Engaged (Challenge series, #2)

by Kiru Taye

  She didn’t know how much he wanted to join her in the bed tonight. He’d waited months, planning her arrival. He’d spent the past week fighting his impulses, his desires, just because she’d asked him to back off. On several incidents, he could have persuaded her to yield to their mutual cravings. And she would’ve yielded too.

  Still, he’d let his emotional feelings for her take precedent over his physical need. Now there was a chance to feed that craving. To fulfil it. Yet it was no longer enough.

  More than he wanted to make love to Ijay tonight, he wanted her in his life permanently. Still, he had to be sure she understood the implications of making love tonight. He wouldn’t be walking away. Neither would he let her walk away from him again. Not without fighting for her first.

  Her brown eyes hardened into harsh glint as she squinted, her grip on his arms loosening. “You’re back playing games again Paul.” Anger and indignation laced her breathy voice. Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

  “I’m not playing games, Ijay.” He emphasised his words by pulling her closer, flushing her soft body against his hardness. She couldn’t mistake his intent. “I’ve made no bones about the fact that I’ve wanted you from the first day you arrived in Abuja. But I won’t share you with my brother,” he bit out harshly.

  “I’ll not be a source of competition between you and Vincent,” she shouted. Then her chest lifted as she paused to take a deep breath, her expression still furious. “You want me to leave him,” she said in a calmer voice.

  “Yes.” His grip on her shoulders tightened. The idea that his brother had touched her already made his blood boil with rage. He wouldn’t allow Vincent to touch Ijay again.

  She winced as his grip on her shoulders tightened. He released her immediately and inhaled deeply. “You know what, have it your way. Good night.” The ache in his groin pulsed. Ignoring it, he gritted his teeth and turned away.

  He was at the door, when he heard her velvety whisper. “Wait...please tell me why you want me to leave Vincent?”

  He had to strain his ears to hear her soft words. Compelled, he turned round and walked back to her, his need to make her understand even greater. She looked at him with smouldering eyes, her nose flared and her luscious lips parted invitingly.

  “Because you’re mine alone.”

  Tangling one hand in her hair, the other on the small of her back, he pulled her against his body. He lowered his lips and crushed her lips with his. Brutally. Vengefully. Unforgiving. She responded, her passion fuelled by her own rage. Her lips refusing to surrender even as her mouth opened to him. Her tongue duelled with his, cutting and parrying, advancing and retreating. A warrior’s defiant dance.

  He hated that he was reduced to this. He hated his weakness for her. Because he knew even if he’d wanted to, he couldn’t resist her any longer. He hated that his brother had touched her. Any other man, he’d have lived with but not Vincent. And worse, she wore his brother’s ring. It was always there on her finger, reminding him she wasn’t his. Goading him. Telling him that she was offering him nothing more than her body.

  Damn it! He wanted all of her. Body, heart and soul. Nothing less would do.

  He lifted her, her long smooth legs wrapped around his waist as he backed her up toward the bed. Her soft curves moulded against his. His hot blood pumped around his body at an alarming rate, most of it going south. Her hard nipples grazed his bare chest through his t-shirt. A growl rumbled through him. His arousal throbbed against his shorts, pushing between Ijay’s thighs. The heat from her core scorched him.

  Panting, he broke the kiss and pushed her onto the bed, his body covering hers. She opened her eyes on impact, her breathing uneven. He clasped her hands above her head. Her breasts lifted into view, her hard nipples pushing through the fabric.

  He took a nipple between his teeth, biting it through the fabric of his cotton t-shirt. Ijay let out a long slow moan arching her body to push more of her breast into his mouth. He withdrew his lips and hovered just above blowing warm air onto the wet spot. She whimpered.

  “You’re mine,” he whispered in a hoarse voice. “Mine. Say it, Ijay.”

  Her eyes flashed defiant fire. Her pink tongue darted out and swiped her lower lip. She remained silent. Angrily, he moved back, releasing his restraining grip on her hands and standing up.

