Darn Knit All (All Access #3)

Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

MAI

Theo

Got any great porn recommendations? I'm in the mood for something spicy tonight

Mai

I appreciate you trusting me with this new step in our friendship. Alas, no. Not really. I tend to get my jollies off while reading books. There's something about being able to connect so deeply with the characters that really gets me going

Though, now that I think about it, I don't mind a good slow and sensual massage video or two. But it has to be genuine connection couples not, wham bam thank you ma'am. I'm really picky

Theo

PORK!!

PORK RECOMMENDATIONS!!!

I BOUGHT PORK!!!!! PORK!! I WANTED SPICY PORK RECIPES!!

FUCKING AUTOCORRECT!!!

But since we've started down this track…. Have you tried erotic ASMR?

W e lived to fight another day. Erike eliminated Alec and Tempest De Soto. The weight of our own survival pressed heavily on my chest, as if my heart threatened to burst through my ribcage. My fingers trembled as I clutched the sketchbook in my hand, seeking solace in the familiar pages.

Come on, Mai. Think!

After a grueling day of filming, we’d retreated to the sanctuary of our hotel room. Theo had ordered room service, and now we sat huddled over the small table, surrounded by scattered papers and design tools. I needed to rework our design to incorporate a candlestick. Its inclusion had become a crucial element that would determine if we’d make it through to the grand finale. The pressure felt suffocating, weighing on me with an intensity I couldn’t ignore.

Desperate for inspiration, I’d lit a few of the candles, hoping they might spark an idea. But alas, my mind remained blank.

Pressure is on. You need to get this right to get into the grand finale. Everything is riding on this, Mai. Everything.

“I have an idea,” Theo announced, tapping a pencil against the tabletop.

“I’m glad someone does.” I pushed away my paper, running fingers through my hair. “Shoot.”

“They’re expecting fire, right?” He dropped the pencil and ran his fingers over the top of the flame of one of the candles. “What if we did the opposite and used the wax?”

I wrinkled my nose in confusion. “Wax and clothing?”

“No.” He lifted the black candle with one hand, holding it six inches above his opposite wrist. “Wax and skin.”

He tipped the candle on its side, and I watched as a droplet of wax pooled before cascading over the edge to land on the sensitive skin of his inner wrist. He sucked in a breath, his teeth catching his bottom lip.

The interplay of the dark liquid against his light skin, the way the flame flickered and danced as more wax slowly fell to cover his arm in a patchwork pattern of droplets… It all coalesced to unlock a deep, unexpected need in me.

I want to feel that.

I licked my lips, my gaze trained on the falling wax. “Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Not if you do it right.”

I glanced up, meeting his dark gaze. His eyes held a new intensity, and in them. I read a hunger and need that mirrored my own desires.

Oh.

Our dynamic had changed. I could see it in his gaze, feel it in his touch. An intimacy now existed, new and fragile but building.

I liked it, even if this change terrified me.

I silently scolded myself, attempting to regain control over my racing thoughts.

“W-what is your idea?” I asked, desperate to cut the tension between us.

“We were planning on putting her in lace gloves, right?”

I nodded.

“Here, let me show you what I’m thinking.”

He replaced the candle in its holder and held out a hand, wiggling his fingers. “Give me your hand, Mai.”

With only the slightest hesitation, I slid my palm against his, sucking in a breath when his warm fingers closed around mine.

“Watch.”

He reached for one of my silver markers, pulling off the cap with his teeth. A hot liquid shimmer pooled low in my abdomen, reacting to the strangely primal move.

This is Theo. Your friend. YOUR FRIEND!

“What if…” Theo murmured, bending over my hand. “We do something like this?” With slow, gentle strokes, he ran the silver gel pen over my skin.

I tried to ignore my reaction to his touch. Tried not to catalogue the multitude of sensations that sparked at every glide of the pen and brush of his fingers.

“Are you cold,” he asked, his voice a low whisper.

“No,” I answered, my tone similarly hushed. “Why?”

He paused to brush his pinkie over my forearm. “Goose bumps.”

“I—”

How did one find the words to describe the pleasant tingles that shimmied from my head to my toe?

“It feels nice.”

He made a sound in his throat—an affirmation? A groan? An acknowledgement? —and dropped his head to continue drawing.

