“I couldn’t have believed it of her myself but she’s obviously not the angel we all believe—” Edward pulled up short. “Ms. Hayward.”
Strange, she’d been “Tally” since day one—now suddenly she was “Ms. Hayward”.
“Edward,” she replied.
“Uh, I thought you were—” He looked at Devon. “I was under the impression that she was under arrest.”
“Oh, did I say that? No, she’s actually cleared. She was with Mr. Conner all night.”
Edward’s eyes widened but that was the only visible response to the announcement. “Conner? You were working for me.”
“Precisely. I was ‘investigating her’ that night.” Nick knew a threatening smile would be perfect right now, but he was afraid that if he moved it would be to punch Branch in the face. He nudged Tally forward. “Let’s go, honey.” He leaned down as they walked by Branch. “And you fucked with the wrong man’s woman.”
“I’ll be going as well,” Devon announced and turned around, walking away with Tally and Nick. They entered the elevator and faced Branch as the door closed. Tally leaned into Nick, keeping her chin lifted as she stared down her soon-to-be-former boss.
Now, Nick smiled.
Nick followed Tally into her house and greeted the puppy. The little dog ran around the room in a frenzy of not knowing what to explore first before collapsing beside the couch and promptly falling asleep. Tally tossed her purse on the table and sighed, dropping her head back as if the weight was too much. She’d stood like this the first day he’d seen her, and even then he’d wanted to ease her tension, soothe her, have her.
He walked up behind her. She straightened but didn’t move away. Anticipation hung between them. Moving slowly, not wanting to rush her but needing to touch, feel her body, he placed his hands on her waist and leaned his head forward, brushing a light kiss on her throat. She tipped her head to the side, giving him the access and permission he sought. The warmth of her body called his. He inched forward until her back was pressed to his front, the hard line of his erection pushing against her ass. It reminded him of the first night, when he’d been inside her, fucking her from behind. When it had been his cock and her pussy, nothing between them.
As he nibbled at her neck, feeling her relax into him, he smoothed his hands up her sides, close but not quite touching her breasts, remembering how sensitive her nipples were, teasing her, drawing her out. She rolled her hips back, rubbing against his cock.
He gently bit her earlobe, rewarding and reprimanding her in one gentle bite. She groaned—and then reluctantly spun out of his arms, stepping away.
“I can’t.”
Nick snapped his teeth together to hold back the growl that wanted to be freed. He could understand her reluctance. He would understand. She’d had a lot of shocks today. And she wasn’t completely in the clear yet.
They’d left the recording with Caitlin and Devon who would contact a few friends in the police department and get them looking at Branch and Jessup. Normally Nick would have stayed to follow through but he’d wanted to get Tally away from it all—and alone.
Walking out of her office, his mind had been focused on claiming her—and having her accept him, but he was obviously moving too fast for her. He would be a gentleman and wouldn’t push. He’d take it slow, he’d ask her to coffee and dinner and a movie and all that shit but he wasn’t letting her go.
“Okay, I guess—”
“I need to talk to Richard.” It was all Nick could do not to snarl at the mention of the other man’s name. “I really should, you know, break up with him before we do anything. Else.”
That was her concern? Breaking up with her boyfriend? Nick grabbed his cell phone off his belt, flipped it open and handed it to her. “Call him.”
She dialed the number but Nick could see her weakening. She bit her lip and looked at him.
“I hate to do this on the phone.”
“He’s fucking his secretary.”
“What!?”
“Richard. He’s having an affair with the chirpy little blonde that works in his office.”
“How do you know?”
“I had to check him out. I took on his form and went into his office one night. She seems quite fond of sex on his desk.”
Tally’s eyes tightened and pure emotion flowed through them. “Did you…?”
“No.” He answered as fast as humanly possible.
Her anger turned to disgust and irritation. “He had sex with her on his desk? In his office? I couldn’t even get him to do it in the living room.” She lowered the phone and the energy seemed to drain from her body. “Maybe it’s me. Maybe I don’t inspire that kind of lust.” She seemed to be speaking to herself, almost forgetting that he was there.
