Page 25 of Autumn & Woods
“Yeah, but it forced me to get on my shit, you know? I stay focused and I stay out of the way.”
He nodded. “That’s why you move the way you do, like you got somethin’ to lose.”
“I goteverythingto lose.”
We both fell quiet after that. The air in the room felt heavier, but not uncomfortable. Woods looked at me for a while before speaking again. “You ever been in love? Like for real?”
I hesitated. “Once. I think. It felt like love at the time, but looking back… it was trauma bonding. He just happened to catch me at a time when I was broken enough to think chaos felt like home. And… after him came a man who was broken in ways I couldn’t fix. Been working on myself lately.”
He studied me with something unreadable in his eyes. “I feel that. I don’t know if I’ve ever really loved somebody the way Iwannalove somebody.” The way he said that made my stomach tighten. The silence between us shifted again. He leaned forward slowly, forearms resting on his knees, eyesdipping to my mouth. “Is it just me or you wonderin’ why the timin’ of this feels right even when you wasn’t lookin’ for nothin’?”
“Yeah,” I whispered, my pulse picking up. I swallowed. “This feels… fast.”
“Nah,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “It feels real.”
The way he looked at me wasn’t rushed or reckless. It was intentional. Like he had already made a decision and was just giving me time to catch up. His words settled somewhere between my thighs and my chest. The burn from the tequila had nothing on the heat building inside me now.
Woods leaned in, lips brushing mine, and I kissed him first this time. Soft. Lingering. Heavy. And the way he kissed me back was like he’d held back long enough, and now that I cracked the seal, he was going deep. His hand curved around the back of my neck, firm but not forceful, and pulled me in like I was his. I melted into it, rolling my hips against his thigh. Woods made me forget everything but how good it felt to be wanted like this. With patience. With hunger.
His mouth trailed from mine to my jaw, to that sensitive spot behind my ear that made my thighs twitch. “I’m tryna suck on that pussy like a turkey bone,” he muttered, voice thick, and we both laughed a little.
I bit my bottom lip, breath catching. “So, what you waiting for?”
He didn’t wait for my response. In some swift motion, he stood up and yanked me to my feet. Then, he started walking me backwards, slow and deliberate, hands firm on my waist,eyes locked on mine like he was daring me to look away. Like if I blinked, I might miss something important. He reached back, opened the double doors to the bedroom, and it was exactly what I expected.
It looked straight out of a music video with a plush king-sized bed with black satin sheets. The tray ceiling lit softly with a gold glow. Velvet bench at the foot. Another damn fireplace flickering low in the corner. The kind of room people dreamed about but never actually got to experience.
Woods paused, like he was letting me take it all in. Then he kissed the side of my mouth and stepped back. “Go ‘head and freshen up for me.”
I nodded, lips slightly parted, heartbeat in my throat. I slid off my dress, then unhooked my lace bra, letting it fall to the floor. Nothing but skin now. I padded across the suite and disappeared into the bathroom. It had warm lighting, double sinks, marble countertops, and a rainfall shower already. I needed that. Not just to clean up, but to gather myself. After what happened at Big Mama’s earlier, I definitely needed a reset.
I moved quickly as I cleansed, telling myself to stay calm and keep it cute. Told myself not tooverthinkthe way he touched me. The way he looked at me. The way I wanted his scent all over me. When I stepped back out, the bedroom lights were dimmed, and Woods was sitting on the edge of the bed in just his black boxer briefs. Shoulders broad, chain resting on his chest, tattoos catching the low firelight. Eyes locked on me.
He didn’t say anything at first. He just watched me as I crossed the room without breaking eye contact and stopped a few feet away.
“So,” I said, my voice soft but steady, “what now?”
He stood up, eyes dragging down my body, then back up to meet my gaze again. “Now,” he said, voice low and calm, “you find out what it feels like when I take my time.”
Lord, help me.
Everything in me clenched because I already knew that he meant every word.
Woods pulled down his boxer briefs, and for the first time, I could see his dick in good lighting. His long, heavy, thick, and veiny chocolate dick stood at attention like a soldier ready for war as he pulled me closer and slid his hand under my chin.
He kissed me like my lips were dessert, tongue swirling while his hands moved with purpose to grip my neck. Then he bent down and sucked a nipple into his mouth without warning, tongue flicking, mouth warm, and the way he groaned made me throw my head back.
“Shit… Woods…”
He didn’t rush. He took his time as he guided me onto the bed. Once I was down, he gripped my thighs and pulled me toward the edge of the mattress. His grip was firm, possessive, and his eyes never left mine. Then he spread my legs, licked his lips, and went in for the kill. That first lick was everything. A full stroke straight through the center, like he wanted me to feel all of it. He knew exactly what he was doing.
My breath caught. “Oh my God…”
He didn’t respond with words. Just a low moan that vibrated against me like he was already hooked. My hips lifted off instinct, but he dropped one hand over my thigh and held me there. “Nah,” he muttered, voice low and rough. Then he dragged my legs wider with both hands, locking me in place like I wasn’t going anywhere until he said so.
Every flick of his tongue was precise. Every suck was focused. He was locked in, devouring me like this was his last meal. I couldn’t stay still. My body wouldn’t let me.
“Shit, Woods… please…”
