“In here,” Jude said, pulling open a door.
He went first and, in the same movement, wrapped his arm around my waist and hauled me in with him. The sliver of light from the hallway disappeared as he silently shut the door, shrouding us in darkness.
Jude stood so close behind me that my body pressed against him. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the darkness.
“Where—”
“Shh.”
He kept his arm around me, and I wondered why he wasn’t moving us away from the door. Dim shapes came into focus. Shelves. Cleaning supplies. I glanced down and made out what was probably a bucket near my feet.
We were in a supply closet.
I almost started laughing again. I could just see the headlines.
Billionaire CEO Cameron Whitbury attempts to escape press by hiding in mop closet.
Jude loosened his hold on me and slid his arm so his hand rested on my hip. That subtle movement made me keenly aware of his muscular body behind me. My back against his chest. The soft sound of his breath near my ear. And was that his…
Oh god, yes. Yes, it most certainly was.
I moved just enough to press against his hard-on. “Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to—”
He clapped a hand over my mouth.
“Shh,” he whispered next to my ear. It wasn’t an urgent plea to be quiet. It was a soft command, delivered with a slight thrust of his hips.
He was about to melt my La Perla thong right off me.
The hallway outside was silent. No footsteps. Nothing.
With his hand still covering my mouth, he pressed his lips to my neck. My back arched and I rubbed against his erection. His low growl was almost silent—just enough to send the vibration down my spine.
His hand slid from my hip down to the hem of my dress and he pulled it up. He traced across the front of my thigh. My eyes fluttered as his fingers brushed my thong. Damn that stupid scrap of fabric.
My clit throbbed with sudden need. I didn’t care where we were, his soft teasing strokes made me whimper against his hand.
“Shh,” he whispered again. “You have to stay quiet. They’ll hear us.”
I’d never been one for sex in odd places. But Jude slipping his fingers into my panties and fingering my swollen clit in a hotel closet while we hid from reporters set me on fucking fire.
I felt free. Wanted. And god, it felt good.
Shifting my feet, I widened my stance, inviting him to continue. He didn’t take his hand off my mouth, and I didn’t want him to. He was in control of my body, playing me like an instrument. His fingers traced my seam, gently dipping inside. I arched harder against his cock, rubbing my ass against him.
The reporters had probably abandoned the chase. But neither of us made any move to leave. Or stop what we were doing.
His fingers worked magic between my legs. Unabashedly, I rocked my hips to ride his hand. His fingers slid in deeper and I tried not to moan.
He thrust his hips against my ass, pushing that thick erection against me. He was proportionate, thank you very much, and right now, I wanted that glorious cock deep inside me.
I only pondered for a second. We didn’t have a room in the hotel to run to. Home was too far. The car was too far. The closet was crazy and maybe even stupid, but fuck it, I wanted to get crazy and stupid with Jude.
I wanted to let go again. It felt so good to let go.
Reaching behind me, I gripped his cock through his pants. He grunted softly and loosened his hand on my mouth.
“Here?” he whispered.
“Can you make it work?” I whispered back.
“Are you kidding?” He tightened his hand over my mouth again and drew my head back, baring my neck. “You want to get fucked in this closet, I’ll fuck the shit out of you right here.”
Oh my god yes please.
“No condom,” he whispered and loosened his hand so I could talk again.
“Baby, I’m as clean as a fucking virgin.”
“Fuck, Cameron,” he growled. “Put your hands on the door frame.”
I happily complied, leaning forward to brace myself, and spread my legs wider. He pushed my dress up over my backside, grabbed my thong, and tore it two with his bare hands.
Holy shit. I was so turned on I thought I might die.
The sound of his zipper and the shift of fabric as he pulled out his cock in the dark was insanely erotic. He ran his fingers up and down my slit, then I felt the head of his cock do the same.
“Don’t make a sound,” he whispered, then grabbed my hips and slid inside.
His command was almost impossible to obey. His thick length stretched me open, giving me the intense pressure I desperately craved. He moved in and out a few times, as if testing our positioning. Then he started a slow but determined rhythm.
Hard thrust in. Slow slide out. I held onto the door frame, arching my back, and let him have me. He drove into me, his hands gripping me tight, fingers digging into my hips. Neither of us was going to last long. My inner walls already trembled with ready-to-explode tension and his cock seemed to thicken, pressing against my walls even as it dragged through my wetness.
His barely controlled cadence made the pressure between my legs intensify. He grunted softly behind me, a low noise in his throat with every thrust. I arched harder, pressing into him, trying to take him deeper.
I wanted more.
I wanted all of him.
Suddenly he stopped, his hands still gripping me tight, his thick cock buried to the hilt. I froze, scarcely daring to breathe. At first, I didn’t hear a sound. Just the blood pounding in my ears as my heart raced. A second later, muffled voices. They grew louder, as did the sound of footsteps.
How had he heard that? Especially while he was…
The voices gradually quieted. Then the distant click of a door.
