"Nope. Just enjoy yourself. I'll take notes today, and you can read them tomorrow on the plane while I sleep. I'm sure I have another all-nighter."
"Let me know if you change your mind." She hung up this time as a hopeful “Fuck you” through the phone.
Tossing the thing halfway across the room, she let herself cry into the soft white pillow beneath her. She wasn't going to win the battle by being bitchy and fighting him with her own ammo. Having not been in more than one real relationship her adult life, she was way out of her league. The one thing she did have that he wanted, and he had admitted it, was her body.
If he were willing to use his as a weapon against her, perhaps it was time for her to return the favor.
Bethany turned over in the bed, her long hair splayed out all over the place, her makeup running into her eyes as they burned. He was a bastard, and yet she knew so much more sat just underneath the perfectly constructed facade that was Damon Bryant.
Sex would be the tool, the only means she had of breaking him down. She wanted to know the man underneath, yearned for his time and attention. She would use herself and stick to the rule he had laid down for her a few minutes ago. She was most certainly going to brand herself all over him, but he wasn't going to get any further into her heart.
She would wedge herself so far into his thoughts, into his desires, that he begged for her time, for her attention, for her sex.
She wiped at her tears once more, her resolve setting into place. She hated to be a bitch and play dirty, but Damon left her no choice.
Getting up, she walked to the small lounge chair in the room and texted Philip.
Bethany: I enjoyed coffee the other day. We should do it again.
Philip: Me too. How about today? Lunch or dinner with me?
Bethany: How about on Wednesday you come up and have lunch with me at work.
Philip: Not sure that would be okay with them.
Bethany: They can't tell me who I can eat with, right?
Philip: This is true, and the dick can't fire me... he already did. LOL
She smiled, unable to help herself. Hurting Philip wasn't on her laundry list of things to do, but getting him to help her break Damon in half, now that very much was, and it reigned supreme.
Chapter 27
Tuesday morning came fast, Bethany having ordered room service the night before and stayed in her pj's all evening. A few sappy chick flicks later, and she was a ball of tears, wishing that something besides her new plan would work. She knew a different Damon existed. He was the one that Matt worshiped. The one that was shocked to find out that maybe she loved him. The one that held her the first night they were together, not kicking her out but tucking her against him as they slept.
Where was that guy? To what extreme would she have to go to dig through all of his protection to reach him? Was it worth it?
"What the fuck am I going to do when I get there?"
Because the truth of the matter was plain and simple. She was going to get there. It didn't matter what it took. Needing to know if anything could exist between them beyond the fiery physical attraction was paramount.
Bethany finished packing up the room, throwing Damon's stuff in his suitcase as well. A soft knock on the door caught her attention. She tucked her pink silk blouse into a black skirt that hugged her hips but fanned out on her legs. It wasn't meant for the office but perhaps a night on the town.
She opened the door as Damon leaned against the frame, his hair a mess, his eyes bloodshot.
"I came to get my bag. Didn't want you to have to deal with it." He yawned and walked in as she moved back. His eyes shifted down her body, stopping on her legs. "You look good."
So one night of sleep left him acting like an ass, but two opened him up to be the guy she was in search of. His voice was soft and kind, his expression showing interest. She almost laughed but caught herself. Making fun of him wouldn't get them anywhere. He might be kind for a few hours, but his anal-retentive side would rear its ugly head soon.
Better to play her game starting now.
"I packed it up for you, but I figured I would leave it. The bellman could come get it, or you could." She shrugged and walked toward her suitcase, popping the handle and pulling it toward the door without paying him much attention.
"I'll get yours too. Just leave it there." He walked toward her, but she side-stepped him, her eyes brushing past him as if he were nothing more than a silly boy who thought to gain her attention.
"I'm good. Take care of your own. I can take care of myself." She opened the door without looking back. "See you downstairs."
Bethany walked into the hall, letting the door close before she let out her shaky breath. What if he took her rejection to heart and completely turned from her? What if her plan blew up in her face like most things had over the last few years? Nothing ever turned out right when she acted outside of her consciousness. Asking her mom to marry Kent to help her with her college funding had been a prime example. Yeah, college was paid for, but at what cost?
She had fallen in love with her fucking soon-to-be brother.
Riding the elevator down to the bottom floor, she coached herself. She could do this. She could be this girl. He was aloof and quite an ass seemingly without effort. She could play that same game. If he pulled too far away, then she would stop playing and try something else.
Why did she have to feel so damn desperate to make him hers? The thought was consuming. The need to belong to him was far more than a casual fuck, which scared her and broke her heart.
She walked toward Kent in the lobby and smiled as she stopped beside him. "How did things work out for you guys?"
"Oh, Bethany, great." He reached out and pulled her into a side hug, looking behind her as if trying to find Damon. "It was all good. Damon figured it out, and we should be set. That boy is brilliant. I'm glad you're learning from him and not me."
Damon's voice surprised her as he spoke behind her. "I'm not all that, Dad. I'm sure Bethany could have figured it out had I given her a chance."
"You never give anyone a chance. You're a glory stealer." Kent laughed and moved toward the front desk, pulling his wallet from his back pocket.
