Take It All by Alexa Riley

Chapter Four

Rory

“So you can tell me my fortune?” I ask as we exit the restaurant.

“Maybe,” she hedges, but I see the smile she tries to hide.

“I’ve never met anyone who uses tarot cards before.” Reaching down, I take her hand as we walk down Main Street toward her car.

It’s late, and we were at the restaurant long enough for the stars to come out. I’d gotten a text from Apollo at dinner telling me he was eating with Jaxson and would be home late. Then Anna got one from her daughter Celeste saying she’d grabbed food on the way home and was watching a movie.

When her hand is in mine, it feels like we’ve done this for a long time. It’s natural and easy with Anna, and I’ve never felt so pulled into a woman before.

With Apollo’s mother it was a drunken one-night stand, and I didn’t even know her before that night. When Heather told me she was pregnant, I was shocked to say the least but was ready to step up and be the father my son deserved. I’d even made a room at my family estate for her to live with us while we tried to co-parent.

Heather didn’t even stay one night after coming home from the hospital. She dropped Apollo at my house and said she needed a break after taking care of him for nine months. Those first few days alone with him were the scariest of my life, but somehow we made it through.

“You can tell me what you’re looking for or ask me a question, and I can use the cards to guide me. I’ve been told I’m pretty good at it.”

“What would they say if I asked you to see you again?” Her car is up ahead, and I’m desperate for this time with her to keep going.

“Hmm.” She pretends to think it over, but I can see the light in her eyes. She’s not fooling me. “I think there’s a very good chance of me agreeing.”

“Tomorrow,” I say when we stop and she takes out her keys.

“So soon?”

Her blond hair shines in the moonlight, and I step closer. I’m dying to run my fingers through it, but I settle for tucking it behind her ears. “I don’t date, Anna.” She swallows hard as I move in a little closer and her back presses against the side of her car. “I haven’t had sex in a long, long time.”

She licks her lips and looks up at me through her lashes. “How long?” The question is so soft I almost don’t catch it.

“I’d say about eighteen years and ten months, give or take a few weeks.”

I watch her throat move as she audibly swallows. “T-that’s a long time.”

“I’m not one to be casual about any decision I make.” Leaning closer to her, I watch her eyes close slightly as I move my mouth to her ear. “And I’d very much like to make love to you.”

She gasps as I graze my lips against the shell of her ear and inhale her sweet scent.

“Rory, I—” She swallows again as I lick the same trail my lips made.

It’s been so long since I’ve been this close to a woman, I don’t even know if what I’m doing is right. I just know this feels so fucking good, and from the quake in her body, she agrees.

“You don’t have to answer yet.” My lips move to her neck and then slowly along her jaw. “I’m not going anywhere.”

When I get to her cheek, I lean back so I can take her face in both of my hands. With one long look in her eyes, I make my intentions clear. When she doesn’t tell me to stop, I bend down and press my lips to hers.

Hot electricity cracks between us, and for half a second, I wonder if she’s shocked me. The warmth of her soft lips melts against mine, and she gasps as if she feels it too. I take the opening to slide my tongue inside and sweep it against hers. She’s hesitant for a heartbeat before she returns the taste. Her hands come to my chest, and her fingers move to the inside of my jacket and around my ribs. It feels like she’s everywhere, and goddamn it, I wish she was.

I groan into her mouth as I push my body flush against hers, my cock grinding against her belly. My hands hold her face steady as I kiss her like it might be the last one I’ll ever have. It’s consuming and so thorough that there isn’t a chance in hell she’s ever been kissed like this before. I’m desperate to keep taking more and more, but afraid she’ll push me away.

“Rory,” she moans, and her nails dig into my sides.

Fuck. One of my hands slides down to her thigh, and I hitch it up so I can get closer to that heat between her legs. Without considering where we are or if anyone is watching, I thrust against that sweet heat between her legs.

“More,” I growl and kiss her again, harder and more possessive.

There’s a small whimper in the back of her throat, but all she does is cling to me harder and suck on my bottom lip. Holy shit, I’ve never felt anything so damn good, and I wonder what her mouth would do on my cock.

“Excuse me.” There’s a voice behind me, and I startle at the intrusion.

It annoys me that I have to stop kissing Anna and that I have to put her leg down. I can’t turn around because my cock is too fucking hard to hide, so I crane my neck around to see the asshole that interrupted us.

“Sorry, Mr. Crew, but you forgot your credit card,” the waiter from Gio’s says as he nervously walks closer and holds it out as far as he can.

Anna must feel my dilemma because she smiles at me then reaches out and takes it from him. “Thank you,” she says, and I hear the waiter quickly scurry away.

“I would apologize, but I’m not sorry.” I slide my hands around her back and then lower them to grip her ass. “Come home with me.”

I’m already thinking of a way to get her home before Apollo gets in. The estate is big enough that we have multiple entrances and exits. Plus our rooms are in opposite wings of the house.

“I, um…” She looks up at me, and damn it, I know that was too fast.

“Hey,” I say, moving my hands up her body. I rest them on the hollow of her neck, and I can feel her heart beating under them. “It’s been so long, I’m not sure how to do this anymore.” When I smile, she softens. “I’ll do this at whatever pace you set. You tell me what you need, and I’ll give it to you.”

“That simple, huh?” she teases.

“Yes.” When my voice is serious, I think it surprises her. “I’m not a man that does anything half-assed. If you want the world, I’ll give it to you. All you have to do is ask.”

“You are not at all what I expected,” she says, more to herself than to me.

“Tomorrow. I need to see you tomorrow.” I have no idea what’s on my calendar, but it just got wiped clean.

“We’ll see.” She grabs her keys off the ground, and I didn’t even realize she’d dropped them.

I step back, giving her room to open her car door but desperately worried she’s going to slip through my fingers. “Anna.”

“I have your number,” she says before she goes up on her tiptoes to give me another kiss. I lean down to meet her lips, and it’s just as soft and sweet but over far too quickly for my liking. “Goodnight, Rory.”

I watch as she gets into her car and then drives away from me. It takes everything in me not to go after her, but even just meeting Anna today, I can tell she’s not the type of woman you hold down. She’s as skittish as a kitten, and I’m going to have to lure her closer. When she decides to give herself over to me, that’s when it will be too late for her to run.