"Where is the restaurant?" Eda asked as she walked through the lobby with Serkan. She was nervous. She didn't know where they stood, she didn't know what she wanted, but she knew that nothing was what it seemed to be and being with him--alone with him--felt exciting again.
"I don't know. This is my first time here." They approached the directory, and both of them realized at the same time that the restaurant was on the 25th floor. Eda exhaled audibly. "25th floor. Never mind. Let's go." Serkan wasn't going to ask Eda to climb 25 floors to get to the restaurant--they could go somewhere else.
"That won't work. Wait a minute." Eda looked back at the elevators. Could she do it? No. No, she couldn't. But she could take the stairs. She was used to it. "We're already here; we can't turn back now. A world-famous chef has prepared a meal for us, after all. It would be rude." She could see that Serkan was unsure. "You take the elevator, and I'll take the stairs." Eda started looking around for the entrance to the stairwell.
"25 floors," Serkan said.
"Yes," Eda confirmed. She wasn't ready to give up on this time with Serkan yet.
"I didn't bring you here to suffer, Eda."
"I can do it, really. It's not a problem." She kept looking for the stairs, determined to show him that the stairs didn't matter, that she really wanted to be here with him.
"Should we try?" Serkan asked, indicating the elevators with a nod of his head.
Eda's eyes widened at his suggestion and she shook her head a little. "No, I can't. You know I can't."
Serkan stepped in closer to Eda, lowering his voice. "Eda, that time on the plane, we barely knew each other, and we got through it."
She swallowed visibly. "I know. But...I get really bad, Serkan. You don't understand."
"Okay," he nodded, "I'm not going to insist. Let's just go back to work." He started to walk away, and a switch inside her head flipped.
"Wait. Let's try." Eda said, determined not to ruin this time with Serkan. He had arranged for the world famous Chef Alexander to make breakfast for them, and she wasn't going to miss it because she was afraid of the elevator. She didn't want to be afraid anymore, and she knew if Serkan was there with her, she could get through it.
"Are you sure?" Serkan didn't want to push her into doing anything that would make her uncomfortable or cause her stress. "We can just forget about this, Eda."
"I'm sure," she insisted. "Let's go."
He looked at her for a long while, trying to read her face. He could see her fear written plainly across her features, but he could also see her stubbornness; she wasn't willing to back down. He walked toward her and took her hand in his, and she immediately felt calmer. She squeezed his fingers in hers, drawing strength from him.
"Come," he said, his voice low and soothing. He walked backward into the elevator, still holding her hand. She stopped at the doors, hesitant to enter, but she finally did. She looked all around her, as if she expected the walls to start closing in on her at any moment.
"Relax. It's okay." Serkan felt her anxiety, and he hated it. He hated that his father was responsible for the accident that took her parents, the trauma that Eda lived through as a child that made her afraid. He would have given anything to help her overcome her fear. "I'm going to push all the buttons so you can leave at any time if you start to feel too bad, okay?"
She nodded in acceptance, but she didn't look at him; she kept her eyes on the open doors of the elevator and she willed herself to stay inside, not to run out of the doors and forget about trying this. "Okay," she whispered.
"Okay?" Serkan moved to push the buttons, not taking his eyes off of her.
"Wait! Wait," she said, taking a deep breath. "Okay."
"Okay." Still holding onto her hand with one hand, he ran his first two fingers down the two columns of buttons, hitting them all. The doors slowly slid closed and Eda felt all the oxygen leaving her lungs and she started to panic, fighting to breathe.
"Close your eyes," Serkan said. She couldn't look at him, she was too scared she'd be closed in while she wasn't watching. "Turn to me and close your eyes."
She looked into his face and felt the pressure in her chest lighten slightly.
"Close your eyes." Eda's eyes drifted shut, but her eyes twitched under her eyelids, betraying her nerves. Serkan's gaze wandered over her face--god, she was so beautiful. She drew in a shaky breath, and exhaled, her breath coming faster, like the beginnings of a panic attack. "Look at me, Eda. Look into my eyes."
She opened her eyes and looked around before looking into his eyes, but when she did, she immediately felt more at peace.
