by Sam Crescent
“Because it’s the only way to silence you.” She scoffed, causing him to smile. “And I love kissing that pert mouth of yours.” He lifted his head to see the surprise on her face, and hurried on. “And you’re absolutely correct—my company isn’t interested in your father’s brewery.” James watched her eyes change, filling with confusion. “But I am, Ivy. Me, just the man. And I’m interested in so much more.” He couldn’t help but stroke his fingers across her cheek before planting his hand against the door beside her head.
“Why?”
“Why the interest in the brewery, or the more?” He grinned.
She made a small sound of impatience. “All of it, James. Why would you with your millions—”
“Billions, to be exact.”
Ivy rolled her eyes before meeting his gaze once again. “Okay, billions. Why would you want my father’s brewery and tap house which would amount to a handful of sand in the Sahara?”
“That’s not the reason—”
“And why me, James?” She lifted her chin, continuing to challenge him. “The thrill of the hunt? Only to discard me when you tire of me?”
James ground his teeth at not only hearing his mother’s words repeated, but at Ivy’s way of bulldozing right through the conversation, hardly allowing him to answer. He couldn’t stop himself from invading her space by pressing his body against hers, bracing both hands beside her. He wasn’t surprised when she pressed back, eyes glaring, unwilling to yield. “No, Ivy. I have a hunch I’d never tire of you. My mother knows nothing about my personal life despite what she spouted off with. She and I don’t have a normal mother-son relationship. She’s merely become the figurehead of Goldman Enterprises since my father’s passing, and we’re constantly at odds with one another when it comes to business practices. Among other things,” he absently added.
“Yet you attend art exhibits with her as if—”
“Because she is an influential contributor to the arts and insisted on attending just so her appearance could be noted in the society pages. I had a true interest in the exhibit and ended up purchasing several pieces from the show that evening.”
“Oh,” she responded softly, backing down a notch.
James leaned in, bringing his face closer to hers. “As for my interest in your father’s brewery, I’d been looking for something different, new avenues of interest, and when I learned your identity, thereby learning of your father reaching out for potential buyers, I actually thought it fortuitous. Our meeting, that is.”
Ivy snorted, bringing another smile to James’s face. “Fortuitous?”
“I believe the word I told myself was serendipitous.”
Ivy laughed, shaking her head. “You’re something, James Goldman.”
“Am I now?” He brought his lips closer to hers. “Is that a good thing?”
Her stare dropped to his lips before meeting his eyes again. “I haven’t quite figured that out.” Her voice had gone husky, stirring his already heightened libido.
“Well, perhaps I can help you.” He captured her mouth, kissing her fiercely. James wanted to push her, wanted to bring out her wilder side. He was tired of this game, of her denial about this connection they shared. He needed to show her how amazing they could be. If only her mind would dispose of the notion that he was the enemy.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Framing her face, James took control, kissing her deeply, forcing his tongue inside her luscious mouth. He rejoiced when she accepted him, doing her share of taking as well. Her arms wrapped around his back, pulling their bodies impossibly closer as she fought for dominance.
At some point he’d allow that, but not now. James wanted ownership of her body, her spirit, this lust she kept bottled up. He wanted to break through her stubbornness and be the one to bring her ecstasy.
He reluctantly broke contact, earning a whimper of protest. Pulling his room card from his pocket, he gave her the final choice.
“I’m going to open this door and take you inside to show you the passion I know you’re craving just as badly as I am.” He whispered in her ear. “I need your words, Ivy, so tell me now if you don’t want this.”
A mere second was all it took for her to have James ready to drop to his knees and worship this goddess when she whispered in return. “Show me, James.”
Instead, he scooped her up into his arms, delighting in her surprised laugh. As she clung tightly to his shoulders, he managed to work the card into its slot and push open the door. He let it shut on its own as he marched toward the bed, and once he reached it, he released Ivy so she could stand. Tossing the card behind him, he didn’t care if it landed on the intended table as he kept his focus on the beautiful woman before him.
