by Kendall Ryan
Oh. Tomorrow is Sunday. What business could he possibly have on Sunday? "Is it work or personal?"
"Sophie…" He lets out a soft groan. "I wish I could explain it all to you, but I don’t want you to hate me."
"I could never hate you."
"You promise?"
I yawn, unable to hold it in a second longer. "Uh huh."
He chuckles, sending little vibrating tingles all through me. "Get some sleep, sweet girl. I’ll see you on Monday."
"Okay." I nestle into the pillow, hating that I have to wait another day to feel his strong arms around me.
Chapter Seventeen
Colton
The trip was a complete bust. I’d wasted the last several years of my life on someone who I now realize was never worth my time, and one weekend in her presence hadn’t fixed a damn thing. I don’t know why I’d thought it would.
With a woman like Sophie in my life – someone so kind, generous and pure – it had opened my eyes to something more. What I’d had with Stella had never been the deep, soul-catching connection I was looking for. But something told me I might have finally found what I’d been seeking in Sophie. She’d auctioned off her virtue to save her sister’s life. Who does that? She’s special and amazing in so many ways. And now I’m eager to get home to her.
I wonder, despite the strange master/slave start to our relationship if we have any shot at something real.
When my plane finally touches down at the hanger, I strap my leather duffle bag to my bike and take off like a bullet. The only thing on my mind is clearing my thoughts of my disastrous weekend and getting Sophie’s warm, pliant body in my hands.
As my bike roars down the Pacific Coast Highway, the desire to see Sophie and to be near her rages through me. I could never have imagined that spending two nights alone after spending so many with her snuggled warmly beside me would have affected me so profoundly. But I know that it has. My brothers would say I’m going soft – and they’d be right – but I don’t care.
Tearing through the mudroom, I check the kitchen and den in search of her. Finding the downstairs empty of everyone except the household staff, I take the stairs two at a time and haul ass to my bedroom, deciding it’s the best possible place I could find her anyway.
Empty.
Same with the master bath. She’s not here.
I call Kylie who confirms she’s not working today.
What the fuck?
I try Marta next. No answer. Has everyone just dropped off the face of the planet today?
Unable to temper the anxiety coursing through my veins, I change into a pair of trunks and decide to swim laps and burn off this excess energy while I wait for her to get home.
I run into Beth on my way to the pool who confirms no one’s seen Sophie.
Seventy-two laps later my body’s tired, but my mind races on. I climb from the pool, leaving a soaking wet trail and collapse onto a lounge chair to wait. She has to come home sometime, right? Unless she already found out and she… No. She’d give me a chance to explain at least. I have to believe that.
When I open my eyes sometime later, Sophie’s standing over me, her long hair falling like a wave onto my chest.
"Colton? Wake up. You’re going to burn out here."
I blink several times, the harsh afternoon sunlight causing spots to dance in my eyes.
Sophie
Colton stares up at me, blinking to clear his vision. His shorts are wet and his skin is developing a golden hue. I hadn’t expected him home in the middle of the day, figuring once he flew in from New York, he’d head to the office. But instead, he’d come straight home. It causes something to pinch in my chest. I want to leap into his arms, but he’s still staring up at me and his mouth is tugged down into a frown.
He looks like he’s been through hell and back. "What’s wrong?" I ask.
He sits up and scrubs a hand across his face. "Where were you?"
"I went shopping with Marta." I point to the shopping bags I set down beside the glass patio doors.
He rises and knots the towel around his waist before stomping away.
"Colton?" I follow him. "What’s wrong? Was your trip okay?" Considering he’s told me absolutely nothing, the question feels fake. I hate it.
"It was fine."
His back is to me and I place a hand against his shoulder, gently kneading the tense muscle. "Are you mad I wasn’t here?"
"I like coming home to you." He shrugs.
I walk around him, so I can face him eye to eye. "You missed me."
"No. The house was too quiet. Empty."
"The housekeepers are here. You missed me."
"Can we not discuss this?" His voice is firm, but his gaze is imploring and soft. The combination causes me to melt just a little.
I suppress a smile. Knowing he missed me just as much as I missed him makes me feel giddy. "I’m home now." I link my fingers with his and his mouth relaxes into one of the smiles I’m coming to love seeing on him. "So what do you want to do now that you’re back?"
His hands curl around my waist and he tugs me close. "Come swim with me."
My answering smile lights up my entire face. He’s so light and carefree – I decide I like him skipping work on a Monday. "Pool party it is. I just need to change into my bikini."
His mouth tugs up in a wicked grin. "No bikini necessary. There’s no one around." He glances toward the towering green shrubs that create a virtual wall around his estate, caging it in privacy. But he’s forgetting the household staff is here and the floor-to-ceiling windows mean they have a direct line of sight to the pool.
I open my mouth to protest when Colton’s hands skate up the sides of my thighs, lifting my sundress to expose my black g-string panties and matching pushup bra.
