by Melody Anne
Chapter Twenty-One
Throwing his keys down on the entryway table, Kian moved through the large foyer of his house, bypassing the double staircase and walking down the seemingly endless hallway. For some reason, the house seemed extra empty tonight. His footsteps echoed off the walls as he walked past pictures of his family, not bothering to look at them.
He didn’t want to admit to what he was feeling, but loneliness came to mind before he pushed it away. He was a successful doctor, a brother, a son, and now a father. That last title got to him, though, because his daughter should be there with him. This place was meant to have children in it, was meant to absorb the sound of laughter. How much longer was he going to be able to stand not having Lily with him?
He knew he wouldn’t last a long time. But he didn’t want just Lily, he wanted Roxie as well. Of course, he would love and want his daughter just on her own, but he wanted it all now. He’d bought this place a few months before Roxie had left. He’d planned on sharing it with her. It had been getting a complete remodel in those months before she’d walked away, and she’d never even seen the inside of it.
Kian went to his den, normally a haven to him, and wasn’t looking at anything as he usually did. Instead of enjoying the beautiful fireplace and hardwood floors, he only saw empty spaces where his child or, for that matter, children, should be crawling around. He wanted to sit in this room, cuddle up on the couch while a fire roared, with Roxie in his arms and Lily playing with action figures. Hey, a girl could be a superhero, too.
But instead, he moved to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a scotch. He couldn’t stand being in the room, so he left, crystal glass in hand as he made his way to the back staircase. He moved up them two at a time and went down the hallway, stopping in front of a door. His hand caressed the wood, and he told himself not to open it. But Kian didn’t seem to be listening to himself very well at the moment.
He pushed open the door and felt so much loneliness in that moment, he didn’t know what to think. Stepping inside, he glanced around the room. A large princess bed sat in the center of the room, purple drapes hanging down from the tall posts. It truly was a bed fit for a queen, which his little girl was.
He’d had the room done the moment he’d known she was his. He wanted her to step into his house and feel at home instantly. He’d wanted her to never want to leave. Maybe the room would help accomplish this. He’d given his assistant carte blanche to do whatever she thought a nearly four-year-old would want. His sister had been impressed, so he thought it had been a pretty good job.
Not able to stand being in the empty room any longer, he quickly left and moved to his own room. It was almost as difficult to be in there as it was to be in Lily’s quiet bedroom. But he couldn’t kick himself out of the room he slept in. Not that he wanted to sleep there. He wanted to be with Roxie. Why couldn’t the woman just admit she wanted him? He knew she wasn’t fighting him so much as she was fighting herself. He just wasn’t sure what to do about it.
He refilled his glass with a bottle he had in his bedroom, then took a quick shower and settled down on his bed. He had a book to download. A smile flittered across his lips. He had to see what had gotten Roxie so embarrassed as she’d admitted to reading romance. He couldn’t believe there were porn books for women. There was no way it could be any good, he thought. Maybe it would bore him enough to make him have a great night’s sleep for the first time in ages.
Sitting in his nice warm bed, he laughed when he found the cover to the book. He double-checked it was the right title, then shrugged and hit the “Buy” button. He’d have to skim the thing because there was no way he was going to get into the story line. When Kian read for pleasure, he wanted action and murder, and always entertainment. He mostly read nonfiction, so his limited fiction time had better absorb him pretty damn quickly.
Kian was a fast reader, and an hour into the book, he was shocked. What the hell? He found himself laughing out loud at some of the scenes, and though he wouldn’t admit to this, not even with a gun pointed at his head, he was entertained, for sure. This wasn’t anything like he’d expected.
Was it real world? Hell, no. This sort of thing didn’t happen in real life. But even as he thought that, he began to think of his own story with Roxie. Heck, he thought a book could be written about them, if someone wanted to take the time. They’d had their ups and downs, hell, were still going through a down time. It might make a decent story. He chuckled. Nah. His life wasn’t entertaining enough to read about.
He continued reading as he got absorbed back into the story. If his brothers knew what he was reading right now, he’d never hear the end of it. Never! He wondered, though, if his sister had read the book. He wanted to ask her, but then she’d want to know how he even knew about it, and that was a question he wasn’t at all willing to answer.
He found himself laughing again as the hero of the story, Brett, tried to give dating advice to the woman who was making him harder than a rock. Yeah, Kian definitely knew how that felt. He seemed to be solid 99 percent of the time he was around Roxie, even after having a perfectly good orgasm. He’d always been insatiable when it came to her.
No other woman had made him want to stay naked twenty-four-seven. Kian wouldn’t lie, not even in his own head. He loved sex. He loved everything about sex. He could do it on a moment’s notice. Hell, the species would die out if not for sex. It was his duty to perform the act. Yeah, he liked that; it was his duty, his obligation. But with Roxie, oh, with Roxie, it was so much more. He could run his hands along her smooth flesh morning, noon, and night.
Dammit! Now he was throbbing again. Maybe he should stop reading now. Nope. He was too into this damn story and wanted to see what else the hero could do to screw things up. People were so stupid sometimes. Why wouldn’t they just be honest with each other? Maybe because playing a few games made life that much more interesting.
