Hard to Resist: A Collection of Hard to Resist Romances

by Landish, Lauren

  I can hear the muted padding of his footsteps against the tiled floor as he turns on the light to the bathroom and faint light floods the room. I see my clothes on the floor. And suddenly I feel cheapened.

  I knew what I was doing.

  I try to calm myself as he comes back into the bedroom. His corded muscles ripple as he walks to the edge of the bed. It dips with his weight as he peels the covers back. His eyes are on my face as he does it, as though he’s expecting me to protest, and a part of me wants to.

  He runs a damp cloth between my legs and kisses my neck as I wince. I’m already a bit sore. I already feel regret working its way into my consciousness.

  My body stiffens as he gets off the bed and leaves me with my thoughts.

  I need to get out of here the moment I get the chance. And forget this ever happened.

  Chapter 9

  Logan

  My Rose shifts in my arms. She hasn’t been still since I crawled into bed next to her. Something’s off. Everything was exactly how I imagined it’d be. Until it was over.

  I keep my breathing steady and eyes closed. I pretend like I’m asleep. I’m not though, and I haven’t been. I don’t sleep well at all, let alone with someone next to me.

  I know she’s going to bolt. She’s a runner. That’s easy to tell. I don’t mind, because I know she won’t be running far. Come Monday, she’ll be in my building and I’ll have more control of the situation. Right now I’m limited.

  The comforter moves slowly down my body as she slips out of the bed and lets a gentle chill in. There’s a soft creak from the bed and she stills. Her breathing is the loudest sound in the room. After a moment, she finally moves. I can hear everything she does. I can practically picture her slipping her clothes into place as the sounds fill my ears.

  She’s sneaking out. I have to force myself not to smile at the thought. If only she knew.

  I open my eyes to peek at her as I hear her walk over to my desk. What the fuck is she doing?

  Everything I have is password-protected, so that doesn’t matter, but if she’s snooping then I have a much larger problem on my hands. Although, that could work to my benefit, but that wasn’t the kind of relationship I had in mind.

  My heart squeezes slightly in my chest as I hear her pick up her clutch off the nightstand. She’s leaving. It’s amusing in some ways, but disappointing in others. I wonder for a moment if she thinks this is what I want, or if it’s her preference to leave.

  I suppose it doesn’t matter though. This will be the first and last time she slips out on me.

  I wait a minute as I hear the door open and close with a faint click, leaving me in silence. She left. I’m not completely surprised, but it does cause a stir of emotions that I’m not fond of. There’s a reason I stopped forming any attachments. People are good at leaving.

  Once I’m sure she’s not coming back, I move from the bed and walk straight to the desk to see what the hell she touched. A sticky note is affixed to the top of my laptop.

  Sorry I slipped out, I had to go. Thank you for last night.

  I huff a humorless laugh and run my finger along the feminine script. She’s a runner, but I already knew that. I wasn’t expecting this; it doesn’t change anything though.

  A wicked smile turns my lips up. She’s going to be shocked on Monday. More than that, pissed.

  I’m looking forward to the fight though. I know there will be one, and the thought makes my dick twitch. I look back to the empty bed and rumpled sheets. If she were here now, I’d take her again.

  I’d make sure her sweet cunt was so fucking raw tomorrow she thought of me every time she sat down. It’s a tight fit with her, so hopefully I left her so fucking sore it lasts until Monday.

  My smile fades, and I toss the note to the desk. She’s not here, and she’s not mine yet.

  But she will be.

  I walk to the bathroom, stretching and remembering how good she felt beneath me. She was everything I wanted. I flick the light on and dig in the travel case on the counter.

  It’s only a matter of time before I have her again. Next time, she won’t slip out in the middle of the night.

  I look down at the pill case as I pop a tab open, revealing the brightly colored pills and hate that I have to take them. I hate it all. I hate myself more.

  I’ve set the pieces in play for her downfall. All because I selfishly want her.

  I take three pills and swallow them, not bothering with water to wash it down.

