Sugar Baby Âœ”ϸ thirty-one: beginning*

My eyes fluttered open to the sound of my phone ringing.

It took me a while to get out of the state of disorientation as I slowly woke up from my mid-day nap. I leaned over the couch and picked my phone lying on the table. I glanced at the name once before placing it against my ear and speaking into it, “Hey, Scarlett.”

“Make yourself free day after. We have a launch party for Atkinpaw.”

I scoffed at the name and turned to my side. “That’s a horrendous name, Scar.”

She sighed, “I know but I trademarked it. Also…” she sighed, “I met my mom today. She…”

I bit my lip. “How is she?”

“She’s… hanging on.” She was quiet for a while. “She says she’ll go somewhere obscure after she’s released.”

“That sounds nice,” I responded.

Silence fell. I stretched out the arm where Rosalie had shot a bullet three months ago. Due to the covert nature of my work, her assault on me hadn’t been filed. Something that had finally pushed Gray to his limits and made him quit the job. He initially planned to get a transfer, but we weren’t sure where my university would be, and I wanted to be close to him. The transfer, if it were to happen, would have to wait.

“How are you guys holding up?” she asked. 

I gazed at the clock in Grayson’s living room and turned so I was lying on my back. “It’s okay. We have some savings that should pull us through for some time. He’ll find a job. He has a pretty strong resume.”

“You applied for your majors?”

I bit my lip again. I hadn’t wanted to go through with my dream of getting a legitimate degree one day. But Grayson said he wanted me to do what I desired. I had enough money to pull me through, but the onus of our entire household came crashing onto him.

“Yeah. I have a test next week.”

“You’ll ace it.”

I chuckled at how confident she sounded. “Thanks, Scar.”

I listened in silence as she told me about the new range of pet supplies that she had launched. A subsidiary of Atkinson’s Corporation. Atkinpaw’s goal was to provide high quality and affordable food for pets. They also provided medical supplies and treatments in exceptional cases. Scarlett had said that the cause was close to her heart as she was an avid animal lover herself.

She hung up the phone after I promised to attend her opening event. It had been hard for her to come to terms with my true identity. But with her mom getting a relatively softer sentence and her realising what she had truly been up to, she had decided to forgive me. The government wasn’t willing to expose Rosalie Atkinson’s dealings for fear of being mocked and seen as weak. As a result, they had twisted the accusation on her to tax fraud which reduced her sentence considerably, since the proof provided was considered circumstantial.

I heard the sound of the door and glanced at the entrance to the hallway. Grayson appeared a while later, giving me a soft smile as he spoke, “Hey, baby.”

I sat on the couch and gazed at him, my heart fluttering as he placed the brown grocery bag on the table and walked over to me. He leaned lower and planted a kiss on the top of my head before taking a seat beside me. I snuggled into his chest, wrapping my arms around him. “Scar invited me for the Atkinpaw thing.”

He chuckled softly. “I don’t think I’ll ever get over that name.”

I nuzzled his neck, smiling against his skin. It still felt surreal that we were living together. It had been over a month and I felt like I was on an extended high. I loved every second of waking up to him. Loved every minute of falling asleep in his arms. Loved going out with him. Kissing him whenever I wanted. Touching him. Loving him with everything I had. It was a dream.

Gray was really difficult to argue with. Every time I tried to start a fight over anything, he would combat me with infuriatingly accurate logic. He was calm. In all my years of knowing him, I had only had him raise his voice at me once. Which had been followed by him making love to me for the first time, so I wasn’t exactly mad about that anyway.

In all my life, I hadn’t found much to be grateful for. But with Grayson Shelby, I wanted to cherish every moment.

I leaned forward and picked the groceries off the table, rummaging through the contents before I felt a plastic something. 

“KitKat.” I giggled and took it out. 

He smirked at me. “By the way, I was offered a job.”

My heart raced. “Wow. Where?”

He rose to his feet and carried the bag of groceries to the kitchen. I followed him and leaned against the doorway. He started arranging the cans on the shelves. The one similar thing between us was we were organised. Him more than I. I was more functionally organized, or so, I liked to think.

Perfect combination I feel.

“You remember Caroline Luka?” he spoke as he opened the topmost shelf.

“Sure,” I answered, my stomach clenching slightly. Caroline was the super hot, super sexy, lethal new head of the east precinct. She had brought in new regulations that were quickly changing the way her area was run.

“She offered me a position up east.” He grinned as he gazed at me. My heart lurched at his affectionate, boyish smile and his glittering eyes. “It’s really far so I wanted to check with you first.”

