“I’m glad you decided to accept the offer.”
“It’s not a bad contract you had there, I didn’t have to change much at all.”
“It’s almost like it was written by a lawyer.” He grins, and then turns to Liam. “So are you ready for the baby? Get ready to live on so little sleep you don’t even know if you’re alive or dead. The newborn twilight zone, I like to call it.”
Liam laughs, and the two dads start talking about babies, too. Ashley and Nicole are in deep, serious conversation about the advantages of German-built strollers over American ones, and I feel like I’ve landed on an alien planet.
I take a deep breath and drift away from them. I find my phone in my pocket.
Theresa: Just letting you know that the DA accepted the deal. Your work on this case saved us going to court, Stella. I’m going to miss having you on the team.
My heart skips a beat. It feels good to get that kind of recognition from Theresa. She’s a hard boss who doesn’t hand out compliments easily. But the most shocking thing is that Adrian reconsidered. He decided to go with the deal, to avoid going to trial and to save us all the nightmare of dredging up the past.
My heart thumps and I turn to Ashley, who immediately sees the look on my face.
“What? Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know the details. I don’t know for sure yet, but I think Adrian is settling out of court. You might not need to testify at all, Ash.”
“You mean, this whole thing is over?”
I take a deep breath. “Until everything is signed, sealed, and delivered I’m not going to say it’s over. But it sounds like we’re close.”
A smile splits her face open and she throws her arms around me. She squeezes me tight and then turns to Liam who’s waiting with open arms. I smile a real smile for the first time in weeks. Martin holds up the bottle of champagne and winks at me.
“Looks like we have more to celebrate than we thought!”
I let him fill up my glass and then duck into the bathroom. With trembling hands, I pull out my phone and find Adrian’s number. My hands are shaking so much that it’s hard to type, but I manage to write out two words: Thank you.
I hit send before I can reconsider, and then I go out and re-join our little celebration. A weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I have a new job, a new title, Ashley won’t have to be a witness in a messy trial, and we can all move on with our lives.
I’m happy—I really am. Things feel like they’re finally working out and I can leave Adrian Maguire behind. The only problem is, I’m not sure I want to.
By the time I get home, I’m happier than I’ve been in weeks. Ashley and I are back to normal, and I actually enjoyed talking to her and Nicole about their pregnancies. I was able to connect with them without feeling like I was missing out. That’s something I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do.
I drive up toward my garage and see someone stand up from my front steps. In the headlights of my car, there’s no mistaking those broad shoulders.
Adrian lifts his arm in greeting. His face is lined, and he looks almost sheepish. I park in the garage and take a deep breath before walking out to meet him.
“Hey.” He walks toward me and then holds up a bottle of wine. “I got the red kind.”
“What are you doing here? What is up with men showing up at my house unannounced these days?”
“Sorry.” He inhales and shifts his weight from foot to foot. I motion to the front door and click the garage door closed. It rumbles behind me as I lead the way for us to go inside.
Kicking my shoes off, I flick the lights on and glance at Adrian. “How long have you been waiting for me?”
“Not long.” He grins, and my whole body goes wobbly. “A little while.”
“I’ll get some glasses.”
By the time I get back to the living room, Adrian is flicking through one of my books. He puts it down and takes a deep breath.
“Sorry to show up unannounced.”
“That’s the second time in less than five minutes that you’ve apologized to me—must be some kind of record.”
“You know, Theresa said something very similar to me this morning. It’s almost like you guys have the same opinion of me.”
“Can’t imagine why.”
I hand Adrian the corkscrew and steal a glance at his biceps as he uncorks the wine. He sets the bottle down on the table. “We should let it breathe.”
I laugh, taking a seat on the couch. “I’m guessing you weren’t a fan of the wine I had last time you were here?”
“I didn’t care about the wine last time I was here.” His eyes darken and his gaze sweeps over my body. My blood ignites and I clear my throat. He sits down next to me, sending my heart beating at a million miles a minute.
“I heard you settled the case.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Still need to finish up the paperwork but by the end of the week it should be done.”
“What made you change your mind?”
He takes a deep breath, intertwining his fingers and staring at the rug. “I’m not sure,” he shrugs. “I guess I just thought it was time to take responsibility for what I’d done.”
My eyebrows arch in surprise. “Really?”
He glances at me and smiles sheepishly. “I was mad when you left the team.”
“I was mad when you told me you were going to put my sister’s life in jeopardy.”
“I was selfish.”
“And now you’re not?”
He doesn’t answer right away. His eyes flick to my mouth and his tongue slides out to moisten his lips. My heart skips a beat. I take shallow breaths, not wanting to move. The air between us grows thick.
“I came straight here after work,” he finally says in a low voice. I’ve been waiting for you for almost two hours.”
“Why?” I frown, laughing. “You have my phone number.”
“I wanted to apologize in person… I wanted to see you.” His gaze draws me in. He shifts closer, leaning his arm on the back of the couch and reaching over to run his fingertips over my cheek.
I close my eyes and lean into his touch. Taking a deep breath, I inhale his scent. I’m lightheaded, dizzy with desire. I wrestle between lust and hate, despising him one minute and admiring him the next. Underpinning it all is an unwavering, undeniable want.