  I toss the case on the bathroom counter and walk to my briefs on the floor of the bedroom, carelessly putting them on before sitting back at the desk in the room and opening my laptop.

  It’s nearly 4 a.m., but there’s work to do, and I know I won’t be sleeping tonight. I’m sure there are at least a few dozen emails that require my immediate attention. My assistant will have a list for me in only two hours. I should finalize the other business deal I came here for, although I’m not sure I’m interested if they don’t come down in price and agree to the last two terms.

  I sigh heavily and run my hands through my hair. It’s just another day. They’ll bend to what I want, or I’ll simply walk away. That’s how it works in my line of business. And they know it.

  As soon as the screen comes to life, her picture stares back at me. I never should have touched her. I’m a bastard for what I’m doing.

  My heart clenches slightly, a feeling I’m not used to. I start to feel regret, but she loved every second of it. I made her come alive beneath me. I saw how she became paralyzed with pleasure under me. I can give her that. I can give her the escape she desperately needs.

  She’s running away from her past more than she's running toward me. This will help her.

  Even as I try to justify it, I know there’s no good reason I should continue this. I know this is wrong. I don’t give a fuck though.

  I still want her. And I’m not going to take no for an answer. Nothing is going to keep me from having her.

  Chapter 10

  Charlotte

  I wince as I set my suitcase down in the living room of my apartment.

  I’m still hurting from Logan. It’s such a good hurt though. One I’ve never felt before.

  My sore pussy clenches with desire at the thought of the previous night. The way Logan fucked me has me going through all sorts of unwanted emotions all morning. I crave the feeling of my body aching, but it was a one-time thing. Seriously, he’s a master in bed--a fucking sex god. I can’t help that I want more. Ian has never been that hungry for my body, nor attentive to my needs.

  Selfish bastard. Neither has anyone else I’ve ever been with.

  As I stand up straight, a feeling of guilt washes over me. I’ve been running from the feeling all morning, but now it’s finally caught up with me.

  Logan gave me the best sex of my life, I tell myself, and I repaid him by leaving him with just a note.

  I’m not sure why I care so much. I feel horrible. Like I’ve committed some awful crime. Logan most likely doesn’t give a shit. After all, it was just a one-night stand. And I’m sure he gets more pussy than a cat catcher. We'll never see each other again, anyway.

  I set my coat down and begin unpacking when I notice a box sitting beside the couch. It’s Ian’s, and it’s sitting exactly where it was when I left. I glare at it, anger knotting my stomach.

  “I told him his shit better be gone when I got back,” I mutter angrily. “Figures it’s still here.”

  I feel like going over and kicking it, and then stomping it with all the rage I have pent up inside. I resist the urge. It won’t do me any good. What I need to find out is if he’s been here or not. He could just be fucking with me, trying to piss me off.

  I walk into the kitchen and see that his work keys are gone. They were here when I left, so it means he came and got them, but left his box of shit.

  I’m quick to grab my cell and send him a text.

  You left a box of your shit here. Can you come get it
, please?

  I want to add on ‘asshole’ at the end of the message, but I exercise immense restraint and just press send. I stare at the screen and wait for a response before adding:

  If you don’t come get it, I’m going to donate it to the Salvation Army.

  He’s had plenty of time, and I’ve been more than reasonable. I wait for a reply, but after it becomes clear he’s not going to respond, I let out a sigh and set my cell on the table. Staring at it and resisting the urge to smash it with a hammer, just because it reminds me of him.

  “I need a cup of coffee,” I mutter, walking over to the Keurig machine, starting it, and then sitting down in a kitchen chair. I bought this dining set right before he moved in. My first meal at this table was with him. I cooked something special, I don’t remember what. I let out a long exhale and try to ignore the painful reminder that I once loved him. I gave him everything I had.

  Sighing, I place my head in my hands and try to calm my racing thoughts.

