His to Hold (The Malone Brother Book 3)

by S. L. Sterling

  "What's so funny?" Bryce asked, returning to the bed and picking up the extra pillows and blankets from the floor.

  "It looks like we threw a party in here," I murmured, looking around at the mess of blankets on the floor.

  "Don't worry about it," Bryce said, adjusting his pillows and placing his arm behind his head, his other hand resting on his delicious eight-pack as he lay back. I snuggled into his side, trying to fight off sleep.

  "You certainly weren't kidding," I whispered.

  "About?"

  "About you not being a selfish lover."

  He chuckled, and I felt the bed move and the heat of his body getting closer as he rolled onto his side. He lay there looking into my eyes, then pressed his lips to mine. I felt his fingers begin to trace little circles on the top of my leg, getting closer and closer to my center. They finally made their way, and I felt two of his fingers run through my wetness.

  "Bryce, stop."

  "Come on, one more time for good measure before I have to leave for the office.” He leaned down and took my nipple into his mouth, causing me to let out a moan and my legs to relax enough that he could run his fingers through my wetness.

  He kissed his way down my soft belly and crawled between my legs again, his hands forcing them apart. I studied the way he took me in. With his hands forcing me open, his mouth met my center, his tongue working my very sensitive clit, slowly and gently sucking and licking. I could already feel my orgasm starting to build. He slid two fingers gently inside of me, and I let out a loud moan as his tongue continued to lick repeatedly over my swollen clit.

  My cell phone started ringing, and I placed my hands on his head, signaling for him to stop as I went to reach for it.

  "No, Mia, don't you even think about answering that," he growled and buried his face back between my legs.

  The ringing stopped for only a second and started again. I looked over to the nightstand and reached for the phone.

  "If you answer that, I won't stop. I will make you come into that phone receiver screaming my name. I doubt whoever is on the other end of the line will want to hear that, unless it's your ex. Which maybe in that case you should answer it. He should know what you really sound like when you truly come."

  I started to laugh, my head falling back onto the pillow as he continued torturing me, my legs trembling. I dropped my phone on the floor, quickly forgetting about it as I felt my orgasm building. As he coaxed the last bit of my orgasm out of me, he rolled onto his back and I collapsed against the mattress.

  "Fuck, Mia, you are so fucking hot when you come. I can't get enough of you."

  I looked over at him as he ran his fingers through his messy hair. I could see his hard cock once again straining under the sheets. I sat up and ripped the sheet off him, my eyes landing on his cock. I ran my tongue over his hard abs, alternating between little licks and kisses.

  "Mia, what are you doing?"

  I said nothing and continued making my way down, finally taking his cock in my hand, running my hand over his shaft. I couldn't help it, I loved watching his face, the way he sucked his bottom lip between his teeth, the sound of his breath as he inhaled when I ran my tongue over the head of his cock.

  "Put your mouth on me." He moaned as I continued stroking him.

  I did as he asked and took his whole cock in my mouth, running my lips and tongue over him. I could taste the saltiness of his precum as I took his cock in my mouth. I felt his hand run through my hair and I opened my eyes, looking up at him. He was watching me, studying my face while I had his cock in my mouth. I felt him start to pulse and kept my eyes locked with his, and before I knew it, I felt him pour his cum into my mouth.

  Bryce walked into the kitchen dressed in suit pants and a white button-down shirt, his tie hanging loosely around his neck, and his suit jacket flung over his arm. I greeted him with a smile as he lay the jacket down on the back of the chair.

  "All ready?" I asked.

  "I wish I didn't have to go in this morning. We could have spent the morning in bed." He came up behind me and buried his face into my neck. I let out a little giggle as his breath tickled my neck.

  "I don't think I could handle much more," I answered shyly.

  "Want to bet? What do you have planned for today?" he asked, taking the coffee from me while I went back to cooking us some eggs.

  "Head home, shower. Look for a job."

  "You can always shower here if you like."

  "It's okay. I need to get some clean clothes anyways."

  I placed the plates down in front of us and sat down beside Bryce. He took my hand in his and rubbed the back of it with his thumb.

  "Listen, how about after I’m done working, I come home, get changed, and we go out for a romantic dinner, just the two of us."

  "Sounds great. What did you have in mind?"

  "It's a surprise."

  "A surprise? How will I know what to wear?"

  "All right, I will give you a hint: dress to kill." He winked at me, took a sip of coffee, and dug into his breakfast.

  Chapter 19

  Bryce

  I strode up the walkway to Mia's house. It was a cute little bungalow with great curb appeal and beautiful gardens. I held a dozen red roses in my hand and rang the bell. Seconds later, Mia appeared. She looked stunning, the black cocktail dress she wore hugging every curve, and the black heals she wore accentuating her legs perfectly. As my eyes danced over her, I couldn't help but hope for a repeat of last night. I held out the roses for her and she smiled as she took them from me and buried her nose into them.

  "These are beautiful."

  "They’re okay. You’re the beautiful one."

  She smiled, holding the door open for me. "Let me put these into some water before we go."

  I couldn't help but watch as she walked away from me, those curvy hips swaying.

