No Strings Attached

Chapter Three

Norma hadn't expected Alex to be so hard to break. Men had always fallen into line when she wanted them to, had always been eager to win her over with little more than a smile. But not Alex Romero.
The man was a fortress.
She did her best work when she was around him, letting herself linger closer than usual, standing just within his personal space. She could sense his tension, the way his shoulders tightened slightly, and it thrilled her. Norma noticed every flicker of his gaze, how he refused to look directly at her mouth or hands for too long, as if he knew what she was doing, where this was headed, and couldn't let himself slip.
That's when she knew she needed to take it up a notch and found herself on her knees at her kitchen sink, loosening one of the pipes below. She stood admiring her handy work for a moment, the small leak trickling steadily, pooling just enough to give her a reason to call Alex for help.
She felt a thrill of anticipation at the idea. It was a bit silly, really, but she needed a reason to get him here, to have him near. Something that would bring him close, and if she played it right, let her break through the wall he had carefully constructed between them.
She kept her tone innocent as she called him, explaining the leak, and within five minutes, he was standing in the kitchen with her, a tool bag in his hand.
He barely gave her time to explain before he was crouched down under the sink to tighten the pipe. She leaned against the counter next to him, her arms crossed as she watched him focus on the task. She caught herself studying him once again, the lines of his face, the muscles in his arms flexing as he worked, and she felt the overwhelming urge to close the gap between them.
He glanced up at her as he finished his work, his brow furrowing slightly. "Just a loose pipe. Shouldn't be giving you any more trouble."
"Oh, good," she says with a soft smile, biting her lip as their gazes linger a moment too long. "Thank you, Alex. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here."
He looked up at her again, his expression cautious as he sensed the shift in her demeanor.
"It's no problem. Here to help," he replied as he began to pack up, his voice low.
He seemed more guarded than ever as he stood up, as if bracing himself against whatever she was trying to communicate without words.
Norma let herself inch closer to him, her fingers grazing the edge of the sink as she played nervously with the hem of her sleeve. She caught his gaze and let a small, shy smile play at her lips before dropping her gaze.
"I really do appreciate you, Alex." she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
He swallowed and looked away, as if he couldn't handle the weight of her gaze. She could see the tension in his shoulders, in the way he set his jaw.
"Norma," he began, his tone carrying a hint of warning. "Please-"
"What?" she interrupted, keeping her voice light, feigning innocence. She took a small step closer, close enough that she could feel the warmth of him radiating between them. She bit her lip again, a habit she knew he'd noticed by now, her eyes catching his as if daring him to look away.
For a moment, he did nothing, just stood there, unmoving. Then he exhaled, forcing himself to take a step back.
"We need to keep things...professional," he mutters, looking anywhere but at her.
Her frustration bubbled up once again at how hard he was making it for her, but she kept it hidden under a sweet, soft smile. She could see him wrestling with himself, holding back, and she was just as determined to push him just a little further. She took another step towards him, forcing him to either stand his ground or back away again.
To his credit, he didn't back away, but he didn't give in either, his gaze still fixed to the ground.
"Professional?" she echoed, an eyebrow raised feigning confusion. "You're not on duty right now. We're just two...friends."
He held her gaze now, his own frustration evident. "Friends," he repeats slowly, almost as if he was trying to convince himself.
His strength was admirable, almost infuriatingly so, and it only fed her desire to see him break, just a little.
"You're a good...friend, Alex," she says slowly, her voice dropping to a near whisper. She saw his eyes flicker to her lips, just for a second, and she could see a faint strain that gave away just how hard he was working to hold back.
For a moment, it felt like he might finally give in, that he might cross that unspoken line between them. But just as quickly, he turned away, grabbing his tools with more force than necessary.
"I should go," he muttered, his voice gruff as he moves past her, their shoulders almost brushing.
Disappointment flared in Norma once again, but she kept it hidden beneath a carefully composed smile.
"Of course," she replies, her tone deceptively light. "Thank you again, Alex."
She watched him leave quickly without another glance back, her frustration simmering and growing beneath the surface, knowing she was closer than ever to breaking down the wall he'd put up.
As the door closed, she let out a slow breath, her mind already racing with plans on how to push him just a little further, to see how far he'd go before he couldn't resist her anymore.
Later that night, Alex had just settled in for the night, a glass of half drunken whiskey in his hand when a sharp knock sounded at his door. His heart immediately skipped a beat, his stomach flipping with nerves as he stared at the door. There weren't many people who would come to his door at this hour, and there was only one person he could think of who might.
He hesitated for a moment, thinking he could just pretend to be asleep, that was the safe option. But the knock sounded again and her voice carried through the door.
"Alex, I know you're in there. Just open the damn door."
He huffed and hung his head at her frustrated tone. He was too tired and too many drinks deep to properly deal with an irritated Norma at this late hour. But he found himself being drawn to the door anyways, unable to keep her waiting.
The door swung open and there she was, standing in the dim light of the motel porch, her expression fierce and determined. He couldn't quite read her as her eyes locked onto his with an intensity that made him take a step back. She didn't wait for an invitation.
