by Adele Niles
“Surprise.” I grinned up at him.
I wasn’t wearing panties.
“Dirty girl.”
He slid two fingers between my thighs, finding my clit easily.
I moaned, digging my nails into his back. “Fuck me.”
He chuckled, his fingers moving in a slow circle. “Impatient.”
I was. I knew I was.
I needed him.
I needed him inside me right now.
I reached down and unzipped his jeans. His cock sprang out, and I wrapped my fingers around it, stroking.
Nice and slow.
Every stroke made me want him more.
Bradley only let me stroke him for a minute before he pushed my hand away, grunting softly. He shoved my jeans down the rest of the way and then bent, to wrap his arms around my legs, just below my ass. He lifted me up.
I kissed him hard as he carried me.
He set me down on the kitchen table. With one arm, he swept whatever was on it to the floor. I laughed.
“Nothing broke.” Bradley shrugged and guided me to lie down on my back, under him.
He looked so good like this. And now, he was all mine.
I smiled, spreading my legs for him.
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a condom, then shoved his jeans down and stepped out of them.
“You look so good naked.” I tilted my head, taking him in.
“Yeah? So do you. You’re gorgeous.” He bent and kissed me, gentler than before.
I was so fucking lucky.
And horny. Definitely horny.
I shifted my hips on the table, legs spread wider. “Please?”
He didn’t make me wait.
He slid into me slowly, but not too slowly, filling me.
I hooked my legs around his waist.
He wasn’t going anywhere until I was satisfied.
I pulled him down into another kiss. He nipped at my lower lip. Slowly, his hips moved.
He drew back, then thrust forward, hard.
Perfect.
My nails dug into his back, and I bit down on his tongue—not hard, just enough for him to feel it. He twitched inside me.
I pulled back from the kiss, back arching off the table. “I love you.”
“Shit, Lora, I love you too.”
He started to go faster, harder. It was exactly what I wanted. I rocked my hips to meet him, aware of every inch of his cock as he buried it deep inside me.
I never wanted to be with anyone but him.
His head tilted, lips skimming along my neck before pausing to suck a mark into my skin. I shivered, moaning loudly.
He could leave as many marks as he wanted now.
The thought made me shiver.
This was real.
“Lora.” Bradley’s voice sounded hoarse, strained. I knew what that meant.
He was close.
So was I.
“Bradley, don’t—don’t stop.”
He didn’t. He grabbed hold of my hips, thrusting into me one last time. He let out a sharp moan.
Heat rushed through me as my own orgasm took hold. My legs tightened around his waist, thighs quivering. He stilled inside me, cock twitching. I dug my nails into his shoulders and raked them downward.
We both went quiet.
“Shit.” Bradley put his elbow on either side of my head, resting above me.
“Wow.”
“Lora, that was hot as hell.”
It had been.
It always was.
“Take me to bed?” I asked. “I don’t think I can walk right now.”
Bradley laughed. He eased out of me and took the condom to the trash, then returned. He lifted me into his arms and carried me to bed.
We fell asleep as soon as we hit the pillows.
Chapter Nineteen
Bradley
Sundays have always been the best day of the week.
There’s nothing like sleeping in, waking up on my own.
And there was nothing like waking up with Lora next to me.
I rolled over, pressing myself against her side. She was warm and soft, and still sound asleep. Her hair glowed like rose gold in the sunlight creeping through the blinds.
It felt weird to have her here and know that it wasn’t just a one-night stand.
Or, really, it felt weird to have her here at all.
I kissed her cheek and rolled out of bed, leaving her to sleep a while longer.
After a quick shower, I headed for the kitchen. I didn’t go grocery shopping often, but I’d stopped off to pick up eggs and bacon a few days ago, and there was still enough left for two.
I’d cooked breakfast for plenty of girls, but never in my own apartment.
It was kind of nice. I knew where everything was; no time was wasted searching cabinets for spices and utensils. I had everything on hand to make perfect fried eggs and crispy, peppery bacon.
Lora was going to love it.
I had to pause for a second and marvel at how everything had changed. Lora was here, in my bed, still asleep.
And we were together.
We were in love with each other.
I smiled, shaking my head.
I wasn’t going to fuck this one up.
When breakfast was finished, I plated it up and made coffee. I carried hers into the bedroom first, leaning against the doorframe.
“Rise and shine, babe.”
Lora shifted on the bed. She pushed herself up on one elbow, squinting at me. “Bradley?”
“Just me. I made breakfast. Hungry?”
She nodded, pushing herself to sit up the rest of the way. “Smells good.”
“Bacon and eggs. My specialty.” I carried her plate in and handed it to her, placing the mug of coffee on the nightstand.
She tilted her head up toward me. I bent to kiss her.
“Mind if I go get my plate?” I asked, leaning back.
Lora shook her head. “Nah. Go get it. I’ll be here.”
“Good. I’d hate it if you disappeared on me.”
No sneaking out. No running out the door, no lying about where I’d been all night.