Damon moved to stand in front of her, slipping his hands into his slacks. "Hey ... about what I said ..."
"You were right." She shrugged and turned her attention to Kent's back.
"Beth. It's complicated."
"No, it's really not." She smiled and turned back to him, letting her eyes move over the perfect planes of his handsome face, his dark eyes holding deep emotion. She ignored them completely, having sold out to pushing this speeding train off the tracks in hopes of making a lasting impact on him.
"Yes, it is. I shouldn't have said tho—"
She cut him off by lifting her hand.
"I'm not interested in this. Your cock is big, and you're as sexy as sin. I want our relationship to remain uncomplicated. You and me, we're never going to be anything other than family, so until we are, let's enjoy the only thing we have in common. A love for fucking."
She walked toward the front door, the anger in his gaze scorching her. If he wanted to apologize, it was far too late. He hadn't acted like an ass once or twice but on regularly, habitually. Only one way to break him down: the same fucking way he was obliterating her control—take it from him completely.
***
She smiled as the flight attendant stopped beside her, the boy metro for sure but handsome. His smile widened a little as he looked down at her. Bethany smiled back, letting the gesture reach her eyes.
"Something to drink for you?"
"What do you suggest?" She leaned toward him a little, her tongue touching the edge of her mouth. "I'm not in the mood for liquor, but I am so thirsty."
The boy's smile lifted a little until Damon cleared his throat. Bethany glanced over at him. His stare pinned her with accusation, but she ignored it, chuckling a little.
"It would seem my boss is thirsty as wel
l."
"Boss?" the boy asked.
"And my brother, actually." Bethany stared at Damon for a minute more, the light in his gaze dimming a little. Was he hurting from the way she was? She wanted to be glad of it, and yet it tore at her resolve. She couldn't do this for long. It wasn't who she was at all.
"Gin and Sprite," Damon responded before leaning back and closing his eyes.
"I'll just have the Sprite." Bethany smiled again as the boy nodded and winked at her.
"He's not your type." Damon's words surprised her, the lack of emotion driving her forward in her own form of attack.
"You're right. I like assholes."
He opened his eyes and turned his face a little. "I tried to apologize."
"You didn't mean it, but it’s okay."
"You play games, Beth. Good luck with it. You’re not going to last long."
"Why is that?"
"Because we both know that where I prefer lust, you prefer love."
"Is that because I'm a woman?"
"That, and you like to play it safe. If you love, and the guy returns the emotion, then forever might be locked in. If lust is all there is, then you stand a chance of losing someone that makes you feel alive." His eyes moved to her mouth as he pulled his bottom lip into his mouth briefly.
She couldn't help but watch his every move, everything about him so sensual and right. How could she not love him? He was damaged, and damn if she didn't want to repair him.
"You're wrong." She shrugged and turned toward the seat in front of her.
"Am I?"
"Yep."
"Let me prove it to you." He unbuckled his seat belt and slipped into the aisle; the fasten seatbelt sign still on. He stopped and hovered over her as she glanced up at him.
"Lust takes courage. Love is for pussies." He leaned down and touched the side of her face. "If all you feel is lust, meet me in the bathroom in the back. Prove it."
"I don't have to prove anything to you." She pulled back, the idea of having him take her in the small space of the restroom so fucking hot it caused her body to ache immediately.
"Oh, I wasn't talking about proving it to me. Come prove it to yourself. You wanna play with the big boys, you have to believe the truth in your own game. Come earn your stripes, little girl." He turned and walked to the back of the plane.
Turning back around in her seat, she closed her eyes and leaned her head back, not at all ready for something so raunchy. No matter how much of a deep, dark fantasy it was, there was no way she was giving control back. That's all he wanted by making the claim.
She sat there for a few more minutes as her body woke up to the idea of him all over her. The deep throb between her thighs was a quick reminder that Damon's body was more than worth rendering control to him and allowing him to take advantage of her. The shower scene washed over her, and she stifled a moan, getting up before she lost her courage.
Her fingers gripped the seats as she moved quickly, the door to the bathroom opening as she approached. She pushed her fingers into his chest and moved into the small space with him. His brow lifted as he chuckled.
"Never in a million years would I have expected you to get up."
"I don't care what you expected." She pushed at his chest slightly. He sat down, his fingers brushing the back of her knees.
"Love is messy, Beth. Stay with me in lust, and we can drown in each other over and over again." He slid his hands up her thighs, into her skirt, fingers running along the edge of her panties. He brushed by her sex as she closed her eyes, tugging away from him.
Bethany turned and looked over her shoulder as she let her eyes drag across him. "Take my panties off, and stop talking your bullshit nonsense."
"Yes, ma'am." He smirked and reached up, his large hands palming her ass before he dragged her panties down. His wet tongue slid up the back of her thigh, his lips soft and sucking at her skin as he moved. She leaned forward, her back arching slightly as he moved her skirt up her back, his tongue licking at the swollen wetness of her lips. She pushed back as he groaned, the sensual connection with him enough to undo her.
