’s neck.
“He’ll be okay, won’t he?” I ask in a strangled voice.
“We’ll do our best, sir,” says the one checking Daniel’s pulse.
“Tristan, they’re unprescribed,” Elly whispers. “We can’t be sure what’s in them.”
I stare at her as I take in her words. “You have to be joking.”
“Where’s the pill bottle, sir?” one of them asks as they carry him out in a stretcher. I hand it over. “Who owns these pills?”
“They’re my mother’s,” Elly sobs. “I brought them back from Wales. Tristan, I’m so sorry.”
“Why would you do that, Elly?” I snap, nostrils flaring. “Why would you bring drugs into my house with my child here? Do you realise the damage you’ve done?”
She trembles. “We had a fight in Wales. I wanted to take them away from her, get rid of them… I wanted to”
“Get out of my way, I don’t have time for this.” I push past her, grabbing my house keys. Daniel is all that matters right now.
Panic swells inside me as we climb into the ambulance. I grab Daniel’s hand and pray.
