“Oh my God,” Holliday chirped, and swiped the screen of her phone.
“What is it?” I asked, before taking a drink of my dirty martini.
She clutched the phone to her chest. “Okay, I have a huge secret, but I am bursting to tell someone. I’ve been biting my tongue all day.”
Alex eyed her. “Well, if it’s a secret maybe it should stay a secret.”
She waved him off. “Kill joy. You’re no fun.”
Ronan eyed her and shook his head. “Holliday, no.”
Bless his heart, that wasn’t going to keep her from spilling the juicy details to me. I was glad that I would be staying in the States permanently, because I was so happy to be getting to know Holliday and I loved having my brother so close.
I cocked and eyebrow. “Dish, girl.”
Her face twisted up and she whisper screamed, “Grady James and Heather Young went to Vegas and got married. He’s sent me a photo this morning, and now they’re off to Belize for their honeymoon.”
“No,” I gasped and my mouth hung open in stunned silence.
Holliday shoved her phone at me and I saw the picture, proof positive these two had in fact tied the knot. “How long do you think it will last?”
I shrugged. “Millions of women across the world just had their hopes and dreams go up and flames. And you,” I said, lifting my glass towards Ronan. “You, my brother, dodged a bullet. Heather is such a twat.”
Holliday nearly choked on her mimosa. “I love your sister,” she coughed out.
Ronan scowled at me. Alex just shook his head and took another sip of whiskey and then inquired about the purchase of the bar. I had a feeling Alex wanted in on that real-estate investment. Time would tell.
Our waitress approached with a huge smile. “Ready to order?”
The rest of our lunch was uneventful, but we had a lovely time. Bonding over business led Ronan and Alex into topics surrounding baseball stats and country music. It was the oddest thing, but I was pretty positive that they were going to become good friends.
The sky changed from a peaceful shade of blue to a wondrous grey. Alex turned into the driveway and I swore I saw a snowflake skate across the windshield. I kept my focus on the glass and sure enough a flurry of heavy wet flakes appeared.
“First snow of the season,” Alex pointed out as he parked the Range Rover.
“It’s beautiful,” I remarked, stepping out into the cold.
He rounded the front of the Range Rover with his hands in his pockets. “You’re beautiful.”
Unsure of how long we stood there admiring nature in all her beauty and catching snowflakes on our tongues, I felt a deep chill in my bones. My teeth chattered and Alex wrapped his arms around me from behind. I felt my insides melting despite the cold wind howling around us.
Alex punched in the security code from his phone as we skipped up the back steps. I opened the door and we tumbled inside. Alex stood before me, his hair wet from the snow and his hazel eyes shimmering with flecks of gold. He took my breath away. His arms banded around my waist and my body pressed against his.
He took my mouth in an urgent kiss and I pulled him closer seeking warmth. Unbuttoning Alex’s coat, I tossed it onto the bench in the mudroom before removing my own. We stripped out of our wet clothes and I begged Alex to warm me up in the hottest part of the house he could think of.
With a flick of his wrist, his phone had lit up the living room fireplace. He grabbed my face and kissed me, his warmth radiating through my entire body.
“How did you know?”
Alex’s teeth scraped across my earlobe and his fingers tangled in my hair. “How did I know you wanted me to fuck you in front of a roaring fire?”
“Naughty.” I smacked his chest, his muscles flexed under my touch.
He picked me up and hauled me over his shoulder to the living room. When we were situated on the carpet, his hands massaged up my thighs and everything in me started to coil and tighten. My hands found their way over his shoulders and I guided him over me.
His head dipped to kiss me and his lips were everywhere—my lips, my cheeks, my throat, eventually making their way to my breasts where he sucked and licked until I was begging him to fuck me.
“I want you, Alex. I need to feel you inside of me.”
His teeth grazed over my nipple. My arms wrapped around his neck, a gentle coaxing on my part to get him to give me what I wanted.