He licked a few times, his tongue lapping at the wetness he caused. She felt the loss of contact with him and almost started to move before he locked her into place with his hand on her thigh. The sound of his pants being unzipped caused her heart to flutter, her breath to catch.
"Come here, baby. Sit back on me, and let me fuck you." He reached up and tugged her down, Bethany more than willing to be pliable for his needs. He guided her carefully to rest on top of him, her hands pressing into the soft material of his slacks, his thick thigh muscles underneath.
She groaned and lowered herself onto him, the width of his cock opening her up further than she remembered from the day before. He sucked in a breath between his teeth, his hands under her thighs as he lifted her off the ground. The motion made the rest of his erection disappear inside of her, Bethany moaning his name as bliss rushed through her veins.
He spread her legs over his and slid one hand up to cup a breast over her clothes, the other rubbing softly at the bundle of nerves at the top of her sex. He used his hold on her to lift her slightly, the firm press of his hips against her rear making a soft slapping sound as he worked himself in and out of her.
"Feel good, Beth? Taking all that dick inside of you?" he whispered against her hair before Bethany reached back and pulled her locks into a bun. She wanted more of his skin on hers.
"So good. Don't stop, okay?" Her words were airy and filled with the dark lust that tore her willingness to stand strong against him apart entirely.
"Never. Just hold on to my legs, and take what I'm giving you. You want what I have, don't you, Beth?" He pressed his lips to her neck, Bethany's back arching to take more of him in. He pinched the softness of her clit between two of his fingers and tugged a little. "You want me all over you, deep inside of you, marking your sexy little body with my teeth and fingers. Tell me you want it as bad as I do."
He lifted her with his thrust, every movement sending deep tremors of pleasure into her. She leaned back against him, rocking her hips forward to increase the friction of his fingers, his pinches hurting so good.
"I want it as bad as you want the smell of me on your sheets, the sticky wetness of my come on your fingers ..." she panted, almost unable to speak past her own want for all of those things.
"You’re damn right, I do." He pressed his fingers in tighter, jerking them as she buckled, the orgasm ripping through her like none before.
"Oh fuck, Damon ... no, no, no," she murmured over and over, rocking herself against the thickness of his cock, the soft pads of his fingers.
"Yeah ... yeah take it, Beth. Such a good girl. I'm going to destroy your desire for any other man. So it's my body you need, my cock you can’t get enough of ..."
She nodded as he continued to assault her with the truth of where she already was. He moved his hands to her hips, pulling hard and slamming her back down on him as he groaned softly over and over.
"Fuck, you’re perfect. Squeeze your ass, and whisper my name. I'm so close, Beth. Take me over." He pressed his lips to her ear, jerking himself in and out of her as she quickly obeyed him.
He growled loudly as his teeth sank into the soft skin of her neck, just behind her ear. Bethany yelped but let the pain fuel the pleasure of knowing that he was going to explode any minute. He released his bite and groaned against her hair as he filled her, his hands digging in tightly to her bare hips as he moaned.
"Oh fuck, Beth. Oh shit. So perfect, baby. Delicious, tight little pussy that’s so wet for me." He groaned again and slammed her down once more. He shivered, moving to wrap his arms around her. The soft sound of knocking at the door scared the shit out of her.
"Occupied. Be out in a minute," Damon spoke loudly against her neck. His tongue pressed to the throbbing skin at the back of her neck, soft licks and kisses not dimming the fire of his bite.
"You bit me, you ass," she whispered, turning
her face a little.
He reached up and pulled her closer, brushing his lips past hers as his gaze burned into her.
"As a reminder."
"Of what?"
"That I'm in control, and you, little pussycat, are mine."
Chapter 28
Every move she made reminded her of the way he touched her in the airplane restroom. The warmth between her thighs was a constant pleasure that caused her mind to be distracted. She had planned to own him, but once again he had pulled her strings and assumed control.
They walked off the plane in silence, Damon having fallen asleep pretty quickly when they got back to their seats. The look from the male attendant when he finally delivered their drinks after trying forever was pensive at best. Damon's hand rested in her lap, his fingers tightly wrapped around her upper thigh.
She just smiled sheepishly at the attendant and decided not to worry too much about it. She’d never see the guy again anyway. He could think all he wanted to about her brother manhandling her thigh.
The bite mark behind her ear was safely covered by her thick hair, but her fingers kept brushing by the swollen flesh, the pain almost unbearable. Why Damon would think he needed to bite her so hard was questionable. Maybe he just got lost in the moment.
Bethany tried hard not to focus on the fact that he had blamed it on the need to mark her, to call her his. So many things lay between them, still unanswered. They were all about lust, and no matter how she felt about it, she was his. Too bad her body and mind were in a deep battle over what that truly meant.
Kent joined them as they walked down the long corridor of the airport, dark circles under his eyes.
"I'm going to get a cab to take us home. Damon, are you coming to the house or what?"
"Bethany and I are going to grab something to eat and talk about the audit. You go home and rest. I'll get her over there later, or she can always crash at my place."
Mister Big Stuff: A Single Mom Friends to Lovers Novel Page 41