He tosses the dress to a nearby chair. "Oops."
When he tugs me close, naked sun-warmed skin caresses mine and my eyes slide closed.
Feeling bold, I reach back and unclasp my bra, letting it drop away just as I feel Colton’s fingers twist into the sides of my panties. He rubs his thumbs over my hip bones and slides his hands lower, pushing my panties down my legs and sending them drifting to my feet.
Being nude in the bright daylight should make me feel self-conscious, but the dark, hungry way Colton is watching me makes me feel beautiful and special. His hands skate up my sides, sending little chill bumps over my skin despite the heat outside.
"Let’s get you wet," he whispers.
Taking my hand, Colton leads me to the shallow end of the infinity pool and we wade in together, hand in hand. The water’s so warm and perfect, there’s no adjustment necessary as it envelopes my ankles, calves and then thighs. Though my bikini doesn’t cover much, swimming naked is a completely different experience. The water licks at my skin and the resulting feeling is freeing and serene. Once we’re submerged up to Colton’s chest and my shoulders, he cages me in against the side of the pool and leans in to kiss me.
His mouth moves urgently against mine like he’s chasing after something that he’s desperate to reclaim something between us. I push up on my toes and wrap my arms around his neck, running my fingers through his hair.
I’m coming to realize I’m more than just a casual fuck to Colton. And I like that he’s taken his time, gotten to know me, earned my trust before things progressed to a point of no return, despite the wait being maddening. Somewhere along the way, I’ve become addicted to the warmth he instills deep inside me, and I want more.
As hard as it is, I break our kiss, resting my forehead against his. "You haven’t fucked me. Are you sleeping with someone else?" My voice is a weak whisper. But I have to know before I give myself to him. I’ve fallen for him completely and the knowledge that this isn’t exclusive would kill me.
His determined gaze meets mine. "No. There’s been no one else." He kisses my lips chastely. "I haven’t fucked anyone in two years."
I let out an audible gasp. Two years? Why? "Vow of celibacy?" I joke.
<
br /> "Something like that." His expression is somber and his jaw clenches, like he wants to say more, but doesn’t.
"We could fix that…" The words linger in the humid air between us and our eyes remained locked together.
I scissor my legs around his waist and his hands move down to my ass, holding me as though I’m weightless in the water. I can feel his erection through his swim shorts and I grind against him, producing a grunt of satisfaction that murmurs deep in his throat.
He presses his hips forward, rocking slightly, the pressure against my clit maddening. In just a few short weeks, I’ve become addicted to his touch.
"Is that what you want, sweetness? My cock buried inside your hot little cunt?"
The friction is incredible and my eyes slip closed. "Y-yes," I admit.
Colton’s fingers find my bare center and he lightly strokes me, one finger sliding against my silken heat, teasing, testing, as he moves. He circles my clit without putting direct contact there. I whimper in frustration and Colton nips at my lower lip, drawing it into his mouth and sucking.
"I want to taste you. I want to fuck you with my mouth and my fingers first. I want to make sure you’re ready to handle me." He presses his cock into my center and buries his face in my neck. I love that I can feel how badly he wants me.
The need to be closer is an all-consuming desire and I wind my legs tighter around his waist as if to draw him nearer. Just the thought of how easily he’ll glide into me in the warm water has me wet and ready.
With my arms planted on his shoulders, I rock against him, loving the feel of his rigid cock brushing my center and the tiny grunts he releases as he kisses my lips.
I uncross my legs from around his waist, my bare feet coming to a rest on the pool floor and I begin unlacing the string holding his swim trunks closed. Colton watches my hands work beneath the water. His tanned torso glistening with water is too inviting. I want to lick each droplet from his abs, but my goal at the moment is to have his beautiful cock in my hands.
My heart pounds unevenly as I realize this is finally it. He’s not stopping me.
Realizing something other than me has captured his attention, I follow his gaze to the glass door leading into the house. Beth is standing in the open doorway looking at us.
Geez, awkward much?
"Mr. Drake…" she starts.
"Some privacy, please?" he growls shooting her an icy glare.
"But sir…"
"Get out!" he barks, but Beth doesn’t retreat.
What the hell is going on?
"Mr. Drake, your wife is here," she says.
Spots dance in my vision and I sway, unsteady on my feet. A woman steps out behind Beth – tall, and regal with locks of red hair cascading down onto her shoulders and the iciest glare pointed directly at me.
Colton
I lock eyes with Stella and my erection instantly fades. She steps out onto the patio surrounding the pool and comes to an abrupt halt, realizing I’m not alone. She looks older, harsher in the broad daylight – little lines crinkle around her eyes and her mouth puckers in a frown.
Her gaze collides with Sophie and I have the sudden urge to shield Sophie’s body from Stella’s cruel perusal – like her gaze alone will damage my sweet, pure Sophie. I glance to Sophie, who’s naked, pale and trembling.
