“Tell me what you want.” Without waiting for my reply, he kissed his way along my collarbone.
My head hit the wall gently over and over as my body lit up from his touch.
“Tell me what you want, Juliette.” He repeated his question, but this time he looked me directly in the eyes.
I slowly undid my coat and let it fall to the floor. I then unzipped his leather jacket and pushed it off his shoulders, allowing it to fall to the ground. I grabbed his head and ran my hands through his hair, standing on my tiptoes to reduce the distance to his gorgeous face. Then I whispered in no uncertain terms, “I want you.”
His eyes flared with lust and a small groan escaped his lips as his hands moved to the back of my thighs and scooped me off the ground. His lips immediately found mine as my legs wrapped hungrily around him. We were on the move, but I was oblivious to my surroundings, lost in his kiss, his hands kneading my thighs. My apartment wasn’t big, so he had no trouble locating my bedroom. A door was kicked open, and I squealed as I became airborne, thrown backward onto my soft bed. I landed with a bounce, giggling before Leo’s muscular body crashed down on me again.
I unclasped my jewelled belt and flung it off the bed. Before it hit the floor, Leo grabbed the hem of my dress and roughly dragged it up and over my head. Desperate to feel him skin-to-skin, I did the same with his t-shirt then started work on his belt buckle. I was taking too much time, so he pushed my hands aside and ripped it off, flinging it to join mine on the floor. My hands greedily unzipped his trousers but were pinned to the bed above my head before I could make any further progress.
His mouth devoured mine. Our tongues intertwined in a frenzied collision of desire, and all I could think about was how much I wanted this man. I wanted him with every fibre of my being. One of his hands continued to hold both mine in place while the other grazed down my body, leaving a hot, fiery trail. By the time he reached my inner thighs, I was ready to combust. His mouth found its way to my chest. His free hand moved from my thigh to my strapless bra, pulling down the cups to expose my breasts to his strong, sensual tongue. My back arched in ecstasy, allowing his hand to move under me and unsnap the clasp. I quickly found myself naked from the waist up, writhing, willing him to resume his attention. I was rewarded when his mouth closed down over my left breast, sending me into a tailspin of pleasure. My right leg hooked over his backside, pushing his hardness into me, and our groans tried to outdo the other as the heat between us hit fever pitch.
When his mouth moved to my right breast, my eyes rolled back into my head. I had never experienced anything close to this pleasure and I was still wearing my underwear.
“Oh my God, Leo.” I panted the words as my desperation for him to take me increased.
“I want to savour you.” Both his hands roamed my body while his mouth came down over mine, and our kiss was tender, reinforcing his words.
With my hands now freed, I took matters into my own hands. I pulled at my g-string and wiggled it down my body before going to work on his trousers and boxers.
“Steady on, my little minx.”
I was way too turned on to be remotely embarrassed by my forwardness, and it would have been fleeting anyway as Leo grabbed a condom from his wallet in his discarded trousers.
As he ripped the packet, I glanced down and gasped.
Holy shit! I thought, gritting my teeth with a mixture of fear and excitement at my impending impalement.
“Still in a hurry?” Leo asked with a smug grin, positioning himself between my thighs. His lower arms rested on either side of my head and his thumbs caressed my cheekbones.
I answered by whipping my legs around and giving his backside a firm shove, pushing him straight into me. We were both caught by surprise as he filled me completely. My legs tightened around him, eager to hold on to the incredible sensations flooding my whole body. Leo hovered over me, staring with an expression of awe and rapture.
“You feel so fucking good,” he whispered.
Rendered speechless, I grabbed his head and pulled him down, needing his mouth on mine so I could express everything I could through our kiss.
“I’m going to start moving now.” He pushed in a fraction further before retreating almost all the way out. “You feel so damn good, Jules.”
I loved it when he called me Jules.
