Had To Make You Mine

by Kat Long

  I peeled off my clothes and crawled into bed, wrapping myself in the warmth of my comforter. The only thing I wanted was Max. I picked up the phone and called him. It barely rang once before he picked up.

  “What happened?”

  “Will you come over?” I said, burrowing myself further in the warmth.

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes, Blue.”

  “Good.”

  He hung up, and I stayed in bed, willing my heart to calm down. My phone chirped nine minutes later, and I walked downstairs, opening the door with my blanket still wrapped around me.

  Max swooped in, lifting me up in his arms and closing the door with his foot. I laid my head on his chest and pointed to the stairs. He nodded and leaned down, kissing my head. The bed was cold when he laid me down, and his eyes went dark when he saw the mace and safe.

  “I’m going to walk Baxter and check the doors and windows, Blue.”

  I nodded, and he leaned down, pressing a kiss to my lips. I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer, driving my tongue into his mouth. He thrusted his tongue against mine, running his hands up my stomach and over my breasts. The world made sense when his lips were on mine, and when he drew my bottom lip in his mouth and nibbled, I moaned. His tongue caressed mine, and he slowed down, peppering my mouth and neck with wet kisses.

  “Keep the bed warm for me,” he said, standing upright and patting Baxter on the head. “Come on, buddy, let’s go for a walk.”

  Baxter tilted his head to the side, then licked Max’s hand and trotted after him. A wave of exhaustion washed over me as I closed my eyes for a second then stood up, stripping and pulling on Max’s shirt from after the Gala. It still smelled like him, and it grounded me until Baxter trotted back in and put his front paws on the bed.

  “How’s my good boy? He did so good protecting his mama.”

  Baxter whined and scooted forward, so I patted the bed, and he jumped up, turning in a circle before plopping down at the foot. He usually slept in the big doggie bed on the floor, but tonight, the bed would fit us all. Max came back, set a glass of water on my nightstand, and plugged in my phone before stripping down to his briefs. He climbed into bed over me, pressing another kiss to my lips before pulling me into his arms. I rested my head on his chest and threw one leg over his, tracing my hands up his stomach. There was a rumble deep in his chest, and he pulled me closer.

  “Thank you.”

  “Baby, nothing could have kept me away. I shouldn’t have listened to you. I should have been here,” he said, nudging Baxter with his foot.

  “You’re here now, Max.”

  “I am, and I’m not leaving again. Now sleep. I’ve got you, Blue,” he said, with another kiss on my head.

  And I did.

  - 20 -

  BY MY SIDE

  Max

  Monday morning was here again. And this time, walking into the office, I was just as pissed as before. I trusted Annaleigh. I did.

  Who I didn’t trust was that little shit, Benjamin. I purposely didn’t ask her about what happened Saturday, hoping she would confide in me. But she didn’t. She fell asleep, wrapped around me like a koala bear. I barely slept, listening for anything that sounded suspicious. Baxter kept his eyes on me all night like he knew something might happen to his Mama.

  Maybe she didn’t trust me, or maybe there was more to the story than she was letting on. The urge to protect her, to keep her safe, and to learn all her secrets was overwhelming. I was angry at myself for constantly having my thoughts stray since it was clear I needed her like oxygen.

  My mind kept ricocheting between needing Annaleigh to validate my feelings and clocking Benjamin. I hated how jealous I felt. But jealousy wasn’t the right word. It was a deep, possessive need to know her inside and out, to know every nuance of her body and mind.

  Why the fuck were relationships so hard?

  Relationship.

  This was the start of a relationship. I’d said the word before, but it had finally sunk in. A distraction I hadn’t wanted, had morphed into something I couldn’t do without anymore. I didn’t want to be alone. I wanted her to stand with me, beside me.

  Restless, I stood and paced my office. The warm sun reflecting off the river through my windows hit my face, and I cracked my neck, letting it soak into my body. I grabbed my coffee cup and walked into Jake’s office, turning on the machine. Syncing my calendar, I scrolled through my appointments until the smell of coffee roused me, and I filled my cup, determined to get some work in while the office was quiet.

