by Roxy Sloane
“A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Banner. I hope you enjoy your new home. Please keep us in mind for all your real estate needs.”
I hold out my hand to politely shake his. Jase reaches for me, his massive hand closes around mine, but he doesn’t let go.
He leans in, closer, looking me right in the eyes with that piercing blue stare. “You want to keep this to business? Then fine, I’ve got a proposition for you.”
“Jase—” I start to pull away, but he keeps hold of my hand. His voice lowers, sexy and raw, so only I can hear.
“This is an offer you won’t want to pass up, baby,” Jase murmurs with an irresistible glint in his eye. “You and me. Just sex. All the pleasure your body can handle—and more.”
I gulp.
“You don’t need to trust me,” Jase continues. “You don’t even need to like me, you can just fuck me until you’re spent and sore, and dripping with my cum. No drama, no strings, just me doing what I do best.”
I take a shaky breath. “You’re pretty cocky, you know that? What makes you think I’d ever take a deal like that?”
He smirks. “Because I know how it feels when that sweet pussy of yours convulses around my cock. You’ve never had it so good before. Rough and dirty, the way you’re too ashamed to even ask.”
He strokes one finger over my palm. His touch sends heat spiraling straight between my thighs. I can’t believe what he’s suggesting—but damn, it’s tempting. He knows exactly which buttons to press, and when I’m wavering on the edge.
“I hate you,” I say without thinking, but he just laughs.
“Good.” Jase smirks. “Hate-sex is even hotter.”
He releases my hand and backs away. “Why don’t you think about it?” he says, sounding confident. “Think about me tonight, when you’re trying to get off. And when you realize your little pink vibrator can’t ever compare to my cock, I’ll be waiting.”
Wait, how does he know what color my vibrator is?
Before I can object or shut him down, Jase turns and saunters away.
Damn him!
I sink back into my chair. My heart is pounding, and my whole body is tingling and hot—just from one little touch.
And his filthy, wicked offer.
I wonder for a moment what it would be like to take him up on it. No strings, no drama. That’s what he said, right? I wouldn’t need to believe a single word he said, because this isn’t about trust. Just pure, wild, out-of-this-world sex.
How good would it feel to stop fighting this crazy attraction and just give in? Let him have his wicked way with me, over and over.
And under. And behind . . .
The phone on my desk starts ringing, and I snap back to reality with a blush. What am I thinking? I’m not going to take him up on his offer, no matter how tempting it is.
Jase Banner is trouble, and I’ve had enough drama in the past few weeks to last me a lifetime.
For the sake of my heart—and sanity—I’m steering clear.
6.
CHLOE
I don’t trust myself alone tonight with Jase’s sexy proposition echoing in my mind. So it’s a relief when Amanda proposes a girly night in, complete with wine, ice cream, and her new skincare line.
“Thanks for being my guinea pig,” she says, holding my face steady as she smears on some of her new miracle mask.
“Thank you,” I reply, pausing to take a gulp of wine. “I’m going to need you to confiscate my phone, too. Just barricade me in my bedroom while you’re at it, anything to keep me from making the biggest mistake of my life.”
“He’s really that big?” Amanda teases.
I groan. “Don’t. You don’t understand, that man is kryptonite. The things he can do with that body . . . and that mouth . . . and those hands . . .”
“You know, I’ve never seen anyone so miserable about having the best sex of their lives.”
I have to smile at that. “I know, I shouldn’t complain. But I feel like I’m torn in two different directions, and now with this new proposition he made . . .”
“Wait, what?” Amanda asks, sitting back, so I tell her all the details. Her eyes widen. “A hot guy is offering you crazy no-strings sex, and you’re telling him . . . no?” She presses a hand to my forehead. “Are you sure you’re feeling OK?”
“No!” I laugh, batting her hand away. “I’m not sure of anything anymore. That’s the problem. I thought I had it all figured out, I was happy with Max, and then Jase Banner walks into my life and everything falls apart.”
