Coffee & Poetry

Then he made the mistake of trying to stutter something polite.

"Just go," Rylan barked.

He immediately stumbled off.

Ella freed herself from his embrace and moved all the way to the opposite end of the couch. Facing him. And he didn't like what he was seeing.

"I have to go as well."

He shook his head. "No. Don't do this."

Her shock was fading, but her embarrassment and resolve weren't. "I shouldn't have done any of this, Rylan. Let's just quit now while we're still ahead – sort of."

"Ella, please," he'd never had much practice at pleading and felt he was doing it wrong. "Just stay a little longer and talk to me. Have your tea."

"Thank you for the tea, but I can't." She was already standing up as she spoke.

Her bag was at her feet. She picked it up then hesitated a moment, looking at the book in her hands. Shoulders straightening, she put the book on the table, hooked her bag on her arm and looked down at him.

She wanted to say more, he could see it. But she didn't.

She simply left.

Let her go. Let her go.

Rylan sat back and stretched his arms along the back of the couch. With an ankle crossed over the other knee, he cursed himself even as his eyes stayed on Ella. He still ached for her.

She still looked flustered – and upset. She passed the remaining couches then wound a path between the occupied tables in the other half. Instead of heading through the bookstore and straight to the exit, she was at the coffee counter.

After a word with the barista, she shook her head. Followed by another more vehement shake. The blonde girl seemed concerned; and after a long sympathetic look, pointed to a corner just beyond the end of the long coffee counter. There were tall potted plants in that corner and he couldn't figure out what the barista was pointing at.

Let her go.

Rylan picked up his espresso and took a sip.

Ella squeezed the other girl's hand then headed off to the corner. Once there she circled around the tall plants and disappeared into what had to have been a concealed corridor.

Let her go.

When he felt fit to walk, he beckoned for the bill.

On his way out, his eyes drifted to the poetry section.

"Damn it..."

What was happening to her?

Ella had never been with any man before who could make her feel like lava flowed through her veins. No one had ever gotten her that wet or that wanton before. In a public shop, for crying out loud!

Her hands shook as she approached the girl behind the counter.

"Where are the restrooms?"

"We don't have any for the customers, I'm afraid." The blonde girl replied. "You'll have to go out the bookshop doors and use the bathrooms around the corner from the elevators."

Ella's lip quivered.

"Are you all right, miss?"

Ella tried to nod, but the concern in the girl's eyes made her shake her head instead.

"I'll be fine," she answered. "I just need to freshen up a bit."

After a long look, the girl had a suggestion. "Look, we have a staff restroom in the back. You could –"

Ella shook her head again. "No. I wouldn't want to get you into any trouble."

"You won't," the girl smiled. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you really look like you need a time-out. I'll explain to anyone who kicks up a fuss – just go. It's right at the back, at the end of a corridor that you'll see behind those plants over there."

Ella was more grateful than she knew how to express.

As she hurried along the corridor, a stray tear fell and she knew there was no way she would have made it all the way to the public bathrooms in one piece. She had started her whole morning wrong and needed to recoup.

At the end of the corridor was a door that opened onto a large room. The front portion had a couch, a few chairs and a table in it – most likely a breakroom for the staff. Beyond that were many rows of oversized metal shelves, all stacked with massive boxes and piles of books.

Ella passed them and found another door with a sign indicating two bathrooms.

A splash of water cured her tears. She watched her reflection as she dried off and straightened her hair. The heat between her legs still throbbed on; she could still feel his touch, taste him...

What had started out as her thinking she could handle a casual fling, was now backfiring catastrophically. She had lost her mind back there – and now couldn't shake her need for Rylan.

Madness.

"You are a very, very silly woman," she huffed. "Stop this now."

With no real desire to refresh even the bare minimum of makeup she'd been wearing, she tugged at her clothes neatly into place then decided to leave. She'd wait for Cassie in her car if she had to. A dark, quiet basement was actually sounding rather inviting now.

She felt notably better by the time she stepped out.

Rylan Kade.

He was in the couch area, waiting for her.

"What are you doing here?"

His light gaze swept over her body, making her shiver. "I wanted to give you this. I bought it for you."