I want him.
His fingers drift down to my neck, pushing my hair back over my shoulder. He growls beside me, shifting closer. I open my eyes to see him watching me, shaking his head.
“I don’t want you to hate me.”
“That’s not up to you.” My voice is barely above a whisper. I swallow, hoping my heartbeat isn’t as loud as it sounds. He curls his fingers into the nape of my neck and I lean in toward him.
“I really want to kiss you right now.” His eyes are dark, his voice is heady. Desire flows between us, thick as molasses.
I lick my lips and take a breath.
“So, do it.”
20
Adrian
This is better than the first time I kissed Stella. She moans as I pull her closer and my whole body goes into overdrive. In seconds, her arms are wrapped around me and our lips are interlocked.
Her smell, her taste, her body—it’s making my head spin. I run my hand down her side as my other fingers tangle into her hair. She gasps when I pull her head back, leaning in to kiss her neck. With one hand reaching up to touch the soft skin of her waist, I brush my lips over her neck.
She shivers as I kiss the sensitive skin behind her ear, trailing her fingers over my shoulders. I sink my fingers into her flesh and pull her closer, inhaling her scent and groaning.
“I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you in that boardroom.”
She moans, and I shift my weight to lean over her. Laying her down on the couch, I run my hand up her shirt and crush my lips against hers. Her hips buck up toward me and I grin.
“Bad girl.”
“Adrian…” She looks at me with wide eyes. Sighing, she runs her fingers over my jaw and hooks her arms around my neck.
“You’re gorgeous, angel,” I growl, leaning down to kiss her neck. I brush my lips over her collarbone as she spreads her knees wide. My body sinks into hers as she grinds herself against me.
It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever done, and we both still have all our clothes on. I kiss her again, harder.
“You still think I’m an arrogant prick?” I roll my hips toward her and her eyes flash.
“Yes.” A cheeky smile tugs at her lips. She runs her fingers over my shoulders, down my arms, and then back up again. Her touch feels so good. Her body is like a coiled spring underneath me. I can feel the tension inside her, the heat from her core, the urgency of her touch.
“You still think I’m an asshole?” I growl. I kiss her neck slowly, letting my breath wash over her skin.
She shivers. “Yes.”
I pull her shirt off over her head and unclasp her bra, tossing it to the side. I thumb her nipples as they harden under my touch, and then nip at them with my teeth. She moans, tangling her fingers into my hair.
I swipe my tongue over her areola and look up at her. Our eyes meet, and I see the depth of her desire in her eyes. Stella sucks her lip between her teeth and rolls her hips toward me. Her body is heating up, crying for my touch.
“You want me to fuck you?” My voice is a low growl. I cup her breast and tease her nipples again, glancing up as the pleasure washes over her face. Her chin dips down.
I chuckle, growling. “You’re going to have to say it out loud.”
“You’re a prick,” she grins, arching an eyebrow. Her hips roll up toward me. A growl rumbles through my chest and I sit back on the sofa, lifting her up to straddle me. Her tits press up against my face and I bring my hand down on her ass with a hard smack.
She yelps, gasping, digging her fingers into my shoulders. Her lips find mine and we devour each other. I smack her ass again, a bit harder.
“Is that what you want?”
My voice is throaty, rough. My cock is rock hard. I want to fuck this woman so badly I can’t think straight. She looks at me with fire in her eyes.
“Even if I let you fuck me, it’s not going to change the fact that you’re an asshole.”
I roar. In one movement, I lift her up and lay her down across my lap. I rip her pants down to her thighs and smack her ass three times in quick succession. Every time my palm connects with her skin, she cries out a little louder. Her back arches, lifting her ass up toward my hand. I watch as her mouth bites down on the couch cushion, her fingers curling as I smack her ass again.
Watching her writhe and moan on top of me nearly makes me explode, but I won’t let myself come yet. Not like this. Instead, I spread her ass and smack it again. She moans, her voice muffled in the couch. I reach down between her legs and finally touch her.
“You’re wet,” I groan.
She makes a noise, and I dip my fingers further into her honey. I slide my hand toward her bud as she gasps. With the other hand, I give her ass a light smack. Her back arches.
I place one hand on her lower back to keep her steady, and I work my other hand over her wetness. When my fingers slip inside her, I hear her muffled gasp and I growl in response.
My cock throbs in my pants. She’s splayed out on top of me, enjoying every fucking second of this. Her legs start to tremble as my hand works deeper, and then I slide out and tease her bud again.
The little gasps and moans that are coming from her are turning me on more than ever. I grab her ass, squeezing it with my hand as I work her clit with my other hand. She’s trembling, her whole body becoming more and more rigid as I work my fingers over her center.
“Come on my hand, angel,” I growl. “Come all over me.” I smack her ass again.
She cries out, and I smack her again. Her ass cheek is bright red now, and her legs are trembling more than ever. Her back arches and her mouth opens in a silent scream. I watch her hand curl into the cushions as her whole body bucks violently.