  But Raymond was standing in the hallway with his arms crossed over his chest. His cheeks were puffed, and his chest was bowed, the intimidation clear. Mimicking his pose, I spread my legs and stared back, glaring at him across the space.

  What in the ever-loving hell…? Benjamin must have gone to his father, complaining about the big, bad new kid picking on him. Raymond broke contact first and walked into his office, slamming the door. The sound reverberated through the office. Geezus, nothing like getting in a pissing contest before eight o’clock in the morning.

  I was three steps from my office when Jake came barreling around the corner like a force of nature, tie askew and hair sticking up in every direction.

  “Max!” he barked, radiating anger, “My office. Now!”

  Not waiting for a response, he opened his door with such force it hit the wall, sounding like a gunshot in the quiet space. Following without a clue as to what had him so rattled, I took a seat in front of his desk and sat my coffee cup down. He paced back and forth, raking his hands through his hair. His eyes had dark circles, and his normally impeccable shirt was wrinkled.

  “Jake?”

  He held up a hand, silencing me as he paced. What had him so frazzled, so furious? Stomping over to the coffeemaker, he pushed the button for hot water and shoved a mug underneath, breaking off the handle.

  “Goddammit,” he said, yanking the pieces from the coffeemaker and slamming them in the trash.

  “Max.” The word came out as a hiss because of how hard his jaw clenched. “As of this morning, Benjamin and Raymond are on unpaid administrative leave. I’m going to ask you two questions. You need to know that I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure they never set foot through our doors again. I’m confident they’ll be fired within the week. But I need your complete honesty, and I cannot comment on anything about any incidents or investigation. Now, did you threaten Benjamin’s life?”

  His face was a blank slate, eyes burning coals, waiting for my answer.

  “I had an altercation with him the week before Tennessee,” I said.

  Not leaving out a detail, I told him about my quick stop in the office, the conversation I overheard, my threat, and popping that twatwaffle on the lip. When I got to that part, I saw a slight upturn to Jake’s mouth and noticed the bottom of his jaw was discolored.

  What happened?

  “Thank you for your honesty. As your boss, you should have reported him and Raymond right away. I’ll need you to speak with HR and recount the incident. You won’t face any repercussions. And as your friend, I’m glad you punched the little cockroach.”

  “Um. Thanks? What happened to your jaw,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

  “I had my own altercation with Benjamin,” he said, touching the discolored area. “And that brings me to the second question, the reason for the altercation. Are you romantically involved with anyone in the office, Max?”

  “Jake,” I started.

  Oh fuck. We sure as shit were in a relationship, but it wasn’t right to tell Jake anything before discussing it with Annaleigh. How could I word this, so I wasn’t lying but also not putting her in a position she didn’t want to be in yet?

  “Are you romantically involved with anyone in the office?” he repeated. “While we investigate, I need all the facts.�
�� He crossed his arms then shook out of shoulders, taking another coffee mug down.

  “As of today, Jake. There is nothing I can disclose to you without first speaking about it with other parties who may or not be involved.”

  “How very diplomatic of you, Max,” Jake said. His words were sarcastic, but he was grinning, the tension leaving his body. “Good man.” He put out his hand to mine. I stood and firmly shook it.

  How was it only Monday?

  Running my fingers through my hair, I walked out of his office, willing the time to move faster. Annaleigh was sitting at her desk, talking on the phone and looking edible in a blue dress. Holding her fingers to her lips, she waved them in greeting before looking back at her computer screen. I mimicked the motion, holding my fingers to my lips like I was blowing her a kiss, and smiled.

  The bullshit with Raymond and Benjamin wasn’t over. I could feel it in the air. I sat at my desk, staring out the windows and drinking my now lukewarm coffee. Standing up for a refill, I saw Jake lean down and speak to Annaleigh so low I couldn’t hear. She reached up and touched his chin, where the skin was bruised. He took out his wallet and handed her money. I couldn’t see how much from here, but she tried to push it away before sighing and tucking it in a drawer.

