Until the World Falls Down

Chapter 4

4

L ost in a cocoon of warmth from the comforters piled over me, I woke up feeling more well-rested than I had in a long time. I rolled onto my side, snuggling into the pillow under my head, not ready to fully wake yet. As I pulled up my leg to bring it closer to my chest, an ache between my thighs had me jolting up, remembering everything that had happened. I scanned the once pitch-black room, taking in every detail anew as bright sunlight streamed through a partially drawn set of curtains.

The room was more expansive than it’d seemed in the dark, with multiple floor-to-ceiling windows stretching along the furthest wall, all draped in heavy silk fabrics. And the décor was odd. Like something I’d see in a fantasy movie. Black sconces lined the wall, and antique rugs adorned the dark hardwood floor. A fireplace with a carved mantlepiece rested on the wall to my left, unused and collecting dust. And the furniture I’d barely been able to make out before now caught the daylight, revealing intricate wood carvings—ones mirrored in the ebony wood of the walls. Everything appeared luxurious and well-crafted .

I had to give the hotel props. They’d really pulled out all the stops.

I pushed the blanket off of me, blushing as I realized I was still naked. The floor was cold under my bare feet as I hurriedly searched for my clothing, dragging the sheets off the bed with me to keep me covered. But not even my underwear was in sight. The lack of light hindered my search, and I went over to the window, noticing a wooden door on the wall adjacent to it.

As I reached out to pull the curtain open further, the door swung open, and Enver entered the room, a rush of warm air following him. My mouth went dry as I realized he only wore a towel around his waist. His black, curly hair lay flat against his head, wet and dripping. I watched as a water droplet fell to his collarbone and slid down to the scar over his heart.

“Good morning,” he greeted in a deep, rumbly tone.

I couldn’t stop my cheeks from flooding with heat, and I forced my eyes away from his scar. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep so quickly last night.”

“You could not help it,” he responded, stepping closer to me, the scent of amber and vanilla permeating the air. His scent. “You look lovely wrapped up in my sheets, by the way. Almost as lovely as you looked writhing on top of them.”

My face grew hotter, and I turned to reach for the curtain again, but his hand intercepted mine, and he pulled me to him. I stumbled a bit as I stepped on the sheet, my foot slipping, sending me careening against his hard chest. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me against him.

“Careful, Eleanora,” he murmured.

“Nell,” I told him, finally thinking clearly enough to cringe at the use of my full name. “I usually go by Nell.”

“Nell,” he uttered softly. The way he spoke my name made it sound like the most precious thing in the world.

His lips brushed my forehead, the intimacy making me lean toward him, but I stopped myself. It was only a one-night stand. “ I should probably go,” I said, pushing away from him, trying not to think about how good it felt to be in his arms.

“Go?” he repeated, his hold tightening around me, not releasing me.

I chewed on my bottom lip, meeting his gaze now, seeing a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Do you know where my clothing went? I can’t find it. It’s a little dark in here.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the black chandelier and metal sconces along the walls lit up, flooding the room with golden light. A little startled, I tried to back away from him again. I must have missed him flipping on the switch… but his hands were still on me. Was I going crazy?

“I do not want you to be on your way quite yet,” he said, his lips curving into a frown, as if surprised by his admittance. “On the off chance you succeed.”

I stared at him, not understanding what he meant. Succeed in what?

His hands palmed my sides, and his fingers dug into my soft skin. “Stay.”

A swooping sensation appeared in my stomach, and the ache between my legs turned from soreness to pure want. How did he have such an effect on me? I didn’t think I could say no to him. I didn’t want to say no.

Enver peeled the sheet off me, leaving it to pool between my feet. I let out a stuttered breath as he backed me against the wall. I could feel the patterns carved in the wood against my back as his intoxicating gaze trailed over my naked body, his hand coming up to my collarbone, pressing on it, keeping me still.

