Claiming Isabella

by M. E. Clayton

  He just nodded and patiently waited for Janie to move out of the way so he could enter. Julian was so big, there was no way he could fit through the doorway while Janie still lingered on the edge of it.

  It didn’t take her long to figure out why Julian was still standing outside my office and she immediately blushed when she realized. “Oh, I’m sorry. Please, excuse me,” she mumbled as she scurried out of my office.

  She shut the door behind her, and it was a good thing Julian was already halfway to my desk, because the door flew open with Janie peeking her head in again. “Oh, and I checked. You don’t have any meetings until after lunch and I’ll hold all your calls.” She shut the door before I could thank her or tell her that wasn’t necessary.

  I looked up as Julian stalked towards me and I let out a laugh. “Well, you certainly made Janie’s day way more interesting.”

  The corner of his lip lifted and he smirked. “She’s not the one whose day I want to impact.”

  He leaned down and kissed the top of my head when he reached me. “Oh, you’ve impacted my day alright. I feel like I’ve been hit by a train.”

  He sat on the edge of my desk and his face softened at my comment, but his eyes were as keen as ever. “Should I be saying I’m sorry?”

  I stood up and walked around as he opened his legs so I could step in between them. “Nope.” I wrapped my arms around his neck as his he rested his hands on my hips. “I don’t want you ever apologizing for what you do to me in bed.”

  His eyes were so serious when he said, “I don’t ever want to feel like I have to, Dove.” He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on my lips. “So, I hope to God you know what you’re doing, baby.”

  We were such a mess.

  We both wanted the other to know the depths of our feelings for one another and we haven’t been able to find a way to make that happen. Our insecurities kept getting the best of us.

  I decided to take a break from the heavy talk. “So, what brings you by?”

  He flashed his dimples and let me have my way. “I knew you’d be sore, so I wanted to check up on you. See if you needed me to get you anything or do anything for you.”

  Geeze, this man.

  I moved my hands from his neck and wrapped them around his torso, snuggling my head under his chin. I hugged him for all I was worth. “I’m fine, Julian. You didn’t need to check on me,” I reassured him.

  His arms came around my body and he hugged me back. “I’ll always feel the need to check on you, Dove. It’s a constant needling to make sure you’re okay. I cannot ever have you not be okay.”

  “Do you love me?” I asked.

  “No. Love doesn’t come close to describing what I feel for you,” he responded over again.

  “I’m starting to think the same thing,” I confessed in a whisper. “There are times I think I love you and there are times when it feels like so much more.” I pulled back from him so I could look into his hazel beauties. “Last night felt like so much more. I feel more the more you give me, Julian.”

  His face was pure love. “I’m trying, Isabella. And I’ll keep trying, I promise.”

  I stared into Julian’s eyes and words just weren’t enough. I could tell this man I loved him until I was blue in the face and it would never be enough. “I don’t deserve you,” I admitted.

  Julian’s eyes looked so pained. “Dove…”

  I shook my head as he misunderstood. “No…you’re not understanding me. I’m not saying I don’t deserve you because of my self-esteem or anything like that. I’m saying I don’t deserve you because I don’t think anyone deserves you, Julian.” I lifted my hand and touched his jaw with my fingers. “You are so special and your love is unlike anything in existence. You are so extraordinary; no human person will ever be able to appreciate your gifts, no matter how hard they try.”

  Julian sighed. “I don’t need you to appreciate my ‘gifts’,” he air quoted the word gifts, “I just need you to never leave me. That’s it, that’s all, Isabella.”

  What kind of nutcase would ever leave Julian?

  Seriously?

  “Never,” I whispered against his lips.

  He growled and the next thing I knew, I was perched on the edge of my desk with Julian standing between my spread legs.

  Whoever invented skirts deserves sainthood, I swear to God.

  “Julian…”

  He was already covering me with his body as I leaned back on my elbows. “Don’t worry, baby. As much as I’m dying to, I’m not going to fuck you. After yesterday, I know you’re body needs to heal. But that doesn’t mean I can’t kiss it and make it all better.”

