Chapter Text
ONE
steal my t-shirt, wreck my bed
Richard squirmed under her penetrating emerald stare, shuffling his weight between his feet nervously. His blue eyes were wide and darted between her face and the empty wine glass in her hand.
“Sloane, please, just listen to me,” He pleaded with her willingly, his British accent steady and smooth over the anger hanging in the air. His hands gripped the back of the dining room chair tightly, leaning on it not only for support but for a sturdy barrier between him and the very angry redhead.
She rolled her eyes, a scoff falling hastily from her lips. “Who the fuck do you think you are, Richard?"
The wine glass flew at his head so quickly he barely had enough time to drop his right shoulder, narrowly escaping the shards of glass as it collided onto the wall with a heavy thud.
“Sloane, just calm down,” He held his hands up defensively and attempted to walk towards her. If he could just get his hands on her, calm her down, get her to relax...
“Calm down? CALM DOWN?!” She repeated, grabbing the second empty wine glass from the kitchen countertop in front of her. Furious wasn't even the word to describe her anger.
"I was just trying to help, Sloane, do something nice for you." He stopped in front of the kitchen island and dropped his hands to the edge of the marble countertop, gripping it tightly.
God, he knew redheads had a temper, but this…
“I don’t need to be fucking rescued, I don’t need to be taken care of; why can’t you understand that?” She took the second glass in her hand. "I love you, Armitage, but you HAVE to stop coddling me."
Richard maintained her piercing stare. “I know you don’t need me to take care of you, I didn’t mean it like that, I just... Sometimes I just feel the need to protect you."
"Protect me?" She repeated, her hand raising and taking aim once again at the dining room wall behind him.
“Sloane, DON’T.” His voice boomed through the small cottage, and immediately, he knew made a mistake.
She raised her eyebrows; her eyes began to narrow behind the thick, black framed glasses adorning her face. “What did you say?”
He sighed heavily, dropping his hands to his side. Shit. “You’re going to cut yourself on all this glass, now please, put it down,” His voice lowered, attempting to soothe the tension in her heart and mind.
She raised her left hand and threw the glass against the dining room wall. “Don’t tell me what to fucking do!”
He ducked, once again narrowly escaping the broken pieces of glass bouncing off the wall and floor. “You have to calm down, Sloane. Let’s talk about this, alright?” He walked around the bar, laying his hand on the marble countertop and made his way towards her carefully.
“I have to calm down? So you’re still trying to tell me what to do?” She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed him away from her, attempting to rid him from her bubble.
Richard took a hold of her wrist, his large hand wrapping around her forearm tightly. “I’m merely offering a better suggestion,” His sharp tone began to waver, his patience wearing thin.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” She snatched her wrist out of his hand and stepped back from his towering stature.
He slammed his fist down on the countertop, furrowing his brows tightly. “Enough!”
She raised her eyebrows, startled by his sudden outburst and brought her hand across his cheek swiftly, the skin on skin slap echoing off the kitchen walls and cupboards. “You don’t get to tell me when it’s enough,”
In one smooth motion, he wrapped his hands around her neck and pulled her to him, his lips crashing hungrily onto hers. She pushed her tongue past his lips and entwined it with his, her hands grabbing the front of his t-shirt tightly.
“Take it off,” She demanded, narrowing her eyes.
His fingers found the hem of his shirt and quickly pulled it over his head, his arms wrapping her up once again. His lips trailed from her jawline and settled on her neck, his nips sending chills through her torso and down her spine. As she let her hands fall across his chest and down to his waist, he kissed her again; her fingers fumbling with his belt.
“Need some help, love,” He whispered softly, his lips curling into a smile.
She raised her eyebrows and pulled the leather belt from his jeans. “Don’t taunt me.” She kept the belt in her right hand and turned from him, walking from the kitchen.
“Sloane,” He warned, his voice tight with frustration.
