Claimed By Him: (Contemporary Romance Box Set)

by Alexis Winter

  “Oh, uh, he’s a cowork—a friend. He’s a coworker and a friend.”

  “Sounds like more than a friend if you’re going on a date,” he says, his voice a bit more stern.

  I suddenly feel a little annoyed and defensive. “Well, then I guess he’s more than a friend.” I shrug as I make my way toward the door. Before I can get too far, Cameron puts his hand around my elbow and pushes me up against the wall, pinning me against it with his hard body. His lips are on mine and his tongue thrusts into my mouth with conviction over and over, and I can’t help but feel he’s marking his territory.

  As quickly as he pushed me against the wall, he pulls away, leaving me breathless. “While you work for me, you’re mine, understand?” His eyes are narrowed on mine. At first I think he’s joking, but his jaw is clenched and fixed.

  “I’m not your property, Cameron, and the contract says nothing about me not dating during this period.” I hush my tone, remembering where we are and that people are just outside.

  “We’ll discuss this later. Just don’t forget whose cock you had in your mouth half an hour ago,” he says before walking out, leaving me standing alone as tears prick my eyes.

  His words sting. This is the first time I’ve felt like I’m just a contract to him, but it’s the snap back to reality that I needed. I can’t help but feel a little sick to my stomach when I realize there’s some truth to his words. It was barely thirty minutes ago that I was on my knees in front of Cameron, getting off on the naughty things he was saying to me while I pleasured him, and now I’m on the phone with a guy I actually have a chance with, trying to schedule a date.

  I step into the bathroom and splash some cold water on my face before re-emerging at the cookout. “You all right, dear? Cameron said you weren’t feeling like yourself this evening.” I smile as Helen wraps her arm around my shoulder.

  “Thank you, Helen. Yes, I’m okay. He’s just overreacting. I had a bit of a headache, but now I’m starving!”

  I grab my plate and head over to the grill to grab my bratwurst and a beer. Everyone falls back into their cadence of conversation and I make sure to have intense eye contact with Cameron as I pick up the bratwurst with my fork and take a massive and aggressive bite out of it. I laugh to myself as I see him wince at the sight of me destroying a phallic object.

  That’ll teach you to tell me what I can do! I mutter under my breath as I finish up my dinner and join everyone else for a cold beer and laughter. As much as I want to slap the smug grin off of his face, I know I still need to put on a good show for the Smithfields, so I walk over and stand next to Cameron.

  Without hesitation, he uncrosses his legs and pulls me onto his lap. As much as there was tension between us a few moments ago, it almost seems natural to be so intimate with him. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls my mouth toward his for a quick, soft kiss.

  I can’t help but notice the look of shock in his eyes when he registers the whistles coming from Mr. Smithfield and his sons. I’m pretty sure he completely forgot where we were and his instinct to pull me in for a kiss was completely involuntary.

  I blush as I look around and see their smiles and laughter, “Oh, to be young and in love!” Helen says as she leans into her husband’s side. I pull myself from Cameron’s lap, but he doesn’t let go of my hand.

  “Well, Mr. and Mrs. Smithfield, we’ve had a lovely evening, but I think we’ll be heading back to the guest house.” We say our goodbyes to the entire family and decide to walk back to the guest house instead of taking the golf cart. Cameron is still holding my hand, but a heaviness hangs between us.

  Neither of us wants to be the first to speak, and I can tell we have some unfinished business to discuss. I look up at the clear night sky and sigh. As much as I’ve been enjoying my time here—and let’s be honest, the white-hot sex hasn’t been bad either—I’ve missed home. We’ll be leaving tomorrow evening, and I’m ready to get back to Cocoa and my routine.

  “What are you thinking about?” Cameron’s deep voice breaks my train of thought.

  “Oh, just thinking about home…and Cocoa. I’ve never been away from her for this long.” He snickers and I jab him in the side. “Hey, she’s my baby!” The silence falls back between us and the tension seems twice as thick.