  “Thank you for Saturday night,” he said louder before tilting his head towards his office. She followed and closed the door, leaving me in stunned silence.

  What the hell was that? Benjamin and Jake’s faces swirled in my vision, and I sent Annaleigh an instant message asking her to come into my office when she had a moment.

  This was not how my week was supposed to start, bouncing between self-loathing and confusion. I was an edgy mix of restlessness and exhaustion. I needed to relax desperately, but my mind kept firing synapses in every direction, preventing any semblance of that from happening.

  There was a soft knock a half-hour later, and she walked in with red-rimmed eyes and a splotchy face. I turned around and smiled at her before looking back out the windows. Clouds now covered the sun, much like my mood, and I sat behind my desk. She left the door open and sat in one of the grey chairs, crossing her legs.

  “How you doing, Blue?” I asked, leaning forward and steepling my fingers. “What happened?”

  “Jake dropped off Baxter Saturday, and Benjamin showed up,” she said, looking at her shoes. “I met with Human Resources this morning, and it wasn’t a pleasant conversation. There were lots of accusations thrown around. I just want to feel something normal.” She twirled a strand of her blonde hair and leaned back in the chair, putting her tablet on my desk.

  “Did they share the next steps with you?” I asked, cracking the seal on a water bottle and passing it to her.

  “Thank you,” she said, wrapping her red lips around the bottle and taking a drink. “Based on the evidence they have, they should be fired, but these things take time.”

  “What can I do?” I said, taking the water back and finishing the bottle. I wanted to pull her in my lap and nuzzle her neck, then pink her ass for the frustration I felt. But this shit wasn’t her fault, and no matter what HR said, she should trust me enough to share.

  “Honestly, Max. You know what you can do?” she said, standing up and locking my door with a click. She walked towards me, looking like an innocent vixen, and spun my chair so it was facing the windows. Then she sunk to her knees with a naughty grin on her face and her bottom lip stuck between her teeth.

  The way she was looking at me as she dragged those teeth over her lips was enough to send my heart rate higher, practically beating out of my chest. Seeing her on her knees, looking up at me with wicked intent, had my cock pushing against my slacks, desperate for contact. My mindset focused on her red lips. My fantasy was coming to life before my eyes.

  “Mr. Jackson, sir,” she said, twirled that same piece of hair between her fingers. “It’s been a doozy of a day, and I need something to take my mind off of things. I need to be bad.” She started a tortuous climb of her fingers up my thighs, spreading them apart and looking up at me doe-eyed.

  “Is this what you need, baby?”

  The words came out a growl as I leaned forward to grip the back of her neck, making sure her eyes stayed on me. Even if she wasn’t on her knees, looking like a goddess, I’d give her anything. I’d fall to the ground and worship every inch of her body until she was nothing but a puddle on the floor.

  “Take it away, Max, all the drama. Let me feel you. All of you. Right now.”

  Not waiting for me to process the words, she leaned forward, dragging her fingernails across my cock. It surged towards her as she worked my belt loops, drawing out the moment and keeping that goddamn lower lip between her teeth. I was gobsmacked, staring at her as she worked the button and zipper. Tilting my hips, she lowered my slacks and caressed my hard-as-steel cock through my briefs. My breath caught in my chest as she leaned in, nuzzling my erection with her nose.

  “I’ve fantasized about this, Blue. You, on your knees, sucking me off. My cock hitting the back of your throat as you take me deeper. I want you so fucking bad, right here. No one the wiser. The door closed and locked with your red lips wrapped around me. You drive me crazy.”

  “Humm,” she moaned, the sound even hotter with her on her knees.

  I worked my fingers into her hair as she lowered my briefs, my cock jutting out proudly to bob against my stomach. I needed to feel her silky tongue slide over me. Her eyes traveled down, making my hips almost jerk to bring her closer. But this was her show. I was just the lucky fucker along for the ride.

