Follow You Down Read online

  “Know what else they teach there?”

  “What?” she asked, picking up the last piece with her fork.

  “This.” Tristan intercepted her hand and fed himself the cake.

  “Jerk!”

  He gave her a cocky smirk in return. “You’re right. That was really good.”

  “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “Learn to share, or pay the price.”

  He dipped his index finger in the whipped cream that was on her plate and she spotted her chance to get him back. Grabbing his hand, she slipped his finger inside her mouth and licked it clean. Immediately, she realised her mistake. His face went blank, his body rigid, but his eyes… there was a storm brewing in them. They pierced her to the core and she found herself unable to move or even look away. And then, suddenly, his hand was fisting the hair at the nape of her neck and he was pulling her in for a kiss. His lips touched hers, soft and supple against her own, tasting her, kissing her, his movements slow and sensuous. He tasted like chocolate, and salted caramel, and even apple pie, and she wanted more, so much more than he was giving her right now. He took his time in sucking her bottom lip, nipping her, teasing her. Heat pooled in her stomach, spreading through her nerves, burning her up from the inside. It built and built until she was desperate and aching to deepen the kiss and then, finally, his tongue met hers, stroking her, exploring the contours of her mouth. Moaning, her fingers curved around his neck to pull him closer.

  There was no room for thought or logic in her brain. She was a complex bundle of nerves, reacting to the acute sensation of his body pressed against hers, his mouth pleasuring hers. It wasn’t until he was looming above her that she even realised he had moved her to the floor. His breath was ragged, his gaze heated, and she lay mesmerised under his stare. She reached up to touch his lips and he, in turn, kissed the tips of her fingers, making her stomach flutter with excitement. She closed her eyes, encircling him in her arms while he trailed wet kisses down her neck, biting her lightly with his teeth.

  His weight pressed down on her, heavy but comfortable, and she marvelled at the feel of him. It was as if their bodies were created to fit each other perfectly, like they belonged together.

  She curled her legs around his thighs, and felt his erection against her hips. Her fingers ached to reach down and wrap around his cock. She was dying to know what he would feel like in her hands, her mouth. Inside her. Oh god. Shit. She couldn’t remember feeling this kind of urgency before, this maddening desire to be with someone to the point where she was more concerned with pleasure than her own insecurities. Digging her nails into his arms, she began to pulse against him; Tristan exhaled a guttural moan in response.

  “Fuck!” he bit out, frustrated.

  Suddenly his mouth closed over her right nipple, sucking on the sensitive spot through the cotton fabric of her top and she jumped, unprepared for the erotic sensation. Her nipple puckered into a hard nub between his lips, responding to his tender assault as he caressed her with his tongue and teeth, and she dug her fingers into his scalp as a way to cope with the increasing pressure that was building inside her. “Tristan!”

  He leaned up to place a tender kiss on her lips before moving down to lavish the other nipple with equal attention.

  Lost in a haze of pleasure, she tightened her legs around him. What he was doing to her, what he was making her feel – it just wasn’t enough. She wanted more; she needed more, but she quickly snapped out of her daze when he started pulling up her top. Panic raced through her at the thought of him seeing her naked. After years of cutting herself, her body was a roadmap of self-inflicted wounds and she was not ready for Tristan to see that yet. As much as she didn’t want to care, a part of her was terrified he’d be turned off by the sight – like others had been in the past. “Tristan, stop!”

  *****

  It took a few seconds for her protests to register in his brain but when it finally did, Tristan pulled away instantly. His body hard, breathing laboured, he drew back. Vesper followed suit, sitting up on the floor, leaning back on the sofa. Fuck. The panic in her eyes was unsettling, like she was terrified he was about to pounce on her or something. “Fresh air. I need some.” The unmistakable look of relief that flickered across her face agitated him and he rushed to the balcony. Stepping outside, he took a few deep breaths. Cold air filled his lungs, a welcome respite from the heated moment a few seconds ago.

  Being around Vesper made him feel vulnerable, powerless, especially when she was touching him, kissing him. He’d always perceived loss of control as a weakness except seeing her freak out made him realise it seemed to be a bigger cause of concern for her than him. When Vesper had asked him to stop, she’d sounded afraid and genuinely worried. He hated that she thought him capable of that, but maybe that was his own fault – he hadn’t exactly been a figure of restraint around her.

  He turned around to watch her through the window. Still seated, she looked pensive. Trouble marred her face while she ran her fingers through her hair.

  Vesper was unlike anyone he knew, which meant all the things that usually worked to his benefit weren’t exactly helpful with her – like his family’s money, which was more of a hindrance than a positive. And while his good looks was something he didn’t put much value or importance on (it’s not like he did anything to earn them, he just got lucky when it came to his genes), a lot of women (and men) were drawn to him because of it. Vesper, however, didn’t seem to care so much about what he looked like as much as who he was underneath all that superficial bullshit. She saw right through the snide, disdainful mask he wore to the man he didn’t want anyone to know about and she still wanted him. It was exhilarating but also terrifying because what if there was something about him, something unexpected, that even she couldn’t stand. He hated that thought.