When he pushed back in, my head arched back and I willed him to keep moving. As if reading my mind, his pace picked up with each thrust. My mind was swirling in ecstasy, reaching heights I never knew existed. I could stay connected to Leo forever and want for nothing the rest of my life. When I looked up, his piercing blue eyes bored into mine with an intensity I couldn’t quite handle. My head fell to the side and his thrusts halted.
“Look at me, Jules.”
Wanting him to continue his sensual assault on my body, I raised my head back to his gaze.
“Are you okay?”
My eyes glazed at the extreme beauty of this man inside me. I’d seen the results of his fighting prowess bloodied on the floor. I’d seen his whole demeanour change in an instant and had him cause me physical harm in his beautiful house. Yet there was another side to him—warm, gentle and caring beyond which I’d never known from a man. I loved both sides equally and I wanted all of him.
“Don’t stop.” I swallowed the lump in my throat and pushed my hips up. “Please.”
My plea ended any further hesitation. I soared higher and higher, reaching for the summit I was now absolutely sure was there. Higher and higher. Leo was right there with me; his eyes, wild with lust, never left mine.
“Come with me, baby.”
I leapt off the cliff and sailed through our own personal oblivion. I was home.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Leo
Nightmares haunted my sleep. I watched her fall asleep in my arms. We spoke no further about the fact she’d broken up with Richard, mostly because she was giving me nothing. I knew she had baggage, I just didn’t know how heavy it was. With my own set of demons, I didn’t know if I was strong enough to shoulder a bigger load. Would she even want me to? It felt like hours later that I fell into a restless sleep.
Through a hazy fog, I dragged my feet as if wading through honey along the hallway of my family home. I grazed my hands along the exposed brick walls and looked down to see them bleeding. Unable to stem the sticky red flow, I continued on at a painfully slow pace. Screaming was coming from the kitchen and I just couldn’t get there. My feet wouldn’t let me run, however hard I tried. Too slow. Too hard. I wanted to call out, but my voice was muted. I wanted to be frustrated, but I was too tired and confused to try any harder. My subconscious was terrified, willing me to wake from limbo.
Eventually, my body found a way to the end of the hallway, and I stood in the doorway of the kitchen. It wasn’t our kitchen though. It was a kitchen I’d seen somewhere, but I couldn’t work out when or if it was even real. It was all stainless steel and marble—ultra modern and expensive. My head moved slowly around the room, features blurring into unrecognisable shapes and colours. Then my sleep-trapped mind was bombarded by a recurring horror movie, warping slightly every time.
My lifeless body dominated my vision, completely covered in blood. I was standing there staring at my own dead body. I’d heard screaming but didn’t know where it had come from. I scanned the room again, and this time the rustic country kitchen I’d grown up with had returned. A streak of blonde caught my attention and my sluggish head moved towards it. Juliette. She was holding a knife, screaming? She was crazed. Her beautiful navy eyes were black as night and her long blonde hair clung to her head in a damp mess.
“No!” I screamed, waking me from this new version of Hell. I sat up, sweat dripping from my forehead. Placing my face in my hands, I closed my eyes again, resting on my bent knees, and took some deep, calming breaths. As my heart rate decreased, I had flashes of the night before. I sat bolt upright and looked around, quickly realising I wasn’t in my own room.
&
nbsp; Oh shit.
Juliette had gone to sleep in my arms but now had her back to me and was as far as she could get without falling off the side of the bed. Her arms were wrapped around herself protectively, and I was swamped by an overwhelming guilt. I should’ve just dropped her off last night. I’d been driven by lust and built-up sexual frustration and had barely stopped to think where her head was. She’d just broken up with Dick, for fuck’s sake.
There was something special about this beautiful, enigmatic girl, and I felt an unprecedented connection to her. I wanted more than a one-night stand, but her subconscious body language spoke of regret.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Juliette
Phenomenal sex with Leo was bittersweet. Sweet wasn’t quite the right word to describe such a mind-blowing experience, but I did feel the bitterness creep in and take hold of me. I’d wasted so many years shielding myself from anything likely to upset my mother. A one-night stand with a bartending motorbike rider, not to mention illegal fighting champion, would definitely upset her. My phone calls with my father assured me that Mum was coping. She’d stopped calling me and selfishly, I was relieved.
