Rogue (Gladiator Series #2)

by E. L. Todd

  He leaned in and pressed his soft mouth against mine, his warm breath filling my mouth instantly. His hand slid into the back of my neck, his fingers in my hair. His lips paused for an instant, treasuring the initial spark our joined mouths created. He rubbed his nose against mine then dove in again, kissing me harder. It was the kind of passion he’d shown before, but this time it contained a romantic resistance, the purposeful slowness that heightened our intimacy. He eventually slipped his tongue into my mouth.

  My fingertips tingled before I gripped his thigh, feeling his muscular frame. My pinky grazed the definition of his hard-on, and I purposely pulled away before I took our embrace in a direction we weren’t ready for. Right now, we were only kissing in the garden under the sun, starting our lives together.

  ***

  “Let’s get dinner.” Wilder held my hand as he walked with me back to the house.

  Once our kiss was over, the first thing I thought about was Ben. We were never anything serious, and he was aware of my feelings for Wilder. But no matter how laid back our friends-with-benefits arrangement was, he deserved to know what was going on. I wasn’t looking forward to it, but I knew it needed to be done. “I need to talk to Ben.”

  His hand tightened slightly before he gave a nod. “Okay.”

  “Maybe we shouldn’t make any plans tonight. I’m not sure how this is gonna go.”

  “He’s a big boy, sweetheart. Don’t worry about it too much.” He stopped at the front door and didn’t step inside just yet.

  “I hope things won’t be weird between the two of you. We’re a team, after all. We’re family.”

  He rested his hand on the door but didn’t open it. “It’ll be weird in the beginning, but it’ll pass, Gray. And for my part, I don’t hold anything against him. I could have had you sooner if I pulled my head out of my ass.” He opened the door and stepped inside, ending the conversation.

  Wilder immediately darted to the left and approached the elevator that led to the bunker. He didn’t linger around to eavesdrop or make the conversation more uncomfortable than it already was.

  I looked for Ben in the kitchen, but he was nowhere to be found. He had a big appetite, but it was unreasonable to expect him to still be eating. Wilder and I talked outside for nearly thirty minutes.

  I headed to his bedroom next and knocked.

  “It’s open.”

  I found him sitting on the couch with his computer on his lap. His fingers were hitting the keyboard quickly as he typed a message. “Give me a sec.”

  I sat on the other couch and noticed the yellow folder on the coffee table. Our main mission was over, but I forgot the world still turned. There were still people to save, crisis’ to avert.

  Ben finished up then shut the screen. “Sorry, I ate all the popcorn.” He smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.

  I wasn’t in the mood to laugh, but he somehow made me chuckle. “Darn, I took too long.”

  “So, did Wilder stop being a little bitch?”

  “I don’t know…I think he’ll always be a little bitch from time to time.”

  It was Ben’s turn to chuckle. “If we were drinking, I’d clink my glass against yours.”

  “Well, it’s barely noon.”

  He shrugged. “You’re right…that is pretty late to start drinking.”

  I laughed and suddenly dreaded this conversation even more. Ben had become a close friend, and I would miss talking to him like this.

  Ben suddenly turned serious, like he knew what I was going to say even though he had no idea. “So, what did he say?”

  I looked into his eyes and hesitated. “He said he wants to be with me.” I felt both happy and sad at the revelation. I dropped my gaze because it was too difficult to look at him. We’d just been fooling around, but what if it meant more to him than I realized?

  Ben nodded, his eyes dimming slightly. “Wow, I didn’t think he had it in him. Good for him. Maybe he just needed the right woman to come along for him to understand what he’s missing.”

  I smiled. “Thanks…”

  “I’m glad you guys aren’t wasting any more time. Anything can change tomorrow, you know?”

  I couldn’t believe how easy he was making this. “You’re really okay with this?”

  “Of course.” He sat forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. “Gray, I knew what we were. And you never hid your feelings about Wilder. You were honest, and I appreciate that. I knew Wilder would change his mind eventually. Honestly, I’m surprised he took this long. Thought it would happen a lot sooner.”

