by James, Marie
The weight on my chest is comforting for a sliver of a second. With my eyes closed, I can pretend Molly is in my arms. It’s so soothing, I almost let my brain shut down and let sleep take over again.
The flash of brown hair and a girl I’d never seen before fill my head, and I stiffen. Throat dry and rough from my heavy night of drinking, regret and shame hit me in the chest. The scent of the woman on my chest invades my nose, and my stomach turns.
But when I look down, it isn’t brown hair sticking in the stubble of my beard. Blonde hair and Molly’s perfectly pouty lips greet my hazy vision.
“Mols?” I groan, my cock thickening without further thought.
She shifts, nuzzling against the hair on my chest before settling again.
Something’s different. She doesn’t smell the way she should. She’s covered in a masculine scent and clothes I’ve never seen before, rather than the fresh scent of apples and a tank top and yoga pants.
The memory of her with that fucking vet hits me in the chest like a ton of bricks.
How dare she come to me after being with him. A deeper inhale is like acid in my lungs, the burn enough to make my arms jolt in rage.
I’m ready to throw her off of me, insist that she get the fuck out of here. I’m seconds away from packing my shit, knowing I’d never be able to survive seeing them together, but then her hand flexes and I realize just how desperately low her touch is.
With a thigh tossed over my legs, one arm is curled under my shoulder, but it’s the other hand that can’t be ignored. Halfway between my belly button and my erect cock, I’m grateful my dick prefers hugging my thigh rather than growing toward the waistband of my boxers. Pale fingers flex again, as if she’s playing with my happy trail in her dreams.
My eyes clench closed, and I breathe deep.
Another mistake.
His cologne invades my nostrils again.
“Molly,” I hiss, shifting my weight so she’s off of my chest and flat on her back. I cover her, ignoring the fact that her thighs part and I’m pressed against the scorching heat of her body.
My eyes never open as my breaths rush out in sharp gusts.
“You need to—”
Her lips cover mine before I can finish. This isn’t the hallway. We aren’t sneaking a few private seconds with the risk of getting caught. The clubhouse is silent, and the middle of the night greets us as if swearing to hold our secrets forever. The temptation is almost enough to make me cave, but the smell of him on her skin is too much to bear.
“Did he treat you right?” I press my cock against the apex of her thighs. “Did he make you come before he took it from you?”
She whimpers, and with my eyes still closed, I can’t tell if I’m hurting her or if there’s a neediness to the sound.
“Open your eyes,” she begs. I shake my head, swallowing roughly as I try to will myself to get off of her. “Please.”
The pleading in her voice isn’t enough to get me to look down at her. “I can’t. If I open my eyes, then you underneath me is real.”
“I’m real. Please.”
“No,” I hiss, my hand finding the hair at the nape of her neck. I bury my face between her jaw and shoulder. “This can’t be real. We can’t be real.”
I’m trembling, my muscles and my brain fighting one another on what should happen next. The alcohol in my system urges me to pull her clothes from her sinful body and show her what she missed out on with the vet. My brain tells me I’m a dead man either way. Clearly, they aren’t combating each other as much as I thought.
“Mmm,” I groan when I find an area just under her ear that still smells exactly like it’s supposed to. “He missed a spot.”
I lick at her before nipping her throat in anger. She whimpers, forcing me to soothe the sting with the suction of my mouth. Once I start, it’s impossible to stop. Focused on alternating licking with comforting kisses, I miss that her hips are undulating under me. There’s no rhythm to her movements, no practiced skill.
“Does he know how precious you are?” I growl against her neck before shoving his shirt up and over her head.
“Do you?” she counters halfheartedly.
My mouth would go dry if the brush of my nose over her lacy bra didn’t make me salivate like a malnourished dog staring at a steak.
“Open your eyes!” she screeches, but I’m too far gone to even care if someone can hear her.
“No,” I seethe as my nose nudges the fabric away from her skin.
