Chapter 31

SPOV

I slowly woke up still in a bit of a daze, but feeling completely well rested and more than a little warm. When I went to stretch out is when I realized I wasn’t alone and my eyes shot open to see a sleeping Eric lying underneath me.

At least I didn’t feel like screaming and launching myself from the bed, or couch, or whatever.

His face usually so full of expression, either good or bad, was completely relaxed in slumber making him appear younger than his 29 years and I couldn’t resist running my fingers over his whisker covered jaw line. Eric had definitely gotten extra in the looks department when God was handing them out and if he’d asked for them, I figured God might be a woman because it was damn near impossible to deny him.

Unless he was being an asshole.

But he hadn’t been an asshole, to me anyway, since our fight over his choice of décor (or my irrational jealousy) before Gran called on my first day in his house. It was hard to believe it was a mere three days earlier when I’d woken up in this exact same position, sans clothes, and wanted to get as far away from him as quickly as possible. With that thought and noting it was still dark out, I laid back down on top of him completely content where I was as I thought about everything that had happened the night before.

I was sure the movie he’d picked was God’s way of making a joke, as was trying to make me watch Captain Jack Sparrow without a hint of the lust I felt for him since Eric was right there. Orlando Bloom was in that trilogy as well, so of course I’d seen them all thanks to Amelia and with Johnny Depp on screen the majority of the time it wasn’t a hardship.

But out of all of the things that happened between Eric and me, I was shocked at what I found I loved the most. The kissing and groping was great, as were the playful moments in the kitchen, but I think what I enjoyed most was being in his arms and telling him about my day. It was something I used to do with Gran (the telling her about my day part) that I missed more than I’d realized after moving away. Amelia and I barely saw each other when we lived together because our schedules never seemed to match up between work and school. Quinn would always do the majority of talking whenever we were together telling me all about him and rarely asking anything about me unless it had something to do with him.

Eric of all people, a celebrity practically from birth, not only asked me about my day, but paid attention when I spoke. I worried because of his stardom he might think and act like the world revolved around him, but he’d barely had anything to say about himself or his day. Even though I’d been facing away from him I could feel him nodding in all of the appropriate places and he’d asked relevant questions at times, so I knew he’d been listening, but mostly he just let me talk. It felt nice being heard, as well as the comfort I felt in his embrace, and it was something he could definitely add to his accomplishments on his wooing checklist.

I felt Eric begin to stir not long after the sky started to lighten outside and when I went to move off of him his arms, already wrapped around me, tightened their hold as he murmured, “No,” and threw one of his legs over both of mine just in case. I wanted to giggle feeling like a Sookie-sized security blanket, but stifled it seeing he wasn’t truly awake yet. As I lay there contemplating different Cirque de Soleil acrobatic feats I’d never actually be able to do in order to get out of his grasp I felt something else underneath me stir.

The Kraken.

I knew it was normal for guys to get morning wood and all, but did it have to be so damn tempting? Nothing more than a few scant millimeters of fabric separated me from his bounty and I had no doubts when it was finally unleashed I’d be completely shattered when all was said and done.

I shoved all innuendo about vessels, swords, walking his plank, and ports in a storm from my mind (shiver me timbers indeed) before I soaked us both all over again without need of the kitchen sink and just looked down at him. I never would have thought I could already be so comfortable with someone having barely known them, but the fact remained that I did.

I’d meant what I said when I told Eric I no longer loved Quinn; I’d actually convinced myself I never really did. I loved who he portrayed himself to be, but the man he truly was deep down inside, was someone I would want no part of now or ever. His actions and the hurt he’d caused left me wary, but knowing that I resolved to do my best to not make Eric pay for Quinn’s transgressions. Amelia kept telling me the best way to get over a man was to get under another one, but I was sure this counted in her book no matter who was on top. Even though Eric and Quinn were alike in many ways, their differences made them worlds apart and it was those differences that I loved about Eric.

Liked about Eric.

