by Delka Beazer
Heart beating frantically, she closed her mouth with an audible snap. She had to calm down, regain some control.
“Come over here Mina,” Hunter crooned, ignoring her plea, his voice seductive molten chocolate.
She shuddered as it sent hot, searing flashes straight to her womb. A spurt of heat lanced through her, wetness pooled between her legs. She squeezed her eyes tight.
How was it possible that such simple words could send her body into such a tailspin?
She moaned, tried to fight it but found herself swaying towards him. He slipped a finger down the valley between her clenched thighs.
Her breath scraped her throat. The urge to cry or beg for release battled inside her, she closed her eyes and bit her lip hard.
“I said to come here Mina,” Hunter urged again, this time with less patience, his voice growing insistent.
She nodded and edged closer to him. The movement unsealed her thighs and his hand slipped deeply between them.
She gasped, tried to squirm away from the swift glide of his fingers delving boldly to their destination.
She reached for his shoulders, “Hunter, I …” her voice trailed off and her eyes bulged.
A finger had managed to slip under the silk of her panties. She jerked her hips trying to dissuade the curious digit but it only sent him deeper.
“Hunter, please. What are you doing?” Her breath strangled in her throat as he dipped lower into her, she clenched around him.
He hissed feeling her response. Without mercy he gently flicked his imbedded finger, bolts of sensations shot through her, she cried out as her vision blurred and sagged against him.
She moaned, a guttural throaty purr, which turned into a cry when he continued probing and flicking inside her. She began panting as keen sensations began pooling in her center, it grew tighter, more unbearable with every move of his finger.
Her legs fell open even wider, in carnal invite.
Dimly Hunter’s own ragged breathing penetrated the fog of her brain. His finger burrowed deeper, she groaned, gripped the rigid muscles in his shoulders as her breathing scattered.
He pushed deeper, then withdrew, the rough pad of his finger paused, abraded the nub of her femininity, her breath faltered, her eyes rolled backed in her head. She gathered air and screamed, the sound deafening in the small confines of the car.
“Shush baby, it’s alright,” Hunter soothed, but his own voice wobbled, “open wider for me,” he crooned and blew a hot blast across her nape, unholy shivers skittered along her neck, sunk low to her spine.
Weak protests struggled to the surface, he swiped his callused fingertip over her nub once more and she was lost.
She relaxed the inner muscles of her legs, letting them fall completely open.
She tried but couldn’t read his face in the darkness of the car. All she got was the sound of his rough breathing and the unceasing thrust of his finger into her.
He pulled back, startling her, “I hope you don’t love this dress, Mina,” he growled in warning.
“What … What do you mean?” She blinked trying to jumpstart her brain from inertia.
Hunter laughed diabolically, the sound rippled overhead, he gripped the hem of her wedding dress and tore.
The sound of the costly cloth being ripped apart was jagged in the confined space.
There was no time to mourn.
The fact that she was basically naked from the waist down barely sunk in before she shrieked as she went airborne. Landing with a thump astride Hunter’s powerful thighs, hers stretched indecently around his.
She reared back, her eyes fell down between them, darkness greeted her, but there was no denying the hot, hard protuberance which fairly burned the length of her stomach.
Hunter had freed himself while he’d been pleasing her. Outrage or exhilaration or a dangerous combination of both warred inside her.
Sensing her shock, Hunter chuckled, the sound thoroughly satisfied. She fumed, opened her mouth-
“You won’t be needing these either,” he mused, rudely cutting her off.
The quick sting from the slender fabric on her hips, answered, as Hunter ripped off her underwear in one precise move.
Stunned, her heart careened in her chest. She had to seize her own share of this coupling.
She leaned into him and the hot heat rising between them was still pulling dying jolts of sensation from her. She was more than ready.
Before she lost her nerve, she reared up, hopefully high enough, and sank down onto him.
Hunter cried out as though he’d been mortally bitten, she let go and pushed down, a cry caught in her throat, drowned out by Hunter’s uninhibited roar of pleasure.
Her back jerked as tension mounted between her shoulder blades, she clenched her teeth and focused fiercely on where they were joined.
It felt afire, the length of him burned all the way to her womb.
She winced, and clutched his hard shoulders.
Perhaps that hadn’t been such a good idea. She’d underestimated his size.
But lifting away from him was not an option.
She inched backwards, tightened her grasp around his shoulders. He came forward, their lips met. She closed her eyes and let go of everything else.
All her senses raced to her lips, her body rocked with bliss as she absorbed the tender swipe of Hunter’s tongue as he teased, cajoled and finally began to sip at her.
He ducked away before she could pull him in. She almost cried out, but then he came back, brushed her eyelids, her cheeks.
She groaned at the exquisite sensations, the tips of her fingers ached to touch him, reaching forward she cupped his face in the dark.
Hard lines, soft, wide lips, an arrogant nose, unbidden a smile tugged at her lips. Driven on, she skimmed further and the tickle of fine, sharp facial hair kissed her fingers. Leaning forward eagerly, she nuzzled them and inhaled his singular scent. Clean and male it flooded her nostrils, drifted deep into her mouth until she could taste it on the back of her tongue.
