by J. S. Scott
Now that he’d decided he wanted her, not having her wasn’t an option. He hadn’t made billions by letting things he wanted slip through his fingers. “I want you, Chloe—and I’ll be honest, it’s been a very long time since I’ve wanted anyone at all.”
“Are you saying you want to sleep with me?” Her eyes went wide, and he half-expected her to slap him.
“Yes.” Bloody hell, it was hard to get that word out. But his cursed hard-on was not letting up and at this point that was the part of his body driving the conversation. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I sure as hell hope that ‘making it worth my while’ means you’ll be good in bed and that you’re not actually offering me money to sleep with you.”
He shrugged, not exactly sure how he’d meant it, but refusing to play games. In his experience, it was best to just be direct and honest. “I’ve got money to burn, so it’s not an issue if that’s what you want. But the truth is, this is not something I do. Ever. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone—for you. Because you have me interested, and that’s not something I’ve been in a very long time. Take it any way you need to—I don’t care as long as it gets you in my bed.”
Okay…maybe a little less direct would have been better, if the look on her face was anything to go by. Her cheeks had flushed to a furious red, her blue eyes were narrowed to slits, and those tiny hands of hers looked capable of murder. Yet he was damned if he didn’t want to kiss her anger away—or take that heat and make good use of it.
“Look…I don’t know what you’re normally used to, but if I’m going to sleep with anyone, it won’t be because they paid me to. I’m not interested in your money, Aidan, and any interest I had in sleeping with you is now gone.” She shook her head and turned to go when he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms.
“Is it really? Because I’m not sure I believe you.” He nipped at her bottom lip and then caught her mouth in a greedy kiss as his tongue found hers—tasting, taking, his head filling with her scent of snow and cedar. She softened in his arms as her body pressed against his, and his head started to spin with the want of her.
Was he really going to do this? It had been three years since the accident. Three years since he’d last taken anyone to his bed. After a while, his physical needs got consumed by his anger and his hurt, fueling the misery that had him pushing everyone out of his life.
And now? His body was refusing to stay silent and was demanding that his needs be met.
His kisses slowed, but he’d yet to let go of her, the need to keep her in his arms overwhelming. With his head bent to hers, he tried to slow his breathing. “Say yes, Chloe. Because I know you want me just as much as I want you.”
He could see her struggling with her decision, even though he knew it was what she wanted. He doubted it’d have been an issue if he’d gone about it differently, if he’d been patient with her. Instead, he’d let his need push her into a corner, so her back was up and she was on the defensive.
She’d yet to answer him, though he could still see her mulling it over. So he did the only sensible thing. He let her go. “Look, you don’t need to answer me just this minute, and obviously, you’re still welcome to stay here. But it doesn’t change the fact that I want you, and I’m stubborn about getting my way when it’s something that’s important to me.”
“I don’t even know what to say anymore. It’s not that I don’t like you, because clearly, I do. But I’ve never had a guy demand to sleep with me, or offer me money to do so, and frankly, I don’t know if I should be flattered or insulted.” She shook her head as if to clear it free of the fog that had settled around it.
“It’s been three years, Chloe. Three fucking lonely and painful years. And I’m not telling you that because I want your pity.” He could hear the anger start to seep into his voice and had to force it back before continuing, taking a deep breath to settle himself. “I’m telling you because I need you to know that this is not something I ever do. This isn’t just some stupid game. And yeah—you should be flattered, because I sure as hell didn’t mean any offense.”
“Three years?” Her ice blue eyes held his gaze, taking him in, but he couldn’t bear to have her pity him. He turned away, feeling like a fool, when her words stopped him. “I’ll do it.”
His eyes locked on hers, half wondering if he’d heard her wrong. “You will?”
“Yes—but not for money. I don’t care how much of it you have. I can manage just fine on my own. Although…I’d like a little more time. I want to get to know you a little first.” She ran a hand through her hair so it fell over her shoulders and looked just messy enough to be damn sexy. “And just so we’re clear, this isn’t something I normally do either.”
He let out a little laugh, as the corner of his lips tugged into a hint of a smile. “I can give you a little more time, though I’m not known for my patience. And once I decide I want something, I let little stand in my way.”
“Yeah, well, that’s all fine and dandy, but I’m not sure we’re playing by your rules right now.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave him a smug smile that made him want to take her then and there.
He had to admit, she’d been sweet—almost timid—when they’d first met. But now? It seemed the girl had a backbone and didn’t take crap from anyone. If he’d thought he could just steamroll her into doing his bidding, it turned out he was wrong.
Not that he wasn’t still getting his way.
“My chili is fine without you adding to it.” Aidan all but growled at Chloe as she invaded his kitchen and bumped him away from the stove, adding all sorts of things to the pot. They’d spent the last several hours just hanging out in the kitchen and by the fire, getting comfortable in each other’s presence, even flirting and stealing the occasional kiss.
“I know it is. But now, it’s not just fine—it’s damn good.” She gave it all a quick stir and then held out the spoon to him so he could have a taste, a smug look already on her face. “Well?”
