He’d never kissed me on the cheek before.
“Goodnight.” He walked to the elevator.
What?
“Are you leaving?”
He hit the button then turned around. “Yes.”
I didn’t know what to make of it because he never dropped by, fucked me, and then left immediately afterward. We spent time in bed, made love a few more times, and then he departed long after midnight. Now he was trying to get in and out quicker than going through a fast-food drive-thru. “Why?”
He narrowed his eyes at me harshly, like I’d said the wrong thing. “You know why.” The doors opened so he stepped inside.
I walked to the elevator buck naked and hit the button so the doors would remain open. “Get your ass in here.”
He didn’t move.
“Now.”
He sighed before he stepped back inside my penthouse. The doors immediately closed behind him. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the penthouse like it was the first time he’d walked inside. His jaw clenched with hostility. He was obviously angry at me. Livid, to be more correct. “I’m not handling this well. I thought I would be over it by now, but I guess I’m not.”
I knew all this derived from my engagement to Thorn. We still hadn’t talked about it, and it was obviously heavy on his mind.
He slid one hand into the front pocket of his jeans then ran his other hand through his hair.
I didn’t know what to say to improve the situation. I hated hurting him. I didn’t do it on purpose. Hurting him was the same thing as hurting myself. I wanted to apologize for it, but that was inappropriate. I had nothing to be sorry for. There was no other decision I could have made.
“I know you don’t love him.” His eyes were on the kitchen even though he wasn’t really looking at it. “Not the way you love me. I know he’s just a friend you’ve chosen as family. I even like the guy. But…it hurts.”
My eyes contracted as the pain swept through me.
“It hurts for a lot of reasons. But the biggest reason of all…it should be me.”
I didn’t want to hear this. I didn’t want to go in a circle again. “Hunt, we can’t keep talking about this…it’s not going to make either one of us feel better.”
He shook his head slightly before he looked at me again. He stared at me for a long time, seeing something that only he could see. He watched me closely, his brown eyes soaking in every aspect of my expression. He stared for so long that minutes seemed to pass. “You’re right. It’s not.” He hit the button to the elevator again.
My heart fell back into my stomach as I watched him step inside. “Hunt…”
“What?” He held the door open, watching me with a slightly irritated expression.
Now I was the one to stare at him. I stared at the scruff along his jaw and fell into the darkness of his eyes. It was time for me to say something, but not a single word formed on the tip of my tongue.
“What?” he repeated, his voice sounding deeper. “If you want me to stay, say it.”
I didn’t want to watch those doors close and hide his face. The night I said I was going to say yes to Thorn’s proposal, the doors had shut on Hunt’s expression. My stomach filled with acid, pain, and tears. I couldn’t wipe the image from my memory. “Please.”
“Please what?” he pressed.
“Stay.”
Our eyes remained locked for several heartbeats before he stepped back inside my penthouse. His hostility disappeared at my plea, and he slid his hands into my hair before he kissed me. As if the living room floor hadn’t happened, he kissed me as if he hadn’t already had me tonight.
He kissed me like he’d never had me.
His powerful arms circled me before they lifted me into his chest. Without breaking his stride, he carried me out of the living room and into my bedroom. He placed me on the bed and smothered me with hot kisses. His lips reached the hollow of my throat and made me writhe on the bed. Like he hadn’t just made me come, I needed him to make me come again.
His jeans came undone, and he pushed his bottoms down again. He pulled my hips to the edge of the bed, and he shoved his throbbing cock inside me once more, burrowing deep between my legs, right where it belonged. He moaned from the back of his throat as he enjoyed my usual wetness.
I grabbed on to his hips and slowly tugged him inside me, wanting that soft rocking he usually gave me.
