It only takes a few moments for his eyes to grow heavy-lidded. “You’re such a fucking tease,” he snarls, voice sounding as if it’s been scraped from the bottom of the ocean.
Ha!
Kingsley has no idea how much of a tease I can be. He’s unleashed the monster I never realized was lurking in the darkness.
I linger over him until our faces are so close that his warm breath can feather against my parted lips. When he shifts beneath me, growing impatient, a sly smile curves my mouth. His eyes narrow as he attempts to nip at me. Before he can make contact, I pull away with a grin before sliding from him. My hands go to his larger ones, dragging him from the bed. He raises his brows when I pull him through the door that leads outside to my private balcony. With the cool night air slapping at us, I position him against the wrought iron railing that frames the compact space.
On my tiptoes, I press kisses to his perfect cupid’s bow of a mouth. As he sinks into the caress, I slide down his body, licking over his firm jaw to the thick column of his throat. I pay homage to his shoulders before moving to his chest. I graze one flat nipple with my lips before giving the same attention to the other. When a groan rumbles up from his chest, I continue downward. Over his ribs and taut abdominals before arriving at the V of chiseled muscle that leads to the part of him that is silk encased steel. I drop to my knees so I’m eye level with his erection.
Long.
Thick.
And gorgeous.
Not in a million years did I ever imagine being so obsessed with a penis. I’d always assumed they looked the same. That theory has been completely blown out of the water by Kingsley’s cock. I love flicking the tip with my tongue and drawing him deep into my mouth. I love the way he throws his head back and groans out his release. The way his fingers sink into my scalp, holding me in place, as if he can’t bear the thought of not being brought to climax.
His joy is my own.
And vice versa.
Which he has proven dozens of times.
As I tip my head and meet his glittering gaze, a predatory smile settles on his face. He reaches out, tracing the contours of my lips with the pad of his thumb before gently pushing it between them. My tongue slides over the blunt tip as I draw him deeper into my mouth and suck on it. A rumble of pleasure reverberates from his chest as he pulls the digit from me. His hand wraps around the thick length of his cock before he brings it to my lips.
“Kiss the crown, baby girl.”
Those five words send a flurry of arousal to my core where it explodes like a firework. With my gaze locked on his, I press my lips to the glistening head. When my tongue darts out to taste the pearly drop of moisture gathered at the slit, he jerks his dick away.
“Did I say you could do that?”
“No.” Wetness gathers in my pussy. The power he wields as if it’s his God given right turns me on.
“You get what I give you, only when I decide you can have it,” he growls. His deep voice sends a million sparks of need careening through me.
“Please,” I whisper, wanting to feel the slide of him against my tongue and filling my mouth, pushing so far down my throat that I might gag.
The way he fists his dick has me growing agitated. He pulls his hard member toward his belly before jutting out his hips. “There are other parts that need worshipping first.”
He threads the fingers of his other hand through my hair and pulls me close. My tongue slips out to lap at his clean-shaven sac. I hate to admit just how much I love the silky soft feel of it.
That’s weird, right?
Except it’s not. It’s erotic as hell.
The need to please him rushes through me as my tongue dances over one heavy ball, showering it with tender attention before moving to its twin.
My hands grip his thighs as the tempo of his breathing picks up. “Goddamn but I love your mouth. You know exactly how to use it.”
Desire spikes through me as another groan slides from his lips. When I’ve licked every part of him, he releases his hold and I sit back on my heels, eager for what will come next. His eyes remain at half-mast as he brings the tip of his cock to my mouth, tracing over it with a featherlight touch. Painting it with salty moisture before placing the mushroom-shaped crown against the seam of my lips.
“Open.”
As I follow his directive, he places the blunt head on the flat of my tongue before carefully thrusting inside. The taste of our combined arousal explodes on my tongue as my mouth closes around him, drawing him inside as his other hand tunnels through my thick strands before setting a steady rhythm. A snarl of pleasure escapes from him as his gaze captures mine. My hands drift from his muscular thighs to his firm backside.
“That feels fucking amazing, baby.”
He strokes my mouth, sliding deeper with each drive of his hips until he’s gliding down my throat. I force my muscles to relax and suck air in through my nose. It doesn’t take long for his fingers to bite into my scalp and his thrusts to become frenzied. His head falls back, revealing the thickly corded muscles of his neck. The pleasure unfolding across his features spurs me on until my name is a fervent chant on his lips before drifting on the breeze that wafts over us.
Greedy for everything he has to give, I milk every drop until his hard length softens. Only then do I allow him to slip free. The wetness from my mouth glistens on his cock. Unable to resist the sight, I press another kiss to the tip before nuzzling it with my lips and nose.
“Goddamn that was good,” he rasps, cheeks stained with a dull flush under the silvery moonlight that slants across us.
I gasp when his hands slide under my arms and haul me to my feet as if I weigh nothing at all. He lifts me until our faces are aligned and my legs can tangle around his waist. Once my arms entwine around his neck, his hands drop to my ass.
“You ready to fuck?”
God, yes!
I nod, greedy for everything he’s willing to give me and then some.
