Our night together put us over some imaginary threshold. We've talked almost every day and we saw each other for lunch a few days ago. It's been two weeks of laughter and falling into a nice rhythm together.
I grab the subway and head to her apartment, where she has another day of surprises in store for me. She's standing outside waiting, and the sight of her causes my pulse to spike. Her brown hair is in sexy disarray and her white T-shirt is tight, which lets me see her defined muscles perfectly. Butterflies stir in my stomach. It astounds me that we're dating-she's magnificent, commanding, sweet, and so many other things. I can't keep my eyes off her when she's around. The chemistry between us crackles like flames on a log. My body comes to life when she touches me-it's a heady feeling.
As I approach she gives me a lopsided grin. "Hello, gorgeous."
"Hello yourself." I smile and she immediately reaches out, pulling me flush against her. "Do you always have to manhandle me?"
"Well, baby, I'm all man and I sure as hell love to handle you." Her eyes glimmer with humor.
Hell yeah she is-every single fantastic inch of her.
"You're ridiculous." I shake my head.
"Yet you keep coming back, so I must not be that bad." She smirks and gives me a long, panty-melting kiss.
Right here on 5th Avenue in New York City, she has once again rendered me helpless. Shoppers, families, cabs, and bikers all fade away as her lips move with mine. Jade pulls back and wraps her arm around me.
I love how physical she is, almost as if she can't keep her hands off me. It's such a contrast to anything I'm used to. Whether it's holding hands or something as simple as touching legs when we watch television, those small moments say so much. They're unspoken words that show the true depth of what we're both feeling.
"So what's on our agenda today?" I ask with a light heart.
There's happiness dancing in her eyes when she responds, "The park."
My face falls at her answer. Jade told me to make sure I was comfortable today. No heels, no dresses. She said to be sure I wore sneakers. I made her promise no military training exercises, no entering me for some kind of race or marathon, and no other strenuous physical activity that would have me aching for days after completion. After my ribbing about her love of running and exercise in general, I was a little hesitant, but she swore I would love today. I trusted her-first mistake.
"Why do I think I should've stayed home in bed?" I groan.
She laughs and pulls me tighter. "I wasn't in bed with you, so that's reason enough to get up," Jade jokes in my ear as we walk. "One day I'll get you to agree to a mud run or something, but you'll be happy to know I kept my end of the bargain today. They don't have an obstacle course in Central Park-yet. And there's no marathon."
"Yet somehow that doesn't comfort me." I smile and nudge her.
We keep walking until we stop in front of the Central Park Zoo. My smile is so wide I can't contain it. I leap into her arms, wrapping my legs around her torso and pressing my lips to her. Her eyes are bright and full of happiness.
"Jade!" I squeal, hugging her tight.
"Happy?" she asks with an irresistibly devilish grin.
I've thought it before and I'm thinking it now-Jade can read my mind. Or we're just that in sync. The zoo. This is one of the few places that holds any kind of happy memories for me and my dad. I love that she brought me here.
I let her see it all in my eyes, allowing her to see how very much this means to me. My whole heart is open to her as we stand wrapped around each other. After a few seconds or minutes-I don't know which-I give her another kiss and untangle myself.
"Come on, babe. Let's go inside." Her voice wraps around my heart, warming me from the inside out.
Our fingers lace together as we enter through the brick archway. I pull her around the zoo, looking at all the animals and laughing with her throughout our miniature safari in the city. We walk and catch each other up on the days we were both swamped and couldn't talk. Jade informs me about her upcoming trip to Virginia in the next few weeks. I tell her about Leigh-Anne's newest fling. When we approach my favorite animals, I'm practically bouncing up and down.
"I love the camels!" I shout, pulling her to the fence. "They're the most underrated animals."
Jade's laughter peals through my cooing at the camel in the back. "You're kidding. This is your favorite animal?"
"Whatever! I think they're cute. They have the humps and they're strong." I stare through as the one I'm wooing comes closer.
"I like to hump and I'm strong. I'm sensing a pattern." Her brow lifts.
My brain blanks out as I envision Jade doing a variety of things in the bedroom. I need to move off this topic quickly before my thoughts go further in the wrong direction.
"Anyway. They're my favorite." I smile.
"I seriously can't believe this is what you wanted to see. I mean, how 'bout a lion? Monkey? Something cool," she says with humor and a trace of incredulity.
I shake my head at her indifference toward this beautiful creature.
"They're cool. They even have a song about them." I raise my brows.
"What song?" she asks, laughing and clearly confused.
"You know, 'Sally the Camel has Five Humps,'" I say in a singsong way. Back in college I babysat a child whose favorite show played that counting song all the time. It was annoying and repetitious and would inevitably get stuck in your head and drive you crazy. If she thinks I'm going to sing it to her, she's lost her damn mind.
"I have no clue what you're talking about, but by all means feel free to sing it." Jade's smile lights up her face.
"No, I don't think that would be enjoyable for either of us." I laugh, returning my gaze to the animals. "If I lived on a farm, I'd own one."