Temptation taunts me, urging me to open my eyes. Just one peek, one quick glance of her naked skin would be enough to fully awaken the darkness inside of me. I won’t allow it.
“I’m dreaming,” I mumble as her pebbled nipple tickles my lips.
“I didn’t have sex with him.”
“I saw you kiss him.” She squeals when I suck on her tit roughly.
I’d like to think I’d be able to stop if I truly believed she didn’t want this, but the continuous flex of her slim hips, as if she’s trying to gain purchase to get off, is a sign I haven’t taken things too far. Yet.
“You reek of him.”
The biting and sucking continue, across her chest to her other nipple and up the other side of her neck.
“Puppy. Vomit. Shower.” She’s been reduced to one-word sentences, and if I weren’t high on her and drunk on the whiskey still rushing through my blood, I might be cognizant enough to understand what she’s trying to tell me and put an end to this. But then the delicate scent of her arousal overpowers the stench he has left behind on her skin, and I’m manic, hips flexing against her center.
“Not enough,” I grunt, reaching down and shoving his sweats out of my way. My fingers tease the edge of the lace, and once again I’m fighting the urge to open my eyes. In my mind, the lace covering her delicate flesh is the softest shade of pink, but in reality, they’re more likely black.
“More,” she whimpers, and I know I’m taking things too far.
I haven’t crossed the point of no return, even though I’m standing at the fucking line with one foot already dangling over the motherfucker.
“Please, Briar. He didn’t touch me. No one has touched me there.”
Her confession, fuck if it isn’t almost enough. I tease the edge of lace one last time before pulling my hand away, shoving down my boxers, and settling over her once again.
She whimpers, the sweetest, neediest sound I’ve heard her make.
“Hold still,” I command as my hips flex against hers. She doesn’t. Of course, she fucking doesn’t. The second the heat of my bare cock touches the thin lace of her panties she’s writhing against me, rubbing her damn pussy up and down the length of me. I relish in the harsh, abrasive irritation of the fabric against the underside of the head.
“Yes,” she moans just before my face angles down.
Her panting breaths become mine as our foreheads meet. Lips inches apart, we breathe each other in.
“Molly,” I hiss as my nuts tighten, imminent orgasm making itself known.
“I love you,” she whispers just as her body quakes under mine.
Spurt after spurt of heat erupts from my cock, but that doesn’t stop the grinding, the restless flexes of both of our bodies. It does nothing to quench my need for her.
Our mouths meet in a rush. The slide of her tongue on mine isn’t enough. Neither is the warmth of her body or the amazing scent of her pussy as it invades my nostrils and takes over my brain. It’ll never be enough. I’m almost tempted to slide down her body and lick her clean of both of our orgasms when dizziness sets in, and I nearly collapse on her.
“Don’t,” she whimpers softly against my mouth as I pull away. “I’m not ready to wake up yet.”
“Me either,” I assure her, but swing my weight to the side and fall clumsily to the bed. “I never want to wake up.”
I smile into my pillow as her soft lips meet my back in a delicate kiss.
Chapter 19
Molly
&
nbsp; “Where the fuck have you been?”
Freezing at the sound of Lynch’s voice, I’m tempted to turn right back around and leave.
“Jesus,” I hiss, taking my time to close the door before facing him. “Do you ever sleep?”
“Do you always dodge my questions?”
“I was out.”
“Clearly.” He points a finger at my neck.
I didn’t have time to look in the mirror before leaving Briar asleep in his bed, but it’s irritated from his mouth and the roughness of his beard. I ignore the implication and make my way to the fridge. I pull out an apple and take a big bite before turning back in his direction. I skipped dinner last night, and I’m paying for it this morning.
“If he can’t at least cook you breakfast in the morning, he doesn’t fucking deserve you,” he grumbles as he empties the water from the full coffee carafe into the machine.