She held his face, trapping him, sucked greedily on his bottom lip. It was beyond description, he was soft, sweet, his taste beguiled her tongue. With a start she knew that she’d been dying to kiss him again ever since they’d made love.
Even when they’d argued outside the church, and the horrible reality of just how much he’d controlled her life had come out, she’d wanted to reach out and touch him. She hated this weakness, but she couldn’t get away from it.
Right now she needed it.
And he was letting her take as much as she wanted. Still and sure he didn’t move as she gulped down his flavor. His divine taste churned and blossomed on her tongue and then he came alive, plunged his tongue almost to the back of her throat with a hard, ruthless stab. She reciprocated and battled him back, their mouth strained against her each, teeth scraping, lips submerged.
Their breathing grew loud and harsh, the sting of bruises began to form on her lips but Hunter’s mouth was intoxicating. She plied her tongue shamelessly against his.
There was never a moment of retreat. He forced her head to the side and she complied willingly, his tongue snaked around inside her mouth, teasing, sucking and thoroughly subduing hers.
The urge to scream with delight overwhelmed her, but she needed more. With a painful groan, she moved her hips tentatively over the iron heat still trapped snugly inside her body. Discomfort lanced up her middle, she broke away, muffled a wince.
“Easy baby,” Hunter muttered, dropping kisses on her forehead. He caught her hips and moved her experimentally, slowly up the length of him.
She tensed, caught the insides of her mouth with her teeth, the discomfort tugged at her, but it was already diminishing with Hunter’s careful movement.
“Better?” Hunter queried his voice gravelly, restrained.
She nodded.
He clasped her bottom and began to knead it, his mouth returned to hers and before long she was moving, trying to match the st
ab of his tongue with the same motion of her hips. She slid tentatively along the thick length of him.
Moments later the steady ride made her slick and pliable. Sweet heat began gathering in her core, growing stronger with each thrust. She shuddered and involuntary contractions seized her muscles. Hunter gasped, hardened his hands around the swell of her bottom.
She began moving faster, wanting more. Her earlier discomfort vanished into the recesses of her mind.
Hunter morphed from the compliant lover into an earthquake beneath her. He surged upwards causing her breath to falter, slamming his hips up against hers.
Her body rippled with the force of his movement, her head met and began thumping rhythmically against the soft roof of the car.
She widened her hips to give him more room and held onto him, as he undulated and soared beneath her, each glide made her cry out as he burst through the narrow grasp of her inner muscles. Sensations began rushing and building, her breath started to falter, and with it the force that she now recognized.
She ground down onto him, sending him as deep into her body as he could get, she whipped her head back. Hunter crushed her to him, and speared into her with stunning repetitive force, it was just what she needed, she screamed as she clenched with all her strength around him.
Hunter went into a frenzy beneath her, with the last of her strength she latched onto his shoulders as he lost himself, moments later he was shouting her name, his voice raw and hoarse.
Limp, she collapsed against him, unable to move. She was out of breath and feeling strangely fulfilled.
Hunter’s hold was equally tight, the thud of his pounding heart matched hers.
She stared blindly into the darkness all around them. She had given Hunter her hand in marriage and now she’d followed it with her body.
What was next for them, did they have a future or had she just made two of the biggest mistakes of her life?
Chapter fourteen
Standing beside the long, expansive windows of their newly shared office in Bronswort mansion, Hunter watched Mina walking absently below.
Minutes before she’d refused his offer of a quiet lunch together. Ignoring him she’d left and now strolled the grounds of Bronswort like a lost soul. His brows furrowed as he watched her reach up and pluck one of the tiny, snowy blossoms from a nearby orange tree. She stood still inhaling the scent.
Despite the bitterness that festered in their marriage, he itched to go down to her. But he wouldn’t be welcomed.
She looked up at the house and he pulled back before she could spot him.
Frustrated he whipped around and nearly trampled Hermile who’d rolled soundlessly up behind him.
“You’re in love with her,” Hermile said calmly, leaving no room for argument.
Was he? He didn’t know nor did he want to. He bristled and brushed past the meddlesome man. If he wasn’t determined to stay with Mina, who’d refused to live with him, he wouldn’t stay another minute in this house.
“That’s none of your business.”
“True, but you need help. Mina is stubborn-”
“Like Josephine?” Hunter supplied brutally, regretting it immediately when the older man stiffened. He shouldn’t have said that, considering what he was trying to accomplish for Mina’s mom. He sighed wearily and massaged some stiff muscles in his shoulder, “drop it okay? Mina gives me enough to handle without you adding your two cents.”
Hermile chuckled good-naturedly, then his eyes grew troubled. “Any signs of life yet?” He stared pointedly at the thick mountain of files which littered Hunter’s desk.
Hunter’s mouth turned down. He’d demanded total openness in the business, and Mina had brought him up to speed on other areas of debt that he hadn’t even known existed.
Bronswort would prove costlier to turn around than he’d anticipated.
He strode over to his desk, flipped open an annual report. “It’ll take time Hermile. We’re still losing money each month, despite the reduction in debt.”
