Dream (Fighting Fate Book 5)

by Maree Green

  My throat tightened as I took her in. Fuck me, she was stunning. I was actually having trouble getting my brain to communicate with my mouth.

  Surprise flashed through her eyes before her lips parted with a breath. “Josh?”

  I tried to get my shit together. Think, goddamn it.

  Holding the glass out toward her, I gave her an easy smile. “You look like you could use some water.”

  Her gaze flickered down to the glass in my hand before meeting mine again with a slight grin. “My parents told me I shouldn’t accept drinks off strange men.”

  I conceded with a nod. “I may be strange, but I’m no stranger.”

  She assessed me for a few heartbeats before carefully taking the glass out of my hand, her fingers gently sliding over mine. “You promise this isn’t some ploy to take advantage of me?”

  I swallowed. I was having a hard time accepting how fucking gorgeous she looked right now. Slowly, I tilted my head to the side. “I don’t think I can promise that.”

  Her gaze darkened, sending all the right wrong signals to my cock, then slowly, she brought the glass to her lips. My gaze followed her movements, watching the way her lips touched the glass, her throat moved as she swallowed, and her tongue slid over her lower lip as she caught the little drop of water left behind.

  Taking the glass as she offered it back to me, I tried to cool myself down with a sip of my own. I had no idea where to go from here. I hadn’t thought about anything other than my need to go to her. Now, as I stood staring into her darkened eyes, I was caught between doing the right thing and leaving her alone, or throwing caution to the wind and taking her up to my room.

  Liv tilted her head to the side, her body leaning forward a fraction. “I missed you,” she said quietly.

  Her words were enough for me to know I had no chance of walking away right now. Taking her hand, I drew her toward me. “Let’s get out of the spotlight a little so we can talk.”

  As soon as she nodded, I started leading her toward the back of the room, away from prying eyes, trying to convince myself that I only wanted to talk to her. I was so full of shit.

  Chapter 47

  Olivia

  As Josh led me away from the dance floor, his steps quick and sure, worry tightened my chest. Pulling on his hand, I forced him to slow down. Giving me a confused look, he came to a complete stop, making sure I was almost touching his side.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  I sighed. “You need to go slower if you don’t want me to fall over, Josh. This is the first time I’ve worn heels of any height, and these are killers.”

  He glanced down at my feet before slowly bringing his gaze back up my body. Heat flared in his eyes, and his jaw tightened, but he didn’t say anything. He simply gave me one slight nod, and then he started moving again, this time holding my hand a little firmer and moving a little more cautiously.

  When we reached the back of the room, he moved us around a corner, into a darkened section behind a row of plants. As soon as we stopped, he dropped my hand and put a little distance between us. Much to my disappointment. “What are you doing here, Liv?” he said, his gaze raking over me yet again.

  I tried to ignore the hurt that flared from his question. “I was a part of the decorating committee,” I said with a shrug. “Aunt Jenny said I could stay for the party if I wanted to. I didn’t know you were going to be here,” I added, just to let him know I wasn’t stalking him.

  He frowned. “Your aunt? Is she with Abstract Games? Is she here?”

  Things suddenly started to fall into place. I thought it had been weird for Aunt Jenny to ask for my help setting up. Of course, it’d been a big job, but she had more than enough helpers, really. She would’ve known Josh was going to be here.

  Exhaling, I let my shoulders drop. “She is. And I’m just starting to understand why she asked me to help. I’m sorry, Josh.”

  His gaze burned into mine for a long time before he replied. “You look incredible, Liv.” He swallowed. “I mean, you know I think you look beautiful on a normal day, but this—”

  My heart skipped a few beats.

  His head moved slowly from side to side. “This, I don’t know what to do with.”

  I felt my brow crease. I wasn’t sure if his words were good or bad.

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, I know what I’d like to do with you, all right, but I’m sure there’s a reason I’m not supposed to.”

  My whole body tingled. “Josh,” I whispered, “is it bad that I want to be with you like we were in the summer?”