“It has been a long time since I have given in to these desires,” he said, his thumb pressing into the hollow point of my throat. “And I have no reason to now, so why…” His pupils darkened as I swallowed under his touch. “Why do you entice me so? ”

I wanted to ask him the same—why just a look from him made my body thrum with desire and need. But as he shifted closer to me, towel falling, his arousal hard against my lower hip, I lost all sense of thought again. We hadn’t even kissed yet this time. I bucked against him, needing to confirm his desire, gasping when I did.

“You want it, too,” he said, tilting his head to the side, lips only inches from mine. “Am I wrong?”

I didn’t bother to lie. “Yes.”

God, my voice already sounded desperate. Needy.

“Show me,” he ordered, stepping back as he rested a hand on my shoulder, applying pressure to it.

My last bit of resistance melted. I sunk to my knees in front of him, looking up, watching the muscles in his abdomen tense as my cheek brushed against his hardness. One of his hands cupped my neck, and I thought he’d stop me again like before. “Let me,” I said quickly.

He didn’t pull me away. He simply stared down at me, muscles tensed, standing unnaturally still.

He remained that way even as I pressed a kiss to the head of his erection, then another, and another. I let my tongue flit out, tasting him briefly, before mouthing along his shaft, my saliva coating his hot flesh, tracing every vein with my tongue. His fingers twitched against my neck, but that was the only movement from him.

Until I took him into my mouth, swallowing him down as far as I could in one go.

A quiet hiss escaped his clenched teeth, and his hips jerked forward, pushing in further, making me choke. I didn’t let it hinder me, though, grasping his thighs, and running my tongue against the underside of his erection, tasting every inch of smooth skin. I hallowed my cheeks as I sucked. I bobbed my head, swirling my tongue around him, taking him deeper and deeper until his tip hit the back of my throat. I gagged, causing him to thrust more shallowly.

It didn’t take long for my jaw to ache, his size stretching me to my limit, but I pushed through it, encouraged by the way his breathing picked up. His fingers slid into my hair, holding me, but not forcing me to move faster or deeper, allowing me go at my own pace. I rewarded him for his self-restraint by cupping his balls and massaging them.

“Gods,” he groaned above me, his other hand now propped against the wall, his head resting on his biceps as he watched me.

I met his gaze, dragging my lips slowly back up his length, then sucking hard on his head.

He rolled his hips against my face, pushing himself further into my mouth, his control slipping again. I redoubled my efforts, bringing my other hand into the mix, curling my fingers around what I couldn’t easily fit into my mouth, twisting and pumping him, moving in time with my tongue, my saliva acting as a lubricant.

After a moment, he exhaled sharply, moving back, and sliding himself out of my mouth. I looked at him, confused, my hands falling off him and into my lap.

His fingers trailed across my cheek, his thumb swiping across my lip. “Open,” he ordered.

Again, the authority in his voice had me squeezing my thighs together, arousal shooting through me. I obeyed, parting my lips, and as a split-second decision, I stuck out my tongue as well.

Enver groaned, his thumb moving to press down on my tongue before replacing it with the weight of his erection, dragging his head against my tongue, then easing deeper into my mouth again. I kept my mouth as wide open as I could as he continued on, flinching as he hit the back of my throat again. He paused for a moment before pushing further, making my hands clench, and my lungs fight for air on instinct as he blocked my airway. I gagged a bit but managed to recover.

“Easy,” Enver said, stroking the side of my neck. “Relax. You are doing well.”

I took a breath through my nose, loosening my shoulders, easing the tension there.

“Good,” he praised, gathering my hair up into his hand. “You can take it, my little lover.”

I didn’t know if I could, but I wanted to. I inhaled again, focusing on relaxing my throat, but it still took everything in me to keep from gagging.

“Just like that. Use your tongue,” he instructed.

My tongue lolled against him, and the lack of air made me feel lightheaded. He held my head steady, the heat of his thick tip moving further down my throat. My chest heaved, my body instinctively fighting for air, and I could feel my throat begin to lock up. Tears blurred my vision, a reflex of my body fighting not to choke.

“Yes, let me in,” Enver breathed, ragged, strained. “Take all of me.”