"Look into my eyes. Remember us." She was starting to calm down, but then the elevator doors slid open and she started to panic again. "Look at me, look into my eyes," he reminded her. He needed to pull her in closer, surround her so she'd feel safe. "Come," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and bringing her into his body. "Come here. Remember us."
She nuzzled into his neck, breathing in his familiar scent, remembering his love, feeling his presence. She felt his hand in her hair, his fingertips grazing her bare neck. He spoke into her ear, still in that calming voice of his. "Relax. Take a breath in...and out." He stroked her arm up and down. "Breathe in...and out." Eda matched her breaths to the pace of his commands, letting him take control, trusting him completely. "In...out," he continued, not leaving her to flounder. She rubbed her cheek against his, feeling the rasp of his scruff against her tender skin. Her heart pounded in her chest, yearning for his. She clenched her fist against his side in a last attempt to resist him. "Are you okay?" he asked.
The doors opened again, but this time she barely noticed. There was only him...his voice in her ear, his cheek against hers, his hand in her hair, his body surrounding hers. She pulled away from him and looked up at him, her eyelids heavy.
"Come," he cupped her head in his hand, his fingers threading through her hair. "Are you okay?"
Her eyes moved down to his mouth and he took her cue and moved slowly into her, his gaze fixed on his target. She realized what was happening, and she knew it was too soon, but she didn't care; she had no desire to stop him. Butterflies swarmed her insides as his lips parted and met hers in the softest kiss. She relaxed her hand and held onto his coat, melting into him, her lips moving against his, slowly reacquainting herself with his kiss.
The doors opened and closed.
Serkan wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tightly against his body so there was no space left between them. Her full breasts pushed against his chest, her heat seeping through the fabric of his shirt, scorching him. His hands itched to touch her, to hold her softness in his palms, to feel her nipples harden under his touch. He heard her whimper into his mouth and he angled his head, deepening the kiss, needing to get closer to her.
Her hands slid into his coat, into his jacket and ran up his back. Her fingers traced the ridges of his shoulder blades and dug into his muscles, desperate for something to hold onto. Her head was spinning, she felt so light, like the butterflies inside her were making her take flight.
Serkan's hand in her hair moved forward to her face, his thumb skimming over her cheek as he sucked on her tongue and nipped at her lips. "Eda." Her name was a prayer, and she was the answer--his blessing, his gift. Eda wrapped her arms around him tighter, her tongue sweeping over his, her hungry mouth sucking on him.
The elevator continued its ascent, the doors kept opening and closing, and Eda and Serkan kept kissing, completely lost in each other. It had been so long, and they'd wanted each other so much, that there was nothing else in their minds.
Before they knew it, the elevator stopped, the doors slid open, and they didn't close again. "Welcome," a voice said, breaking through their spell.
Serkan took his time ending the kiss. He couldn't seem to pull himself away from her, even when he knew they were no longer alone. All the time they'd spent apart, all the times he wanted to reach out to her but he didn't because he knew she hated him. All the times she'd ignored him, rejected him, pulled away from him...it had just made him want her more and all of it came to the surface and he just wanted to make up for all of it right there in the elevator. He kept going back in, pressing sweet little kisses to her lips. His show of affection and his unwillingness to stop kissing her made her giddy, and her lush lips pulled into a wide smile. "Serkan," she whispered, her eyes fluttering open.
He kissed her again, suckling her top lip. "Hmm?" She felt the vibration of his voice all the way down to her toes and she shivered in response. His hand slid to the back of her neck, his fingers trailing over her warm, soft skin.
"We're here."
Another kiss. "Okay." He rubbed his nose against hers, then kissed her again. "I guess we should stop now."
She nodded, a short giggle escaping her. "I think so."
He gave her one last kiss and pulled away from her, turning to face the host, who patiently and discreetly stood outside of the elevator, waiting for them to come to their senses. Serkan took Eda's hand in his, lacing his fingers with hers. "Excuse me," he said, clearing his throat. "We're here to see Chef Alexander."
"Ah, yes. Of course, sir. He's expecting you. Please, this way," the host said, holding his arm out to invite them out of the elevator.
Eda turned her face to lean her forehead against Serkan's arm. "I'm so embarrassed, Serkan." Serkan smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head.
"But you made it 25 floors in the elevator, Eda. I'm so proud of you." He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers.
