One Hot Secret by Sarah J. Brooks

Chapter 19

Grace

I wake up to Kyle’s hands cupping my breasts and softly massaging them. I let out a quiet moan and arch my chest into his hands. My whole body is aroused, and wetness seeps from my center to my thighs.

His hard cock slides between my thighs, and I lift one leg slightly. He hisses when his cock comes up to my soaking wet entrance. Kyle presses his cock in slowly, pushing my walls back and filling me up. He pulls out completely, and I push my ass back and make noises of protest. He chuckles softly and rubs the tip of his cock up and down my slit, teasing my clit mercilessly.

“Kyle, please.”

“Are you begging for my cock?” he says, his voice teasing and lazy.

My body shudders from unfulfilled need. “Yes,” I tell him between gritted teeth. I make a silent vow for revenge by teasing him the same way he’s teasing me.

He plunges his cock deep inside me, and I cry out as sharp pleasure courses through my body.

“You are so perfect,” Kyle murmurs into my ear with his deep gravelly voice that makes me tremble involuntarily.

He grips the leg I’ve lifted in the air, keeping it in place. I hang on to the side of the bed as he pumps in and out. Pleasure builds up in me rapidly as he carries me higher and higher until it reaches unbearable proportions.

“Kyle.” I whimper his name, unable to form any other word.

“My Grace,” he growls.

I reach the edge and cry out as my body explodes. I pant as if I’m out of breath and shake from the aftermath of the orgasm. Kyle keeps pumping, and then his breathing changes, and I know that he’s about to come. I drop my leg from his hold and squeeze my thighs together. Kyle comes with a loud roar. I’m sure everyone in the building heard him. I try to stifle a giggle.

“Morning, sweetheart,” Kyle says and kisses my bare shoulder.

“Morning, lover. That’s one hell of an alarm clock,” I tease him.

“I figured you’d like it.” His stomach growls loudly. “I’ll get us some breakfast from this awesome place I know.”

I sit up. “Or better yet, I can make us some breakfast.”

“A better idea, but I don’t want to be a bother,” he says.

“It’s no bother. I’ll just get cleaned up.” I kiss him and then pad into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Kyle gets in after me, and while he showers, I dress and tidy up the bed. I sing out of tune as I head to the kitchen. By the time Kyle joins me, I have our breakfast ready on the table. Eggs on toast.

“Looks delicious, thank you.”

He looks so hot with his hair matted to his scalp. He sits down and immediately descends on his food. I’m glad that he’s enjoying home-cooked food. I’ve noticed that he likes to get take out a lot, which I suppose is convenient for him. I, on the other hand, prefer home-cooked food. I love cooking.

“I have an idea,” Kyle says when we finish our breakfast and are sipping coffee. “Do you remember the sunroom on the second story of my house?”

I smile at the memory. “That’s my favorite room after your bedroom.” The sunroom has glass walls and a glass roof and was drenched in sunlight. I’d tried to imagine how it looked at sunrise and sunset and failed. It was beyond my imagination.

He laughs. “That’s good because I want you to use it as your art studio. It’s big enough to store all your work, and the lighting is perfect.”

I’m touched by his offer, but it’s not practical. “I’d have to drive to your place any time I want to paint.”

He stares at me. “I have a solution for that too. Move in with me, Grace.”

All air leaves my lungs. I slowly put down my cup and stare at him to see if he’s joking. I let out a nervous laugh. “Kyle, we’ve known each other for a month.”

“People have gotten married a month after meeting and gone on to have long happy marriages.”

I laugh again. I know I sound like an idiot, but I’m panicking. I feel like I’m careening uncontrollably down a muddy hillside.

“I had a talk with my security guys, and as nice and cozy as your apartment is, it’s making them uncomfortable. Should word get out about us, this place will be mobbed. It will become a circus.”

I shudder at the image he paints.

“My place is well secured, and I’ll feel good to know that you’re safe. I’m not asking you to give up your apartment. Just to move in with me.”

Everything he says makes sense, but it makes me nervous. Moving in with someone is such a big step even though it’s not proper moving since I’ll still have my apartment. But everything in me rebels against the idea.

Kyle’s eyes are pleading, and I can’t bear to give him an outright no.

“Let me think about it, okay?” I’m buying time because I know the answer already. It has to be a resounding no.

I know that in Kyle’s world, relationships move fast, but in mine, things progress at a more leisurely pace. My relationship with him feels like a ticking bomb to me. This bliss cannot last forever, and when it explodes, I want to have the option of having my own safe place.

“Take all the time you need,” Kyle says. He stands and carries our dishes to the sink, and after rinsing them, he comes and stands in front of me. “Just so you know, I’ve never asked any other woman to move in with me.”