The pen swirled, creating an intricate latticework representation of an elbow-length glove.

“Now,” Theo murmured, setting the pen to one side. “We add the wax.”

With gentle, deliberate movements he lifted the black candle, holding it aloft. He tipped it, sending a single drop to slash down against my skin.

I hissed as the warm liquid latched on, shuddering when Theo blew on it, helping the wax adhere to my skin.

“Too hot?”

I shook my head, my eyes closing as I gave in to the multitude of sensations assaulting me.

The flash of heat had reduced but still lingered. The pinch of the wax as it hardened. Theo’s firm grip as he slowly rotated my hand, covering it in a multitude of droplets. His warm breath as he blew against my wrist.

“There,” he eventually murmured, releasing his grip on my hand. “What do you think?”

I forced my eyes open, struggling to pull myself free of the pleasant tingling state of relaxation he’d created.

“Oh.” I touched the edge of a wax droplet. “Theo, this is gorgeous.”

He’d turned mere wax and pen into an elegant Victorian-lace glove. Turning my hand this way and that, I couldn’t help but envision how this would look when paired with our steampunk-princess-rescues-herself dress.

“It’s perfect.”

He grinned, flicking hair out of his eyes. “I’m occasionally useful.”

He reached for my undecorated hand.

“What are you doing?”

His thumb brushed the soft pad of my palm. “Your other side.” He reached for the pen. “You good with that?”

I swallowed hard as a deep ache began to pulse in my abdomen; my gaze fixed on his as I summoned my courage.

“Yes.”

He bent over my hand, his breath warm as it brushed my overly sensitive skin. My eyelids drifted closed, my body relaxing under his attention.

“Mai?”

“Mm?”

“You ever think about me?”

His words hung in the space between us.

I opened one eye, peeking out at him. “Of course.”

Theo’s head remained bowed; his focus trained on creating the intricate pattern on my hand. Silence stretched between us before he finally set my hand down on the small table. His head lifted slowly, his gaze locking with mine.

Slowly, deliberately, he reached for the pen lid. I watched as he clicked it back on and returned the pen to my stationery bag.

“What I mean is,” he said slowly, as if trying to pick his way across a minefield. “You’re my best friend, Mai. You’re intelligent, resilient, strong, generous and gorgeous. I love how much you make me laugh, and how much we laugh together.” He took my hand, stroking my pulse point with his thumb. “But there’s a catch. As much as I love being your friend, I can’t shake this idea that we could be more. You’re constantly on my mind, Mai. You’re the first thing I think of when I wake, and the last before I go to sleep.”

He hesitated, glancing down at our clasped hands. I waited, my heart in my throat as he seemed to collect his thoughts. Then Theo’s eyes flashed with determination. He rose, pulling me up to a stand.

“If you don’t feel the same way, I understand. But I want to lay it out there because the idea of spending my life with you, of exploring if we could be more, of laughing with you—it’s something I’ll forever regret if I don’t take this chance.”

He gestured at the room around us. “This isn’t the perfect time, I get it. And if this makes you uncomfortable, then I’ll organize another room to stay in. There’s no pressure here. This is your decision. I’ll understand either way.”

I swallowed, stunned by his confession. My heart pounded in my chest, my stomach tight as my breathing grew shallow. Time seemed to stop as we stared at each other, the weight of our unspoken feelings hanging in the air.

He gave me time, watching as I processed his declaration.

“Have you felt like this for a while?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

He huffed out a laugh. “You could say that.”

I glanced away, trying to sort through the multitude of thoughts and feelings running through my brain.

My eyes caught on the ring on my middle finger and all doubts faded.

Straightening, I looked up at him, needing him to see how clearly I made this decision.

“You’re my best friend. I love our text messages and the way you make me laugh. I love how you’re strong and courageous, but kind of a goofball. I love the way you care to learn about the people in your life. I love how you adore your niece and nephew, and know exactly when Linc and Annie need a night off. So, yes. I’m in.”

He blinked. “Do you mean?—?”

I reached up, wrapping my arms around his neck and standing on tiptoe.

“I mean,” I said with a laugh, “kiss me.”

“Fuck yes.” His head bent until his mouth hovered mere breaths above my own. “For the record,” he said, his whisper hot against my lips,“I’m consenting to everything.”