Jude slid out and thrust into me again—hard. It was all I could do to keep from crying out.
His rhythm was faster now. Aggressive. I held myself in place, feet planted, back arched. He reached around, still fucking me hard, and his fingers found my clit.
Oh holy fuck yes.
With his fingers rubbing my clit and his thick cock driving in and out of me, I was ready to come apart. Almost.
So.
Very.
Close.
“Come,” he whispered.
My body exploded with obedience to his quietly uttered command. My pussy tightened around him, hugging his cock with rhythmic pulses. The orgasm swept through me, making my eyes roll back and my legs shake.
Just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore—and I’d simply collapse onto the floor—he grabbed my hair with one hand, held my hip with the other, and started to come.
He barely pulled out between thrusts, keeping his throbbing cock buried deep. The pressure sent me tumbling over the edge again, my almost-finished orgasm ramping up to new heights. He yanked on my hair as he unloaded into me—I’d never let anyone do that before—and the thrill of his aggression made me come even harder.
Eventually, he stopped, letting his cock slide out. I straightened and he loosened his grip on my hair. His fingers massaged my scalp while he wrapped his other arm around my waist, and I sagged against him.
He gently kissed my neck. I closed my eyes, catching my breath. Jude had just fucked me senseless in a closet and I’d never felt so alive.
We fixed our clothes as best we could in the small, dark space. My panties were ruined, my inner thighs wet, but I was too euphoric to care. Jude listened at the door for a moment, then we slipped out into the empty hallway.
He winked at me while he tucked my ripped panties into the inside pocket of his jacket.
“It’s obvious on me, isn’t it?” I asked, checking my dress to make sure it was all where it was supposed to be.
One corner of his mouth hooked in a grin. He ran his fingers through my hair and smoothed down the back. “Little bit.”
There
wasn’t much I could do about it here. He placed a soft kiss on my lips, then took my hand and led me back to the stairwell. And despite everything else, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this good.
26
Jude
The sheets stirred, sliding across my chest. I was awake in an instant, but it was just Cameron turning over in her sleep. The sky outside was still dark and I could just make out the curve of her body. Her soft hair falling across the pillow.
I ran my hand down her hip and over her fantastic ass. She stirred, making a sweet sound in her throat. The alarm would go off soon, but I hooked my arm around her waist and hauled her closer. Felt her warm body relax against me, her ass nuzzling against my groin.
That was really waking me up.
Life had taken some unexpected turns since the day Derek had asked me to do a favor for Emily’s friend. I’d been set on retiring. Never taking another security job. But thank fuck he’d talked me into it.
I was going to get to the bottom of everything—it was my job and failure wasn’t an option—but an unsettling thought lingered in the background. What came next?
What would I do when Cameron didn’t need me here twenty-four/seven? Would I go back to my place? Live alone again? See her in her off hours… if she still wanted to date me when I wasn’t shoved in her face all the time?
I’d lived alone for a long time. I was used to being on my own. My parents lived in Minnesota and once every couple of years I went out there to visit. But we’d never been a close family and they had their own life. I hadn’t been a big part of it since I’d left home at eighteen. Five years ago, I’d walked away from the CIA. Felt like I had to cut ties in order to move on.
And what did I have now? A couple of friends. A loft I’d never meant to keep. A second career I’d never meant to start. A life I couldn’t seem to figure out.
Until Cameron.
I breathed in the scent of her hair. Felt her curl up against me. I’d been searching for something since moving to Miami. Purpose. Direction. A new focus for my life. I hadn’t expected to find it in the form of a tall redhead with a sharp wit and a weakness for sexy shoes and key lime desserts.
But somehow, I had.
The alarm buzzed on the bedside table and Cameron stretched her long limbs. I rested my hand against her stomach while she took a deep breath. She glanced over her shoulder at me, her eyelashes fluttering.
“Morning.”
I kissed the tip of her nose. “Morning.”
This was good. It felt right. And a twinge of fear took root in the pit of my stomach. The fear of losing her.
That was decidedly uncomfortable. There weren’t many things that scared me. I was cool under pressure—an essential skill in my former line of work—but this wasn’t the kind of fear that made people hesitant to cross a bridge or swim in the ocean or walk into a meeting surrounded by armed men liable to shoot first and not ask questions in a foreign country where you didn’t have diplomatic immunity.
That last one was probably just me.
But this fear was different. Deeper.
“I guess we should get moving,” she said, her voice still sleepy.
“Yeah.”
Pushing that little knot of fear aside, I reluctantly let her go so we could get ready for the day. She met Inda for an early workout. I did some cardio and enjoyed the view—Cameron, not the sparkling waters of the bay. We showered, dressed, grabbed a quick breakfast, and headed to her office.
I drove her Tesla. The seat went back just far enough to accommodate my height. It was early enough that there wasn’t a lot of traffic, and an overnight rainstorm had left everything looking fresh.
Cameron was already working, flipping through emails on her phone. Her hair was up and her beige suit was tailored perfectly to her beautiful frame. She wore a pair of nude heels—subdued, but sleek and professional.