  "So where are we going?" she asked from the kitchen.

  "The Cellar. We have reservations at 7:00."

  "Sounds great," she said, walking back into the living room.

  "Did you happen to pack an overnight bag?" I asked casually.

  She blushed at my question and slightly nodded her head. "Is that okay?" she asked, crinkling her nose.

  I pulled her into me, kissing her on the cheek. "Baby, it's more than okay." I grinned. "We should get going."

  We were seated exactly at the table I had requested, the view overlooking the falls of Kings Cove the best in the entire restaurant. We had placed our orders and were waiting on our appetizer. Mia sipped her wine as she looked out over the water, a soft smile coming to her lips.

  "It's beautiful here," she whispered to me.

  "That it is." I studied her expression. She was gorgeous, and I was so lucky to have run into her again. I felt alive again. That part of me that had died when Alyssa and I split was now back.

  A part of me was a little afraid to share how I really felt, but at the same time, I needed to. I had only spent a week and an amazing evening and night with this woman, but I couldn't deny how I felt. I wanted her with me, I wanted to come home to her, share things with her.

  We made our way through dinner, talking and laughing. I shared my frustrations over the case I was working on, something I had never done with Alyssa. Somehow, I felt I could trust Mia, and she wouldn't judge me. She listened attentively, never offering her opinion, something my previous relationship lacked. She shared with me her challenges of trying to find a new job. She also shared with me what she and Hunter had spoken about. They had a damn good plan, and I couldn't wait to hear how it all went over.

  "So, when is your big meeting?" I asked, as she brought the forkful of cheesecake to her lips.

  "Tomorrow."

  "Are you doubting yourself?"

  "No, I just hope that we do the best we can for this client. That is all I ever want." I sipped on my espresso. "What about you?"

  "Tomorrow as well. I’m meeting Hunter in the morning at the coffee shop around the corner fro
m work."

  "Okay, so I say that after the day we have a long, stress-free night. We can kick back, watch movies, and make some meatballs." I chuckled. "I'm actually dying to have those again, by the way."

  "It's a plan." Mia ate the last forkful of her cheesecake and smiled at me. "Your place or mine?"

  "Either, doesn't matter to me."

  "All right, tomorrow night, it's my place then."

  I put the key in the lock and held the door for Mia, letting her enter first. "I'm just going to put this in the bedroom." She held up her bag and toed off her heals.

  "Did you want to get changed?"

  She bit her bottom lip as she nodded, fighting back a smile, and wandered down the hall, closing the bedroom door behind her. I went into the kitchen and put on the kettle.

  "Tea or coffee?" I called out.

  "Coffee would be great," I heard her call out.

  I had just set the coffees on the coffee table and stood up when Mia appeared, wearing my favorite little white boy shorts and a tank top. My total sex kitten had changed back into the girl next door, and she looked good enough to eat.

  I turned the TV on and turned on the fireplace. "Have a seat. I’m just going to go and change quick." I couldn't help checking her out as she walked past me and took a seat on the couch.

  I quickly ran down to the bedroom, changing as fast as I could, and stopped into my home office on the way back out. I grabbed the small box off the shelf and walked back into the living room.

  "Happy Valentine’s Day." I sat down on the couch beside her and held out a small white box wrapped with a red ribbon.

  She looked at me hesitantly, then between me and the box that sat in my hand. "What is that?"

  "A little something, nothing big." I met her eyes. "Open it." I held it in front of her, shaking it.

  She reached out and took the box from my hand, the tips of her fingers brushing mine.

  "You didn't need to do this. I mean the flowers, dinner, they were wonderful."

  I smiled and nodded. "I know. Just open it."

  She pulled at the ribbon, allowing it to drop into her lap, looked at me, and pulled the lid off the box. I felt the anxiety building in my chest at what lay inside. It had no monetary value, something I had never dared give to Alyssa, but Mia was different. I feared, however, that her answer would crush my heart in an instant. She pulled out the folded piece of paper and opened it, reading the words that I had scrawled on it. Her hand went to her mouth, tears filled her eyes, and she looked up at me.

  "I love you too," she whispered, climbing into my lap and wrapping her body around mine.

  I kissed her slow and deep, lying down beneath her on the couch and tucked her between me and the back of the couch. I ran my fingers through her hair while looking into her eyes, every now and then kissing her gently, my heart full at her answer.

  Chapter 20

  Bryce

  Eight in the morning, and I sat at the boardroom table across from Chase. The view was a far cry from what I had left at home in my bed this morning. I hadn't wanted to leave her as I glanced at her sprawled across my bed sound asleep. Her long, dark hair sprawled across her back, her sexy long leg peeking out of the blanket right up to her thigh, the soft moan that had escaped her lips as I kissed her good-bye. I had wrapped her in blankets and quietly snuck out of the condo with just enough time to spare to grab a coffee.

  We had been sitting there for twenty minutes, our client sitting beside me glancing impatiently at his watch as we waited. The receptionist who had brought us to the room finally appeared, carrying a tray of hot coffee and a plate of muffins for everyone.

  "I'm sorry for the delay. Mr. Bentley is just waiting on a phone call and he should be right in."