He pushed into me, rolling his hips, filling me completely. Moans of pleasure and seductive gasps for more accompanied the smooth slow strokes.
“You feel so good.” My voice was breathy, my pulse racing.
Intensity flared in his eyes. He worked his hips and my fingernails dug into his waist.
“You’re so perfect, this is perfect,” he murmured.
I shifted my hips, stretching wide, he slid all the way in making me arch and cry out.
“I’m so deep inside you,” he whispered darkly.
Tingles radiated and I could feel the deep ache of my orgasm taking hold. The muscles in his neck and shoulders pulled tight. I smoothed my hands up his back, crushing my lips to his, thrusting my tongue into his mouth.
He increased his rhythm knowing I was on the brink. “Get there, sweetheart,” he rasped seductively, as he thrust up into me. “I’m close and I need you with me.”
I churned my hips beneath him, chasing the orgasm that was so very close. His hips worked a magnificent speed that had me nearly combusting. He drew his thumb to my clit and wonderful waves of pleasure ripped through me. I let out a breathless cry followed by his name, “Alex.”
And then he was right there going over the edge with me. On a groan, he fell on top of me, and then rolled to nestle beside me. We clung to each other, gasping for breath.
“You look so beautiful, all pink and flushed.” His hand came up to the base of my neck. “I love you.”
“I love you, thanks for making me all pink and flushed.” I curled into him and we fell asleep tangled together. It was perfect and magical, and somehow I knew that it would always be like this with the two of us.
Several Months Later
I LIFTED MY HEAD at the smell of warm cinnamon tickling my senses. Alex stood in the doorway of my office looking sexy as hell, wearing a blue t-shirt tucked underneath his leather jacket. My eyes admired his long muscular legs, his taut torso, and those brilliant hazel eyes, which never failed to say “come fuck me.” He wasn’t even naked, yet I had very dirty thoughts swirling through my mind.
Holy hell, I’m one lucky girl.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, glancing at the clock. It was half past eight, and I’d yet to finish number crunching the weekly sales report. Additionally, I had the open-to-buy plan that needed my attention along with a fashion edit for One Park Avenue Magazine. I was blown away when they’d asked me to guest edit for their March issue—next to the September issue, this was their second largest fashion edition.
“I just wanted to check on you, I know you’ve been working hard, tidying up loose ends before we leave.”
“Aww, you’re very sweet, but Tiffany and I have that covered. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“I sent Tiffany home, she has a boyfriend and it’s her senior year, let her enjoy the last week of her winter break.”
“Damn, you’re so nice.”
He shrugged and pressed a kiss to my lips. “I can’t help it, but you should know I did it for purely selfish reasons. So really, I’m not that nice.”
I smiled. “Whatever you say, handsome.”
After taking a sip of my coffee, I flipped off the music and closed down my laptop. The last few months had been amazing. Both of my stores had increased sales earnings by nearly twenty percent combined. Even though her store was not far from mine, Charlotte asked if I would carry some pieces from her collection. She’d apologized for her bad behavior at Holliday’s birthday party and I accepted. She wasn’t wrong in her actions, her timing sucked. We ha
d a good conversation. Besides, we’d be family soon enough.
I pulled the report that I printed up from the copier. “When does our flight leave for Park City tomorrow morning?”
Ronan had been invited to attend The Sundance Film Festival as one of the judges. So he invited Alex and me to come as well. He and Heather Young were going to debut the trailer for their movie, A Thousand Words, at the Connolly Campaign Fundraising Dinner.
Alex eyed me over his cup. “Ten o’clock. Ronan called this afternoon and finalized the flight itinerary. He mentioned that Van Wyk is hosting a welcome party tomorrow night.”
“Yeah, Holliday called earlier and said the same thing.” I stood up and moved to the file cabinet, tucking away the latest sales figures. “She wanted that grey wrap sweater, the one with the zippers. I packed it along with a few other pieces that will be perfect for the snowy weather.”