"They're gross and they smell. Plus, I've ridden them plenty during deployments. I promise there is nothing special about a camel. Now, you want to talk about a tiger, I'm all for it." She grins, enjoying her teasing.
The camel walks over to the fence and a young boy lifts his hand up, feeding it from his palm. I giggle, but Jade looks like she's disgusted.
"See. You couldn't feed a lion from your hand." I tilt my head, toying with her. The machine to get food for the camel is a few feet away. I dig through my purse for the quarter I need as Jade scoffs.
"No, but-" Before she can finish her sentence, the camel spits and it lands not even an inch in front of her.
I bust out laughing. Tears stream from my eyes as she stands there looking like she wants to climb the fence and teach it a lesson, which only makes me laugh harder. Jade stares at me before her own grin and chuckle break free. "Oh my ... She showed you!" I barely get out.
"So not funny." She rushes toward me and grips my hand, pulling me away from the animal, which clearly does not like her. "Fucking thing almost got me."
"If only my beautiful Jessica had better aim." I giggle and wrap my arms around her torso, trying to control myself.
"You named the camel that tried to spit on me?" Jade asks, sounding wounded.
"Jessica the camel. She only spit because you were being an ass and talking shit about her." I wink.
"Glad to see where your loyalties lie."
"Jessica and I have a strong bond. Sorry, babe, Jessica and I are like this." I say and hold my crossed fingers up.
We stop in front of the next animal and she wraps her arms around my waist, pulling me against her. I gaze at her, breathing in this moment in time. I love the way she makes me laugh, smile, and enjoy a normal day. Jade brings out parts of me that I'd buried after Zayn. But I don't have to pretend with her. I can just be. Knowing that she doesn't want to change me, that she wants to be with me as I am-it's liberating. I snake my arms up her taut back as my mind drifts to all the ways Jade's infiltrated my heart and soul. I think of her as soon as I wake up and before I go to bed. She's in my dreams too. She's wrapped up with every aspect of my work life, but even when I'm not looking at the launch, someone will say something that brings me back to her.
Jade's eyes bore into mine. "I don't know what I did to deserve this chance with you." Her fingers tenderly brush a loose strand of hair back behind my ear. "You're beautiful, smart, funny ... I can't get enough of you. What's going on in that gorgeous head of yours?"
I'm taken aback by her intensity and what she's saying. She thinks she's undeserving? It's me who doesn't know how I somehow have her.
I place my hand on her cheek. "I think you have it mixed-up. It's me who's lucky. I keep waiting to wake up and realize you're a dream." I rub my thumb against her chin. She's real. We're real. No pretending, no dreams-only us.
"Believe it, baby. I'm not going anywhere," she says softly before her lips meet mine.
We continue our day walking through the zoo. She refuses to let me say good-bye to the camels, no matter how hard I try. We walk through the park hand in hand, stopping to grab a dirty water dog and pretzel from the hot dog truck. It's your typical day in New York City. No fanfare or crazy planning. It's perfect. Every single solitary second is all I could ever want.
"How about we head back to my place and watch a movie?" Jade asks.
"Sure. Only if I can pick it." I smile, happy that she wants to spend the rest of the day together.
I note that she didn't answer, but she's crazy if she thinks I'm going to let her win-again. We head to her apartment and memories of the last time I was here flood back. The way she seduced me, touched me, brought me to the brink, and then opened up about the mission. How in the morning there was no awkwardness. We had breakfast and I headed back to my apartment, floating on cloud nine.
"Pick something good," Jade warns as we head into the living room.
"You didn't give any contingencies, so you get no say." I smirk and head over to the wall of DVDs. I could be a total pain in the ass and pick something I know she'd hate, but then again her selection doesn't exactly give me many options. Scanning the endless rows, I find one and gasp.
"Oh my God! You have Empire Records?" I grab the DVD and rush over to put it in the player.
"You know this movie is cinema gold," Jade says as she brings over popcorn and settles into the couch.
"This is the best movie ever!" I exclaim and snuggle into her side. "Okay. Before we start watching, if you could be anyone, who would you pick? I'd be Lucas. He's hysterical." I smile and grab the bowl, putting it on my lap.
"I guess Joe. He's the boss."
I laugh at her choice. Of course she'd pick the one who's in charge. Joe is pretty badass, though.
"I think you'd be a great Rex. Oh Rexy, you're so sexy." I smirk and push play as she scoffs.
We spend the next hour laughing and reciting lines. Just as Rex Manning and Gina are getting it on in the copy room, Jade runs her fingers up and down my arm. Suddenly I'm not so interested in the movie anymore. I shift, trying to stifle the lust bubbling up, but she moves her hand to the back of my neck and starts making small circles on my skin with her fingertips. My breathing becomes heavier as the pad of her finger rubs the spot right below my ear. Every caress increases my yearning. Heat pools as she makes her way back down my neck, lingering there.
I move my hand higher up her leg and hear her swallow loudly. The urge to touch her, to feel her, to make her come apart in my hands grows with each beat of my heart. Slowly I turn to look at her. Her eyes drink me in before her mouth crushes against my lips with savage intensity. She shifts us and swings me on top of her. Feeling her erection against my core causes my arousal to rage like a storm.
