The delivery guy looked unsure, but took the envelope. Lara’s pride in herself returned in that moment. She was getting herself back. No more embarrassing moments in her future. Reed hadn’t been far from her thoughts all night. Even when she relaxed some, he was still right there with her. But that didn’t mean she needed to take any bread crumb he tossed her way. This was the right thing to do. Reed didn’t know her and she certainly knew nothing about him except he was mega wealthy, ran in much higher circles, and daily ethics weren’t a big part of his life. Even if he genuinely wanted to make things right, they were just too different. It could never work.
“He’s the charmer,” Kade teased, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they walked back inside the building.
“Hush, he is charming,” she said, walking through the door Kade opened.
“You win is charming?” Kade asked, laughing. “I need to reevaluate my game then.” He pressed the elevator’s call button, knocking her in the shoulder.
“Why did you even come back with me? You should be at the club having fun. It’s your night off.” She wanted to change the subject. Kade didn’t understand anything that had to do with her feelings for Reed, and she was beginning to feel the need to defend him. That would never do. If she started to take up for him, she’d feel sorry for him and wind up right back where she was this morning.
“I came with you, I leave with you.”
“Go back. I’m fine. I’m going up to bed. I’m exhausted.” She bumped him back in the shoulder.
“I’m good. We can watch a movie for a little while.” That was Kade, her anchor. Always there for her.
“Stop babysitting me. Seriously, that one guy was hot and into you. You should go back.” The elevator doors opened and they both stepped on, but Lara held out a hand between the doors. “Go back. I’m going straight to bed.”
“You sure?” he asked.
“Absolutely.” She pushed at his shoulder to get him moving before the doors forced shut.
“I’m proud of you for that,” he said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder toward the front doors as he stepped off.
“Me too,” she said. Relief bubbled up inside her when the elevator began buzzing and forcing the doors closed. She waved. “Go! Be safe, have fun.”
Through the entire night, she’d never confessed what she’d done today in her office or how the people she worked with were now treating her. She didn’t like hiding things, but she knew how much he worried.
“Go to bed,” Kade called out. He lifted a hand and smiled that cocky grin she loved so much. She let out a deep breath when the doors finally closed and she stood in the empty box as it rose to her floor. The weight of today settled back down on her shoulders as she walked the hall toward her apartment. She dug for her keys and entered. She kept it dark and dropped her purse on a side table. She began to strip as she walked back to her room. Reed was back fully in every one of her thoughts. She had no idea how long it would take for that to go away, but she wanted that day to hurry.
She shed her jeans, digging her phone out of the back pocket. She hooked it to the charger and tossed her jeans over a corner chair. She’d just entered the bathroom and begun to brush her teeth when her cellphone rang. She let the call go to voice mail.
She’d done the right thing tonight. She knew she had, but man, it had been hard. She’d only had sex a few times in her life and none had ever come close to what she’d experienced today. No question, she wasn’t a one-night stand kind of girl. Sex meant something to her…unfortunately. On the upside, though, she now had a new standard to strive for. Reed had rocked her world. Who would have ever known sex could be that amazing?
When she left the office, she’d blamed him for her monumental lapse in judgement, but that wasn’t the case at all. She was overwhelmingly attracted to him. She participated, hell she even rode and encouraged him to get her to that extraordinary end. That was the true reason he was so dangerous to her. She had to keep her distance. Try to restore what little dignity she had left.
She grabbed her long T-shirt and slid it over her head as she went to the kitchen for a bottle of water. The apartment was still dark, making the light in the refrigerator that much more pronounced, when she heard a loud, persistent knocking. She looked up first, wondering what she had done to cause the guy in the apartment above to bang so hard. When it continued, she closed the refrigerator and looked at the door. Her heart raced a little as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness again. It was after ten at night. Who could be at the door this late?
After a second more, with the motivation of persistent banging, she went for the door, looked through the peep hole and froze. Reed. She ducked, like he would be able to see her looking out. Why was he here? She looked back through the hole, and his face was downcast, focused on the floor until his eyes shifted to the hole on the other side of the door. He was looking straight at her. She dropped down again.
“I hear you in there. Just open the door.”
She turned her back to the door and rolled her eyes. She wasn’t ready to see him. Her resolve was firm, but she needed time to gather her wits.
“I’m not dressed,” she finally yelled back.
“At this point, I don’t think that matters. Open the door, Lara.” Reed spoke clearly, but quietly.
“It’s not a good time for me,” she tried again.
“Open the door.” He wasn’t giving, and of course, her neighbor upstairs began banging on the floor. Her eyes shot up to the ceiling. God, she didn’t want to do this. She waited, completely panicked. When no sound came from behind the door, she prayed he’d left, and she slowly lifted to look back out the peep hole. Reed stood there, staring at the door.
“Just be firm,” she whispered to herself and unlocked the deadbolt but did nothing more. She just couldn’t find it in her to open the door and let him in. No way was she strong enough yet. Reed apparently didn’t have the same issue; she heard the handle turn and felt the door opening so she stepped back.