I snort. The thought of Briar cooking anything is comical. Lynch’s eyes narrow, but I raise a challenging eyebrow in return. I wouldn’t put it past him to ask me the details, but internally I’m praying he just leaves it alone.
“I hope you made him use the condoms I gave you.”
Glaring at him, I wonder how he got over the idea of Briar and me so quickly, but then I realize he’s not talking about his VP. He thinks I spent the night with Owen.
“We didn’t—” My attempt to swallow the chunk of apple without fully chewing it nearly chokes me. “I didn’t have sex with him.”
“The condition of your neck and swollen lips tell a different story.”
Thank god his back is to me or he’d see my eyes widen in surprise.
“I’m not discussing this with you,” I mutter, throwing my half-eaten apple in the trash before making my way toward the staircase.
“Thank fuck,” he grumbles. “Stop.”
Frozen in place, I’m terrified that he’s realized something, and he’s about to lose his shit over where I actually spent my night.
“We’re heading out for a ride.” Relief washes over me. “I’d prefer you take the week off from the vet’s office and stay here with Zoe. There will only be two—”
“Sure,” I agree a little too quickly. It’s the best excuse I have and staying here with her under his advice won’t force me to explain right away why I won’t be returning to work.
“Did he hurt you?”
“Excuse me?” I turn in his direction, taken back by the scowl on his face.
“I assumed I’d get an argument from you.” He waves his arms in front of him. “All of the ‘I’m an independent woman, you can’t keep me here’ bullshit you spewed last week.”
“If there are only two of the guys here, it’s best that I stick close by.” I fake a smile and hope he thinks it’s genuine. “Besides, without you here, I can actually spend time with my best friend.”
I disappear up the stairs before he can take his interrogation any further.
“Jesus,” I hiss as I open and quickly close my door. My breaths are ragged as I lean against it with my eyes closed.
“That bad?”
I squeal when Zoe speaks. With a hand over my racing heart, I glare at her. She’s unaffected by my outburst, sitting Indian-style on my unused bed and smiling at me like the Cheshire cat.
“What are you doing in here this early in the morning?”
“What are you doing trying to sneak in the house this early in the morning?” When I don’t answer her, she pats the bed by her thigh. “Come sit. I want all the filthy details.”
“There aren’t any details.”
“So, you gave yourself all those hickeys?”
Guiltily, my hand rushes up to the offending flesh.
“I’m not talking to you about anything.” I cross the room and grab a scarf from my closet. “You’re sleeping with the enemy.”
“Lynch isn’t the enemy.”
My eyes narrow on hers as I cross the room again, kick my shoes off, and climb under the covers. The fabric is cold, and I immediately miss the warmth of Briar’s huge body. Zoe doesn’t say anything when I position my feet under her ass to warm my toes faster.
“I don’t think your brother noticed, but I saw your car in the lot when we got back from dinner last night.” My traitorous friend is looking down at her perfect nails like she didn’t just drop a bomb in my lap.
“Did—”
She holds her hand up, and I silence immediately. “Lynch didn’t notice a thing. He had other issues on his mind.”
The laughter in her voice makes me cringe. She’s not talking about club business, and I’m too grossed out to ask. The implication is clear.
“So, before you lie to me, know that I know you came back, at least to the clubhouse last night.”
My jaw snaps shut. If she doesn’t want me to lie, I just won’t talk to her at all. Words will only cheapen what I shared with Briar last night, even though I know he was still drunk when he rubbed against me. He may not even remember it this morning, and if he does, he’s got a week or so to question what we did and come up with another million reasons why it can’t happen again.
“Silence is telling,” Zoe says, looking over her shoulder at me.
“I’m tired,” I tell her instead of confessing what happened last night.
“Are you sore too?” The humor in her voice makes me smile.
“No.” I wish.
“What about the vet?”
“We kissed,” I answer before I can stop myself. “And I felt…”
My voice trails off.
“Nothing?” she answers for me.
“Yeah.” Groaning, I cover my face with my hands. Just the thought of Briar makes my skin heat. Owen, as nice as he is, does nothing for me.