Hell if he knew all the answers. He didn’t even know how his own mind worked, let alone what the answers to life were all about. Kian got to the next chapter of the book and found himself swallowing hard. Ah shit, this wasn’t going to be good for his anatomy. He could tell right from the next line.
Alisha walked over to the door that connected her room to Brett’s and laid a hand on it.
Stop now! He was already throbbing, and this book had proved to him he no longer needed to pick up a copy of Playboy to read something sexy. Not that he’d done that in a while, he defended himself. Instead of stopping, though, he continued reading. The heroine was thinking about all the nice things Brett had done for her. Smart lady. See! He wanted to call up Roxie right this instant. Look, in your book you’re so enamored with, the heroine understands what a great guy the hero is. She’s lamenting about the wonderful things he’s done for her.
Kian grinned. Yeah, she’s thinking about those nice things, and she’s gonna get naked. He laughed out loud. Maybe it was good he was only having these thoughts instead of speaking them. He might come across as a pig. Hell, all men were pigs. Women had to know that by now. They were controlled by sex, food, and power. Love, too, he added. He did a lot out of love. Love for his family, for his career, for sex, and for food. He chuckled again, then continued to read.
I’m a survivor. If he breaks my heart, I’ll pick myself up and go on.
Kian stopped. Those words hit him hard. Was that how Roxie felt? She had every right to feel that way. She’d survived so much. Was she broken in more ways than he could have imagined? Was there something more he could do for her to help her heal?
Shaking his head, Kian continued reading, then cringed. What the hell? He could do without male body parts being described.
Her gaze slid lower, across his flat stomach to his dark-blue briefs that did nothing to conceal his enormous erection.
Yeah, Kian would bet the guy had a giant sock in his pants. Not many men were as blessed as he was when it came to a satisfying cock. He knew what he had, and he was more than happy to ple
ase his woman with it. But in a book, he supposed an author couldn’t exactly say something like, His three-inch penis was gonna pound her so hard. Kian laughed again. Maybe he should stick to doctoring and not try to write a romance book.
Her thighs quivered as warmth spread through her.
Now we’re getting somewhere! Kian was picturing Roxie reading this, her thighs quivering, her hot core getting wet. He should stop. He really should stop. But there was no way he was going to now.
Thoughts evaporated from Kian’s mind as he got absorbed in the love scene. His mind flashed with images of Roxie and him tangled up on his giant bed. He read the scene and imagined doing all the hero was doing with her. He wanted her so badly, he was about to explode without a single touch to his body.
. . . flicked his tongue back and forth over her nipple . . .
. . . tongue darted across her lower lips . . .
His tongue plunged in and out of her . . .
. . . dipped the tip of his cock into her . . .
That’s it! He had to admit he was officially a romance-book fan. Kian threw down his Kindle, his breathing heavy. He needed Roxie, and he needed her now. He picked up his phone. How persuasive he could be?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lily had been asleep for an hour, and Roxie was lying in bed reading. She’d forgone the tea, going straight for her bottle of wine. Her body was still on fire, and the worst possible thing she could do right at this moment was drink a couple of glasses of wine while reading a romance book.
But she’d been so busy with taking care of Lily and then moving and finding a job that she hadn’t been able to finish her book, and it was a good one. She was a little bit in love with the hero of the story, Brett Westerly. He actually reminded her a little of Kian. Though Brett was a businessman and all, and Kian was a doctor, their attitudes certainly lined up.
And Roxie was very aware that the last thing she should be doing was reading about sex when her body was so hot as it was, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She guzzled down her glass of wine and decided one more glass wouldn’t hurt anyone.
She went and refilled, then climbed back into bed and grabbed her Kindle. Before she could get back into the story, her phone buzzed, showing she had a message. It was almost ten, and she couldn’t imagine who’d be texting.
When she opened the message and saw it was from Kian, she felt a stirring of excitement low in her stomach. She could pretend she was asleep and dive back into her book, but she found herself putting down the Kindle and picking up her phone. Maybe it was the wine, and maybe it was the book, and maybe it was the hot make-out session from a few hours before. Whatever it was, she didn’t think too hard about opening a door that should remain closed.
He groaned in approval and thrust his tongue deeply inside her.
Roxie was in shock as she read the message. She reread it again and felt moisture pool in her core. She squeezed her thighs together as an unbearable ache took over her body. He’d downloaded the book she was reading. He was texting her a line from one of the sex scenes, and she was as hot as hell. She’d never had a phone-sexting conversation before. Should she play along? It was a bad idea.
Squeezing her thighs tightly together, she decided to respond.
She put a leg over one of his shoulders and pulled him closer with it, urging him to continue.
It was too late to go back now. She’d responded, and she could see where he was typing. Rubbing her legs up and down, the friction on her thighs was driving her mad, but she couldn’t help it. She grabbed her glass of wine and took another deep swallow, then licked her lips, imagining it was him doing it for her.
His tongue plunged in and out of her, deeper with each stroke.
Hot damn! She felt as if she were in the book, as if she were being stroked and teased, built up slowly. Though it wasn’t exactly happening slow, not at all. She was hot and aching, and her fingers caressed the screen of her phone as she decided what she wanted to do next. Her room was dark and her head slightly fuzzy. She replied.