“You girls and your clothes,” he mocked, shaking his head. “Your plan to squeeze me out of our closet is nearly complete.”
“Why don’t you just build me a bigger one?” I asked, shoving my laptop into my bag and hauling it up onto my shoulder.
“I’ll get right on that with all the free time I have.”
Alex had very little free time these days. He’d taken himself out of fieldwork completely and was perfectly happy being the boss. Tucked away in his office, he spent his days tracking logistics, monitoring intelligence and, because he could, he took on the occasional celebrity scandal. Patrick moved to Manhattan to run the New York office and Marcus was head commander in Grand Rapids. On top of all of that, he’d gone into business with my brother and they purchased O’Brien’s Irish Pub. It was quite a coincidence that it held such special meaning for both my brother and me.
We drove into the city once a week because Alex agreed to see a therapist a few times a month to work through any guilt or fear issues that may still linger. I was so proud of him. He would get back to his neutral soon enough.
I rounded the corner of my desk and breezed to the stock room where I turned out all the lights and the sound system. My work could wait until the morning, or at the very least when I was on the jet. The only thing left to do was set the alarm and the security panel was near the front of the shop.
“Oh.” I bumped his shoulder with mine. “Did I tell you that Tinley and Matthew invited us to a party at his house in Aspen after the festival?”
“What kind of party?” he asked, before tossing his empty coffee cup into the trash bin.
I shrugged. “She said it was an intimate affair, cocktail party, I assume.”
He blew out a breath. “I’m going to need an assistant to help me keep track of my social life.”
I laughed. “That’s part of my job. I can help with all things pertaining to parties.”
“Says the former party girl.”
“Touché, but we can’t spend all our time watching TV and hiding out.”
“I like having you all to myself,” he sighed, hitching his arms around my waist. “See, I am selfish.”
“Live fearlessly,” I reminded him, before pressing a kiss to his lips. “Also, love me fearlessly.”
One night after dinner, I explained to Alex the meaning behind my tattoo, even during the darkest part of our relationship, I loved him and he loved me. I believed we could be together, loving one another without anyone or anything holding us back.
Fuck the rules. Fuck our rules. God, we were so dumb.
“Not a problem there.”
“Good, let’s get out of here.”
After I locked my office, we walked down the hallway hand in hand. Life was good. Actually, it was better than good it was literally amazing. We spent Christmas with his family in Grosse Point and then we rang in the New Year lying on a beach in St. Barts. It was hard to imagine what my life was like before I met Alex. Our life was turning into one adventure after another and there was no one I’d rather be on that journey with.
On our way to the door, I stopped to pick up a scarf that had fallen onto the floor.
Stepping behind me, where his hands fell to my hips, he whispered, “I had a dream that started this way once.”
“Interesting . . . me bent over a table folding clothes?” I turned to face him. “Are you sure that wasn’t you watching me doing the laundry?”
His lips grazed over mine, but he didn’t kiss me. “Hand me that scarf and I’ll show you.” The heat of his voice matched the fire in his intense gaze.
Intrigued, I handed him the scarf. He led me across the sales floor to one of the columns in front of the dressing rooms. A smirked pulled at the corner of Alex’s lips.
“Strip.”
I arched a brow. “What now?”
“Come on, be a good girl and indulge me.”
“Oh, so we do this sort of thing now,” I said, gesturing from the column to the silk fabric he held in his hands.
He shook his head. “We do not have to do any sort of thing.”
Still my curiosity got the better of me. “Perhaps I’ve had this dream once or twice myself.”
Truth be told, I’d had a few dreams about being tied up, my nightmares had morphed into my fantasies. Maybe I was a little twisted.
“Really?” He cocked a brow and a smug smile crossed his face.
My lips twisted up. “I can practically hear your cock hardening at my admission.”
“I love it when you talk dirty.”
“Perhaps I need to have my head shrunk. I should make an appointment with your therapist.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it.”