Leo made me feel worshipped. For one night, I felt like the centre of someone’s world rather than a disappointment. As my consciousness faded, I fought against it, wanting to hold on to the blissful sensations of his hands stroking my hair, the occasional light kiss to the top of my head. I had fallen asleep cocooned in his arms, his muscular torso a surprisingly comfortable pillow, but I woke up the same way I did when I shared my bed with Richard—with as much distance as possible between us. Annoyed at myself, I rolled over, hoping to get a chance to unashamedly admire the hottest man I’d ever seen, but instead I found myself alone. His clothes were gone and my door was closed. He must have slipped out while I slept.
I thought waking up alone after a one-night stand would involve a slew of shame, but I was completely fine with it. I wasn’t going to regret it, hang my head in shame or try to force it to be something more than it was—an awesome one-night stand. I’d never known lust before Leo, and it was far more amazing than I could’ve imagined and then some.
Leo had demons. A big part of me wanted to know what they were and maybe help him fight them. Can you help fight someone else’s demons by bringing your own set into the ring? I had no idea. What I did know was that I had a whole lot of shit going down in my life that I needed to sort out.
I got up and pulled my robe around me. I needed coffee. It was then I realised I could smell coffee and hear some clanging coming from the kitchen. I hurried towards the smells and sounds and was confronted by an unprecedented sight I wanted to photograph and put in a frame.
Leo turned towards me, a loaf of bread hanging in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. He was wearing only his black trousers, giving me a full view of his defined abs. His expression was at first unreadable, but then I watched as his eyes moved down my body before regaining eye contact. The lust flashing in his eyes could bring me to my knees, and I was grateful to be leaning on the door frame.
He closed the distance between us without dropping his gaze and kissed me as if he had no choice.
“Good morning.” His husky morning voice made it so.
“A hot man’s made me coffee and a sandwich. It’s a great morning.”
“I heard you were a coffee lover from Bea.” He handed me a steaming white mug.
“I’m a self-confessed addict, but I don’t care. I love it.”
I closed my eyes and pressed the mug to my lips, inhaling the steam. Feeling his eyes on me, I peeked over my mug, still holding it to my lips. He was staring at me with unashamed intensity.
After taking a long draw, I put my mug down and reached for a sandwich.
“So, about last night.” It wasn’t really a statement or a question. It was just a group of words thrown out there for me to do something with.
I’d already taken a mouthful, so he had to wait while I chewed slowly for my thoughts on the matter. I swallowed and placed the rest of the sandwich down.
“Look, Leo. I know the score. It’s okay.” I was clearly struggling to maintain his eye contact and instead stared at my remaining sandwich while I continued. “I had a really good time last night, but I don’t have wild illusions of this being a happily ever after. I just came out of a long-term relationship, my life is a nightmare at the moment and I really appreciated the escape from reality you gave me last night.”
Leo’s brow furrowed and his jaw tightened.
He looked like he had something to say on the topic but chose not to. We had both succumbed to a lust built up from the second we laid eyes on each other. It had felt so right. We just stared at each other. I wasn’t sure of what to say or do.
“Let’s go sit down while you finish your sandwich.” His casual tone relaxed me. “I’ll be offended if you don’t finish my pièce de résistance.”
“You like sandwiches.” It was a statement rather than a question.
“My sandwiches are epic. Don’t bother denying it.”
I just nodded and smiled. The smile was all for him. We sat down next to each other on the lounge.
“Please don’t feel you have to stick around.” I glanced at him then took a bite of the sandwich. I had no idea what he was thinking. “I actually thought you’d left when I woke up. I’m totally fine with what this is.”