  His shoulders visibly tensed, as though he was struggling with some powerful internal battle. “Come up to my room with me.”

  I didn’t even pause to think about it. I knew there was no point. “Yes.”

  Taking his hand, he led me through a back corridor that eventually took us to what looked like a service elevator. Pulling me inside, he pushed a button and waited for the doors to close, before reaching out to gently brush the hair away from my face. “What have you done to me, Liv?” he asked softly.

  I didn’t know what he meant, so I chose not to answer.

  The last thing I expected to see when the elevator came to a stop and we stepped into the corridor was Corey and Cain, sitting on chairs by Josh’s door. They both stood as we approached, Cain with a neutral expression as he worked to unlock the door, and Corey with his eyes wide.

  “Holy shit,” Corey said, watching us come toward him. “Liv?”

  Cain’s head snapped up, confusion on his face, but as soon as he made eye contact with me, he laughed. “Damn, girl. Look at you!”

  My cheeks warmed a little, but it was mostly because I knew it would only take a few more seconds for the guys to realize what Josh and I were actually up to.

  “It’s good to see you again,” I said, meaning it. I’d missed all of them in one way or another.

  Josh cleared his throat, but it was obvious he was amused. “Well, I need to talk to Liv, so the family reunion will have to wait,” he said, opening the door and towing me inside.

  As soon as the door closed behind us, he shuffled closer, his hands finding my hips. “I feel like I should warn you,” he said, leaning into me. “I’m not sure how much control I have left in me for you, Liv.” His lips brushed over my jaw. “In fact, I don’t think I have any.”

  As his lips moved down my neck, I exhaled and let my head fall back, my hands finding his biceps and holding him to me. His words were like music to my ears. I’d been hoping for them, so many times.

  “Josh,” I breathed. Every part of my skin tingled.

  He growled. “God, I missed you.” Then he was kissing me.

  His hands tightened on my hips, pulling me harder against him as his lips parted, his tongue stroking against mine, unleashed and urgent. Sliding my hands over his shoulders, I buried my fingers in his hair, crushing him to me, moaning as his hands found my lower back, pressing, pulling.

  Tearing my mouth away from his, I gasped for breath. “I want you so much, Josh. Please—”

  As his mouth claimed mine again, his hands moved up my back, under my hair, his fingers finding the zipper and sliding it downwards. I whimpered as his knuckles drew over my naked skin, shivers erupting down my spine as he gripped the hem of my dress and started drawing it upward and off.

  With eyes closed and lips parted, I breathed, sensations taking over my body.

  “Jesus fucking Christ,” Josh growled.

  My eyes fluttered open to find him staring at me, his gaze taking in every part of me, from the heels I was still wearing, to my tiny lace panties.

  “Liv,” he said, his expression pained. “I can’t—” His head tilted a fraction before he shook it, ever so slightly. “I need you to tell me what you want. How far can I go, Liv? Because I want you too damn much to think straight right now.”

  Stepping closer to him, I placed my hands on his chest, my fingers curling around his tie as I started to loosen it. “
I want you, Josh,” I said, meeting his gaze so he could see I meant it. “All of you. I want you to go all the way. I want you inside me.”

  His jaw clenched hard, his eyes tightening. “Are you sure?”

  “More than I have been about anything in my entire life.”

  The world paused its rotation for three long heartbeats, before a resignation settled in his eyes. Then he crushed me to him.

  Chapter 48

  Josh

  I was seriously screwed. Control was at an all-time low. I put it down to the fact that running into Liv had been entirely unexpected. At the beach house, I knew I was going to see her every day, and I knew I couldn’t let it go past a certain point. That had helped me keep things within the boundaries I set enough to not fuck things up with her completely.

  But, tonight, I hadn’t been prepared. Not like this. I had no immunity left. The only way I was going to be able to stop now was if she asked me to, and considering I’d previously had to be the one to slow things down, I couldn’t see that happening. Knowing what was most likely going to happen, almost drove me to the point of insanity.