Without delay, I wiggled out of my jeans and tossed my blouse aside. Soon we were both naked in middle of my store. Thank God, the lights were out. Otherwise, everyone on Harbour Drive was going to get a sex show.
Hmm, Amsterdam.
He compelled me forward, bringing my hands around either side of the column. “Am I hurting you?”
“No,” I answered truthfully feeling my nipples harden as they brushed against the cool concrete.
“Do you trust me?” he asked, wrapping the silk around my wrists, making a double knot.
“Absolutely.”
Alex hadn’t even touched me yet and I was already on fire for him. He moved to stand behind me. His fingertips whispered down my back, leaving hot trails of fire pricking every inch of my skin. The cold concrete was almost a welcome relief.
“Hello, gorgeous.” The warmth of his breath fanned against my cheek, sending a delicious shiver down my spine.
“Alex.” His name came out in a low moan. I rocked my body against his, feeling his cock against the swell of my ass. His hands drifted up my ribcage, cupping each breast and massaging in slow circles.
My head fell back against his shoulder. Nuzzling my hair out of the way, he kissed his way up my throat. His cock ground against my ass. I was so hot, I thought I might combust.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day. Did you know that?”
Aroused I trembled at his question. “Yes . . . I know.”
I was incredibly wet, I felt the moisture pooling between my thighs.
With a quick thrust, he was inside me, rolling his hips against me. Not being able to touch him was torture, even though I couldn’t see him, I felt him, he was there touching me. Alex was everywhere—bound to me, not because of some silken fabric, or a paycheck for that matter, but because we lived inside each other. What we didn’t know was that the stars definitely had a plan for us, and we were connected in a much bigger way.
“Give me everything, Ella.”
The deep spasms of my orgasm rippled, lighting up every nerve in my body. His fingers dug into my skin as he picked up the pace. Driving his hips harder, I knew I was close, when my legs trembled and knocked against the pillar.
“Yes . . . Yes . . . More.” My mind was foggy lost in a haze of lust.
“I want it all,” he growled. “Fuck, you feel so good.”
My walls constricted around him and I dov
e, plunging into a sea of ecstasy. He came with a quiet roar as his lips kissed between my shoulder blades. A litany of curses groaned into my skin.
“How about Amsterdam?”
“Did you say aftershocks?” I was mindless, the tremors continuing their relentless assault.
Naked and beautiful, he stood in front of me, a lazy grin attached to his lips. “I said, how about Amsterdam?”
“Oh, okay?”
“You used your out loud voice, again.” He loosened the silk from my arms. “By the way, put this on my account.” Alex pushed me back, gently massaging my arms. He brushed the hair away from my face and dipped his lips to mine, kissing me softly and slowly. I melted into him.
“Dinner?” he asked, his hands stroking up my back.
“In Amsterdam?”
He laughed. “You’re adorable, I need to tie you up more often. Quick, what’s my name?”
“William, was it?”
“Yeah, Kate, once upon a time, for one amazing night.” He smirked, pulling his jeans up and over his hips.
“Wow, we’ve come full circle from role playing to bondage.”
He pulled his shirt over his head. “That was hardly bondage.”
“Kiss me, Alex.”
“Oh,” he prompted, as the pads of his thumbs stroked my cheeks. “So you do remember my name?”
“I could never forget your name.”
One Year and A Few Months Later
“YOU HAVE A SON,” Vince stated proudly, slapping my shoulder. “Congratulations, brother.”
“He’s just beautiful, Alex,” Amanda said with a bright smile. Their daughter, Leandra, had just turned two not long ago.
“Thank you, we couldn’t be happier,” I said, placing him back into his bassinet.
Ethan stepped into the room with Nabila on his heels.
“It’s almost time, buddy. You ready?” he asked, his hands digging into my shoulders.
“Oh, my little godson is positively adorable,” Nabila cooed, adjusting Will’s blanket.
Bound to Me (The Harbour Series Book 1) Page 26