  I can’t tell if it’s anger or frustration or both. We finally reach the guest house and step onto the front porch. I can’t take the weirdness any longer and I open my mouth to apologize just as he pulls me against him for a kiss.

  This was the last thing I expected, but then I realize that this is how he deals with problems—with sex. It’s no wonder he’s never had a serious relationship, given that he masks his problems with temporary pleasure.

  I push him away, “No, I want to apolo—” But before I can finish the sentence, he’s back to thrusting his tongue in my mouth. I attempt to push myself away again, but give in for just a moment as my body melts into his. I can feel his hardness pressing against my stomach as he snakes his fingers through my hair and tugs my head back to look in his eyes.

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” he says before devouring my mouth again.

  “What do you want?” I say breathlessly between kisses.

  He grabs a thigh with each hand and lifts me to wrap my legs around his waist. He opens the front door and walks us inside, never breaking our kiss.

  “You. Now.”

  I can’t sleep. I lie staring at the ceiling as Cameron snores softly beside me. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but I know it’s not going to end well. In his defense, he was very clear about no expectations. In his words, this is “just fucking.” But I know he can feel what’s happening between us.

  A pit forms in my stomach as Dr. Ken’s face appears in my mind. I feel a sense of guilt and I don’t know why. I’m not dating him—we’ve never even been out together—but I feel like I’m somehow cheating on him with Cameron. I continue to toss and turn. The bottom line is I can’t continue on with Cam this way. It’s only going to end in heartache. My heartache.

  I grip the armrest of the plane seat as we prepare for our descent back into Chicago. The day has been a bit gloomy. Cameron had a few final meetings with Wayne at his office, and Helen had some things to attend to, so I spent the morning on my own. Things are definitely still off between us. I figure I’ll give it some time and maybe it will pass on its own.

  We continue in silence on the way home, after which Cameron leaves me while he returns to his office in the city to get caught up on what he missed while he was away.

  It’s Friday night and as exhausted as I am, I can’t stand the thought of sulking at Cam’s home alone. “Should I call him?” I ask Cocoa, causing her to raise her sleepy head and blink at me.

  “I’m going to call him. It’s Friday night; what have I got to lose?” I jump off the bed and pace back and forth as I pull up Dr. Ken’s name. It’s only 6:30 p.m., so there’s an off-chance I could catch him and grab a drink or a late dinner. I hesitate over the green CALLl button for half a second before pushing it.

  “Oh my God, it’s ringing!” I say, as if I’m actually surprised.

  “Hello, Samantha!” It’s Ken. I panic. I wasn’t actually expecting him to pick up.

  “Hey!” I almost shout, my voice sounding squeaky and unnatural. I clear my throat and take a deep breath.

  “Hey, sorry I’m calling so unexpectedly, but I thought I’d take a chance and see if you’re available for a drink or late dinner?” My hands are flailing about wildly as I speak, like that will somehow calm me down.

  “Actually, yeah, that would be great. I was just about to order pizza and watch Netflix. So, thank you. You rescued me from another lonely night of The Office.”

  I laugh, “I love that show; you can never watch too many reruns.”

  “So, where do you live? How about I pick you up in about an hour?” Suddenly realizing my living arrangement and not jumping at the chance to start a first date with that story, I suggest w
e meet at this great wine bar in Lakeview East.

  “Sounds like a plan then. You sure you don’t want me to pick you up? I feel like that’s the proper move here.”

  I insist it’s okay and we agree to meet at 7:30, which leaves me barely enough time to hop in the shower and wash the airport gunk off my body.

  I look myself over in the floor-length mirror of the closet. It’s still cold here in Chicago, so I opt for my favorite skinny jeans and an off-the-shoulder pink and white top. My long hair falls in loose curls and I pull on a pair of over-the-knee heeled boots.

  “Shit!” What should I tell Cameron? Should I leave him a note? Text him? I check the time and see that I barely have fifteen minutes to get to the bar. I quickly call an Uber and scribble a note for him.

  Went out with a friend. Will be back later.

