Chasing Temptation

by Joya Ryan

  “I’ve got to get back to work.” With that, she walked away.

  Jenna sighed. “I was just trying to help.”

  Colt rubbed her back. “I know, sugar.”

  “Why can’t things just work? Penny’s great, and I want her to have fun. She deserves some fun.”

  Bass took a deep breath. She deserved a hell of a lot more than that.

  …

  It had been a long night, and after politely postponing her decision about Finn’s offer—he’d ask her again sooner than later—she’d also had to pretend that Bass hadn’t just ripped her heart out of her chest. He might already be intent on replacing her, but she hadn’t given up hope yet. At the very least, she wanted an explanation.

  She sped down the dirt road that led to his home. It was late, but she wanted to get this cleared up. When she pulled closer, there were a few outdoor lights on, and Sebastian was shooting hoops in the driveway.

  She parked, got out of her car, and slammed the door shut.

  “What the hell!” she yelled.

  He didn’t stop shooting. He was breathing hard, sweating, shirtless, and holy shit, it made her forget what she’d come to yell about.

  “It’s a little late, thought you’d be tired after your long shift and date planning.” He did a layup.

  “You’re the one who pushed me to accept Finn’s offer.”

  He glanced at her, then took another shot, missing, the ball ricocheting toward her. She caught it and held on to it, forcing him to face her.

  “Yeah, so?” he said, placing his hands on his hips. His low slung shorts showed off his rock hard abs and narrow hips, and she squeezed the ball tighter to keep from reaching out to touch him.

  “So, you want me with another man? Whatever happened to ‘when we’re together the woman is mine’?” she said in an exaggeratedly low voice, mimicking his words to her.

  “Yeah, that’s true. But the rehearsal is the last night of our arrangement. No sense in saying no to the perfect guy.”

  “Perfect guy? Is that what you think I want? Someone like Finn?”

  “He’s a long term kind of man,” he said.

  She was getting so fired up she was ready to throw the ball at the stubborn attorney.

  “Funny to hear you say long term like it’s a disease. You know, you’re the one that showed up at my place the other night.”

  “I’m also the one who left,” he grated.

  “You’re also the one who came to ‘check on me’ last night. That had nothing to do with sex.”

  He paused a minute, and she couldn’t help but smile.

  “Uh-oh, does the big bad attorney have feelings he’s not sure how to deal with?”

  “We’re still friends.”

  “That’s it? There’s nothing else you feel for me?” she asked, but not entirely sure she wanted the answer.

  He laughed and looked at the sky. “What do you want me to say? Obviously I’m attracted to you.”

  She nodded. “But just for two weeks, right? Then you’ll magically stop being attracted to me? I start dating Finn, you have some backup woman waiting for you, and we all go on our merry way. Is that how you see this playing out?”

  “Yes,” he growled.

  She bounced the ball once. “Okay. So it doesn’t bother you to think about me with Finn. Kissing him.” Bounced the ball again. “Touching him.”

  “Stop it.” He looked ready to spit nails. “You say this shit to get a rise out of me.”

  “I’m trying to get the truth out of you.”

  He stood still, not moving, not speaking. She was ready to either burst into tears or scream. She was fighting for the right to his heart. And he was a tough competitor.

  But if she gave up on him, she’d only fulfill what he thought to be true. Until he told her, showed her, he didn’t want her, she’d hang on to him.

  “What about a compromise?” she said.

  His ears perked. “Depends what you mean by compromise.”

  She took a deep breath, prepping herself for the risk she was about to take.

  “Everyone is so set on us having dates to the rehearsal. Why don’t we go together?”

  His dark eyes sparkled with confusion. “For several reasons. One is that we’re keeping our relationship from everyone. Showing up together would be a big fucking declaration, the opposite of discretion.”

  Okay, so he wasn’t one for big declarations, she’d figured that. “It doesn’t have to be this big deal,” she said. “We can show up together as friend-ish type things. That’s not a crazy notion.”