I tore the KitKat wrapper, my mind wandering uneasily. It was far. Almost a two-hour travel which amounted to four hours every day. The thought made my heart ache.

“It’s okay I’ll… I’ll let her know whatever it is later.” He started placing the cans on the counter.

“Is she the one we met at the mall that day?” I asked, trying to appear aloof. 

He nodded. “I guess she got to know about my case and offered me the job.”

“That’s…awfully nice of her,” I spoke truthfully. Caroline was older. Gorgeous. Sexy and without the insecurities that still crippled me. Then, before I could stop myself, I blurted out. “She’s really hot.”

“She is quite attractive yes,” he replied, shrugging nonchalantly as he reached for the milk carton. “Tea?”

I stared at him, envy burning in the pit of my stomach. I knew it didn’t mean anything. I knew he loved me. But after everything I had lost, I wasn’t going to take any chances with Gray.

“Sure.” My voice sounded detached, something I hoped he wouldn’t notice. I unwrapped the silver foil and broke off a bar of chocolate. I brought it to my mouth and licked the tip. “What will your job entail?”

I made my voice husky when I spoke. He glanced at me. “Won’t be much dif-”

He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes darkening as he looked at me. After fixing my gaze on his, I placed the entire bar into my mouth, holding it by just my thumb and forefinger where it jutted out slightly between my lips. He stuttered as I sucked deliberately on it, feeling the delicious chocolate melt into my mouth.

His eyes were dark, hungry. His breathing shallow as I took the entire, now melted bar out of my mouth and licked along its length with just the tip of my tongue. 

“Come here,” I commanded as he walked over to me, his gaze on me unwavering. As if transfixed. I pointed the chocolate towards him, smirking. Posing a challenge.

He leaned forward, mimicking my movements from earlier and taking the entire bar in his mouth and sucking softly. My breath hitched as our eyes met in a crackling instant. I watched, entranced as he finished the chocolate. He grabbed my hand, sucking the tip of my fingers before trailing his tongue between my forefinger and index.

I was hardening at his maddening actions. 

“I want to fuck you,” I spoke breathlessly. Unabashed. He lifted an eyebrow as he let me pull him away from the kitchen and upstairs.

I knew I had to give him something Caroline couldn’t. And today, I was going to.

I pushed him onto the bed as soon as we entered his bedroom.

I climbed on top of him, straddling him as hunger clawed my insides. He was mine. I would make him mine. I reached for his jeans and unbuttoned it, tugging it off and marvelling at the defined bulge in his underwear.

“Xavier…”

I trailed my mouth along his jaw, biting his ear. Licking. I let my hands into his t-shirt, stroking his bare chest. He reached for my shirt, his fingers fiddling with the buttons hastily. I chuckled as he struggled to unbutton it.

“Need some help, love?” I smirked, reaching for the topmost button of my shirt.

He gazed at me, his eyes burning with fiery lust. I was transfixed at the way the streaming sunlight made the emerald sparkle alluringly. Calling to me. 

He smirked, placing his hands on my shirt . The intensity of his gaze made my heart hammer wildly. Like he was undressing me. Fucking me. With his eyes alone. It was scintillating. Warming my core. He held unrelenting power over me.

Only Grayson Shelby could get me to beg.

“Getting a little cocky, Easton?” he slurred. Tingles of pleasure travelled up my spine at the delicious sound. I opened my mouth to respond, before I could, however, he tugged at my shirt, ripping it open as buttons flew around the room.

I was on fire.

I gaped, open mouth. Before I had a chance to react, he had pushed me down, climbing on top of me and looking at me with a triumphant smirk. “You were saying?”

He removed my shirt, proceeding to tug off my pants immediately after, leaving me naked and squirming with need. I moaned as his mouth found my neck. Sucking. Pulling. Biting. I let my hands roam lower down his body, tugging his underwear off him.

“Gray,” I whispered, “I want to… let me make love to you.”

Perhaps what I had in mind was much more along that lines of ‘fuck you’ rather than ‘make love to you.’ But I tried to be sophisticated where I could.

He leaned back. I slowly ascended to the haze of lust as I continued, breathlessly. “Let me.”

He took a soft breath, his eyes unfocused. His chest heaving. His blazing irises softening. He leaned over me, touching his forehead to mine as he whispered, “I’ve…never…never done that.”

The hesitation in his voice transcended to animal lust in my chest.

I knotted my fingers in his hair, turning and pushing him into the mattress, mounting him instead. “I know. Let me.”

He was quiet, his eyes fixed on mine. He bit his lip, nodding slowly. My heart leapt in my chest. I leaned back, stroking his hard muscles. “Trust me, baby.”