  He seemed sincere, so I accepted his reaction. “I hope we can stay close. You’ve become one of my closest friends. You made me feel comfortable when I came to this new place. I would miss this if it stopped.”

  “Gray, you don’t need to worry about that. Friends forever, alright?”

  “Yeah?” The stress finally left my chest when the hardest part was over.

  “Totally.”

  “You still wanna watch that movie then?”

  He grinned. “I could always eat more popcorn.”

  Chapter Seven

  Wilder wasn’t happy about the movie night that he wasn’t invited to, but he didn’t protest. He kept his frustration bottled inside because he knew he wouldn’t change my mind about it. I was a stubborn woman, just as stubborn as he was.

  The next morning, I went to the bunker with my arm still wrapped tightly in gauze. It still hurt if I didn’t take the enormous pain pills that were prescribed to me, but in a few weeks, it would be back to normal. At least that’s what the doctor said.

  Life continued on below the surface even though we captured my father. Techs monitored the computers, and a few agents were missing because they were doing work in the field. Missions weren’t known to everyone in the bunker because that information was classified. I suspected the only person who knew about every little thing that happened in RB12 was Wilder.

  I walked to Wilder’s office and knocked on the open door. He was sitting at his desk looking down at his phone. “Busy?”

  He looked up and tossed the phone on the desk. “Not when it comes to you.”

  “Good answer.” I sat in the chair facing his desk, feeling like an agent more than a girlfriend. The situation made me realize I had to draw a line between our professional work and our personal relationship. Perhaps I shouldn’t come into his office unless I had something work related to discuss.

  “I hope you’re free tonight.” Accusation was heavy in his voice, clearly unhappy that I spent the night with Ben instead of him.

  “Depends.”

  He raised an eyebrow at my audacity. “I’ve got the girl, but she’s still playing hard to get… Interesting.”

  “I’ve got to keep you on your toes.”

  “Well, are you free for dinner?”

  “I’m always free when it comes to food.”

  “Good. What about after? Are you free for a movie night in my bedroom?”

  I crossed my legs and tried not to smile. “Depends.”

  “Depends on what?”

  “Are we actually going to watch the movie?” I gave him a trick question, and it was fun to watch him squirm.

  He rubbed his chin as he tried to find the right answer. “I hope not.”

  I smiled. “Good answer.”

  That sexy smile of his reached his eyes, making him look more handsome than his hostile smolder. “Good. Don’t think I can do this gentleman thing much longer.”

  “It doesn’t suit you.”

  A knock sounded on the open door and Maxine appeared, reminding me of a cat with her slender figure and almond eyes. “Are you busy, Wilder?”

  Now that Wilder was officially mine, I was jealous.

  Like, super jealous.

  “Give me a few minutes,” he said. “I’ll be right with you.”

  She walked out again and disappeared into the hallway.

  My eyes immediately narrowed on his face, asking the question without actua
lly asking it.

  “I’ll tell her when I speak with her.”

  “Why didn’t you tell her yesterday?” I demanded.

  That playful smile evaporated. “Maybe I would have if you weren’t too busy watching a movie with Ben.”

  “What? That doesn’t even make sense.”

  He turned stern, his jaw clenched. “I’ll tell her right now, alright? And I spent the evening alone in my bedroom, jealous over you and Ben.”

  I was never concerned with Wilder’s fidelity. “That’s not what I was implying. I just want her to know you’re off limits.”

  “Does Ben know you’re off limits?” he countered.

  “Don’t be jealous.”

  “You’re one to talk.”

  The first day we were together, we were already butting heads. “Ben was fine when I told him. But we’re still good friends.”

  “And what if Maxine and I were good friends?”

  “But you aren’t.” Wilder wasn’t the kind of guy who had good friends. He was barely tolerable most of the time. “I just want her to know you aren’t her fuck buddy anymore. I told Ben right away, so I don’t know why you haven’t told Maxine.”

