During the past week, I’d managed to keep up my end of her fucking terms, to an extent. I kept myself busy with work, working on cases that weren’t mine to keep me at the office until nine or ten, and then I’d find my way to the hotel bar across the street until I was stumbling into the house well after midnight.
My elaborate ruse was probably more trouble than it would be to actually just find myself a willing pair of legs to open for my pleasure. Except my cock didn’t want just anyone to sink into, it wanted Meela.
My plan had been simple.
Drive her crazy with jealousy and wait until she begged me to fuck her senseless. It sounded like a foolproof plan because I knew in my gut Meela was too scared to admit what was right in front of her face. I didn’t know why it was so important to me that she admit it, but it fucking was.
Now she sent me a text that left me scratching my head because I had no idea what the hell it meant.
Me too. Have fun.
There was a good possibility that my simple, foolproof plan had just blown up in my face.
L U S T
The house was quiet.
I slipped through the door at exactly six o’clock, my arms full of the groceries I’d bought to make a home-cooked meal. Instead of responding to Meela’s text, I let it drive me crazy the rest of the day. At three, I called it quits and left, making a stop at the florist before I hit the grocery store down the street.
“Meela?” I called out over my shoulder, hearing her movement in the hall.
“Reed?” She directed her confusion at my back as I was still unpacking the groceries. “I thought you were going out?”
I turned around, holding up a steak in each hand, ready to yell surprise, but stopped, frozen in place. The sight of Meela was like a series of blows to my gut, one after another until I was left breathless.
“Fuck,” I breathed, doing a slow and thorough sweep of Meela from head to toe. She was wrapped in black lace and cotton.
“That’s a little fancy for dinner, no?”
Her frown deepened with confusion. “Dinner?”
Her eyes moved to the steaks in my hand and then back to me.
“I thought I’d make dinner tonight. I figured you were probably tired of takeout.”
She moved around me, making her way toward the island and placed a small black clutch down on the counter.
“I have plans.”
I spun around, close on her heels.
“You have plans? You have plans?”
“Why do you keep repeating it? Yes, I have plans,” she said without turning around completely.
My voice got louder. “And you’re going out dressed like that for your plans?”
She turned around, a glare for me and me alone. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“Every-fucking-thing,” I growled, pronouncing each syllable.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
I was being absolutely fucking ridiculous, but that didn’t change the fact that I didn’t want Meela walking out of here dressed as she was for someone who was definitely not me.
“Where are you going?”
I was acting like a caveman, and short of marking her as my territory—which I kind of did, considering she was carrying my baby—I wanted to throw Meela over my shoulder and lock her away.
She didn’t owe me a damn thing; she especially didn’t owe me any details about her plans tonight, but I couldn’t stop the Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde transformation currently happening right now.
“How is that any of your business?”
“It’s my business when you’re carrying my baby inside you. Or did you forget? You hardly act like you’re even aware of the fact that you’re pregnant.”
I was beyond making sense. I couldn’t see past my own rage and what I was pretty sure resembled jealousy to even care.
“You have a lot of nerve, Pierce,” she said, advancing on me. “You’ve gone out every night this week—”
“Per your fucking rules—”
“AND I haven’t asked for a single detail about where you were or with who—”
“Do you want to know—”
“Because it’s none of my business. Where I’m going, and who I’m with is none of your business regardless of the baby I’m very aware of.”
She turned, walking to the counter to grab her clutch, and headed toward the door.
“Meela,” I called out to her, but she slammed the door without so much as a pause in her departure.
I paced the back and forth, feeling like a madman. Running my hands through my hair, I twisted the strands around my fingers. I couldn’t get the image of Meela with another man out of my head—his hands touching her skin, tasting her lips. It was enough to make me want to claw my eyes out.
The mixed sound of a vibration and Meela’s notification tone drew my attention to the counter where Meela’s cell phone was lighting up. In her angry haste to get as far away from me as possible, she’d left her cell phone.
I told myself not to, to let it go, but even as I was telling myself I was invading her privacy, I was picking up her phone. I slid my finger across it, hoping there was a lock or code, but her home screen appeared with a message from Kevin, Awkward guy from the bar. I remembered who he was. The smooth-talking asshole from the club.
My thumb hovered over his message as I weighed my options. I could not read the message, put the phone down, and find the nearest bar. Or ...
I clicked on the message.
My heart was exploding inside my chest as the message pulled up, and I read the newest text first.
Kevin: I’m stuck in traffic, but I’ll be there. If you get to LeBlanc first, the reservation is under my name.
LeBlanc. They were going to her restaurant, and that pissed me the fuck off. I held her phone within my iron grip, feeling like the phone was about to disintegrate any second now, and stared down at the text.
I told myself it was a bad fucking idea, and nothing good would come out of this. If I was smart, I would put the phone down, have a drink, take a cold fucking shower, and go to fucking bed.
I took a deep, calming breath and set Meela’s phone down on the counter before I did something like chuck it at the wall. Moving into the kitchen, I reached into the cabinet, bringing down a bottle of Jack, and then unscrewed the lid. I didn’t bother with a glass as I gripped the neck of the bottle and brought it to my lips.
