Chapter 18: The Stairs

He came through the door.

He kicked it shut with his heel.

I hit the green wood with my back, and his mouth came down on mine.

It wasn't gentle.

I had a fistful of his coat and he had my face in both hands.

We kissed.

"You said no twice," he said against my lips.

"I said no once."

"You said stay."

"I said stay once."

"Say it again."

"I'll show you."

I dragged his coat off his shoulders and let it drop.

He got my red coat open and my sweater up.

The cold hall air hit my stomach, and then his hands did, warm and rough.

I got my jeans open myself.

"Off," I said.

"Claire."

"Off. Now."

He knelt and peeled them down my legs.

I kicked off my boots and stood against my own front door in my underwear, my sweater bunched under my arms.

He looked up at me from his knees.

"Leg," he said.

I put my left leg over his shoulder.

He turned his face into my thigh and bit, lightly.

Then he pulled my underwear aside and put his mouth on me.

I banged my head back against the door.

He was not slow about it this time.

His tongue went hard and flat over my clit, then fast.

He sucked, and he worked two fingers into me and crooked them against the place that makes my knees go.

"Will."

"Mm."

"Don't stop. Don't you dare."

He moaned against me, and I felt it in my spine.

I wound my fingers into his hair and rode his mouth, shameless, my voice going up the stairwell.

I came hard, with the front door shuddering in its frame behind me.

I was still shaking when he stood up, wiping his mouth with the back of his wrist.

"Stairs," I said.

"What?"

"I want you on the stairs."

I pulled him up the first flight by his belt.

On the third step I sat down, pushed my underwear off one ankle, and spread my knees.

He stood on the second step, one hand on the banister, and opened his jeans.