He wanted to deny her the satisfaction, but as an explosion of flavors danced over his taste buds, all he could think of was getting another spoonful. Once it had more time to simmer, the taste would be amazingly deep and complex. “Ok. You win. It’s damn good. Just the right amount of spice, and smoky too. Hadn’t expected that.”
“That would be the smoked paprika. My secret ingredient. Surprised you had any.” When she smiled at him, he felt his mood lighten further, making him want her all the more.
He wasn’t used to having people in his space, his home, his life. And though it still felt awkward, it wasn’t nearly as painful as he thought it would be. Maybe it was because the sexual tension between him and Chloe was pushing everything else aside.
A pang of guilt hit him, as if he shouldn’t ever be allowed to move past that horrible day, and yet he was somehow finding it just a little bit harder to hold onto his pain. He’d have it back once Chloe had gone and he was left alone once more, but for now, it felt good to focus on something else.
Unable to resist her as she stood there stirring the pot, he sidled up to her and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him as he nipped at her neck. She leaned back into him with a needy sigh that had him going rock hard once more. Reaching around her, he lowered the stove to simmer, and then picked her up by the waist and settled her on the island behind them. “I want a taste of what else is on the menu tonight.”
“That can wait until…” Her words trailed off as he shifted her legs apart and nestled himself between them, pressing his erection against her warm heat. Fisting his shirt and pulling him to her, she stole a kiss and then another as he grabbed her hips and nipped along her jawline to her ear, loving how her back arched up to meet his body with hers.
“You had said you wanted a little more time, but sweetheart, I don’t think I’m capable of waiting a whole lot longer.
” His words were spoken against her pearly white skin as one hand drifted to cup her breast and the other ran the length of her thigh, her breath coming in stolen gasps. “And by the sweet sounds you’re making, I don’t think you want to wait much longer either.”
Unfortunately, she was wearing far too many clothes for his liking. He bit her nipple through the fabric of her thin sweater before losing patience with it. Pulling it up over her head, he tossed it aside, giving himself a moment to take in her gorgeous breasts, the full mounds peeking over the raspberry red lace of her bra. And then they were pitched into an inky darkness, Chloe’s gasp sounding in the quiet.
Pulling her into his arms, he cradled her against him. “It’s all right, love…the generator should kick in momentarily.”
She nodded. “It just caught me off guard. Silly, I know.” Yet she still held onto him as if she were suddenly chilled—and he was glad for it.
When he kissed her this time, he did so with a tenderness that was in such a stark contrast to all their other kisses, it threw him off-kilter and left him shaken.
What the hell was he doing?
This was just sex. Nothing more than fulfilling a primal need. He had no room in his life for tenderness.
Suddenly, getting involved with Chloe in any way seemed like a grave mistake. And yet, he couldn’t pull away from her, couldn’t let her go. The generator kicked in without warning, leaving him unable to hide away his thoughts before she noticed.
He handed her the sweater he’d peeled off her body only moments earlier. “Maybe we should grab dinner.”
When he started to pull away, she wrapped her legs around him and grabbed his shirt. “Look…it seems like you’ve got a lot going on in that head of yours—and it’s none of my business. Believe me, we all have our issues. But, I like you and…you said it’s been three years. I could be wrong, but maybe you need this—and I don’t just mean physically.”
She loosened her hold on him, giving him the option to go. He pulled away from her and paced a few steps, trying to wrap his head around what he should do. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her—but he also wanted to retreat back into his solitude.
Three years…
It’d be three or four days at the most before Chloe was out of his life, and maybe, just maybe, having her distract him during the most difficult time of the year for him might be exactly what he needed to get through it. Because even after all this time, his heart ached no less with his loss, nor had his anger abated.
He turned back and cupped her cheek in his hand before stealing a small kiss, and then another. “You’re right. I do need this, but I think I also need a little time to wrap my head around things. Do you mind?”
She shook her head no, and then slipped her arms around him and settled her head on his chest. “Take all the time you need.”
He was acutely aware of how hard his heart was pounding, and knew she could hear every thumping beat. It made him want to pull away and put some distance between them, and yet he found he didn’t have the strength nor the desire to let her go. He kissed the top of her head, and forced himself not to think about it. He needed to take the moment for what it was—a brief reprieve from his misery.
“One of us should give the pot a stir.” She kissed the hollow in his neck just above the collarbone, her soft lips warm against his skin, stoking his need for her back to life as her kisses started to wander.
“It’s fine…simmering…” Suddenly, she was the only thing he could think of and the last thing he wanted to do was wait. He flicked off the stove and scooped her into his arms, tossing her over his shoulder, unable to keep from smiling when she squealed in surprise. “I’m taking you to my bed. Do you have a problem with that?”
“I’m game if you are.” She gave his ass a hard smack as he carried her, his backside clearly far too accessible in her current position.
But two could play that game. With her plump ass cheeks right there on his shoulder, he followed through on the temptation and nipped at them, sending her squirming with a yelp. He tightened his hold with a laugh, when it occurred to him that it had been a very long time since he’d last laughed. “Quit your squirming, girl. Or I’ll be tempted to bite harder.”
