Force: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World)

in is the kitchen with all it’s gleaming white cabinets and stunning gray marble. The open plan dining room flows perfectly into the elegant living room. The views from the floor-to-ceiling glass walls are breathtaking. I can easily imagine watching the sunset over the hills in the distance.
The whole place is light and bright, thanks to everything being a shade of white or gray. Even the art on the walls, while beautiful, is all neutral shades. The only pop of color is a vivid blue abstract painting I can immediately tell is by Santos.
The apartment truly is stunning. It's just not Tucker. I can’t reconcile the boy that was forever covered in oil and grime with someone who lives somewhere so pristine.
I’m looking out at the view when two large, warm hands wrap around my stomach, and I’m pulled back against a hard, naked torso. Tuck buries his face in my neck, dropping a series of kisses on my heated skin. I can’t believe I’m here with him like this. After speaking with my parents, it was like something clicked in my brain. I’ve regretted leaving him every day since I did it, so why am I wasting more time? I didn’t plan on throwing myself at him the way I did, but considering how the night turned out, I don’t regret any of it.
“The only gorgeous thing in here is you.” His voice against my skin has me shivering. “Everything else is just stuff.”
Spinning around, I pull him down so our lips meet in a sweet kiss. I should probably be concerned about how fast this thing between is moving, but I can’t deny how right it feels.
“Come on. I made breakfast.” He pulls me by my hand to the island where two plates of food wait for us.
“You cooked? Is it safe?” I ask, amused, because the Tucker I knew couldn’t boil water without incident.
“Cooking is a slight overreach, but I can fry a mean piece of bacon these days.” He chuckles as he pulls out my stool for me. He’s not wrong, it might only be bacon and eggs, but it's delicious.
“Remember that time you tried to make spaghetti?” I giggle at the memory as Tucker groans. His cheeks heat into an adorable shade of pink.
“That was your fault.” He tries hard to keep his face straight, but amusement tugs at his lips. “If I wasn't  so obsessed with kissing you, I would have noticed the pan had boiled dry, and there wouldn’t have been that fire.”
I have to bite my lip to try to contain my laugh, but it’s pointless; the memory of Tucker panicking that my parents were going to be mad at us for almost destroying their kitchen is hilarious. We lied and told them we were engrossed in homework. I’m pretty sure Duke knew what we were up to, but thankfully he let it go.
The amused look on Tuck’s face has me losing the grip I had on my laughter and soon, we’ve both lost it.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” Tucker says quietly as he leans over and swipes away the tears that have leaked from my eyes. Peace. That is what I feel right now, here with the man I thought was lost to me forever. When he looks at me like this, with open affection, I feel peace.
***
“Things have been crazy for us over the last few weeks, but I should have said this before now,” I say a little while later as we lay together out on his balcony. “I’m proud of you.”  Tuck’s arms convulse around me as his face buries into my hair.
“Baby...” he murmurs quietly. Twisting around, I lean into him and rest my hands on his chest so I can look him in the eyes as I say what needs to be said.
“I mean it,” I push on. “I knew you’d make it. Never doubted it for a second, but seeing all you’ve achieved.” I wave my hand around, indicating the insane penthouse that must have cost more than I can comprehend. “I’m happy you’re living your dreams, Tuck.” For the briefest second, something hard flashes over his face, but it’s gone before I can work out what it is. I just hope I’m still a part of that dream, like I was when we were kids. I don’t say this out loud, but the words hang between us anyway.
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he rolls us off the sun lounger, picks me up, and carries me to his bed. Laying me back, Tuck makes quick work of getting us both naked. He still doesn’t speak as he drops down to the bed, shoulders his way between my legs, and without preamble, licks right up the center of my pussy. He doesn’t devour me; his licks and nips are soft and exploring. Still, it’s not long before my hands are buried in his thick dark hair, and I’m riding his face. He brings me to the edge only to shift slightly, pushing back my impending orgasm. I want to groan in frustration as he kisses his way up my body, but I’m silenced when his mouth hits mine. I can taste myself on his lips as his weight presses me into the bed. His arms bracket my head, so I have no choice but to keep staring into his eyes
“I want to be inside you when you come,” Tucker says against my lips as he hitches one of my legs up and around his waist. And then he’s there, his length pressing inside. My breath halts as a tumult of sensations hit me.
His arms cradling me create a safe haven. A place where it’s just us, we’re all that exists right here in this moment.
His weight on me, feeling like a cocoon, an impenetrable wall.
His cock driving into me sparks a fire that will soon be a blazing inferno of bliss.
His eyes on mine burn with the words he’s not ready to say yet.
Maybe I should be concerned