Page 68 of Bargains with Benefits
Her answering moan had my wind lifting her body from the bed, angling her right where I wanted her while preventing her movement. I feasted then, relishing her taste along with every noise I wrung from her.
“Vincent,” her voice was shaky from the inability to catch her breath. “More.”
I smiled smugly while continuing my ministrations. My fingers worked her along with my tongue.
Her hands raked into my hair again, directing me where she wanted me. I followed, cataloging her likes, wanting nothing more than to have her languid and satisfied. Even suspended in the air, she bucked with her rising pleasure. My wind spun tight, holding her firmly as her hips chased my tongue, demanding more, demanding everything I wanted to give.
“Right there,” she said, and I needed no further direction. Her body coiled even as my wind held her in place. Her heels reached for something to push against, and her hands searched for sheets to wrap around, everything building to the final stroke of my tongue, the final plunge of my fingers, before I sucked hard on her clit, granting her the friction I knew she sought. Her answering cry was a beautiful melody, one I hoped to recreate time and again. I didn’t stop, didn’t slow as I worked her through her climax, sucking and licking as she rode her release.
With my wind wrapped around her, I could feel her muscles uncoil, her legs straighten as her body went soft from pleasure. I released her from my hold, setting her back down on the bed.
“That was…” She struggled to push herself to her elbows to look at me. “That was perfect.”
I knew my smile was broad enough to show all my teeth. “I’m happy to be of service.”
She pushed farther forward, where I still hovered on my knees, and kissed me. My cock twitched at the thought of her tasting herself on my lips. She was reaching for me before I could form another thought. Each stroke of her hand along my shaft sent reason farther from the surface. There was something I had to do—somewhere I had to be. None of it seemed to matter as her hand slid against me.
“I—” Words escaped me. I swallowed, realizing themeaning of the smile playing at her lips and the shift of her body as she worked to flip me over. “As much as I’d like to continue,” I choked out, glancing at the sun streaming through the cottage window, “I need to get to the paper.”
She let her hand fall, granting me a semblance of focus. Her smile was sinful, as if she realized her effect on me. I took a deep breath, clearing my lust-addled mind, though a distant part of me knew this was more than that. “I have to turn in the recommendation piece today. It’s not ready yet.” She didn’t look worried, but I didn’t want to disappoint her.
“You know…” she started, but I cut her off.
“I know you don’t need it before Long Night. I know everything you would say, but please.” I leaned forward. “Let me do this for you.” I kissed her deeply.
She pulled me down against her, wrapping her arms around my neck. “If you insist,” she whispered against my lips. “Come back to me as soon as you can.”
“I will.” I kissed her again, using all my willpower to pull away. I wanted to do this, though. It meant a great deal to me to help her this way. We would have a future full of mornings like this. I could spare one to do this for her.
I swipedmy quill back and forth across my face, and my leg moved restlessly in my chair. Usually, the newspaper office was a welcome place of energy and ideas. Today, I could only think about getting back to Luna’s cottage.
At least I hadn’t wasted the day. I’d gone back through the memory stone and the other documents Patricia had provided when she gave me the assignment. They proved to have no other helpful information. Even when they’d been pointing directly at Darius Pierce, I’d said they were vague. Now that I knew he wasn’t against the school, they were all but useless.
On top of everything, I was struggling with the draft to recommend Cliff House Inn. I’d started it the same way I’d done all my other recommendations, with an eye on why the fae would find it an excellent establishment. It hadn’t taken more than a few paragraphs to realize I hated it. No matter what Luna said and how ready she was to go to any lengths to save the inn, I hated portraying her this way. I hated trying to fit her unique flare into the box of fae propriety.
It felt wrong.
Crossing out another line, I finally gave up and crumpled the paper. I pulled out a fresh sheet. I would write this the way I should have from the beginning.
This draft came much easier. A few hours later, I was tweaking the final words, ensuring they communicated everything I wanted. This piece was certainly different, but that made me like it all the more.
“Vincent, do you have a minute?” Patricia called from her office door.
I needed to talk to her anyway. Today was the day I owed her my answer on the feature. Darius wasn’t guilty, and I had no other leads. Nodding, I strode across the room.
“Have a seat.” She closed the door behind us and took her seat behind her desk.
“Do you have the school bribe piece for tomorrow’s paper?”
I crossed one leg over the other, taken aback. That wasn’t what I’d said I’d deliver today. “I’ve verified that Darius Pierce is not trying to stop the school’s development.” I ran my hand through my hair. “Unfortunately, I don’t have any new leads.”
Her eyes widened. “You couldn’t have verified.”
“I did. I found the full letter to go with the scraps in the folder.”
“There’s no way you—” She looked worried now, and I didn’t like it. I had been about to tell her about Luna, that I had a source on the inside, and that she’d helped me verify theinformation, but I knew a look of determination when I saw it. Something in Patricia’s features had me on edge. She was surprised I had anything. Had she expected me to fail so completely?
Probably. But why? Why would she give me something she didn’t want me to complete?