He held up a small leather-bound book similar to the one she'd been reading. This one was burgundy, though.

"I don't want it."

His hand lowered, his eyes challenging. "Just like you don't want me, huh?"

Ella opted for frustrated candidness. "Why do you say that? What could I possibly not want about you?"

His stare gentled slightly. "Then what are we doing? If you're not uncomfortable with our age difference, what else has you so spooked?"

"That was the last of my worries," she sighed wryly. "There are many more differences between us than our age, Rylan."

"So, it's the race thing then? You don't like white men?"

That made her laugh, a real albeit short laugh. "How can you even ask me that after...? I think it's safe to say that, at the very least, you're one white man I like far too much. No, this isn't about racial differences. I go with my feelings most times."

He took a step closer. "Except with me. Why is that?"

"What exactly did you mean about our age difference?" Her brow furrowed. "Why would, what, a six or seven year difference bother me?"

"It shouldn't, if seven years were accurate." He stopped before her. "I imagine you're far closer to that freckled fop in age than you are to me."

She laughed again. "'Fop', huh? Now I am wondering how old you are. You look..."

He placed a large hand on her hip. There was his scent again. The curve of his sensual lips and the allure of his stubble.

Hints of amusement lit his eyes. "I look...?"

She ignored her warming cheeks. "Uh, thirty-ish... thirty-five maybe? That puts me closer to you than that guy."

"So, you're not twenty?"

Another laugh from her, her eyes wide. "I haven't been for some time – I'm twenty-eight. And he looked... twelve."

That got him; and the sound of his chuckle pleased her. Whenever he touched her, she instantly slipped into a private little universe with him.

"And I'm forty."

Her head tilted back at that. "Really?"

"Uh huh." His fingers slipped beneath the edge of her top. "And you're avoiding my question: why are you fighting this so hard?"

She sucked a breath in. "It's complicated. I'm complicated."

His head lowered. "Aren't we all? I'm far from perfect or uncomplicated, beautiful."

"All the more reason to walk away from each other then."

"Except I don't want to," he growled. "I can't."

More than anything else, Ella was moved by what that admission must have cost him.

His lips found hers and again she lost herself.

Her tongue eagerly met his, but her hands were less sure. She lifted seeking palms as he pulled her to him, but didn't know where to put them.

He broke their kiss. "Touch me."

The vibrations of his forceful command made her stomach tighten. She slipped her hands beneath his jacket and smooth them along his white shirt. A muscle twitched in his jaw, a reaction she would have missed if she hadn't been watching him as he watched her.

His back was so firm, muscles bunched along his sides and abs as her hands trailed over them. His chest hard. He was in fantastic shape and he knew it. His grip on her hips tightened as she unbutton his shirt.

Skin.

Ella lowered her gaze to his chest. Her fingertips roamed up well-defined abs and then she skimmed her palms along his pecs. He had hair on his chest, dark against his light tan and a faint trail below his belly button. Ella swallowed reflexively.

When she looked up again, she saw the flecks of blue darkening within his grey eyes.

He grabbed her and lifted her, his hands gripping her firmly beneath her thighs as he walked her towards the nearest wall and pushed her up against it. Her arms clung to his neck, her head dropping back.

"I wanted to do this at your pace, bella, make it good for you," he groaned into her neck, "but I just can't. Need you now."

And then he bit her.

A breathless scream stuttered out of her and her own need rose to meet his. She pushed his jacket and shirt off. His tongue met hers again, a growl of approval rising from him as her swollen lips clung to his. He pressed up against her, her breasts squashed between them and her heart tripped as she felt his erection. It was big and brutal, rubbing against her, enticing her hips into thrusting back as her panties got wetter.

"I need you... too." She couldn't believe she'd managed the words.

Rylan's response to her confession was harder thrusts, a more insistent rhythm. She knew he could feel her swollen pussy through the thin materials separating them. She knew when his fingers tightened on her thighs, opening her even more to him.

She leaned back even further, her shoulderblades meeting the wall. He immediately took a nipple in his mouth, sucking hard. Her groan was guttural. One hand went up and her palm braced itself against a high shelf above them, the leverage gained allowing her to push her pelvis closer to him.