  I almost swooned.

  Never mind that I would never tell Julian no, but if he wanted inside my body right now, I’d let him. I was that stupid over this man. But I was a sucker for him every time he showed me tenderness because, looking at him, you wouldn’t think he was capable of it.

  “Julian, you don’t have to-”

  But he was already on his knees, pulling my panties down my legs. “Oh, trust me, Dove. I have to.”

  I conceded, “Tell me how you want me, then.”

  “I want you flat on your back thinking about nothing but my tongue on your pussy, baby,” he said right before I felt the first swipe of his tongue.

  My elbows collapsed and my hands shot into the waves of his ink black hair. His lips and tongue on me always felt good, but with my lady bits as sore and swollen as they were, his tongue felt glorious. You know that immediate relief when you have an itch and you start scratching. Well, it felt like that kind of release, but only better because…well, because Julian was going down on me with all the skill of an Olympic contender.

  I opened my legs as wide as I could and just laid there letting Julian pamper me with his face stuffed between my thighs. “That feels so good, Julian,” I whimpered.

  He paused long enough to tell me, “I bet it doesn’t feel as good as you taste, Dove.” And then he went right back to licking, sucking and kissing-yes, kissing-my clit.

  My hips jumped off the desk when he started to fuck me with his tongue, while thumbing my clit like a professional. It wasn’t going to take me long to reach my blessed miracle at the rate he was going. And I probably should have harbored some hesitancy over letting this less than professional action take place in my office, but I just didn’t care. Janie could open the door to my office right now and I would remove my hand from Julian’s hair just long enough to shoo her away.

  “Oh, God, Julian, keep doing that. Just like that,” I begged.

  He didn’t deviate in the slightest. Julian kept working his tongue in and out of my pussy and his thumb kept up the perfect pressure against that little nub. It wasn’t a few minutes longer and my body exploded in a starburst of pleasure, reaching the very edges of my being.

  My body clamped down and almost trapped Julian’s tongue. He pulled himself away just in time. “Jesus, Dove.”

  I didn’t respond.

  I didn’t think I could.

  I just laid there feeling completely relaxed and spent.

  I could hear Julian chuckled as he started tugging my panties back up and putting me back together. If I didn’t think the desk would collapse under our weight, I’d tell him to crawl up here with me and cuddle until we fell asleep.

  I finally popped one eye open to see him standing at his full height, in between my legs, looking down at me. He had the biggest smirk on his exquisite face. I lifted a brow. “Proud of yourself, are you?”

  He bemused me with his dimples when he replied, “I considered it a great victory every time I’m able to get my hands on your body, Isabella.”

  Julian reached out and I grabbed his hand as I used him as leverage to pull myself up into a sitting position. “You know, anyone could have just walked in. At least I had the foresight to lock the door to your office when I ambushed you.”

  His dimples really deepened this time. “If you’re going to get fired, what better reason
than because your boyfriend couldn’t control himself and needed to lick on that sweet pussy of yours.”

  I blushed. I mean, seriously blushed.

  Julian laughed at my bashfulness. “Besides, Dove, you don’t need to work. I love that you do, but I don’t want you ever to put up with anyone’s bullshit because you feel like you have to.” He reached out and started rubbing my jaw with his thumb. “I want every thing you do to bring you happiness. The second you start to become unhappy with your job, you quit and search for something better. I will always support you.”

  Heat bloomed inside my chest. “What if I want to become an astronaut?”

  His smile was so tender. I totally believed his next words. “Then we’ll make that happen.”

  I smiled back, teasingly, “Really?”

  “Really,” he said before crushing my dreams. “But you do know that NASA probably doesn’t allow karaoke and tequila on their space shuttles though, right?”

  “Well, that’s some bullshit,” I retorted, as I hopped off the desk.

  He stepped back allowing me some room. “Complete bullshit,” he agreed automatically.

  I mean, seriously…how else do you go off into space unless you’re shitfaced???