  I focus on work. That’s always a good outlet. It’s productive and motivating. But even after acing my presentation at the convention, I feel stressed. There’s a meeting on Monday and I have to be prepared, but with thoughts of Logan and the prospect of dealing with Ian on my mind, it’s going to be a struggle.

  I’m on edge and afraid of losing my job. I was hired as a temp, so I'm essentially on a probationary period. All signs point to me being just fine, but I’m feeling so damn insecure. Even though after how good I did with my presentation, I should be more than fine. I guess I'm worried because after losing Ian, my job is the only thing I have left.

  At this point, I need my job just to stay sane, I tell myself as I pick at the loose thread on the tablecloth. I need a new one. I need a new everything.

  Definitely a new man… like Logan. I wish I were back in Logan’s bed, being devoured, feeling wanted. No man has ever made me feel like that before. I felt... powerful sleeping with a man of his stature.

  I shake off the desire and the guilt from leaving.

  It’s best that I left the way I did and nipped that in the bud. A relationship between us would’ve ended badly anyway. I could easily see myself getting attached to him and then being discarded like yesterday’s news. I don’t need a man right now. I run my hands down my face and get up as I hear the coffee machine spurting out the last few drops.

  I don’t need anyone. I pour a ton of sugar in my mug and then stir it up before sitting back down.

  Monday morning will be here before I know it. Then I can stop all this worrying and just focus on work.

  I take a nice, relaxing sip of coffee and already feel a little better, so I check my phone. Still no message from the asshole even though it’s marked as read. Fucking hell. I slam it down on the table and grip my coffee cup.

  “Whatever,” I mutter, resisting the urge to send him a particularly nasty text. I am a better person than this, and I do not need to lower myself to his level.

  I get up from the table and walk into the living room and take my anger out on Ian’s box instead, delivering several sharp kicks to it. My coffee’s in my hand and the first kick sends a little spilling over the side of the box. I don’t care. I use the inside of my foot so it doesn’t hurt. Or maybe I’m just not kicking hard enough since there’s only a small pathetic dent in the side of the cardboard. Whatever. I feel better. Sort of.

  Not nearly as good as I felt last night.

  If being with Logan taught me anything, it’s that Ian didn’t know a goddamn thing about putting it down in the bedroom. Just thinking about it causes my pussy to throb with need and pain, a reminder of how hard Logan fucked me. Shivers tingle down my spine and send goosebumps over my body.

  Shit, I need to go upstairs and work until I pass out and get him out of my head. It’s the best thing for me.

  Pushing Logan from my mind, I check all the messages on my landline and make sure the doors are locked before turning in for a long night of work. As I climb the stairs to my room, I realize getting Logan, his powerful body, and his massive cock out of my mind will not be an easy task.

  It’s definitely going to be a long weekend till Monday.

  Chapter 11

  Charlotte

  Thank fuck it’s Monday. Getting Logan off my mind… well, it didn’t happen. I got a ton of work done and even forgot about my asshole ex. But every time I fell asleep, I dreamed of Logan’s touch. That’s not a good sign. And waking up horny and lonely is not a good combination.

  As I climb out of the car and head to the building, I know I need to immerse myself in work and forget about both Ian and Logan.

  I walk into the office building, shoving the door open with my forearm as I carry my daily morning coffee in one hand, and a paper bag with a tempting donut I couldn’t resist in the other, and do a double take.

  What the fuck? I think in panic. There are boxes everywhere. Literally, everything in the front room is packed away. Feeling weak in the knees, I lean against the doorjamb, my breathing coming in shallow gasps, my heart pounding.

  Oh my God! I yell in my mind. The company sold out. There were rumors last week of a buyout, but I thought they were just rumors. Fuck!

  As I try to calm my racing heart, I think of every other place close by that I can apply to. I need a job as soon as fucking possible. But there’s literally nowhere else. I know. I fucking applied practically everywhere two weeks ago!

  “Are you okay?” asks a familiar voice near my ear.

