Buying the Bride

Slowly, I turn my head so I’m facing her more fully. “No, I did not. Neither did any of the other people who came to help.”

Maya’s smile falters. “No one would help that man, not after what he’s done.”

“Did you not read the sign at the entrance? There are hundreds of people willing to vouch for Andrew’s character.”

“Why are you doing this?” she asks, her eyes narrow.

I take a beat, and then look away from her. “You know why.”

She stiffens, and out of the corner of my eye, I see her face fall. Just like that, I suddenly understand what she was hoping for. She saw us together and thought that since he had suddenly slept with a model that this was her chance. She wanted to drive me away from him because she’s still in love with him. Or what she thinks is love.

“You’ll never be as good as we were,” she hisses at me.

I let a tiny smile form. “Maybe not. But we’ll be happier.”

Maya turns on her heel and storms out. Half the reporters in the room follow her outside, no doubt to question her about the exchange. There’s something in my chest that’s released. It’s over, for now. The video of our exchange will be online, and it will take the sting out of her accusations. It’s enough.

Suddenly antsy, I can barely sit still for the rest of the time that the gallery is open. As soon as the doors close and the rest of the audience leaves, I spring off the throne and run to the back room and launch myself at Andrew. “Thank you,” he says into my hair. “This was perfect. You were perfect. You have no idea how hot that was.”

“I may have an idea,” I say, pulling him further into the depths of the studio. I see a rack of clothes and pull him behind it. My whole body is charged with energy, and I have his belt undone before he grabs me by the wrists. “What are you doing?”

“What do you think?” I raise an eyebrow. “We won, and I want to make you feel as good as you make me feel. Right now.”

“Delia—”

“Andrew,” I say, reaching for him, “are you saying you don’t want to see me kneeling in front of you, naked, covered in diamonds, and sucking your cock?”

He groans, and lets me go. I grab his cock and pull it out, stroking it to full hardness—he’s already halfway there. I haven’t done this yet, and I’ve wanted to, so I take my time. I start with just my lips, kissing the tip and moving them up and down the length of him. I love the feel of him, smooth and hard, and I listen so the way his breath deepens when I kiss along his skin.

Now I use just my tongue to explore him, licking just under the base of his head, and downward. I cover him in long, broad, strokes that have his hands moving to my hair. I’d smile if my mouth weren’t otherwise occupied.

When I finally take him into my mouth, the sound Andrew makes sends a burst of heat straight through me. His fingers tighten in my hair and he pulls me closer. I love the way he fills up my mouth, the rich taste of him—I don’t need him to pull me closer for me to take him deeper.

“God, Delia,” his voice is hoarse, and I think that I should do this more often if it makes him sound like that. I suck back along his length, circling his head with my tongue before plunging down again. And again. I set up a steady rhythm, and I feel the way he’s growing tense, hear the way his breath intakes as I take him all the way down.

He’s speaking through gritted teeth now. “I’m not going to last.”

I blink up at him, and we lock eyes. His jaw is clenched and his gaze has that same fire it had on that first day. Slowly, I take his cock all the way while he watches me, and I watch him. That energy that began crawling through me during the show has turned into flaming arousal, and I’m so wet that I can feel the diamonds loosening on my thighs.

I speed up again, and Andrew goes utterly still. His hands are gripping my hair, and his breath goes shallow. I know he’s close, and I use it to my advantage. I tease him, sucking and licking, breaking up the rhythm so he doesn’t know what to expect, so he’s on the edge.

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath.

His hips are moving, thrusting into my mouth, and I meet him stroke for stroke. With one last push I take him deep, swallowing him so my nose is against his skin, and Andrew comes, crying out my name. His cock jerks in my mouth and I swallow every drop of what he gives me, savoring the salty taste along with something that’s deeper—just him.