I’m hot, so damn hot right now . . .
Letting go of her inhibitions, Roxie’s hand slid down her pajama pants, and she ran her fingers across her aching slit. Her body jumped from the bed at that gentle touch. She’d eased her own ache before but never while this turned on. It had been out of necessity before she’d thought she’d explode from the buildup, but it was always such a letdown, and she’d hungered to be filled; she hungered for one person to do it. She’d close her eyes and picture Kian on top of her, his sweaty chest brushing against her nipples, his solid erection penetrating her in the most filling way.
Slowly, Roxie’s thighs opened as she slid her hand lower and slipped two fingers inside her heat. She bit her lip to keep from groaning as the next message popped up on her phone. It was difficult to see through the blurriness of her vision.
I want to make you hotter. I’m dying here. Let me come over and finish this. Please.
Roxie felt as if she were going out of her mind. She wanted fulfillment. She shouldn’t do it, shouldn’t allow this to happen, but she wanted him so badly, and she didn’t think she was going to get the same release without him.
My hand doesn’t come close to the tight hold of your wet heat. Let me come to you. I’m hard and aching. I want you. I’m lying here picturing your fingers deep inside that hot core, and I want to replace them with my own. I want to run my tongue along your tightness and push it inside before I bury myself deep within you. I want to take you deep, and I want to bury myself in your mouth and hot core. Just say one word and I’ll be there in five minutes.
Kian definitely lived more than five minutes away, but she had a feeling he’d be here that fast. She could get the satisfaction she so desperately needed. Before she could change her mind, she found herself typing.
Yes. Key is under the pink flowerpot.
She hit “Send” and waited to see if there was a response. Nothing. Roxie pushed her pajama pants away and lay back, her eyes closed as she ran her fingers across her slick heat. She rubbed her swollen flesh and dipped her fingers inside, seeking relief that just wouldn’t come. She needed Kian—only Kian.
There was a noise at her front door, and she was so delirious in pleasure, she couldn’t even begin to focus on it. Then her bedroom door opened, and though it was dark, she could see the outline of Kian standing there. He began stripping off his clothes as she continued to rub herself, trying to see his face, but unable. A moan escaped her, and she wondered if all of this was a dream.
That was okay if it was, as long as she was able to come to completion at the end. She wouldn’t mind coming again and again.
“You are so fucking hot,” he said, his voice low and gravelly, nearly out of control—just the way she liked it.
“I need . . .” she panted.
“What do you need?” he asked. He crawled up on the bed, his flesh hot and hard.
“You, I need you,” she panted. She was still touching herself when he grabbed her hand and pressed it into the bed.
She had to grab her pillow and push it over her face when his mouth replaced her fingers and he did exactly what he said he was going to do; he dived his tongue deep inside her, making her hips arch off the bed.
She exploded instantly, her heat clenching over and over as an orgasm nearly ripped her in two with the intensity of the waves. One touch from him had been all she needed. He stroked her slowly as she fell back down to earth, but Roxie wasn’t even close to being fully satisfied. He’d woken up a hunger in her she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to sate.
She sat up, and with her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could see his outline. She needed to taste him. She missed the feeling of his fullness inside her mouth. Pushing him onto his back, she started at his neck. He reached his fingers into her hair and pulled. The sting grounded her and excited her all at once.
Kissing her way down his chest, she circled her tongue across his hard nipples and bit down on them,
making him moan low in his throat as he pushed his hips up against her side. She felt his thickness against her and grew even wetter, her body dripping in pleasure.
She ran her tongue down the solid plane of his stomach, circled his belly button, and then went lower. His fingers were still holding her hair, tugging on her. She smiled as she kissed his lower stomach, her fingers lightly rubbing along his happy trail. That small arrow of hair had always turned her on so much when he’d go shirtless. She’d grow wet as she followed the line, knowing exactly what it led to.
She pressed her lips against his hip, wetting his skin with her tongue before she moved down his thigh. His groan encouraged her to keep going. She kissed across his pelvic bone, kissing the base of his thickness. He was solid, his erection pressed against his stomach, his pleasure moistening the head.
She ran her tongue up his beautiful length and circled the bulging head, her core clenching as she thought about the moment it would be fully inside her. Oh, how she ached to be satisfied. She wanted to do everything at once. But first, she had to taste him. She had to fill her mouth with him.
Gripping the base of his hardness in her hand, she sucked him into her mouth and swirled her tongue across the tip of him. His body arched off the bed as he let go of her hair and threw his hands above him. He pushed upward, encouraging her to take him deeper. She opened her throat and sucked him in, then swallowed, clenching her throat around his tip.
It was his turn to grab the pillow and cry out against it as he thrashed on the bed beneath her. Moving expertly up and down his thickness, she tasted him, squeezed him, and soaked him as she took her time, making him pulse in her mouth.
“Roxie, I need inside you,” he commanded, reaching for her again. She pulled away from him, letting his slick steel pop from her mouth.
“Be good or you won’t get to finish,” she taunted before sucking him into her mouth again.