Page 91 of Tears of Ink
I bite on my bottom lip to stop me from saying anything. It’s none of my business anyway.
“Listen, Eli,” I keep my voice soft, so he doesn’t think I’m having one of the strops it seems he expects from me. “Don’t drive back tonight. I don’t know if you were planning on it, but I’m worried about you being tired.”
“I’m hurt,” he mocks. “You don’t want my spooning tonight?”
“Hm, well you did only say every other night, so technically you’re keeping your promises.” An unexpected giggle escapes my lips and I bite it back.
His fingers are hammering keyboard keys in the background and I know he’s busy, let alone the fact I’ve got a roomful of expectant teenagers waiting for some direction.
“I’ll see you when you get here. It’s all cool. I’ve got to go, Eli.” His name sounds delicious on my tongue.
“Don’t break too much glass.”
I glare at Tabitha as I hang up and she turns to me and smirks, her eyes dancing. “Cheeky, remember who gives you your workload every day.”
She giggles and Lewis looks at her with interest. “What’s going on?” he asks.
“Nothing.” I sigh, but Tabitha raises her eyebrow and elbows him in the ribs.
“Elijah and Faith are having a thing.”
I stare at her horrified. “We are not.” My face scorches again. I am so very un-badass.
“Sure.” She gives me that look that only an eighteen-year-old can pull off. Part sheer contempt, part uncertainty. “Hey, I like it. It means I see him more, and that’s always a good thing.”
I turn and pretend to be uninterested in her assumptions, but inside my heart is beating wildly. The last thing Elijah needs is his awful mother and grandmother finding out about us. He’s in their bad books enough as it is.
“Right, let’s move this to the hallway. It’s time to build this exhibition.” I turn to our wonderful creations and split the group up into teams to help move it all. I’m going to make it look so damn good, it will be one less thing for Jennifer Fairclough and her mother to moan about.
I startle when the gentle rap on the bedroom door disturbs my text conversation with Abi. She now knows everything, and honestly, if anyone can squeal while only writing in messages, Abi can.
I told her it’s nothing. Nothing for her to get excited about. That she probably won’t even meet him, this will all be over soon and then I’ll be working out my next plan. Which reminds me, I need to ring the gallery in Whitechapel and see if they’ve shifted any of my stock. I won’t hold my breath.
It’s probably Jennings asking if I need anything before he turns in for the night. As far as I can tell, he never has a day off, but I know he and Elaine are liking the fact Lewis and I have taken up residence in the kitchen at meal times. Jennifer didn’t bother to come and ask why I was no longer coming to the dining room. I’m guessing she worked it out.
I swing the door open and my stomach tightens and then plummets.
“Turns out I can’t stay away.”
Eli’s blue eyes meet mine and then I’m kissing him, tugging him into the room and slamming the door shut with my foot. “You can’t keep driving every day like this,” I mumble against his mouth, my tongue alternating between kissing and talking.
Then talking is over, it’s just us. I’m tearing the suit and shirt from him, battling cufflinks that seem entirely unnecessary, and waiting for his hands to find my skin.
“Shit, you feel good,” he groans as he drops his head, his lips grazing my shoulder, then up and along my neck. We are skin on skin, and I’m on fire.
“It’s a long way to come to get naked with someone.” I grin at him and it’s like I’m slowly morphing into a different person, a person brought about by Eli Fairclough.
“It’s two hours.” He grabs me up, sliding my legs around his waist. “Believe me, it’s worth every damn second.” I cling onto him as he walks us to the en-suite. My breasts are pressed tight against his chest, my nipples hardening as they brush his warm skin. He flicks the shower, the jets booming down onto where we stand. “I need to get rid of the city.” He kisses my mouth, our lips sliding as the water rushes over our faces. “And then I need you.”
He drops me to the floor. My legs are wobbling, but thankfully, he still holds me tight as he rains kisses down on my face. Breaking free, I reach for my lemon soap and lather it in my hand before dropping it back onto the chrome shelf and running my bubble-filled hands along his chest. He shuts his eyes and rolls his neck as the steam rises. His erection grows as my hands drop further down his chest, across his taut abdomen and to the V of his muscles. He’s just too much of everything to look at —I’ve never seen anything like him, never been inspired to stop and look before. But now I’m looking and everything I see is pure perfection. My hand grips his hard on, the remaining soap giving me a silky lubricant. I rub my hand up and down, keeping my grip firm until he groans and one of his hands snakes forward to my hip, tugging me closer. “Every day should end like this.”
“Or begin?” I meet his gaze and wink, mesmerised as he grabs the soap and begins to lather it over my skin. God, it’s heavenly. He pays extra attention to my breasts until my nipples are standing proud, the darting water from the shower beating down on them. When his hand slips between my legs, delving into soapy wet moistness, I whimper a little. He massages and circles until I’m quivering, my knees opening. He spins me until I’m leant against the tiles of the wet room, his fingers skimming along my buttocks, delving deep. When he positions himself at my entrance, pulling my hips back a little, I’m ready. There’s an intense burning tingle right down deep, waiting for him to ease inside. He eases in, slowly and fully, just like last night. Shit, that’s good. I cry a little, trying hard to contain myself as he fills me up.
“Fuck,” he mutters, his fingers sliding along my back, tracing the patterns of my ink. I push back, grinding my hips in a circle, desperate for more.
He has at it, building it slow and steady until he’s pounding deep within me and I’m screaming with every thrust he makes.
“Faith,” he groans my name, “please tell me you’re close.”