Liked.

“Sweet baby Jesus,” I whispered trying once more to break free from my sinewy ripple-y Heaven/Hell before I ended up farting rainbows to complete my fairy tale now that I could feel where Eric was hiding the requisite unicorn.

A low growl vibrated from his chest and shot straight to my ovaries only making my situation even direr until I finally started wriggling in earnest to break free before I could pull his waistband down and my sleep shorts to the side going for an early morning ride on the unicorn.

Shameless. Hussy.

“Good morning,” his voice rumbled beneath me still hoarse with sleep.

I looked back down seeing Eric’s eyes halfway opened, squinting as they adjusted to the morning light, and a small smile on his kissable lips; lips I would have probably leaned down and kissed last night without any thought, but the morning light brought with it a bit of hesitancy on my part.

What if the Eric from yesterday turned back into the asshole from Saturday? It was just the start of day four in our relationship and I was still afraid and feeling a bit vulnerable having woken up on top of him. It didn’t turn out so well the last time that happened, no matter what my libido was saying.

“Good morning,” I finally replied.

His small smile turned huge and I felt my unnecessary unease fly away, much like my panties wanted to seeing him all sleepy/smiley/cuddly. It wasn’t fair he had all of that going for him and his bare chest in his arsenal when all I had were the twins. He was still staring at me so I added, “I guess we fell asleep?”

Eric smiled lazily and stretched a bit saying, “Yes we did, but you fell asleep before the Kraken was released.”

Well, shame on me.

“That’s too bad,” I replied, thankfully without choking on my own tongue. “Maybe I’ll be awake for it next time.” As if I could possibly sleep through the monster in his pants being unleashed. I glanced at the clock and noting the time I said, “I need to get ready for work.”

His arms tightened their hold again saying, “Okay,” in a complete contradiction to his actions.

I wiggled a bit which he seemed to enjoy given the smile on his face and said, “I can’t get up if you don’t let me go.”

The look in his eyes changed from playful to intense as he said, “Maybe I don’t want to let you go.”

Oh.

Before I could formulate a response Eric’s hand snaked up my back to my head pulling me down for a kiss that made my toes curl and my earlier hesitancy was gone with the wind. Wicked and immoral joined the party running along the sides of his body from his tapered waist up, forcing their way underneath his back and gripping his shoulders from behind as if they wouldn’t be late to work right along with me while his other hand wrapped around my lower back keeping me pinned down on top of him. At the moment I had no issue with that because my libido was firmly in charge of my body.

The unicorn trapped in his pajama pants was trying to make a break for it almost convincing me to give him a happily ever after right fucking now, but somehow rational thought fought its way back into my head. I knew not only was it too soon, but I doubted calling in ‘fucking’ on my second day of work would be taken well by the Headmaster.

Reluctantly I pulled away saying, “I can’t be late on my second day of work.”

“Speed,” he replied as he kissed a spot underneath my ear causing my whole body to shudder.

I found it to be a very convincing argument at the moment, but I knew the longer I stayed on top of him the more difficult it would be to separate my body from his. “Eric,” I sighed hoping he’d get the hint and let me go.

“I like the way that sounds, but I think you can put a little more oomph into it,” he murmured against my skin while he thrust his hips upward causing both of us to moan out loud.

“Erriiic…” Yep, a shameless hussy.

“That’s better.”

He claimed my lips again and I had a feeling I would never get away, not that I really wanted to, but I knew I had to so I racked my brain to figure out a way out of his grasp when it came to me.

Wonder twin powers: activate! Form of a visual distraction.

I pulled my face away from Eric’s and rubbed my body up his until my sleep shirt covered braless breasts were front and center in front of his face. Eric’s eyes flashed with lust as his hands loosened their hold on my body and ran up to cup them at their sides, but it was a dual edged sword because if I let him spend too much time with them I’d be fucked. Literally.