She felt like a dancer in his arms, gyrating for his blazing blue-grey eyes.

Rylan wrapped muscular arms around her and turned with her to the table behind him. He pushed her bag aside and gently eased her onto the cool surface. She loved the contrast, loved that his breathing was ragged and his mouth was devouring her breasts yet he still took such care of her. He honoured something precious in her.

Ella lay back, pulling him on top of her.

One of her legs was hooked over his slim hip, resting on his arse; the other cast wide, inviting him in. He resisted long enough to pull her pants off then came to rest between her thighs. He grabbed a breast again, drawing her aching nipple into his hot mouth. Her hips bucked.

One hand gripped the edge of the table above her head, seeking an anchor in their storm of lava and meteors. The other had a grip on his hair that had to be hurting him as she pulled him closer to her, feeding herself to him.

His hand was on her pussy again, massaging her through the silky material. She was almost self-conscious about how wet she was, but he wasn't giving her much chance to shrink away from what she'd become. His fingers were soaked and she parted so eagerly for him, knowing this only seemed to drive him crazier.

Suddenly his hand grabbed one of hers and drew it down to his overwhelming hardness. "Open it. Take me out. Look at what you do to me, bella."

Ella moaned. With her fingers wrapped around him, rubbing along the length of him, she suddenly ached for him in a way that had her glad he had pursued her until he got his way. She wanted him so badly. Needed him to fill the burning void in her.

"Fuck, I need you..."

"You have me, bella. Whatever you want, take it."

She tugged at his belt and undid his pants.

His fingers had slipped beneath her silk underwear already. "Ugh, Ella..."

The way he said it made it something between a grunt and a curse. She marvelled at the intensity he shared with her. He circled her clit with the tip of his middle finger, taking dark pleasure in the way her body jerked. Her wetness flowed hotly into the crevice between her buttocks. The first finger entered her smoothly.

"Fuck..." His forehead touched the valley between her breasts as his snarl invoked goosebumps all along her navel. "Fuck, baby..."

Her back arched. "Rylan, please..."

Her phone rang.

For a moment Ella had no idea what was happening. The vibrations on the table drew her attention to the little black rectangle as it shifted along the surface in rhythm with the tune.

Rylan froze and looked at her, his eyes dark. Her heart hammered at the searing intensity in his eyes and his finger still inside her. She knew what he was thinking and she shook her head. He watched her still.

There was no way she was retreating now.

Ella rose up onto her elbows, spreading her thighs further and reaching down over her panties to press on the back of his hand. "Leave it. Don't stop."

He kissed her then, a brief and hard consummation. Then he pulled back and watched her as he pushed a second finger into her.

She cried out his name, barely able to see him properly from behind her tilted glasses and the hair that had fallen forward. The ringing stopped which only served to make her cries sound louder.

He kissed her again, his tongue exploring her as his fingers pushed deeper then began a slow pump that coaxed more wetness from her. She surrendered to his mastery.

Ella had only ever been with four men, enough to make her believe no one could ever get her as wet as she did herself. Until now. Not only was Rylan mind-blowingly in tune with her needs, he had her wetter she'd ever been. And losing her hold on sanity on top of that.

Her phone rang again.

When her phone rang a second time, her breathing deflated a little. Rylan knew what that meant.

Ella glanced at her phone then back at him. "I'm sorry... I'm meant to be meeting a friend."

He narrowed his eyes at her. He wanted to be mad, but she was so breathless and hoarse...

"She won't stop if I don't answer," she explained, her chest still heaving.

She took off her glasses and tapped the screen before putting the phone to her ear. "Cass."

A female voice chirped at the other end and Rylan let his shoulders relax. Somewhat. Sure, he had a roiling jealousy in his gut that wanted to strike out any men around Ella. It was what it was. And there was nothing quite like the agony of feeling possessive of one who wasn't yours and never would be. He'd never been the insecure type – but he'd also never been the unwanted before. There was a difference between knowing a woman was yours and you were hers... and knowing you could only want each other just for one day, one inferno.

"No, it's not a problem." Her husk had gotten deeper, rougher. "Okay, let me know when you... get here."

His cock twitched.

