Hate to Crave You

by Bella Love-Wins

  She’d backed away from him and the distance was more than he could stand.

  He moved toward her, eliminating that distance so he could reach up and catch a thick lock of her hair between his finger and thumb. “Tell me again,” he murmured.

  “You should go home and cool off,” she replied, an edge in her voice. “Come back with an apology. You’ve been an ass today.”

  He thought back, and realized she might be right. Especially in light of what she’d said—she loved him and she’d always have his back. If she did have his back…

  He wouldn’t ever betray her like that. Why had he assumed she’d betray him?

  He didn’t know why it had been so easy to assume that, except coming off the heels of the blow-up with his father, he’d been stinging from that blow. Maybe it had just made it easier to believe others were waiting to deal him a similar one.

  And that hadn’t been fair to Julianna.

  “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. Laying a hand on her cheek, he met her eyes and said, “You’re right. I’ve been an ass and I’m sorry.”

  Her eyes softened the slightest.

  “Now…” he said, a pleading note in his tone. “Will you tell me again?”

  “You’re awful demanding today,” she huffed out. “Fine. I said I love you. Is that what you wanted—”

  The rest of her words were spoken against his mouth as he crushed his lips to hers.

  She caught a breath, drawing him in and he thought he could maybe drown in her. If so, he wouldn’t mind at all. Pushing her jacket open, he skimmed a hand down her side and pulled her flush against him. “I’m sorry,” he said again, fisting his free hand in her hair and tugging her head back. The curve of her neck elongated and he pressed his lips to the exposed arch, following the line of it down until it disappeared inside the seam of her top.

  Too many clothes, all of them in the way. He nudged the coat down until it fell off her shoulders to land in a puddle by her feet. When he boosted her up, Julianna curled her arms around his neck, humming in satisfaction as his cock prodded her belly.

  “I need you,” he said against her neck. “Now. Right now.”

  Julianna whimpered as he shoved a hand under her sweater, closing it over her breast. He toyed and tugged at her nipple until she thrust herself against his hand in silent demand.

  Her skirt was in the way and he put her back down to deal with it, reaching for the side zipper, shoving the material to the floor the moment he had it loose.

  Now she stood before him in thigh highs, her sweater and panties. “This has to go, darling,” he said, grabbing the hem of her sweater.

  But she shook her head, pushing at the lapels of his coat. “I’m half naked and you’re standing there still in your coat and suit. Fair’s fair.”

  He let her push the coat off his shoulders and neither of them did anything as the expensive material fell to the floor. Julianna, always pin neat, stripped his suit coat away and dropped it on the floor next to the rest of the clothes before reaching for his tie and jerking at the loosened Windsor knot he’d been tugging at half the evening.

  He damn near ripped off half the buttons of his shirt in his haste to get rid of it and announced, “Good enough,” before hauling her back up against him. With the same recklessness, he peeled her sweater away. Now just his trousers, her panties and bra separated them. Oh, and the thigh highs.

  He went to his knees in front of her, stroking his hands down her legs, all the way to her ankles then up, smiling at the feel of the silky material rasping against his palms.

  “I love the lingerie, Jules,” he said, tipping his head back to stare up at her.

  “We were supposed to get dinner tonight,” she told him, her voice catching in her throat.

  His mouth twitched as he thought about all the messages she’d left on his phone and he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her hipbone. “Another apology,” he murmured.

  She shivered as he skimmed his mouth over the waistband of her panties. Hooking his fingers in the straps that ran over her hips, he dragged them down, baring her to his hungry gaze.

  The neat strip of curls that covered her sex caught his eyes and he leaned in to nuzzle her.

  “I’m going to eat you up,” he told her.

  She shivered and cried out as he made good on his promise, licking her from bottom to top to open her, revealing her slit, already wet and waiting for him. The pink flesh taunted him and he flicked at her clit with his tongue.

  Julianna gasped out his name and shoved her hands into his hair, tugging him closer.