She turned sharply, settling her eyes into his sparkling gaze, yet his jaw was still set tight. She knew he was growing more impatient by the second, but he knew he was on thin ice. His eyes grew wide as she pulled the tight tank dress from her body and threw it behind her, ignoring his pleading moans. His gaze settled on her apple shaped hips, enjoying the way it bounced and rippled with each step she took. Realizing the front of his jeans growing tighter by the second, he pulled them off in a hurry and followed her, not being able to take much more of her naked body without his hands all over it.
“Did I say that you could follow me?” She turned and took the other end of the belt in her left hand, letting the leather fall through her fingertips smoothly.
His eyes grew heavy with desire as held the belt tightly in her hands; his chest heaved with each breath he took, anticipating her next move; his hand rested on the back of his neck, gripping it tightly. He needed her. Sloane walked over to him slowly, her red curls bouncing over her breasts. She hooked her index finger in the front of his black Armani boxer briefs and pulled him towards her. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, his left hand gripping her ass tightly and a low growl rolled off his lips. His right hand dropped from her neck and down her chest, taking her full breast in his hand and squeezing it tightly. She moaned softly as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
Letting her hand fall between his skin and microfiber underwear, she slid her fingertips towards his cock and gripped it tightly. She fell to her knees, her hands trailing his taut thighs, which she sank her teeth into swiftly. He let out a groan as her tongue flicked the bite.
“Fuck,”
She chuckled and looked up at him, his dark hair shorter than normal, which meant she wouldn't be able to run her fingers through it, but at least she could still grip the strands tightly when she felt the need. She licked her lips and pulled his underwear down his legs; she might still be angry with him, but that man stirred something deep inside her soul - something she couldn't ignore.
He caught her gaze and smiled at her, his heart full of desire for her and her alone. She took his cock in her hands and guided it to her lips, taking him into her mouth slowly, her velvet tongue swirling around his sensitive head, a deep groan ensuing from his chest. In one quick moment, she took him entirely, his head hitting the back of her throat. He dug his hands into her hair, twirling the curls around his fingers and pulling the strands away from her face so he could rest his eyes on hers. She continued sucking and licking his throbbing cock, one hand coddling his balls and the other gripping his thigh tightly, his moans growing heavier each time she took him to the back of her throat. She let go of him quickly.
“Lay down.”
He dropped to his knees, taking her head in his hands and kissing her deeply. She pushed him onto his back, crawling over his 6’2” frame, leaving kisses and nips over his chest and neck. He brought his left hand to her thigh, attempting to push her onto his cock. She raised her eyebrows and ripped his hand from her leg, pinning it to the hardwood firmly.
“I don’t think so,”
He groaned heavily as her lips reached the sensitive fold of his neck and the tip of her tongue caressed the supple skin lightly. She wriggled her hips over his cock in a teasing motion.
“Sloane, I need you,” He begged, his right hand coming to her thigh. Once again, she ripped his limb from her leg and pinned it above his head.
“Then tell me what you need,” She smirked.
He hesitated, and she brought her right hand from his forearm, slapping his cheek tightly. “Do you need me, Richard?”
He nodded helplessly, his eyes boring into hers. “Yes, yes, I do,”
“Do you need me to fuck you, Richard,”
“Oh God, please, Sloane,” He panted, his brows furrowing in frustration.
She smirked again, straddling his torso, and positioned her hips where his tip pressed against her folds gently. Slowly, she sank onto him, a moan rolling off her lips as he filled her completely. She rocked her hips back and forth, side to side, enjoying the way he always seemed to fit her perfectly. Her hands fell to his chest, her fingertips trailing through his dark hair.
“Can I touch you,” He pleaded, a groan rising from his chest as her hips .
She nodded, her head tilting onto her shoulder. “Yes,” She moaned, her hand moving down his chest, happy trail and up to her clit.
His hands gripped her hips tightly and he bent his knees slightly, allowing him to thrust deeper and harder than before. Her fingers circled the sensitive bud slowly, aching for release.