I swallow an avalanche of emotion. It was easier when I was lying to myself that it was probably something he did often.

“I’ll leave you to work while I go and catch up on some things at home,” he says.

I stand up, and he pulls me into his arms. I wrap my hands around his neck, and we sway together and kiss for the next few minutes. Kyle breaks the kiss and pulls away.

We walk together to the door and indulge in another long lingering kiss.

“If we keep this up, you’re not going to get any work done,” he says.

And then he is off, and the apartment is quiet.

I want to dive into work, but before I do, I desperately need to speak to someone. I return to my bedroom, grab my phone, and plop down on the bed. I speed-dial Isla’s number, and I’m relieved when she answers on the second ring.

“Hey, you,” I say.

“Hello, stranger,” she says.

“Are you at Mark’s? I can call back.”

“No, I’m at home, and he just left. What’s up?” Isla says.

“Where do I start? Kyle wants me to move in with him,” I blurt out and then tell her the rest of it, his worries about security and assurance that I’ll get to keep my apartment.

“I agree in that your apartment doesn’t offer the best security,” Isla says.

I tense. “Are you saying that I should move in with him?”

“I’m saying that you should be realistic about who you’re dating. He’s not Jack the firefighter. He’s Kyle, one of the biggest movie stars.”

“Grrrrrrr … you’re no help.”

She laughs. “I can’t tell you what to do, but you shouldn’t give in to it if you don’t want to. Life is too short to force yourself to do stuff that doesn’t make you happy.”

We wind up the conversation, and I don’t feel any closer to making a decision. I put on my smock and head to the studio, grateful for the sanctuary that my little hobby provides.

Except now, it’s not a hobby. I’m going to have my own solo show. Everything is already set up, and I dive into work. As it happens when I’m into a project, I lose track of time and place, and nothing else matters except for the story I’m creating on the canvas.

I don’t know how much time has passed when I hear the doorbell ring. I jump from my chair and hurry to the door. My heart dances when I see Kyle.

“How did you come up without me buzzing you in?”

“There was a girl from downstairs leaving the building. She buzzed me in,” Kyle says.

I see what he means about security being lax in my building. Kyle kisses me and then looks at the front of my smock.

“Have you been working since I left?” he says.

“Yes,” I say sheepishly.

“You make me feel like a slacker.”

“Don’t. I’m not usually like this, but I’m feeling particularly inspired.”

“I can’t wait to see the finished products unless you want to give me a peek now. You know, the kind reserved for special people in your life,” Kyle says.

I laughed. “Not going to happen.”

“I’ll be patient then,” Kyle says. “I’m taking you on a picnic.”

My heart soars. “Okay. I’ll just change into something decent.”

I change into a pair of jeans and then follow Kyle out of the building.

“Where’s Ethan?” I ask him when we go to his regular parking at the back of the building.

“He’s off. I’m your driver today,” Kyle says, walking to a silver Porsche I hadn’t noticed.

“Nice.” I slip into the passenger seat. The inside is luxurious with black leather seats, wood trim, and a dashboard that looks like it should be in a small airplane.

We drive out of the city, and I sink further back into the comfortable seat as my busy day catches up with me. I let out a yawn, and my eyes threaten to close.

That’s when I realize that we in some kind of park. “We’re going hiking?”

Kyle laughs. “You’re so cute when you’re tired, and the answer is no. Just a picnic with a view.”

We drive uphill for ten minutes or so. Kyle drives off the road and follows a dirt road until we come to the end of it. He stops the car and comes around to open my door. Only then do I realize we are on top of a mountain, and the view is absolutely lovely. Below us are the tops of trees that resemble hundreds of gigantic umbrellas. Kyle opens the back passenger door and removes a picnic basket. The sight of it reminds me that I haven’t eaten.

“Still tired?” he asks me as he locks the car.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He grins and takes my hand. “I know this quiet place.”

I chuckle. “How do you know these places?”

“You have to know them if you want to be out and still have some privacy.”

We follow a path framed by towering trees until we come to an open space with wild grass growing tall and swaying in the wind. A sweet, honeyed scent wafts up my nostrils, and a soothing noise fills the air.

“What is that?” I ask Kyle, stopping in my tracks.

“You’ll see,” he says mysteriously. “You’re safe; don’t worry.”

He tugs my hand, and we continue walking. We go through the meadow and to another path. Then all of a sudden, as if a curtain has been drawn open, there lies a magnificent, huge waterfall.

Streaks of gold sparkle in the water as it tumbles down the rocks that jut out from the waterfall. “Oh, this place is beautiful.”

“I knew you’d like it,” Kyle says.

“Thank you for bringing me.” I’m surrounded by so much beauty that it makes me emotional.