“If you’re asking me, Jase did you a favor.” Amanda takes a sip of wine. “If it hadn’t been for him, you wouldn’t know what a total asswipe Max really is. He saved you from marrying into the Mainwaring cult. Just think, you could be sitting around with Sylvia and Sienna and the rest of those bitches, picking out china patterns right now.”
“Ugh.” We both shudder.
“You’re right,” I admit. “I wish Jase hadn’t lied and hurt me like this, but at least I know the truth now, about both of them.”
“I don’t know if you can lump Jase in with Max,” Amanda says, frowning. “I mean, sure, he lied to you, but Max is like, a sociopath. He’s the one who thought up this whole plan to get out of the engagement. I mean, who does that?”
“But if Max is a sociopath, then what does that make Jase for taking the job?” I counter.
“A red-blooded hunk of British hotness?” Amanda licks her lips.
“Hey!” I protest. “You’re supposed to be on my side!”
“You’re right, I am,” Amanda sighs. “Sorry. And I do know where you’re coming from. If a guy lied to me like Jase did, I’d want to cut his dick off.”
“Ouch!” I laugh.
She grins. “Although, from what you’re telling me, that would be a crime against womankind and great sex.”
“A grave crime,” I agree. “God, why does he have to be so . . . sexy?” I despair. “And I’m not even talking about the way he looks. It’s his whole attitude. He drives me crazy, he’s so damn cocky. But that arrogance is . . . mmmm . . .”
“Irresistible,” Amanda agrees. “Face it, there’s nothing hotter than a man who knows exactly what he can do for you.”
“What he can do is break my heart,” I say with a sigh. “That’s the thing about dangerous guys. If I let him get too close, I know he’ll only hurt me in the end. Even more than he has done already.”
“That’s the risk, I guess,” she agrees. “With great pleasure comes great responsibility.”
I laugh. “I don’t think that’s the quote.”
“It should be.” She dabs on another layer of cream and sits back. “OK, you let that dry for ten minutes, then rinse it off. You’ll look like someone just injected unicorn blood under your skin.”
“Ewww?” I laugh. “And thanks. I mean it. I know I’ve been talking this around in circles, but I really appreciate the support.”
“Anytime.” Amanda smiles. “And let me know if you feel a burning sensation, OK?”
“Wait, what?” My hands fly to my face, but Amanda’s already gone to the kitchen for a refill. I pat the face mask gingerly. “What exactly did you put in this thing?”
“Just natural ingredients. Citrus, rose petals, chilies . . .”
“Chilies!” I yelp.
Amanda walks back in with the wine bottle. “Relax! They have rejuvenating properties. The ancient Incans swore by them.”
“Didn’t they also die out in a mysterious plague?” I counter.
She laughs, just as my phone rings. I groan. “It’ll be Jase again. You take it.” I thrust it at her without looking.
Amanda answers. “She already says she doesn’t want to talk—Oh, hello.” She pauses, then holds it out to me. “Not Jase. Some woman, says she’s with the Boston Herald?”
I take the phone, curious. “Hello?” I answer, careful not to press the handset to my gloopy cheeks.
“Chloe Archer? Hi, I’m Kelly McLain,
I write the social beat for the Herald, do you have a moment?”
“Umm, sure,” I say, confused. I look to Amanda, but she’s already pulling out another batch of samples and sniffing them in turn. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, I’m just looking for some information about the big day!” Kelly says, sounding chipper. “I know you’ll want to keep things under wraps, but my readers would just love to know how the plans are coming along. Have you picked out a dress designer yet? What about flowers?” She hits me with a barrage of questions. “I heard rumors you were working with Andre de la Rocha, can you confirm that for me now?”
My head spins. I broke things off with Max over two weeks ago now, so why does this reporter think I’m still going to be dancing up the aisle?