  He didn’t need the prodding, but enjoyed it all the same, pressing closer and seeking out more of her salty-sweet taste.

  Tasting her on his tongue, he cupped her ass and tilted her upward more fully.

  As she began to rock against him, Roman’s cock pulsed and twitched, twisted into a pained, uncomfortable position inside his briefs. He ignored the discomfort, determined to bring her to orgasm.

  Her hands tightened in his hair, her breath hitching, coming in fast pants now.

  “Please,” she moaned, thrusting harder against him.

  He slanted up, shifting his position so he could suck her clit into his mouth. At the same time, he thrust two fingers into her pussy and twisted them.

  She cried up and bucked against him, coming hard and fast.

  He swallowed it down and rose, dragging his body against hers as he stood.

  She wobbled on her feet, staring at him with clouded eyes.

  He covered her mouth with his, sharing her taste with her.

  She moaned low in her throat and opened for him. She never shied away from his kiss and he loved it. Biting her lower lip, then sucking it into his mouth, he boosted her up and guided her legs until they were wrapped around his waist.

  Moving on instinct and memory, he carried her into her bedroom, laying her down on the foot of the bed and coming down over her.

  She braced her hands on his chest, staring up at him with wide, hungry eyes.

  He caught her hands and stretched them out over her head, his chest crushing into hers.

  Her lashes fluttered closed.

  “No,” he whispered. “Look at me.”

  Her lids drifted back up and he covered her mouth with his. “I want you to be watching me when I tell you,” he said softly. “I love you, Julianna Castle.”

  Her eyes widened, then, against his lips, he felt hers curve into a smile.

  “I love you, Roman Montrose.”

  He reached down and freed himself from his trousers.

  Her lashes fluttered closed.

  “No,” he whispered against her mouth. “Look at me. Let me see you.”

  Julianna slowly opened her eyes and he stared into that dark gaze, feeling lost in her already. “Watch me,” he ordered, wanting her to be as lost as he was.

  “I am.”

  Then she was gasping as he thrust in deep, burying himself to the hilt.

  Julianna whimpered, clinging to him with strong, slim arms and greedy hands. She shoved one into his hair, her mouth opening against his.

  He gave her one quick, rough kiss before tearing his mouth away.

  “Watch me…” he said again. As many times as they’d been together, this was new. This was different. “Tell me again.”

  She gave him a challenging smile. “You first.”

  “I love you.” He twisted his hips, shuddering as her hot, slick channel milked him like a wet, silken fist. He caught her lower lip between his teeth and tugged. “Now you say it.”

  “I love you,” she said against his lips. “I love you, Roman.”

  The need inside him ate at him like a demon and he groaned as she tightened around him, her hips arching closer. “More,” she whimpered.

  That soft little demand blistered through him and he moved faster, drove deeper. The friction scraped along his nerve endings, sending frissons of tormented pleasure exploding through him. She gripped his shoulders, her nail
s biting into his skin.

  This hurried, desperate encounter wasn’t going to do much to satisfy the beast of hunger that gnawed and ate at him.

  Julianna’s head fell back, her neck exposed. “Roman!”

  He sank his teeth into the delicate arch and twisted his hips.

  She came hard, fast.

  He didn’t even try to hold out any longer.

  He grunted and buried his length inside her, felt the orgasm rip through him with a vicious intensity. Spasmodically, he thrust into her again, feeling like the top of his cock might come off.

  As he slammed one hand against the mattress to keep from collapsing against her, he mumbled, “Say it again, Jules.”

  She snickered. “You first.”

  “I wasn’t going behind your back.”

  Roman closed his eyes, wishing they could hold off having this discussion. But he knew Julianna well enough to know that wasn’t going to happen. She had her hand resting on his chest and kept tracing her fingers around in little circles.

  It tickled. It also turned him on which he might have wondered at but he’d stopped musing over the fact that the lightest touch from her could somehow manage to make his dick stand up and pay attention.