Her lips lower and her tongue traces my neck and shoulders. "Jade, I want you," I say in a breathy whisper.
"Understatement of the year." She pulls the strap of my tank top and bra down, exposing my breast to her hungry mouth. Jade pushes me back as her tongue circles my nipple.
My lids close as I absorb the sensations of her warm breath and mouth on me. Her hand glides up my back and tangles in my hair as she tugs, exposing my neck and arching me forward to give her easier access. I try to sit up but she grips my hair and pulls harder, bringing my chest closer to her. She sucks and nips as I writhe in her lap. Her other hand digs into my ass, gripping, kneading, and pushing me into her cock.
Using her teeth, she pulls the other strap down and pays the same attention to my other breast. The cheek grazes my already sensitive skin, sending tingles from my head to my toes.
I push forward and pull her shirt off before fusing my mouth to her. Our tongues tangle as the kiss becomes aggressive and desperate. God, I want her so bad. I'm dripping with need, aching for her to fill me. I rake my nails down her arms, extracting a low rumble from her chest.
Breaking the kiss, my tongue grazes her ear before I say huskily, "I want to fuck you."
She groans before pushing me up and tearing my pants off. I hastily pull her off as she reaches over and puts a condom on. I'm straddling her when she says, "Then fuck me, Perrie."
I slide down on her as she fills me to the brink. So fucking full. She's so deep her cock is hitting every nerve inside me. Jade's eyes close and her head falls back against the couch. My hands grip her shoulders as I start to move.
"Your pussy feels so good." Her voice fills the room and she groans louder.
Every breath, every moan goes straight to my core.
Gripping my hips, she sets the pace. Raw passion spreads through me at the sweet friction of her bare skin against mine. Watching her lost in my touch, in my body, as I rock back and forth is incredible. Our eyes connect, awakening something deep within me. Her fingers dig in so tight it's almost painful, but we don't drop our eyes. The unrestrained emotion behind her gaze mirrors mine. With each thrust, each caress, each kiss, we're both giving each other everything, all the good and bad. I don't know where she ends and I begin. I ride her hard and fast, embracing this intimacy, climbing my way toward ecstasy.
Jade slips her hand between us, applying pressure to my clit. I lean against her chest, absorbing the heat from her body. "Let go," she groans against my neck. "I want to feel you grip me. Ride me harder."
"Don't stop," I pant as she continues to draw pleasure from me.
She rubs in small circles, keeping pace from below, pushing me harder and faster so every nerve surges with liquid heat. I lose control at the intense pleasure and sink my teeth into her shoulder, biting down as my orgasm tears through me.
"Holy shit!" Jade calls out as she pounds into me, taking control of my movement.
I lean back with a seductive gleam in my eyes, but it's nothing compared to the fire burning in hers. My heart clenches. She's either angry or extremely turned-on. Jade lifts me off her and places me on the floor, gripping me from behind as she lifts my ass in the air. Definitely turned-on.
"You fucking amaze me," she says, low and raspy as her hand glides up my back. Then she grabs my shoulder, entering me roughly. "This. Us. You. Your body-was made for me. You're mine."
"Oh my God, yes." I moan as the feeling of her deeper than she's ever been overtakes me. She tangles a hand in my hair as she plows into me, hard. My breasts hang heavily and the sound of our bodies connecting over and over fills the room.
"You look so fucking sexy." Jade's voice is strained as she slams into me. Her fingers wrap around my hip, gripping me so tight. She shifts her position, hitting the sweet spot inside me. The sound of her slapping her body against mine only drives me higher. "I want to fuck you all day and all night, so all you see is me. When you walk, I want you to remember where I've been and how good it feels when I'm inside you."
Her words go directly to my core, reviving my previous orgasm. My mind is a sponge soaking up every syllable. Jade reaches her hand around, finds my sensitive clit, and rubs it, bringing my orgasm closer.
"I'll never get enough of you. Mine goddamnit. All fucking mine."
That word: enough. Only this time she's telling me I am enough. Telling me she wants more.
I shatter, crying out her name as she continues to hit every sensitive spot in my body. My bones are melting from the sheer force of it.
She pumps a few more times before following. "Perrie ... My Perrie."
We both crumple to the floor, exhausted and sated. I look up at her as she rubs her shoulder where I bit her. Oh my God, I bit her. I actually sunk my teeth into her because I was so far gone.
"Sorry about that." I smile as my cheeks flame with embarrassment.
She smiles back at me. "You can bite me." Jade's lips find purchase on mine. "Any fucking time." She lies on her back and shifts me closer.
She's everything I could have wanted but never knew to ask for. We enjoy and entertain each other. The one thing my grandma always said was to find someone who makes you laugh. We can be serious or playful, and either way it works. As scared as I am, right now I feel content, happy. I close my eyes and listen to the rhythm of her heart.
She kisses my head. "I've got you, baby." The sound of her voice lulls me and I drift off, hoping we can handle whatever comes our way, because the thought of losing moments and days like this scares me.