  “Maybe because I don’t think about her when we aren’t together? And I’m not obligated to tell her anything. She doesn’t mean a damn thing to me, and she’s aware of that.”

  I actually felt bad for Maxine, to be thought of as so meaningless. I was glad I didn’t jump the gun with Wilder because I would have been heartbroken if that was how he thought of me—as someone meaningless. “Pick me up at seven for dinner.”

  “Seven, it is. Wear something sexy.”

  I rose from the chair. “I’ll wear whatever I want.”

  The corner of his mouth rose in a smile again.

  “But I’ll go commando…”

  He noticeably stiffened, and I bet his heart stopped too. He suddenly ran his hand through his hair and gave a quiet moan. “Fuck, how am I gonna get through the day?”

  “Beat off. Make sure you think of me.” I walked out with a smile on my face.

  “Jesus Christ, Gray,” he said from behind me. “I can’t wait to put my cock in that dirty mouth of yours.”

  I got to the door and turned around. “Me neither. I’m sure it’ll make it dirtier.” I ignored the shocked look on his face and closed the door.

  ***

  It was one of those dates where neither one of us wanted to be there.

  Wilder was visibly anxious. His jaw was clenched like he wanted to say something but thought better of it. His jaw was cleanly shaved, unlike it was that morning. He wore a gray t-shirt with a black leather jacket on top. I could see the hardness of his body even through layers of clothes.

  I wore a dress I found in my closet. It was black and simple, but it hit me well. I had a long torso, and there was enough fabric to highlight my elongated features. My legs were crossed under the table, and I kicked one of my legs, just as anxious.

  Making conversation was difficult because neither one of us wanted to talk. We ordered our food and sipped our wine, looking at each other the entire time. I’d been getting action with Ben, but now I felt like it’d been years since I’d been satisfied. Wilder was the man I wanted for a long time, and very soon that dream would come true.

  Wilder was just as desperate. When he adjusted his jacket then his jeans, I knew he was moving his hard cock into a more comfortable position but trying not to make it obvious. Maybe he’d been with Maxine and countless others, but that didn’t dwarf his desperation for me.

  The waitress finally brought our food, but I wasn’t hungry. The pasta looked delicious. Steam erupted to the ceiling and heated the area directly in front of me. I’d much rather eat this in bed after rattling the headboard for a few hours.

  Wilder stared at his food then lifted his gaze to my face. “Wanna get this to go?”

  “Oh, thank god.” I threw the napkin down.

  He smirked then waved the waitress over to get the tab. Thankfully, he had enough cash, so we didn’t need to wait around to use a card. He took care of the bill, and we got into the car and headed back home.

  His hand rested on my thigh as he kept one hand on the wheel. Instead of paying attention to the road, he looked at me more than he should. Sometimes his fingers dug into my skin, squeezing me with his warm skin. “You look beautiful tonight.”

  “Thanks. I like that jacket on you.”

  “Would you like it better on your bedroom floor?” His eyes were on the road, and he said it with complete seriousness.

  “Actually, I’d like it better on my naked body.”

  He turned my direction, his eyes burning in a quiet smolder. “That can be arranged.”

  We pulled into the garage an eternity later and walked into the house. Wilder’s bedroom was on the second level, and I didn’t realize until that moment that I’d never been anywhere near his bedroom. I didn’t even know where it was.

  He took my hand and guided me down the hallway, and it seemed like time slowed down the closer we got. I didn’t think I could wait another minute to have those soft lips all over my skin. I missed kissing him. It was the most incredible feeling I’d ever known.

  He got the door opened and pulled me inside. The second the door was shut, he pushed me against it and cornered me. He dropped his jacket with lightning speed then gripped my hands and pinned them over my head. His lips were on mine, anxious and desperate, as he devoured me like he already owned me.

