by Livy North
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yep,” I said, exhaling a long breath.
He tapped the microphone and the thud echoed in the hall. In seconds, all eyes were on us. I didn’t like the attention. I wasn’t wired like the others in this town. I only wanted attention on my terms.
“Welcome to the celebration of our Founder’s Day. Emory and I have been honored to plan this event for all of you, and I hope you all have a lovely evening.” He looked at me, our eyes connected, and it was as if a bond between us formed right then and there. When he looked at me, my heart stilled, and I didn’t feel as displaced anymore.
“Yes,” I continued. “So tonight, I hope you all enjoy yourselves. There’s a buffet over by the windows and drinks will be served throughout the night. This is a special day for celebration, and I am grateful for the lovely event River and I have come up with together. Thanks for letting us plan this event, it has been our honor. And as you see, the flower delivery was extraordinary. River did such a good job picking them.”
I laughed and people laughed too, so hopefully, no one heard how my voice shook slightly at the end. I surprised myself when I looked to River for comfort, and my heartbeat calmed as I stared into his eyes.
Something about how he looked calm, or not even that, he looked like he was in his element. He thrived on being the center of attention like this.
River cleared his throat, looking back out over our audience. “And I’m also celebrating the work Emory and I have done tonight. We’ve done a good job, if I say so myself. For us, and this town.” He held up his glass and I clinked mine against his.
People clapped as we descended the stage and I immediately headed for the hall. I needed some air and some private space.
After a while, I returned, serving myself at the buffet before sitting at my seat by the long table. I conversed with the old elite I was surrounded by. I sat there for hours until the sun had moved to the horizon, and I was bored out of my mind and exhausted.
Until a voice behind me jerked me back to life.
“Dance with me.”
River stood there, towering and handsome in his tux. His hand was stretched out for me.
It wasn’t a question; it was a command. I glanced around at the table where everyone was waiting for me to take his outstretched hand, and for once, I did what society expected of me.
I interlocked our fingers and let him guide me to the dance floor where he placed his other hand on my hip. He tugged me closer and my stomach fluttered. As I stared into his eyes and they sparkled back at me, I put my hand on his shoulder.
“We did good,” he said flatly, looking out over the room.
“We did.”
The venue looked nice, and we’d done a good job planning. No surprises or technical issues. As much as I might’ve hated it, River and I were much more alike than I’d thought. When we committed to something, we did it a hundred percent.
He wanted to do the best—to be the best—at everything he did, and so did I.
He was competitive, and so was I.
When we were together, it was a never-ending fight over who was better. It was exhausting, but at the same time, exhilarating. No one pushed me like he did. He brought up emotions I didn’t know I was capable of feeling, but he also brought out the best in me. His attitude simply forced me to be at my peak at all times.
I hated that I liked the person I was when I was with him.
River was as near perfection as they came, and he demanded perfection from those around him.
“Some would even say we make a good team, Nightmare.”
I swallowed. “And what do you say?”
“I say we’re good at playing nice.”
“Playing?” I asked, biting my lip.
My breath hitched when he tugged me closer, digging his fingers into my hip in a possessive and urgent way. His grip told me everything his mouth didn’t, and if something was left to interpretation, his eyes alone took away all doubt.
“You and I both know we aren’t nice. Everyone can be nice. But us…? We are so much more—we’re everything people wished they were.”
You’re so cocky, I wanted to say, but the way he ground against me distracted me. My stomach coiled when his semi-hard bulge brushed against me.
“How can you be in the mood right now? We are surrounded by people,” I scolded in a whisper-hiss only he could hear.
His hand came to brush a stray lock of hair away from my face, but his other slid down and squeezed my butt. I inhaled a sharp breath and his touch sent shivers into my core.
“Because you’re here, and you are everything I see. You make me so fucking hard, Emory. You make me lose control, and I hate it so much. Can you feel it?”
I swallowed hard, because, God, I could feel it. And damn my body for responding to him like I needed him. I didn’t. I could screw around with any other person in this room, so why did I act like he was the only one who could get me off?
“You do,” he confirmed for me. “You have no idea how much I want to wrap my hands around you and bury myself in you. I want you to say my name until your throat is so sore you can barely speak.”
My mouth was parched. River leaned closer to my ear and his voice lowered to a whisper. “I’d make sure you could never forget it.” His lips brushed against my lobe before he dipped his head to my shoulder and bit the skin there.
I clenched my jaw shut to make no sound. No one was looking at us because River knew how to make all this come off as an innocent dance.
He withdrew with a small squeeze of my hip again. A playful smirk played on his lips and his tongue darted out to swipe over his lower lip seductively.
His eyes glistened with lust and heat, yet there was still dislike there, too.
“Thanks for the dance, Nightmare.”
With a slick smile, he turned and walked away from me, leaving me alone in the middle of the world—with my stomach in a knot and my underwear soaked.
River threw a devilish grin my way before he disappeared through the exit.
The grin confirmed everything I already knew—River knew what he was doing to me. He was completely and utterly aware of how he made my body feel. He knew what control he held over me because of it.