  I walk into the bar, and Ken is already sitting at a small booth in the corner. He stands when I arrive and gives me a small peck on the cheek as he touches my elbow. His cologne is pleasant and soft. His thick blond waves are brushed back, and his blue eyes are piercing as they stare back at me.

  He isn’t the type to look me up and down like Cameron—like he wants to devour me. Ken is a gentleman: one of those all-American, guy-next-door types you know will do the right thing and treat you with respect.

  The night is going well. We’ve shared some laughs about work and exchanged horrific tales about working in the medical world. He didn’t pry about my trip to Georgia and I wasn’t about to offer up any details.

  I want to want him like I did before. Before Cameron. I keep staring at his chiseled jaw and his broad chest. He is a tasty dish by all accounts, but I can’t help but compare him to Cameron. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m sitting at dinner with a gorgeous man who is everything I should want, and all I can think about is the douchebag of an asshole who only wants me for my body and says the filthiest things to me.

  I quickly squeeze my thighs together when I think about our last night together, and the way Cam bent me over the end of the bed and used my arms for leverage to pull me back onto his cock over and over until we were both screaming in pleasure.

  I feel sick to my stomach. I can’t do this to Ken. He’s a good guy—a guy who deserves better than someone who is hung up on someone else.

  We finish up our dinner and wine and make our way outside. “So, do you want to go grab a drink somewhere else, or share a great bottle of aged port I have at my place?”

  “I’m sorry, but not tonight. I had a great time though, and I’m sorry it was such a shit show just trying to go out.” I pull out my phone and call an Uber.

  “No worries at all. Thanks again for agreeing to go out. I had a great time. I really hope we can do this again sometime?” He leaves it as a question.

  I don’t know what’s going to happen, so I smile and give a small nod. “Have a good night. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

  On the way home, I decide I want to be honest with Cameron. I want to tell him that while I was on the date, all I could think about was him—that I crave his touch, and that I miss him when we’re apart. I’m not ready to tell him I have feelings for him, but I want him to know that I’m open to the possibility of something between us.

  The butterflies start dancing in my stomach as I get closer to his house. I’m nervous and excited. A big smile spreads across my face as I thank the Uber driver and make my way inside. Tingles build as I bound into the house and anxiously walk into the kitchen. The lights are on but I don’t see Cameron anywhere.

  I can hear the familiar sound of a belt running and the steady thump, thump, thump of his feet on the treadmill. I hang up my coat and put my purse and phone in my room, stopping to give Cocoa a few kisses before checking myself over in the bathroom mirror. I fluff up my hair and refresh my perfume while I slick on a little more gloss. Cocoa stops licking herself long enough to meow at me.

  “Don’t judge me!” I say back to her, as if she knows what I’m about to do.

  I make my way back out into the kitchen to head toward the gym when I see a glistening, sweaty Cameron grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. He’s shirtless and rivulets of sweat are beading all over his cut body. My mouth waters just looking at him.

  “How was your date?” he says without looking at me.

  I’m caught off-guard by his question. I’m not sure how he figured out who I was with, but I go with it.

  “Uh, well, not that great actually. Which is wha—”

  “That’s too bad. I mean, it’s a shame you risked this entire deal and fifty thousand dollars for a friend.” He makes sure to emphasize the last word. Clearly, he’s upset.

  “What? What happened? How did I risk everything?” I’m completely confused.

  “Use your head, Samantha. Everyone knows me in this town and I’m supposed to be engaged to you. How will it look to the Smithfields if my fiancée is photographed out with another man?”

  Suddenly I feel like an idiot and can see why he’d be frustrated. I really hadn’t even considered that. I open my mouth to apologize again, “You’re ri—”

  “What’s worse is I tried warning you not to when we were in Georgia, but you were too stubborn to listen and you still went. I told you it wasn’t a good idea, Samantha! You signed a contract stating you would be engaged to me. Pretend or not, it’s a legally binding contract!” He’s practically spitting the words at me now, each one punctuated by a finger thrust toward me.

