Emerging Temptation: A BWWM Romance Limited Edition Collection

by Peyton Banks

  She nodded her head, but he knew she was confused. Any other man in this situation would be sliding inside her warm pussy at this point. Julian wanted more than that with her. Wetness seeped into his jeans as he lay on top of her. His dick throbbed so hard it was painful. Glancing over at the clock, he noted the time and sighed. He needed to head home soon. If he didn’t, he’d break every vow he’d just made to himself and thrust his dick inside her. “We need to get you in bed, sweetheart. I have an early day tomorrow, so I need to get going.”

  He watched her face fall at his words and knew she’d come to her own conclusions. The wrong one if he was reading the situation right.

  “You’re leaving? Just like that? You eat my pussy as if you’re a starving man, then you give me the brush-off as if this is something you do every day.”

  Julian shook his head. “Stop, Kori. That’s not what this is, and you fucking know it. Don’t put me in a box because I’m trying to do the right thing.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m lying here naked in my living room while you’re fully clothed. Your tongue has been inside my pussy, making me moan and scream your name. I’ve just begged you to fuck me, opening myself up to you—something I haven’t done in years with another man—yet, you turn me down.” Pushing against his chest with her hands, she squirmed beneath him. “Let me up.”

  “No.”

  “I’m not doing this with you. I want to get up and get dressed.”

  Her hands continued to push at him as Julian stared down at her. If only she knew just how much he wanted to be inside her right now, she wouldn’t be giving him so much shit. Julian took a deep breath and lifted his body from hers. Standing, he went over and grabbed her jeans as she pulled her t-shirt over her head, not bothering to put on her bra, which pleased Julian immensely. Her nipples were still pebbled from their earlier activities. His mouth watered in remembrance of suckling her flesh.

  “Kori. Why are you pissed that I’m trying to do the right thing? I don’t want our first time together to be just a fuck.” She stood as well, pulling on her pants before walking away from him and sitting on the loveseat on the other side of the room. Julian remained on the larger couch, staring at Kori as she avoided his gaze. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to worry if I want you. Being with you is all I want. You’ve been the only thought on my mind for almost two weeks now. When I wake up the morning, I want to see your face, hear your voice. When I go to sleep at night, I envision you by my side, pressing those soft curves against my body. There’s nothing I want—or need—more than being with you.”

  “Then why not give us what we both want?”

  “Because when I do take you, that’ll be it for me. And for you. I’ll be the only man in your bed from that point on, and nothing but death will take me from you.” He sighed before opening his arms. “Get your beautiful ass back over here. You can be mad all you want, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get to hold you in the meantime. Come here, Kori. You’re too far away, and I need you close.” He watched one of her legs begin to bounce nervously as she stared at him.

  A half-smile came over her face, and she took a deep inhale. “You can’t just declare that I’m never going to leave you. You should at least make sure we want the same thing.” Yet, she stood and walked back over to him before settling down on his lap. “I’m mad at you, Julian.”

  “Why?”

  Shrugging her shoulders, she rubbed her fingers against the arm wrapped around her. “I like you, Julian. What I feel for you is something I never thought I’d experience again. Maybe I’m a little embarrassed that you turned me down.”

  His arms squeezed her tighter. “Don’t be, sweetheart. I, um… like you, too,” he smirked. Julian didn’t want to make light of her confession since it was the first time they were opening up to each other this way. What he felt for her was so much more than like. When he was with her, Julian experienced need, desire, passion, lust, and an all-consuming hunger. If he had to use such a simple word to help explain how much he wanted her, needed her, craved her… without scaring her off, then that’s what he’d do.

  “Do you want to make love to me, Julian?”

  He grabbed her chin with one hand, forcing her face around so he could look into her eyes. “More than anything. If you’ve ever doubted that I want you as much as I need my next breath of air, you can get that thought right outta your fucking head.” Releasing her chin, he rubbed the soft skin of her jaw. There were things he needed to tell her before they crossed that line. He’d probably gone too far already, insinuating himself into her life. Into Morgan’s life. If she knew what he was capable of, she’d probably take her son and go as far away from him as she could. If that happened, he didn’t know how he’d react. She was his chance to do it right. To love someone the right way and have that love returned full force. Being around her and Morgan, he finally knew what real happiness was. Things were different with Rebecca. She’d sucked the soul out of everything she touched, including him. Sure, he’d always known he could become something dark and twisted, but he’d always been able to control it. He’d made a career out of saving lives every day, and he enjoyed his job. Working hard and being good was all he knew. Until his ex-girlfriend’s actions tipped him over the edge, bringing everything he tried to hold inside to the surface. That one moment of betrayal allowed the swirling blackness to take over, and he’d welcomed it. He’d been a lovesick fool for a woman who was only out for herself.

  With Kori, he already knew it would never be that way. She brought out things in him that made him feel whole again. Like he could conquer the world with her by his side. A woman with a pure soul and a heart so full of love, he wanted to bask in her presence for as long as he could.

  “Do you want to sleep here tonight?”

  God, he fucking loved this woman.