The curtains were left closed, but plenty of light filtered in, allowing him to see all he needed. James lifted his hands to unbind Ivy’s hair, sifting his fingers through the soft, copper strands. He watched her eyes close as she released a sigh, her face softening, looking even more angelic. As eager as he felt, he couldn’t stop himself from kissing her, tenderly, thoroughly, savoring her sweetness.
The kiss went on as Ivy wiggled closer, slipping her hands beneath his sweatshirt, gliding them over his skin. He groaned as a tremor rushed through him, and this served to encourage her exploration. She boldly moved her hands into the waistband of his pants, raking her nails down his ass and holding on. His cocked pulsed, causing Ivy to grind against him, driving him mad with desire. Their kisses became greedy, more urgent as they battled with one another to see who could get the other naked, quicker.
What started as a languid seduction turned into a frenzy as shoes were kicked away and clothes were ripped off. Their mouths separated just long enough to pull each other’s sweatshirts over their heads before they attacked one another again.
Ivy squealed when James lifted her, crushing his mouth to hers before taking her down to the bed. “I want to devour every inch of your gorgeous body.” He hardly recognized his own lust-filled voice, never having felt so desperate for someone before. He spread her out before him, going to his knees and draping her legs across his shoulders. Parting her folds, he dove in without warning, feasting on her succulent flesh.
He wanted to beat his chest in true caveman fashion when Ivy cried out, bucking her hips and moaning as she fisted her hands in his hair, holding him to her pussy. As if he’d move! James licked her up and down, plunging his tongue inside her, lapping up her sweet juices while he thumbed her clit. He felt the nub swell and harden as her muscles tightened, knowing she was close to release.
“Oh, fuck!” she screamed.
James remained relentless, sucking her clit, feeling it pulse in his mouth. Tremors wracked her body, and he knew he’d never seen a more beautiful sight than that of Ivy letting go. He could stay like this forever, but his own lust had other ideas. As Ivy’s body began to relax, she purred with contentment. James stood, looking down into her glazed eyes, taking in the blush of her skin. Her lazy smile arrowed his heart and he knew he’d never be the same.
“James.”
The whisper of his name from her lips caused his already hardened cock to twitch with excitement. “I’m right here, Ivy.” He retrieved a condom from the box he’d placed in the bedside stand and quickly sheathed himself before returning to the bed. James once again covered her, and when her legs wrapped around his hips, he wasted no time at sinking inside her welcoming body.
Both released a strangled moan as they united, their eyes locked on one another.
“Perfection,” James said. “You feel so goddamn perfect.”
Ivy hummed as her pussy clenched tightly around his cock while her arms looped around his neck. “You feel awfully damn good, yourself.”
James couldn’t stop from moving. Bracing his hands beside her head, he lifted his torso, withdrawing slightly before sinking in deep once again. Ivy’s hands went to his chest, providing leverage for her to move as well, raising her hips to match his strokes. As t
heir pace increased, the sound of their rapid breathing filled the room. Soon the slap of their flesh took over, and Ivy began to cry out each time James banged against her clit.
“You’re going to come for me again,” he ground out as if commanding her.
“Yes,” she managed, trying to catch her breath.
“Don’t hold back, Ivy. Give yourself to me.” He punctuated each word with his thrusts, loving her ability to not only handle his lust, but meet it with as much enthusiasm.
“Yes, that feels so good.” Her nails dug into his flesh as she held on, her inner muscles tightening around him, squeezing him.
James was so close to his release, his pent-up desire reaching its limit, but he wanted Ivy to fall first. He wanted to render another orgasm that would have her exploding, clenching around his cock until it became almost unbearable.
Faster and harder he moved with punishing force, and still Ivy matched him, taking all he gave. Their skin heated, becoming slicked with sweat. Her breasts bounced delightfully, and James wanted to capture each one in his mouth. But he held himself above her until he felt the ripples of her climax begin. She cried out as her spasms took over, squeezing him so bloody tight he had no choice but to yell out himself as his orgasm rocketed through him. The wave of euphoria washing over him was truly unlike anything he’d ever felt with previous lovers.
