Not that I understood what the fuck any of that meant.
I mainly understood she was kinky, a devoted masochist, and I hadn’t satisfied my curiosity yet. I knew she loved pain…that was obvious…but how much pain? I wondered what she’d make of The Gallery, where pain ruled, and submissives weren’t allowed to use safe words.
Ugh, why was I standing there staring at her with a hard on? Why was I watching her sleep? I had to get dressed—quietly—and figure out how I was going to get everyone from Gibraltar Flight 451 to New York.
I moved my luggage over near the wall where we’d fucked. Focus, Dev. I opened my suitcase and pulled on some jeans and a tee shirt, tucking away my inconveniently horny cock. That done, I checked my phone and found messages from Gibraltar Air officials, from my parents, and my friend Milo back in New York. I texted everyone, promising a longer reply later. Ella stirred, moaning in her sleep. Had she been plagued by crazy dreams too? Fort texted a moment later, while I was still staring at her mouth.
Good morning, hero.
I texted back a thumbs up. Three blinking dots, then:
Did you ever make it to your room?
I frowned. Why was that the first thing he asked? No, I texted back. Ella was freaked out. Didn’t want to leave her alone.
Hope you were able to calm her down. He omitted a wink emoji, but I knew what he was insinuating.
Going to contact Gibraltar, I texted, and see how soon we can get out of here.
Sounds good. Let us know.
I got out my laptop and booted it up. While the login screen loaded, I found myself drawn back to the balcony view. Thank God this splotch of land was here, rooted in the middle of the ocean. On the table across from me, Ella’s glasses remained folded, reminding me of all that might have been lost.
Chapter Seven: Ella
I woke from a nightmare, clawing the sheets beside me, reaching for Devin. I found emptiness, and for a sick moment felt myself falling through a whooshing gust of air. Silence, no engines. Just falling, falling.
“Devin!” I cried.
His arms came around me, waking me fully. “I’m here,” he said. “We’re at the hotel, okay? You’re safe.”
I let out a breath, pressing my forehead to his chest. My fingers closed around his arms. I didn’t want to let him go. “I had the worst dreams last night,” I said.
“Me too.” His chin brushed back and forth across the top of my head. “But everything’s fine.”
His clean, male scent inundated my senses, his closeness bringing back memories of our wild encounter last night. We’d had crazy, rough sex against the wall, without using any protection. My ass still felt tender from the way he’d spanked me. He was dressed, but I wasn’t, and I felt exposed.
“I should probably…” I forced my fingers to unpeel from his muscular arms. “I’m okay. I just need to start feeling human again.”
“I can understand that.” He eased back so he could look me in the eyes. “Listen, before you get up, I need to tell you something.”
I shook my head. “You don’t.”
“No, I do.”
His eyes were too intense, and I felt too naked, because I was naked. “Can I please get dressed?”
“In a minute.” He pushed me back on the bed, tugging the covers up to my neck so I felt less exposed. “There’s something I didn’t admit to you when we met. Something I should probably have disclosed.”
I sucked in a breath, fighting the arousal flaring again in my body. “Is it about Via Sofferenza? You don’t have to tell me. I know. I knew from the beginning.”
He rested his cheek on one hand, propped over me. “Since when?”
“Since you opened your mouth and talked to me at the airport. I recognized your accent, and your voice. I just didn’t want to talk about it.” I hid my face. “I was embarrassed.”
“Why embarrassed? Both of us were there.” He pulled my hands from my face and held them over my head. It felt sexy and scary and…what were we talking about? “I tried to keep things professional,” he said, refocusing my attention. “I knew you hadn’t seen me because of the blindfold, but I saw so much of you. So much beauty and abandon. Then we got to the room last night, and…”
“And we finished what you started.” I turned my head, afraid he might kiss me. I wasn’t ready for kisses, because everything about our situation was so strange. “It was one of those existence-affirming things,” I said. “I mean, I was glad you initiated it, be
cause I needed it, too. Obviously. But now I think I have to…” I shifted against him, warmed by his nearness, but wary of it also. “I have to get up and, you know, do things.”
“Right. Of course. I just want you to know that…” His voice trailed off. “Well, I can get tested for STI’s if you want.”
I cringed. “I can’t think about that right now.”
“You shouldn’t worry, that’s all I’m saying.”
“Okay.” I blinked at him, moving my hands in his. “I’ll try not to.”
“Okay.” He released me and helped me stand. I tottered toward my suitcases, fully aware that the bruises on my ass were in full view. I grabbed my glasses on the way, and snatched up the sheer panties that had been dropped in the middle of the floor.
“I wouldn’t think an astrophysicist would wear panties like that,” Devin commented from the bed.
“Well, I’m a theoretical astrophysicist, so…” I crouched, rather than bent over, to rummage through my clothes and toiletries. “And don’t worry. I’m not one of those needy, clingy women who falls in love as soon as she has sex with someone.”
“Thank God. I’m not worth falling in love with.”
I straightened, surprised by his self-deprecation. “I don’t know about that. You saved some lives yesterday.” Silence strung out between us as his gaze raked over my naked body. I stared back, amazed anew by his outsized physical presence. I felt drawn back to the bed, back to his arms, but I resisted. We shared two things in common: mind-blowing sex, and the fact that he’d saved my life. It was a powerful combo in such a small space.
“Okay,” I said, taking a step back. “I’m going to…” I gestured toward the bathroom.
“Do you want me to leave?” he asked. “Or should I stay so we can talk some more about what happened last night?”
I took a deep breath, trying not to tremble beneath his unwavering light-blue stare. “I have to brush my teeth. And shower.”