Nick grabbed her hand, raised the phone, hit send and pushed it toward her ear. “He’s an idiot and, from what I can tell, a lousy fuck. You inspire all kinds of lust and if you’ll just tell him to take a flying fuck, I’ll have you right now. And then later on the kitchen table.”
Her eyes widened and she seemed to unconsciously move closer.
The tinny sound of the voice on the other end of the phone line made her flinch.
“Oh, Richard, it’s me, uhm, Tally.” She spun around, turning her back to Nick but he wouldn’t be ignored. Not now.
“Over the end of the bed,” he whispered in her other ear. “I’ll take you from behind. I know how much you like a hard fuck.” He nipped her neck. “Remember how big I felt inside you? I’ll ride you until you scream my name.”
She whimpered. “Uh, what? Oh, it was a misunderstanding. The police thought I’d killed someone.”
He could feel her tensing as she focused on the conversation and not on him.
“Finish it. Let me have you.” He cuddled up against her back, running his hands down her side, skimming the edges of her breasts. She leaned back. Nick spread his thighs and pulled her into him. “Hard and deep, all night.” He slipped his hand down her waist and pushed his palm between her legs.
“Richard, I think we should stop seeing each other.”
He fluttered his fingers against her pussy in reward and heard her gentle gasp as he pressed the heel of his hand over her mound.
“No, it’s just…oh damn.”
“Finish it,” Nick whispered again. “I need to fuck you.”
“It’s over, Richard,” she said firmly. She opened her mouth like she was going to continue speaking. Nick pulled the phone from her fingers and hit the disconnect button.
“He doesn’t need an explanation. He lost you. It’s his own fault.” He tossed the phone onto the couch and spun her around so she faced him, almost fearing the look in her eyes. Had he pushed too hard? Taken too much for granted? She smiled as she looked up at him.
“You like being in control, don’t you?”
“Yes,” he said, baldly acknowledging that weakness in his character. “But ask my brothers and sisters—I can back down and, baby, if you ever want to command me in the bedroom, you just say the word and I’m there for you.”
She nodded and waited. Nick didn’t move. Knowing his tendency to bulldoze his way through things, he didn’t want to overwhelm her. The thought that she might regret what they were about to do would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Finally she opened her hands. “So were you just kidding when I was on the phone? Or did you really mean it about, you know, the living room and the kitchen?”
The edge of his mouth pulled up into smile. In trying not to push, he’d made the lady impatient. “And the end of the bed. I definitely meant it.”
“Now?”
“Oh yes.” He whirled her around and eased her down onto the couch as he reached for the buttons of her blouse. They would get more creative later, but for now, he just needed to be inside her. Needed to be a part of her. He opened the zipper of her trousers and pulled them down, tossing them and her panties to the side.
He slipped his fingers between her legs,
testing her, needing to know she was ready for him. Her moisture and heat almost undid him. He couldn’t stop himself. He placed his cock at her entrance and pushed in, one long hard stroke.
“Nick!” Her excited cry filled the room and blocked all sound from his mind. It was perfect.
She was calling his name.
“Say it again.”
She looked directly into his eyes and he felt it down to his toes.
“Nick,” she whispered.
“Always.”
About the Author
Tielle (pronounced “teal”) St. Clare has had life-long love of romance novels. She began reading romances in the 7th grade when she discovered Victoria Holt novels and began writing romances at the age of 16 (during Trigonometry, if the truth be told). During her senior year in high school, the class dressed up as what they would be in twenty years—Tielle dressed as a romance writer. When not writing romances, Tielle has worked in public relations and video production for the past 20 years. She moved to Alaska when she was seven years old in 1972 when her father was transferred with the military. Tielle believes romances should be hot and sexy with a great story and fun characters.
Tielle welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora’s Cave Publishing at 1056 Home Ave., Akron, OH 44310-3502.
Also by Tielle St. Clare
Close Quarters
Dragon’s Fire
Dragon’s Kiss
Dragon’s Rise
Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails II anthology
Enter the Dragon anthology
Irish Enchantment anthology
Just One Night
Simon’s Bliss
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
www.ellorascave.com
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