  Chapter 13

  Greed: Because I want to be everything he needs and wants.

  Isabella~

  The girls and I stared wordlessly at the guys until Quinn finally broke the silence. “DeShawn Travis? The Deshawn Travis?”

  Hell, any person who as ever looked up exercising has heard of DeShawn Travis. He was legendary, with a solid reputation for reasonable techniques and realistic self defense.

  “Why would he agree to work with us?” Avery asked, sitting on the couch in between me and Q.

  The guys had gathered us all at our house, for what we thought was going to be another karaoke extravaganza, but we were sorely disappointed.

  Nick let out a small chuckle. “Probably because we’re paying him a shitload of money.”

  “But he’s DeShawn Travis. He doesn’t need your money,” Avery pointed out.

  Chase chimed in to explain better. “We all grew up together and when I called him and told him that you were attacked by Eric and Iz was getting flowers from some nutso, he immediately agreed to take you guys on for old time’s sake.”

  Julian had remained quiet, letting us take this all in. I wasn’t against learning some self-defense. I thought all women should know how to protect themselves. But having DeShawn Travis train us was way more intimidating than your average class at the city center.

  “Well, how exactly is this going to work?” Quinn asked, as she shook her foot at the guys all standing before us.

  Avery tipped her head sideways, towards Q. “She’s got a point.”

  Chase crossed his arms over his sexy chest. “DeShawn said that Quinn being limp was actually a good thing.”

  She threw a throw pillow at him. “I’m not limp, you jackass.”

  He winked at her.

  I finally joined in. “So, how is the question of Q being limp or not a good thing?”

  “DeShawn said one of the biggest mistakes with self-defense teaching is that people are only taught how to defend themselves when they’re fully able. No one really touches on the times where you might have a sprained wrist, or a sore back, or even have a child with you.” Chase dropped down on his haunches and started caressing Q’s ankle. “He said people need to learn how to fight back even when they think they aren’t capable.”

  Quinn was looking at Chase like we should all leave the room and give them some privacy. People say they love each other all the time. But it is truly remarkable to see it live and in living color, and that is what you got when Nick and Avery or Chase and Quinn were together.

  “Okay, I’m in,” I blurted out. “When does all this go down?”

  Nick’s the one who answered this time. “Tuesday and Thursday evenings for the next month and then he said he had enough faith in Julian to pick up where he leaves off with you girls. You guys will work out in the basement.”

  Avery’s back popped up. “So, Julian’s going to be training us downstairs all sweaty and shirtless?”

  “All three of us are going to work with you girls after DeShawn’s done,” Nick said, crushing her fantasies as he stink-eyed her.

  Quinn’s brows shoot up, with the look of hope on her face. “But…you guys are going to be sweaty and shirtless, right?”

  “Sweet Jesus,” Chase mumbled.

  “Can you ladies please be serious for one minute? Just one minute out of your lives, can you please?” Nick implored.

  “What’s more serious than the three of you shirtless?” Quinn retorted.

  “If Kane was sweaty and shirtless along side them,” Avery answered.

  I couldn’t hold my laughter in any longer and looking up at Julian, I could see a small smile playing on his lips. “Okay, okay, okay,” I jumped in. “We agree with or without you guys shirtless-”

  Quinn gasped. “Speak for yourself, Izzy. If Chase is going to be throwing me around and trying to bring me down, the least he could do is do it shirtless.”

  Avery tipped her head again. “She’s got another good point.”

  Quinn turned her attention to Julian. “What about you, Julez? Are you going to attack Izzy shirtless or bundled up like a goddamn mummy?”

  “A mummy? Really, Q?” Nick asked.

  “I’m not going to be shirtless, pretty girl.” I could actually feel Ace and Q deflate at his announcement. It was goddamn hilarious. “The odds of you girls being attacked by someone shirtless are very slim. You need to know how to defend yourself using their clothing as an advantage too.”

  “That’s your excuse?” Avery harrumph, crossing her arms over her chest.

