by Cali MacKay
“Do you remember what you asked of me, sweetheart? To fuck you until you couldn’t remember your name… Well, I’m about to do just that.” He paused long enough to grab a silk tie from where it lay tossed aside on a chair.
“What’s that for?” Excitement thrummed through her chest, along with a sliver of apprehension, the achy need between her legs growing, demanding release.
“I’m going to tie you up, my sweet girl.” With one deft movement, he quickly had her wrists gently yet firmly bound, sending her heart hammering inside her chest. No one had ever tied her up before, but the mere thought of it had her thighs going slick. She was so wet, so ready to be on the receiving end of anything he had for her. “Do you have a problem with this?”
Her breathing was shallow as she looked into those green eyes of his, and shook her head. “I think I’d like it, though...” She suddenly felt shy—and damn if that wasn’t something new too. “I really haven’t done anything like this before, Quinn. I’ve only been with a few guys, but it was never anything too adventurous.”
“But you do trust me?” When she took a deep breath and nodded, he nuzzled her, brushing his lips against hers, his stubble rough against her skin. “Then let me take care of you, Emma. And you can always tell me to stop. Always.”
Quinn ran a finger down her lips before letting the tip slip in, as she sucked it into her mouth, eliciting a needy groan from him. With his eyes locked on hers and his gaze intense, he pulled free of her mouth and scooped her into his strong arms as if she weighed nothing. Positioning her on his bed, he raised her hands up over her head and tied her to his bed frame, her body squirming under him, already desperate to have him.
“Quinn…please.” Propped up on his pillows, she rose up best she could to steal a kiss. It caught her somewhat off guard to find that she liked the feel of being restrained, and actually liked that she was at his mercy.
“Greedy little thing.” He let his hand slowly trail up her thighs and between her legs so that by the time he ran his finger against her slick opening, her hips rose up to meet him in desperation. “Oh, Emma…you’re so fucking wet. You love this, don’t you?”
His two fingers slipped between her clit and pussy at a torturously slow pace, only dipping in enough to tease her towards insanity. Turning her head, she bit her arm to keep from moaning, as he nestled himself between her legs, his fingers still working her so that she ached almost painfully in her need for release.
Her arms pulled against her bindings as her body shifted, desperate for more, though being bound only served as a reminder that he was in control, increasing her need for him and making her want him all the more. “Please, Quinn…I can’t take much more.”
“Is this what you’re looking for?” He buried his fingers deep inside her as his mouth clamped on her swollen clit, and she swore she nearly came from a single flick of his tongue. His fingers thrust in and out of her with slow purpose as he nipped and sucked at her clit, and his free hand reached up to tease her nipple, his stubble adding yet another sensation as it gently scraped against her delicate skin. And when he pressed a finger against the bud of her ass, her orgasm tore through her like a runaway freight train. Just like that.
Yet he was far from done with her, and though she’d just come, she was already desperate for more of him, happy to take everything he had to give, her head dizzy with her need and the late hour.
Shifting up from between her legs, he straddled her waist, and with a hand on the headboard, he leaned forward to run his rock-hard cock along her lips as her tongue darted out to lick him. At the first touch of her tongue, his cock jumped, his eyes half closed, his look utterly sensual. And when he spoke, his voice was so thick with need, it only spurred her on further, increasing her need for him. “Tell me, sweetheart…do you want a taste?”
Propped up as she was on the pillows, she not only had a perfect view of his washboard abs, but was also positioned perfectly to take him. She didn’t bother to answer his question but rather leaned forward and wrapped her lips around his thick cock, flicking her tongue over its silky surface, tasting his masculine essence.
“Fuck, Emma, that’s so damn good.” His hips shifted towards her, forcing her to take more of him as he brushed the hair from her face, his gaze watching every detail of her expression.
