Alluring Attraction: Book 1 of Illicit Illusions Series

by A. F. Zoelle

  “Tell me what he did to you, Ryder,” Hunter implored with a sense of urgency, although his tone was gentle.

  “Tried to intimidate me,” Ryder replied. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full truth either.

  Narrowing his eyes, Hunter could tell that there was something else. “There’s more to it than that,” Hunter growled, displeased when Ryder pulled away from his touch.

  “What are you worried that he did to me?” Ryder countered.

  “That he got physical with you,” Hunter gruffly answered, the words leaving a foul taste in his mouth.

  “He didn’t hurt me,” Ryder replied, assuming that was what Hunter’s concern was.

  Hunter was relieved, but he realized that something else was being said, something lurking in the silence. “What are you hiding?” Hunter demanded, an edge coming into his tone as he started to lose his patience.

  “Why do you think I’m hiding something?”

  “Because I know what he’s like, damn it!” Hunter exclaimed, his voice sounding loud in the small room.

  Ryder was surprised by the passionate outburst. He lowered his gaze. Taking Hunter’s hand in his own, Ryder quietly responded, “Then you already have your answer.”

  The reply hit Hunter hard, that cold dread making his stomach turn. His blood boiled at the thought of Christophe touching what was his.

  Hunter asked the question he didn’t know if he wanted answered: “Did he touch you?”

  “He shook my hand—”

  “I’m being serious, Ryder!” Hunter interrupted with a hint of anguish.

  “—and he showed me he knew about my…” Ryder continued without interruption, trailing off as his hand brushed over the mark Hunter had left on his skin, unable to say it out loud. “Like I said, it was a warning.”

  Hunter’s outrage surprised even himself. He quietly burned, trying to hold back his reaction. “That son of a bitch!” Hunter hissed, unaware of how he tightened his grip on Ryder’s hand.

  Although Ryder was touched by the reaction, it also concerned him. “It wasn’t—okay, so it was a little inappropriate, but—”

  Hunter silenced Ryder with a fierce kiss, needing to reclaim his rival in some way. It was chaotic in its passion, diverting Ryder’s attention from thoughts best left alone. It verged on desperate as their hands sought each other out, needing some way to ground themselves.

  When they parted, Hunter took great pleasure in Ryder’s flushed expression. He suggested, “Let’s get out of here.”

  Ryder, his mind muddled, inarticulately asked, “What?”

  Standing up and pulling Ryder to his feet, Hunter elaborated with a slight grin, “I’m suggesting that we spend the rest of the afternoon elsewhere.”

  His meeting with his advisor completely forgotten, Ryder agreed, with a shy smile and not a moment of doubt.

  Nervousness had replaced Ryder’s earlier eagerness as he stood in his bedroom with Hunter. He was grateful that Kyle was still in class and that his uncle was at work.

  Ryder didn’t dwell on it long, as he was easily distracted by the sight of Hunter’s long fingers nimbly undoing the buttons of his own black shirt, blushing when Hunter caught him blatantly watching him.

  Hunter confidently smiled before slowly approaching Ryder while teasing, “Feeling left out?”

  Ryder answered by unbuttoning the rest of Hunter’s shirt with a defiant look. Hunter murmured his approval as he returned the favor, eager to move on. They continued stripping each other in between kisses, becoming gentler as they finally became nude.

  They took a moment to bask in the sensation of flesh against flesh. Hunter got an extra thrill at knowing that no one was watching them. This was something that he wanted just for himself, and Hunter wasn’t going to let Christophe or anyone else take it away from him.

  Blindly stumbling over to the small twin-size bed, Ryder was startled when he fell into a sitting position on it, confronted by the sight of Hunter’s half-hard member. He wasn’t given time to contemplate it as Hunter gracefully lowered himself onto his knees in front of Ryder. Ryder’s heartbeat quickened at the sight, but he said nothing as he continued looking down at Hunter.

  Taking Ryder’s right hand in his, Hunter ran his thumb over the back of his knuckles. They bore very little evidence of Ryder’s assault on Jake, but Hunter could feel a slight roughness that remained, which excited him. He realized that he should be pissed off that Ryder felt the need to defend him, but some part of Hunter was inherently pleased that he had been chosen over Jake. It wasn’t a competition, but Hunter would be damned if he lost it. Seeing the bruised revenge on Jake’s face made something deep inside of Hunter purr victoriously, and he hadn’t forgotten his promise to reward Ryder for the show of loyalty.

