Never Let Go (The Storm Inside #4)

by Alexis Anne

  “Good. I’m not looking for a relationship, just some fun.”

  He swirled the red liquid in his glass studying me, then it, before he took another sip and set it down carefully on the white table cloth. “Does that mean I can’t enjoy dinner with you?”

  My nerves fluttered. Something in the cadence of his words told me Adam was pushing me again. In a weird way it was like he already had my personality—and my desire to stay out of relationships—pegged. But that couldn’t possibly be true, this was only our second conversation. “I’m sure we could have a meal or two, but I want to be clear: I’m not looking for anything.”

  “We can’t be friends and fuck buddies?”

  “No,” I snorted. I could only imagine the fifteen different ways that would implode on me.

  But instead of throwing Adam off, he took it as a challenge. “Really? Now, that seems wrong. If I can fuck you, I can certainly enjoy hearing about your day over a glass of wine.”

  My breath caught in my throat. I wasn’t expecting that response and I found it far too attractive. “You see,” I leaned forward on the table and clasped my hands under my chin, “that kind of thinking tends to lead to caring and feelings. I don’t have time for either of those.”

  “But you do have time for sex.”

  “Priorities,” I replied with a smile, just as I felt something brush against my leg.

  “Sounds to me like you might need to revisit those. I think I can make you scream my name and bring you coffee without ruining your life.” His foot moved up my leg and pushed my knees apart.

  I swallowed. The contact of his body against mine was electric. Even with distance and clothing separating us, it turned me on. “I wouldn’t want to take that risk.” My words were softer, breathier, than they had been a moment earlier.

  “I don’t see where the risk is. I’m only here for two weeks. How can you lose? If you don’t like me, I’m gone. If you do like me, I’m still gone.”

  Adam leaned back lazily in his seat which gave him a better angle to move his foot up my thigh. That was when I realized he wasn’t wearing a shoe. Just a sock. It was soft and supple against the sensitive skin that led from my thigh to the hot, throbbing taking place between my legs.

  If he just pushed, the pressure would feel so good.

  But he didn’t. Instead, he pulled back, tracing a trail down my thigh and calf, and then left me alone.

  The loss of his touch was shockingly overwhelming. Almost as overwhelming as having his foot so close to my core. Adam had a gift, and he knew how to play me.

  I should run.

  “Two weeks, Elizabeth. Think of how much fun we can have.”

  “Two weeks?” I asked. It was like I was under his spell. He’d given me a taste of what having him in bed would feel like, but only a taste. It left me unsatisfied and ready to combust. How could I possibly think straight when all I wanted was to drag him upstairs and rip off his pants?

  “Two weeks. I won’t butt into your life unless you ask me to. I just can’t stand the idea of fucking you without getting to know you. We had a good conversation last night.” He huffed under his breath and sat back up. “It isn’t very often I meet someone I actually enjoy talking to.”

  And that was what did it. I’d said the same thing to Mitch. I hadn’t wanted to go looking for new friends because it was so hard to find any I liked. I liked Adam. He was smart and funny. He listened as much as he spoke.

  I wanted to keep talking to him.

  And just like that, I let go of my first line of defense. “Let’s see what dinner holds and go from there.”

  Adam held my gaze. He looked confused and intrigued. I’d done this before—caught the passing interest of a good guy with my cold distance. The one comfort I still had was knowing that all I had to do was show Adam my real life and he’d be gone in a heartbeat. The curiosity was only there because of the mystery. Once my secrets were out, there was nothing left to hold them.

  So this would be ok.

  “We should order,” I offered, opening my menu.

  “I figured you had that thing memorized by now.”

  I glanced over the familiar curving fonts and snapped the heavy binder shut. He was right, again. I didn’t need to look, I was using it as a distraction. I wanted to escape from the reality that I was making a massive mistake.

  The waiter took our order and the next thing I knew, Adam was leaning back in his chair, smiling and drinking. “So, Elizabeth. How was your day?”

  The bastard. The sex had better be earth-shattering. “Surprisingly boring compared to last night.”

  “Same here. It’s amazing how ‘relaxing’ seems boring when you’d rather be doing someone else.”

