The 18th Floor

Chapter Seventy Four

The next week goes by in a flurry of work and late nights. We try to avoid it as much as we can, but if Lucien stays then so do I. Even if we leave on time, he'll leave with his laptop and continue at home.

"You work too much", I tease as I beg him to put his laptop away as we sprawl out across the sofa.

"My girlfriend likes pretty things", he winks over the top of the screen. I huff and puff but to no avail.

I've felt some of the weight of last weekend lift off my shoulders and the suffocating anxiety lessening its hold on me. Work keeps me distracted but I can't continue to live day by day looking for distractions.

The good days are good, but when they're bad they're terrible. It's worse when the guilt follows after it. The guilt of stressing out Lucien with my erratic behaviour. I've been making him breakfast every day this week, even though he told me I had no reason to apologise; I just needed something to keep me grounded.

By the time the weekend comes back around I'm grateful for a small reprieve from work.

It's as we're lying in bed that I tell him, "Dad wants to go out on a father daughter day today. Are you okay being here alone?", I ask him feeling terrible for leaving him out. "I did ask if you could come, but –"

"It's fine Cyrene, go. Have some time with your dad", he smiles.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. What's that face for?"

"It's just you seem so eager to get rid of me, that's all Lucien", I say and he laughs. This man.

"I could never get rid of you Cyrene. I miss you even when you're sat right next to me", he says as he pulls me on top of him. "I need you all the time Cyrene. It's never enough", his voice breaks. Fuck. I feel my insides melt at the sound of that voice. "Especially when I hear those moans you make", he whispers into my ear. Fuck, I didn't realise that was out loud.

"Who else would make me moan?"

"Don't tease me like that Cyrene, before I have to remind you just how loud I can make you scream."

"I think I may have forgotten", I tease and as soon as the words leave my mouth, I see the mischief alight in his eyes.

In an instant, he's on top of me in our bed. It's peak British summer and I'm wearing nothing but a slip dress and a pair of underwear. Lucien in nothing but boxers.

I watch him as his hands rub up my thighs, begging to feel his touch, slowly pushing the dress up above my hips. His hands stop at my waist, large enough that when he wraps both of them around me, I fit into his hands.

"Where do you get these pretty, little things Cyrene?", he asks as he toys with the edge of my underwear.

"Check your bank statements and you would know." A smile appears on his face, showcasing the dimple I love so much.

"That's my girl", he says in approval. I continue watching as his hands make their way up my body to my chest, my breasts aching for his touch, my nipples showcasing my want.

His hands circle my breasts but not before I hold his wrists. "I need you elsewhere Lucien", I breathe out.

"Patience, darling", is all he says as he carries on. I feel my breathing increase at his touch and my own arousal.

He starts to make his way back down again, my core alighting with what's about to come.

"Hips up, baby."

I do as he says, as he pulls down my underwear and carefully takes it off me.

"I'll save these for later", fuck me, this man is everything. His fingers are back on my waist before they start to trail down to a place where I worry is already wet at just his mere touch.

"Agápi mou", he whispers before I watch him dive in. Tongue on my cunt.

"Lucien", I say or scream. I'm not sure. All sensation leaving my body and soul and diving straight into this moment alone.

He looks up at me, our eyes locking as he licks his lips.

"I'm glad you found your voice darling", is all he says before I feel his fingers inside of me. Fucking hell. His lips come crashing down on me. "I hope you can taste how good you taste, my love."

I can't breathe, it's all consuming.

"Lucien. I need you all in me", the fingers aren't cutting it for me. I need more. I need my body burning in his flames. My hands find their way to his waist, pulling down his boxers with not enough care as he used with me. I can't wait, I can't contain myself when I am with him. He's all I want and need. And right now, I need all of him in me.

I stroke the length of him as our lips are still colliding with one another's. Large and throbbing. Oh gods.

I find my hand wet, as it moves up and down the base of him.

"Couldn't wait", I tease back finally. He smiles as he holds my hands down. In the same breath as he kisses me, he plunges in and I swear I can see stars. I swear I can feel every part of my body on fire with passion.

He doesn't stop, we never can. I can never tell where I end and he begins. We move as one. Tears in my eyes at the pure passion. He stops and looks down at me, kissing my salty cheeks.

"I love you, Cyrene", he says as he collapses back down on the bed next to me.

"I love you too", I say back as I lay on his chiselled chest, sweat clinging to our bodies.

I look up at him, "I think we might need a shower."

His eyes sparkle again. Before I know it, I'm in his arms as we kiss the distance to the bathroom.

I hear the shower turn on but all I feel is the wall now pressing against my back and his hands holding me up. I take my hands through his now wet hair as we kiss under the warmth of the water.

I'm drowning in him, it's never enough, all-consuming and devasting at once.

"You're so beautiful", he whispers out and I feel the hairs across my body stand up at his simple words. No matter how many times we make love, it's always this words that evoke me the most.

"Let me wash your hair", I say as I take a bottle of shampoo off the shelf. "You can put me down you know", I say so he can seat me in the wheeled shower chair.

"I know. But I don't want to", he grins as he firms his grip around my thighs and arse. His arms showcasing his gym efforts.

I poke his bicep and tease, "I'm better than any gym workout".

"You're better than everything, my love", he says as I take the shampoo slowly through his hair. I gently comb my fingers through his brown locks, concentrating on the task at hand. Trying to ignore the piercing steer I feel from Lucien. The intensity of his eyes always takes my breath away. I look at him and place a kiss on the small scar above his eyebrow, before going back to washing his hair.