  “Okay, first of all, you did not tell me it would be a bad idea because of possible photographers. Might I remind you that what you said to me was to ‘remember whose cock I had in my mouth!’” Now I’m pissed.

  “It’s just common sense, but clearly you’re just so driven by your libido that you have to bounce from one guy to the next without so much as a breath between them.” His chest is rapidly rising and failing as he lifts the water to his lips and chugs it.

  I’m stunned. I don’t even know what to say, so I stoop to insults.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? Mr. ‘My Last “Relationship” Was Bending a Girl Over a Public Restroom Counter and Fucking Her Before I Even Got Her Name!’ Don’t you dare throw this in my face. You made it clear that I was nothing more than a dirty fuck and a contract. You have no right to be pissed at me for pursuing a real relationship outside of whatever the dysfunctional hell this is,” I say as I motion between the two of us. Tears have started to fall down my cheeks—tears of anger.

  A smirk spreads across his face, “You don’t have to reduce yourself to insults, Samantha, just because you were careless tonight and clearly in the wrong. You know you were wrong. You know you could have blown everything, but you won’t admit it. Pathetic,” he mutters before turning his back on me to walk out of the room.

  “Pathetic? You know what’s pathetic? A grown-ass man who is so successful, yet he has to trick his clients into signing with him because he’s that morally reprehensible. How hard would it be for you to actually be a better man rather than paying someone to pretend for you?” I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth, but it’s too late.

  “Morally reprehensible? You’re the one who sold yourself for fifty thousand dollars, sweetheart.”

  Chapter 14

  Cameron

  I see the tears fall down her cheeks and the shock set in as soon as I say the words. I’m disgusted with myself, but instead of begging for forgiveness, I let my pride take over and I walk away.

  I don’t know how long she stands there, but I can’t stay in the same room. I rush up the stairs to my bedroom and throw the now-empty water bottle against the wall. I can’t stand the man I’ve become. The truth is, she was right. I should just be a better man instead of pretending—tricking clients into thinking that I care about the environment or that I’m a quality family man.

  I walk into the bathroom and step into the shower before the water even has a chance to warm up. I place my hands on the wall in front of me and hang my head. I’m jealou
s. I don’t want any man touching her. I want her for myself. I want her to want me the way she wants Dr. Ken.

  I hate that I have to compete with some bastard I don’t even know. Maybe it’s my pride, or maybe it’s because I’ve never had a woman choose another man over me. I pound my fist against the marble wall in frustration. I need to call Griffin and talk this out. Maybe he can help talk some sense into me.

  After I towel off, I grab my phone and send Griffin a quick text.

  I know it’s late, but care to grab a beer?

  I get dressed while I wait for his reply. I hear a buzz and check the messages.

  Oh boy, how badly did you fuck up this time?

  I can’t help but smile; he knows me too well.

  Colossal, man. Meet me at Finnigan’s Pub?

  Give me twenty.

  “You weren’t kidding, man, that’s pretty colossal. I mean, even for you, those were some pretty cruel and harsh words.”

  “Yes, I’m aware,” I say as I hang my head in shame again. “She just tries my patience and drives me crazy at the same time.” I put my hands in a circle like I’m strangling something.

  Griffin just lets out a loud laugh, throws his head back, and slaps the bar top. “Holy shit, I never thought I’d see the day.” My brows knit together as I take a long swig of my beer.

  “You’re in love, brother!” he says, giving me a loud smack on the back as I almost spit my beer out of my nose.

  I wipe the dribble off my chin, “In love? Whoa, whoa, whoa, that is not the situation here. I’m just not used to having a woman reject me, especially after we’ve…”

  Griffin’s eyes grow wide, “Wait, you guys have been sleeping together? You left out that bit of information earlier.”

  I rub my forehead in aggravation, “Yeah. I tried not to, I swear—but my God, she’s like kryptonite for me, man. I cannot resist when she looks at me; it’s like every tempting thing on this planet that was ever created all rolled into one.” I’m lost in my own thoughts of her as the words leave my mouth.