“Where’s your roommate?” Reed asked as he stuck his head inside the door and looked around.
“He’s gone. Why are you here?” she asked. Reed came fully inside, and she took another step back, because just like always, he drowned out everything until the room became only about him. He wore well-worn jeans, a faded T-shirt, deck shoes, and of course that perfectly tousled hair. How did he always manage to pull off that super-hot thing even when wearing something so ordinary?
“I tried to call. You didn’t answer, and I don’t understand what your “no, thank you” message means,” he said as he closed the door behind him.
“I think it’s self-explanatory. There was no reason for you to come over here,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. He made her nervous and she needed to stay strong until she could move him out the door.
“Explain it to me,” he said, his eyes roaming her face until he stepped in closer to her. She moved farther backward.
“I’m not available to go to the opera with you,” she said. She tried to look him in the eye, but couldn’t hold the stare. She moved her gaze to the wall behind him.
“Okay, then dinner tomorrow night,” he said and took another step, this time she put out a hand, keeping him at arm’s length.
“Reed, this isn’t gonna work between us. I read your whole dating history today in tabloid articles. I’m not one of your women. I had a momentary lapse of judgement. I’m back on solid ground again.” That caused Reed to bark out a laugh and take the fingers of her outstretched hand in his. He moved forward until he could hook his arm around her back to pull her against his body.
“You’re all I can think about. You want to date. I want you. I’ll cave,” he said, sliding his hand behind her neck, his thumb lifting her jaw until she stared up at him, the maneuver as sensual and skilled as the man himself. Her defenses faltered.
“Why me?” Her voice shook despite her effort at controlling it.
“Hell if I
know…” Disappointment filled her. Reed continually swept her off her feet only to drop her back into reality with comments like that. “Wait. I can do better than that.”
“We’re too different…” she started again, but he yanked her more solidly against him and put his fingers over her lips to stop her words.
“You’re pure, fresh, and easy to be with. You’re beautiful, kind, funny, and smart. You’re sexy as hell—not so much in the clothes you wore today…” He smiled teasingly at her. His words touched her heart until that last sentence, and she slapped at his shoulder, moving out from his hold.
“You’re too charming. Kade and I were talking about that,” she said honestly and took several steps away from him. He tracked her with his eyes, but stayed rooted in his spot.
“Come with me to the opera. It’s a required night for me—the only time I’ll ever ask you to go for the rest of the season.” She tried to formulate words to stop this line of conversation, but got lost in him as she stared at him for several long moments.
“I don’t have anything to wear.” What? Where did that come from? Her only response should have been a firm no. He confused her thoughts and rattled her senses each and every time he stood in front of her. She shouldn’t have opened that door.
“When has that ever stopped us,” Reed said, a small smile spreading. He took the steps separating them. He gathered her up and claimed her parted lips. She opened as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His tongue dove forward, claiming her, and she didn’t resist. The kiss continued until he turned it into an urgent fuck fest of her mouth. He angled her head and took long, deep strokes with his tongue. Any needling consideration that she shouldn’t allow this to happen fled as her barriers to this man disintegrated under his sensual assault.
~~~
He’d remembered correctly. She fit seamlessly against his body. When her arms reached up to link fingers behind his neck, her slender frame molded against his. He loved that move. Right then, he felt invincible. He could fight and win any battle as long as she stayed right there by his side. A primitive growl rumbled in his chest as he bent down to capture her lips with his. He kissed her with all the tenderness and longing inside his heart.
Barely dressed. Lara had stood across from him explaining why they couldn’t be together; except, he couldn’t take his eyes off the barely there clothing. Those beautiful long legs exposed. When she crossed her arms over her chest, he nearly lost his mind at the thin wisp of her panties peeking through underneath. Nothing else mattered. He had to have her. She belonged with him.
He should be content to just hold her. She needed to know the sincerity pushing him right now. Yet, his hands had a mind of their own. She was his grand prize after a long fought battle. He roamed his palms up and down her back until he lifted her T-shirt for some skin to skin contact. She melted against his body. He reached low to cup her ass. The soft moan was all the encouragement he needed. He pulled the T-shirt up, tearing free of the kiss as he brought the soft cotton over her head. Her eyes widened, wild with anticipation. Her lips were full and her face flushed. Lord, she was the most erotic female he’d ever met in his life. He wanted her and was fooling himself by thinking he’d ever get enough of this right here. He broke from the kiss and repositioned her, scooping her in his arms, cradling her against his chest. When her arms reached back around his neck like it was the most natural position in the world, he knew without question, she was his heaven on Earth.
“Which room,” he whispered in a ragged husky voice. Reed went in the direction of the bedrooms. Lara tucked her face in his neck and began mouthing the skin below his ear.
“The one on the left.” Her breath tickled his ear. Since both rooms were technically on the left, he picked the one she’d come out of last night.
“I can’t stay away from you. It’s impossible,” Reed reasoned, more to himself than her. He’d pushed too hard today in the office, and as a result, she’d bolted. He didn’t want that to happen again. She had to stop running away from him. He pushed open the door to see her bedroom was piled with clothes. Shoes were everywhere. There was a quickly made bed, a dresser, and a small desk. Not much room for anything else.