"You distracted me," she whispered, her cheeks warming.
"It worked." He shrugged, smiling his dimpled smile at her.
***
Chef Alexander was a gracious host, and he'd prepared a beautiful brunch for the two of them. He also was really grateful for Ayfer's hünkar beğendi--turned out he was very interested in homestyle Turkish cuisine and he was delighted to be given the opportunity to try Eda's aunt's cooking. Of course, Eda had to gloat to Serkan and Serkan again realized that the rules he'd always lived by were meaningless. Since he'd met Eda, he'd realized that people were rarely what he expected them to be.
Throughout brunch, Eda and Serkan couldn't stop touching each other. They kept sneaking looks at each other, a current of electricity buzzing between them, both of them thinking about what had happened in the elevator.
When it was time to leave, they rode back down to the lobby in the elevator, and this time, more than being nervous about the confined space, Eda was excited about being alone with Serkan again. As soon as the doors slid closed, he pulled her to him, his mouth coming down on hers. Again, they kissed for the entire 25 floors, and by the time they had arrived in the lobby, the tension between them was a lit fuse, the dynamite ready to explode.
They drove in silence for a while, but as they got closer to the office, Eda's desire overtook her; she made a decision. She leaned toward him in her seat and kissed his cheek. "Serkan..." she trailed off, her fingers coming up to trace his lips.
"What? What is it, Eda?" his mouth moved against her fingers, and he covered her fingers with his and pressed a kiss to them. He knew she was feeling the same need he felt. He wanted her to say it.
She looked at him for a few seconds, her dark eyes pensive, and he was quiet, letting her gather her thoughts. "I don't want to go to the office."
His heart thudded in his ears. He didn't want to misinterpret what she was saying. "You want me to take you home?"
She leaned toward him and kissed his ear. "I want you to take me to your home, Serkan."
"Eda, don't tease me. I've been dreaming about you every night since that night when I did the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. I'm dying without you."
Eda laughed, sultry and low, and pressed her lips against his cheek. "I'm not teasing you. Take me home. I need you."
His ears turned red and his blood pumped through his veins, thick and hot. He was thankful his apartment was in the middle of the city, close to the restaurant. Eda kept kissing him, her lips moving from his cheek to his neck. Serkan moaned his approval. Her hand slid down his chest, down his stomach, her fingers brushing against the bulge in his pants. "Oh god, Eda."
"Drive faster."
***
After what seemed like hours, they finally arrived at Serkan's place. They stumbled up the stairs, kissing the whole time. Serkan walked backward up the stairs, pulling Eda with him, their mouths attached to each other. "Eda, I just want to touch you everywhere. I want to kiss you until you can't breathe."
"Yes, Serkan." She wanted the same thing. The attraction between them was something Eda had never felt before with any other man. She remembered feeling it the day they met, when they were in his car, and she reached for the seatbelt, forgetting her arm was cuffed to his. The move had brought them face-to-face, and his nearness stirred something in her that she didn't want to name then. But now she knew it for what it was--he was her soulmate, and they were drawn together by a force stronger than both of them.
They stopped on every other step, too caught up in each other to keep going. Serkan pushed Eda up against the wall of the stairwell, knocking the breath out of her, his tongue plunging into her mouth, his hands all over her body. "Serkan, I'm so hot. I feel like I'm coming out of my skin. I can't stand it anymore. Come on, let's get inside." She spoke the words into his mouth, in between kisses. She wrapped his tie around her hand and pulled him up the stairs with her, and he followed her eagerly.
Serkan put the key in the lock with shaking fingers, and Eda wrapped her arms around his middle from behind, kissing his spine, her hands roving over his chest. He shoved the door open and he turned to face her, pulling her inside and slamming the door closed.
They looked at each other for a beat before they were on each other, devouring each other. Eda dropped her purse to the floor, her hands going straight to his belt buckle. Serkan pushed her coat and jacket off her shoulders, and she shook her arms impatiently until both garments fell in a puddle around her feet. Eda loosened his tie and pulled it off of him and set to work unbuttoning his shirt. Serkan sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and pulled back, scraping his teeth over it. A whimper caught in the back of Eda's throat and came out like a squeak, making Serkan smile against her mouth. She abandoned his buttons and slid her hands into his shirt, running them up his smooth chest.