  “Did you just say friend-ish type things?”

  She glared.

  He shook his head. “Whatever it is, it’s still a statement. One that your brother and everyone else will figure out. Then we’ll have to explain why we’re not together the next day.”

  “Of course, because God forbid we go beyond two weeks.”

  His expression seemed pained. “You agreed to the terms,” he said. “Why are you trying to change them now?”

  “Because I want you!” And she wanted him for a lot longer than fourteen days. But she felt like she was on the brink of losing him already, and it had nothing to do with the timeline.

  He ran a hand through his hair, and it looked like he was trying to fight off his brain from exploding. But she went on. Pushed. Because she had to know if she was fighting a losing battle. “The question is, do you want me back?”

  Those dark eyes zeroed in on her. “Yes.” He sounded pissed off by his own admission. “But that doesn’t change our arrangement. Showing up at the rehearsal dinner, making a statement like that gets us nowhere. It actually puts us in a worse position. Because the next day, we’re done.”

  That struck her chest like a dull knife to the ribs. “Did you ever decide about Jenna’s friend? Are going to the wedding with the third bridesmaid?”

  He nodded. “I told Colt I’d show her around. She’ll be here for a couple of weeks while he and Jenna are gone.”

  “Ah yes, and a couple of weeks is your specialty,” she snapped.

  “Don’t.” He took a step closer. “Don’t act like you aren’t doing the same thing.”

  “You’re the one who pushed me toward Finn. I haven’t said yes to him yet.”

  He scoffed, and all the hard muscles of his chest and abs flexed. “I’m not talking about just that. Don’t pretend that you’re innocent in all of this. You sought me out, remember? You’re the one who agreed to the two weeks, because you’re on a mission to gain experience and find a better man when we’re done.”

  A left hook to the kidney would have packed less of a punch. Because he was right. She had set this up, agreed, with the end goal that she’d walk away with sexual experiences, know herself as a woman better, and find the kind of man she wanted long term.

  But how could she have guessed Bass would turn out to be that man?

  “You made it clear that when we’re together, it’s us,” she said. “The woman is yours, remember? I’m that woman right now. Until the two weeks is up.”

  “Or until you say no,” he said.

  She nodded. “Well I haven’t said no, and the rehearsal dinner is on my time.” And she would fight for her time. “So, we’ll try this another way,” she said, then shot the ball, swishing it.

  He looked at her with shock.

  “I played in high school,” she said, shrugging. “I may not have as much experience as you, but I can hold my own.”

  Judging by the glare on his face, he knew she wasn’t talking just about basketball anymore.

  “I want to finish out the week with you because I like spending time with you. More than anyone I’ve ever been with,” he admitted.

  “Do you care about me?” she asked.

  After a moment, he said, “Of course I do.”

  “More than friendship?”

  He clenched his teeth.

  “You promised me the truth,” she said. “Said this whole thing is built
on trust.”

  He took a deep breath. He was obviously racing to think of a clever way to speak his way out of this one. But she wasn’t having it.

  “I asked you a question,” she said, using words he’d used on her. That got his attention in a hurry.

  He stalked toward her with a lust-crazed look. “What I feel for you goes so far beyond friendship it’s fucking laughable.”

  That made her stall. So there was hope.

  “However—” he started, but she cut him off. She was clinging to that hope. And the best way to bring the real Sebastian out, was a challenge.

  “So here’s the deal.” She dribbled the ball, walking toward him. “First one to make a basket wins.”

  She nudged his sweaty chest as she passed him, gingerly making her way toward the hoop.

  “What are your terms?” he asked.

  “If I win, you take me to the rehearsal dinner. As my date. And we’ll deal with the aftermath later.”

  “Penelope…” he warned.

  But she didn’t care. This was her shot. Literally. “Deal?”

  “And what if I win?”

  She looked at him. “What would you like?”