But there was no way I was going to let him do me dirty like that. I knew he felt what I did.
Grabbing my dress and pulling it up, I went for the door.
The music didn’t reach the hallway, and it was quiet besides my heels clicking violently against the floor. I marched right up to River, grabbed his arm, and spun him around to face me. I tangled my hand in the hair in the nape of his neck.
His eyebrow lifted in slight amusement, along with the corner of his lip.
“Nightmare, what’s gotten into your head?”
“I learned something.”
“What—”
“Life is short. You have to go after what you want.”
By now his eyes were shining with lust. “And what do you want?” he rasped.
“You.” I paused. “Us.” I licked my lips and took a step closer. “Now.”
All I saw was a flicker of darkness in his eyes before I slammed my lips on his.
It was all the fireworks and sparks I’d imagined.
Immediately, his lips parted for mine and our tongues entangled like thunder and lightning.
Needing a moment to breathe, I pulled back. His head dipped toward me, already so ready to chase what disappeared. I turned my head so his lips grazed my jaw instead. When he retracted his head as a response to the rejection, I skated my lips over his—teasing—then nipped on his lower lip.
Pulling back, his eyes were on fire—burning with all the emotions in the world.
“Oh, I hate you,” he said.
“Then walk away, River. I dare you.” My eyes sparkled right back at him.
“Yeah,” he drawled raspy. “You’d like that, huh?” And then he latched himself onto me, pushing me up against the nearest
wall, trapping my hands in his and pinning them against my head. His lips slanted on mine in a vicious attack. His knee came between my legs and I groaned, completely glued to the wall.
One of his hands dropped mine, only to rub me over my dress. He didn’t need to check to see how he made my body react, but he did it anyway—probably only to embarrass me.
My breaths were labored as he grabbed my butt and hoisted me up. My dress slid up when I wrapped my legs around him, and only underwear and his suit separated my wetness from the growing bulge in his pants.
I tore my lips away from his and buried my head in the crook of his neck, stifling down a moan as he rubbed against me. God, when was I the one to start dry-humping in a hallway?
“Wait, someone can come out,” I panted. “We can’t do this here.”
“What’s the fun if we’re not taking risks?”
I somehow managed to roll my eyes. “River.”
He groaned but bit his lip and smothered it. “My apartment’s a block down.”
It was enough of a reason to leave.
Adrenaline and lust rippled through my body as we shot down the street and into his apartment building. Once in the elevator, he kissed me like he was starving for me, and not once did he stop. Not even to walk to his door or unlock it. Somehow, he managed to open the door with one hand before we tumbled into the bedroom and I fell onto the mattress.
The small thud beat the air out of me, but before I could draw another breath, he kissed me. I slung my arms around his neck, drawing him closer.
His rough hands wrapped around my waist with his nails digging into my skin. Then they traveled lower to under my butt and squeezed. His semi-hard bulge rubbed against me.
Our mouths entangled. He tasted like scotch mixed with mint, and his lips were soft yet hard against mine. Pinning my wrists beside my head, his dominant side came out to play. He deepened the kiss, kissing me with such an urgency that my lips fell open. His tongue darted into my mouth and I groaned against him.
“Tell me you want this, little Nightmare.”
“I already told you,” I panted.
“Say it again,” he demanded. “If not, I won’t kiss you where you really want me to.”
“I want you,” I whined, feeling both heat and wetness pool between my legs.
I’d never been this horny in my life, and I’d always been a girl in touch with my body. I knew how to read the signs it gave me, and right now, I wanted to feel River inside me.
Still holding my hands down, River trailed a path of kisses down my jaw and the column of my throat. I wiggled underneath him, and he wedged his knee between my legs so I was immobilized.
He was over me and ripping my dress to shreds before I could say, “Oh God.”
“This is a custom Galia Azzura dress. It costs a fortune,” I said, but deep down, I didn’t give a shit about the dress.
“Stop talking ‘bout some weird fruit,” River growled into my skin before biting and licking his way over the exposed skin.
My eyes rolled back into my head as I tried to reply in a steady voice. “She’s a designer, not a fruit.”
“I’ll buy you ten fruit designer dresses if you shut up and let me fuck you.”
Deal.
I sunk my teeth into my lip and closed my eyes, losing myself in River’s skilled and calculated nips, licks, kisses, and touches. Although I wasn’t a virgin, foreplay had never felt like this. With other guys, they seemed to only enjoy the actual sex part. River enjoyed all of it—and he knew how to savor every moment.
“You smell so fucking good.” River breathed me in as his head dipped between my legs. His teeth grazed the edge of my bikini line before he tugged my underwear and bra off.
He gave my clit a teasing lick and I dug my nails into his muscular arms.
Leaning up, his hands left my body to unbutton his shirt and then flung it to the floor.
“Aren’t you gonna fold it nicely?” I teased.
“Shut up,” he growled back.
My body shuddered at his voice, thick with need and lust and desire.