  It was my turn to cough. I took a swig of wine to tamp down the urge to skip dinner and move straight to sex. “Well, at least we’re clear on how you feel.”

  After that, conversation was actually pretty easy. Adam steered clear of any questions about my past or personal life, sticking with sports and my job instead. He told me about his work and how much he enjoyed living in Germany.

  One thing was clear: Adam was passionate about cars. Once I got him started he barely stopped to breathe. “I’ve been building them since I was five. My granddad helped me build my first go-kart during a summer trip to Calhoun Beach.”

  “You visited often?” Why did I ask that? I didn’t need to know stuff like that.

  He nodded. “Every summer for a month and every Christmas. Granddad eventually gave me my own space for a workshop. We’d wander the junkyards looking for rare and unique parts.” He shook his head, his eyes unfocused with memories. “I was done for after that. I became obsessed. One of my teachers had a friend who was an engineering professor. He hooked me up with some tutoring on the side. I learned all the ins and outs of modeling, software, design…Mercedes drafted me right out of college and I’ve been on the concept team ever since.”

  Adam was fascinating to listen to. Maybe it was his passion or his excitement. Not many people were so enthusiastic about work. Whatever it was, it had my attention and it wasn’t until our waiter quietly placed our bill on the table that I realized we were the last customers in the restaurant. “What time is it?”

  Adam’s brown eyes were no longer bright or relaxed. He glanced at his watch. “It’s eleven fifteen. They are probably more than ready to get us out of here.”

  Eleven fifteen? We’d been sitting there for hours. How was that possible?

  He grabbed the bill and opened his wallet.

  “How much is my half?”

  “Dinner is on me.” He stacked several bills on top of the check and stood up. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here.”

  I looked at his outstretched hand. It felt like a turning point. I could still walk away. But taking his hand somehow seemed final. Like I was sealing the deal. His fingers were worn and rough, probably from working on his cars, and all I could think about was how amazing they would feel against my skin. I took his hand.

  Adam yanked me up out of the seat, sending an electric current up my arm.

  Was that excitement? I hadn’t felt that in a long, long time…

  “Good night, Hannah. Thanks for letting us stay so late,” Adam called as he ushered me out of the restaurant, onto the street and the ten steps to the door that led up to my apartment, never releasing my hand.

  “Thanks for walking me home, I know it was terribly out of the way,” I joked, looking up at him and smiling softly. How was it that we still hadn’t kissed?

  I wanted him to kiss me.

  He chuckled. I liked (far too much) that I made him laugh. “You like living here?” he asked, looking up at the building.

  “What’s not to like? Food, beach, walking distance to work.” He was close, but not close enough. It was like the game he played at dinner. Teasing me.

  It was time I played back. I stared him directly in the eye and let him hear my altered breathing. He was affecting me and I wanted him to kn
ow it. I licked my lower lip and took a deep breath, letting my breasts rise and fall seductively.

  Adam’s gaze dipped to my lips and then to my chest exactly as I suggested. He may be in control of me, but I was in control of him. I could feel the electricity building between us. The anticipation had me lightheaded and wet.

  To my relief, he stepped into me, grasping my free hand so he had just my fingertips held lightly inside his. It was the only part of us that was actually touching and the pressure built up behind that touch was explosive.

  With the wicked smile I’d been waiting for all night, Adam gently tugged on my hand, pulling my body flush against his, and kissed me.

  And oh sweet Jesus—Adam was a phenomenal kisser. His arm came around my waist, pressing my hips into his, while his other hand fisted at the nape of my neck, tilting my head back and opening my mouth to him.

  His tongue was foreign and strange, but I loved how it felt to have his soft tongue stroking mine.

  My body melded against his, seeking more contact, more friction. God, I needed some friction.

  And then—his fucking phone rang. I hadn’t heard the damn thing all night. I just assumed it was off or on silent. But no, it chose now of all times—when I was just about to yank my new fuck buddy upstairs—to finally ring.

  Adam looked at me, startled. “Um, I’m really sorry, I have to take this.” But he didn’t move. He kept me pressed against him as he slid the clamoring electronic device out of his pocket and shoved it against his ear. “What?”

  I liked how strong Adam was. His arm was wrapped firmly, possessively, around my waist. I ground my hips slowly against his thigh and hips while he talked, a dark curtain falling over his eyes with each rock of my hips.

