Taming Reid

by J. Margot Critch

  Lila let out a laugh that was more like a breath at his formal gesture, and she took his hand in hers. When their palms clasped together, Lila felt as if they shared one pulse as electricity traveled between them, strong enough to power the entire city.

  In the quiet room, they looked at each other, neither’s eyes wavering. But Reid’s friendly smile then turned wolfish, as if he knew that she was his, and he would spend his night feasting on her.

  Without releasing her, he pulled on her hand, causing her to crash against his firm chest.

  “Now, where were we?” he murmured.

  “I think, outside the hotel, you promised to fuck me,” she reminded him.

  “Oh yeah, that’s right,” he said, his fingers curling over her waist and venturing lower. He kissed her, and just the feeling of his lips against her made her moan.

  Already she was growing accustomed to Reid’s touch, and she knew that until her dying day, she would crave his fingers and lips. Through the anticipation that clouded her brain as his hands roamed underneath her dress, she reminded herself of their agreement.

  Just for one night.

  CHAPTER TWO

  REID DROPPED TO his knees in front of Lila, and with his hands on her round, lush ass, he pressed his face to the lower part of her abdomen and inhaled her scent, opening his mouth against her, and the silky material of her dress, pulling her essence more deeply into his lungs. He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to go home with her. He didn’t even know why he approached her or why he came on so strong. It wasn’t like him; he normally didn’t lose control over women. But despite himself, something about Lila had drawn him in. She was vivacious, gorgeous, and when he kissed her—tasting his own rum on her tongue—it did something to him. He didn’t have a chance when it came to her. He was a goner.

  He should be at home, or at the office, making sure the last-minute things for the party were finalized and that no crises were about to occur, but that didn’t seem to matter to him when he was about to bury himself fully within a woman he needed more than he did his next breath. He looked up at her and saw she was watching him, her green eyes not leaving his, her chest heaving. “What are you waiting for?” she breathed, pushing her fingers through his hair.

  “Just taking a moment to enjoy it,” he told her.

  “There will be lots of moments to enjoy tonight, won’t there?”

  “You know there will.”

  “Well, get to it then,” she told him.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He smoothed his hands up her thighs, underneath her dress, his palms gliding over some of the smoothest, silkiest skin he’d ever touched. His journey paused when his reached the lace edge of her panties. Stopping just short of ripping the delicate undergarment in two pieces, he instead hooked his fingers underneath the fabric and pulled the peach lace down her thighs, dropping it to the floor. She stepped out of her panties gingerly and he pushed up her dress so that the tight skirt sat above her hips, exposing her center to him fully.

  Lila was delectable, a masterpiece, a treat to be admired and enjoyed by every sense. His mouth watered with a hunger for her, his appetite voracious like he’d never experienced before, and he needed to taste her.

  He slid his hand down the entire length of her leg, exploring, lightly tickling the back of her knee, squeezing her well-formed calf, wrapping his fingers around her ankle and draping her leg over his shoulder. He leaned forward, burying his face between her creamy thighs. He gripped her ass, bringing her closer to him. His fingers dug into the firm flesh of her behind, as his tongue spread her lips and he flicked the sweet little bud of her clit with the tip. She moaned, arching into his mouth, and twisted her fingers in his hair, and pulled. Hard. But with Lila surrounding him, unable to hear or feel anything but her, the pain barely registered.

  Lila was so responsive, so delicious, and with every stroke of his tongue, pinch of his lips, every slide of his fingers, her moans grew louder, and he could feel the tension build in her body. Her thigh muscles clenched against the side of his head, muffling her cries. She was perfect and he could listen to her desperate sounds forever. His own body ached with the need to be inside her. But he stayed his course. Even though his dick threatened to burst through the material of his pants, he wouldn’t stop until he made her come first.

  When he hit the right spot, the tremor of her body became a full-fledged earthquake that made her shake. With his lips surrounding her clit, he sucked, prodded with his tongue, bringing her down from her climax, and riding out every aftershock of pleasure with her.

  When her grip on his head loosened, Reid stood while unbuckling his pants. But her own fingers joined his, and she beat him in withdrawing his dick. She stroked his length. But he was so goddamn close to erupting that even though he hated to, he had to push her away.

  He was so far gone that he almost forgot his golden rule. “Condoms?” he asked her, his tongue thick with passion. Of course, he didn’t carry one with him. He wasn’t his brother. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had the need, as he wasn’t usually one for spontaneous encounters.

  “Right.” On wobbly legs she walked over to the bed and dug into the cosmetic case that sat at the foot. She pulled out a small foil square and he nearly shuddered with relief.

  He crossed the room in a matter of seconds and instead of laying her on the bed, he picked her up and sat her on the small desk next to her laptop. He stood between her parted thighs as she ripped open the packet and rolled the condom over him. Her touch was torture, but he would soon find his sweet relief. He didn’t even have time for either of them to undress. He needed to be buried deep inside her. He lifted Lila, tilting her hips to the right angle. When she wrapped her legs around his ass, he held her against the wall as he entered her.

