ELLIE
“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to stifle a laugh and clutching the fabric of his shirt on his back to keep myself from falling as we walked through the bar’s door. Why was I laughing?
Ignoring me, he kept walking down the sidewalk.
“Are you crazy?” I insisted, trying to make him stop.
I couldn’t see clearly from the position I was in, but the street seemed empty.
“Ethan!”
“You did it.”
“What? Put me down,” I protested.
He smacked my ass, making a sharp sound escape my throat.
“Are you drunk?” I asked, slightly breathless.
He suddenly stopped on the sidewalk, stepping into a dark alley.
“Ethan? What are you doing?”
In the alley, he set me down and stepped closer, making me back up until I felt the cold brick wall behind me. Placing an arm behind my head, he closed the distance between us.
It was dark and chilly, but I could still see his face and feel his warm breath against mine.
“Sometimes I think you do this just to piss me off...” he whispered, gripping my chin firmly. “Then I remember you’ve always been this way since day one. Completely irritating...”
Was he annoyed? What was he even talking about?
“How much did you drink? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know you can’t help it. But this is what you wanted, isn’t it?” he said, releasing my chin.
His fingers slid to the inside of my thigh, moving slowly, sending shivers up my spine and igniting my desire. His lips were almost touching mine.
“Ethan...” I placed my hands on his broad, muscular chest, feeling his scent and touch dissolve my reason.
“All that silence...” he continued, whispering through gritted teeth.
His fingers stopped at the hem of my dress, making me ache for more.
“Smiling at everyone except me, avoiding me all day...”
So that was it—he thought I was trying to irritate him.
“I wasn’t...” I tried to explain, but he slipped his hand under my dress, sliding into my panties and cutting off my thoughts.
His fingers found my clit, making me shudder with pleasure. He began moving them slowly, destroying my reason.
“Wait...” I grabbed the fabric of his shirt on his chest, trying to resist as pleasure turned my mind inside out. “Not here.” I bit my lip hard.
“You told me to wait until we were in London. We’ve been here for two days,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine, his fingers moving in circles.
“Oh, my God...” I moaned, gripping the fabric tighter, aching to feel him completely. But I couldn’t forget where we were.
“We can’t do this here.”
“Yes, we can,” his lips brushed against mine. “Just like we did in France. Remember how you almost begged me to fuck you?”
The memory flashed before my eyes, making me smile as I tried to endure the delicious torment of his fingers.
“Yes...” I murmured breathlessly. “I remember being surprised that a bastard like you refused to sleep with me. You thought I was too drunk.”
“Clearly, I’m not doing my job well if you’re still able to talk,” he said, increasing the pressure of his fingers, making me moan loudly.
“This is insane...” I muttered, meeting his intense gaze.
His fingers moved lower, sliding through my wetness.
“Then why are you so wet?” he teased, his voice a deep, husky whisper, making me lose control even more.
“You never play fair,” I growled softly, sliding my fingers through his hair and pulling him closer as I pressed my lips to his, unable to resist any longer.
I kissed him deeply, wanting everything, but he quickly took control, dominating my lips with his own, wild and hungry.
“You’re so predictable, Brown,” he taunted. “Always get all huffy when you miss my cock.”
“Screw you... I wasn’t irritated,” I growled breathlessly, struggling to speak as he moved his fingers.
“Then what? You know there’s no reason to be jealous of anyone else.”
*Arrogant idiot.* His words made me smile.
“You really are a self-absorbed jerk.”
He smirked wickedly before plunging two fingers into me, making me gasp.
*Oh, God, yes...*
“Haven’t you teased enough for one day?” he began moving his fingers deeply, again and again, leaving me starving for more.
“I wasn’t even trying.” I clutched his shoulders, biting my lip to muffle my moans.
“I planned to be nice and make you come on my tongue before punishing you, but you’ve just made me change my mind.”
“You’re punishing me for something you made up in your own head?” I teased with a grin. “See the difference? That’s teasing.”
He growled low and deep in response. With a swift move, he grabbed my hips and spun me around, forcing my hands onto the damp wall. A second later, he hiked up my skirt and ripped my panties with ease, tearing them from me.
I heard the sound of his zipper, and a moment later, he thrust into me, making me tremble with pleasure. And as always, nothing else seemed to matter, only the indescribable feeling of him moving inside me, erasing every thought, leaving only pleasure.
In those moments, the entire world disappeared, and it was just us—the sound of his moans, his ragged breathing, and the touch of his hands moving over my body, squeezing my breasts, and pulling me against his large, firm frame.
The pleasure built quickly as his movements became faster and wilder, clouding my mind and heating my skin, each thrust bringing me closer.
I surrendered completely, letting myself be consumed by the familiar sensation because I felt safe and trusted him.
Then why was I still afraid?
How was it possible that I could trust Ethan to surrender myself to him completely in moments like this, yet still feel afraid that he might leave me?
Perhaps it was easier to surrender physically when my mind disappeared, leaving no space for fear or worry.
I had to accept that, after everything we’d been through, fear was normal, but I couldn’t let it stop me from moving forward.
Even with the risk that my greatest fear might come true someday, deep down, I knew I would never let fear push me away from him. I simply couldn’t pull myself away from him now.
I had to face it and take the risk. After all, isn’t that what love is about?
With my eyes closed, and my hands pressed against the wall, I was completely surrendered. My mind was already lost, consumed by pure pleasure, and my body was nothing but sensation, throbbing with delight.
A small drop of water suddenly hit my face, snapping me out of the trance and making me open my eyes. I looked up, feeling more drops hit my skin as Ethan moved behind me, driving his hips against my ass vigorously. Each thrust harder than the last, making my eyes roll back.
Soft raindrops soon turned into a light rain, making me smile at the memory of us falling into the mud. But the rain wasn’t going to stop us.
My insides were on fire, throbbing harder with every thrust as he hit the same spot, giving me more than I could handle. But still, I wanted more. I wanted to tear our clothes off to feel his warm, firm skin sliding against mine. I wanted to feel his hands all over my body and the taste of his lips.
Letting my head fall onto his shoulder, I used one hand to grab a fistful of his hair, pulling him closer. I moaned into his ear, urging him to move faster and rougher. We were slick with sweat, our clothes dampening under the drizzle, making everything more intense.
“Is this what you call punishment?” I teased breathlessly, despite being on the edge.
He growled in frustration, gripping my hair tightly as his left hand found my clit. He massaged it frantically, making me lose my mind as he moved violently.
“I hate it when you ignore me...” he growled, panting, pressing harder on my clit. “I hate it when you don’t talk to me,” he continued, thrusting brutally. “If you’re mad, fight with me. Just... talk to me, damn it.”
His words and his sexy, frustrated tone pushed me over the edge, making me crumble. I came hard under his thrusts and the touch of his fingers. My body trembled and throbbed before exploding, releasing all the tension and transforming it into pure ecstasy.
Ethan gripped my waist, holding me steady as he kept moving, torturing me a little longer until he finally reached his climax. His grip tightened around me as he groaned gutturally into my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
I listened as his ragged breathing began to slow, while my strength slowly returned.
Seconds later, I turned around, meeting his gaze in the darkness. I held his face in my hands, feeling a twinge of guilt for how I’d acted.
“I’m sorry. I was scared,” I whispered, caressing his face.
Looking into my eyes, still slightly out of breath, he cupped my face and kissed me, pressing me against the wall again. It was a deep, lingering kiss that left me breathless when he pulled away.
“Marry me?” he whispered, making my whole body freeze.