As Eric leaned up to do exactly what my body was screaming at me to let him do I pushed up away from him and leapt off of the couch. The sad look on his face with his outstretched hands reaching for where my breasts had been would have been comical if I wasn’t panting with need myself and I grimaced when his eyes furrowed at me saying, “That was mean.”

I refused to look anywhere below his waist and instead focused on his face, “Sorry, but I’m going to be late. I didn’t do it to be mean; we’re being clockblocked.”

He pulled one of the couch pillows on top of his face like he had that first morning we’d woken up together and I faintly heard him say, “I know.” He sounded so defeated and God knows I was feeling his pain, but it couldn’t be helped so I took the opportunity to kiss the top of his head not covered by the pillow and went to my room to change. I was thankful I’d showered the night before so all I had to do was wash my face and brush my teeth before getting ready. Once I was dressed and ready for work I made my way back to the kitchen with less than five minutes to spare before I had to leave and Eric was waiting for me again with a cup of coffee in his hand.

I took it from him saying, “Thanks. Does this mean you’re not mad at me?”

He cocked an eyebrow at me before smiling and said, “How can I be mad at you? The clock, however, will feel my wrath after you leave.”

Thank God. I didn’t want to have yet another argument and after I finished my coffee I packed a quick lunch of the leftover chicken knowing I wouldn’t want to leave the school grounds if the paparazzi would be waiting. As I gathered my things to leave I turned and asked, “Will you be home around six again tonight?” I wanted to know so I could have dinner waiting for him.

Eric pursed his lips saying, “No. We’re taping tonight so I probably won’t be home until after eight.”

“Oh.” It was silly to already miss him, but it was his job so I guess we’d be clockblocked again. “I guess I’ll see you when you get home then.”

He walked forward with a smile, handing me another apple and saying, “Have a good day.” Before I could contemplate whether or not I should kiss him he leaned down giving me a tender kiss goodbye and I kept a firm reign on both Wicked and Immoral knowing I had to get going. I also needed to pick up those panty liners.

We said our goodbyes and I left in an Eric induced daze not even caring about the awaiting horde of cameraman at the gate. The day passed by in a flash filled with more classroom preparation and meetings. Sam and I ate lunch together outside and I learned he ran a collie rescue in his spare time as he tried to recruit me into fostering one, but I’d politely declined knowing I had enough on my plate as it was. Before I knew it, it was time to go home, but I wasn’t really looking forward to it knowing Eric still wouldn’t be home for hours so I decided to fill my spare time with actually cleaning the house since I wouldn’t have him to distract me.

The kitchen was already clean since I tended to clean as I cooked and he wasn’t a slob that I could see so it didn’t take long to dust and clean the floors in the downstairs either. I gathered the laundry I’d accumulated so far into an empty laundry basket and paused outside of Eric’s closed bedroom door. Would it be presumptuous of me to walk in to get his laundry? I decided it wouldn’t be since we’d already agreed I would be doing all of the cleaning and opened the door seeing his room for the first time.

It was huge with large windows on two walls with French doors leading to a balcony overlooking the backyard and in the center was a humongous platform bed. The dark blue comforter on top was crumpled to one side with the impression of where his body had been lying still imbedded on the white sheets. The furniture was dark wood with sleek modern lines and the walls were bare. Aside from the messy bed you wouldn’t know anyone lived there. His walk-in closet was filled with more clothes than I’d ever owned in my entire life and as I gathered his dirty clothes from his hamper I decided I would wash his bedding as well.

The bed sat up higher than the one in my room and I couldn’t resist jumping up onto it before I actually removed the sheets and buried my face into his pillow enjoying his scent. I rolled into the middle of the bed and sprawled out with both of my arms and legs stretched wide, neither one even close to touching the edge, and giggled again about everything with Eric was big.

I rolled around like a lunatic laughing and tangling myself up in his sheets, but my fun came to an abrupt end when my body flushed with embarrassment and I screeched hearing a voice at the doorway saying, “If you wanted to get into my bed, all you had to do was ask.”