“Fuck,” She moaned, grabbing her left breast, her fingers beginning to work tirelessly over her nipples and clit. "I'm so close, harder,"
His thrusts grew quicker, hitting her spot just right, until her release burst onto his cock. She let her hand fall from her breast and onto his waist as she came, her walls tightening around his cock, urging him to come with her. He spilled into her moments later, his hands remaining tight on her hips. Finally, after her spasms grew farther apart, she collapsed on his chest. He held her tightly and glanced down at her, brushing a piece of her hair from her eyes. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and she snuggled her head into his neck.
“And to think you didn’t even have to use the belt,” He chuckled.
She scoffed, looking up at him with a sly smile on her lips. “The night’s not over yet, love.”
*
Before he even opened his eyes, Richard knew that Sloane was already up and out of bed for the morning. He let his left arm fall to the cold bedsheets beside him and he chuckled as his fingertips lingered on the edge of the mattress. He knew he should’ve mentioned the possibility of purchasing a bigger bed before spouting off ideas of purchasing a bigger home.
The bubbly voice floated upstairs and caught his attention, lifting his head from the pillow. Kate, He sighed heavily, knowing the possibility of finding Sloane downstairs in the kitchen naked was now never going to be an option. He closed his eyes and laid his head back down into the mountain of pillows, enjoying the fresh lavender scent that Sloane seemed to always carry with her.
A low grumbling filled his stomach, breakfast. He hated to interrupt the time spent between Kate and Sloane, but if he was going to exert any amount of energy today, he first needed sustenance. Thankfully, a few minutes later, he heard Kate tell Sloane goodbye and the front door shut soundly behind her. The close relationship that those two had worried him at times, especially after the events that plagued them after the last few months. Sloane’s emotional health was always on his mind, and he worried that if she continued to hold everything inside, it would only make things worse on her.
Slowly, he stretched onto his back as he heard her light footsteps ascending on the stairs. Once she made her way to the master suite, she crawled over him on the bed carefully, her lips landing on his for a soft kiss. “Good morning, love.”
A simply sweet smile cascaded onto his lips. “God I’ve missed those words.”
“And I’ve missed you.” She collapsed onto him, laying her head on his chest. “I was thinking breakfast at Nicks?”
He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “I had a feeling you were going to say that.” He hesitated at speaking the words on his tongue, but overall, bravery won out. “So Kate came over this morning?”
Sloane let her eyelids fall shut and let out a soft sigh. “She did,”
“Was that her idea or yours?”
“Hers. She stopped by on her way to work, wanted to know if I needed anything before we left.”
Richard let his fingertips fall to her waist, dipping them slowly into her dimpled lower back. “Ah,” He enjoyed the touch of her smooth skin against the pads of his fingers, the circular motion bringing a heavy sigh to her lips. “Do you need anything before we leave?”
“No. My mother and Vanessa took care of all that for me. I’m surprised you didn’t see the mounds of packages in my office; it’s been quite distracting.”
He chuckled. “Oh, I did. Now you just have to actually pack. You do realize that we leave tomorrow, right?”
She looked up at him and smiled. “And you’re aware of the fact that I’m a procrastinator, correct?”
“I’m terribly aware, Sloane.” His stomach grumbled again, this time more prominent than the last.
“I’m guessing I need to feed you if I expect you to exert any more energy today, hmm?”
*
“We need to discuss this, Sloane.” Richard leaned back into the booth at Nick’s Diner and focused intently on the redhead in front of him.
Letting a sigh fall from her lips, Sloane dropped her dramatically. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”
He nodded his head intently. “I am.” He dropped his hands to the retro painted tabletop, splaying his palms across the cool laminate.
“And why is that? I’d just like to know your reasoning behind making this decision without me.” She crossed her arms across her chest, and immediately, he knew he wasn’t getting off on the right foot.
“Sloane,” He sighed heavily and took a sip of coffee, attempting to control his emotions before her. “I want to be with you, and I want to have a life with you. There’s no guest rooms; hardly any closet space, so I live out of my luggage every time I’m here; and what if my family or friends want to come visit? I know you love that house, as do I, but I think it’s time for a little more space, don’t you agree?”