He thrust at a perfect pace, his hands holding him over me on the bed. His powerful body flexed and moved as he rocked into me, making love to me at a sensual pace. His eyes darkened as he looked at me, claiming me all over again. He was angry, but he was also deeply affectionate like he’d always been. “Baby…”
My hands ran up his chest as I was swept away by our passion. “Diesel…”
* * *
The valet took Thorn’s car keys before Thorn took my hand and we walked inside. Reporters were on the sidewalk, and they snapped a few pictures of us before we stepped inside the building.
The large lobby was decorated for the occasion with gold streamers and black tables. Paintings hung on the walls, and waiters passed with a tray of champagne. New York’s finest mingled together in their expensive gowns and suits.
Thorn kept his grip on my hand as he pulled me inside. “Champagne okay?”
“Sure.”
He grabbed me a glass then placed his hand on the small of my back. His affection felt natural because we’d been doing it in public for over a year. I was used to Thorn touching me, and it never made me uncomfortable. When his hand was on me, I actually felt more relaxed. He was my best friend as well as my family.
We mingled with a few people, all of whom complimented my dress as well as my ring.
“So, when’s the big day?” Claudia Sawyer, the editor for the biggest fashion magazine in the world, asked.
Thorn and I hadn’t even discussed it.
“Not sure yet,” I answered. “We’re just enjoying being engaged.”
His arm moved around my waist, and he pulled me closer to his side. “I’m kinda in a rush for the bachelor party, so I’m sure we’ll decide something quickly.” He winked at me.
I chuckled at his wickedness. “Your bachelor party will be nothing compared to mine.”
“Ooh…” Claudia laughed. “Looks like you met your match, Thorn.”
Thorn eyed me fondly. “I think I did.”
We spoke with a few other people Thorn knew from his social circles. I saw a couple people I wanted to see, but we were doing so much talking, I never really had a chance to look at any of the paintings.
Thorn was in the midst of a detailed conversation about sports, so I broke away to take a look at some of the artwork on the walls. One in particular was full of splashes of color. It was loud, vibrant, and it was nearly screaming even though it didn’t make a sound. I stared at it for a few heartbeats before I moved on to the next piece, something more subdued. It fit my personality much better, and I took a moment to enjoy it.
“What do you think of this one?” A brunette in a silver dress stepped in front of a painting down at the end of the wall. She wore black heels with a black clutch in her hand. She was pretty and cheerful.
A man in a black suit joined her and stared at the painting, silent and brooding. He had muscular shoulders and a slim waistline.
He captured my notice out of the corner of my eye because he reminded me of Hunt. When I snuck a peek and turned my head completely, I realized it was him. I quickly turned away and pretended not to be staring.
But my heart plummeted out of my chest.
“It doesn’t mean anything to me,” he said quietly. “I’ve never been a fan of art.”
“How can you not be a fan?” She stepped to the next painting. “It is beautiful.”
“I guess we have different definitions of beautiful.” He followed her and examined the next painting in line. His hands rested in his pockets, but his posture remained perfectly upright, rigid and strong.
They moved farther down the line, and she stopped in front of the painting. “You have to like this one, Mr. Hunt.”
Mr. Hunt.
Hunt stared without any discernible reaction. “Can’t say I do.”
“But it’s beautiful,” she said. “Look at all the bright colors.”
He shrugged and turned toward me, about to reach my side. “I guess I don’t like bright colors.” His eyes focused on me like he knew I’d been there the entire time. “Now this one…” He came to my side, his shoulder almost touching mine. “This one, I like. What do you think?”
I knew he was talking to me. “I like it too.”
The brunette joined him and stared at the picture. “Yeah, it’s pretty good.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
Hunt stood far closer to me than he did to her. “Olivia, let me introduce you to my business partner, Titan.”
Olivia smiled before she shook my hand. “A pleasure. I’ve spoken to your assistant a few times.”
I smiled as I shook her hand, still having no idea who she was. “Nice to meet you as well.”
Hunt grinned as he watched me uneasily, probably picking up the waves of jealousy I felt. “Olivia is one of my assistants and has fine taste in art. She was giving me some pointers.”