“Good, ’cuz I need back in that sweet pussy.”
With that, he stalks inside the room. A handful of minutes later, I’m groaning out my pleasure.
Chapter Seven
Kingsley
With my arms stacked behind my head, contentment floods through me as I stare sightlessly at the ceiling. Summer is curled up against my chest. Her breathing has turned deep and even. For the first time in I-don’t-know-how-long, everything feels right. Summer feels right. Maybe I fought this arrangement at the very beginning, but no more. I’m fully onboard with it.
I’ve never felt this way about a girl.
Is it love?
Who the hell knows? It’s a little too soon to slap a label on anything. What I do know is that it’s barreling in that direction.
When my belly growls, I realize that I might have satiated one appetite, but not the other. I never grabbed anything to eat after practice. There was one thing on my mind and that’s the girl draped across my chest.
Luckily, the food situation is easily rectified.
With that decision made, I shift Summer’s naked body from mine so I can slip from beneath her. For a heartbeat, I still, making sure I haven’t roused her. We fucked for a while. She’s gotta be tired. The girl drifted off to sleep almost immediately.
When her breathing continues without interruption, I drop a light kiss against her bare shoulder blade and roll from the side of the bed before grabbing my boxer-briefs and hauling them up my thighs until the waistband snaps against my abdominals. A quick glance at the digital clock on the nightstand tells me it’s half past midnight. It’s doubtful anyone will be up at this late hour.
And if they are?
Who the hell cares?
Summer and I are practically engaged. The contract has been signed, sealed, and delivered with a copy securely tucked away in my father’s safe.
After Eloise’s untimely interruption Sunday morning, they’ve been made aware of their daughter’s act
ivities. Had it been up to me, I would have told them weeks ago. I don’t particularly like sneaking around behind their backs. Especially when there’s no need for it. Summer belongs to me. If we want to have sex, then we’ll goddamn do it. There’s no reason for it to be some big secret.
For fuck’s sake, the girl is eighteen years old. I’m amazed she managed to hold on to her virginity for as long as she did. I’m the only guy to be inside her body and as far as I’m concerned, that’s the way it’ll stay for the rest of our lives. I shake my head as that strange thought takes root.
For the rest of our lives...
Something so permanent should scare the crap out of me.
What does it say that it doesn’t?
Exactly.
I hesitate for a moment and consider throwing on my shorts and T-shirt. But what’s the point? All I’m doing is sneaking down to the kitchen to grab something to eat. Then I’ll be heading back upstairs to sleep. Quietly, I slip from the door and pad through the second-floor hallway before creeping down the staircase. Once my bare feet hit the cold marble of the tile floor in the foyer, I turn toward the back of the house before skidding to a halt. A dim light emanates from the kitchen.
Hmmm.
Either someone forgot to turn it off before going to bed, or one of the Hawthornes is still awake.
“I need this over with,” a soft female voice says, shattering the stillness that has settled over the house.
Eloise.
My guess is that she’s conversing with her husband, which means both of Summer’s parents are still awake. My belly rumbles as I consider my options. I’m starving. It feels like my stomach is seconds away from making a meal of its own lining. That being said, I sure as hell can’t waltz into the kitchen after midnight in my boxers like I own the joint. That would go over like a ton of bricks. Maybe I haven’t said anything to Summer, but I want her parents to like me. At some point in the not so distant future, we’ll be family.
Guess I’m shit out of luck as far as foraging around in the fridge goes. I either return home for sustenance or wait until breakfast to fuel my body. Given a choice between Summer and a late-night snack, I’ll choose the ebony-haired girl every time. I fucking hate sleeping without her. It’s only been a month, but I’ve gotten used to having her slender body wrapped in my arms. There’s something strangely soothing about the sound of her steady inhalations.
As I swing around to retrace my steps, Griffin confirms his presence. “Roland thinks he might have found a way to toss out Mom’s affidavit. Without that, Keaton doesn’t have a legal leg to stand on in court.”
My footsteps falter. There is no damn way they’re talking about Rose Hawthorne’s accounting of how Herbert Hawthorne killed my great-great-grandfather, Gerald Rothchild. Are they seriously attempting to circumvent the contract after they agreed to the terms?
I drag a hand through my hair as their conversation circles viciously through my head. As much as I don’t want to believe it’s true, there’s no denying what I heard.
Everything inside me deflates as anger sets in.
Why am I even surprised?
In all honesty, I should have expected it. They’re Hawthornes. And in my experience, Hawthornes are nothing but liars, cheats, and murderers.
I inch closer to the kitchen, needing to confirm their treachery. Whatever they’re up to, Dad will want to know about it.
“I’ll never understand how your mother could have done this,” Eloise sighs.
“It’s my fault. I should have realized she wouldn’t give me a dime without attaching strings.” His voice drops before softening. “With any luck, we’ll be able to get Summer out of this situation.”
My heartbeat speeds up at the mention of their daughter’s name.
Wait a minute...does she know about this?