I gazed into his paralyzing eyes and trailed soft, open-mouthed kisses down his body. Tracing my lips along his abdomen. His thighs. He quivered as I let my tongue trace all along his length. Teasing the tip. I gazed up at him, intoxicated by his reaction.

He sighed deeply, one of his hands gripping my hair and the other gripping his own. I placed my hands on his thighs, pushing my head lower on his throbbing member. I gagged slightly, my body burning with hunger as I took him deep in my mouth. His familiar taste sending fire coursing through me.

He gazed at me, his eyes dark and lusty. His lips parted open as he breathed in shallow gasps. He thrust into my mouth. Pushing my head lower. Holding me there till his member was slick with my saliva.

I leaned back, gasping breathlessly. “You taste like a dream.”

I lowered my head again, gagging. Choking. Sucking. Licking. Swirling my tongue in a way that he would remember my texture. Sucking my cheeks in so he could revel in the pleasure of my hot, wet mouth. I sucked hard, hungrily. I was starving for his dark, mysterious taste.

“Ah…ah… Fuck… Xavier…” he moaned softly, squirming. “Yes…”

He gasped. Moaned. Writhing under me as I took him over the edge. Pushing him further and further and further. Stopping when he got too close. Teasing him till he grunted impatiently.

“You’re fucking killing me, baby.”

I lowered my head further, caressing with my tongue tantalisingly. Thrusting my tongue inside him as he sighed deeply. I pleasured him, drunk on his alluring taste.

I climbed on top of him, tugging his tshirt off him completely. He gazed at me, his face flushed. His eyes glassy. I reached for the drawer, taking the lube out and squeezing a deliberate amount into my hand. He bit his lip nervously as I applied it on my member, stroking. Slowly. Letting him watch me.

I thrust my hips slowly, holding my hand stationary as I let my eyes meet his blazing ones. I thrust into my hand, letting him know what I wanted. Letting him know what I was going to do to him.

He bit his lip so hard that I was afraid he would draw blood. “You’re unbelievably sexy,” he whispered, his voice strained. “I could look at you all day.”

I moved lower, taking more of the lube and applying it on him as I smirked at him. Letting my fingers coax him. His eyes shut, his chest rising and falling in sharp, shallow breaths.

The thought of dominating Grayson excited me beyond anything I had ever experienced. And I wanted him to enjoy it as much as he made me.

I positioned myself between his legs and leaned over him. “Gray…baby…”

He opened his eyes and gazed at me. My heart thundered at the tenderness of the emerald irises. “I need you to relax,” I whispered, stroking his arm lovingly. “Trust me okay?”

He bit his lip and nodded. I leaned back, gazing at him in awe. His dishevelled hair, lips glistening from my desperate kisses, his skin flushed, marked as mine. I let my hands reach between his legs, stroking the rock hard arousal again before sliding a finger inside him.

He gasped. I kissed him, cooing softly. “I love you, baby…I got you.”

I placed my arms on the mattress and gently, slowly, eased into him.

He cried out viciously, his face contorted. He bit his lip, his chest heaving. The sound vibrated in my chest. It was erotic beyond anything I had ever experienced.

“Gray?”

He was quiet. His eyes slowly opened to meet mine. “Xavier…”

The way he spoke my name ravaged me. It was tender. Loving. Yearning. I moved slowly, letting him adjust.

He whimpered again, placing his hand on my chest and pushing me away gently. He turned his face away, his cheeks burning. 

“Baby?” I leaned over him, kissing his forehead. His eyebrows. His eyelids. “It’s okay.”

He bit his lip, averting my eyes. “I…I’m kind of bad at this aren’t I?”

I nuzzled his neck, pushing my body close to him. He didn’t reach for me. I leaned back and gazed at him. He placed his hands on me and gently rolled me away. I watched as he pulled the bedsheet onto his face. Covering it entirely. I stared at him. “Gray?”

He crumpled into a ball as I watched, bewildered. “Gray?”

He sighed softly, “Can we please never talk about this ever again?”

He was embarrassed. I couldn’t believe Grayson Shelby was embarrassed. He sighed again, “God…I can’t fucking believe…” He groaned softly, frustrated. “I’m sorry,” he finished in a small voice.

I thought back to the day he had first made love to me. When he had first claimed my body. My heart had been his since forever. I didn’t really know how to comfort him, so I did the only thing I could.

“Gray?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

He was quiet. I turned to my side and gazed at him,  patiently waiting like he had all these years. Under the streaming rays of the sun, he looked like a heavenly vision. Dark hair shimmering with droplets of gold. Emerald eyes lighting with the purest gold. His perfect lips parted slightly, caressing the light streaming from paradise.