I gulped it down like it was nothing, but the liquid fire scorched the lining of my throat as it went down. The whole time, I eyed Meela’s phone as if it was going to come to life at any moment and strike.
Drink.
Blink.
Drink.
Blink.
“Fuck it,” I said out loud and screwed the cap back on the bottle. I set it down on the counter and moved around the island. I grabbed her phone and my car keys, slamming the door behind me.
A fucking shitstorm was coming.
L U S T
I stood outside LeBlanc’s staring through the window at Meela’s back. I felt like a damn stalker, but the jealousy and possessiveness I felt over her was too strong to deny.
She was alone, sipping her water, and every now and then, she would adjust in her seat. When someone would pass by or come close to her table, her head would turn as she sat up straighter, but it was never Kevin.
Maybe I would get lucky and the son of a bitch wouldn’t show up. I could go home without having to cause a scene, and Meela would never have to know I was here.
Then out of the corner of my vision, I saw him. Kevin. I vaguely remembered him from the club that night, but I was positive it was him. He made his way straight to her table, and when he stopped next to her, his hand found her shoulder, and my blood boiled. I wanted to break his hands. Both.
Then I saw red—every single fucking shade of red—when he bent over and kissed her cheek. It was a kiss on the cheek—like how you kissed your mother, maybe an aunt, and definitely your grandmother. It was
as far from passionate as you could possibly get, but still, the mere contact made me wish it was possible to break lips.
When he took his seat across from her, I made my move. Pushing through the restaurant doors, I maneuvered my way around the guests waiting, bypassing the hostess and making a beeline for their table.
I was mere inches from them when I heard Kevin explain his delay.
“Traffic was backed up for a good fifteen minutes. I was worried you hadn’t gotten my text since you hadn’t answered it.”
“I’m so sorry. I left my phone—”
“This phone?” I set it down on the table, and then turning around, I addressed the table next to Meela’s. “Can I borrow this chair? Thanks.”
I turned away from the couple who were too stunned to even respond. I straddled the chair, garnering us even more attention now. Meela and Kevin stared at me like I was completely naked with three heads. I gave Meela a smile, pushing her phone toward her and waiting for her to pick her jaw up off the table.
When she didn’t respond, I turned toward Kevin, fuck head, ass face—whatever you wanted to call him—and leaned over, practically shoving my hand in his face. I let my larger than life grin spread across my face when he flinched.
“Reed Pierce, and you must be the awkward guy from the bar, right?”
“Uh …” He was so taken aback; he just stared at me confused.
“What are you doing here, Pierce?” Meela seethed.
“Well, I was at home, and I heard your phone going off. I realized after our heated encounter you’d left it on the counter.”
Her face paled, and her cheeks blossomed with color over my choice of words. Her eyes flew to Kevin, but he was too busy staring at me. His face blotched angrily, and his fists clenched on top of the table. I gave him credit; I would have hit me already.
“I realized I couldn’t have the mother of my child out without her phone.” At this point, I didn’t even know who I was talking to anymore, but my stare held Kevin’s.
“Did you know she was pregnant, Kevin?”
“What is the matter with you?” Meela hissed, her fists hitting the table lightly.
“I was just making sure Kevin knew what he was getting into.”
“You’re an asshole,” Meela spat and pushed her chair back, throwing her napkin on the table. She looked at Kevin, wearing an apology etched all over her face. Looking at Meela now, the regret of my decision was starting to weigh heavily in the pit of my stomach. “Kevin, I’m so sorry, for everything. Please, forgive me, but I have to go.”
She fled from the table, and I turned to watch her go. The adrenaline that had fueled this entire stunt was slowing starting to wane.
“I’m sorry,” I said, still watching Meela. “But she’s mine. Even if she doesn’t realize it yet.”
I got up, throwing cash down on the table, and sprinted toward the exit.
She hadn’t gotten far, and within seconds, I had reached her. Taking her arm, I pulled her toward my parked car. She was beyond furious, and she fought against my hold on her arm.
“Let me go, Reed,” she said between her teeth.
“Don’t fight me, Meela … please,” I pleaded. “You have every right to be angry. I was, am, an asshole. But let me take you home. I don’t want you to drive upset.”
She stared at me for the longest time, and I realized I was holding my breath the entire two minutes. When she gave a firm, curt nod, I breathed again. I moved, my hand going to the small of her back, but she sidestepped my touch.
“I’ll let you drive me home, but do not think for once second that I’m not beyond furious with you. If you try to touch me again, so help me …”
I held my hands up. “I won’t try to touch you. My car is this way.”
We drove the entire way home in loud silence. Meela stared out the window the whole way there, refusing to even look anywhere in my direction.
When I pulled into the driveway, she was out of the car and slamming the door before I even had mine open. She had no choice but to wait at the door for me to unlock it. It gave me a chance to take my sweet time to figure out how the hell I would plead my case.