“I never should have agreed to the contract in the first place,” Griffin continues. “If I’d been smart, I would have held Keaton off for as long as possible. Instead, Summer will be tied to a man she never wanted, forced to spend the rest of her life in this miserable excuse for a town.”
“You’re doing everything you can to get her out of it,” Eloise soothes, “and that’s what matters.”
“You explained the situation to her?” he asks.
“I did.” Her confirmation blows a fucking hole right through my heart. “She wants this over with as much as we do.”
“I should have told her about it myself,” her father mumbles. “I didn’t want to get her hopes up, only to be let down if it doesn’t turn out the way we want it to.”
And here I thought it wasn’t possible to feel any more pain.
Not only does Summer know about this betrayal, she’s onboard with it.
The bitterness that crashes over me is almost enough to drive me to my knees. My fingers curl into my palms until the short nails puncture the flesh. The urge to smash my fist through the plaster wall pounds through me. That girl has been playing me this entire time. I think about how we just fucked in her room. The way she took me in her mouth and sucked me dry. Her gaze pinned to mine the entire time she was on her knees. There had been so much emotion churning in her dark, velvety depths.
I’d really thought it meant something.
Bitterness gurgles up in my throat, but I swallow it down, keeping the sound buried deep inside where it will never see the light of day. The last thing I want to do is to tip the bastards off.
What has been proven tonight is that I’m a dumbass for allowing myself to get caught up in a pretty girl with an even prettier snatch. A mixture of humiliation and fury burn through me like molten lava, destroying all the fragile emotions attempting to take root.
The rage that blinds me is all-consuming, and it takes a few moments for the thick haze to clear as I blink back to awareness and realize Summer’s parents have fallen into a heavy silence.
I can’t stay here any longer. If I do, I run the risk of storming into the kitchen and losing my shit. It’s almost mind-boggling how fast my reality has shifted. A couple of hours ago, there didn’t seem to be anything that could kill my feelings for Summer.
And now...
Now hatred rushes in to fill every cell of my being.
“I was so foolish,” Griffin mumbles. “I thought this would give Summer and Austin a better life. An advantage we couldn’t give them in Chicago.” His voice breaks. “And look what happened...”
“Don’t worry, we’ll fix it.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for putting Summer through this ordeal.”
“Oh, Griffin,” Eloise’s voice softens. “She’s already forgiven you. Once we’re able to end this nonsense, we’ll put it behind us and forget it ever happened.” There’s a pause. “We’ll leave Hawthorne, of course. There’s no way we can stay here.”
“I know,” he sighs. “Roland is working on it. We should have brought him on earlier and saved ourselves the headache.”
“What about Keaton?” she whispers, fear weaving its way through her voice.
She’s smart to be concerned. Once he learns of their treachery, he’ll bury them alive.
“I have a meeting set with Roland on Thursday. He’ll lay out all the options and direct us how to proceed. For the time being, it’s a waiting game.”
“Then we can get the hell out of here and never come back,” she whispers wistfully.
“I think that’s what we all want.”
My gut twists. I’ve heard more than enough. Any lingering doubts have been laid to rest. Silently, I slink through the shadows to the second floor. My mind riots with each step that brings me closer to the girl sleeping soundly in the bed we fucked in.
She knew.
She’s known the entire time. As far as I’m concerned, that makes her as culpable as they are. Summer strung me along, allowing me to believe she gave a damn while her parents were busy working behind the scenes, attempting to cheat my fami
ly out of what’s rightfully ours.
And I fell for it.
All she had to do was spread those pretty legs, and I fucking fell for it.
My hands shake with unspent fury as I push open the bedroom door. It barely squeaks on its hinges as I step inside and secure it before leaning against the wood. My gaze strays to the beauty sleeping soundly, exactly the way I left her. The thick mass of her inky black hair is spread out across the snowy white pillowcase. Her pale skin almost glows in the moonlight as it filters in through the open windows. The sheet has slithered down her body, revealing the dusky tips of her breasts.
She’s so fucking gorgeous that it’s actually painful, and I have to physically stop myself from gravitating toward her. From the first moment I saw Summer, I wanted her. Everything about this girl called to me like a siren song. Even after I discovered her true identity, I found it impossible to stay away. That knowledge should have been enough to kill my feelings.
But now?
Any bit of tenderness has vanished.
There’s nothing.
Actually, that’s a lie. I feel a deep-seeded hatred that she could play me so effortlessly. She pretended to want me, allowing me inside her body, all the while knowing exactly how this charade would end. A fresh wave of resentment roars through my blood as I watch her from across the room. My fingers tighten into fists and for a heartbeat, I close my eyes and welcome the hot rush of fury that licks at me, singeing everything in its path. When they flicker open again, every delicate emotion I’d ever felt for her has been eradicated.
How fucking dare she sleep so soundly when my entire world is crashing down around my head?
Traitorous little bitch.
It’s entirely too tempting to close the distance between us and wrap my fingers around her throat, all the while pressing against her fragile flesh until the pulse flutters madly beneath my grip. I want to watch her eyes pop wide as I demand the truth.
Queen of Hawthorne Prep Page 5