  He lifted her up and flipped her over onto her belly. He pulled her up till she was on her hands and knees, her legs dangling at the edge of the bed. The t-shirt slid up her back exposing her arse and lower plump lips. She was clean-shaven. Exactly the way he remembered her. Just the way he liked her—soft and smooth.

  He ran his fingertips from the cleft up to the top of the valley between her cheeks. A trail of glistening juice followed the path of his fingers. He felt her body tremble beneath his caress.

  “Say the word now, sweet Ijay. Stop me before I go any further,” he spoke against her back, blowing warm air against her skin. Her body’s trembling increased.

  He waited but she didn’t say anything. Instead she whimpered and swung her hips toward him, recklessly. He knew this game well. It was a battle of wills. She was only offering her body on her own terms. This was her way of telling him, she wouldn’t surrender to his.

  Except, he was a master at this game. He knew the perfect way to gain her submission.

  He knelt at the edge of the bed and parted her thighs wider. He leaned forward and took her tight swollen bud in his mouth. The taste of her syrupy essence fizzed on his tongue. His shaft swelled and throbbed with sweet pain.

  Ijay bucked her hips again. He held onto her hips, stilling her body. He swiped his tongue around her clit, licking it several times before he sucked on her bud again. She writhed and bucked, twisted and jolted but he didn’t let up. He wanted to taste all of her. Her sweetness. Her capitulation. He wanted her to shatter on his tongue. He’d waited so long for this.

  He carried on his onslaught. He slid his fingers into her slit, moving them in a circular motion until she started bucking wildly. He knew her body so well. She was on the edge of climax. He stopped and withdrew his fingers.

  “Paul...please,” Ijay whimpered, turning her head to look at him. Her eyes were glazed with desire and pleading as she bit her lip.

  “Do you want me to make you come, sweet Ijay?”

  “Yes.”

  “I will. Only 'cause you’re mine,” he said before clamping his lips around her bud again. He applied suction pressure while he dipped a finger into her wet slit and played with the star of her back aperture. She bucked wilder and wilder, her body coiled with tension as she neared her peak. He slid more fingers into her and her inner walls contracted around his digits. He pumped into her several times, while applying pressure with his tongue on her bud.

  “Oh...Paul!” Ijay screamed into the night.

  More of her essence exploded onto his tongue as she came apart. He didn’t let go of her until her body’s trembling stopped and she went limp.

  Then he walked to the side table and picked up his wallet. He took out two foils of condom. With one shove, he discarded his shorts and returned to the bedside. Ijay lay flat on her stomach, her head on the pillow. She looked replete, her eyes closed, her dark hair loose and spread on her back. His heart turned over with love.

  Lifting her off the bed, he took the t-shirt off her body. He trailed kisses on her back along her spine, from her neck to her hips. Then he nipped and licked one bottom cheek, then the other.

  He knelt behind her and nipped her shoulders. His hands caressed a path from her stomach to her breast, kneading and folding. Tweaking her breasts with one hand, he caressed her body with the other, travelling down to her slick clit. She bucked when he touched her again. Ijay moaned softly and moved her hands behind to grip his thighs. Her warm hands on his skin drove him crazy.

  He let out a loud groan and got off the bed.

  “On your knees.”

  Without hesitation, Ijay straightened her back and took the position; he
r hands behind her back, her thighs parted, giving him full view of her rosy juicy clit.

  She remembered.

  He suppressed a smile. His hard erection jutted out close to her lips. Her eyes gleamed with excitement. She swiped her bottom lip with her pink tongue. He didn’t know whether to laugh or groan at her brazenness.

  “You’re being especially bad tonight, sweet Ijay. I’m almost tempted to go back to the sofa and leave you in this large bed alone.”

  Her eyes widened with surprise.

  “But we know that’s not going to happen,” he continued. “Because you’re going to say those words soon, aren’t you?

  She lowered her eyes coyly. He didn’t miss the charged longing in their depths.