  Because it was a distraction and he knew he’d need his wits about him, he closed his hand around hers, stilling her movements. “Guess it’s time we talk about it, huh?”

  “Yes. It is.” She pushed up onto her elbow and stared down at him, her gaze level. There was an uncompromising directness in her expression as she said softly, “You should have had a little more faith in me.”

  “You’re right,” he agreed. It might be hard to meet that direct stare so dead on, but he was a man. He knew when it was time to crawl. And hopefully, she wouldn’t make him do it.

  She opened, then closed her mouth. Finally, she nodded. “Okay, then.”

  “It doesn’t change what I did, but I had a bitch of a day.” Reaching up, he threaded a hand through her dark hair, holding her eyes. “Dad found out about us.”

  “Shit.” She winced.

  He nodded. “You can imagine how well he took it.”

  “I’m sorry, baby,” she said softly, cupping his cheek in her hand.

  He shook his head, turning his head to stare outside. He hated how much it bothered him, hated that his father could get to him like this. And he hated that it would get to Julianna, because he knew it would. “It’s not your problem. We knew it was going to happen sooner or later. That it happened now…hell, maybe it’s a good thing. It’s over and done with, right?”

  He felt her watching him and turned his head back to meet her gaze.

  The attempt at bravado wasn’t fooling her.

  The way his dad had reacted, his threats, they hurt.

  There was no doubt about it.

  “I’m sorry,” she said again. Julianna gave him a quick, soft kiss and laid her head on his chest.

  Wrapping one arm around her, he hugged her close and wondered at how they’d found each other. “Yeah, me too.”

  They lay like that for a few more moments before Julianna lifted back up and met his eyes. “Listen, let’s talk about what happened with Moira and me.” She rubbed her lips softly against his, then lifted her head up. Her hair trailed down over her shoulder to tease his skin, proving yet again, the lightest of touches from her could prove to be a distraction. “You probably noticed at some point that I kept trying to call you.”

  He grimaced. “Yeah. I wanted to wait until I’d worn my mad off. I didn’t want to take it out on you.” He forced out a laugh and looked away. “I managed a bang-up job there, didn’t I?”

  “Hush.” Julianna pressed her fingertip to his lips. “Moira wanted to meet with both of us. She’s got a…proposal for us.”

  “Us?” Roman asked, cocking a brow at her.

  “Us,” Julianna repeated. “As in you, me and Moira. She wants us to make a bid for the mines and prototype. And Roman…I think we should do it.”

  She began to talk, laying out the specifics.

  And as Roman listened, equal amounts of trepidation and excitement filled him.

  Rising, he grabbed his trousers from where he’d flung them on the floor and pulled them up over naked hips.

  “We could do it,” he said quietly, the intensity he felt vibrating in his voice.

  “We could,” Julianna agreed. “I’ve been thinking about it. A lot. We could definitely do it. You and I have the experience—hell, Moira’s no slouch when it comes to sales and marketing. It won’t be easy if just the three of us make a go at it, but I’ve never backed down from a challenge.”

  “You bite challenges in the throat,” Roman said, smiling a little.

  She preened. Shifting around in the bed, she sat up with her back to the padded headboard and met his eyes. “If that’s what we end up doing, then I’m fine with that. But…I think we should reach out to our families. Offer them a choice.”

  “My father won’t go for it, Jules,” he said, shaking his head. “You don’t understand the hatred and resentment he has for you and your family. He won’t even talk about it, but it goes deep.”

  He turned away.

  At Julianna’s soft voice, he looked back.

  “I know why he hates my family. Although, really, it has more to do with my father than anything else.”

  She blew out a soft breath and said, “I talked with my mother. She told me, Roman. She told me everything.” Then Julianna told him.

  “They were friends—good friends,” she started out. “My dad and your dad were tight. The rivalry between the companies was a friendly one and always had been. Up until they met my mom, and both of them wanted her. But she loved my dad.”

