by T. N. King
Chance tossed it up against the wall and in a blinding rush, he tackled Morgan.
Morgan took a swing at him before he got him down and missed.
Chance grabbed him by the heels and dragged him outside.
“Just go ahead and kick my ass. I don’t fuuuucking c-care!” Morgan had yelled as he slurred.
Chance gave no reply as he hefted him up and tossed him into the icy cold swimming pool.
Gasping, Morgan went down to the bottom. He stopped struggling and just sank. Who cared? He’d lost her this time and he damn well knew it. Bubbles left his lungs.
Suddenly, Chance was there, grabbing him up and swimming him to the top. They broke the surface and both gasped for air. “Dammit, Morgan!” Chance yelled as he struggled to move him to the pool steps.
Once he got them both out, Morgan on his back lay in a pool of water. He coughed and choked.
“Look at you man!” Chance spluttered through the water on his lips. “Get the fuck up and go get her. Make that deal.”
“Nah, fuck it. I lost her,” Morgan spluttered back.
Chance stood up. “You were just going to sink to the bottom of that pool and die! If you love her that much, you need to…” He shook his head. “You know what? Never mind. If you don’t want her. I can have her then right?” He slicked his wet hair back. “Where did you say she was from, Lower Philly?”
Morgan slowly sat up and stared at him. “You fucking wouldn’t.”
Chance smiled. “I fucking would! I would even put her in that dress I bought before I fucked her.”
Morgan hung his head. “You’re bluffing.” Silence reigned and he raised his head.
Chance was walking away. “I cannot wait. I bet she gives damn good head with that sweet mouth of hers.”
Morgan felt a rush of anger and fear. He stood up on wobbly legs and shouted, “Okay!”
Chance slowed and turned. “Okay, what?”
“You are right. I won’t… FUCK!” he shouted as he slumped back down. “What the fuck?” he kept yelling. “Why? Why can’t I just stop running from her?”
Chance looked upset. “Dude, you know I wouldn’t have. Dammit, I’m sorry.” He stepped closer. “Get your shit together, and go get her. Before someone like me does go after her.” He turned and walked away…
…So now, here Morgan stood. To make the deal of his life. To get her back. He knew he really had no choice. The very thought of her with anyone else, had made him go insane. And life without her would be…well, Chance had said it. He would just sink to the bottom. He never knew love. He’d never been in love. He actually never believed in it. It was a myth. Some fairytale women made up to make life feel more romantic. He laughed at the thought. It was a glorious hell. Yes, he thought he would catch fire and hold it in his hands, and he’d expected to not get burned?
Ellie drove up in her candy red car. One that she said she would give back.
He believed her too. He’d never seen that look in her eyes. He had to feel proud of her. She had come a long way. No, she wasn’t scared of life anymore.
She got out and marched up the steps.
Morgan knew she had seen him. She was still pissed. He knew this and he knew he’d hurt her. What he didn’t know was what to tell her.
Ellie held herself together through the end of her shift. She felt so conflicted. God, how could she even look at the man without wanting him? Then the look in his eyes pulled at her. It was a look she’d never seen. Like desperation. Morgan, desperate? If he felt that way, then why did he leave her again?
She was scared now—scared, that she wouldn’t be able to turn him away. Most of her didn’t want to. He had seemed to be everything she ever wanted in a man and then some. But he had this one flaw and it was a big one. He would run. Why? Well, she intended to find out. She just hoped she was right in giving him another chance to explain.
She opened the door and didn’t look back.
Morgan followed her in and shut the door.
Tugging her clothes off as she walked to the bedroom, she knew he saw her. She then bent over in only her underwear and took her shoes off. She heard him gasp from behind her. Good, I hope he likes what he sees and knows that he cannot have it. What had gotten into her? She’d never thought like this before. It was empowering, yet terrifying. She could feel him coming up behind her as she walked down the hall in her underwear.
Ellie then turned and went into her bedroom.
