Bishop's Pawn

by Suzanne Halliday

  Vaguely aware that this was her first real kiss, she desperately clung to him. Not sure what the hell she was doing, Kelly pursed her lips and smooshed them harder on his.

  He moved. She felt his strong hands on her upper arms as he pushed her off. A whimper of disappointment hung in the air.

  They locked eyes again. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but an inner battle on his part was a definite possibility. Then he grabbed her by the hair and yanked her head back.

  “Fuck my life,” he growled.

  And then he kissed her. For real. The hand in her hair was controlling, but instead of balking at the restraint, she quivered with need. The slow, deep kiss changed quickly. As his mouth moved over hers she felt devoured. When his tongue traced the fullness of her lips, Kelly knew she was lost.

  Giving herself freely to the sensual demands of his kiss, she groaned when his tongue explored the recesses of her mouth.

  She always thought bone-melting wonder was bullshit made up to sell books and get butts in seats at the movies. Boy, was she wrong.

  Needing more, she struggled in his powerful embrace. She wasn’t disappointed when Roman doubled down and crushed her against his body. The deep, rumbling grunt of satisfaction that he made inside her mouth nearly buckled her knees.

  Shocked by her shameless response, she nonetheless experienced a rush of lusty thrill when his need completely dominated hers. Unglued, untethered, desperate, wildly hot and bothered, Kelly clutched at his face, demanding more even though his lips devoured hers.

  The hand in her hair grew forceful. She felt his fingers flex against her scalp. When an ecstatic full-body shudder ripped through her, something inside gave way.

  “Roman.” She loved the sexy vibe her voice gave. “Make love to me.”

  Time stopped. Oh my god. Had she truly just said that? The question died a quick death. Her body was calling the shots, and right now nothing mattered except this.

  He reacted violently, gripping her upper arms and forcefully separating their bodies. A pained growl made his throat ripple from the vibration. She tried to run her tongue along his neck but he had the upper hand physically and managed to keep space between them.

  “Ah god, Kelly. No. Stop. We can’t do this.”

  No, no, no. She needed him. Not understanding why the need was so intense didn’t slow her down—not when she was wrecked by greedy excitement. How could she change his refusal and frame things in a way they’d both understand?

  Refusing to back off, Kelly’s hands mapped his muscular chest. Touching him felt like her destiny. She was sure that connecting with him, like this, was fate.

  His halting objection seemed anchored to one thing. A stranger a thousand miles away who somehow held her fate in his hands.

  Not on her watch.

  “Liam,” he ground out. She wasn’t interested in some lame explanation and she sure as shit wasn’t interested in diddly friggin’ squat where that man was concerned.

  “Is your damn job that important?”

  “You don’t understand,” he complained. “He’s my friend Kelly. The boss thing is mostly bullshit. There are rules about this stuff.”

  Yeah, whatever. She wasn’t unfamiliar with that Semper Fi, bro code, bonded brother, blah-blah-blah talking point guys spouted.

  With her hands performing a tactile inspection of his abdomen, she made her objections known.

  “Rules mean nothing here, Roman,” she demanded in a no-nonsense, take-me-seriously voice.

  She had to make him see. Understand. Powerful, unseen forces were deciding her life. After tomorrow everything would change. But right here and now, whatever happened came from decisions she made. About her life and what she wanted.

  “Don’t you see? This is my last stand. As me. As Kelly James. Country girl. I’m not dumb ya’ know. Once Sam and Ginny swoop in, and your boss has a say, I’ll be nothing. I’ve always been nothing. You’ll all take over, and,” she shrugged to make the point.

  “No, darlin’. That won’t be happening. This is your life. Yeah, things are going to change, but you’re still in control.”

  Right now she wanted to hold tomorrow at bay as long as she could because, despite his positive words, she knew damn well that there was probably a wagon full of surprises still to happen.

  She bit her lip and stroked the well-defined abs she felt beneath his clothes. There was another truth dancing around the edges of her thoughts. What if Roman Bishop was the shadow in her dream? Did he arrive when he did for a reason? Was he the one?