  She continued to talk until finally, there was nothing left to say.

  Ending with a shrug, she said, “It sounds like your father never got over it.”

  “I’d say.” Roman, feeling somewhat stunned, stood staring outside. Hands in his pockets, he closed his eyes and tried to process everything he’d just been told.

  It made sense.

  It made too much sense.

  Shit, what would Mom think about…

  The thought ended abruptly as Roman realized his mother might already know.

  He thought back over his parents’ relationship and the stilted, almost formal way they treated each other. It was more like a business arrangement than a marriage.

  And it would be, especially for Dad, Roman realized. His father, infamous for his grudges, had never been one who knew how to let things go. Was he still holding a torch for Julianna’s mother?

  That left Roman’s mother in second place.

  And his mother would have known it, too.

  “This makes so much sense,” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

  Turning, he faced Julianna. “Your mother told you this,” he said softly.

  She inclined her head. “Yes.” Under his gaze, she shifted around on the bed, reaching up to touch the locket around her neck. “Mom saw the locket. It happened at lunch today and she acted…weird. I couldn’t figure out what the deal was until Moira pointed out that I was wearing a piece with the signature Montrose M on it for all the world to see…and my mother.” She rolled her eyes and managed a smile. “Mom knows about us. And she’s okay with it.”

  Roman nodded. He didn’t question why her mother would be okay with it and his father wasn’t. His father, ever the competitive bastard, would look at it as having lost—again. He’d lost the woman he wanted and now he’d view this as losing control of his son. Any sort of loss wasn’t acceptable to Michael Montrose.

  “What do you think about the proposal?” Julianna asked.

  “I think we should do it,” he said quietly, still thinking about his father. Slowly, he met her eyes. “My father won’t go for it though. The hate in him, it runs too deep.”

  “We’ll give them a choice. Either it’s all of us or it’s you and me and Moira.”

  “Yo
u really think your dad will go for it?”

  Julianna pursed her lips and considered his question. After a moment, she shrugged. “I think there’s a good chance he will. He wants what Templeton has to offer, and…well, lately, I get the feeling that he doesn’t have the same…” She cocked her head and studied him. “What did you call it? Antipathy? Yes. I don’t think he has the same antipathy for your family that yours has mine.”

  “First, it’s my father who has the antipathy,” Roman said, moving to the bed to catch her behind the neck. He held her still as he lowered his head to kiss her.

  She made a small hmmm against his lips as he lingered, making him think she was savoring his taste. It drove him a little crazy. As he straightened, he stroked his thumb over the full curve of her lower lip, staring into dark, warm eyes. “Man, you drive me crazy,” he muttered.

  “Same goes for me.” She closed her mouth around his thumb.

  Roman pulled away. “None of that. We’re having a serious conversation here.”

  He paced back over to the window, a safe distance away, and turned back to face her. “What makes you so certain Templeton will give you and me a shot when he wouldn’t listen to either offer our parents put before him? They can come up with more ready cash than we can.”

  “I know.” She stretched sinuously, artlessly.

  Roman felt his mouth go dry, even though he knew there was nothing practiced about the move. Forcing his gaze back to hers, he waited for her to continue.

  “We’ve got an ace in the hole. Moira. She wants this and she wants it bad. And she seems to think he’s got a soft spot for our families. The two of us working together with her? If she’s right, that’s going to appeal to him.”

  “But he needs the capital—” He stopped talking when Julianna grinned at him. “Or does he?”

  “He could use the capital, but Moira says she knows how much he needs…and it’s not as much as he’s letting on. He is definitely more likely to listen to us than entertain an offer from some mega-name corporation.”

  “All right.” Roman nodded, moving back to the bed. He sat down and curled his fingers around her exposed ankle, stroking his finger up and down. “If you think we’ve got a chance, let’s go for it. We’ll talk to our parents. Give them a shot. And if they don’t want it? We’ll do it ourselves.”