Would he follow?
“Ellie?”
Apparently, he would.
She turned to face him, in her bra and panties.
His eyes blazed at her and he waited a moment. “Are you going to get dressed, so we can talk?”
Ellie shrugged. Now that he was here in her bedroom, and she stood nearly naked in front of him, she wondered why she’d even entered the apartment like that. Taking her clothes off and strutting around? Dumb, dumb. She was still too impulsive. You do not get rid of a man by stripping down in front of him. But yes… She did know why. Let him see what he dumped. No, Ellie he has seen it and he dumped you anyway. She then winced at this bit of unneeded information.
“Ellie?” he asked again looking pained. He also adjusted himself through his jeans as he tried to play it off.
Oh…well, maybe she had been onto something. This was making him hot. She slipped her bra off and then her panties. Make him squirm. Yes, she had been right to do it after all.
His eyes narrowed at her. “What are you doing, Ellie?”
She rose up and wondered the same thing herself. “Undressing, that’s what.”
He swallowed heavily and took a step back. He looked utterly mystified.
“Are you confused?’ she asked.
He halted and raised his gaze from her body to her face. “I sure as hell am.”
“Good!” she yelled. “Now you know how I feel, how I felt!” She marched up to him and pointed a finger into his hard chest. “I would have given this to you. I would have…” Tears welled up in her eyes. “…but you know what?”
He shook his head as his eyes darkened with her bare body being so near.
“You threw me away!” she screamed. “That’s what!” Tears streamed down her face. “I could see that maybe you did have business, but you c-could have called me. Even texted me. But no! I kept that phone waiting for you to!”
“I-I tried. You must have shut it off,” he whispered.
“When? When did you try?” she huffed as she swiped at her tears.
“Ellie,” he whispered.” I am sorry. I ran. I got scared.”
Her head rose up. “What?”
“I got scared. I realized that I loved you. That I couldn’t live without you and I bolted.”
Her eyes widened. “You love me?” This wasn’t going at all the way she thought.
He nodded and took her hands. “I flew to Japan on business, just like my text said. Then the entire time, all I thought about was you.”
Blinking her eyes, she didn’t get it at all. “Then you dumped me?”
He shook his head. “No, then I came back to the states and I holed up in my house and tried to drink myself to death.”
She gasped. “You?”
He nodded and lowered his head. “After a couple of days, I knew I’d blown it.”
“Yes! Yes, you blew it!” she yelled again and began to pace. “Here I was wondering, worrying, thinking all kinds of craziness. You were sick, your family maybe in trouble, then I had to realize the truth. YOU DUMPED ME!”
“No.” He grabbed her up. “I can’t dump you.”
She was still mad, so she struggled against him. “Well, you did! I don’t know what you call it in your world, but it was a dumping in mine.”
He laughed as he tugged her against his chest. “God dammit, you are hot when you get mad. I’ve never seen you like this.”
“OH! You think this is funny?” she shouted.
His laughter halted as he looked into her eyes. “No, it isn’t.
And it isn’t funny that I felt like dying when I knew I’d lost you.”
Her struggles stopped. “What?” Well, that took the steam out of her for sure.
He let out a sigh. “You are inside me now. I cannot ever leave you. If I do, I won’t be living anymore.” He grasped her face. “Sweet Ellie. You are…” He lowered his lips to hers. “I love you Ellie White. I won’t ever leave you again.”
Ellie felt her body melting into his, like it had a will of its own. He loves me? Oh, and those yummy lips. That voice that made her wet almost every time he spoke. The daze he leaves me in after he kisses me. Then suddenly her eyes popped open and she she leapt back from him. “How do I know this is the truth? I mean you could have gone to Tahiti with some blonde, got drunk, and fucked her till you were out of bodily fluids. Then come back here to me!” Even as she said it, she really didn’t believe it herself.
He shook his head. “Nope. I cannot even get it up for anyone but you.”