  I jump and let out a little cry of surprise as I drop the bag with my donut. “Jesus, Eva!” I complain, turning to face her with my hand over my heart.

  She looks beautiful today in her black pantsuit and dark glossy heels, her hair pulled back in a businesslike ponytail. More than that, she looks fine. Calm, even. “You scared the shit out of me,” I say admonishingly. I gesture nervously at all the boxes. “What the fuck is going on?” I ask in a hushed voice as I bend to pick up my bag.

  Eva looks at me with apprehension and then lets out a laugh. “Someone’s bought the company. But don’t worry, it’s a silent partnership.” She sounds all peppy and happy. I don’t know if she’s got inside information that’s making her feel secure, or if she’s just naive. “We have a board meeting about it in like five minutes.” She leans in close and whispers, “You didn’t read your email on Friday, did you?”

  “Shit.” I just breathe the word. I don’t remember an email, but my head has been so lost in thought.

  Eva shakes her head. “It’s fine,” she says as she waves it off and walks with me to the meeting room in the back corner of the building. “From what I can gather, the company was forbidden to talk about the sale while it was under contract. That’s why I’m guessing we never heard about it.” She places a comforting hand on my shoulder, seeing the worry etched across my face. “Don’t worry, Charlotte. We’ve been assured that our jobs aren’t in any danger.”

  “How can we trust that?” I ask. “You know how those corporate heads at the top think. They don’t give a crap what happens to us down at the bottom.” Anxiety is coursing in my blood. I wish I could trust her, but I can’t.

  “Because it’s under the terms and conditions in the agreement of the sale. They can’t fire any current employees for several years.”

  “Are you absolutely sure?”

  “Positive.”

  I let out a small sigh of relief I relax slightly, bringing my coffee to my lips. I make a promise to myself not to freak out until I have a real reason to.

  “But there’s a catch,” Eva adds, and I hold back a groan. “Part of the agreement involves relocating, hence all the boxes.”

  Behind Eva, I watch as several people walk into the boardroom. I can handle this change. Sometimes change is good.

  I shift the bag to hold it in one hand along with my coffee so I can scratch at the back of my neck as we walk into the room and take our seats. “Where’s the new building?” I ask her quietly. Everyone around us is engaged in qui
et small talk, too.

  “Parker-Moore on the city skyline,” Eva replies. “About a half hour from here?”

  I nod, but I’m not really happy. “That sucks.” I vaguely recognize the company name. I almost applied with them, but I didn’t. The skyline is a far drive. This place is nearly half an hour-long commute for me. So now I’m looking at an hour-long drive, and that's without traffic.

  “Yeah, it does.” Eva nods in agreement. “But it could be worse. We could all be looking at pink slips right now and a shitty severance that barely covers a month’s worth of living expenses.”

  I sigh. “I guess you’re right.”

  Mr. Hastings walks into the room, waving his hands to quiet the room of gossiping employees. “I know some of you are concerned with the buyout, but please rest assured that none of your jobs are in jeopardy. I’ll kindly ask you all to go with the flow for now, as this is just another normal day working here, and help with packing things up.”

  “For those of you who have long commutes to get here already, temporary housing will be available for you if you need it. If you don’t want, or are unable to pack your items yourself, please label them and move them against the far wall.”

  Hannah stands next to Hastings with a stack of large booklets in her hand. Mr. Hastings gives her a tight smile and then gestures at the bundle she’s holding. “Hannah here has all the packets of information you’ll need about the new company and housing. All of you are expected to have moved and completed the transfer by the end of the workday, and will be required to attend tomorrow at the new work site. If you can’t move your items to your new office, simply label the boxes and put them against the far wall. The movers will handle the transfer for you and they’ll be waiting for you in the new building tomorrow.”

  I barely pay attention to the questions everyone asks and the vague answers Hastings has as I accept my packet of information from Hannah, and try to stop worrying about the long drive that I’m going to have now. At least I have a job. I keep telling myself that throughout the meeting. That’s what matters.