  The thought made him pause. Love? Could he really hold such a strong emotion for someone he’d known for such a short time? Gazing at her gorgeous face as she shyly dipped her head after asking such a bold question, he already knew the answer. Yes. Yes, he could.

  “Not tonight. Soon, though. If I didn’t have to start my shift tomorrow morning bright and early, I would.”

  She lifted her gaze to his, “Maybe you should keep a uniform here with us. Just in case you ever get the urge to stay.”

  Kissing her softly on the lips, he gazed into her deep brown eyes. “Sweetheart, I have the urge to stay every moment I’m around you. Come on, sweetheart. Let me be the kind of man I need to be. For you. For Morgan. Walk me to the door.” His hand tapped her ass, and she lifted, taking a step back as he rose from the couch. He grabbed his keys and phone before making his way to the door.

  “Don’t forget to call me tomorrow,” she reminded him as they approached the front door.

  “I’d never forget that. I’ll ring you after we eat breakfast. Tell Morgan I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

  She nodded as her body leaned against the open door. “I’m sorry I went kinda crazy tonight.”

  “Nope. Never apologize for calling me out when you think I’m not treating the way you expect.” Kissing her again, he stepped out on her front porch. “I’ll wait until you lock up. I’ll call you when I get home.”

  “Night, Julian.”

  “Night, baby.

  7

  Julian

  A week later, Julian was sitting in his parents’ home, waiting for “the talk” he knew was coming any moment. He’d received the summons, disguised as a request, from his mother. She’d made it clear it was time for him to come have dinner with her, his father, and even his brother Steven was going to stop by. Julian knew exactly what this meeting was about; why he'd been called over to his parents’ home like a rebellious child. His brother must have already told his parents that Julian was hiding something, and now they wanted to know what, or who, it was.

  There was no way Steven wouldn’t have run right over to their parents and snitch on Julian. No wonder he was a police officer becau
se he always kept his nose in everyone else’s business. Julian had a beer in his hand as he watched the college football game on the large screen in his parents’ den. Giving a side glance to his father, who sat his favorite recliner, he waited for his father to get the conversation started. He didn’t have to wait long.

  "So, how are things going, Julian? What have you been up to lately?"

  Julian laughed a little, rolling his eyes in the back of his head. It was a childish gesture, but he did it behind his dad's back, so his old man didn’t see it. "Dad, why don't you just come out and ask me? I know what you're hinting at, even if you think you’re being all superspy. Just tell me what Steven told you. I’m sure he got half of it wrong, anyway." Julian wasn't trying to be harsh with his father, but he wanted him to get to the point.

  "Well, that's just the thing. Steven didn't really tell us much. Maybe because he knew how you’d react to us knowing anything about your private life. All we know is that you were called to an accident the other week. One that was pretty bad and involved a small child. Plus, we haven’t seen you much lately, and your mother and I started to worry."

  His father’s gaze looked into Julian's eyes, ones that resembled the old man’s. It was that fatherly stare that always got to him, even now as an adult. Under the scrutiny of the man who’d raised him, Julian began to squirm in his seat. There was no excuse for Julian’s behavior, other than he wanted to keep Kori and Morgan to himself for just a little while longer. He knew as soon as his parents understood the situation, they would be all over him like white on rice. They still didn't believe he was over what happened to him years ago. And truth be told, he wasn’t himself.

  At the time everything went down, Julian turned bitter and angry at anyone and everyone. It was as if his heart had been ripped from his chest, but he’d also lost his soul in the process. It took some time, but he’d healed from that. Julian was no longer that person. He’d moved on and become a better him, more able to control his demons. And while the rational part of his brain knew his parents and brother were only worried about him, sometimes that worry became too much. The feeling became stifling, and it felt as if they thought he'd somehow regressed into his own world and didn't know his own mind.

  Why didn't they seem to understand that he accepted the situation? What happened to him still bothered him, too. Yeah, it had been a tough time for him, but eventually, he had to move on and continue living his life

  "Hey, family! I’ve finally arrived," Steven yelled as he walked into the house. "Who's winning the game? Hey, Dad. ‘Sup, Julian," he greeted as he walked over to their father and giving him a half hug. Looking over at his brother, Steven lifted his chin, "You made it? Thought you’d be… um, somewhere else."

  Julian shook his head, "Not much going on over here. Just getting ready for the third degree to begin."

  Their dad's eyes widened as he looked over at his two sons. "No such thing was about to happen, Julian. Don't exaggerate. I was just asking what you’ve been up to. Can’t a father check on his son?"

  Taking a swallow of his beer, he shook his head at his father. "Dad, you know I'm thirty-two years old, right? Can’t keep on treating me as if I haven't had hair on my balls for more than eighteen years now."

  His father laughed under his breath. “Son, if you keep on talking shit, you're gonna find out just how young you really are,” his father teased.