  Chase stood up and pinched the bridge of his nose. “If we start rolling around with you girls shirtless, we’re going to end up all being way closer than we already are. Cut us some slack ladies.”

  His meaning dawned on us all at the same time. And I don’t know where Quinn’s and Avery’s minds went, but mine started filling up with images of a goddamn orgy. Now, granted, it was an orgy where everyone stuck with their respective partners…but it was an orgy, nonetheless.

  “Knock it off, Dove,” Julian reprimanded.

  I looked up at him in shock. Was my face that readable or is he so in tuned with me now that he could read my mind? I was hoping for the former, because the latter would have me fucked. “What? What’d I do?”

  He just arched a brow at me as he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

  A muffled laugh escaped as I learned Quinn was on the same page. “Do you blame us?”

  Nick snapped out, “Yes, we do! You are not supposed to be thinking of other men naked besides us!” Apparently Nick was on to us too

  Avery cocked her head at him. “Uh, that’s what we were doing.”

  He stink-eyed her. “You know what I mean, Imp.”

  “How do you even know we were having impure thoughts?” I countered. “How do you know I wasn’t thinking of Quinn and Avery naked, hmm?”

  All three men cocked their heads at me. Julian finally spoke, “So, you don’t classify imagining Quinn and Avery naked as impure thoughts?”

  I shrugged a shoulder. “Depends on what they’re doing while they’re naked, I suppose.”

  Chase flapped a hand all in the air. “And what were they doing naked all in your mind, Iz?”

  Avery snorted. “If she was thinking what I was thinking then Q and I were naked while you two were all over us. Naked, too.”

  Nick closed his eyes as his head turned upward to our Lord and Savior. “What am I going to do with you, Imp.”

  “Well, we can always ask Izzy what her mind thinks you should do with me,” she grinned impishly.

  Nick barked out a laugh.

  Julian was still eying me. “Oh, come on, Julian. Are you telling me you never imagined all of us having a faithful orgy?”
/>   Chase choked on his spit. Nick face palmed himself. And I actually had Julian sputtering. “Are…are you serious?!”

  “What a faithful orgy?” Quinn asked.

  I looked from Julian’s stunned face to my pretty friend. “It’s when everyone’s naked and doing the deed, but we stick with our partners. No swapping or touching anyone else.”

  She cocked her head in thought. “Hmmm,” she mumbled.

  “So help me God, Quinn, if you’re even thinkin-” Chase bit out.

  She laughed. “I’m just fucking with you Chase. No matter how hot Nick and Julian are without their shirts on, your penis is the only penis I want to see, kiss, touch or jump on.” She gave him a beaming smile to emphasize her point.

  Me and Avery started laughing.

  Nick shook his head. “You girls were all fucking with us, weren’t you?”

  “Of course, we were,” Avery confirmed. “We know you guys aren’t mature enough to actually be able to jo-”

  “Do not finish that sentence, Avery. For the love of God, can we get back to the topic of teaching you guys how to defend yourselves?” Nick begged.

  “I thought we already agreed with all that,” I asked.

  “I need a goddamn drink,” Chase announced as he headed towards the kitchen. “Anyone else?”

  Quinn jumped up after him. “Hell, yeah.”

  Nick reached his hand out and pulled Ace up off the couch to follow behind Chase and Quinn. I guess me and Julian were the only ones who didn’t need alcohol reinforcements. It wasn’t until I looked back up at Julian that I realized I may need alcohol reinforcements, after all.

  “Were you just fucking with me, Dove, or is that really a…want…a fantasy of yours?” he asked quietly.

  I’ve never lied to Julian and I wasn’t going to start now. “The idea turns me on, but like most of my sexual fantasies, I’d never be able to go through something like that.” I shrugged a shoulder. “Seems kind of pointless since you’re the only man who turns me on anyways and I really don’t think I’d want to see Q’s or Ace’s ‘O’ faces.”

  He huffed out a laugh. “Good. As much as I love and trust Nick and Chase, the only man who will ever see you naked from here on out is me, Dove.”