This was weird, but in the best possible way.
I came back to the bedroom with my breakfast and coffee, sliding back into bed beside Lora. She leaned against me while she ate.
I’d have to get her to stay here more often. It felt so good to have her here, sitting in my bed like she belonged there.
Which, of course, she did.
Chapter Twenty
Lora
The door to Bakeology swung open, the bell chiming.
I already had Bradley’s muffin and coffee ready. He came at the same time every day, and I was always happy to see him.
Granted, I saw him every morning anyway. We stayed with each other pretty much every night, whether we had sex or not (which we usually did, but every once in a while, we skipped a night.)
He smiled as he came in, greeting me and Kenzie with a wave. “Morning, ladies.”
“Morning!” Kenzie called cheerfully, putting another tray of muffins in the oven.
I grabbed the bag and coffee cup, rounding the corner. Bradley bent to kiss me before taking his breakfast.
“Still coming by the shop later?” He stood close to me. His scent made me feel warm inside. I was never going to stop wanting him.
“Definitely. I’m ready to get some color on this.” I ran my fingertips over the outline on my left arm, half-hidden under my t-shirt. The butterfly was coming along beautifully, a more detailed version of the original sketch Bradley had done the first night he stayed at my apartment.
“Get a room, you two!”
I turned my head.
Kenzie stood with her hands on her hips, grinning at us. “No making out in the shop.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Bradley waved a hand dismissively. “You’re only saying that because you’re not making out with anyone.”
Kenzie snorted, shaking her head. “Uncalle
d for, but okay.”
I laughed. Seeing the two of them tease like this was a regular part of our mornings now, and I never got tired of it.
Bradley’s attention turned back to me. He tugged up the sleeve of my shirt, inspecting his work. I was taking good care of the fresh ink, and he nodded in satisfaction. “Yeah, you’re good to come in for color. We can probably get most of it done tonight.”
“Perfect.” I smiled up at him. “I’m looking forward to it. Want me to pick up dinner before I head to the shop?”
“Sounds good. We’ll eat and then get to work.” He bent down, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“Cool.” I tilted my head up and kissed him again. I would never get enough of this. “Have a good day.”
“You, too.” He pulled my sleeve back down and winked, turning away. He left the shop, turning to go down the street to No Regrets.
I missed him already. I turned to go back behind the counter, sure that I was grinning.
Kenzie caught me and smiled, shaking her head. “You’ve got it bad.”
“Yeah. I do.”
“I like it. Being in love is a good look on you. And on Bradley.”
I couldn’t say if it was a good look, but it was a good feeling. I smiled at her, grabbing a bowl to start mixing up another batch of muffins. In a few hours, I’d be with Bradley again, and I couldn’t wait.
Yeah, love was definitely a good feeling.
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I Did Before I do
No Regrets Ink Series
Book 2
Chapter One
Sydney
The words of the case file were starting to blur in front of my eyes.
I really needed today to be over.
I sighed and lifted my head, looking out into the front of the office. A few of my coworkers stood out there, talking. Kyle had his back to me, and he was laughing at something one of the receptionists was saying.
Did his pants always make his ass look that good?
Maybe I never noticed because he usually kept his suit jacket on. But today, he’d taken it off. He stood in just his button-down and gray trousers. They hugged his ass perfectly. His shirt was a little tight across the shoulders, bringing out the definition of his back.
I shifted my thighs under my desk.
The friction made me whimper, as a wave of pleasure rolled through me.
Kyle turned his head. He smiled as our eyes met.
Heat flooded my cheeks. He’d caught me looking.
I bit my lip, just a little too hard.
Kyle turned toward me. He came into my office and leaned casually on the doorframe. In one hand, he gripped a stack of papers held together with a binder clip. “Hey, Sydney. Can I get you to look these notes over for me?”
I smiled. I had to calm myself down. “Of course, yeah. No problem.”
He came closer. He dropped the papers in front of me, then perched on the edge of my desk. I could smell his cologne.
I was wet already.
And the way he sat, legs slightly apart, in those tight pants…
I could see everything.
He was huge and half-hard. The outline of his cock made my mouth water.
I wanted him. Now.
“Kyle…” My voice never sounded so breathy.
He looked down at me. His eyebrows lifted.
Clearly, he wanted this, too.
He rose from my desk and moved to close my office door. I stood up, too.
Kyle came back and stood facing me. For a moment, we just looked at each other.
He put one large strong hand on my hip.
I lunged forward, throwing my arms around his neck and pulling him down. He kissed me desperately, both hands coming to my hips and gripping them tight. He pulled me closer, our bodies pressed flush against one another. His hips pressed against mine, rocking teasingly.
He was hard in his trousers. I wanted to reach inside and run my fingers over his rock-hard erection. I wanted to hear him moan.
I wanted to see the look in his eyes as I got him closer and closer to coming.
Kyle pushed his tongue against my lips, and I opened my mouth willingly. His hands ran up my body, over my clothes. I shivered against him.