Just as I thought I couldn’t take any more, my nose brushed against his pelvis, and a surge of accomplishment went through me. My gag reflex kicked in only a second later, and I choked, pulling my head back quickly. Enver assisted by giving me space, letting me breathe for a moment as saliva slid down my chin. I sucked in deep breaths of air, trying to blink away the wetness.

“My, how you continue to flatter me,” Enver murmured, his wet length brushing against my cheek. “Keep going.”

I turned my face to him, leaving butterfly kisses wherever I could, then took him back into my mouth when I’d caught my breath. He hit the back of my throat again but didn’t push in further, inhaling sharply as he rolled his hips. His grip on my hair became firmer as he guided me in a rhythm he set. I sucked gently on his downstroke, then flattened my tongue against him on the upstroke, moaning at the prickles of pain on my scalp as he pulled my hair taut.

“Your mouth was made for me,” he said, voice raspy and breathless. “You were made for me.”

I stared up at him again, and the sight of him had searing desire pooling in my stomach. Eyes closed, dark lashes resting on his cheeks. His head tilted down, his jaw clenched. The muscles in his biceps were rigid with tension as he braced himself against the wall, using it as leverage to thrust into my mouth. His momentum quickened, chasing his own pleasure.

I cupped his balls again, wanting to bring him over the edge, to taste his release in my mouth. A heavy groan came from above me as I did so, his hips jerking against me, erratic, urgent. I worked him harder, applying as much suction as I could, my tongue dancing around the underside of his head, then pressing into the slit at the top, his scent and taste all around me.

Without warning, he yanked my head back, pulling free of my mouth with a wet popping sound. I winced in pain, looking up at him as he backed away. He released my hair, only to enclose his hand around my wrist, tugging me up and off the floor. I barely had time to catch my breath before he gripped the back of my thighs, lifting me up, and shoving my back against the wall again. My legs hooked around the crooks of his elbows as he bracketed me with his arms, and I clung to his shoulders for support.

His erection rubbed against me, and I shuddered as he positioned himself against my wet entrance. “Tell me you want this.”

“Yes,” I groaned, the need to have him inside me almost painful. “Fuck me, please?—”

He thrust into me, and I sunk my teeth hard into my bottom lip to keep myself from crying out. Still sore from last night, the friction burned, but in a tantalizing way. The pain was both sweet and addicting as he drew out of me, then plunged back in, not giving me a moment to adjust.

All I could do was take it as he took me against the wall, my feet dangling in the air, bouncing with every thrust, heels colliding with his ribcage. I wrapped my arms around his neck, bracing myself. This wasn’t like the slow, teasing lovemaking he’d shown last night. It was rough, fast. He’d given before—now he took . It had me gasping, his mouth swallowing the sounds as he kissed me fiercely. I clung to him the best I could, fingers digging into his shoulders for better purchase.

His hands moved to just below my armpits, taking my weight off the wall and into his control. Gravity helped him reach further inside me, and I trembled, moaning out loud as he manhandled me effortlessly, fucking me on him, relentless in his pursuit.

“I have half a mind to keep you here.” He lifted me higher, then seated himself inside me again, a low groan coming from deep in his throat. “I would not even have to force you to stay. You would choose to stay. Willingly. Am I wrong?”

I whimpered as his thrusts turned brutal, the pleasure and torment almost too much to handle.

“You want me to take you. Again and again. Until you cannot walk straight.” His breathing quickened, the breathlessness of his voice almost as sexy as his dirty talk. “You want me to make you come. With my fingers. With my tongue. With me deep inside you.”

Heat spread through my body, beginning at my toes and working its way up until I felt as if I were on fire. I didn’t think I could be so affected by words. I didn’t think I could orgasm just with penetration either, but I could feel one building, being wrested from me by his voice and savage thrusts.

“You want me to make you mine. ”

My body arched into his, my breath coming so fast I became lightheaded. “Enver, I?—”

“You want me to love you.”

He murmured the words so sweetly, so sincerely, my heart lurched.

“You need nothing but me,” he continued, brushing his lips against mine. “Is that not right, my little lover?”