He growled into their kiss and leaned down and picked her up, carrying her to the sofa. He lay her down and crawled over her, pulling her sweater out of her skirt and up over her breasts. He kissed and nipped his way up her belly, making her muscles contract under his ministrations. She brought his hands to his head, her fingers twisting in his carefully groomed hair.
His tongue traced a line up the center of her midriff. When he got to her bra, he took hold of the top of the right cup with his teeth and pulled it down, freeing her breast. He flicked his tongue over her already-hardened nipple and she arched her back, pushing her breast against his mouth. "Serkan, please. Please."
He looked up at her. "What do you want, Eda? Tell me what you want." He kissed the underside of her full breast. He couldn't keep his mouth off of her. He'd missed her so much. He was in love with her, and he constantly wanted her.
"I want everything. I want your mouth on me." She pulled at his hair. "Please." She was begging now, her voice was desperate.
He took the peak of her breast in his mouth, sucking on her, laving his tongue over her. He pulled his mouth off of her with an audible pop and kissed his way back down her stomach. He unhooked her skirt and pulled it down her legs along with her panties. He kissed her inner thighs, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her legs apart with his hands. He drew circles against her skin with his tongue, moving in a spiral up to the wet heat between her legs. She was throbbing, her heart racing. She looked down at his head between her legs and moaned. This was her favorite thing, and he knew it. He was so good at it. She pulled at his hair, her hips coming off the couch to push against his face.
He chuckled at her eagerness. "Shhhh, aşkım. Everything in its own time." His warm breath fanned against her wet sex, sending goosebumps all over her body.
"Serkan," she whined, her hand going between her legs, her fingers gliding over her clit in slow circles. She needed to be touched.
"Fuck, Eda." He took her hand in his and sucked her fingers into his mouth, licking them clean before licking a stripe from her entrance to her clit and closing his lips around her little pearl, flicking his tongue against her, sucking on her.
She screamed his name, writhing under him. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes, Serkannnnn." His beard scraped against her sex, the tender skin of her inner thighs in the most delicious way. He pushed two fingers into her, pumping them in and out of her as his mouth consumed her. Every nerve ending was a livewire. She fell over the edge, her body shaking, her breath coming in shallow pants.
He rubbed his face back and forth against her thigh and sat up to look at her. "You're so beautiful."
She sat up too, and straddled his lap. She leaned down and kissed his lips. "So are you," she said, smiling down at him. He smiled back, stroking her face with the backs of his fingers. She moved against the hard ridge in his pants, rubbing herself against him. He looked up at her like she was a goddess. He kissed her neck, pressing his lips against the pulse at the base of her throat, and she reached between them and undid his pants.
She raised up off of him a little and he lifted his hips and pushed his pants down just enough to free his cock. He took himself in his hand, rubbing through her wet folds. She leaned her forehead against his, her eyes closed in pleasure, her long hair falling around them like a curtain. "I missed this. I missed you."
Her hips moved back and forth, the head of his cock nudging her entrance until finally he slid into her, the movement of her hips taking him into her body a little at a time. Serkan sighed, finally feeling like he was back where he belonged. "You're mine, Eda." He kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. "Mine. I'm never letting you go again."
"Yes," she said, the speed of her hips picking up as she chased her pleasure. "Yours, Serkan." She wound her arms around his shoulders and held him close to her body. He buried his face between her breasts, his mouth latching onto the inside of her left breast, pulling her skin into his mouth, marking her.
His hands were under her sweater, running up her back, his fingers splayed between her shoulder blades. Their bodies moved together, climbing and climbing. She brought her hands to his face and pulled him up to kiss him. She was so close, so close. She felt her orgasm building, blooming in the pit of her stomach. She rode him relentlessly, moaning with every thrust of his body inside hers. His hands came down to grip her hips, holding her still as he pushed up into her over and over, his heavy balls slapping up against her. They came together, both of them crying out, holding onto each other like they'd drown if they let go.
Serkan kissed Eda's neck, her chest, her shoulders, his lips soft and warm, his tongue darting out to taste the saltiness of her skin. "Am I dreaming? You can't be real."
She stroked his hair, combing it back off of his forehead. "It's real, Serkan. I'm here."