Claimed: The Complete Short Romance Series

by Nichole Rose

  "Come," he growls from the other side of the door. His wicked voice works like a wrecking ball on my insides, turning me into mush. I want to hear him growl that while he's inside me, grunting and cursing and sweating. I bet he's as bossy in bed as he is outside of it. Dominant. Self-possessed. Completely capable of ruining me for any other man.

  I've never wanted to find out for myself as badly as I do right now.

  Bad, bad Rowan, whispers the angel on my shoulder.

  Hell yeah, girl, shouts the devil on the other.

  "Oh, jeez," I mutter to both, smooth my hair down, take a deep breath, and then open the door and step inside. My gaze lands on Sebastian instantly. He's leaned back in the executive chair behind the desk, his long legs stretched out in front of him with his hands crossed over his stomach. He's rocking another dark suit today, paired with a blood red tie and matching cufflinks. His hair is a mess, as if he's been running his hands through it.

  "You wear glasses," I blurt…the first thing that pops into my mind.

  His lips curve into that panty-melting smile I memorized, his dark eyes lighting up behind his wire-rimmed glasses. "So do you."

  I push mine higher up my nose, dropping my purse onto the chair beside the door.

  His smile grows.

  "I came."

  His lips twitch with devilish humor. "Not yet, you haven't, but you will, Paradise. Repeatedly." His gaze runs down my body, the desire in his onyx eyes unmistakable. I guess the asymmetrical white V-neck top and black slacks was a good choice. He seems to like the way I look in them.

  I fidget where I stand, his gaze licking like a kiss across every inch of me. The fact that this man finds me beautiful is a hell of a confidence boost. Without even meaning to do it, I sway toward him, only to stop at the edge of his desk to fidget again.

  "Come here." He holds out a hand toward me.

  I take it, allowing him to pull me closer to him. As soon as he wraps his hand around mine, my skin starts humming like it did yesterday.

  "I didn't imagine that," I mutter.

  "What?"

  "Um, nothing."

  He stops pulling me toward him, leaving a foot or so between us. He rises to his feet as gracefully as a big cat. Once again, I have to tilt my head back to look up at him. He's a giant, as big as Goliath. Something about that is incredibly attractive to me.

  "Here," he says, nudging me toward the chair. "Sit."

  I do as instructed, sinking into the chair he just vacated. He watches me for a minute and then grabs a chair from the other side of the desk and pulls it up near mine, blocking me in. I don't mind though. I kind of like being trapped in here with him.

  He grabs a coffee cup off the desk that I didn't even notice and holds it out to me. "I wasn't sure how you take it, so I went with sweet."

  "You brought me coffee?"

  "Figured I owed you for coming in so early." He gives me an easy smile before sitting his glasses aside and grabbing the other cup from his desk. He also grabs a paper bag and holds it out toward me. "I brought you a muffin too."

  God, he's sweet.

  "Thank you." I take a sip of the coffee and groan as the rich, sugary taste hits my system. I was too nervous to eat or drink anything before leaving. "It's perfect."

  "How is Colton doing?"

  "Oh, he's good." Guilt flickers through me. I've been so nervous all morning that I honestly forgot all about Colton. I'm a bad friend. "They kept him overnight for observation, but Lisa says he's going to be just fine. It's mostly scrapes and bruises."

  "I'm glad he's doing well. You're close with his sister?"

  I nod, smiling. "She was my babysitter when I was younger. Now, she's my best friend. I've known her for most of my life. She's such an amazing person and mom."

  Sebastian sips on his coffee, eyeing me over the rim. "I didn't sleep worth a damn last night, little owl," he mutters. "Kept thinking about you."

  "Same," I whisper.

  He seems to like that. Little lines crinkle around his eyes when he grins at me. I hate to steal that smile from his face, but I don't think it can be avoided.

  "I don't think this is a good idea though, Sebastian," I admit, glancing from him to the bag in front of me. I set my cup down and pick it up, giving myself something else to focus on. The blueberry muffin inside looks incredible. "You're my boss and I'm already in enough trouble with Principal Johnson."