  The thought was terrifying, but the pull on her emotions was strong. She felt it from the moment he came up to her at Shorty’s. Even if she resisted, Roman Bishop was going to change the course of her life.

  Not Liam what’s-his-name.

  And not some nameless, faceless villain who apparently made a habit of impregnating his employees.

  Nope. That stuff was collateral circumstance. The real deal was the animal attraction and the feeling deep in her soul that he was The One.

  “This is the last time I get to be me. Just me. And make a decision. Please Roman. Don’t push me aside. I,” she hesitated to say the rest. Bravery, however, comes at the strangest times. “I need you now. While I’m still me.”

  From the silence came the distinctive click-click-click of an old wall clock counting off the seconds as the hands of the dial tracked time.

  The battle raging inside him was taking a toll on his nerves and making it damn hard to remain in control. Losing his shit over a twenty-three-year-old girl was not something he ever thought would happen.

  Decades of thinking he was a badass dominant, along with a boat-load of real world experience in that world, crumbled to dust in the face of her blunt desire. She wasn’t begging for a quick fuck. Hell. Hadn’t she even said ‘make love to me’?

  He should be tipping his hat and heading for the door. Making love wasn’t on his usual to-do list. Matter-of-fact, pretty much anything that smelled of relationship or feelings he kept far at arm’s length.

  His bottom line had always been that he liked to fuck. And fuck his way. A way that involved more leather restraints than boxes of chocolates and bouquets of flowers.

  But the thing was…he wasn’t bolting for the exit. In fact, he’d barely moved a muscle due in no small measure to the extraordinary depth of pleasure he got from her tactile exploration.

  Did his cock surge when she begged? Of course. The instant visual of sinking his large dick into her tight little body made a different response virtually impossible. He was only human after all.

  The thing stopping him was so complicated that he couldn’t wrap but a portion of his mind around it.

  She was way too young. He was a lot older. And seriously jaded. His sex drive was not rated for the timid.

  Liam would most likely kill him.

  But she was his in some unexplainable way, and that made Liam’s outrage a lot less relevant.

  Why was he so strongly affected by this slip of a girl? Was Kelly the breath of fresh air he’d been secretly yearning for?

  He stopped rationalizing when she uttered her final words and sealed the plea. She needed him.

  Yeah, well he needed her too. Damn the consequences.

  The firm grip he had on her arms relaxed, and he let her move closer until she once again settled against his body. With a hand he was surprised to see trembling, Roman smoothed stray wisps of hair away from her pretty face. He brushed a soft kiss on her forehead. Her shaky sigh wrapped around his heart and squeezed.

  “Carina,” he growled.

  “Yes, yes.” Her cry was heartfelt. “Oh Roman. Don’t you see?”

  He got it. The obvious was staring them both in the face. The speed of things and the underlying issues needed reflection, but being logical and thoughtful would have to wait.

  Maybe later he’d go over this moment in his head because right now desire was over-riding common sense.

  “Are you sure you know what you
’re asking?” He feathered some fingers down her cheek and caressed the sexy column of her neck.

  The grey-blue eyes he was sure could see into his soul became luminous with streaks of gold. She lowered her thick, dark lashes and hid her expression. “I know the specifics,” she murmured softly. Raising her gaze to his, he smiled at the cute way she bit her lip. “But I’m sure a man like you has his own way of doing things.”

  Roman snickered. She couldn’t be more correct.

  “We’re stepping over a line,” he reminded her solemnly.

  “I know,” she quickly assured him. “But let’s leave taboo and bro codes out of this.”

  The whole house heaved and rattled when a strong gust of wind blew through.

  “That’s how I feel,” she murmured softly. Wiggling against his groin, she gave a little sigh. “All these winds are blowing into my world. You’re so strong and big.”

  He liked the way her small hands stroked his chest.

  “I need an anchor, Roman. Someone to have my back. Steady me.”

  He didn’t hold back or hesitate. “I’m your man.”

  She melted against him, winding her arms possessively around his neck. “Take me.”