She screams. Her honey coats my fingers and I groan, milking the orgasm from her until she squeezes her legs together and pushes me away.
I slide my hands over her ass, softly touching the areas where I ruthlessly punished her. She lets out a soft moan and glances at me over her shoulder.
“Adrian…” She takes a gulping breath.
“That’s Mr. Mayor to you,” I growl.
She turns over and kicks her pants off the rest of the way. Then, she sits down on my lap and grins. “Not for long.”
“Did you not learn your lesson just now?”
“Not quite.” She bites her lip and slides her hands over my shoulders. She sways her hips back and forth on top of me, arching her eyebrows as she feels me throb underneath her. “I think you better try to teach it to me again.”
21
Stella
My ass cheeks still feel overly sensitive from where he spanked me, and he slides his hands over them softly.
My knees sink into the couch cushions as I run my fingers over his broad shoulders. When he’s sheathed inside me completely, I let out a soft sigh and look at him. He slides his hands from my ass up my sides and shakes his head.
“You have no idea how sexy you are,” he growls.
My heart flutters. His shirt, once crisp and white, is torn open to reveal his muscular chest. I think it lost a button when I ripped at it. His pants are down around his ankles. He didn’t even have time to kick them off before I was on top of him.
His eyes meet mine. His eyelids are low, his pupils dilated. He slides his hands back down to my ass and gives it a light smack.
“I’m glad you had a condom,” I say, brushing my lips over his cheek. I start moving my hips up and down and he groans in response.
“Me too.”
That’s the last thing we say to each other. He uses his hands to spread my ass as he rolls his hips toward me, and I’m done. His touch, his smell, his cock—it takes me out of this world. My body moves on instinct as pleasure floods my veins.
We scratch and claw at each other, the intensity returning to our movements. His fingers sink into my body and I curl my nails into his shoulders. My hair falls down in curtains on either side of my face as I ride him. He reaches up to grab my breast and smacks my ass with his other hand.
I cry out. My skin is raw, but the pain explodes into pleasure. I can feel him throbbing inside me as our bodies collide. All the anger, the hatred, the frustration, the hurt, it all comes out in those moments. I leave deep, red scratch marks down his back as he spanks my ass again.
I love it. I love giving myself up to him. I love feeling him inside me, filling me up completely. I love the smell of him, the sound of our bodies, the growls that rumble through him.
I want him to slap my ass. I want him to fuck me to within an inch of my life. I want him to fist his hand into my hair and pull it back until I gasp.
I want it all.
I give myself over to him, letting my body talk for me. Right now, I’m not the strong, independent lawyer that I am at work. I’m a woman, and he’s a man. Right now, I love how he touches me, teases me, spanks me. I love how he growls naughty words into my ear and tells me that I’m his.
I love being his.
I love giving up the strength, the power, the persona, and letting him take control. His hands slide over my hips and he guides my movements. Our hips move in sync as he drives deeper and deeper inside me.
As my pleasure crests, Adrian’s lips lock on my nipple. His teeth drag over it, sending more pleasure spiraling straight between my legs. My back arches and my body contracts around him.
“Come all over that cock.”
I moan. My orgasm rips through my body as he growls in my ear.
“Come on top of me, baby girl. Cover that cock with your cum.” His hands sink into my skin. “That’s my girl.”
Those are the words that send me ov
er the edge. That’s my girl. Not the dirty talk, not the spanking and biting and scratching, those three little words send me flying into the abyss.
That’s my girl.
I love the thought of being his. As wave after wave of pleasure crashes over me, I know what I like most is the thought of him claiming me, marking me, branding me.
I want to be his.
As my orgasm starts to ebb, Adrian grunts and wraps his arms around me. He hooks his hands on my shoulders and empties himself inside me.
We stay still for a minute or three or ten, and then I peel myself off him. He catches the condom and tries to tie it off, but it slips and lands on my rug.
“Fuck, sorry,” he says. “I think I just broke it.”
“Typical.”
He gives me a sideways look and shakes his head. “You’re relentless.”
“I’ll get a cloth.” I grin at him and slip my shirt and pants on. I go grab a rag and by the time I come back, he’s got everything mostly cleaned up. I wipe up the rest and nod to his bottle of wine.
“You think that wine’s been breathing long enough?”
He grins. “I think it’s probably okay now, yeah.”
When he hands me a glass of wine, I settle into the couch and take a sip. My eyebrows jump up. “Not bad.”
“Not bad? I was expecting you to be bowled over, compared to the paint thinner you served me last time I was here.”
“You expect people to fall over for you all the time, though.” I grin at him over my glass and watch as he bites his tongue. I don’t really dislike him anymore at all, but I still like messing with him. His cheeks flush a bit as he takes a deep breath.
“I’m glad I can provide so much entertainment for you,” he finally says. He fights to keep the smile from his face and I laugh.
“You’ve been satisfactory on that front tonight.”
“Satisfactory!”
I laugh again and sit back lengthways on the sofa. I poke him with my foot and he catches it in his hand. I take another sip of wine and then tilt my head to study him.
Love/Hate: The Complete Enemies to Lovers Series Page 44