  Another little sound emanates from his throat, partly a growl, partly an annoyed huff. Exactly as I predicted, his smile slips, turning into a dark scowl. He does not like to be told no. It's sweet to see him get grumpy over me. Maybe I'm not the only one whose insides are fluttering and humming like crazy. For some reason, I think he's just as attracted to me as I am to him.

  "I already told you not to worry about Johnson, Paradise," he says, his voice an irritable growl of sound that grates against my womb, sending little jolts of desire through me. "And I've already spoken to the board about us."

  "You spoke to the board about us?" I whisper-shout, not sure if I'm going to throw up or pass out. Lord, this man is crazy. "You can't just go talk to the board about us. What if they say no? You haven't even kissed me yet, and now the Board knows you want to kiss me." I gasp as a new thought occurs. "They know you want to have sex with me!"

  "Baby–"

  "Oh my gosh." I place my hands on my overheated cheeks, but it doesn't help. I'm spiraling. Jesus God. This man is making me a crazy person. I feel it happening, but I can't make myself shut my mouth. It just pops open and things come tumbling out like a train wreck. "The School Board is going to know that I have sex. What if you're grumpy one day and they say, 'Of course he's grumpy, Virgin Rowan is terrible at sex.'? The School Board doesn't need to know I'm terrible at sex!"

  "Shh. Calm down." Sebastian steps right up beside me and leans down, placing his fingertip across my mouth. "Stop talking, Paradise."

  Oh, sure. My mouth listens to him. The traitor.

  We stare at each other in some sort of weird, sexual standoff that makes me want to have sex on top of his desk. God, I didn't know brown-black could be such an enticing color, but the way his eyes darken and heat is all kinds of appealing.

  "You're a virgin?" he asks, slowly pulling his finger away from my lips and stepping back.

  "Yes."

  "Stand up," he orders.

  I open my mouth to ask why—because I'm nosy and suspicious and terrible at following orders—but he narrows his eyes before I even make a sound. I snap my mouth closed and do as instructed, rising on unsteady legs.

  A storm hits as soon as I'm on my feet. Hurricane Sebastian makes landfall like a tsunami. He plows into me, lifting me right off my feet. My back hits a wall, my front plastered to his chest. He growls my name as my legs immediately wrap around his waist.

  Our mouths meet with more force than a bomb blast. His kiss is wild, possessive. Way hotter than I expected…and I already expected a lot from lips like his. My hands weave their way into his hair as he licks inside my mouth. Our tongues dance together in some ancient rhythm that seems to be all instinct and desire.

  He tastes like sugar and coffee, but he still smells like rainy Sunday mornings and mint chocolate chip ice cream. My stomach growls, seemingly caving in on itself as a powerful blast of lust attacks some place deep inside me. I wriggle in his arms, tugging on his hair to keep him right where he's at. I feel his erection between my legs, rubbing against my center through my panties.

  They're definitely ruined now.

  Yay for me!

  The friction and pressure are incredible. Every time I move, he strikes against my clit, sending another bolt through me. I gasp into his mouth, writhing against the wall. The School Board doesn't matter anymore. Neither does Principal Johnson. Nothing except the intoxicating sensations tearing through me even registers in my brain.

  "You want to come, Paradise?" Sebastian asks before diving right back into our frantic kiss. He grips my bottom in his hands, using them to g
rind me against him.

  "Y-yes!"

  Is that my voice? Why is it so loud?

  "Then come, little owl." He bites my lip, pulling it through his teeth. His grip on my bottom tightens. He bounces me up and down on his dick, grinding me against him like he knows exactly how to hit all those sweet spots that make me see stars and little dancing angels. "I thought about making you come for me all fucking night."

  He breaks away from my lips, kissing a trail across my cheek and then onto my throat. His teeth rake down the tendon in the side of it. My legs cinch tighter around his hips, a keening moan vibrating from between my lips as my entire body reacts.

  It reacts again when he kisses the swells of my breasts through my top.

  He bounces me against him at the same time.