  He put an arm around her waist and one hand under one thigh. “Hop on Carina. Wrap your legs and hold tight.”

  When her thighs grabbed his side, and she crossed her ankles behind his back, Roman wasted no time. Reclaiming her mouth, he held tight, helped himself to a deliberate caress of her ass, and walked them to the brass bed.

  Barely adequate for a guy his size, he nonetheless dropped them onto the firm mattress, devoured her hungry mouth and ground his enflamed cock into the center of her parted thighs. He found it surprisingly hot to feel so aroused when they were still dressed.

  She became frenzied in an amazingly short time. Desperate, greedy kisses weren’t enough. The small satisfied smile on his face began in his soul. This was why he felt untethered. Because the way she expressed her unbridled passion spoke directly to a part deep inside him that he’d kept locked away.

  After pressing hot kisses around her mouth, he traced her jaw from ear to ear and nipped at an earlobe. Kelly was making soft whimpering sounds. Experience told him she wasn’t acting. There was an intensely natural, slightly innocent urgency to her response. For him, the response was like a V.I.P. ticket to heaven.

  Burying his face in her neck, he breathed her in. He smelled sweetness and a fierce wildness. Was it physically possible to be more turned on?

  Surprising him at every turn, she kept her legs wrapped around his waist and wiggled non-stop. Her growing desperation fueled the fire building in his groin. When her small hands pressed demandingly on his head as he licked and kissed her neck, he heard the silent plea and sank his teeth into her skin. Hard.

  She groaned and tightened her legs. He was conspicuously aware of heat pouring from her center where she ground her pelvis against him.

  He bit her again and this time she cried out. “Oh. Yes!” Her body shook, and his cock surged, expanding until he was sure his jeans would tear.

  Licking the wildly pulsing hollow at the base of her throat with a rumbling grunt, he rose over her and stared down into eyes smoky with desire.

  “Please don’t stop,” she begged. Roman struggled to hold it together as her hands held his face and the lower half of her body sent a Morse Code message of bumps and grinds straight to his starved libido.

  One side of his mouth made a smile-smirk. “Don’t stop?” He leaned down and licked her ear. “Carina, love. I haven’t even started.”

  She pulled his face to her lips and kissed him with sweet, hot desperation. He let her have at it and enjoyed the artless seduction. Her tongue, hesitant for the first minute, subjected him to a wonderfully delicious exploration as she devoured his mouth with abandon.

  Chuckling as he pulled away, he kissed the tip of her nose and shifted onto his side. “Your passion turns me on, Carina.”

  She immediately tried to burrow back into his arms. “As much as I enjoy your enthusiasm, love, I want you to hold still while I undress you. Can you do that?” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “What’s your take on obeying?”

  Having no idea how much or how little experience she had, Roman wasn’t prepared when she grinned and licked her lips. Not the response he anticipated.

  “Is obey the same as submit?” She answered with a sexy playful vibe that went straight to his dick.

  Oh my god. He couldn’t help it. He laughed and gathered her close. “Jesus Kelly. You’re stealing all my best lines.”

  “I knew it!” she chortled with a cheeky laugh. “You sir, have fifty shades of alpha practically tattooed on your face.”

  His shocked reaction brought an even cheekier grin to her face. “What am I gonna do with you?” she tut-tutted. “Always the astonishment. We’re not completely cut off from civilization up here, ya’ know.”

  He started to laugh. She had him dead to rights.

  “On Demand movies. Need I say more?”

  Okay. Now he really had to laugh. “That guy is a putz,” he drawled.

  “Says you.” Punctuating the sentiment with a naughty swipe of her hand down his chest, he stopped her before her touch drifted into the danger zone.

  “Why Miss James,” he smirked. “What am I to think? You got me into bed on false pretenses.”

  “I did not,” she shrieked as a giggle shot from her mouth.

  “Yes you did. I believe what you so sweetly begged for was some nice, old fashioned, lovemaking. And now?” He scoffed playfully. “Suddenly you have an internet grasp of things you should know nothing about. Next you’ll be pleading for a grey tie.”