Compared to his six foot three, she had to be nearly a foot shorter than him, and her weight insignificant, allowing him to take the steps with ease. His room was just across the hall from the one he’d put her in, though he wondered just how the next few days would play out and whether or not her bed would even get slept in.
Carefully, he tossed her onto his bed. She’d yet to put her sweater back on, and damn if the girl wasn’t a sight to behold. He knelt on the bed and couldn’t help but smile when she sat up and stroked his hard length through his jeans, a sultry smile on her lips. “Don’t suppose you want to get rid of some of these clothes?”
Cupping her face, he tangled his fingers in her hair and bent down to steal a kiss. “You’re a forward little thing, aren’t you?” And so different from Hannah.
“Is that a problem?” One eyebrow perked up as she pinned him with a stare and stopped stroking him.
He tossed aside his flannel shirt and then added his tee to the pile. “Not at all. If anything, I really like it—clearly. Though I’ll warn you now. I like to be in control. Is that going to be a problem?” He needed to be, when he had so little control over so many aspects of his life.
“I don’t know.” With a casual shrug, her small hands slid over his abs before tugging at his belt. As she undid the button on his jeans, his cock jumped in anticipation, desperate for her. “Maybe…maybe not. Not really used to giving up control. I usually have too many things to take care of—and I want to take care of you.”
“I’ve no doubt you will, love. But it might be good for you to let someone else be in charge then.” Biting back a moan as she slipped her fingers around his girth and stroked him, he nipped at her bottom lip and ran his hands over her breasts, taking a moment to tease her nipples before unhooking her bra. He pulled away just enough to catch a glimpse of her dark rose nipples, stark against her luminescent skin. “You’re stunning. You know that?”
She ran her tongue up his hard length and then licked the tip, making it jump under her touch. “You’re pretty stunning yourself.”
Slipping her mouth over the head of his cock, she ran her hands down his length as she devoured him, his fingers tangling in her hair. Her tongue teased him as her lips ran along his length and his hips slowly thrust towards her. Yet he wouldn’t last if she kept this up. When he pulled free of her, he loved that she let out a little moan in protest. “You already have me riding that edge, love, and that’s not how I want this to go down.”
He shucked his jeans before running a hand down her leg to yank off her boots, first one and then the other, all the while drinking her in like she was a glass of ice water and he’d just run a marathon in the desert. From there, it was only a moment more before he’d rid her of her jeans and panties, all in one go, so she finally lay there naked before him.
Coherent thought seemed all but impossible with his heart pounding its deafening beat. It had been too long. Far too long, but there was no way in hell he was going to rush through this and not savor every moment. Settling himself between her legs, he stole her breath with a long kiss, his tongue dancing over hers as her warm, supple body shifted below him, as if searching him out.
He laughed against her lips. “Patience, love. We’ll get to that too.”
Pushing away his urgency, he forced himself to take things slow, to take in every detail of her—the quick pulse at her throat, her lush curves, her silky skin. He trailed a lazy line of kisses down her neck to her breasts, pausing to pull the pert buds into his mouth, loving the needy whimpers that escaped her lips.
By the gods, that sound drove him crazy and he didn’t think he’d ever tire of hearing it.
Her knees fell to the side as he kissed the curves of her belly and the sweet hollow above her hip bone, while he settled himself between her legs. He pressed his face against her soft inner thighs and parted her slick folds with his tongue. She let out another one of those delicious whimpers when he found her swollen clit and licked it with firm, broad strokes, before slipping a finger into her to tease and coax her closer to orgasm. Burying her hands in his hair, she tilted her hips towards him, her breathing now coming in ragged gasps.
“Do you like that, love?” When he spoke, he did so with his mouth still brushing her skin, knowing the vibration of his voice and his hot breath would add yet another layer of sensations.
“Yes…but you’re killing me…you’re such a tease.” He liked that she was willing to talk, to answer him. Her hips shifted again, as if trying to get him to quicken his pace, though he refused to be rushed.
“I like taking my time, especially since you taste so good and you’re so very wet. Wet for me.” Lazily, he traced circles around her clit with his tongue, loving how she squirmed below him. He added a second finger and thrust upwards, curling his fingers against her G-spot as he caught her clit between his teeth and teased it.
“Please…” The pleading in her voice reminded him why he loved playing these sorts of games.
“Please? Please…what? Please stop? Please make me wait until after dinner? Please tie me up and spank me?” He couldn’t help but laugh, and damn if it didn’t feel good. He’d have plenty of time to feel guilty and miserable later.
“Please…I want to come.” She let out a frustrated groan, her hips still squirming under him, her breaths no more than shallow gasps. “I want you to make me come.”
Humor laced his voice. “I suppose you’ve been patient enough.”
Sucking her clit into his mouth, he flicked it with his tongue as his fingers flexed and his thrusts quickened until her body tensed and quivered, and she cried out with her release.