  Letting his thumb trail from the knuckles down to the tips of Ryder’s fingers, Hunter maintained eye contact as he slowly leaned forward and reverently placed a kiss on the back of his rival’s hand.

  The action caused Ryder’s breath to hitch as his eyes widened, unable to stop watching as Hunter carefully placed a kiss on each knuckle. The smoldering desire in those blue eyes ignited Ryder’s passions, almost consuming him completely as Hunter looked up at him with appreciation.

  There were no words, nothing Ryder could say, even if he had the ability to speak. As it was, all Ryder could do was enjoy the uncharacteristically tender treatment. When Hunter murmured “Ryder” against the back of his hand with another soft kiss, he knew that he was lost.

  Pulling Hunter up onto the bed with him, Ryder didn’t resist as he was guided onto his back. Even though it was his own room, it almost felt too surreal to be true, like a dream. There was the faintest glint of amusement in Hunter’s eyes as he looked down at Ryder, almost as if he knew what he was thinking. Any further thoughts were abandoned as Hunter started to cover Ryder in kisses, rendering him incapable of anything except needs and wants.

  As cynical as Hunter had become over the years, the sight of Ryder beneath him was something he knew he’d never get tired of seeing. Hunter was determined to enjoy himself to the fullest as he pleasured Ryder beyond anything he had previously known. They had all afternoon to themselves before Hunter had to return to the brothel, and he was going to make the most of it.

  Hunter loved the way Ryder’s body instinctively sought him out, the way his hands wandered over any part of him that he could reach. It made him feel powerful to have someone as spirited as Ryder become so pliant beneath him. Hunter rewarded Ryder by kissing every part of him while teasing him with the lightest of touches.

  Ryder moved blindly against Hunter, already aching for more despite the light foreplay. It was beautiful and simple, but devastating. He wanted to reciprocate, but Hunter had already moved down, shifting his attention to the mark, which was already starting to fade. Hunter had thought that such a small detail would go unnoticed, but he had been sorely mistaken. That asshole must have upgraded the damn security camera system again, Hunter thought.

  Obliterating Christophe’s touch with his own, Hunter worshipped the mark with lips, teeth, and tongue, teasing it with his fingers until Ryder was writhing beneath him with the softest whimper of need. When Hunter moaned “Ryder” against the mark, he relished the noise it earned him, amazed at how such a simple thing could cause such pleasure. Only once he was satisfied did Hunter move on, coming back up for another round of kisses as he teasingly slid his hand between Ryder’s thighs to further arouse him.

  It was almost too much for Ryder and yet somehow not enough. In the breathiest of whispers, Ryder begged, “Please, Hunter—”

  Instead of punishing Ryder for saying his name, Hunter confidently predicted, “I’ll have you shouting my name by the time we’re done.”

  The promise sent a shudder of lust through Ryder and he bucked hard into Hunter’s teasing touch, which had finally moved to his most sensitive of areas. Scattered fragments of words escaped through gasps and mewls, yearning for something more substantial tha
n the ghostly sensations that were driving him crazy.

  Hunter observed it all with great amusement, murmuring next to Ryder’s ear, “Tell me what you want.”

  “More,” Ryder gasped, although even that simple thought took a monumental effort in his current worked-up state.

  “Be specific,” Hunter replied, thrilled at the defiant annoyance that flickered in Ryder’s ever-expressive emerald eyes.

  When Ryder made a discontented noise that amused Hunter, he finally took pity as he started to slowly slide his way down Ryder’s lithe body. Languidly licking along Ryder’s hardness, Hunter questioned, “Perhaps this?”

  “Yes, please,” Ryder breathlessly babbled, not caring so long as it meant experiencing more of Hunter.

  Just as Hunter was about to proceed, the sound of a vibrating phone caught his attention. “You should probably answer that,” Hunter told Ryder as he straightened up to a sitting position.

  It took a moment to process the buzzing noise as his phone, and Ryder aggressively muttered, “Fuck it, I don’t care right now.”