The strange, nagging feeling returned. I tried to fight through the haze of my lust, attempting to grasp the feeling and hang onto it, but his presence was too potent. The way he moved, the way he made me feel. My mind tried to battle against the onslaught. There had to be something. What could it be? What?—

Something velvety and cool brushed between my legs and every thought left my head. The sensation furled around my wanting clit, stroking and caressing it, soft but demanding. That, combined with Enver’s unfaltering tempo, had me stiffening, needy noises I didn’t know I could make slipping from my lips.

“Come for me,” Enver demanded.

My orgasm struck me harder than ever before. Sudden and intense, sending me spiraling. I convulsed around Enver, every nerve in me flaring to life, flooding me with overpowering pleasure. My eyes rolled back, and I felt like I wasn’t in control of my body. My mouth opened, but no sound came out as I came apart.

Everything became too sensitive, too quickly. “Enver,” I gasped, unable to take much more.

He shoved me back against the wall in response, sliding into me to the hilt with a ragged exhale, and shuddered against me, finishing with one last thrust.

My head fell limply against his chest as I panted, a puppet in his arms. He remained inside me for a moment more before pulling out, but he didn’t put me down, readjusting me so my legs wrapped around his waist, his hands gripping my backside. I rested against him as he re-entered the room he’d come from, letting him bear all my weight.

Humid air encompassed us, and I cracked an eye open, then lifted my head. My eyes widened at the sight of an enormous bathtub, steam rising from the water in the porcelain basin. Hanging from the ceiling above it was another expensive-looking chandelier, lights on and dim. I turned to look at the other side of the room, my gaze meeting my reflection in a lengthy mirror above a marble counter. I was a messy-haired, flushed mess in Enver’s arms.

The sight made me shy—as if we hadn’t fucked twice already. I lowered my head, studying the patterned tile making up the floor, then looked at the thick frame around the tub as we approached it. Scattered flowers and lit candles adorned the frame, creating a romantic atmosphere. There were no shampoo or conditioner bottles and no bars of soap. Only glass jars filled with various liquids.

“Did you bring me to some sort of sixth century-themed hotel?” I asked.

He sat me down on the frame of the tub, and I squirmed at the feeling of the cold porcelain. “Care to bathe?” he asked, ignoring me, dipping a hand into the water to test the temperature. “I drew you clean water earlier.”

Before I could answer, he stepped into the tub, holding his hand out to me. I hesitated, the idea of bathing with him intimidatingly intimate. But I could still feel the sweat on my skin, so I took his hand. He helped me into the tub, the warm water enveloping my body as I sank into it. Enver settled in behind me, his legs on either side of me, his chest against my back. His body felt warmer than the water.

I tried to relax, settling back into him, but my body felt stiff.

“What is wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” I responded. “I’ve never done this with anyone, so I feel a little shy,” I admitted, not embarrassed to be honest with him. Not after what we just did.

He chuckled, his breath against my neck. “This is what makes you shy? Not when I was between your legs, tasting your?—”

I twisted around to press my hand to his lips, blushing. “Don’t.”

His eyes revealed his mirth, and he nodded. I turned back around and saw him reach for one of the jars sitting on the tub’s ledge. He squirted a small amount of the liquid into his hand, then brought his hands to my shoulders, the subtle scent of flowers meeting my nose. I made a small sound of contentment as he massaged my shoulders, his hands moving easily against my skin, made slippery by what I assumed was soap.

It was strange to be treated like this. I didn’t know what to do with myself. No one had ever washed me. I’d read about it in books but thought it was just something left to fiction. I became lethargic as he cleaned me, both the water and his fingers soothing my tired muscles. He washed my hair, pushing it all to the side to ring it out and kissing my newly exposed neck. I could feel him getting hard against my back again as I murmured softly at his attention.

“Enver,” I said, sitting up to look back over my shoulder at him. “I don’t think I can, um…” I let my eyes drop to his erection.

He cupped my chin with his hand. “I am not asking anything more of you. I told you before—I cannot help this.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Understand what?” he asked, brushing his thumb over my cheek. “Why I am so aroused by you?”