Ellie gasped. “So then you tried?”
He stared at her and again, laughed. “God, you are so beautiful. So…” he halted. “You are too good for me actually. I am sorry that I hurt you, not once but twice.”
Ellie felt deflated suddenly. Her anger had evaporated and it left her feeling lost.
Morgan stepped back. “I want to…to start again. I don’t expect…” He raised his gaze to hers. “I do not expect for you to sleep with me or give me anything, except some time to show you that I do love you and plan to cherish you for the rest of my life.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Him saying this was all she ever wanted to hear, but she didn’t know if it could be true. Had he really run away from her because he loved her? It was insane. Then she looked at him, her gaze met those magnificent eyes and she knew the answer. This was a powerful man, always in control, always choosing his own path. Look at the way he handled her when they did have sex. He was all power and she had loved it too. Then he falls in love and…He loses his sense of everything. He cannot control it. He didn’t know how to. “Have you ever loved a woman before?” she asked, though she knew the answer already.
He shook his head. “No, never.”
She went over and sat on her bed.
“I will go now and let you think it over. Because if I don’t…”
Her gaze shot up to him.
He grinned. “…I may just grab you up and fuck you. Cause dammit, you angry and naked?”
Her mouth popped open as moisture pooled between her thighs. And you would let him, Ellie. She took a deep breath and stood up.
He gazed at her and it was that same look that would make her entire body burn up when she’d been with him before.
Ellie sighed. “Let me get dressed, k? I don’t want you to leave yet.”
Nodding, while looking relieved, Morgan backed out of the room.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Two weeks Later…
True to his word, Morgan had taken her out on real dates. Ellie told him she just wanted the normal stuff. Movies, trips to the museum. Maybe just stroll along in the malls and have picnics at the park. No limo and no driver. In fact, she insisted that she drive them in her Cooper. He had laughed, but then his laughter had faded as he hung on for dear life.
Yes, Ellie’s impulsive nature bled into her driving as well.
He told her that his life had flashed before his eyes whenever she drove. She had then quipped back, “And was I in it?”
He had laughed so hard, he had tears in his eyes and had said, “Touche!”
She had started school and he did go back and forth between Ney York and Philly. When he first told her, he was going to New York for two days. She had narrowed her eyes at him and said, “This time, you won’t forget my phone number right?”
He had kissed her and shook his head. “I also promise to answer your call, day or night.”
She had then felt like sort of a bitch. “No, that is okay. I am fine on my own.”
“Yes, yes you are,” he had said it with pride.
But then he said he was moving his offices here to Philly.
When he announced this, Ellie finally realized, he was serious. For a man like him to move his entire corporate offices? Just to be where she was? She hadn’t let him know, but she was done watching that sexy bod of his, staring at that beautiful smile, those yummy lips. Wanting him.
She intended to change this. He was off parole. She refused to play warden anymore. She couldn’t stand it a moment longer. It was done and over with. If he up and left her—well, she vowed that this time, she would track him down and make him sorry. She even had Chance’s number on speed dial and she would call him to find out where Morgan went…if he did stay away…No, she never told Morgan, he’d called her a few days ago, just to ask her how she was.
No more waiting on having Morgan. No more waiting on courage. She had it already and like a gold credit card—she intended to use it.
Tonight was the night. He’d already called and let her know he would be here in under an hour.
Ellie didn’t dress up. She wore a simple sun dress and no shoes. She didn’t do anything different at all, because she wanted to surprise him. Impulsiveness could come in handy at times.
The knock on her apartment door made her jump. Nervous again, Ellie? She was really, to tell the truth. They hadn’t been together since his Hotel suite here in Philly. She knew he still wanted her, hell his steamy looks and his kisses told her that much. It was just she was different now. She felt ready for something more. More than what? Hot freakin’ sex with her Greek god of a man?
Ellie went to the door and peeked through the peephole. Yes, there was her angel now. She opened the door.
Morgan held his hands behind his back.