  “Actually,” she cooed. “I’m thinking black leather is more your style.”

  He put two fingers on her lips to silence her. “Shh. Let’s not go there, okay?”

  The play of emotions on her face and in her eyes fascinated him. She knew when to back down though—a telling response that let him know she wasn’t experienced at all in those sorts of things. He’d be more than happy to broaden her flimsy understanding. Later. Right now, he had other things on his mind.

  She beat him to the start. “Aren’t you supposed to be taking my clothes off?”

  The wanton challenge in her voice was perfect for the moment. There was no disguising her need, so she didn’t.

  “Before we get started, I want you to know that the pink fuzzy socks? They’ll be staying on.”

  “Think they’re sexy, do you?” she snickered.

  “You have no idea.”

  His growling response took away the playfulness from seconds earlier.

  Rising onto his knees, he maneuvered around the small bed, removing her shirt and jeans until all she wore were the pink socks, a pair of shockingly arousing plain white panties and a front hook bra that struggled to contain her breasts.

  He placed his palms atop hers and twined their fingers together as he pulled her arms above her head. Dropping an urgent, exploratory kiss on her mouth, Roman increased the intensity until she was quivering. Then he took her hands and showed her how to hang onto the brass headboard.

  “In lieu of leather ties, I want you to keep your hands there, okay?”

  She nodded but said nothing. A glaze of lusty passion made her dark blue eyes sparkle.

  The ancient bed creaked and complained when he stood up. Her head turned, and he felt Kelly’s eyes on him.

  “Ordinarily, you’d be doing this part,” he explained in the sexiest most suggestive drawl he could muster. “But I’d much rather have you watch this time.”

  A sharp gasp preceded her eyes darting to his abdomen when he reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head.

  Her soft groaning, “Oh Roman,” when his chest was revealed made him feel like a god. She eyed the tattoo on his forearm but said nothing. Good. The explanation was a story for another day.

  Pulling a short, rolling stool from the worktable, he s
at down right next to her and began removing his heavy boots. His eyes caressed her body as laces came undone and feet slid from confinement.

  She had a curvy fullness to her figure that he liked very much. A small freckle close to her belly button taunted his mouth, challenging him to lick her there. He was in the middle of considering doing exactly that when she moved her leg and stroked his arm with a furry sock covered foot.

  With taming her fire not even a remote possibility, he grabbed her ankle and teased with a soft kiss on her inner calf followed immediately with a hearty bite.

  “Are you going to tell me to behave?”

  He smirked as he stood. “Absolutely not. Your fire excites me, Carina. So similar to my own.”

  An excited flush brightened her cheeks. She was unconsciously nibbling on her lip. “Hurry,” she implored warmly.

  Her eyes devoured as she tracked his hands. He undid the heavy leather belt and released the button on his jeans before sliding the zipper down, carefully. The pleasure in her expression as he slowly revealed his body inspired more of a sexy striptease. This feeling of satisfaction from seeing her response was a novel experience.

  He wasn’t an underwear guy. Whatever his hand found when he reached into the drawer was fine by him. As a matter-of-fact, he had no idea what if anything he wore beneath his jeans. As the denim slid down his muscular thighs, he nearly sighed with relief when a pair of black briefs came into view.

  Kelly’s nervous giggle once the pants were gone and he stood before her hungry gaze made his cock twitch.

  “Those things should be illegal,” she sighed as her eyes roamed with lascivious slowness over his thighs.

  His immediate thought? All the better to fuck you with. He kept the words to himself but the thought fired up his brain in a big way.

  The lights flickered once. Then again, and a moment later the room plunged into darkness. The timing was perfect. He was about to ravish the young sister of his friend and employer. She was completely aware how begging him to take her would end. The abrupt blackout framed what they were doing in a time out of time sort of way.

  His eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness. A shaft of light from the window courtesy of the blizzard full moon bathed them in an ethereal glow. She looked wild and untamed, writhing on the narrow bed with her hands gripping the brass headboard. Her dark hair and pale skin reminded him of Snow White, a perfectly apropos comparison for this unusual interlude.