  She stood up all of a sudden, started collecting the plates from the floor and headed out of the room. He stepped back inside and made his way towards the kitchen, finding her standing by the sink, her back to him. “Vesper, are you afraid of me?”

  She jumped up, startled. “Shit!” She turned around, glaring at him. “I am when you sneak up on me like that!”

  “Sorry,” he replied sheepishly.

  “It’s okay. And to answer your question, no. I’m not.”

  Tristan wanted to believe her, but he still remembered the panic in her voice. “Then why did you freak out before?”

  “I told you why. It may take me a while before I sleep with you.”

  “That’s not what I meant. You looked terrified back there.”

  “I wasn’t. And even if I was, it didn’t have anything to do with you.”

  “Meaning?” he probed.

  “How about we leave the soul-baring for another night?”

  “I want you to trust me.”

  “And I want that too, but stuff like that doesn’t happen on command. Takes time, you know?”

  He took small steps towards her. “If I scare you….”

  “You do, but not because I don’t think you can stop when I ask you to.”

  The tightness in his chest finally lessened; he felt like he could breathe again.

  “I just wish things between us weren’t so….”

  “Intense?” he offered.

  “Yeah,” she sighed. “That’s what scares me. I’m not used to feeling that way.”

  “Me too.”

  She shot him a look of disbelief. “Yeah, whatever.”

  “You don’t believe me?”

  “You’ve been with a lot of women, remember? You’ve bragged about it non-stop.”

  “No. What I said was I knew a lot of women like you.”

  “’cause that’s so much better?”

  “Hey, I was an idiot. I can admit it.”

  “You were an asshole.”

&
nbsp; He responded with a shy smile. “I still am. I don’t think that’s going to change.”

  She smiled, a beautiful, loving smile that made him feel all warm on the inside. “Guess my tolerance level went up then. You don’t bug me as much.”

  “Wow. Such flattery,” he teased, playing with her hair. “Be careful with those compliments. I might end up with a big ego.”

  “Too late.”

  She reached out to nudge his chin but he caught her hand instead to pull her closer.

  “You’re not the only one scared. I am too,” he confessed, peering at her.

  “Why?”

  “Because this is all new to me.”

  “But you’ve done this before.”

  “Okay, yeah, so I’ve fucked around but it’s not just about sex with you. Sometimes I wish it was. Things would be so much easier.”

  “I was talking about being in a relationship, not the virgin thing.”

  “Oh.” His hands curved around her waist. “What about it?”

  “You and Lily. You know what it feels like to be in a relationship, to love someone.”

  It was his turn to panic. His hands dropped from her waist. What the fuck? They were barely on a date and she was already talking about love? “Look, maybe you think you’re in love with me–”

  “Oh my god. Get over yourself.” She rolled her eyes at him. “I’m not in love with you. All I’m saying is that you’ve been in serious relationships. I haven’t. Nothing about this is new to you.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. Everything about this, us, you feels new. I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to you.”

  His words finally seemed to get through to her. She was silent for a long time and he took the opportunity to smooth the loose strands of her hair away from her forehead, tucking them in behind her ear. He smiled to himself when she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

  “Do you think it’ll get easier for us? Maybe it won’t be so intense after a while?” she asked.

  Returning her hug, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Probably not. You seem like the clingy type.”

  “Yup. That’s me. Clingy.”

  He chuckled.

  “It’s late,” she said. “I need to go pick up my car.”

  Although he knew she wouldn’t go for his suggestion, he tried anyway. “Or you can stay here tonight and we’ll pick it up tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, and I’m the clingy one,” she retorted. “You’ll probably ask me to move in on our second date, and get married by the third.”

  “The lengths I’ll go to to not get laid,” he sighed wistfully.

  “Jerk.”

  Linking his fingers together behind her back, he gave her an affectionate smile. “Think I have time for a quick shower before we leave?”

  “I’m not joining you in there, Tristan.”

  “Good. Because it wasn’t an invitation.” He tapped her nose. “What is it with you women? You’re all obsessed with sex.”

  Smiling, she pushed him away. He could feel her eyes boring into his back as he exited the kitchen, a huge grin on his face.

  *****

  Clad in a towel, Tristan was busy pulling out a pair of jeans from the walk-in closet when he heard a noise behind him. He turned around to find Vesper standing by the door, watching him intently, her brown eyes inhaling him in. Under normal circumstances he would crack a joke to alleviate the palpable tension between them, but her heated gaze was consuming every inch of his bare skin, exciting him, and leaving his brain incapable of even thinking.

  She started walking towards him, her gaze locked with his. The pair of jeans in his hands dropped to the floor. He stood still, frozen, as she came to a stop in front of him. He felt heady and high, nervous and excited, the world around him falling apart as she reached up to touch him.

  Fuck.

  *****

  Vesper smoothed her fingers over his eyebrows, first the right, followed by the left. then trailed her hand down his left cheek at a languid pace. His skin was soft, so soft, and he smelled amazing, and she’d never wanted to be with someone as much as she did him.