I loved how he made me feel so wanted, even though I knew he didn’t like me at all beyond whatever the hell this was. Truth was, I had no idea what I was doing. But I knew I was in over my head.
River was secretive, but he’d confided in me more than once. I could tell he was different. He was unfiltered and unapologetic about himself, in a way he hadn’t been before.
“Ready for me to ruin you?” he whispered into my mouth before biting my lower lip.
“Are you still out to get me?”
“No.” He pulled away to smirk down on me. “I’ve already got you.”
A moan slipped from me when his tongue danced over my sensitive clit. I arched my back and writhed under him. River let out a groan of disapproval and used his forearms to pin me down. His fingers clawed down my hips, adding to all the sensations.
“River,” I panted between heavy breaths, my stomach clenching. “I want you inside me.”
“But you didn’t come yet—”
“I don’t care.” I swallowed thickly, pushing on his forearms.
“I do.” He sat up, his eyes filled with need. “I won’t have you mocking me for not making you come when we’re done.”
I looked at him with hot cheeks. “I won’t, just get inside of me.” I tugged him closer by the waistband of his dress pants. Conflict flickered in his eyes, but then he did what I asked. Skillfully, and in a way that had no reason to be so hot, he rolled the condom on and sunk deep inside me.
He bit down on my nipple, making me groan loudly.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous, Em. And you look so fucking good in my bed.”
I moaned when he gently bit my nipple before switching to the other breast.
“River—”
“That’s right, Nightmare. Say my name and my name only.”
Pumping in and out, he increased his pace until our skin was slapping against each other and I was in oblivion. Our breaths entangled and I let my head drop to the pillow. He interlaced our hands, pinning my arms on either side of my head.
“You’re mine,” he said.
“Hmm,” was all I managed to get out.
“Say it,” he demanded. “Say you’re mine. Right now, you’re only mine.”
His commanding voice sent ripples of hotness through me. “I’m yours.”
My back was sweaty against the mattress and I gave his hard chest a push. He tensed and I searched his eyes until he relaxed again. I gave him another push and he let me crawl on top of him. I ground my hips against him, riding him. His hands wrapped around my waist and he groaned as I increased my speed.
“Uh, I’m coming,” he moaned, squeezing my breast. He came inside me with a groan. He kissed me roughly. “God, Emory, you set me on fire.”
For whatever reason, that felt much like a compliment.
Rolling off him, we both collided onto the mattress, breathless and sweaty. After a few minutes, I got up and went to the bathroom to clean. When I returned to bed, River was resting with one arm behind his head, his abs glistening with a sexy sheen of sweat. I crawled in next to him.
It was only moments before sleep took us both.
Unlike the other days when I woke to sunlight, I woke because the mattress shifted under me. My eyelids fluttered open and I saw smooth skin over shoulder blades. My gaze fell but was only met by scrunched sheets.
Emory.
“Where are you going?” I said in my raspy morning voice.
“Out.” She swallowed and hugged the white sheets closer to her chest. She was naked, and I was tempted. One part of me wanted to devour her all over again, but the new part of me that had grown in the last couple of months knew that wasn’t what she needed right now.
And I surprised myself by knowing all of me cared.
Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed her hand and held it firmly, and I swear electricity shot through me
“Stay.” Our
eyes locked. Her pupils dilated, and it felt like our souls were aligning the more I stared into her gorgeous blue eyes.
When she didn’t reply, I whispered, “I dare you.” She thought for a second before she fell back into the bed. She laid on her back but kept her distance from me.
I stared at her, marveling in how beautiful she was. She was stunning and extraordinary. No one could compare, and that was the one thing that scared me the most right now. No one could ever replace her or the impact she’d had on my life.
Maybe it wasn’t lust anymore. I was starting to like her.
I swallowed. “You didn’t come last night.”
Her eyes widened and she stopped breathing for a second. Her cheeks went red and she chuckled silently. “Uhm, no.”
“Wasn’t what I was doing good?”
Now her cheeks were wild with color and her eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
I didn’t get why she was suddenly so shy talking about this, when she was so confident being naked. She was naked in my bed right now, proving my point.
She looked conflicted and scared. “No. I mean, yes. What you did felt really good.”
I propped myself up on my forearm so I could inspect her further. “But you still didn’t come?”
Biting her lip, she shook her head.
This wasn’t the confident Emory I knew, and this vulnerable one made it hard to know how to act.
“Why?” I prompted.
“I don’t know, okay?” she replied quickly, almost defensively.
“No, you do know why. You just won’t tell me.”
“Why do you care?” she asked, sitting up and wrapping her arms around her chest.
“Because I do,” I said flatly, sitting up too.
“Fine,” she muttered, relenting at last. “Except for that time on your birthday when I was intoxicated and high on sleep, I have never had an orgasm with another person. It… scares me.”
I found myself shuffling closer to her. “Do I scare you?”
“No, not you, idiot,” she said. All her sass had returned, but just as fast as it came, it vanished again. “Having an… orgasm means being at your most vulnerable. I’m scared of…” She was forcing the words out and it was clearly hard for her.