The way he put it made me blush. “I’m just?—”

“Just what? Perfect for me?” His eyes flashed with something that had me freezing despite the innocuousness of his words. “Have I not told you that already? ”

I didn’t respond, and my heart skipped a beat as he turned me around, crowding me back to the other side of the tub.

“I knew from the moment I heard you last night,” he continued, placing his hands against the tub’s edge on either side of me. “You were meant for me.”

Heard me? What did he mean by that? I knew I needed to ask, but he was leaning in, and I automatically closed my eyes, melting into him as he kissed me. His tongue traced the seam of my lips before sneaking between them, and I sighed, allowing him entrance. It was easy to get lost in his kiss and the warmth of the water surrounding us.

“Let me taste you once more,” he said as we parted, his hands moving to my thighs. “I will be gentle.”

I breathed out shakily as I nodded.

He wasted no time in hoisting me onto the frame of the tub, spreading my legs, and kneeling between them. I leaned back, surprised to find something soft under my elbows, protecting me from the hard marble. Towels, I realized. When had they appeared there? I swore I hadn’t seen them before.

Enver kissed the skin of my inner thigh, and I stopped caring about the towels. I rested against them and let my eyes fall shut as he spread me open, licking a torturously slow path up my seam. His tongue swirled around my clit, but didn’t touch it before he moved back down. I swallowed, the feeling of him on my sore entrance leaving my mouth dry, but true to his promise, he was gentle, not pressing inside.

I squirmed as he lavished attention everywhere but where I really wanted it. “Enver?—”

“Patience,” he replied.

My hips jerked as his tongue flicked out, just barely brushing against my clit. His eyes were on me, watching my reaction. I wondered if he thought I was as sexy as I thought he was. The sight of him between my legs was almost doing more for me than his teasing. I moved one of my hands to his hair, tugging on it, and bringing his mouth to where I wanted it. “Stop teasing me. Just make me come.”

His gaze grew heavy with desire, and he ducked his head down, sealing his lips around my clit. My back bowed as his tongue applied that perfect pressure. I yanked on his hair, earning myself a low rumble in response, and his teeth suddenly enclosed around my clit, making me jerk and cry out. He pressed a soothing kiss against me before returning to licking and sucking me in a way that had my legs quaking within moments.

The water rippled, gaining my attention, and I realized he was touching himself beneath the surface, his hand stroking in sync with the rhythm of his tongue on me. I moaned, lifting my hips, almost there. The tension was building in my body, a tingling sensation spreading all over. I just needed…

Enver slipped a finger in me, and I came hard, going still. His own moan met my ears moments later, his head falling against my thigh.

I didn’t move for a moment, catching my breath, but then Enver pulled me back into the water again, holding me against him.

“I will find you some clothing,” he said after a moment, rising from the water. “Come.”

I let him help me out of the tub, and he wrapped a towel around me before wrapping one around himself. We exited the bathroom, and he led me over to the luxurious wardrobe in his bedroom.

My head was beginning to clear again, and I looked around for my dress. “I can wear my own clothes. I really should get going.”

As I said the words, disappointment flooded through me. I focused my gaze on the floor, biting my lip. I almost didn’t want to leave. I knew this was only a one-night stand, but Enver had taken care of me so well. In more ways than one. In ways I wouldn’t even dream of Julian doing.

The thought of Julian had my heart plummeting. What would today bring? What would Julian think if I told him I’d slept with a stranger? Would he feel the same hurt I had when he’d shown up with my sister last night?

I would have to face him. Soon. Either to kick him out of my house, or…

If he apologized, would I take him back? Did I want to take him back? After everything?

“Your despair is calling out to me again.”

I nearly jumped, not realizing Enver had moved closer to me again. Our gazes met, and once again, I felt unsettled. His eyes were piercing and hard, and I couldn’t make out a single emotion within them. I fell back a step, and Enver’s hand shot out to grab my wrist and stop me. He stepped even closer, looming over me, making my heart rate spike. “Enver, what are you?—”

“You will not be leaving,” he told me, his tone steady and commanding. “You are mine now.”