  He grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling her forward. She leaned in and swiped the blunt head of his erection with her pink tongue. She moved her tongue around his length, licking and caressing before pressing against the sensitive underside.

  His hips bucked out of control surprised at her practised skill with her tongue. Their first night together, she’d been hesitant. He’d realised she’d never taken a man rigid length in her mouth before.

  Yet, tonight...

  He groaned out loud as she opened her mouth and slowly took him in. Gently she sucked him like a tube of lolly, gradually taking him deeper into her warm wet mouth. He moved his hips, controlling the pace with his hand on her head, mindful that she wasn’t used to giving head.

  When he thrust in, she swallowed and clamped his head at the back of her throat. His balls tightened with the need to spill his essence.

  Damn! It was too soon.

  He yanked out of her mouth, glaring at her. She looked at him with a defiant smile on her face and licked her lips with satisfaction. She’d done it on purpose, the obstinate vixen. She’d wanted him to come in her mouth.

  “I don’t even want to know where you learned to do that,” Paul said, unable to hide his shock. He pushed the rising jealousy aside. For now he was more interested in reminding Ijay who was in control here. “For pulling this little stunt you’re not going to come again until you beg for me. Bend over and keep those legs wide apart.”

  Instantly, her face lost its smugness. She lowered her eyes and bit her lip worried. He walked to the dresser table and picked up the bottle of baby oil. Lubricating his fingers with the oil, he put the bottle close by on the bedside table.

  The sight of her round arse and glistening swollen clit had him swollen and aching to be seated deep within her. She was so pink, so juicy, so wet.

  He dipped his finger into her back aperture and pushed past the tight ring. Her heat clamped around his digit. Her panting increased as he slid his finger in and out slowly. With the other hand, he played with her clit.

  In little time, the sound of her whimpering increased at the sensations he knew assaulted her body. He’d learnt to play her body from their night together. He could take her any which way he wanted.

  Still he didn’t.

  He continued to strum her body, taking her close to the edge again, feeling her muscles contract around his fingers and her hips gyrate wildly. Each time he stopped short of letting her fly off to the seven heavens, grounding her on earth with him.

  “Paul...please!”

  “Say it, sweet Ijay?”

  “Fill me up...make me yours.”

  The sweet words he’d wanted to hear for so long. Her words should fill him with elation. Yet his blood bubbled with disappointment and rage. He should be happy, glad that she was finally surrendering her body to him like he’d wanted for weeks. Yet tonight it was no longer enough. He didn’t just want her body. She’d given her body to his brother. Taking it back wasn’t good enough. He wanted more. He wanted all of her. Still it was more than he’d ever had from her. It would have to do for now. He didn’t like it. The fire in his blood wanted more. He wanted to give more too. Yet he couldn’t. Not when she could still walk away tomorrow.

  So he lifted her till she was on her hands and knees again. Then he mounted her, pushing into her from behind till he could go no further. Her slick walls tightened around his shaft with heat like a clamp. She was so tight, like the first time they’d been together. He had to wait for her to adjust to him before he started moving. Each time he rocked into her body, her walls squeezed him, milking him, forcing his own surrender.

  With each thrust, Ijay pushed back, gyrating her hips and driving him crazy. He knew it wouldn’t be long before he climaxed. He had waited so long for her. He could no longer hold back. He wasn’t coming apart without her. He wanted her with him all the way. It was no longer just him or just her. They would have to find a way together.

  So he stopped pumping and reached across to her lower lips. He caressed her just the way he knew she liked. She bucked back against him. Her back arched lower as her body tensed.

  “You wait for me, sweet Ijay.” He rocked faster. “I’m coming with you.”

  She screamed his name again. The world around him exploded into splinters as he surrendered to her. They both collapsed onto the bed, him on top of Ijay, both their bodies slick with sweat and heat. He took a moment to catch his breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Then he rolled to the side and spooned Ijay’s body against his. He pushed her hair aside and kissed her neck, her skin salty.

  “I’ll never let you go again,” he said emphatically against the side of her face. “I won’t let Vincent touch you again.”

