Page 43 of The Butterfly Effect
When I stood up and turned around, my heart stopped beating. My breath caught in my throat, and even though I blinked my eyes to convince myself I was seeing things, I couldn’t mistake the scent of cinnamon that drifted towards me on the breeze.
“What are you doing here?”
William stood across from me, his suit wrinkled from travel. His hair was mussed, but his jawline was strong and he bored his eyes into mine. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Jules.” His voice was low and raspy, and he spoke slowly, but the way he said my name hung in the air.
My knees felt like they would give in at any moment and that I should be lucky my legs were holding my weight. I took a deep, shaky breath and moved my eyes over his dark suit. He wasn’t wearing a tie, and the top buttons on his shirt were undone. “William… I can’t…” I started, unable to move towards him.
“No, let me talk.” He moved, closing the distance between us slowly and deliberately as he spoke. “I have never met someone who sets me on fire the way you do. Someone who makes me feel so alive it’s almost overwhelming. Who makes every day without them feel empty. I don’t know how this, us, can be real, but I know it makes me feel like every little part of me is on fire, and I would burn the fucking world down with me if it gave me you.”
He stood close enough to me that I could feel his chest heaving, and the smell of cinnamon was strong, making me want to bury my nose in his neck. I swallowed the lump in my throat, but I couldn’t stop one of the tears that had welled in my eyes from sliding down my cheek. His hand was warm and soft when he brushed it away.
“I don’t know what to say. I…I thought…” I couldn’t find the words to describe the lustful hate I thought he felt for me, or the way it was always like he was judging me. My mouth hung open, but I snapped it shut when I remembered where I was. “Wait. How did you find me?”
A proud smile pulled at his lips. “I don’t reveal my sources.”
“Andy…” I murmured, making a mental note to either thank or curse her later. “You really came all the way here just to see me?” The butterflies in my stomach swirled so fast I was nauseated and thought I might throw up the fruity pink drinks the bartender had made for me. My breathing sped up, matching my racing heartbeat.
“You could say that.” He put his hand on my hip, and I floated towards him, almost melting at the contact. I tilted my head to look up at him, trying to slow my breaths. “Take me to your room, and I’ll show you exactly how badly I needed to see you.”
I nodded, laughing at the fact I’d proudly told Andy and Katie I’d sleep perfectly well every night because there would be nobody in my damn bed. He leaned down to me and brushed his lips over my ear. “I’m going to kiss you now. So hard you’ll never get the taste of me out of your mouth.”
When he pressed his lips to mine tenderly but passionately, my legs buckled, and I leaned my body against his to keep upright. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me tight against him as he massaged his mouth against mine. When he brushed his tongue along my bottom lip, I opened up for him, and our tongues and mouths danced against each other in a desperate, needy manner.
“Julianna.” He pulled back, his lips just barely apart from mine. “Your room.” We pulled away from each other, and it took me a moment to catch my breath and regain the feeling in my legs before I could lead him to my room. When he grabbed my hand and wrapped his fingers with mine, warmth traveled up my arm.
I unlocked the door to my room and we slipped inside, barely letting the door close before William pressed me against it. The cinnamon smell that always made him so enticing was strong, and I inhaled deep, breathing him in. His body surrounded mine, and I ran my hands up his chest, unbuttoning his shirt on the way. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me, pressing my lips to his. I couldn’t resist the small moan that slipped from my mouth when he slid his tongue against mine.
He slowly gathered the material of my long dress until it was bunched at my hips and pulled it up, breaking away from my lips just long enough to tug it over my head. My breathing hitched when he traced up my spine and unhooked my bra. I couldn’t slide his shirt off his shoulders fast enough, not even letting it hit the floor before I was unfastening his belt.
In a swift motion, William lifted me and wrapped my legs around his waist, carrying me to the bed and setting me on it gently. He crawled over me, positioning his leg between mine and holding himself over me. Would he notice how wet I was through my panties? Would it leave a mark on the pants I didn’t get a chance to pull off of him? I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth, feeling a light blush grow on my cheeks when I met William’s eyes.
He pulled back and grabbed the top of my panties, tugging the lacy fabric down my legs and tossing it aside. William stood to pull his pants the rest of the way off, and I widened my eyes at the size of his already-hard dick, a smile pulling at his lips when he noticed. I rubbed my thighs together, eager for the friction I was lacking without his leg pressed against me, and satisfaction crossed his face when he watched.
William crawled back onto the bed and positioned his erection against my center, leaning down to place a light kiss on my lips. “I’m going to worship every inch of you tonight, Julianna, but right now I just need to be with you.”
I quivered at the thought of being worshipped by William Carlisle. “I need you too.”
The words had hardly left my mouth before he was sliding into me with a groan, and I arched my body against his. His movements were slow and deliberate as I stretched around him every time he got deeper. A quiet moan escaped my mouth, growing louder as William picked up his pace. With every purposeful thrust, he brushed against my sensitive spot, completely in control of the effect he had on my body.
I clawed at his back as he continued his movement, keeping the angles that made me cry out. He held my gaze, and even as I neared the edge, I couldn’t look away from the dark-brown eyes that had filled my dreams for months. I curled my toes and wrapped my legs around him as I whined, needing more.
“William…”
He moved his thumb to my clit, rubbing it in small, slow circles. I bucked my body against his, tightening my legs around him as he sped up. “Come for me, baby. I need to feel you come apart.”
I crashed into my peak and cried out. He continued to move against me, our bodies brushing against each other and our breathing heavy. He swelled in me, filling me with his release and then dropping his body next to me. William ran his hand up my body, lingering on my neck for a second before moving to my jaw and turning my head to face him. When he pressed his mouth to mine, I sighed. For the first time since I’d walked out of the office, I was comforted and relieved.
“I can’t believe you’re here.”
William peppered my neck and shoulders with small kisses and gave a satisfied sigh. He pressed his forehead to mine and moved his eyes to meet my gaze. His smile was content. “I am learning there are a lot of things I’d do for you I’d never do for anyone else. I’ve never loved someone like this before.” He kissed me again before tucking me against his side.
I blinked, trying to figure out if I’d heard what I thought I did. “You really love me?” My voice wasn’t more than a whisper, and my heart was pounding so hard that I was sure he could feel it where my chest pressed against his side.
“Yes, Julianna. I love you. So much it scares me. I don’t know anything about love, but I do know I want to be where you are. I don’t care where it is. I want to make you laugh and make you blush. I want you to call me out when I’m being an asshole because you’re the only one who will. I wantyou.”
I couldn’t fight the tears that pricked at my eyes as he spoke, a lone one painting its path down my cheek. He caught it with his thumb, and the tender gesture caused my heart to squeeze even tighter. Still, I couldn’t form any words of my own. My mouth sat open, and I ran my tongue along my bottom lip to wet it. The man who had put me through such an emotional rollercoaster, the one who I swore hated me, loved me.
He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips. “You don’t have to say anything, and it’s okay if you don’t feel the same. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t try to change your mind.” The smile on his face was easy and relaxed, and when he winked, the butterflies in my stomach fluttered to life again.