  Tristan remained frozen the entire time her hands caressed him, watching her with a hypnotized gaze as if he was caught in a trance. She ran her fingers across his collarbone before idly stroking down his chest, smiling when his chest hair tickled her fingertips. She felt him growing hard against her hip, and the desire to taste him, lick him inside her mouth and bring him pleasure stirred deep within her once again. Aroused by the thought, she removed the towel around his waist, dropping it to the ground, and pushed him to lean back against the wardrobe.

  Vesper didn’t do anything at first, simply taking him in, admiring his gorgeous body. He was exquisite, and yet it wasn’t his looks that fascinated her the most – she was enthralled by the part of him he was always trying to hide. He could be really sweet at times, vulnerable even, but she also sensed there was a darkness in him that resonated with her.

  Her gaze trailed down to his cock. He was pink, hard and beautiful, but as much as she ached to wrap her fingers around him, she wanted to explore the rest of him first.

  Her lips closed over his left nipple, scraping the hard nub with her teeth, teasing it with her tongue. His breathing grew ragged, his body tense, and a satisfied moan escaped his throat as his fingers fisted the hair at the nape of her neck. “Vesper… fuck!” he said over and over again as she lavished the other nipple with equal attention.

  Tracing the contours of his abs with her fingers and tongue, she licked his skin and peppered kisses down his body until she was finally kneeling in front of him. Her tongue delved into his navel and he jerked, gripping her tightly. She glanced up at him to find pain and pleasure etched onto his face, his mouth open and panting for air. His eyes were the deepest of blues before he closed them. He didn’t ask, didn’t speak; he just waited with the most intense expression of longing on his face. Her mouth licked down the length of his happy trail, gliding up and down, taunting him repeatedly with the promise of her mouth. His body was entirely taut with tension and she almost felt sorry for teasing him. Almost.

  Her tongue flicked along the head of his cock ever so lightly, her touch as gentle as a feather, and he bristled, groaning loudly.

  “Like that, huh?” she asked, blowing hot air on his skin.

  “Fuck. Off,” he gritted through clenched teeth, his fingers digging into her shoulders.

  She chuckled. “That’s not very nice.” Finally her fingers wrapped around the shaft of his cock and his body trembled in response.

  He exhaled a sharp breath. “Vesper!”

  “Lucky for you, I’m not nice either.” She started working him with her fingers, her hands slick with his pre-cum, playing with him, eventually taking him inside her mouth. His nails curved into her scalp, almost painfully, but she didn’t mind; she cherished the thought of him losing control over what she was doing to him.

  The room echoed with his torturous moans as he alternated between grunting her name and swearing in frustration. At that moment the arrogant, smirking jackass she’d grown fond of had disappeared; in his place was a desperate man, eyes closed and head thrown back, demanding she finish him off, which only made her want to draw out the seduction longer.

  After all, this was only the beginning.

  *****

  Vesper came out of the bathroom to find Tristan lying naked on the bed, a beaming smile on his face. “You look like the biggest dork right now,” she teased, sitting down next to him.

  “A satisfied dork, you mean.”

  “Fine. A satisfied dork who needs to take me home now because I have an early class tomorrow.”

  He reached out to take her hand and press it to his lips, plying her with soft kis
ses. There was a gentleness to his touch which surprised her, filling her heart with a strange sensation.

  “You know how you asked me if this feeling was going away any time soon?” he murmured.

  “What about it?”

  “I think it’s here to stay.”

  She dropped a kiss on the tip of his nose. “Says the guy after getting a blow job.”

  “An absolutely fantastic blow job.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “I want to reciprocate,” he said hoarsely, his voice laden with desire. “Dying to, actually.”

  Even though her body trembled with anticipation, she knew she wasn’t ready to expose all of her secrets yet. “Soon.” Lying down next to him, she leaned into his hand when he cradled her face.

  “I wasn’t expecting that from you,” he whispered, the blues of his eyes glowing with affection.

  “Why?”

  “Because of the virgin thing. I assumed you’d be shy.”

  She traced his bottom lip with her index finger. “I’ve learned from experience that when sex is off the table, you have to find other ways to keep things hot. “

  “Ugh. I really don’t want to hear about you and other guys.”

  “Oh, come on. I’m a virgin, not a nun.”

  “Nope. I’m the first guy you’ve met. The first and the only.”

  His insistence made her chuckle. “Yeah, sure. You keep telling yourself that.” He smiled again, and her heart quickened.

  “You’re amazing.”

  “Yeah, yeah. So can we go pick up my car now?”

  A loud groan escaped his lips as he lay back on the bed. “Do I have to?”

  “Yes.” She sat up, slid out of bed and headed for the door.

  “Hey, Vesper!”

  She looked over her shoulder at him, and was mesmerised once again by the sight of his naked body. He was so comfortable in his own skin, and it was something she envied.

  “Just because I didn’t stop you today doesn’t mean you can suck me off like that anytime you want. I’m a sensitive guy. I need to be wooed first,” he said with a cheeky smile.