He grabbed the collar of my blouse and pulled. A button ripped off, hitting the wall with a soft click. He pulled again, sending the rest of the buttons flying across the room.
He leaned back to look at me. Gripping the lace edges of my bra cups, he yanked them down, exposing my breasts. My nipples were hard, aching to be touched.
“Kyle,” I moaned.
He groaned in response, tilting his head to kiss his way down my neck. I slid one hand into his dark brown hair, tugging gently.
He continued down my breast. His mouth latched around my nipple. He sucked hard.
I gasped.
My hand dropped to his zipper. I tugged it down, then eased my hand inside.
I closed my fingers around his cock and gave it a slow stroke. He felt hot under my fingers.
“Sydney.” His breath was hot against my neck again, then my ear. “Sydney!”
“Sydney?”
I blinked.
Kyle stood in front of me. Regular Kyle, not Fantasy Kyle. Regular Kyle, with the start of a receding hairline, and a suit that fit pretty well over an average-bordering-on-pudgy frame.
Shit.
I didn’t usually have such explicit daydreams. I shifted uncomfortably at my desk.
My panties were soaked.
I went red in the face.
Kyle looked at me, and his eyebrows lifted in what I assume was concern. “Hey, we’re all getting ready to leave. Are you staying late?”
I shook my head, tucking a lock of black hair behind my ear. “No, no. Um, just zoned out. You know.”
Kyle chuckled. “Yeah, I get it. Well, hey, the rest of us are going to go have a drink tonight. Do you want to come?”
I definitely wanted to come.
But not in the way Kyle meant.
“Uh, I dunno. I mean… maybe? But I’ve got some stuff to do at home.”
Kyle frowned, leaning on the doorframe. It wasn’t as appealing as it had been in my fantasy. “Again? If you really can’t come, I get it, but you haven’t been to a single get-together. I know it’s only been a month since you got hired, but we do these at least twice a week.”
He was right. I’d found a way out of every happy hour and after-work dinner that Hills & Bridges had enjoyed since they hired me. As much as I wanted to lie low and pretend I was somewhere other than here, I couldn’t avoid my coworkers forever. I was already toeing the line of ‘shy’ and ‘bitchy.’
I forced myself to smile. “You know what? That stuff can wait until later. Thanks, Kyle. Let me wrap up what I’m doing, and I’ll meet you guys.”
“Great. I’ll text you the address of the bar.”
“Sounds good. I’ll head over in a little bit, okay? See you there!”
“See you soon!” Kyle turned and left.
I sat in my office, listening as the other paralegals, secretaries, and lawyers left the office.
Why had I said yes? I groaned and leaned forward, putting my head down on my desk.
Just one drink. One drink, and a little small talk, and I could get out. And my coworkers wouldn’t have anything to gossip about.
I could make this work.
Chapter Two
Sydney
I had never wanted to come back here.
Driving through the streets of Richland felt like a slap in the face. I’d gotten out. I was going to do something other than stay in this town. It looked more or less the same as it had when I graduated high school, and now I was back.
And probably stuck here forever.
I frowned as I followed the directions my GPS was giving me. I knew exactly where I was going. They’d called the bar Eddie’s when I was in
high school, and it was a total dive.
They had never checked IDs. My friends and I had spent a lot of time there, using our allowance money to get wasted on cheap beer.
And now I was showing up as a young professional, right after a long day at work. Hopefully, nobody from before was there; I couldn’t handle that tonight.
I turned into the parking lot of what had once been Eddie’s, now rebranded as The Republic. It looked fairly quiet, which I didn’t mind. If it was quiet, the chances of somebody I knew being here were lower. I sat in the parking lot for a moment, taking a deep breath and looking around.
I didn’t want to be here.
I was already keyed up, and what I really wanted to do was go home and find BOB—my battery-operated boyfriend—in my nightstand and get myself off until I passed out.
I wanted to drink a whole bottle of wine and cry on the couch.
I wanted to go in just long enough to find some guy willing to fuck me and head home with him.
I wanted to call Mark and scream at him for ruining my life.
Fucking Mark.
But there were people waiting for me, and I reminded myself that I didn’t want to be labeled the office bitch. I just had to do this once, and then I was probably good for another month or so.
But I still didn’t want to be here.
I sighed and got out of my car.
For a moment, I stood looking at the front of the building. It looked the same, except for the sign bearing the new name. But the building next door hadn’t been a bar last time I saw it.
The Depot. That looked interesting.
And there were a lot of motorcycles in the parking lot.
Was that where the King’s Devils hung out?
For a moment, I considered going there instead. Hiking my skirt up a little, sitting on tables and doing shots with bikers. One of them would take me home. Or into the bathroom.
I shook my head. I had to quit thinking like this.
Sighing, I turned and went into The Republic.
“Sydney! Hey!” Kyle called out across the bar.
The whole office was in a corner booth, sitting close together. There were a few chairs pulled up to fill in the empty side of the table, including an empty one clearly meant for me.