  “It could be important,” Hunter pointed out, grinning at the angry look it earned him. There was something so entertaining about getting Ryder riled up, regardless of the manner in which it was done.

  Swearing under his breath, Ryder got up and stalked over to his bag, scrambling to find his phone. Seeing that it was Kyle, Ryder took a deep breath before answering with a curt, “Yes?”

  Taking advantage of Ryder’s back to him, Hunter procured a small packet of lube and a condom from his bag, which he hid in the bed sheets before openly admiring the view presented to him. Hunter impishly started to stroke himself when he realized he had caught Ryder’s notice, hoping it would speed up the phone call. Ryder immediately stumbled in his words, causing Hunter to quietly chuckle.

  “No, I don’t give a shit what he thinks, and I need to go,” Ryder told Kyle. “I’m not going to dinner with everyone tonight. I’ll see you when you get back, okay? Thanks.”

  Ryder hung up with an irritated noise, before tossing his phone onto his nightstand in disgust. He knew that Kyle was hoping that everything would magically go back to normal after last night, but Ryder refused to fake his way through a long dinner with Jake for the sake of his cousin.

  Taking Ryder’s hand in his, Hunter guided him back onto the bed while offering, “Let me make it better.”

  “I’m so tired of Jake’s shit,” Ryder complained, even as he allowed Hunter to do as he pleased.

  “You and me both,” Hunter agreed, “but I hardly think he’s worth worrying about right now, yeah?”

  Ryder’s response was lost in a moan as Hunter started teasing his erection. Pleased with the result, Hunter took Ryder completely into his mouth, starting off at a slow pace to help build the pleasure. All thoughts of Jake were chased out of Ryder’s mind. He only had to focus on feeling, then surely everything would be okay.

  When Hunter saw that Ryder was sufficiently distracted, he blindly reached for the lube he had stashed earlier. He moaned around the cock in his mouth to cover the sound of opening the packet before slicking his fingers. Fervently hoping that Ryder wouldn’t reject him, Hunter swallowed around his erection while teasingly sliding a slicked finger into his entrance.

  Ryder’s hips jerked in response, but Hunter instinctually compensated for the involuntary movement. In his hormonal haze, Ryder was confused and tried to voice his concern, but his words wouldn’t cooperate with him.

  Releasing Ryder from his mouth, Hunter’s voice was rough as he questioned, “Do you trust me?”

  The intensity in Hunter’s eyes was breathtaking, sparking something deep inside of Ryder. He had an almost primal reaction to the way Hunter licked his lips as he waited for an answer. Although it was something that Ryder had never explicitly asked himself, he finally answered with little hesitation, “Yes.”

  “Good,” Hunter replied with a pleased look, before resuming his prior attentions.

  Ryder’s head banged back against his pillow as he gasped loudly at the enthusiastic pick up in pace. Although he wanted to watch Hunter, it took too much effort to keep his eyes open. It was so overwhelming that Ryder didn’t know how much longer he would be able to hold out before it was over.

  Feeling that Ryder had once again given in to the experience, Hunter began moving his finger inside to the rhythm of his motions. Satisfied that he could work another finger in, Hunter did so, causing Ryder to make a confused noise. Making a comforting murmur that almost caused Ryder to lose it, Hunter continued matching the pace of his fingers to the blowjob.

  It felt great and weird all at the same time, causing Ryder to finally ask, “What…?”

  Rather than responding verbally, Hunter curled his fingers slightly to apply pressure to the small bundle of nerves that made Ryder orgasm before he even realized what had happened. Swallowing the release with a moan, Hunter looked smug as he regarded Ryder’s flushed expression and confusion. “I told you I wanted to make you feel better,” Hunter replied with a hint of arrogance in his voice as he slowly moved his fingers inside of Ryder to prove his point.

  Without the distraction of Hunter’s mouth, Ryder could clearly differentiate the feelings, and he awkwardly shifted as he started to say, “Yeah, but—”

  Interrupting Ryder by manipulating the same spot again, Hunter felt his own cock twitch in anticipation as his rival’s body instinctively moved against his fingers, trying to draw him in even deeper. “Does it feel bad?” Hunter asked, never ceasing moving.