“Let’s get something straight right now.” I was a little taken aback by his tone. “Last night shouldn’t have happened.”
Even though I’d said I was fine with it, I couldn’t help flinching at his words of regret. I put the plate on the coffee table and propped my leg up so we were facing each other.
His eyes softened slightly before continuing. “Don’t misunderstand. I wanted you, but I never wanted a one-night stand with you.”
“You didn’t?”
He placed his hand on my cheek, and I instinctively leaned into it. “Your strengths and your weaknesses are black and white, Juliette. I wanted to see the colours in between. I wanted to get to know who you really are behind your masks, and sex has a way of complicating things.”
I was both thrilled and saddened. His only regret was not getting to know me before our first sleepover. His eyes watched me intently.
Reaching between us, he took hold of my hand. “I think I’ve seen a little of it already.” His killer smile disarmed me. “They are moments of pure heaven.”
“Tell me?” My voice shook.
“I’ve seen moments when you let go, and it’s breathtaking. I saw you laughing with Angus and Bea at the bar last night and I watched you dancing by yourself, oblivious to everything and everyone around you. When you fell asleep in my arms, I knew I wanted to see a whole lot more of you, Jules.”
I huffed out my held breath, and my free hand clasped one of my heated cheeks. “Wow.”
“That’s all you have to say?” Leo chuckled.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“What are you thanking me for?” He appeared confused. “If anyone should be grateful, it should be me thanking the powers of the universe for you.”
My eyes cast downwards and my cheeks warmed. “You make me feel special and…” I paused.
“And what?” he pushed.
“You make me feel special and sexy.” I sneaked a glance back to his face and found a look of shock. “I’ve never felt sexy before.”
“Are you fucking serious?” He now appeared mad. He cupped my chin and forced my eyes to his. “You’re an intoxicating vixen and you’re sexy as hell.”
“No one has ever really seen me like you do,” I whispered, an unwelcome sadness now prickling my eyes.
He kissed me lightly on the lips and reminded me how we fit so perfectly together.
“Come with me.” He held out his hand and I took it without hesitation.
Leaving the plates and mugs where they were, he led me back to my bedroom. Neither of us spoke as we walked, lust crackling between us.
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When we stepped into my room, he pushed me up against the wall and kissed me hard, tugging at my robe and breaking our connection for only a few seconds before crashing his lips against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body into him.
“Take me right here against the wall.” His lust-filled eyes drove me wild. “I want you right now.”
“Badass Juliette is a massive turn-on. I’ll grab a condom.”
He made it to the bedside table in a few strides and retrieved what he needed. Turning, he stopped dead, perusing my completely naked body. My robe pooled at my feet. His eyes stopped on my breasts, partially hidden by my long hair.
His trousers and boxers appeared to melt off his smoking hot body. Ripping the packet open, he sheathed himself in the few seconds it took him to cross the room. I felt possessive and desperate to claim him when he picked me up and propped me against the wall. I kissed him with a need I knew was mutual. I wrapped my legs around his waist and lowered myself in one smooth motion. There was nothing awkward about sex with this man. It wasn’t strained or rushed. It was as natural as breathing and, in that moment, felt as vital as oxygen.
“Leo.”
As I came, his name rolled out of my mouth from somewhere deep inside me, and I felt him tense then groan out his own release. I was done for. Completely owned by a man who, in a few weeks, knew me better than anyone ever had.
He lowered me to the floor and stroked my face. His piercing blue eyes sought mine. “How about a shower?”
He kissed me lightly on the lips then pulled me towards the bathroom, where he reminded me again how sexy he found me.
Showered, dressed and thoroughly sated, we relaxed on the couch, still tired from our late night. It was far too easy to let the outside world fade away with Leo’s strong arms around me. While he spoke so openly about my life, he had his own unspoken issues. What the hell had happened in his family home that made him so edgy? Was that the reason he fought with such ferocity at fight night?
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