"Well, now I see what’s been keeping you so busy," Stella says, her voice devoid of any emotion.
Sophie steps back away from me, the loss of her touch unwelcome and unwanted. "C-Colton?" Her shaky voice is a weak whisper.
I don’t respond. I can’t. All I can do it stare into the sweetest pair of blue eyes I’ve ever seen and pray to God she’ll let me explain.
"Yes, he’s married, sweetheart, so I suggest you get your naked behind out of my pool before I call the police," Stella says, placing one manicured hand against her hip.
A single tear rolls down Sophie’s cheek as she moves further away from me and climbs from the pool, nude and shaking like a leaf.
My newly mended heart shatters into a million tiny pieces as everything I thought I’d gained in the last several weeks is lost again.
"Soph…" I hoist myself up over the edge of the pool and reach for her, but she jogs for the glass doors, bypassing the towels in her hurry to get away from Stella.
Fuck.
The ache in my chest intensifies. Stella’s voice cuts through the dark thoughts swirling in my head. I can’t lose Sophie. There’s more happening between us than what either of us ever expected.
I’ve fallen in love with her.
Just as the thought rushes through me, I know I may have lost her already.
Filthy Beautiful Love
Release Date: September 29, 2014
Preorder Now at a Fan Appreciation Price of $3.99 (Regularly $4.99)
Link to Amazon
I never expected to watch Sophie walk away – especially not with her virginity intact. She was mine. She just didn’t know it yet. New goal: Seal the deal and rock her world so thoroughly she never wanted to leave again.
Highly sexual and emotionally charged, Filthy Beautiful Love is the provocative conclusion to Filthy Beautiful Lies.
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Acknowledgements
First, thank you to my family, and most especially to my darling husband for supporting me in all that I do. I'm a lucky lady.
Thank you to authors and all around rockstars Rachel Brookes, Emma Hart and Meghan March for your keen eyes and enthusiasm for this story. A bear hug goes to my publicist Danielle Sanchez for your quick responses and imaginative plans for spreading the word about this series.
There have been so many wonderful blogs who've supported me in this journey, and frankly there are way too many to name. But a few I'd like to mention and squeeze a massive tackle hug are: The Rockstars of Romance, Flirty & Dirty, Shh Mom's Reading, Cocktails and Books, LoveNBooks, Swoonworthy, Book Whores Obsession, Book Drunk, The Book Bitches, Up All Night Book Blog, Waves of Fiction, Just Booked and so many more! Thank you for your love of books, for your shameless pimping and for your abundance of love for indies. We couldn’t do it without you.
Most of all, thank you to the readers. I heart each and every one of you.
Also By Kendall Ryan:
Unravel Me
Make Me Yours
Resisting Her
Hard to Love
Working It
Craving Him
All or Nothing
When I Break
When I Surrender
When We Fall
When I Break
Link to Amazon
Knox Bauer's life has unraveled to the point of no return. Fighting to fill the emptiness inside himself, he seeks solace in unfamiliar beds with unfamiliar women. As guardian to his three younger brothers, this can't go on...they look up to him in every way and all he’s done lately is prove how messed up he really is. Needing a change, he attends a local Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting, where he finds himself tempted by the alluring instructor, McKenna.
Twenty-one year old McKenna is trying to make amends. After losing her parents in a horrific accident, she knows if she can just b
e good enough, maybe she can forgive herself for what happened. With her newly acquired degree in counseling, she begins leading a sex addicts group where she meets the troubled Knox and her life takes on complications she never bargained for. She doesn't have time for a bad boy who only wants to take her to bed, even if her body disagrees. The fixer in her wants to help, but trusting Knox's true motivations might take more courage than she has.
Hard to Love
Link to Amazon
Cade’s always taken risks…
Cade takes cares of his sick younger sister by doing what he does best—cage fighting and starring in adult movies, his newest moneymaking scheme designed to pay for his sister’s growing medical bills. But when his latest gig finds him admitted to the ER sporting an erection from hell, thanks to the little pill given to him by the director, he can’t get the pretty little nurse who treated him out of his head, even though he knows she’s so far out of his league it should be illegal.
Alexa’s always played it safe…
Tired of being pigeonholed as the sweet, innocent one, hardworking nursing student Alexa has been looking for ways to break out of her Goody Two-shoes image. When her friend suggests the outlandish idea of losing her virginity to the sexy and sure-to-be-skilled porn star, Alexa is mortified. But then when Cade refuses her proposition, she finds herself pissed off and embarrassed. When she tracks him down to give him a piece of her mind, she isn’t prepared for what she finds. Watching him care for his little sister tugs at her heart, and suddenly it’s no longer just about losing her virginity, but about helping Cade. Because Lord help her, she might actually be falling for a porn star…
