No Strings Attached

Chapter Nineteen

Norma's legs felt weak as she made her way back to her car, but it had nothing to do with the hours of physical exertion she'd just experienced. Alex had walked her to the door, his touch still lingering on her skin from when he helped her search for her scattered clothes. The way his hand brushed against hers when he handed her panties back to her, or the slight smirk that tugged at his lips as he caught her staring at him when he was pulling his sweatpants on. It all left her breathless.
And then, just before she left, he pulled her close, pressing a slow, tender kiss to her lips, his voice low and soft as he murmured, "Be safe."
The drive back to her house passed in a blur. She barely registered the lights of the town, or the faint chill in the night air. Her mind was too full of him. His touch, his words, the way he looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.
When she walked through the front door, Norman and Dylan looked up from the couch, exchanging a glance at the faraway look on her face. She didn't even notice them, muttering a distracted, "Good night," before heading upstairs. The boys exchanged a confused look, Dylan raising an eyebrow while Norman frowned, but neither pressed the issue.
The next morning, the daze hadn't left her. As she sat in the back of the motel office, shuffling papers that she barely looked at, she couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. Her fingertip lightly traced her lips, every thought drifting back to him. The warmth in his hands, the fire in his eyes, the way he said her name like it was something sacred.
The door jingled, pulling Norma from her thoughts as Emma steps inside, hesitated briefly as she noticed Norma's flushed cheeks and dreamy expression.
"Morning, Norma," she said brightly, quickly recovering her composure as she walks behind the desk to hang her coat.
"Morning, Emma. Could you start on the rooms?" Norma asked hurriedly, her voice a little higher than usual. She wasn't in the headspace to handle Emma's sure to be many questions.
Emma blinked but didn't argue as she gave her a soft smile, quickly gathering the cleaning supplies. As soon as the door shut behind her, Norma exhaled, leaning back in her chair and pressing her hands to her warm cheeks.
She was completely and utterly undone, and she wasn't even sure she minded. She'd never felt like this before, and it was addicting, the high he gave her.
Norma sat at her desk, fanning herself with a stack of papers, trying to dispel the lingering heat from her thoughts of the previous night that left her both flustered and exhilarated.
The soft chime of the door opening pulled her from her reverie. Her heart skipped a beat as Alex walked in, his uniform impeccably pressed, exuding authority and confidence. A bright, involuntary smile spread across her face, her eyes drinking in the sight of him.
"Alex," she greeted warmly from her desk in the back, her voice tinged with surprise and delight.
Without a word, he crossed the room in swift strides, his gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that made her pulse quicken.
He knelt before her chair, cupping her face in his hands, and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. The world around them blurred away, leaving only the sensation of his lips moving against hers, igniting a fire that she thought had been sated the night before.
When he finally pulled back, she was breathless, her eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and desire. "Alex," she whispered, his name a question and a caress on her lips.
He rested his forehead against hers, his breath warm against her skin. "I had a quick break at work and couldn't stop thinking about you," he said softly, his voice husky. "I missed you."
Before she could respond, he kissed her again, slower this time, as if savoring the taste of her. Norma felt herself melting into him, her hands clutching at his shoulders and neck for support.
One of his hands cradled her cheek, the other trailing down her side, sending shivers through her body.
His fingers massaged her thigh, then moved lower to caress her calf, his touch setting fire to her skin as his lips moved to kiss down her neck.
"Alex," she tried to protest, but it came out as a breathless plea, betraying her desire for more.
His hand continued its journey, slipping beneath the hem of her skirt, her breath hitched with anticipation as his fingers graze the sensitive skin of her inner thigh.
Suddenly, the reality of where they were crashed over her. She pulled back, a pleasant yet nervous smile on her lips. "Someone could walk in on us," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and excitement.
Alex's eyes darkened slightly, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Let them," he muttered, his fingers teasing the edge of her panties, sending a jolt of electricity through her.
His lips met hers once again as his fingers slipped past the fabric, the sensation snapping her back to reality once more.
"Alex, wait. Emma's cleaning the rooms, she could hear us," she whispered against his lips, her voice soft but firm.
His lips curved into a mischievous smile, one hand continuing its work on her while the other slid down to her thigh. "Then be quiet," he whispered before ducking his head under her skirt, pulling her legs over his shoulders.
Her protest dissolved the moment she felt his mouth on her. A gasp escaped her lips, and her hand instinctively tangled in his hair, holding him against her as he worked her with expert precision. She bit her lip hard, trying to stifle the moans threatening to escape, but it became harder with every flick of his tongue, the rough scrape of his stubble against her skin only heightening her desire.