  He growled and moved in front of her. His hard chest was now a wall between her and the basket.

  “If I win, I’m going to tie you up and spank your ass for pulling this stunt. Then I’m going to fuck you until sunrise.” He leaned in and bit her earlobe. “And if you beg me long enough, I may just let you come too.”

  She licked her lips. “Sounds like a win-win to me.” Her words stuttered a little, because the look on his face was not only serious, it was brutal.

  Being on the brink of pleasure with him all night, only for him to deny her over and over, did sound like a special kind of torture.

  “Deal,” she said, pushing his chest with her shoulder and making him step back. It was a single second, but it gave a clear shot, and she took it.

  But the ball hit the back board, swirled around the hoop, and fell out and onto the ground. Bass was there to rebound and toss it back up, sinking the basket for himself.

  Her mouth dropped, half in shock, half in excitement, because he tossed the ball aside and headed straight toward her. She should be disappointed she’d lost, but if there was ever a chance to show him he could trust her and make this work, now was it.

  “You’re in trouble now, darlin’.” Not stopping until he reached her, he tangled his fingers through her hair and kissed her hard.

  She groaned at the contact and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her like a wild man. Biting and sinking his tongue deep. Their teeth clattered, tongues dueled, and she clung to his bare back, sinking her nails in. Anything to get him closer.

  Without breaking the hot kiss, he hoisted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his hips as he carried her toward the house.

  “You fuck with my mind…make me crazed,” he said, biting down her neck.

  She drove both hands into his hair and moaned, giving him all the access to her she could. Her skirt was riding up, and her boots were digging into his ass, causing his shorts to slink even lower.

  She eased her hold on him just long enough to pull her tank top over her head, then she was back to hugging him. He kissed and bit the top of her cleavage, then bit her nipple through the lacy cup of her bra.

  “Ah!” It stung but felt so good. She couldn’t slow down, couldn’t let him slow down, even if she wanted to. She wanted all of him. All the passion, heat, and raw ferocity that was Sebastian Strafford.

  “Can’t wait,” he growled. Her bare back hit the cold front door. “I warned you,” he said, propping her against the door while he used one hand to shove his shorts down, then tear her panties off.

  He was strong. His muscles flexed to keep her up while he brought the same free hand to her mouth.

  “Suck,” he said harshly.

  She did. She sucked all four of his fingers as deeply as she could. But as soon as he buried them in her mouth, he retreated, then reached between their bodies and used his newly moist fingers to coat his hard cock.

  In one hard thrust, he buried himself inside her.

  He stilled. His dark eyes wide with equal parts awe and shock. He stared at her with so much amazement he looked on the brink of pain.

  “I feel you,” he said, moving his hips subtly, as if reveling in the feel of their connection without any barriers. She knew this was the first time he’d ever felt a woman with no condom, and her chest wanted to burst with pride and happiness that she was the one giving this to him. That this was something special that they would always share.

  He closed his eyes for a moment and rested his forehead against hers, thrusting once so deeply, so powerfully that she cried his name.

  “More,” he groaned. “I need more.” Gripping her ass, he took just that. Fucking her hard. The cold door against her back, banging wildly with every punishing thrust.

  “Penny,” he groaned, thrusting hard, then stirred deep, “Never like this. You feel incredible.”

  “So do you.” With her fingers tunneled through his hair and her heels clamped around his back, she kissed him hard. He swallowed every moan and sigh.

  She bit his lip. “I want all of you.”

  And he gave it. Surging deep, so hard and consuming and intense that she felt his energy transfer to her like a shot of adrenaline. Powerful and raw.

  “Yes, yes, like that. All of it,” she said.

  He’d told her once to give it all up to him. Now it was her turn to demand the same. She peppered kisses along his temple, his cheek, the corner of his mouth.

  “I’m going to come,” he said.

  “Yes.”

  “I want to come in you. So fucking much.”