  Julian smiled, knowing that his dad would get in trouble with his mom if he got out of that chair and tried to establish his dominance. His mother didn't play around when it came to her children. Plus, since his dad was getting up there in age, Julian’s mother had given him strict instructions to “stop all that monkeying around with the boys” after his last physical. His cholesterol and blood pressure had been too high for her comfort level, so she’d put her foot down. His mom was the only person their father listened to, so when she demanded he start taking care of himself, so they’d have at least thirty more years together, his father listened. Georgia MacMahon may be tiny, but she was a force to be reckoned with. Julian laughed at the thought of his mom standing up against their father. "Alright, old man. If you’re not careful, I'm gonna tell your wife."

  At the look on their father's face as he looked toward the kitchen opening, Julian and Steven burst out laughing. They both knew threatening him with the wrath of his wife was the thing they could say to make their father back down. Harold MacMahon shook his head at them before placing his finger over his lips. "You better keep your mouth shut. If I get in trouble because you want to be all secretive and shit, there’s gonna be hell to pay.”

  "Well, how about, if you stop giving me the third degree, I won't tell mom about that fat juicy burger you had last week when you stopped by the station?"

  “Fine, you little shit,” his father growled.

  Chuckling, Julian focused on the game on the television. “Just know that I'm watching you, old man. I can play this game all day.” Steven plopped down next to Julian as their father growled at them.

  Steven bumped his arm. “You'd better leave the old man alone. You know he likes to use weapons now that we're older and bigger than he is."

  Quiet settled around the room as the three men settled down to watch the football game. The fact that his parents and brother worried about him did make him feel bad, but they also needed to chill with the extra hovering. When he’d decided to become a firefighter, his parents fully supported him, even though they wanted him to go another route for his career. At the time, nothing they could have said to him would have changed his mind. Although neither he nor his brother had chosen to follow in their father's footsteps, their dad still supported their career choices.

  Julian tried his best to follow the rules set out for him. He’d done everything he was supposed to do and complied with most anything they’d asked of him. After the incident with Rebecca a few years ago, he’d tried to walk the straight and narrow. To do all the things he felt were best for him and his family. He still couldn’t believe he’d allowed that conniving, sneaky woman, to turn his life upside down. The lengths she went to in order to convince Julian to believe her lies were unbelievable.

  "Hey, boys." His mother’s booming voice greeted them as she walked into the den. Her arms were laden with all types of food for them to snack on while watching the game today. This had always been their favorite activity as little boys. Hanging out with their parents and watching the football game on television was one of the reasons he always managed to come back home to be with his folks. They were good people, and he loved them both very much, but he was a very different man than they thought he was.

  He craved the things that would keep him in control. Needed a life built on maintaining the status quo around him, but one that also gave him the adrenaline rush he needed regularly. Julian enjoyed the thrill of arriving at an unknown situation and saving a person's life. Some people thought his job was dangerous, and generally, he would agree. On the other hand, he still got what he needed to keep him balanced, even on the bad days.

  The calls Julian went on where he couldn't save the life of the person trapped inside their car after an accident, or a child hit by a car, or even the people who’d been felled by a massive heart attack or stroke? Even for him, those situations were tough. There were times he’d still wake up at night covered in a cold sweat. Nightmares.

  They’d started after he and Adam responded to a 9-1-1 call. He’d been burned over fifty percent of his body because of a fire started by a careless person. Those were the situations that made Julian question why he’d chosen this field in the first place. When he’d considered changing to another field and leaving all this behind. Then he’d get his head out of his ass and quit being selfish.

  Glancing over at his brother sitting next to him munching on nachos, Julian often thought about why Steven had taken a different route. He could remember his mother crying when Steven had told them he was joining the police academy. She'd even asked him if he was willing t
o become a Paramedic like Julian. That’s when he knew just how worried about their mother was. Steven had been committed to his decision to become a police officer, and true to his word, his brother made it through. Nine years later, he was one of the best cops on the force, and Julian couldn’t be prouder.

  Life didn't always turn out the way you expected, but sometimes you got the life you needed. Maybe that was the reason Kori had come into his life. Perhaps she was what he needed to help him move to the next phase, to grab hold of his future. Not the one he’d envisioned for himself, but the one he was meant to have.

  His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out to look at the message. A smile came over his face when he noticed it was a text message from Kori. They'd been talking every day for the last week, but he hadn’t seen her and Morgan since Wednesday. He’d been at the firehouse since Thursday and had gotten off duty early this morning. With the dry weather and heat, there'd been quite a few calls for them to go out on, and things had been hopping. He was surviving off mere hours of sleep. Truth be told, he wanted those hours to be made up while lying in Kori’s bed. Too much time had already passed since he’d last seen her, and he was starting to go through withdrawals. He missed her face, that beautiful smile when she glanced at him, the smell of her perfume as it lingered on her skin.

  Glancing down at his phone again, he smiled at her multiple messages.

  Kori – will you be able to stop by tonight?

  Kori – Morgan would like us to make your favorite meal.

  When he didn’t respond, she sent a message fifteen minutes later.

  Kori – it's okay… I understand if you’re too tired.

  A frown marred his brow as he read her final message. Did she really think he would give up the chance to spend time with her and Morgan? After everything he'd said to her, done for her, there was no reason for her to still question his seriousness about having a relationship with her. How was he going to make her believe him when he said he wanted her?