Without a word, she pushed past him, stepping into the room, her breath quick, as if she'd made up her mind and didn't want to give herself a chance to reconsider.
"Norma..." he says, closing the door behind him as he tries to ask her what she was doing, but the look in her eyes silenced him. There was no hesitation, no doubt. She moved to him quickly with a purpose that made his pulse quicken.
Before he could say anything more, her hands were on him, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him closer as she pressed her lips just under his jaw.
The sensation shot through him like a live wire, her mouth hot and her breath ragged, as if she had been holding this back for too long.
"Norma..." His voice was hoarse, and he tried to put space between them, his hands gently gripping her arms to gently push her back. "We...we can't-"
She cut him off, her lips brushing against his ear, her voice low and insistent. "Please, Alex. I can handle it."
Her lips move, pressing against his cheek, just above the corner of his mouth. "I just...I need you."
Her words sent a shiver down his spine. The way she said it, like there was nothing else in the world that mattered in that moment but him. He knew he should stop her, that they were entering dangerous territory. But the weight of her need, the desperation in her voice, made it impossible for him to think straight.
He gripped her arms tighter, trying to steady himself, to find his bearings. "Norma, this isn't a good idea. You know it's not-"
"I don't care," she breathed, her lips trailing down his neck again and he found himself tilting his head for her, his eyes slipping shut.
Her fingers dipped under the collar of his shirt, brushing his collar bone. "I need this. I need you."
The last word came out as a plea, and it broke him. He knew he should walk away, stop this before it went any further, but he couldn't.
Not when she was standing there, pressed up against him, her breath on his skin, telling him she needed him. Every ounce of self control he had left was slipping through his fingers like sand.
His hands moved to her waist, gripping tightly as he pulled her closer. A soft gasp escaped her lips as her fingers tightened their grip on his shirt. He noticed immediately that she wouldn't kiss him, her lips remaining safely on his jaw, his neck, his cheeks, her touch searing. It was deliberate, calculated, as if she knew exactly how to break him down without crossing the one line that would make this too messy, too real.
"Norma," he growled, his voice rough, strained with the effort of holding back. "You don't know what you're asking for."
She pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes, her face inches from his, her expression a mixture of defiance and vulnerability. "I know exactly what I'm asking for," she whispers, her voice steady but thick with emotion. "I can handle it. I want you, Alex."
Her words hit him hard, her blue eyes staring at him with such determination, such need, that it made it almost impossible for him to argue. But still, he hesitated, his hand coming up to cup her face, his thumb brushing gently over her cheek.
"It's going to change things."
She leaned into his touch, her eyes dark and unreadable as she studied his face. "It can just be one night. Nothing needs to change. Just a release of tension. Just two friends...helping each other."
He couldn't seem to fight her anymore as her fingers drag down his chest, trembling slightly as they slid under his shirt to brush against his skin softly. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steady himself, but when he opened them again, he saw the same raw need mirrored in her gaze.
Without another word, he let his actions answer her unasked question, his lips slowly kissing the side of her neck while he grips her waist tightly again. His body reacted almost immediately to the sound of the gasp that escaped her lips, her fingers slipping into his thick hair as her other hand gripped his shoulder tightly.
The room faded around them as Norma pushed him onto the bed, the motel walls blurring into the background as they finally began to give into the tension that had been building between them for so long. They undressed each other quickly, every touch, every glance laced with the intensity of everything they couldn't say.
He no longer cared about the risks. He was done holding back, done pretending he could resist her. His hands roamed her sides, his touch was strong and possessive, as if she were a lifeline he couldn't afford to let go of.
His thumb brushed over her erect nipple, and she let out a gasp as her back arches into his touch, her fingers digging into his shoulders. She looked into his eyes as she sat there straddling him, and for a moment, he thought she might finally give in, might let him kiss her.
But as he moved towards her, she turns her head at the last second, his lips catching the corner of her mouth. "Alex," she whispers, pulling back to stare at him with a flicker of vulnerability.
A low, frustrated huff escaped his lips, but he obeyed her unspoken wish, moving instead to kiss down her neck to her chest as she moves her hips against his, his underwear being the last barrier between them.
"I need you," she breathes out again, already pulling at the fabric on his hips. He quickly lifts her with him as he stands up and strips away the last thing keeping them from each other.
He turns them around to gently lay Norma on the bed, taking a moment to revel in the sight of her, so exposed for him. A sight he never thought he would behold.
Without another word, he slowly slips into her, watching her face closely as her eyes slip shut, her mouth falling open slightly as her back arches. His lips move to her jaw, kissing her slowly as he slips out of her, and then back in. She shudders beneath him, her breath coming in short, uneven gasps as he began to explore every inch of skin she allowed him to reach.
It was both a relief and an agony, this dance of boundaries and restraint, but neither of them was willing to break the unspoken rule she had set.
His rhythm picked up and Norma met each movement with just as much intensity. As they moved together, he felt a sense of longing that went beyond the physical, a yearning that seemed to reach into the very core of him.
It was the exact feeling he had been trying to run from, the feeling he knew would come if they gave into this. The exact reason why none of this could end well. But he found himself pushing all of that aside, so he could focus on this. This one night of raw connection, even if it came with limits and restraints.