He travelled a lot for work and could just imagine calling home and hearing that at the other end. Fuck, he'd probably try to drag her with him everywhere he went. There is no way he could call, listen to her come as he told her to touch herself... and then simply hang up and carry on with business. He'd go cra–

"No, of course I'm fine, Cassie."

Rylan pushed his fingers deeper as she spoke and her voice hitched on her friend's name. He smiled slightly at that. His eyes hard.

She was his. And he would be damned if he'd share her with anyone right now.

"What do you mean I sound funny? Don't be... silly."

He'd slowly extracted his fingers from and reached for the lace flowers along her hips to tug her underwear down. He wondered how many varieties of this look she had. Her clothes hinted at Afro gypsy-like tastes, rich fabrics in creative cuts. So her underwear had been a delicious surprise. One of many.

He'd didn't think he'd really expected anything in particular. Cute cotton maybe. Or something else, feminine yet comfortable. Thinking of it made him realise she would actually look hot in simple cotton panties, snuggled up in bed with her glasses on, reading poetry. He refused to dwell on the fact that the bed he pictured was his – yet again.

Regardless, the discovery of sexy silk boy shorts that matched her black bra had unleashed something feral in him. Strips of lace that matched the violet bow on front showed more skin at the hips. It wasn't just the sexiness of the underwear that had him counting down from twenty to keep from coming at the sight of her and the sound of her voice. It was also knowing that this was the sort of sensuality innate to Ella – wearing something this gorgeous and alluring was as natural to whom she was as the natural hair and ballet pumps.

"Yes, I'm sure... I still want... lunch. Just come."

The scent of her scorched through him. The lilies and lemons were one thing – but this... Her pussy... His mouth watered as his world tipped. He put his mouth to her without a second thought; lapped his tongue up the length of her slit then again and again when the taste of her made ecstasy snap at the synapses shooting a need that sparked along the peripheries of his skull and down his spine.

Her free hand pulled at his hair, feebly trying to make him stop. He ignored her and pumped his fingers into her. When he curled them inside her, her back arched.

"No, no... I can't, not now. I need... to go, Cass."

He pushed her thighs wider apart and latched onto her clit with his mouth. It was so swollen, so sweet as he nudged the tip of his tongue beneath its hood, flicking back and forth.

"Ugh, shit..."

Her hand had switched to pulling him closer now, riding his face.

"Uh uh, no... fine... Bye..."

Ella let her phone drop from her hand, no longer interested in it.

Rylan watched her rise up on her elbows again to watch him. He gripped her hips, pulling her forward and he stabbed his tongue into her. Her body locked into the new position, her toes pointing.

"God, Rylan...!"

There. That is what he wanted to hear, his name on her lips like that. Again and again.

He pushed her thigh higher with one hand, strumming her with the other. Licking her, eating her out like he never wanted to stop. He felt her inner walls tighten on his fingers, rippling and squeezing. Making him want to be inside her, all of him consuming all of her.

"Rylan, I... Shit, you're going to make me... ahhh..."

"Come for me, bella."

He locked his lips onto her and sped up his rhythm. Her hips bucked off the table as she thrust up at him. He reached up and pinched her nipple, twisted it 'til she made bucked again. And then it happened. She cried out his name, pulled at his hair and flowed into his mouth.

He withdrew his fingers and continued to lick her until her cries subdued into moans.

Then he straightened and kicked off his pants. He took in the tiny sweat beads glistening on her face, her chest, between her breasts and on the soft curve of her belly.

Her large dark eyes held a feline-like satisfaction as she watched him reveal himself to her. Each time she took in his body, now and before, each time she touched him, he knew she liked what she saw. He went crazy every time she bit or licked her full lips – but he was also proud of having that effect on her.

She sat up as soon as he was naked.

Rylan stepped forward into the heat she emanated and watched as Ella touched her lips to his chest. Her hands came up behind him and he felt her nails gently rake down his back. When they got to his buttocks, she cupped him, straightening up against him until his cock pressed against her swollen pussy lips. She ran her tongue around one nipple, watching it pebble. When he grunted, she bit into the other, extending his next grunt into a groan.

That would leave a mark.

The idea of being marked excited him. Regardless of whatever else wasn't real, right now this was: he was hers.