He’s the one who wanted the engagement over. I figured he’d be shouting the happy news all over town by now.
I’m about to set her straight and tell her the wedding is off, but something makes me pause. What am I going to say: “Actually, I broke the whole thing off because I wanted to screw another guy, only it turned out Max was behind everything from the start?”
No way.
“I . . . can’t say anything right now,” I tell her instead.
She sighs. “Sylvia has you trained already then? I get it, no sneak previews for the press!”
“Something like that.” I exhale, relieved. “You should ask the Mainwarings. Really, they’re the ones who know how to handle all this stuff.”
“Well, thanks anyway. And good luck!”
The minute she rings off, I brace myself and dial Max’s number. Thankfully, it goes to voicemail.
“I just got a call from a reporter,” I tell the voicemail, keeping my voice even. “She seems to think the wedding is still going ahead. Let me know how you’d like to break the news. I’m fine with telling everyone it just didn’t work out.”
I hang up. Amanda quirks an eyebrow. “That’s an understatement. I can’t believe you’re just letting him off the hook. I would have given that reporter a piece of my mind.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want my dirty laundry dragged through the press. The thought of all that attention makes me ill. The sooner I can just put this all behind me and move on, the better.”
I hand my phone back to her just as it buzzes with a text.
“Thought any more about my offer?” Amanda reads aloud. “If you get here naked in the next ten minutes, I can tie you down and—”
She stops. “Ahem. I think that’s for your eyes only.”
I snatch the phone from her. She laughs, then stops. “Wait, how long has that mask been on?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I lost track of time.”
Amanda yanks me up and shoves me to the bathroom. “Wash it off right now! And just ignore the redness!” she calls after me. “That goes away. At least, it’s supposed to!”
*
Luckily, the mask doesn’t scar me for life. Amanda makes me slather on some cooling gel, and eventually, we head to bed.
But I can’t sleep. My phone is right there on the nightstand, tantalizingly close.
Is Jase thinking about me, too?
I can’t stop myself from scrolling back through my messages, reading his texts again. The man has a way with words—the cruder, the sexier. Just imagining him whispering those filthy things in my ear makes me squirm. Under the bed sheets, my body gets tight.
You can just fuck me until you’re spent and sore, and dripping with my cum.
I flush with hot, prickling shame. Why does that picture turn me on so bad?
Because it would feel so good.
I reach for my nightstand again, and pull out the slim pink wand I keep hidden in the back. Sliding it under the covers, I part my legs, flipping the setting on low.
I smile, relaxing back as the vibrations hum softly through the thin fabric of my pajamas. I press the wand gently against my clit and close my eyes. Imagining Jase. Those strong arms pinning me down. His mouth trailing lower. My hands bound, at his mercy as he teases and licks me into a frenzy . . .
It’s hot as hell, but something’s missing. Him. I turn the dial up stronger, pressing harder, but it’s no use. Like eating fat-free frozen yogurt after a luxurious gelato sundae, there’s no comparison between my little buzzing wand and Jase’s hard, thrusting cock.
Filling me up. Stretching me out. Invading me with every deep, relentless stroke.
My body breaks in a ripple of a climax, but it doesn’t even begin to scratch that deep, hot itch clawing inside. I let out a groan of frustration.
Damn him, for ruining my favorite vibrator forever!
I toss it back in the drawer as my phone lights up again.
Can your vibrator eat you out the way I do? I don’t think so.
Sweet dreams, darlin’.
This time, I have to scream into a pillow, I’m wound so tight. He knows exactly what he’s doing to me—and loving every minute.
Something tells me I’m not getting any sleep tonight.
But that doesn’t mean he should, either.
With a grin, I type out a reply.
Can your hand get you off the way my mouth does? I don’t think so either.
Sleep tight. I just came, so I’ll be sleeping like a baby tonight.
Then I turn my phone off and settle in for another long night of restless fantasies. Sure, I’ve got the upper hand now, but how much longer can I keep pushing Jase away?