  Chase nodded and met my eyes. "I told you something isn't right here."

  Mr. Ward, our client, whispered to us both, “Bastard is hiding something.”

  I took a mug of coffee and a muffin. Even though I felt like a million bucks after spending the last two nights with Mia, I was tired, and I was running low on patience this morning. I wanted to get this meeting over with so that I could get home and spend the evening with her.

  "It's okay. We agree with you. Just let us look over the rest of what is presented. There is nothing to worry about. We won't advise you to enter into an agreement if something is amiss," Chase answered, taking a muffin and coffee as well.

  I glanced at my watch. We had been sitting there for almost thirty minutes when finally, Dollanger and his sidekick Bentley walked in.

  "Gentlemen, good morning," Bentley said, dropping a stack of papers on the table. "Now I have some of the reports, but I'm just waiting for the rest. Apparently, there is a bit of traffic and the department head is running late."

  I glanced to Chase who looked back at me.

  Bentley didn't wait. He dug right into the files in front of him, handing them to Ward, who handed them over to Chase and me. We started going over things as Bentley droned on in the background, trying to explain things to us.

  I made a mental note of the questions I wanted to ask as he continued spewing information at both of us. I pulled out my legal pad and pen and started marking things down as I went over the documents in front of me.

  A knock at the door pulled my attention away from what I was writing. "Sorry to interrupt, Mark, Mr. Dollanger, sir, but there is someone here to see you."

  She didn't have time to announce anything else before Hunter walked in, and when he stepped off to the side, Mia came in behind him. What the hell? This was where she worked? Her eyes fell to mine, and she quickly turned her face away from me, first in embarrassment, and then a flash of surprise, then hurt mixed with anger flooding it.

  Please tell me Mia didn't work for this company. If so, there was way more amiss here than we thought.

  "Mia, care to disclose what you have told me?" Hunter asked, waiting for her to take the floor. She kept her eyes on the floor, her cheeks going red every time her eyes would meet mine.

  I kept my attention on her, my head held high. I hadn't been prouder of her than I was at this very moment, even if this was her employer. She had decided to take control and stand up for herself.

  "Gentlemen," her soft voice called out, "before you pursue this agreement, you should know that these reports have been doctored."

  Ward looked to me and Chase, his eyes giving away everything he had been wondering.

  "Whoa, wait a minute, Mia, you shouldn't make such accusations," Mark said, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Please excuse us for a moment. Mia has been very stressed lately, and she has recently gone off on sick leave."

  Mia started shaking her head, but he grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her away from us.

  "Bentley, let the lady speak," I announced to the room. "We are interested in whatever she has to say. Mia, is it? Please go ahead." I wasn't going to allow her to be shuffled off. I knew the things she had to say mattered.

  She shrugged Mark off her. "The reports have been doctored by me, under the direction of Mark," she said, looking to Hunter. He stood back and nodded his head.

  Bentley looked at her then to Hunter, clenching his jaw tight, his head about ready to explode. He let out a nervous laugh. "She doesn't know what she is talking about," he lied.

  "I can prove it," she said, looking over to me, and once again quickly avoiding my eyes.

  "Mark," Dollanger questioned, "what is she talking about?"

  Mark looked at me, fire burning in his eyes. I knew he was buried. He couldn't get out of this.

  "Here." She handed Chase a bunch of documents. "These are the real documents. You can see from the date on the bottom of them. I took copies before I left on vacation, and while I was gone, I ended up getting fired. He asked me to fudge the reports before I left and threatened my job. I did what he asked, but I took copies of the correct ones."

  Chase opened the files and looked at all the statements. "Everything here is showing a major, major loss,"
he said, studying them.

  Hunter stood back, his arms crossed over his chest, watching everything unfold. "My client also has some employment law issues as well. Dollanger, did you know that my client has not had a vacation in fifteen years until recently? That she has over two thousand hours of vacation time banked?"

  "What? Bentley, is this true?"

  "She has also put in countless amounts of overtime without compensation, often working weekends and weeknights from home as well."

  "She’s lying," Mark choked out.

  Hunter stood back and looked at him. "I don't believe she is. I have every pay statement for the last three years, plus her most current. She has recorded down her hours in a calendar for the past three years. I have gone over her overtime hours and every paystub for the past three years, and they only show payments of a straight forty hours per week. Still care to tell me she is lying?" Hunter asked.

  Ward stood up, clearing his throat and taking his jacket from the back of the chair. Chase, Bryce, I don't think we need to spend any more time on this. We are done. I refuse to purchase a company that would treat its employees this way, not to mention I have no idea what it is I am even buying at this point."

  Ward nodded his head at Mia and Hunter and excused himself from the room. I could tell Mia didn't know what to say when Ward stepped back into the room.

  "Mia, if you would like to come in for an interview, my company is hiring a specialist right in your field. I would be more than happy to employ someone so hard working and loyal as yourself. Here is my card. Call my secretary and set up a meeting." He nodded and left the room.

  Mia stood there, her mouth open at what had just transpired.

  "Mia, how dare you? You have stolen company property," Mark said, his expression contorting into rage.