“Lynch was downstairs. Did he see your neck?”
“Yes, and he thinks Owen was the one who left the marks. It’ll stay that way.”
“I knew it!” She spins, collapsing on me with a giggle. “I can see Briar being a biter.”
“He was in the living room with some new whore on his lap.” My blood heats with renewed anger.
He wasn’t passed out when they got started.
TJ’s words echo in my head.
“Really?” Zoe sounds as confused as I was when I walked in on it last night. “That doesn’t sound like him.”
“He said he saw me kiss Owen. He was spying on me again.”
“Kissing your boss is messy, Molly.” She’s not chastising me, and she’s not telling me anything I don’t already know, but hearing her say it out loud agitates me.
“I know that. I probably won’t go back.”
In fact, I know I won’t. He offered friendship last night, but there was still hope in his eyes when I pulled away from the clinic.
“What are you going to do about Briar?”
“What can I do?” I look over at her. The same uncertainty I feel is reflected in her eyes. She knows how difficult this situation is.
“My offer still stands. I can talk to Ly—”
“You can’t,” I insist. “Swear it, Zoe. You can’t mention a damn thing to my brother. I’ll never forgive you if you betray me.”
Hurt flashes across her face. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“I tried,” I whisper. “I tried to move on. I tried to not think of him. Not loving him is impossible. It was easier at work before I tried to seduce my boss.”
“You kissed him?” A sad smile tugs her lip up.
“I figured if I kissed him, I’d feel something. Like it would give me the strength I needed to move on.”
“Lynch says he’s too perfect for you.”
I huff. “He’s always got a damn opinion.”
“He loves you. He wants you to be happy.” I grumble again. “But first and foremost, he wants you safe.”
I almost speak up to argue that I couldn’t be safer than I would be with Briar, but I’m reminded of the darkness he’s mentioned more than once.
I murder every woman I fuck.
If his own words aren’t a big enough deterrent, I don’t know what is, but it didn’t stop me from wrapping myself around him last night. I didn’t bother to tap the brakes even once when he lowered his body over mine and pulled my sweats out of the way. The vicious bites to my sensitive flesh didn’t make me want to run for the hills. They made me want to press against him harder.
“Briar wouldn’t hurt me.” He had the chance last night. He was angry, livid even with the scent of Owen’s body wash on my skin. I still don’t know if he understood my explanation or believed me when I told him it was only the kiss he witnessed, but not once was I fearful.
“I honestly don’t think Lynch would get mad.” She holds her hand up when I open my mouth to argue with her. “Think about it. The man has never touched one of the whores as far as we know. He doesn’t drink to excess.”
“He was drunk with that girl in his lap last night,” I mumble.
She frowns before she continues, “he doesn’t usually drink to excess. I’ve never seen him do anything more than take a hit or two off of a joint. He’s not violent. He’s the perfect catch. The age difference is the only thing that may be an issue.”
“Owen is older than Briar,” I remind her.
“It’s settled then. Briar is perfect.”
“Perfect for what?”
We both freeze at the sound of Lynch’s voice in my doorway. We were so wrapped up in our conversation, we didn’t even notice the door being opened. I swallow thickly when I look over at my brother, wondering what all he overheard.
Zoe remains silent, refusing to lie to him, but at the same time holding my confidences.
“Self-defense,” I lie. “I was telling Zoe that I had a creepy feeling someone was watching me last night.”
It’s part lie and part truth, yet I feel one hundred percent guilty lying to my brother, but he’s the one who has put me in this situation.
“You need a refresher course?” His eyes narrow. He knows full well, I’m well versed in self-defense.
“Never a bad idea. Zoe suggested Briar when I told her TJ never takes me seriously.”
“Briar would be a good coach.” Lynch nods. “I’ll set something up for when we get back. Stick to the clubhouse until then. Zoe, come with me. I need to show you something.”