And more to the point, how much longer will I want to?
7.
JASE
Damn, that girl knows how to make a man hard. I swear I’ve been walking around with an epic hard-on ever since she sent that naughty text. Looks like sweet Chloe Archer isn’t so innocent, after all.
And fuck, it just makes me want her more.
So what’s the hold-up? There’s no reason in the world why she isn’t naked in my bed right now: tied to the headboard, spreading those pretty thighs wider as I show her exactly what eight inches feels like, all the way to the hilt.
Instead, I’m stuck taking another cold shower and beating guys senseless in the ring at the boxing gym. All because Chloe can’t get over one tiny mistake.
Alright. Maybe one big, stupid mistake.
I should have told Max Mainwaring where to get off the minute he walked through the doors. But that’s ancient history. I know Chloe now—and I know I can’t just move on. Not when she so clearly wants me. I gave her a chance to say no and push me away for good, but instead, she begged me to fuck her.
I’d take that as a pretty strong sign she’s not done with me yet.
Yeah, Chloe’s on the edge now. She’s wavering. And all I need to do is give her a push, and she’ll tumble right into my arms.
And onto my cock.
So I keep my distance and let her dirty imagination do the work for me. No matter what her text says, I know all the toys in the world can’t replace a good hard dick. If I’m wound tight enough to break, you can bet she’s getting hot under the collar too, so I leave it until the weekend, then go looking for her at that ballet studio she loves so much.
There’s a class in session down the hallway, and so I wait outside the doors. I can see her there, leading a group of kids through some basic steps. She looks so happy, I can’t believe it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so relaxed—except when she’s coming down from the orgasm of her life.
She’s graceful. Beautiful. And something clenches in my chest watching her.
She should be this happy all the time.
Again, I think about that background research Logan found, and whatever it is she’s been running from. There’s been a shadow hanging over her head, and she doesn’t even realize it.
“Can I help you?”
I turn. There’s an older woman in the hallway, looking me up and down.
I gently close the studio door again. “Jase Banner, pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” I go to shake her hand, laying on the charm that lea
ves women panting whether they’re seventeen or seventy, but this one doesn’t seem impressed.
She arches an eyebrow. “Jase. Of course.”
Uh oh. I guess bad news travels fast.
“I’m Miss Kay,” she continues. “Does Chloe know you’re here?”
“I was going to surprise her.” I flash another smile.
Kay gives me a sharp look. “And would this be a welcome surprise?”
I pause.
“I thought not.” She crooks her finger, beckoning me closer. “I’ve been wanting to meet you.”
“Are you going to quiz me about my intentions towards Chloe?” I joke, strolling over. “I’m sorry to say, they’re all bad. Very bad.” I wink.
Kay purses her lips. “This isn’t a game, Mr. Banner. Chloe means the world to me, and while I understand you have a certain . . . appeal, I won’t stand by and see her get hurt again, do you understand?”
I feel like I just got sent to the headmaster’s office. This broad isn’t to be messed with. “Yes ma’am,” I say, respectful.
“I didn’t care for that Maxwell fellow,” she continues, still looking me up and down. “He didn’t realize how special she is. Do you?”
“Well, I . . .”
“Because Chloe deserves a man who can take care of her. And I’m not just talking about money. Will you be there for her?” she demands. “Protect her? Because if you have plans of molding her into some Stepford wife, I suggest you turn around and leave the girl in peace.”
I blink. Whoa. Talk about the third degree—and all without even raising her voice. Miss Kay could take down half the fighters I know without landing a single punch, but I’m made of sterner stuff.
“You don’t know me,” I tell her, irritated. “So I’ll forgive you for assuming I’m anything like that asshole, Mainwaring. Chloe is fucking perfect the way she is—excuse my language. And she’s also a grown woman who can make her own choices, so I suggest you back the hell off and let her.”