The back of my neck prickled, and I shifted my shoulders, rubbing my shirt collar against it.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
I checked the rear-view mirror. “Why?”
“You did the neck thing.”
“Neck thing?”
“Yeah. You move your shoulders and kind of stretch your neck a little. It usually means you’re concerned about something.”
My eyes kept darting to the mirrors. Something felt off. “I guess you’re figuring me out.”
She smiled. “I guess so.”
An SUV followed a few car lengths behind us. It had been there almost since we’d left Bluewater. Maybe that’s what was bothering me.
“It’s probably nothing, but a car back there looks like it might be following us.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Because if I was following someone, I’d do exactly what they’re doing.”
There was one way to find out.
I changed lanes and took the next exit, my eyes flicking to the mirrors to see if the SUV would take the same route.
They did.
Keeping an eye on the SUV, I changed lanes again and took a series of right turns, effectively driving us in a circle. The SUV did the same.
We were definitely being followed.
“Are they still back there?” Cameron asked.
I nodded, my mind shifting to evasion tactics. Instead of speeding or darting around other cars—standing out made it harder to lose a tail—I kept with the flow of traffic and looked for potential visual barriers.
Cameron stayed silent while I took a winding route through the city. The SUV didn’t approach or make any aggressive moves. Just followed a short distance behind.
“Hold on.”
I took a hard right onto an empty street and accelerated. Cameron braced herself against the door as I whipped around another corner. The SUV didn’t make the turn.
But then I realized it wasn’t the only car.
A small dark sedan was right behind the SUV, and it took the corner easily.
Fuck. These guys were good. Scary good. That sedan had been tucked behind the SUV, out of my sight.
I needed to lose these guys.
Cameron’s phone rang but she declined the call. I headed for the freeway. The SUV was nowhere to be seen, but the sedan followed up the ramp. I took advantage of her car’s quick acceleration and darted through the slower moving traffic.
The sedan kept pace. I moved to the left lane and watched the cars ahead of me, mentally mapping my next move. Just before an exit, the opportunity came. A gap in the traffic. I cut across the lanes and flew down the off-ramp.
Without hesitating to see if the sedan would make the exit, I took a sharp left, then went around a white delivery truck. Using the truck as cover, I drove a few more blocks before making another turn.
No sign of the sedan. Or the SUV.
“They’re gone,” I said when I was sure.
Cameron took a deep breath and laid her hand on her chest. “My heart’s beating so hard. What was that?”
“They were tailing you. Two of them. I didn’t see the second one at first.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” I kept driving, taking a roundabout route to Cameron’s office. “Tracking your routine, maybe. Looking for an opportunity to make you pull over or force you off the road. Or just keeping eyes on you. It’s hard to say.”
“God, that was scarier than the hit and run.”
I reached over and took her hand. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
She squeezed back. “I know you do.”
I checked the mirrors again. Something still felt off, like the wind had shifted. The air buzzed with a heightened sense of danger.
Those had been professionals.
“You don’t happen to have secret dealings with a mafia group that you’ve been keeping from me, do you?”
She laughed softly. “No. Definitely nothing like that.”
I cracked a smile.
Her phone rang again. “Hi, Brandy, sorry, we were—what?”
The alarm in her voice sent another hit of adrenaline running through my veins.
“Oh my god,” she said, her eyes darting to me. “Someone broke into my office. We’ll be there soon. Be careful.”
Oh shit.
“What did she say?”
“Someone was in my office. The door was closed so she didn’t realize it right away, but she went in and it’s trashed.”
“Well, that escalated quickly,” I said, making another turn toward her office building.
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
I took her hand again and squeezed. “It’s going to be okay, Cameron. I swear.”
She nodded, but her eyes shone with fear.
27
Cameron
My office was a disaster. Papers strewn everywhere. Monitor on the floor, the screen cracked. Drawers emptied of their contents. My favorite lady boss coffee mug smashed.
IT had already taken my PC to examine it for signs of tampering. They’d locked down the network and sent a team to check all the computers on this floor.
Two police officers had already come and gone. I’d sent out a company email to keep everyone informed and sent most of the employees on this floor home early.
No one had seen anything. The intruders had tampered with the security cameras. Gotten in and out sometime overnight. Brandy had found the mess when she’d opened my office door, and called me while Jude and I were being followed.
It was early afternoon, and I’d already been tailed on the way to work and found my office trashed. But apparently that was my life now.
“This is fucked up,” I said, staring at the mess.
Jude picked through the debris, carefully inspecting everything. He’d already gone through the whole room with some kind of handheld scanner he’d produced from his backpack. “Fucked up, indeed.”
“What are you looking for?”
“Trying to find the reason they did this.”
“The police said they were probably looking for something.”
He put his hand inside a file cabinet drawer and felt around. “That’s one possibility.”
The Mogul and the Muscle: A Bluewater Billionaires Romantic Comedy Page 19