Humiliation washed over me at the way I’d overreacted. I hadn’t said or done anything, but Hunt knew I’d had a silent freak-out behind the mask I wore. I was terrified he’d brought a date to the art gallery and I’d have to watch some woman drool all over him. “That’s nice of her to help you even when she’s off the clock. She must like you…although I can’t imagine why.”
He smiled at my playful jab.
“Mr. Hunt is wonderful,” Olivia said. “When I had my first baby, he gave me nine months of maternity leave—with pay.”
Now I noticed the wedding ring on her left hand. That was something I would have picked up on if I hadn’t been so flustered. “He sounds like a good boss.”
“He’s the best.” Olivia patted him on the shoulder before she stepped away. “I need to track my husband down. I’ll see you later, Mr. Hunt.”
Hunt turned his gaze back to the painting. “Have a good night, Olivia.”
She disappeared, leaving us alone in front of the painting.
Hunt hadn’t dropped his smile.
So infuriating. “What?”
He turned to me, the gleam in his eyes. “I was on the other side of the room, and I could still tell you were jealous.”
“I wasn’t jealous,” I lied. “I just wasn’t sure if it was you.”
“Bullshit. You know it’s me before you even get a look at me.”
I usually could feel him before my eyes actually caught a glimpse. His intensity was sound waves, and my body was the radar. I could detect his heat, his energy.
“You’re here with your fiancé, but you’re losing your mind over me and some woman.” He turned back to the painting. “I find that interesting.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re worse than I am.”
“True. But at least I admit it.” He pivoted his body toward me and moved his hand to my hip.
I immediately stopped breathing, my heart stopping at the same time.
He was far too close to me than he should be. He could kiss me if he wanted. He could take my breath away if he wanted. His dark eyes homed in on my lips, and he leaned in.
But I didn’t pull away.
He pressed his mouth to my cheek and kissed me.
It was innocent and soft, but it made my legs quiver. It made my knees want to fall apart so his lips could kiss my most sensitive features. The kiss was merely polite for a social event, but I couldn’t stop picturing him fucking me in my bed. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way he came inside me three times last night. I’d had so much come in my pussy that it wouldn’t fit. My skin flushed with searing heat, and an almost silent moan escaped my throat.
But I bet Hunt could hear it.
He pulled away and dropped his hand.
I opened my eyes and looked at the intensity in his gaze. He was staring at me the way he did when we were alone together. Everyone else in the room saw me in the beautiful dress Connor gave to me, but Hunt saw something completely different.
I was buck naked.
I was covered in sweat.
I was in his bed.
Stuffed with his come.
His hands rested in the pockets of his slacks, but his eyes violated me in ways that no one understood. Everyone carried on with their conversations and enjoyed their glasses of champagne, but Hunt and I made love with just our gazes. He licked his tongue up my neck to the hollow of my throat. He kissed me in all the places I desired. He worshiped me like the only woman he wanted in his sheets.
It seemed to go on forever.
We were interrupted by Connor Suede. If he hadn’t come by, it probably would have continued on indefinitely. “Sweetheart, you look stunning.” His arm circled my waist, and he kissed me on the cheek.
I almost pushed him off because Hunt was standing there. I knew he hated Connor and was fiercely jealous of him. Even though there was nothing between us now, Connor was a handsome man I’d taken to bed before. I wouldn’t want to even look at a woman Hunt had been with. “Thank you, Connor. How’s your evening?” I quickly moved away from his embrace without appearing rude. I wouldn’t put it past Hunt to punch anyone in the face for touching my hand a little too long.
“It’s great.” He wore all black, black jeans, t-shirt, and a leather jacket on top. “I just bought a painting to add to my collection.”
“That’s wonderful. It doesn’t surprise me that an artist appreciates art.”
Connor turned to Hunt and extended his hand. “Hunt. Good to see you.”