  “No, but—”

  “Then don’t worry about it,” Hunter murmured as he prepared Ryder for what was to come next.

  Ryder was inclined to do as he was told, but he had a momentary doubt when a third finger was added. Feeling Ryder tensing up around him, Hunter stopped moving and focused on trying to reassure his rival’s body through calming touches and a flurry of distracting kisses. “I’m not sure about this,” Ryder softly said, feeling uncomfortable with the new experience, yet aching for something more that he didn’t even know how to verbalize.

  “Do you want me to stop?” Hunter asked, still moving his fingers in an attempt to convince Ryder’s body. Hunter could only hope that Ryder didn’t ask him to stop, especially when he was so close to his goal.

  Taking a moment before answering, Ryder tried to concentrate on the feeling, knowing despite his inexperience what Hunter was preparing him for next. “I don’t know,” Ryder faintly replied, even as his hips betrayed him by matching Hunter’s rhythm. Somehow it was too much and not enough all at the same time.

  “What are you afraid of?” Hunter asked in a soft voice, lightly brushing against the spot enough for the sensation to register as pleasant, to show Ryder there was no reason to fear it.

  “I’m not afraid,” Ryder muttered. Even though Ryder knew Hunter would make him feel incredible, it was weird giving up the control he always had. Then again, how much of his control was an illusion that Hunter allowed him to possess? It was a troublesome thought that Ryder pushed aside, trying to find it within himself to give Hunter an answer.

  “Then?” Hunter prompted, subtly stretching his fingers inside of Ryder to test his progress.

  Despite being such a simple question, it required more complex thoughts than Ryder was capable of with Hunter slowly teasing him, distracting him past the point of reason. There were too many thoughts competing for his attention, causing Ryder to feel overwhelmed.

  Ryder’s prolonged silence made Hunter offer, “I’ll stop whenever you want, Ryder. I’m not trying to make you do something you don’t want to do.”

  For a while now, Ryder had been considering how different it would be with Hunter if they weren’t at Cole Corporation, and he was so close to finding out now. It was the small push that Ryder needed to give in and he whispered, “Okay.”

  Hunter slowly withdrew his fingers, pleased when Ryder made the softest sound of distress over the sudden feeling of emptiness. Sliding on a cond
om and dispensing more lube over it, Hunter worked to calm his own building sense of excitement.

  Slowly easing his way into Ryder’s body, Hunter stopped the instant he felt the muscles beneath him tense at the intrusion. “Relax,” Hunter coached him, impatient for gratification, yet knowing it was Ryder’s first time.

  Ryder tried focusing on his breathing and relaxing his muscles. Soon Hunter was fully sheathed in Ryder.

  Kissing Ryder’s neck in reassurance, Hunter trembled with the effort it took to remain still, enjoying the tight warmth that he was only his to experience. Hunter had so little to call his own that he was possessive of the few things he had, even if he had never expected Ryder to become one of them. As much as he wanted to proceed, Hunter waited for Ryder to adjust, knowing that he needed that time. It was sheer hell every time Ryder subtly adjusted himself around Hunter, but he ignored his body’s desire to thrust in response.

  If Ryder hadn’t been so engrossed in the experience, he would have been touched by Hunter’s consideration of his body. As it was, Ryder could only focus on how full he felt, how close he was to Hunter in that moment. His hands shyly sought out Hunter, grounding himself amongst the bombardment of multiple sensations. It hurt, but more in an awkward way rather than a painful one. Hunter had taken great care not to push Ryder further than he could tolerate. It made Ryder feel guilty for always plunging into Hunter without taking any of the same consideration. However, that thought led Ryder down a darker path he didn’t want to think about right now.

  Once Ryder was over the initial shock of having Hunter so intimately buried within him, he found himself experimentally trying the shallowest movements to see if it hurt. When he was convinced they could continue, Ryder said “Hunter” in the breathiest of whispers, shocked when Hunter’s hips instinctively jerked in response, driving him deeper.

  Hunter hadn’t meant to react as he had, but the sound of his name said in such a seductive tone affected him on a more primitive level than he had previously thought possible. An uncharacteristic apology was on the tip of his tongue when Hunter felt Ryder’s body move in response, making the decision for him.