  She wrapped one hand around the base of my cock and stroked up slowly, twisting her hand slightly. She pumped me until a drop of pre-cum oozed out, and her tongue darted out, lapping it up, almost causing me to lose it before I felt her sweet lips. I wanted to trace my cock around her lips, painting myself on her like a caveman, marking her on the outside like she’d marked me.

  “I love the taste of you, salty-sweet and oh so sexy. You make me feel naughty and powerful. I’m addicted.”

  The way she purred those last words pushed what little control I had out the window. Gripping her hair harder, I tilted her neck so she was looking up at me again.

  “Take what you want. You fucking have all of me, Blue.”

  Instead of going for my swollen head, she sunk lower, moving her hand and licking the base of my cock before drawing my balls into her mouth. She sucked gently, while her fingers circled the head and her tongue moved between each one. Flattening her tongue, she licked me from base to tip before swirling her tongue and doing it again.

  Whispered moans escaped her lips as she worked. I kept my grip loose, letting her set the pace. Bracing one hand on my thigh, she wrapped the other on the base of my cock and plunged her mouth all the way down. This time, my hips thrust forward, and my grip tightened.

  “Holy fuck. Your mouth is so hot.”

  Her hand and lips were working in tandem, and she bobbed her head faster. Every time she raised up, I saw a red lipstick ring around my cock. My breath was coming in quick gasps, and sweat beaded my forehead as she worked faster and faster. As I gripped her hair harder, a growl slipped out, and my hips thrust up again.

  Bobbing down so far, I felt the back of her throat. She released me with a wet pop, looking up with flushed cheeks and bright eyes.

  “Fuck my mouth, Max.”

  I fisted her hair again, and she lowered herself on my cock until I felt the back of her throat. I held her there, wrapped in her warm, wet mouth. She swallowed and hummed, the vibration traveling down my legs.

  “Christ, do that again,” I said.

  She complied, sucking me down as I held her in place while she swallowed. I watched her intently, making sure there was no discomfort, but she was sucking me off like her mouth was made to take my cock. She did it again and again until I felt my balls tighten and a tingling at the base of my
spine. I was close, wrapped around sweet wetness with no doubt in my mind this was where I belonged.

  But I wanted more. As painful as it was to make her stop, I pulled on her hair, and she looked up, released my cock with a wet pop.

  “Turn around and put your palms on the desk. Now.”

  I loosened my tie and undid my shirt-bottom, swallowing harshly as she turned around and did just that. I pressed my palm between her shoulder blades and pushed down, bunching up her dress and pulling it over her hips. She was wearing black panties, no bigger than a postage stamp, and I tugged the strings down, slipping them to her ankles.

  I ran my fingers from her calves to her thighs and spread her legs wider before burying my tongue in her pussy. I needed to taste her. I flicked my tongue against her clit then gave her one long lick, gathering up her wetness. She turned her head and looked at me, biting that goddamned lower lip.

  “Fuck me, Max. I need you to fuck me.”

  With my pants around my ankles and my cock borderline painful, I retrieved a condom from my wallet and sheathed myself, pressing it to her entrance. She was so wet, so responsive, and if her pussy felt half as good as her mouth, I wouldn’t last long. I draped my body over hers and nibbled on her earlobe, “Are you ready, baby?”

  She pushed herself against my dick, and in one smooth motion, I thrust deep inside her, both of us groaning with the sensation. Holy fuck. This was better than I’d imagined. I dragged my cock back out and slammed home, making her body jerk forward. Office supplies scattered on the floor, but the sound of them dropping was drown out by the sound of our bodies slapping together. I reached around and rubbed tight, fast circles over her clit, needing her to come, needing to feel her slick walls flutter around me.

  I set a punishing pace, grunting as I rutted into her. Her moans were getting louder, and I took my hand off her hip to cover her mouth, gritting my teeth with the effort of not coming. But it was useless. She felt too good, her pussy was too tight, and I felt my balls tighten as they slapped her ass.

  “Close. Need you.”