Hunt shook his hand but only nodded in return.
Connor brushed off his coldness or didn’t seem to notice. “I was wondering if you would do another photoshoot with me next week.”
“Again?” I asked in surprise.
“Sales are through the roof. You’ve branded my clothes in a way I never anticipated. Your image and your bravery are something woman desire. When that story hit the newspapers, it helped my sales—not made them worse. Women all over the world admire you. Something terrible happened to you, but you didn’t give up.” He held up his finger. “That’s the kind of role model young women should be looking up to.”
His words left me speechless because Connor was never kind without reason. If he gave a compliment, it was genuine. If he didn’t like you, he had no problem announcing it. He cared very little about what other people thought. Instead, he valued his own opinion above the rest. “That’s sweet, Connor.”
“So let’s do another. I’m releasing a new evening fashion line.” He indicated my dress. “From what I hear, people already love it.”
“It is beautiful.” I ran my hands down the front.
“Is that a yes?” he asked.
“Of course.”
“That’s wonderful.” He leaned in to kiss me on the cheek again.
This time, Hunt didn’t let the second kiss slide. He discreetly maneuvered between us and addressed Connor directly. “I’ve been meaning to get a new suit. Do you have any recommendations?”
Connor didn’t pick up on the hostility because Hunt hid it well enough. “I have tons, actually.”
“We should discuss it,” Hunt said. “Titan is my business partner, and she speaks highly of your work. Perhaps I should adopt some of her taste in fashion.”
“You can always swing by the office and one of my girls will fit you.”
“Sounds like a great idea.”
Connor was called away by someone, so he left
abruptly.
The second he was gone, Hunt wore his fierce scowl. He eyed Connor’s back like his gaze was a sharp knife and Connor was a cutting board. Hunt watched him closely before he turned back to me.
I couldn’t suppress my grin. “And I’m the jealous one…”
He didn’t crack a smile. “He wants to fuck you.”
“So what?”
The hostile glare he gave me was hot enough to burn lava. “So what?”
“Just because he wants to doesn’t mean he gets to. There are lots of women who want to hop into your bed. Does that mean you’re going to screw all of them?”
His terrifying gaze was the only response I was going to get. “I don’t want him to kiss you like that.”
“He’s French.”
“Don’t give a damn what he is.”
“You’re overreacting.”
“Watch a woman kiss me on the cheek twice and see if I’m overreacting.” He stepped away from me and returned to the main party, his powerful shoulders tense with unpleasant hostility. He entered the crowd but stuck out like an island in the middle of the sea. Even from across the room, I could feel his anger.
I could feel his rage.
3
Hunt
I shouldn’t have lost my temper over Connor.
Right now, it didn’t matter. My only chance at keeping Titan was by making her fall so deeply in love with me that she would take one last risk for me. She would go against the evidence and choose to believe me just because she wanted to.
Acting like a jealous maniac wasn’t the way to accomplish that.
Nor was storming out of her penthouse after fucking her.
I needed to get my shit together.
Connor was the last thing I should be worried about right now.
I had more pressing problems at the moment.
Natalie’s voice interrupted my thoughts as I sat at my desk. “Sir, I have Kyle Livingston on line one.”
I knew exactly what this was about, and I hoped it would be good news. My father could turn anything into gold with the snap of a finger. People found his intimidation respectable, so everyone wanted to do business with him. He was cunning but also eloquent. If we weren’t at war with each other, I would actually admit I respected him as a businessman. He made great choices, and to the best of my knowledge, he’d never maliciously screwed anyone over. His business operated with some sense of morality. “Thank you, Natalie.” I hit the speakerphone button so I could continue looking out the window. “What can I do for you, Kyle?” Playing it cool was the only way to operate. Men didn’t respond to the pathetic sound of desperation. I was absolutely desperate at the moment, but I was far too proud to reveal it.
Boss Alpha Page 3