Stepping back, Ellie knew he must have brought her something. She wished he wouldn’t do that, he knew how she felt about him spending anything else on her.
Smiling that winning smile, he walked in while backing her up. He then kicked the door shut behind him.
God, was he hot. He wore jeans and a t shirt and while his suits were hot, this man in jeans and a shirt that showed off his pecs? It was downright sinful.
He stepped forward and presented her with a box.
Her eyes widened. “Now, Morgan, if this is another gown—”
He laughed. “No, I learned my lesson there, Sweetness.”
She shivered a little the way he said that word. Like it meant all kinds of wicked things. She sighed and took the box from his hands. Dammit, she hoped it wasn’t something extravagant.
Morgan stood silently as she sat on the couch and opened it.
Pulling out pieces of silk, she bit at her lip. Well, she was wrong this time, no real expense here. “Strips of…” She let out a confused laugh and shook her head.
Morgan sat down next to her then pulled them out and raised them up. “If you will lend me your trust. I will show you what you were meant to feel.” His eyes grew deep in color as he stared at her face.
Ellie knew what this gaze meant but she still didn’t understand what he meant. “I don’t know what—?”
He let out a breath and stood up, bringing her with him. “Come and let me show you.” He led her to her bedroom.
Finally, in the hallway, it dawned on her—these were ties! Her steps halted.
Morgan sat down on the bed and looked up at her. “When we were together that first night, I knew it. I knew about how you were meant to be…handled.”
“Handled?” she asked.
Shaking his head, he sighed. “I am not handling this right.” He stood up and gazed into her eyes. “Do you trust me?”
Gulping a bit, she bit at her lip. Yes, this was a very good question. With her body, yes. With her future, yes. But with her heart? She still felt shaky on that one. “In what way?” No, she wasn’t going to make this easy on him, despite deciding that she intended to have him in the most enjoyable of ways.
He froze for a second to think about her res
ponse then tilted his head back and laughed.
Ellie felt stunned. This reaction surprised her and yet, his laughter was just as sexy as all his other actions. She decided that her surprise would be even better now. Yes, she knew what this was all about. She had figured it out. It took her a few minutes, but OH, yes. She wanted what he seemed to be offering. It had been in her mind.
Taking a step back, she stood with determination.
At this action, Morgan stopped laughing abruptly and stared at her. He did look puzzled.
Good. About time, she took him off his confident stride for once. She reached down and grabbed the hem of her sundress.
Morgan raised a brow at her.
Tugging it up and over her head, she dropped it behind her.
His eye’s deepened to that steely grey before whenever he’d felt hot for her.
Yes, just wait Morgan…just wait. She unclasped her bra and let that drop.
He kept staring and his whole body looked tense.
She then knelt down on the carpet in front of him, placed her wrists together and raised them up as if in offering.
Looking stunned, he stared down at her.
She wanted to lower her head in supplication to really blow his mind, but she wanted so badly to see his reaction that she couldn’t.
His face now looked tense too as he adjusted his jean covered leg.
Yes, he was hard…She knew he would be. He wanted her submission, to master her. She may have little experience but she knew enough.
Morgan seemed to swallow before he spoke, “Are you sure?”
Taking a deep breath, Ellie let it out. “Yes, I am yours.”
He nearly trembled with her statement and now, his eyes almost glowed at her. “You have never been tied up before, have you?”
Shaking her head, she raised her arms again. “Take me, Morgan,” she pleaded.
He stepped forward and grabbed her up raising her body above him, then he slowly and gradually slid her nude skin down and over his hard body. She was being slid over those very hard jeans and she loved every second of it.
If felt so glorious, as if he were using her body to caress himself. Ellie moaned.
He swung her around and sat her on the bed. Now, his manner had changed. He licked his lip as if she were some tasty treat he was about to devour. He laid her back, then grabbed the ties and tied her wrists. Placing them above her head, he ordered. “Spread your legs.”