Pinned as she was against the pillow, she was at his mercy as he thrust forward, working his cock as he fucked her mouth and she sucked him, wanting everything he had to give her. She watched the tension in his face, in his body, as if he was trying to hold himself back, even as she tried to quicken his pace, desperate for more of him.
He groaned and pulled free of her, leaving her to whimper in protest. “Quinn…”
“It was too fucking good, love. And I’m not through with you yet.” Her bindings were just loose enough to allow him to flip her onto her hands and knees, and slick as she was, he buried himself in one go, a needy cry escaping Emma’s lips as her body stretched tight around his thick girth and long length, filling her completely—and then some.
With each thrust, he ground his hips against her, and though he couldn’t possibly get any closer, she still wanted even more of him. He leaned forward, his chest pressed to her back as he wrapped an arm across her breasts. He clamped his hand around her neck as he arched her head backward, stealing a greedy kiss. His tongue thrust into her mouth, echoing the way his cock fucked her pussy, leaving her body to tighten deliciously around him. The intensity of his every action had her teetering on the edge again, and when his pace quickened, she couldn’t help but cry out, her body tensing in his arms as she came again, his own release following hers with just another thrust.
“Emma…” His breathing was heavy as he shifted his weight off her and held her close, her arms still bound. “I swear, love…I don’t think I’ll ever get my fill.”
***
Emma awoke in Quinn’s arms, her head heavy from their late night together, and her body deliciously sore from him taking her again and again into the early hours of the morning. Without a doubt, she’d never had more amazing sex—or as much of it—and yet, there was a flutter of panic in her chest. What the hell was she doing?
She really liked Quinn, and she’d figured a bit of great sex would go a long way, given her lack of a love life. But already, this was far more intense than anything she’d planned on, and it wasn’t as though she didn’t know Quinn’s reputation. What did she think would come from this? Nothing but a broken heart at the rate she was falling for him. She had to put some distance between them before she ended up getting in way too deep.
She had to go. There was no other choice.
He was still sound asleep when she slipped out of his arms and got dressed, needing to escape before he awoke. It was a crap thing to do, but she knew if she stuck around, he’d manage to talk her into staying, like some snake charmer putting her under his spell.
Quinn stirred and turned towards her. “Hey…come back to bed, kitten. It’s lonely without you in my arms.”
Damn, but he looked sexy with his hair all tousled and his stubble now thick. “I’m sorry but I really have to go. I’ve got to get to work so I’m just going to call a cab. Go back to bed, Quinn.”
“I can drive you back.” He started to get out of bed when she took a step back.
“No. I can manage just fine on my own, okay?” She wanted to groan at the sound of panic in her voice.
“Then at least take my SUV. I’ve still got my bike and the Aston for getting around. I’ll just swing by the restaurant to get the keys later.” He padded over to where he’d tossed his jeans, and dug out his keys.
Emma’s gaze felt glued to his fit body and hardening cock, but before she did something she’d regret, she snagged his keys, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and bolted for the door, ignoring him as he called out to her.
Chapter Ten
“You look like shit, man.” Gabe gave his brother a smug grin as he sat across from Quinn’s desk. “Must have been one h
ell of a fun night.”
Quinn glared at him, still in a mood after Emma all but bolted out of his home earlier that morning. “I don’t want to talk about it. Just make sure you get your hands on that property I emailed you about the other night. I want it done ASAP, and it’ll need a major overhaul. Spare no expense, and if you have any questions, find me.”
“Yeah. Here’s a question for you.” Gabe flipped through some papers. “Why the hell did you have me buy a residential rental property on the outskirts of town? I bought it for cash yesterday, and picked up the permits this morning. We can get started on Monday, though you know as well as I do that it’s a crap investment.”
“I’ve got my reasons.” Quinn checked the time. He still had a whole day ahead of him before he’d get the chance to see Emma. Maybe if he swung by the restaurant before dinner, he could catch her before things got crazy for her with the evening rush. Not that there was any hope of him getting anything done, his mind too distracted to focus. Memories of his night with her kept playing in his head on an endless loop, leaving him desperate to have her again.