  Maybe I didn’t really need him after all. Just his arm and his leg…

  “No, I’ll be right there.”

  Adam shoved his phone back in his pocket and his jaw flexed. Angry Adam was hot.

  “Bad news?”

  “There is a problem and unfortunately, it can’t wait.”

  I pressed against him again, flexing my fingers into the firm muscles of his biceps. “Not even fifteen minutes?” What kind of problem could possibly be more important than sex?

  Adam flushed, pushed me against the brick of the building, and kissed me hard. His body arched into mine and I felt the telltale firmness of his erection. “Fuck,” he swore as he swallowed and leaned his forehead against mine. “I can’t. This can’t wait and I can’t do you in fifteen minutes. I need more time than that.”

  “Please?” I groaned. It was sad and desperate, but I was so turned on. He’d been on my mind all day and I needed a release.

  “Fuck,” he swore again, “Do you have your key?”

  I grinned. Yes, this was happening. I handed him my key and he yanked open the door. Just inside was a small foyer and a set of stairs. It was empty and quiet. He shut the door, dropped my keys, and pushed me against the wall. “Keep an eye out, gorgeous.”

  I swallowed as he ran his hand over my clit. We weren’t going up to my room? “I’m just one floor up…”

  “No time,” he gasped as he nuzzled my neck and worked my clit some more.

  “No time?” I asked, throwing my head back against the wall as Adam lifted my skirt. “Oh fuck it. I don’t care.”

  I felt his grin against my skin a split second before he kneeled in front of me, hooking his finger around my panties and pulling them to the side. With two fingers he plunged deep and I cried out.

  Dear god it felt good to have part of him—any part of him—inside me. I’d take what I could get. Warm, firm, insistent, just like Adam. He moved his fingers in and out of me slowly, then, just as slowly, his warm tongue made contact with my clit. The combination of sensations was overwhelming and my knees went weak.

  Adam reached up with his free hand and held my hips in place. I wasn’t going anywhere. But we were out in the open. Anyone else could come home at any moment and Adam had some stupid emergency he needed to get back to, so I needed to find that release fast.

  His fingers curled, his tongue stroked, and I reached inside my blouse, caressing my breast and moving my sensitive nipple against the fabric of my bra until it was free. I pinched lightly at first, then rolled it between my thumb and forefinger.

  That did it. The buildup hit me all at once—there was nothing slow about this climax. I released my nipple and clapped my hand over my mouth to quiet my moans. Adam didn’t let up. He worked me inside and out, fingers and tongue, until I sagged, panting against the wall.

  If he was this good in five minutes in a foyer, I was going to love a full night in a bed.

  He withdrew his fingers then moved my panties back into place, sliding my skirt down my legs, and adjusting my blouse before taking the lapels in his hands and looking down into my eyes. “Call that a preview of the next two weeks.”

  I nodded. I was completely speechless.

  “Have breakfast with me?” His voice was soft, but insistent. “I don’t want to wait until tomorrow night.”

  Yes. Breakfast. My foggy mind was willing to do anything for more of what Adam Callaway was selling.

  “Where?” he asked. He sounded breathier now, too. The bulge in his pants was straining against the seams.

  I pointed behind me. “Diner across the street.”

  He nodded. “Ok. Six?”

  “Six,” I agreed with another nod, just in case I wasn’t actually speaking.

  “Good,” he replied, dropping several soft kisses on my lips before he pressed my keys into my hand and left.

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Alexis Anne is the author of the steamy The Storm Inside series and the sexy Tease serials. A recovering archaeologist, she loves writing stories about passionate people overcoming mistakes and finding where they belong (amidst some equally passionate sexy-times). Her heroines are smart, her heroes are strong, and her stories are always close to her own life experiences. She lives in Florida with The Sexy Editor, their two superheroes, and a dog who would be much happier in the snow (although he seems okay with the beach). AlexisAnneBooks.com

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  Table of Contents

  Praise for The Storm Inside

  More from Alexis Anne

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  More from Alexis Anne

  Acknowledgments

  Welcome To The World Of Tease

  An Excerpt from Tease

  About the Author

  -Be A Frisky Friend-

 

 

 
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