  His name leaves my lips on a surprised shout as the coil inside me snaps and I come harder than I even knew was possible. I tip my head forward, biting down on his shoulder to quiet my cries as pleasure races through me in a warm rush. I writhe in his arms, trying not to pass out as my heart and lungs both threaten to explode. It's so good. Oh my God. Euphoria boils in my veins, popping like little champagne bubbles all over the place.

  "Good girl," Sebastian croons, grinding me against him until I fall limp in his arms. He kisses my cheek and my temple, his strong arms wrapped around me tightly. Somehow, he peels me away from the wall, dropping down into the chair he pulled me out of not even five minutes ago.

  I burrow into his throat, not ready to come back to reality yet. I like this place too much. It's warm and fuzzy and perfect. My heart races, slowing in increments before finally returning to a more normal beat. I don't feel normal though.

  "I like knowing I'm going to be your first, Paradise," Sebastian murmurs in my ear, his voice a satisfied purr, as if he's the one who just came. "And I already know you and I are going to be so fucking good together. You're going to love it when I'm finally inside you."

  "'Kay," I whisper…because what else am I going to say after that? I already love when he isn't inside me, so I'm pretty sure he's right. And then reality intrudes, worry creeping in to steal a little of the peace between us. "We can't do this at school, Sebastian. The kids…"

  "Fuck." He rests his forehead against the top of my head for a split second. For a superintendent, he curses a lot. Not that I can judge or anything. I do too. "I know, Paradise. I didn't mean to kiss you here at all. But you looked so fucking cute rambling about being bad at sex. I couldn't help it. I promise, I'll be more discreet from here on out. That is, if…"

  I wait for him to say more, but he doesn't. Curiosity goes to work inside me, so I pull back to look at him. My eyes are all blurry or else my glasses are smudged because I can't see him clearly. I pull the glasses off and blink a couple times.

  "You really are a little owl," he says, chuckling at me.

  "Maybe that's why I'm farsighted," I mumble, using the hem of my shirt to clean my glasses. I plop them back on my nose to look at him.

  He's staring at me, a little smile hovering on his lips.

  My stomach flips. I can't seem to get used to how gorgeous he is. Just when I think I remember that he's basically the hottest man I've ever seen, he somehow gets hotter. It's ridiculously unfair.

  "So beautiful," he murmurs, reaching up to touch my cheek as if he thinks the same thing about me. The thought that he might gives me another little confidence boost.

  "If what?" I ask, running my fingers through his hair. It's so soft.

  "If you're willing to give me a shot," he says, holding my gaze. "I know I'm asking for a lot here, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since you ran into me yesterday. I think that's worth exploring."

  "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either," I admit, making him smile. Hmm. Interesting. Maybe he isn't as confident as I assumed he was. He seems equal parts surprised and pleased that I've been thinking of him.

  I nibble on my bottom lip, trying to give this the consideration it deserves. I want to jump right in like I do with everything else…but I don't think whatever is happening between us is like everything else. I've never wanted anyone like I do him. My job here is important to me…but I think this might be just as important.

  I decide to take the leap.

  "I'm in."

  He blinks those ridiculously long lashes at me. "Yeah?"

  I nod.

  "Thank fuck," he growls, pressing his lips to mine in a hard kiss. "If you'd said no, I was going to have to take drastic measures to change your mind. I'm not giving you up without a fight, Paradise."

  "I thought the choice was mine."

  "I lied."

  I laugh quietly, not really surprised. He's all alpha, bossy as can be. But he's also really sweet and kind of nerdy. It's an endearing combination, one that is quickly proving to be my favorite.

  "Come to dinner with me tonight."

  "I thought we were being discreet."

  "We are. I'm discreetly going to cook you dinner and then eat you for dessert," he says, hitting me with a cocky smirk. "I know what you sound like when you're coming now, Paradise. Don't think I'm not going to have you making those sounds at every available opportunity."

  "But not at school."

  "Right," he agrees, though it's obvious he doesn't like it. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and then lifts me off his lap, plopping me down on the desk in front of him. "Not at school."

  I tip my head back, watching as he rises to his feet and then picks me up and puts me back in the chair. I've always been short, but I've never felt dainty before. I think I like the way he manhandles me, moving me around however he wants. It's kind of hot.