  “Yes,” she said again, shifting her hips to take him deeper, her ass continuing to bang against the door.

  “What have you done to me?” he said around a strangled breath, and she felt his strong body tense. His release was so intense, so hot and powerful that it sent her spiraling over the edge and into her own climax.

  She cried his name, and after a few moments of being clamped around him, he opened the door, keeping her right where she was, his cock still inside her, and walked into the room.

  She bobbed on top of him as he kicked the door shut and headed toward the bedroom. Her eyes went wide when she realized he was still hard.

  “I told you, darlin’,” he rasped, then bit her neck. “You’re in trouble. And we’re nowhere near done.”

  …

  Sebastian’s world: Just. Fucking. Changed. And he had a feeling he wouldn’t know how to deal with that until tomorrow. Because right then, all he could think about was how it felt to come inside Penny.

  She was still wrapped around him as he entered the bedroom. He tossed her on the bed, hating the warmth he gave up, but loving the way her breasts bounced damn near out of her bra.

  “Strip,” he said, barely recognizing his own voice. “I want you naked. Now.” He did the same, removing the few pieces of clothing left. When they were both naked, he said, “Get on your hands and knees and raise your ass in the air.”

  Her body gently trembled. She’d gotten off, and he’d wanted to make her earn it. But he’d been lost. Between her mouth, her pussy, and being so deep in such a hot wet paradise, he could barely think.

  He was hard and ready to feel her again. Christ, he was starting to worry he’d never get enough.

  She positioned herself like he’d said, but she was in the middle of the bed, and he stood at the foot of it. Too far. She was too far away, and space was the last thing he wanted. He gripped her heels and tugged her to the edge.

  She yipped in surprise but readjusted to her knees, and with that perfect ass in the air, she looked over her shoulder at him.

  “You going to punish me now?”

  “You like it when I do?”

  She swayed her ass left to right and smiled. “Yes.”

  Jesus, his perfect woma
n had come to life and was right there, on his bed, ripe for the taking. Everything about her screamed innocent and naïve. Maybe part of her was. But she was a tough woman with desires that seemed to rival his own. All this time, Sebastian had looked the part of the hedonist. Who knew that Miss Diamond played it?

  He palmed her ass hard, and she threw her head back, all that red hair splaying over her back. It was so silky and shiny that he couldn’t help but reach out and run one hand over it and down her spine.

  It was like petting his own personal kitten. She was his.

  He was about to tell himself no, remind himself this was a short lived arrangement, when something caught him off guard.

  Her green eyes flashed at him. “I can still feel you,” she whispered. And arched against his touch. “I feel you all the time. After you leave is the worst part. But this time?” She pushed back a little, causing him to grip her ass tighter. “I really feel you.”

  He looked at her beautiful skin, bright eyes, and vibrant hair. She was gorgeous. Her round ass was perfect and waiting to be pinkened by his hand. Oh, this woman deserved a spanking. And he’d give it. Based on last time, she’d get wet from it. Hell, the woman was already soaking.

  “Jesus,” he rasped as he looked between her legs. She had the prettiest pussy he’d ever seen.

  An animalistic urge to fuck her again and again, to never let her leave his bed, was overwhelming. He’d never been so close to a woman before. Never trusted anyone to the extent he trusted her. Never seen his fate flash before his eyes until this moment.

  At some point, he’d gotten away from himself and given in to her.

  And he couldn’t be upset about it. Not then.

  He did everything he could to sear this moment into his brain. Her tousled hair, glossy eyes, and smile. She looked well-loved. By him.

  He’d deal with all the reasons he was digging himself into a hole. But not today.

  Tomorrow.

  Now, he needed her. Wanted her. Was consumed by the need to keep her. Just for the night. For the week. Didn’t matter. He’d take tonight. Because for now, she was his alone. Not Finn’s, not some nameless, faceless man who could give her a future she wanted. Not the man from her past who’d broken her heart.