James immediately squashed that thought, daring not to compare Ivy to anyone before her because there simply was no comparison.
Ivy was remarkable and the most passionate woman he’d ever encountered.
As spasms continued to rock their bodies, James lowered himself to frame Ivy’s face, kissing her with overwhelming emotion. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding tightly as if she couldn’t bear to have him separate from her. And James had no intention of that happening. If he had his way, they’d never be apart again.
His thinking was startling and bold, but he suddenly couldn’t fathom a day without Ivy in it.
When their bodies began to relax, James trailed his mouth across Ivy’s shoulder, loving the sound of what he thought to be a contented sigh. His mouth journeyed down to her breasts, teasing her nipples, enjoying the little jolts of pleasure that had her gasping and twisting beneath him. Left with no choice but to slip out of her warm body, he gave her a quick kiss before climbing off the bed and disposing of the condom in the bathroom. He returned to find her sitting up on the bed, unabashedly on display, fluffing her glorious riot of hair.
“You are an exquisite woman, Ivy Baines.” He slid behind her, pressing his chest to her back, wrapping his arms and legs around her. His hands playfully fondled her breasts while he nibbled along her neck and shoulders, raising goosebumps on her skin.
She scoffed as if she didn’t believe him, but made no attempt to move.
“You are. You captivated me from the start.”
“Sure,” she chuckled. “Some stranger who waltzes right up to you as if we were already lovers.” Ivy shook her head. “I still cannot believe I did that.”
“Well I’m certainly not complaining.” He continued his attention to her body until she began to squirm, muttering softly, I bet not.
James stilled, and Ivy took that opportunity to move away and off the bed, gathering her clothes. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he said as calmly as he could.
“Look, I’m late. I have to go.” Her words were clipped, almost angry. Right on cue, her phone starting buzzing; no doubt it was Erik or an assistant trying to locate her. “This was a mistake.”
“Like hell it was!” James flew off the bed as his calm dissipated. He encroached on her space, causing her to step back while glaring up at him. “Ivy, stay. We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t.” She jammed her sweatshirt over her head and finished dressing before scooping up her shoes.
“Yes, we do.” He held her arms, forcing her to stop her movements. “You really think I came all this way just for a fuck and a goodbye?”
He watched her flinch before steeling herself beneath his gaze. “I don’t know why you came! This doesn’t make any sense. I don’t do stuff like this.”
“Stuff, as in make passionate love to a man you’re attracted to?”
She scoffed. “We had sex, all right? That’s all it was. I let my hormones rule me, and now that it’s out of my system, reality is slapping me in the face. You can’t possibly want—”
“You have no idea what I could possibly want because you won’t open your stubborn mind and truly listen to what I’m trying to tell you.”
“And what are you trying to tell me, James? That we could possibly be an item? That we could possibly make this work between us?”
“Yes! Why the hell not?”
“Why not indeed,” she said sarcastically. “Because you’re you and I’m me! We don’t run in the same circles. We don’t have the same ideals about life, about where our futures are going, about—”
“What do you know about my life and my future?”
“Nothing! That’s just it! I—”
“That’s right. Nothing.” He softened his voice, needing to get through to her instead of making this a pissing contest. “But I want you to.” He cupped her cheek, never breaking eye contact. “From the moment you waltzed into that room, I was spellbound. I was blindsided by your fearless attitude, your wit. Certainly by your beauty, even if the mask hid what I later discovered was breathtaking.” He watched her eyes widen as he grazed his thumb across her lips, loving when they parted. “I’ve witnessed your spirit, your intellect. I’ve read about your research, your causes. I know the love you hold for your family, your values.” He framed her face, spearing his fingers in her soft hair, massaging her temples. “In such a short amount of time, you challenge me, Ivy. You make me want.” He stumbled, cutting himself off due to the emotion choking him. God, what this woman does to me!
“I make you want what, James?” she questioned softly.
“So much. Maybe too much,” he sighed. “Maybe more than I’m worthy of.”
Chapter Six
The defeat in James’s voice pinched Ivy’s heart.