I could feel her fuming as she stood next to me, waiting for me to unlock the door. I realize taking my time was probably the wrong route as I felt her anger erupting in volcanic waves.
I barely got the door unlocked when she was twisting the handle and pushing past me to go inside. I was on her heels, slamming the door shut.
“Meela, will you wait?” I called after her, but she ignored me as she made her way toward the hall. “Meela, dammit,” I growled, lunging for her.
I grabbed her arm, spinning her around, and she fell back against my chest. Her hands pressed against my chest; I felt the warmth of her skin through my shirt, and then it was gone as she pushed against me.
I wasn’t ready to be rid of it yet, so I latched onto her wrists, lifting them in the air and pulling her up against me again. The heat of her anger melted into my skin the way her body was melting into mine.
Bringing my lips down on hers, I kissed her hard. My tongue pressed against the seam of her mouth, pushing through until the taste of her was melting on my tongue. I moaned, needing this more than I realized. But it didn’t last long, not damn near long enough.
Ripping her mouth from mine, she pulled back and did something I was pretty sure neither one of us expected. She slapped me. It was a pretty damn good slap. Cupping my jaw, I worked it back and forth, rubbing the sting through the stubble along my jaw.
“Oh, my god,” she breathed, taking a step back. Her fingers shook as she touched her slightly swollen and red lips. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe I just did that.”
I could. For two reasons: I fucking deserved it, and she was my fucking firecracker.
“I deserved it,” I confessed, deciding to keep the second reason to myself. “I’ve had that coming since the elevator.”
“I’m humiliated. How could you do that to Kevin?”
“Easy, actually.”
“Why, Reed?”
“You know why, Meela. Dammit, you know fucking why.”
She took a deep breath and then another. “We have rules,” she whispered, avoiding eye contact.
“For fuck’s sake, enough with the rules. The rules are bullshit, and I should have never gone along with them.”
“Then why did you?”
“Because it was the only way to get you to stay. I would have said or done anything.”
“Nice. So you lied to me? Tricked me again?”
“It’s not the same thing, and you damn well know it.”
“It is the same thing, Reed.”
Fuck it. I was done.
“I tried to play by your rules, but I’m done, Meela. I don’t want to see anyone, and I don’t want to have sex with anyone unless it’s with you. And you don’t want me to either.”
And then I was pulling her to me again.
“You put up a hell of a fight, firecracker. But now it’s my turn.”
My mouth covered hers, and when my tongue filled her mouth, her protests were lost with each thrust of my tongue against hers. Her hands found my biceps, and her futile attempts to push me away were destroyed when I moved against her, the cut of her nails biting into my flesh with her defeat.
I growled with victory, and my hands were all over her at once, removing her clothing as I maneuvered her around the couch.
I pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it aside, and then my mouth and tongue were touching every bit of flesh from her neck to the cleavage that spilled over the cups of her bra. I pulled my shirt over my head.
“Undo my pants, Meela. I’m so fucking hard, it hurts.”
Her fingers were swift and flawless as she worked them open and down my legs. My cocked throbbed when she finally fisted it with both hands.
“Fuck,” I groaned, and my mouth claimed hers again. “Don’t fucking stop touching me, Meela.”
“I hadn’t plan
ned on it,” she rasped and then pushed me back onto the couch.
She knelt in front of me, pushing my legs apart and running her hands down my thighs until her fingers were wrapping around the length of me again.
“I want to taste you,” she purred, and then her mouth was covering me.
“Holy fuck, Meela,” I hissed, and my head fell back against the cushions.
The heat of her mouth sent an electric shock down my cock and into my sack, and without meaning to, I bucked my hips. She didn’t seem to care or mind as her mouth lowered until she was taking as much of me as she could into her mouth. Her lips closed around me, her tongue flattening against my shaft, and she sucked hard, moving up and down on my cock.
I fisted handfuls of her hair, wrapping the strands around my fingers and following the wild rhythm of her motions until my balls tightened and I was on the brink of losing my sanity. As much as I wanted to come, I wanted to be inside her when I did.
“I’m not ready to come yet, but if you keep doing that, I’m going to.” I pulled her up my body, enjoying the tiny sounds of her protest before they were lost again as I buried my tongue inside her mouth.
I pushed her into a standing position and pushing up her dress before pulling down her panties, and then lifted her until she was straddling my lap. I undid her bra, and my hands were there to cover one tit, my fingers closing around her nipple while my lips sucked on the other.
Her head fell back, and her moans filled the room around us. Her reaction caused me to come a little, and I nearly blacked out trying to control myself enough before I fully let go.
“Lift your hips, Meela, and sit down on my cock. Slowly,” I demanded.
She did as I said, positioning herself until the head of my cock teased her pussy, drenching me in with the pleasure I’d pulled from her. And then the world went black as she moved, and I slowly sunk into the heat of her desire. I filled her, and she wrapped around me like we were two missing pieces, complete now.
“You feel fucking amazing,” I whispered, and my teeth closed around her nipple. “Now come for me,” I growled and bit down.
Lust Page 23