  She was hot, wet. Heaven. And as he pumped his hips, thrusting into her, he brought both of them higher and higher. If he thought eating from her was amazing, being buried deep inside of her sweet heat was pure bliss.

  Lila, her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, sought out his mouth with her own. He kissed her lips, and the flavor of her that coated his tongue mingled with the taste of her mouth. He swallowed the moan that came from her throat as it met his own.

  Sliding against her slickness, Reid knew he wouldn’t last much longer. He broke away from her mouth, and trailed his lips in a line across her jaw and down her throat. And judging by her moans and sighs in his ear, he knew she wouldn’t either. Reid gritted his teeth and vowed to hang on until she came again. Her body tightened against him, and her breaths became pants. He increased the speed of his thrusts, and she clenched around him. That was all he needed. He let go, his toes curled in his shoes, and he came with a groan and buried his face in the crook of her neck. The comedown was blissful, and as his balls emptied, she milked him of everything he had.

  Taking a breath, he released her, helping her get her footing on the floor. As she straightened her dress, Reid pulled off the condom and tossed it in a nearby trash can. He caught his breath as she reached into the small fridge in the bar area, pulling out two bottles of water. He finally looked around and saw that they were in a huge, luxuriously appointed hotel room. Large windows with panoramic views of the famed South Beach and Atlantic Ocean.

  “Sparkling or still?” she asked, holding the two bottles aloft.

  “Still’s good.” He took the bottle from her. “Nice room.”

  “Yeah.” She took a swallow of the water. The red flush still colored her cheeks. “I travel a lot for work. I normally stay at more modest places, but what the hell? I’m in Miami. I got a great deal. I might as well treat myself, right?”

  He didn’t know a lot about treating himself lately, but he nodded. “What do you do?”

  Her lips pursed. “I thought we weren’t exchanging information?”

  “You’re right,” he said, taking another drink. He needed to h
ydrate but with every swallow, her taste vanished from his mouth, and he craved it, wanting nothing more than to get it back. Asking her the question had been a mistake, since they’d agreed on anonymity. If he asked her about who she was, then it would lead to her asking about him. No matter what, his privacy was the most important thing to him, and he was committed to not putting himself out there ever again.

  “You know, I don’t ever do this,” she said, her back to him, as she used her fingers to brush through her red hair, checking out her reflection in the mirror. He could see the small red marks he’d made on her neck, and the rash from his five o’clock shadow marred her creamy skin.

  He caught her eyes in her reflection in the mirror as he straightened his own clothing. The finality of them straightening up disappointed him. Despite their agreement for it to be one night only, he wanted more time with her. “Do what?” he asked.

  “Meet strangers, immediately have sex with them.”

  Reid shrugged. “You don’t have to explain yourself. I don’t care what you do—or have done—with anyone else.” He went to her, cupped her jaw and trailed his fingers down her delicate throat, soothing the redness he’d caused. “The only thing that matters is that we’re here together. And I’ve got you tonight.”

  Lila was quiet. She stood back from him, pulling her jaw away from his fingers. “Well, Reid. This has been a lot of fun. Thanks.”

  He frowned. “Are you kicking me out?”

  “No, but you said it would just be once.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “But you said—”

  “I said it was one night.” He looked casually at his watch. It was only nine thirty, and he made a dramatic show of removing his watch from his wrist, laying it on the nearby nightstand. “The night isn’t over yet.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  THE SUN WAS higher in the sky than usual when Reid woke the next morning. He sat on the edge of his bed and wiped his palm over his face. He was exhausted, worn, and could barely find the energy to stand. That’s what you get for not staying on schedule. He was thirty-five years old. Too old to be out so late with strange women. As tired as he was, he couldn’t regret spending the night with Lila, no matter how out of character it was for him.

  Eventually he mustered the strength to stand and pulled on a pair of gray sweatpants. After only managing to get a couple hours of sleep, he was tired, irritable, and even though he’d been with Lila until the early morning hours, he was nowhere near physically sated. He wanted her again. Lila’s image took up real estate front and center of his mind, and he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to forget her. Every time he closed his eyes, she was there. He could hear her voice, smell her on his skin, taste her on his lips, and when his head finally hit his pillow a few hours ago, he realized just how empty his California king bed was. Jesus, he was in trouble. His determination to stick to his plan of having just a one-night stand was wavering. No matter how much he tried to forget her, Lila had completely consumed him. And the next morning, she still did.

  In his bathroom, he propped himself up by placing his hands on the bathroom counter, and in the mirror, he caught sight of the day-old stubble that colored his jaw and the dark, tired circles under his red-rimmed eyes. Thank God his siblings had decided to take the day off. Now he could just hide out in his office. And no one would see him in his current condition, and know he’d been up for most of the night.

  The need for coffee was strong. So strong that when he inhaled, he could already smell the aroma of it already brewing in the kitchen. He sighed. One—or both—of his siblings had apparently let themselves into his house and made coffee. Even though they had their own homes, both Quin and Gemma had keys to his and often let themselves in. But because he normally woke up before either of them, it was the first time he hadn’t already been dressed and ready for their visit. He would undoubtedly face some sort of inquisition this morning about why he wasn’t yet awake.