  "I'll come to dinner with you," I murmur, picking up my coffee to take a sip. It's cooled considerably, so I set it to the side and reach for the muffin instead. "Is that why you wanted to see me this morning?"

  "Yes and no." He grabs both of our cups, carrying them across to the microwave set up on the far side of the office. He pops the lids off both cups and then sets them inside and hits a button. "I have some questions for you about Johnson."

  My stomach twists at the mention of our principal.

  Sebastian notices. He scowls, his dark brows slashing together. He looks formidable and intense again, like he's fully capable of running a criminal syndicate instead of the schools of San Francisco. "You don't like him."

  "I didn't say that," I protest.

  "Paradise."

  "Sebastian."

  He cocks a brow.

  "Fine," I sigh, giving up with an annoyed huff. I need to learn to lie better. I'm not very good at it. It never works out for me. "I don't like him."

  "Are you afraid of him?"

  "I'm leery of him," I say, picking at the muffin.

  "I want to talk about why," he says. The microwave beeps, so he pulls our cups out, pops the lids back on, and then strides toward me, handing mine over. "Talk to me, little owl. I can't help you guys if you don't let me."

  "He's not a bad guy," I say, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. "He means well. He's just…very old-fashioned, I guess. He has certain ideas about education that haven't held up well over the last decade. He expects teachers to be stern taskmasters instead of partners in education."

  "So he thinks you aren't tough enough on the kids?"

  "Honestly? He thinks I don't measure up, period. I'm too nice to the kids, too accommodating, too compassionate. I'm not tough enough on them and I don't expect enough from them." I tick off the list on my fingers, irritated all over again with the man. "I'm too loud and too happy. I don't take the job seriously enough. Oh, and my favorite—my resistance to authority is troublesome."

  Sebastian arches a brow. "He's said all of that to you?"

  "At one time or another," I say, and then pause to take a sip of my coffee. "He doesn't single me out, though. We all fail to measure up in one way or another. He's left me alone this year because he's been focused on Cadence. She stood up to him by refusing t
o give her kids more homework every night. He didn't like it." I grimace. "I guess my luck ran out yesterday."

  "You think he'll target you because of me?"

  "You don't think he will?" I shoot him a disbelieving look and pick up my muffin again. "You put him in his place in front of me, Sebastian. He hates to have his authority questioned or to look foolish in front of anyone. I think he has a small penis."

  "I was concerned about that," Sebastian admits, his expression grim.

  "You were?" I blink, surprised. I didn't think men thought about other men's penises.

  "Not about his cock," Sebastian mutters, shaking his head at me like it's my fault he agreed with me. What was I supposed to think? "If he targets you, I want to know about it. He may have gotten away with being a bully before, but that's over now."

  "Please don't fire him because of me."

  Sebastian blinks at me, going stock still. "You think I'd fire him for upsetting you?"

  "Yes? No?" I throw up my hands, accidentally sending my muffin flying across the room. It sails across the office, smacking into the door. The muffin breaks apart upon impact, crumbling into a mess on the floor. "Oh, jeez."

  Sebastian looks at it and then chuckles.

  "Why is it always me?" I groan, laying my head on the desk like an overwhelmed, melodramatic student. "I swear, God made me a hot mess on purpose."

  I hear Sebastian moving around, but I don't lift my head to look at him. My cheeks are probably bright red. He's so cool and collected all the time. Meanwhile, I'm accidentally launching muffins across the room. It's ridiculous!

  A couple seconds later, I feel him moving closer to me. Energy hums to life all up and down my body right before I feel him lay his hand on my back and rub.

  "I love that you're a hot mess," he says, his voice soft. "It's fucking adorable."

  "Easy for you to say," I huff, lifting my head to glare at him. "You're not the one embarrassing yourself every five minutes."

  "Baby." His lips twitch, but to his credit, he doesn't laugh at me. "I'm pretty sure I'm the one who was so stunned by you that I just stood there and let you run right into me. I'm also pretty sure I'm the one who was trying to hide an erection before you ever opened your mouth." His lips lift into a mischievous smile. "I'm also the one who was digging for any little tidbit about you during my meeting with Leslie Holland yesterday."