  As she stood before me, in nothing more than a pair of white lace panties and four-inch killer heels, her hair tumbling over her shoulders in messy waves, and her eyes dark and sexy as all hell, I felt myself surrendering to her. I was too weak to fight it anymore. Even knowing it had no way of ending well for her.

  Taking her face in my hands, I kissed her deep, inhaling the intoxicating scent of her, letting it fill me, drown me, take me over.

  Her hands tugged at my tie, pulling it loose until it slipped from my collar and fell to the floor. Then she started on my shirt buttons. The deeper I kissed her, the more frantic her movements became, and it wasn’t long before my shirt joined her dress, and we were moving closer and closer to the bed.

  Running my hands down the sides of her neck and over her bare shoulders, I let my thumbs stroke over the sides of her boobs, under their full swell, until my palms cupped their weight and I could stroke over her nipples.

  As she broke the kiss, her head tilting back, gasping for breath, I drew my lips down her throat, licking and tasting, breathing her in, working my way down until I was on my knees before her and my fingers were hooked in her panties, craving to strip them from her body.

  I gazed up at her, my chest tightening as I took in the picture she made, head thrown back, chest rising and falling, hands clenched in my hair as she tugged at the strands with need. My fingers tensed under her panties, needing to shed them from her body, but I was hesitant to take the step. I knew once they were gone, there was no going back. I would take her.

  As if sensing my hesitation, Liv gazed down at me, running her hands down to my shoulders, following the lines of my arms, until her hands softly molded over mine, then she curled her thumbs under the edge of the fabric and slowly began to work her panties down, my hands moving with hers.

  The full sense of her sexual awareness hit me when she released my hands and slowly began to draw her fingers over her own skin, her palms flattening out as she stroked over her stomach, moving them over her breasts, up the sides of her neck as she dropped her head back again, breathing hard. My cock strained against my pants, needing her more than I’d wanted anything before.

  Pulling her panties down to her ankles, my hands stroked softly over her skin, her hands clutching my hair again as I released the clasp of her shoes. With careful hands, I slipped them off, one at a time, stroking her calves, trailing my fingers up the insides of her knees. As my fingers slid up over her hips, she trembled, a tiny little whimper sounding in her throat.

  “Josh,” she begged. “Please . . .”

  Rising, I pulled her to me, taking her mouth in a heated kiss, kicking my shoes off as I pushed her back toward the bed. She clung to me, her nails clawing, digging into my skin with desperation. Fumbling with my pants, I tugged at the zipper until I’d released it enough to strip them off, taking my boxers and socks with them as I lowered her to the bed.

  “Fuck, Liv,” I said, almost choking on my own desire. “What the hell is it about you? You drive me so goddamn crazy. I need you so much right now.”

  Running my tongue over her bottom lip, I followed it with my teeth, lightly drawing them over the full, supple flesh, biting softly. Liv’s hands moved slowly down my sides, caressing, stroking, sensual and revering. I kissed her deep, the little moans she made taking me further into madness. I was lost to it. But then her hand closed around my cock, and everything I thought I knew about sex and carnal awakening was thrown into a spin. The breath stuck in my lungs, and stars exploded inside my head. And with no way to stop it, my body flooded with so much sensation, I almost came. From one little touch.

  “Fuck!” I growled, closing my hand over hers, carefully squeezing, desperately trying to pause her movements before it all ended in tears. Because, trust me, I would cry.

  Her eyes widened. “Did I do something wrong?”

  I breathed hard, bringing her hand up to press into the bed beside her head, forcing all desire to simmer down, just a little. “Far from wrong, beautiful. But, just so you know, if you touch me like that again, I will come in your hand.”

  Pleasure made her eyes sparkle. “I want you to come, Josh. I want you to let go. Be in the moment. Be with me.”

  “Baby,” I said, really wishing she wouldn’t talk like that. I was having a hard enough as it was. I was close to losing it. In every way. “I can’t—”

  She wiggled her hips, spreading her legs wider, inviting me in. “Let go, Josh,” she whispered, throwing her head back, pushing her chest higher. “I need you to be with me.”