Hermile’s stern face was pinched white with alarm. Hunter held up a hand, “there’s no need to panic, my pockets are deep enough but they’re not bottomless. I’ve arranged for a series of temporary respites that may get us back on track.”
The door swung open and Mina strode in. She took in the scene before her with calculating eyes. “Scheming and planning again?” She stared pointedly at Hermile, “let me guess, since you’re out of daughters to sell-”
“Mina!” Both he and Hermile barked in unison.
She laughed, a venomous sound. “So now we’ve grown a conscience? Tell me how much did Hunter offer you to get you to agree to sell your daughter, ten million, twenty?”
Hermile wheeled so fast towards her, Hunter thought he would run her down, but he stopped with inches to spare and glared up at her. “You’re becoming a bitter, spiteful woman Mina.”
She scowled at him but her gaze rose and he knew that her venom was actually directed at him, “How much Hunter?” she snarled.
His eyes fell to her mouth, set in tight lines, even now he yearned to touch her.
How long had it been since he’d kissed her, been inside her?
Seven nights, eight days. Not since their stormy wedding night in his car. It should’ve been a new beginning. He’d been wrong. It had been nothing but an episode of rampant desire.
“Fifty million and counting Mina. That’s what I’m paying for you,” he shrugged, “and your business of course.”
She didn’t react.
They all knew that he’d paid twice what they’re dwindling business was currently worth. But she probably didn’t care.
No price would be high enough.
How long was she going to punish him for wanting her?
“I better get going,” Hermile announced to no one in particular.
Hunter managed to tear his eyes away from Mina just as the door closed behind Hermile.
Mina marched to her desk.
He considered her, perhaps he could snatch a chance to spend some time with her. “I’d like if you would accompany me to a meeting I’ve scheduled with the men this afternoon.”
“Oh?” She concentrated on the files before her. “Why? You own our company. Surely you don’t need your employee’s permission for anything?” she looked up and cold resentment simmered in her eyes.
He’d insisted that all decisions must now be run past him for approval. But was that enough for the limitless resentment he sensed in her? Was she purposefully being blind to the reality that as his wife, with no pre-nup in place, his businesses and wealth also belonged to her?
He was beginning to think that she was cold. Because he’d wanted her so much, he’d fooled himself into believing otherwise.
He clenched his jaw. “Yeah, I don’t need your permission for anything,” he said unapologetically,” but I do have one recurring request, can I have you tonight?”
She jumped in her seat, he smiled but it was without triumph. She kept her head bent and remained infuriatingly silent.
He was pushed beyond endurance, crossing over to her he slammed his fist down on the sturdy wood, she jerked in her seat and finally me his eyes. “I thought our wedding night had changed some things between us.”
She tossed back her head and he could see the effort it took for her not to lose control, it was there in the heightened color on her cheeks, her eyes sparked fire at him, “blame yourself for being stupid.”
The chain on his temper snapped. “I blame you for torpedoing the things that could go right between us, for closing me out,” he roared unable to keep a lid on his anger.
She eyed him coolly, unmoved. “Having Bronswort isn’t turning out to be the bargain you’d thought?” she taunted.
He shoved himself back from her with steely effort. “In more ways than one,” he said softly, she flinched but didn’t attempt a rejoinder.
She kept thumbing too fast through a file, pretending to read it.
A sense of
failure washed through him. “Look we need to talk about making some cuts to our staff in several locations, and also on Jacobe Aisle, just until things picks up.”
Alarm brought her face up, distress pulled the corners of her mouth down, her hazel eyes dimmed. “I know … this should’ve been done a long time ago.”
He stiffened, eyed her critically, “are you blaming me?”
She didn’t shrink back from his quelling stare. “No Hunter. I blame myself … my father. The money we saved from your free labor helped us keep some of those workers.”
He nodded stiffly, “thanks for that at least,” he made for the door. The sound of the doorbell ringing below was right on time. He hoped it was the person he’d asked to come. He looked back at her, “I’m leaving for the worksite now, are you coming?”
Mina swiftly changed out of her dress into the requisite shorts and t-shirt that were more appropriate to a building site.
Voices came from downstairs. Who could it be? Hermile hadn’t mentioned an intended visitor. She shimmied into her shorts and hastened from the room.
She skidded to a stop at the bottom of the stairs and swiveled to the right. Angry, tearful voices were coming from her father’s closed library door. She rushed towards it. Hunter emerged from the door leading to the kitchen, two small brown sacks neatly folded in his hands.
“Stop Mina.”
She threw a disgusted look at him. “Don’t tell me what to do, he’s my father. Who’s in there with him?”
“The person who’s least likely to cause him harm, your mother.” Hunter stared quietly at her, there was something in his eyes.
“Did you do this? Her lips trembled with a sudden rush of tumultuous, painful emotions.
Hunter grimaced. “Yea … I don’t know what’s going on with your parents but I think Hermile misses her. It would explain why he was so focused on your life.”
She didn’t know what to say. She was floored. A stranger … no, not a stranger Hunter had done something she’d been too wrapped up in her own misery and anger to attempt.