How did this man turn my world upside-down in only a matter of days?
When he dropped his hands and started to turn away, Ivy reached for him, keeping him in place. He stared at her hand on his forearm before meeting her gaze, the anguish evident. She pulled away, suddenly feeling ridiculously awkward. But she needed answers.
“Why would you think yourself unworthy?”
“Because maybe you are too good for me.” She scoffed and tried to interject, but he continued on. “Because I’ve been a selfish, closed-off lover in the past, protecting myself from emotions that could weaken me or be used against me. As you can imagine after witnessing my mother, she and my father didn’t exactly present the model relationship one would aspire to emulate.”
“I’m sorry.”
James wrinkled his brow. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I should actually be thanking you.”
“For what?”
“For being an astonishing surprise in my life. For being a pleasant upset to my carefully constructed world. You make me want what I never thought to hope for. Not just a woman to warm my bed, but someone I could actually come to love.”
Ivy’s gasp didn’t deter James from continuing. “I want someone who’ll challenge me yet champion me, someone with whom I can reciprocate those feelings and so much more. But I can’t force your feelings for me. Oh, I’d certainly like to change them.” His eyes softened. “You make me want to carry through on the things up until now I’d barely begun to give thought to.”
“Like what?”
“Like moving away from Goldman Enterprises and pursuing my own business ventures. Like your father’s.” Ivy tensed, and James rushed on. “But not to dismantle or disrespect, but to truly see it flourish.”
“It’s a far cry from anything remotely associated with your business ventures in the past.” She knew
her words held skepticism because a part of her was still leery about his true intentions.
“And that’s what makes it perfect. I want to move away from the impersonal. I want to start something new for myself beyond what my mother has demonstrated. I want this because I want you. In my life. Helping to show me the way.”
Ivy stood speechless, shocked at his words. The silence stretched between them while she tried to comprehend the significance of his statement. She watched as the light in his eyes began to dim the longer she kept quiet, and she hated to see that.
“But if you don’t—”
“But I do,” Ivy rushed to say, her heart speaking in place of her mind. “I mean, I have feelings for you, James, as baffled as I am about it. I don’t make a habit of jumping into bed with just any guy I find sexy. A guy who both stimulates me and infuriates me at the same time.” This earned a chuckle. “It’s crazy, this attraction, this desire to be with you.” James took a step toward her, and she retreated. “It doesn’t make any sense, and I’m usually a very sensible person, and abandoning all reason isn’t like me, and…”
He advanced again, that freaking sexy grin adorning his talented mouth.
She put up a hand, bracing it against his chest. “Could you please stop? You need to get dressed.” She dropped her hand and backed up another step, her legs hitting the edge of the bed. “I can’t think straight with all your nakedness staring at me.” Of course she just had to drop her gaze to his crotch and notice his growing erection. Ivy started to turn away, but James blocked her.
“I happen to like being naked with you, and thinking straight is highly overrated.” He took her face in his hands, making her look at him. “Ivy—”
“But I have to think about my family, my father’s brewery. It’s his passion. And mine,” she said in a whisper.
“Yours? I thought your passion was your career, your research and lecturing?”
“That, too, but Dad and I, we, we started from nothing. We, I took it from a plot of dirt to a rich, fertile environment that has produced crops that have led to award-winning products. I took my education, my knowledge and research, and created something really great with my family. So, yeah, I guess I’m selfish, too, in gloating about my achievements and not wanting to see them destroyed. In not wanting to see my dad give up what’s become a passion because I can’t be around more. Or more accurately, won’t take the time to be around more. I put my career first. Do you know what it takes for a woman in my field to accomplish what I have at my age?” She rambled on. “I want to selfishly bask in my abilities and feats because I’ve struggled and clawed and worked my ass off to get where I am. I love my work. And I love my family, but my mom’s eyesight is failing.” Her voice faltered with emotion, but she pressed on. “And my parents deserve to live the life they want, and Dad has every right to sell because the brewery won’t run itself, and God, I’ve been a horrible daughter —”