Our mouths collided, hungry and desperate. The walls around our attraction seemed to burst as years of pent-up tension ignited.

Theo shifted, deepening our kiss, his tongue teasing mine as his hands brushed over my back. My fingers slid into his hair, tugging him closer.

I wanted his hands on me, his fingers in me. I wanted him touching and caressing, teasing and taunting. I wanted him today, tomorrow, every day.

Unlike most decisions in my life, this felt easy. I’d expected panic but instead felt oddly at peace, a wash of calm and the feeling of coming home settling in me, body, heart and mind.

His fingertips danced across my skin and I lost myself in the sensation. I adjusted the angle of our kiss to nip at his lip, and relished his guttural groan.

The newness of our embrace mixed with the familiarity of Theo to become a strange riptide of languid, delicious lust.

Theo.

His hands slid down my back to settle on my hips, yanking me closer. I groaned at his possessiveness, relishing the way he made me feel.

Our tongues danced together, exploring each other’s mouth with a near desperate hunger. God, how long had this been brewing? How long had it been simmering under the surface, both of us too afraid to act.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” he murmured against me between kisses. “To touch you, taste you.”

I tangled my free hand in his hair, tugging him up until his face was level with mine, our breath mingling. “Kiss me.”

“Gladly.”

His mouth returned to mine, hot and demanding. I opened for him eagerly, desperate for more.

He shuffled us until my thighs hit the edge of the table. With a sweep of his arm, he sent the candles and papers scattering to the floor. Then he lifted me, laying me out on the tabletop like a pagan offering.

“Wait! Your leg!”

“Fuck my leg,” he growled against my mouth. “It’s not the part of me aching right now.”

I’d always assumed Theo would be a gentle lover, mixing humor with sensual teasing. Instead, he became a dominant frothing beast, controlling me and my body even as he lost his self-control.

I loved it.

“You’re overdressed,” he growled, eyes raking over me. His hands found the hem of my shirt and ripped it over my head. My bra quickly followed, baring me to his hungry gaze.

“Fuck, look at you,” he groaned, cupping my breasts in his large hands. He rolled my nipples between his fingers and I cried out, arching into his touch. “Fucking perfect.”

“Theo,” I whispered, and his gaze flicked up to meet mine. In their depths, I saw my own need reflected back at me, raw and undisguised.

“Let me make you feel good.”

I swallowed, nodding as anticipation unfurled in my belly.

“Words, Mai. I need the words.”

“Yes. Please.”

His dark chuckle danced across my skin as he lowered his head to my breasts. I gasped as I felt his tongue, hot and wet, tracing the delicate flesh of my areolas. He laved my skin, his teeth grazing gently as bolts of pleasure shimmied down to pool deep in my abdomen.

“I want to taste all of you,” he rumbled against my breast. “I want to see you covered in my marks.”

A broken moan escaped me at the thought. “Yes.”

To my surprise, he withdrew, reaching for a candlestick. I watched, swallowing as he relit the snuffed wick, then held it over my chest.

“You liked me decorating your skin, didn’t you, Mai?”

I nodded breathlessly, watching in anticipation as the wax pooled into a single drop, hovering on the edge.

“I’m going to cover you in wax, pretty girl. Then lick you until you come.”

I shuddered at his erotic words, hardly able to reconcile that this man was the same person I’d spent the last few years teasing.

The first drop of wax hit my skin, hot and stinging. I gasped at the sensation, back arching involuntarily as the sting faded to a cool warmth. Theo grinned down at me, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

“You like that, baby?” he purred, tipping the candle to spill more wax onto my chest. Each drop sent a jolt of pleasure-pain through me, heightening my arousal.

“God yes,” I panted, writhing under his ministrations. “More, please.”

Theo obliged, creating intricate patterns across my breasts and down my stomach. I’d never been someone into anything even remotely kinky, and yet here I was, a puddle of sensation, my world narrowed to the slide of hot wax on my skin and Theo’s intense growls of praise.

“Fuck, you’re stunning.”

This man is a danger to my heart.

The thought coasted over me, flitting away as he gently dotted my torso, creating an elaborate artwork. By the time he was satisfied, my underwear was soaked and pleas seemed to stream from my lips in a never-ending cycle.