  He waited for her to say something. She didn’t. Worried, he turned her around until she faced him. Her eyes were squeezed shut. There were tear drops on her long black lashes.

  His blood went cold, his body tensed. Did he just overstep the mark?

  “Ijay? What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

  She shook her head but didn’t open her eyes.

  “Ijay, look at me. Tell me what’s wrong,” he said gruffly. How could he forgive himself if he’d hurt her? He’d been too rough with her because of his jealousy. All he wanted to do was love her. Yet he couldn’t seem to get past his rage at Vincent.

  She opened her eyes, a reflective pool of chocolate he could lose his soul in shimmering with more tears. His heart flipped over with tenderness.

  “Hey, don’t cry, sweet Ijay,” he whispered huskily before blowing feathery kisses on each eyes. “I’ll take care of you. I promise. Just tell me what’s wrong and I’ll fix it.”

  She shook her head. “You can’t fix everything.”

  “I will...I’ll try. Trust me.”

  I love you.

  He kissed her, gently this time. His lips grazed hers in a featherlike touch. He nibbled her lips, alternating between nipping and licking. The salt from her tears mixed with her sweetness. Then his tongue slid into the warm depth of her mouth and took her tongue on a slow waltz. He poured all the tenderness into that kiss, wanting her to feel the love that blossomed within him because of her. She’d made him feel things he never thought he was capable of feeling.

  Surely she could hear the beat of his racing heart, feel his love in his embrace and kiss. He’d take care of her just like he took care of everybody that mattered to him. And even more.

  He lifted his head and caressed her cheek with his thumb. She looked back at him with heated desire and tenderness.

  Perhaps she felt a little of what he felt for her.

  “Tell me why you were crying. Please.” He stroked her chin gently.

  “I was just overwhelmed,” she said huskily, her voice filled with emotion. “No one else has ever made me feel the way you do. I didn’t realise how much I needed it until now.”

  “I was that fantastic?” he asked with a wolfish grin on his face.

  She laughed. “You were. Then again, I have no one else to compare you to.”

  He narrowed his eyes into slits and moved back, not sure he’d like what she was alluding to. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that I haven’t been with anyone else since our night together all thos
e months ago,” she said indignantly.

  Paul couldn’t believe her words. He hadn’t been with any other woman for six months because the only woman he’d craved was Ijay. It’d been a choice he’d made. For Ijay it was different. She was due to marry his brother in a few weeks.

  “Ijay, you’re engaged to my brother. Don’t feed me this nonsense. You don’t have to lie to me,” he said, his heart dropping into his stomach with sadness and disappointment.

  “It’s not a lie. Vincent has never touched me. He wants us to wait till out wedding night.”

  He looked at her suspiciously with narrowed eyes. He couldn’t believe what she said. Why would she tell such a lie now? What did she hope to gain? Her eyes were clear and bore no deceit. She appeared sincere.

  If Ijay was telling the truth, then what was Vincent up to? One thing Paul was certain of, Vincent was no saint. And if Vincent hadn’t had sex with Ijay then something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

  And Paul had to find out what.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The next day Paul sent Ijay back to Enugu with Amaechi. Ijay who was still basking in the afterglow of their love-making and Paul’s declaration of glorious intent, didn’t want to leave him in Amori by himself. She had to agree when he told her she needed some change of clothes.

  And perhaps the time apart would give her space to prepare herself for whatever Paul had in store for them.

  So after a lingering kiss in the car when they arrived at the factory to drop him off, Paul stepped out of the car with what seemed like reluctant steps. She couldn’t hide the smile of joy spreading over her face because he wasn’t overexcited about being away from her. She wasn’t either.

  As the car had moved off on its way to Enugu, she relaxed back into the comfort of the soft leather seats and cool air. Paul’s words last night returned in her mind.

  “...You’re mine alone.”

  He’d finally staked his claim on her last night. At first she’d thought he was back to playing games at seducing her. That he was simply trying to compete with Vincent in whatever feud they seemed to have going on.