“We shouldn’t do this.” Her voice was small, nervous, and she shoved her soft breasts against his chest when she began a more urgent assault on his neck. He didn’t respond right way. He laid her out on the bed. When he tried to rise to shut the door, she wouldn’t let go of his neck, and instead, followed him up.
“I just wanna hold you.” No, he didn’t! He wanted so much more than to just hold this extraordinary woman. He changed his mind on the door and crawled on top of her. He worked her thighs open with his knees. Careful of his weight, he shifted to one side as he again descended to capture her mouth with his. She opened to him, and he kissed her like he had a right to be there. Her hands tangled in his hair, and she arched her back, driving her body more fully against his. Lara purred as Reed’s tongue matched the long lazy strokes of his hand on one of her perfectly shaped mounds.
Braver than ever before, Lara reached low, and seconds before he thought she was going to touch his aching cock, she gripped the fabric of his T-shirt to draw it up and over his head. He angled himself to give her better access, then her tongue was right back in his mouth, exploring deeply as her hand matched his, stroking up and down, caressing every contour and defined line in his chest and stomach.
His tentative beauty sampled and tasted until her fingertips found the small nipple on his chest. She did the most extraordinary thing; she broke from the kiss to lower her head and licked the circle until she flicked her tongue over the tightened bud, sending his need for this woman soaring.
Unable to hold back, he started to reach lower, and she followed, working the button of his jeans undone. Their position wasn’t quite right to easily divest him of his pants. She slid the zipper down as his palm moved across her hip and nestled in the small set of curls between her legs. Her hands and mouth froze as she moaned at the contact. Her legs parted, and she wrapped one thigh around his waist. He took it as an invitation. He slid his middle finger forward, finding her wet, hot, and ready.
Lara drove her hips forward while throwing her head backward, her eyes closed tight. A sexy little groan escaped her slightly parted lips. His cock dripped at the erotic show she’d just given him. He’d managed to slip a finger inside her tight heat, giving a solid couple of thrust, determined to have her orgasm soon. Her hooded gaze opened wider to focus on his face. The passion he saw reflected back at him took his breath away. She pushed at his chest with her palm and tightened her thigh on his hip. In one fluid motion, she had him on his back with her straddled across his unclasped jeans, looking down at him.
She was extraordinary sitting on top of him, her long hair slightly tangled and disarrayed as it fell down around her. Her chest heaved with need, making those mouthwatering mounds rise and fall under his close inspection. He was absolutely certain she intended to undress him, and yes, that was a sexy move, but he had other plans.
He clamped a hand on her hip as she started to move backward. He held her there and used the fingers of his free hand to delve into her wet folds. Two digits slid straight into her channel while his thumb quickly worked its magic. He couldn’t get enough of what he was seeing. Her gaze locked on his, and she began riding his fingers. She clasped his wrist, holding his arm in place, encouraging him to finish the moment. Her head fell forward, her hair creating a thin veil over her face as unintelligible words flew freely. She bucked against his hand.
Her orgasm was swift and intense as the release violently racked her body. Her hands gripped him tightly, her hips drove desperately against his fingers, and she became unsteady atop of him. She was magnificent. Reed reached forward, guiding her lax body down to lay across his chest. She was hot and sweaty with deeply heaving bursts of breath that tickled across his chest. He could live for getting her off.
“How do you do this to me?” Her voice was small
and filled with awe. She was trying to understand what was happening to her. Hell, he got that. He had no idea what was happening to him either.
“When’s Kade coming home?” he asked, using his fingertips to trace the contours of her face. Even to his touch she was beautiful.
“No idea.” She let out a yawn, nestling closer against him as she ran a hand down the length of his chest. It was those little things he loved the most. She couldn’t seem to get enough, even when she was right there next to him. He clasped her hand, bringing her knuckles to his lips for a kissing caress. He held on to her fingers even as he reluctantly rose, only dropping them when he moved too far out of his reach to maintain his hold, but he couldn’t risk Kade finding them like this. Not yet. The scene he’d cause would have Lara upset, and this fragile new ground they’d established was too fresh. He needed time to win her over. He rose to shut the door and saw her T-shirt still on the floor in the living room. That little garment would be a huge alert for her roommate that something wasn’t quite right, but he also didn’t want to leave Lara alone too long. He’d been on the receiving end of her freaking out and bailing. He couldn’t stand the idea of being sent packing right now.
With a backward glance over his shoulder, he risked a quick dash. Kade was too smart. He scooped up the T-shirt and jogged the few steps back, hoping she hadn’t changed her mind. The reward of finding her there, completely nude with an arm tossed over her eyes, her lips parted, her chest rising and falling took his breath away. God, she was beautiful. He shut and locked the bedroom door, toed off his shoes, and made his way back to bed.
“Help me out of my jeans?” His voice sounded deep and gravelly as need tightened his body.
Chasing Happy (Texas Desires #1) Page 18