  My cock strained against the inside of her thigh. “I won’t last, beautiful. I need to make you feel good first.”

  With eyes closed and lips parted, she moved her head from side to side. “No.” Underneath me, she undulated, rocking her body, moving her hips until my cock was pressed against her opening, warm and welcoming.

  My head swam. Somewhere inside me, I searched for some semblance of control. Even just a little. Enough to pull my shit together and be strong enough to pull away, take the time to lavish her with the attention she deserved. To make her feel good. But as her fingers laced into my hair, her hands clenching, pulling me down to kiss her, her tongue sweeping in to stroke against mine, my thoughts wavered. Then she tilted her hips, her pelvis deliberately thrusting upwards, taking my cock slowly inside her, and I gave in.

  Her breath stuttered as I pushed in farther, her hands finding my waist, tensing, pushing, pulling, unsure. I paused. She was so tight, it was almost unbearable. Her body tensed, pain flashing in her eyes as she gasped.

  “Jesus,” I said, my mind and body torn in two. “Do you want me to stop?”

  She gasped, then took another quick breath, shaking her head ever so slightly. “No, don’t stop.”

  My jaw tightened. I hated seeing her hurting. I tried kissing her, hoping it would help her mind relax and show her body how to do the same. “Tell me what to do, Liv,” I whispered against her lips. “Tell me what you want.”

  ‘This,” she said, her hands moving over my back. “Just this.”

  So that’s what I did. I kissed her, stroked her, and breathed her in, until she started melting underneath me and desire began to take her over again. And as each moment passed, as her body began to softly sway against me, her pussy gripping my cock, moving around it, the small amount of control I’d managed to grab a hold of, evaporated into the air around me, and with one thrust, I shattered into a million pieces.

  Chapter 49

  Olivia

  Consciousness came to me as scattered thoughts. My body was too heavy, begging me to fall back into sleep, but the slight aches in various places lingered in my rousing thoughts. As I rolled to my side, a soreness between my legs—and the memory of why the soreness was there—instantly brought me the rest of the way out of my slumber.

  My eyes fluttered open, my head scrambling to ca
tch up, but as soon as they took in the straight lines and pristine order of a hotel room, it all came rushing back to me. Swinging my gaze across the room, it settled on a dark figure sitting on a chair by the window.

  I shifted, frowning through my haze. “Josh?”

  Slowly, Josh stood and moved toward me. Confusion jumped to the top of my erratic emotions as I tried to process what was going on. He was dressed and wasn’t really acting as though he was happy to be here at all. Nausea roiled in my stomach.

  Drawing my body up to sit, I clutched the sheet to my chest, tensing, trying to prepare myself for every bad scenario I could think of. Josh lowered himself down to the edge of the bed. His eyes were tender as they took me in, but there was an undeniable tension in his gaze. Leaning forward, he kissed me softly on the forehead. “Good morning, beautiful.”

  Again, there was nothing there that should’ve made me worried. His words were kind and his actions were intimate, but my intuition was definitely picking up on a hint of sadness in his body language. “What’s wrong?”

  He watched me for a long time, his gaze conflicted and pained. “I fucked up, Liv,” he said, guilt sparking.

  I raised my chin a fraction, preparing myself. I prayed he wasn’t going to tell me we shouldn’t have done what we did the night before, but I knew it was inevitable.

  He rubbed his hands over his face. “So much,” he mumbled.

  “Tell me,” I said, my voice hardening.

  When he met my gaze again, regret swam in his eyes, almost choking me. “I’m sorry, Liv.” He was being so vague, I wanted to punch him, but then he drew in a deep breath, and a resignation came over him. “Someone took pictures of us last night.”

  Horror filled me as my mind jumped to the one thing I would never want the public to see. “What do you mean?”

  He sighed. “There are pictures of us together on the Internet. Mostly talking downstairs. But there are some of us leaving together.”