  He straightened and groaned with the movement. He was in shape, but his body was sore from the previous night’s exertion. His night with Lila had left him seriously discombobulated and had already completely thrown off his morning routine. He had to get back to what he knew—his office, work, his family. He started to mentally tick through his to-do list for the day, and he blanked, not able to remember a fucking thing. He wondered how he could possibly have clarity when all he could think about was the red-haired woman with whom he’d spent the night.

  Still wearing only his sweatpants, Reid walked into the large kitchen of his house, and as always, it was made bright and warm by the morning sun through the windows and glass door. He squinted against the harsh light and saw Gemma and Quin getting breakfast ready. Both sets of eyes looked at him, and it was as if they’d known what he’d done the night before.

  “Well, if it isn’t Sleeping Beauty,” Gemma said over her shoulder, standing at the stove over a pan of sizzling bacon. Quin was sitting at the table, drinking coffee, scrolling through the tablet in his hand.

  Reid grunted in response and made a beeline for the coffee maker. He poured himself a mug and looked in the frying pans on the stove, which his sister would no doubt leave dirty in the sink for him to take care of. Egg white omelet, bacon and sliced fruit, most likely from the trees in Gemma’s garden. Snagging a strawberry from the cutting board, he ignored their curious stares.

  “How was your date?” Reid asked his sister, sitting on a barstool at the kitchen island and hoping to take their attention off him and his rumpled state.

  “Not bad. He was nice, but boring. Cute, but no real connection there, you know?” She shrugged, not too broken up about it.

  “Sorry, Gem.”

  “It’s fine. I’m still young and pretty.” She plated bacon and eggs, and brought them over to the table, putting one in front of him. She looked over his rumpled, tired appearance. “Which is more than I can say for you. Here’s the real question, though. What did you get up to last night?”

  “Nothing. I stayed at the restaurant for another drink and then I left.” He averted his eyes, pretending to be interested in the swaying palm trees that surrounded the pool and Jacuzzi that made his backyard a personal tropical oasis.

  “Does it feel like Reid isn’t telling us something?” Quin asked Gemma, dragging Reid’s attention back to his siblings.

  “Yeah, I think so. You slept in, too.”

  He put up his hands. “So, I slept late. A guy can’t sleep in?” He briefly considered taking their keys back. He couldn’t put up with his siblings before his coffee had a chance to work.

  “He can, but it isn’t common. Especially on a workday. What time did you get home last night?”

  Reid sipped his coffee. He wasn’t about to reveal to his brother and sister that it had been sometime after four a.m. before he’d left Lila, retrieved his car and made it home. “Not too late. I’m a grown man—older than both of you. Why do I have to answer for myself?”

  “Defensive,” Quin noted.

  “You look like hell,” she pointed out. “Did you get any sleep?”

  “What are you guys doing here, anyway?” he asked.

  “Way to thank me for making you a delicious breakfast.” She took a bite of her bacon.

  “Sorry. It’s just that you both said you were taking today off.”

  “We talked about that. And believe it or not, we felt bad about it. You must be rubbing off on us.”

  “And we thought we’d make breakfast, and all go in together. Just like old times,” Quin told him.

  “So far, I’m making breakfast and Quin is reading the sports scores,” Gemma added.

  “And I’m keeping up-to-date on current events.”

  “Plus, you were right. With the party coming up, and launching the new rum, it’s not a great time to be taking days off.” “Yeah, sounds good. Just let me shower and we can all ride i
n together.” As he ate and drank his coffee, Reid began to feel more awake. Thinking about the distillery helped him focus his mind. “Don’t forget to send me the recipe listing for the honey batches.”

  “That was the plan.”

  “You know I don’t mind you guys coming over, but you could think about calling first.”

  “Why? In case you have a woman here?” Quin scoffed. “Like you’d let anyone near your house.”

  Reid considered flipping off his younger brother, but Quin was right. That was exactly why he met women at their homes...or hotels. Again, the image of Lila was enough to make his temperature spike.

  “I tried calling you before we came over,” Gemma told him. “Twice. It went right to voice mail.”

  Behind his coffee mug, Reid frowned, trying to remember when he’d last seen his phone. He’d been in Lila’s bed, his face again buried between the creamy smooth skin of her thighs when it had rung—it had been a European distributor who had no concept of time zones. For the first time since taking the reins at the distillery, he’d ignored his phone, but when it rang again, he’d disengaged from Lila, frustrated, he plucked the device from his pants, turned it off and put it on her hotel nightstand.

  Where it probably still sat. “Shit,” he muttered.

  “What’s wrong?” Quin asked.

  He shook his head. “Nothing, my phone must have died. I guess I forgot to charge it.” He had to figure out some way to get in touch with Lila to retrieve his phone. The only way he could think was to go back to her hotel room and hope she was still there. He looked up from his plate and realized that his brother and sister were watching him. “What?” he asked.

  “Everything okay?” Gemma asked.