  He gave me purposeful kisses, taking his time but rushing at the same time. His tongue greeted mine, and they danced together in mutual desire. He panted into my mouth, his desire burning my skin. My legs could barely keep me standing because they wanted to wrap around his waist.

  He squeezed my hands then pulled away, a hungry expression in his eyes. “I want to slow down and keep this romantic…but I don’t think I can.” His lips brushed against mine as he spoke and his hands dragged mine down until they were on either side of my body. His chest rose and fell against mine as his breathing remained heavy.

  “Me neither.”

  “Thank fucking god.” He yanked his shirt over his head then yanked my dress up to my waist. His jeans were undone and pushed to his ankles along with his boxers. He didn’t pull my thong down. Instead, he moved it to the side before he picked me up and pinned me against the door.

  My arms circled his neck, and my thighs quivered with arousal. We couldn’t even make it past the door the second we were alone together, and seeing a man want me like that only made me want him more.

  He pressed his face to mine as he pressed his cock inside me. His thickness stretched me apart instantly, his head quickly lathered in my slickness. He gave a hard thrust and shoved himself completely inside me, occupying my body like he’d been there millions of times before. He closed his eyes and moaned once he felt me. “Fuck, Gray.”

  I dug my fingers into his shoulders and moaned the second I felt him, feeling his impressive length and godly girth. The back of my head hit the door with a quiet thump, but I didn’t even notice the pain. My arm ached from my old wound, but I didn’t notice that either. All I cared about was how wonderful Wilder felt.

  He paused as he remained beside me, continuing to treasure how wet I was for him. I didn’t need to look inside my panties to know there would be an enormous pool of my arousal. I was turned on all through dinner, and even before that.

  Wilder gently moved inside me, feeling my tightness before he took the plunge. “Your pussy…damn.” He positioned me harder against the door and closed his mouth over mine. He gave me a hard kiss that nearly bruised my mouth.

  I loved his cock inside me. I loved it more than any other one I’d had. It was so thick, pressing up against me and making me feel full. No other man had been this hard for me, had been this big for me.

  Wilder began to move once the initial shock was over, and he was hitting me in the perfect spot. His pelvic bone was rubbing against my clit, and his big
dick was stretching me to full capacity. I knew I was going to come—big time.

  He didn’t struggle to hold me against the door. His powerful arms managed to keep me suspended without any challenge. His hips worked to rock into me slowly. I thought he would thrust quicker and harder, but he managed to restrain himself to a reasonable pace.

  I was already going to come. I could feel it. “God…” I buried my face into his neck and prepared for the heat that was able to burn me from the inside out. I knew it would be powerful, an orgasm that would nearly bring me to tears.

  Wilder grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled my head back. “No. I want to see you.” He watched me with his intense gaze, his power and domination obvious in the stare. “Now come for me, sweetheart.”

  Right on cue, I did. My pussy clenched around his big cock, and I came louder than usual. I shut my mouth and tried to keep my screams to a minimum since we were right against the door, but I didn’t succeed.

  Wilder moaned and thrust harder, aroused by the sight of my flushed cheeks and satisfied eyes. “I’m gonna come inside you.” It wasn’t a request, but a statement. It hardly made him seem like a gentleman since I really had no say in the matter.

  “Yes.” I rocked my hips and moved with him against the door, wanting all of that come to sit inside me for the rest of the night. This man had stolen my heart since the moment I first looked at him, and now I wanted all of him.

  He carried me from the door to the bed and laid me down on top of the comforter, his body still intertwined with mine. His knees moved behind my thighs, and he pinned me underneath him, his hips still working to fuck me hard into the mattress. His hand moved to the back of my neck, and he locked his eyes with mine. “Gray…”

  “Don’t make me wait.” I gripped his tight ass and pulled him hard into me, wanting every inch of that impressive length.

  His chest was covered with sweat, and he breathed hard as he rattled his headboard against the wall. He pressed his mouth to mine and gave me a kiss that was soft in comparison to how roughly he took me. “I love you.”