So beautiful. So mine.

“I love you,” he said finally. A promise. 

I leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose. “It’s okay. We can-“

“No.” He took a short breath before speaking again, “I want this Xavier.”

I got up, kissing him and taking the sheet off him. I would be gentler with him. “Gray, turn around for me, love.”

He looked dazed for a while. Then all emotion emptied from his eyes, leaving behind trust.

Trust for me. The man who had manipulated so many. Lied to so many. Swindled money, sold himself over and over again.

My fucking heart ripped at his trust and love.

He turned to his side. I kissed his ear, stroking his thigh lovingly as I positioned myself behind. “If you tell me to stop, we stop. Okay?”

His voice was small. Shaky. Unlike Grayson. “Okay.”

I parted his legs, placing myself closer to him and gently easing the tip of my member inside him. He gasped. I held him close, sucking his neck. Letting him take his time.

“Xavier..”

“That’s it, baby.” I thrust gently inside him, burying deeper. Deeper. Till nothing was separating us.

I let out a moan as he moved, each cell of my body straining for control. All I wanted was to fuck him sore. Make him scream. Squirm. Writhe. Beg for me.

But I knew I needed to be patient. After five years of waiting, I finally had him. It felt perfect. Right. Natural. Like there was nothing apart from him and me.

His hand found mine and our fingers intertwined. I remained still.

“That… that feels fucking good.” He let out a deep sigh. “Fuck Xavier… You’re so fucking hard…”

I nibbled his earlobe and moved slowly against him. I wrapped an arm around him, grinding. Gyrating my hips into him. I had to make a conscious effort to keep my feral instincts in control. I’d have time for that later. I was drunk on his texture. The way he moved. The way he felt. The way he breathed.

He joined in my movements, our bodies moving in tandem. “You feel so damn good baby,” I groaned, biting his neck hard.

He gasped softly, moaning, squirming as I changed my pace. Moving slow. Fast. Deeper. Shallower. Drawing out his pleasure with teasing movements.

Fire burnt inside me at the noises he made. I had never seen him so vulnerable. So beautiful. So utterly helpless. It was erotic. Exciting. Empowering.

I moved faster as his moans became louder. His breathing laboured. His hand holding on to mine desperately. “Xavier… Xavier!”

I grunted, thrusting deep into him. Holding him closer. “Fuck yes, Gray…you feel so fucking good…”

The friction between our bodies rose to a breaking point. Palpable heat rising. Swirling. Cocooning us in the blazing flames. My mind one track.

“Xavier…Xavier…”

I grinded harder into him. His moans. His screams. His little grunts of pain and pleasure sounding like an aphrodisiac in my ear.

We held on to each other. Burning together.

I kissed his feverish skin. Exploring every inch of him. My hand travelled to his neck, choking him gently. Whispering in his ear. Biting it. Licking it. Losing ourselves.

His hands clutched the bedsheet tighter, his nerves pulled tautly. I revelled in the effect I had on him. Memorizing. Getting drunk in the feel of his body against mine.

My pleasure mounted, slowly. Torturously. Threatening to bury me. He was my only need. My only virtue.

Like all the nights I had spent starving after I basically became an orphan, after all those wounds I endured, all the medicines my body bore, all the pain, all the fear, the entire catatonic tornado of anguish, the humiliation and everything I had ever faced was burning down to this single moment.

And I wanted to be set aflame.

The knot in my stomach tightened almost painfully. I bit into his neck when I came, shuddering. Spasming. My entire world burning to ashes. I was only aware of his squirming body in my arms. I could only hear his inebriated moans. Could only see the burst of colours behind my closed eyelids.

We unravelled together.

We moaned each other’s names until our throats gave up. Our voices rising as one. Our bodies joining as a single entity. Our hearts beating with divine synchronization. Like mine had been waiting for his. Like his was finally mended.

We lay breathlessly beside each other, our legs entangled. Panting. Sweating. Spent.

He wrapped his arm around me, kissing my cheek. My ear. He leaned towards me and kissed my lips. “I love you, Xavier.”

I gazed at him, my heart full. “I love you too.”

He nuzzled my nose with his, burying his face in the crook of my neck as he moaned softly. “You’re fucking phenomenal at that.”

I chuckled. I stroked his back, feeling his heart breathing assuredly against mine. Everything about my future was uncertain, except Grayson. I could figure the rest of it out later. For now, all I wanted, was to bask in the aftermath of being with the man who would own my heart for as long as it beat.

“Mm.” I responded, smirking. “Best in the business Shelby.”