Theo blew out the candle and set it aside. “Beautiful,” he murmured reverently, lowering his head to lick my erect nipples. “You’re gorgeous, Mai.”

His hand trailed down my torso, soothing my overly sensitive skin. He rested his palm on the edge of my pajama pants and waited.

“Yes,” I said, arching up toward him. “Please.”

Together, we shimmied the pants down my legs until I was left in just my underwear.

Theo kissed his way down my body, nuzzling the sensitive skin of my inner thighs. He hooked his fingers in the waistband of my underwear and looked up at me again, silently asking for permission. I nodded frantically, lifting my hips so he could slide them off.

As he tossed the material over his shoulder I realized the height of the table would be a problem for him to kneel on his leg. Pushing up onto my elbows, I opened my mouth to suggest we move to the bed but Theo beat me to the punch.

Hooking his arms around my thighs, he lifted my bottom off the table and bent until his mouth was on me. Gasping, I slumped backwards as his clever tongue explored, teased, and tasted turning me into a quivering, moaning mess.

His fingers found my core, teasing my entrance as his tongue flicked over my clit. I cried out, my hands fisting in his hair as I tried to pull him closer to get more of his sinful mouth on me.

“Patience, Mai,” he chuckled against my skin. “I want to savor you.”

He slid one long finger inside me, stroking in time with the licks of his tongue. My head fell back against the table, lost in a haze of pleasure as I surrendered to the sensations.

Theo added a second finger, curling them to hit that perfect spot inside me. I writhed beneath him, gasping his name like a prayer as the tension coiled tighter and tighter.

“That’s it, baby, let go for me,” he encouraged. “Ride my face, filthy girl. Take what you want.”

His tongue returned to my clit and I shattered, my body shaking with the force of my release. Theo worked me through it, drawing out my pleasure time and time again until I finally begged him to stop, unable to take any more.

Gently, he helped me off the table and shuffled us over to the bed.

I curled on the quilt cover, panting, shellshocked, unable to comprehend how this man—this beautiful golden retriever of a man—had turned into a fucking wolf in the bedroom.

He disappeared, and I could hear the sound of running water. When he reappeared, he held a small tube of something in one hand and a washcloth in the other.

“Let me take care of you,” he murmured, gently rolling me onto my back.

With tender hands he removed each drop of wax, gliding the cool cloth over my sensitive skin. He followed with little dots of aloe vera.

“Did you plan this?” I asked, touching the tube of gel.

“God no.” He held it up. “I always carry this in my toiletries. You never know when you might end up sunburnt to shit.” His gaze dropped to my dotted chest. “Or apparently in a wax-play situation.”

We exchanged a grin, and it felt weird that this didn’t feel weird.

But I was too exhausted to care.

“Will I have marks tomorrow?” I asked, touching the remnants of a wax drop on my wrist.

“You shouldn’t. We used soy wax, and it wasn’t very hot.” Theo disposed of the cloth and gel, then returned to the bed, handing me my recovered pajamas.

Flushing, I pulled them on while he removed his prosthetic. I slid under the bed sheets, watching as he set up his bedside for the next morning.

He slid under next to me, then caught my expression.

“Hey.” He cupped my chin in his hand. “You okay?”

I sighed. “Not really. I feel pretty bad that I got all the attention.” I gestured at where Urma sat, her brown eyes staring out at the room. “Not to mention the bad example we’re setting for Urma.”

He began to chuckle, which escalated to full-on laughter.

Mock-frowning, I lifted up in bed to glare down at him.

“I’ll apologize to Urma. Maybe get her some earplugs and an eye mask or something.” He tugged me down on him. “But seriously, Mai, I haven’t come like that since I was a teenager.”

I spluttered against his chest, lifting my head to stare at him. “No jokes?”

“No jokes. You turned me on that much.” He kissed my nose. “I’m good, Mai. Promise.”

Relieved, I snuggled into his chest. “Well, I won’t apologize for my magnificence.”

“Never apologize for that.” His chest rumbled against my ear with his chuckle.

“We should sleep,” I murmured, enjoying our closeness.

“We should,” he agreed easily.

“You need to rest your leg.”

He made a non-committal sound.

Yawning, I reached over his shoulder and turned off his bedside light. “Rest it,” I told him. “And tomorrow we might try that again.”

I fell asleep to his quiet laughter.