He’d been with his fair share of women, but damn, being with Emma had been an experience unlike any he’d had before. Emma had been an equal participant, utterly responsive and willing to give and take pleasure, unabashedly. Usually it felt like most of his dates were there just to get themselves off and take care of his needs as payback for a generous evening out. Except that his needs were only ever superficially met. With Emma? He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so alive, so complete.
And that was a huge problem if she was trying to avoid him.
“Oi! Earth to Quinn.” Gabe shook his head when Quinn finally focused on him. “What’s gotten into you? You’re never distracted—especially not at work.”
Though Quinn was the prime driving force behind his company, having made several wise investments which gave him the money needed to fund further projects, Gabe was his right hand when it came to running and building their business, while his other brother, Morgan, researched new business ventures and investment opportunities. Together, they were a great team, each of them focused and driven—except when Quinn was pining over a woman who couldn’t get out of his bed fast enough.
He just didn’t get it.
Most women loved it when he took an interest in them, and he’d never had anyone complain about him trying to help out financially. So why the hell did it infuriate Emma? He knew what it was like to not have the funds when the bills kept coming, and he was happy to take some of that off her plate. Yet it did nothing but piss her off.
“I don’t know…I guess my mind’s just elsewhere today.” He checked the time and wondered what Emma was doing. Damn it.
“Don’t suppose it has anything to do with this building you had me buy?” When Quinn glared at him, Gabe laughed and shook his head. “Who are you trying to help, Quinn?”
“You think you’re just so fucking smart, huh?” Quinn tried not to give anything away, but he knew Gabe wasn’t buying it.
“It’s like those strays of yours. But you can’t save every mutt out there—just like you can’t keep everyone’s troubles from creeping up on them by buying and renovating their buildings.” Gabe ran a rough hand across his stubbly jaw. “At least we’re on track for the Rush Street project. Everything’s been finalized and our investors are excited to have it completed.”
“Wait…Rush Street?” Fuck! That was the building with Emma’s restaurant. “What the hell do you mean it’s been finalized? We have another month before we sign off on that deal. I’ve made other plans for one of the storefronts.”
“Quinn. You’re fucking killing me. Everything’s been finalized, man. One of the investors had to bump up the date so he could take off to China, and since there wasn’t any reason to delay it and everyone else was fine with signing early, I took care of it. There’s no way to change the plans now. It’s not going to happen—and our investors aren’t people we want to jerk around or piss off.” Gabe shook his head and cursed under his breath.
Fuck. Quinn hadn’t expected Gabe to push the plans through so quickly. He couldn’t do this to Emma. Not when he’d given her his word. “Do what you have to do to make it happen, Gabe. I need that storefront. It’s important, okay?”
“I’ll see if there’s anything I can do to persuade them to change their minds, but this is business and it’s a done deal, so I make no promises. You’ve been distracted, Quinn—and it’s affecting your game. And maybe soon, your reputation.” Gabe got to his feet, shaking his head and tapping the papers Quinn gave him on the edge of the desk. “You know where to find me if you need to talk.”
Quinn tried to clear his head and wrap up the contracts he’d been trying to work on, though all he’d managed to do was wrestle with his thoughts of Emma. There was no way he could go back on his promise to her. That just wasn’t an option. Not when he was finally getting somewhere with her. Yet, he knew that these sorts of deals could be complicated and it was pretty much a certainty that he was fucked. All he could do was try to make it happen, and if not, he had to find an alternative.
Finally giving up, he turned to his computer and pulled up her lease, making the necessary changes that would extend Emma’s lease on the restaurant. He’d given her his word, and he couldn’t have her second-guessing him. He knew he was taking a huge risk with the latest developments, but he would find a way to make it work. He had to. And yet…knowing there was a chance he might have to break his word to her, it’d be irresponsible for him to not put a clause in. If need be, he’d move her restaurant. A better location, no expense spared. And in the meantime, he’d do his damnedest to make sure she could keep her space.