“But,” She furrowed her brows tightly. “You live in New York, why do you want to buy a house here?” She didn’t want to admit that the reason was her, because honestly, no one had ever chosen to be with her in such a way. The life he lived was dramatically different than hers, and at times, she still struggled over the fact that he actually wanted to be with her. Even after everything they had been through together, he still didn’t understand how she struggled with his love for her.
“Because you are here and I want to be with you, that’s why.” He knew that pleading with her was not going to be the answer, as that would only push her away. Honesty, though… she thrived on honesty.
“Alright,” She dropped her hands to the table, picking up the cup of coffee in front of her. “But don’t you think we need to look at something a little… smaller?” She wanted to please him, to make him happy. And if it were to be an act so large that it made her second guess all the other decisions that she has made… then so be it.
Richard furrowed his eyebrows tightly. “Smaller?” He wasn't aware that she knew everything there was about that house - how many bedrooms it had; how large the kitchen pantry was; the glass knobs on the upstairs bedroom doors.
“Yes, Richard, smaller. That house is huge, there’s five bedrooms and two living rooms. It’s insane. So why can’t we find something in between my house and the house you looked at?” As hard as she tried to fight it, she slowly began to ease into the idea that maybe this would be worth it in the end.
The corners of his lips began to curl into a devious smile. “And how do you know how many bedrooms it has?” He just knew that she was getting on his level now.
“I’ve been in it.” She had hoped that her curt tone would bring an end to this conversation about how she had already toured this house multiple times - without his knowledge, of course.
“You’ve been in it,” He repeated slowly, his eyes narrowing.
Sloane nodded her head, the grief in her stomach began to rise to her chest. “A few months ago, my father took me to see it; while you were filming in England…” She cleared her throat, attempting to push the emotional knot from her body.
Suddenly, his bravery had escaped him, and instinctively, he glanced down at the coffee cup still wrapped in his hands. “Ah, yes.” He smiled at her supportively, not wanting to bring up the tragic accident that she experienced alone while he was away, filming in another country. “We would have needed a bigger home back then,”
Back then? She rolled her eyes. It was only a month and a half ago. “Yes, well, babies do require room to grow and play, Richard.”
Richard cut his eyes away from her quickly, the guilt of not being there for her when she needed him the most was still a heartbreaking memory to recall. The calls came frantically; Richard, I don’t feel well; to Richard, something’s wrong; to Richard, they’re taking me to the hospital; and then finally, I’ve lost the baby. He had never felt so helpless in his 42 years of life until he had to wait by the phone while the woman he loved miscarried their child 3800 miles away.
He shook his head from side to side slowly, attempting to casually veer from the subject they desperately tried to avoid. “So, something smaller, then? Shall we stop by Liam’s office after we eat, see if he has anything worth looking at?”
“If that’s what you’d like to do.” Her voice was low as she dropped her gaze to her hands, something he had rarely seen from this headstrong, confident woman across from him.
“You know that I don’t blame you, right?” His heart sank into his chest as he began to try and make her feel less guilty, even though he knew he was fighting a losing battle. She was always going to keep that guilt with her at all times, despite what anyone, including the doctors, had to say. “This was not your fault, you didn’t do anything to cause this.”
Sloane smiled at him softly. “I know, Richard.” He was trying. So hard.
The waiter set down their plates of fresh breakfast food in front of them, the strong, delicious aroma making their mouths water with anticipation. She picked up her fork, anxious to begin her last breakfast meal at Nick’s for quite some time.
“Sloane,” He pleaded with her, his eyes growing softer as each second passed. “Please.”
She sat her fork down on her plate and sighed heavily. “I know that you don’t blame me. I’m aware, alright? I just,” She shook her head slowly, silently praying for the tears to just go away. “I’m tired of talking about it right now.”
“Alright,” He took a sip of coffee and nodded towards her plate. “This is your last breakfast here for quite awhile, Miss Weismann. I suggest you start eating before it gets too cold,”
*