Her knees began to tremble as the heat coiled tighter and tighter in her core, her breathing coming out in sharp gasps. Just as she was about to lose herself completely, she tugged at his hair, pulling his head up with a breathless, "Alex...wait."
His dark eyes met hers as she caught her breath, his fingers stilling inside her.
"I need you," she whispered, knowing those words would be his undoing.
Without hesitation, Alex swept the papers off the desk in one swift motion while Norma quickly undid his belt and pants, her hands trembling with anticipation. She let out a gasp as he picked her up effortlessly, placing her on the desk as he aligned himself and slid into her.
The sensation made her head tilt back in a silent cry, but as soon as she opened her mouth to moan, Alex clasped his hand over it, leaning down to whisper, "Shh...we have to be quiet."
Her muffled cries against his palm only fueled the intensity between them. Every movement was deliberate and consuming, the desk creaking beneath them as they both tried to suppress the sounds of their pleasure.
Her back arched off the desk as he thumbed her clit, a low moan muffled by his hand over her mouth. Instinctively, her hand covered his, pressing it harder against her lips to stifle the moans that she couldn't seem to stop.
One of his hands moved from her mouth to slide beneath her, supporting the curve of her spine, while the other pressed firmly against her lower stomach. The combined pressure and intensity made her feel every inch of him, sending her spiraling into a shattering climax. Her mouth instinctively bit into his shoulder to muffle her moans in his shirt, the painful sensation sending Alex into his own intense release.
She felt his grip tighten even more and opened her eyes just in time to see his own shuddering release silencing him momentarily, his mouth falling open slightly, his eyes squeezing shut.
As their breathing began to slow, Alex leaned forward, brushing Norma's hair back from her face. His lips found hers in a slow, languid kiss, full of the passion that had just consumed them. She melted into it for a moment before pulling back slightly, her forehead resting against his.
"Sorry I bit you," she says with a slightly embarrassed laugh, her fingers smoothing down the shoulder of his uniform.
"Don't be. It was...intense," he says with a laugh of his own, his hands still holding her face gently.
"We really need to straighten up before Emma sees this," she whispered, her voice still shaky, a small laugh escaping her lips.
Alex smirked, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth. "You're probably right," he murmured, though his hands lingered at her waist, reluctant to let her go.
Norma smiled, her hands cradling his face as she leaned in to press a quick, affectionate kiss to his lips. Pulling back, her eyes danced with mischief. "Come on, Sheriff," she teased, her voice light and teasing. "Can't have anyone catching you like this. They might think you've gone soft."
Alex chuckled, the sound low and warm as it rumbled from his chest. He took a step back, reaching for a tissue to gently clean her up. "Soft?" he echoed, his lips curving into a smirk. "I'm never soft around you."
The playful insinuation hung in the air, and Norma's gaze snapped up to meet his, her cheeks flushing as she caught the glint of mischief in his eyes. "Alex," she breathed, her voice a mix of mock outrage and barely stifled laughter.
Still smirking, he watched as she hastily slid her panties back on, her flustered expression melting into a soft laugh that bubbled up despite her best efforts. His chuckle joined hers, the shared amusement filling the small space between them.
The room was a mess of scattered papers, but the two of them worked quickly, trying to regain some semblance of composure. Their hands brushed occasionally as they worked, eliciting sly smiles from both of them.
Suddenly, Emma was walking in, her brow raising as she looked between the two of them, the papers still slightly scattered around them.
Alex quickly gathered the last of the papers and stood up, handing them to Norma.
He spoke quickly, his ears tinged red as he looked to Norma. "Sorry again, for knocking the tray over. Clumsy."
Norma smiled, though it was a touch too bright. "Oh, it's fine, Alex," she said, trying to smooth down her tangled hair as she avoided Emma's gaze.
Emma looked between the two of them, but said nothing as she started to restock the coffee station.
"I should head back to the station," Alex said, adjusting his uniform as he walked past Emma, towards the door. He paused for a moment behind Emma, glancing back at Norma with a faint smirk.
Norma caught the look and felt her face heat even more, biting back a smile as she quickly busied herself with reorganizing the papers.
Once Alex was gone, Emma glanced over her shoulder with a soft smile and an eyebrow raised.
"Everything okay, Norma?"
Norma's voice was overly breezy as she replied, "Of course, Emma. Why wouldn't it be?"
Emma shrugged, though the knowing look in her eyes lingered. "No reason," she said as she stepped back from the coffee cart, her hand going to her oxygen tank.
"I'll just...go water the plants. Give you a minute," she said, walking out of the office with a faint smile of her own.
Norma let out a sigh as Emma left, her hands pressing against her warm cheeks for the second time that day. She glanced toward the door, her lips twitching into a small, secretive smile, before she returned to her work.