By the time the day wrapped up, Quinn couldn’t wait any longer to see Emma. He was completely distracted and tense, desperate to see her after the way she’d left. He needed to know where things stood—and needed to make sure he did whatever it took to get her back in his bed. One night had been nowhere near enough.
When he arrived at the restaurant, there were a handful of diners there catching an early meal, and the hostess, having recognized him, was happy to point him towards the kitchen. Excitement thrummed in his chest as he looked for Emma in the open kitchen—only to find her sitting at a table with a good-looking man, her head propped against his shoulder as she laughed and kissed his cheek, her hands wrapped around his muscular arm.
It struck him that he’d never seen her look so carefree and genuinely happy, and damn, but that only added to the sudden jealousy that reared deep inside his chest. The thought of her with another man, with another man touching her, tasting her, fucking her… It didn’t matter that they’d only been on a few dates: in his head, to his body, in his heart, she was already his—and his alone. Every cell in his body wanted to claim her as his own, wanted to possess her so she could think of no other man but him.
Yet he had to wonder…was this other man the reason she’d left in such a hurry? Had she lied about not being in a relationship? He’d fucking murder the bastard for touching her, for taking her away from him.
He thought about walking out of there without saying a word, but he wanted to see how she’d react. All he’d asked for was honesty between them, and he wanted her to know she’d been caught.
Doing his best not to deck the guy, he approached the table, her paperwork in hand. “I don’t mean to interrupt your date, but I thought you might want a copy of your new lease.”
He tossed the papers onto the table in front of her, despite wanting to keep a cool head, and then spun around to leave as she called out to him. It didn’t take long for her to catch up to him and grab his arm, but he was damned if he could control his jealousy. “Now’s not a good time, Emma. Just go back to your boyfriend there.”
“Ew!” She was already dragging him off to a quiet area where they could be alone. “That boyfriend just so happens to be my brother, Nate—and you’d know that if you’d stuck around long enough for me to i
ntroduce you, instead of taking off like a jealous ass.”
Her brother.
He wanted to groan. She couldn’t have been more right—he had been a jealous ass. “Well, I wouldn’t be acting like a jerk if you hadn’t bolted out of my bed this morning. What the hell was that about?”
Her eyes clouded over as she looked away and said nothing for far too long. “What does it matter, Quinn? It’s not like I have any delusions about your lifestyle. I know that I’m one of many and what we have is short-lived.”
It wasn’t as though he could deny his past relationships, and yet things felt completely different with Emma. “That’s my past, Emma, and I’ve done nothing to make you think that there’s anyone else or that I’m looking for a quick fling. Am I not allowed to want more?”
“Your past—as in…what? A week ago?” She shook her head and backed away. “Look, I get that you want more, but my life is too crazy for me to be taking those sorts of risks. And you are a risk, Quinn, because after last night…” She let out a weary sigh and looked away from him. “I could really fall for you.”
“For fuck’s sake, Emma, then take a chance. What do you have to lose?” The woman was making him crazy.
“My heart and my independence, for starters.” She shook her head and turned away from him, but he was having none of it.
“I refuse to let you go without trying to make this work.” He couldn’t quite believe he was going down this road, but he couldn’t get her out of his head. Cupping her face in both his hands, he pulled her close and kissed her, sweet and tender, his lips lingering on hers as if she was the only thing that could sustain him. “I don’t care if it sounds insane—and I don’t blame you for doubting this could work—but I don’t give up easily, and I’m not taking no for an answer. Not until you’ve given us a fair shot.”
“If Emma says no, then that’s the answer you’re taking, whether you like it or not.” Anger laced the newcomer’s voice, and Quinn turned to find, not just her brother, but Emma’s sous chef, Jake.