eyond Desire Collection

by JS Scott, M Malone, Marie Hall, et al

Thorsen opened the door to their room as he explained his reasoning. “Darling, Ethan might look fairly harmless, but he’s a fourth-degree black belt.” Once in, he quickly checked out the room to make sure there wasn’t anyone waiting, and then threw the dead bolt on the door. “He can take care of himself under most circumstances. So, by all means, I’ll get you your own room if you can handle yourself against a group of thugs.”

  She plopped herself down on the bed with a scowl. “You know I can’t.”

  “And that, sweet Summer, is why we’ll be sharing a room.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Riley looked around the hotel room before crossing her arms in front of her chest. “So…where’s the sofa, Thorsen?”

  He shrugged with a look of innocence, though there was a mischievous light in his eyes. “They said there was a sofa, but must have been mistaken. I can take the floor or the tub if you don’t trust me to share the bed.”

  It’s not that she didn’t trust him—it’s that she didn’t trust herself. She’d been furious with him less than twenty-four hours ago. She’d wanted nothing to do with him, and had told him not to touch her. So, how the hell had he managed to get her in a lip lock less than a day later? And now she was going to let him sleep next to her. “You better stay on your side of the bed. Do you hear me?”

  “Aye, darling. Crystal clear.” When he pulled off his t-shirt, Riley had to force herself to look away from his perfectly built form or run the risk that he’d catch her gawking at him.

  Except that what she saw had her sucking in a breath. A large bruise of mottled purple spread across his back and side. And then as she looked closer, she noticed his cheek and lips were swollen and scraped. “Crap, Thorsen. You didn’t tell me you were injured.”

  She closed the distance between them to see the extent of his injuries, cursing when she saw more bruises marring his perfect form.

  He took her hands in his, and tilted his head into the path of her gaze so she’d be forced to look at him. “Hey…this is nothing, love. Don’t go worrying yourself. I’m fine.”

  And maybe it was—this time around. But the thought that Thorsen could have been injured far worse didn’t escape her, nor did the realization that things would likely escalate the next time around. The day’s events coupled with the thought of him being gravely injured—or worse—had tears springing to her eyes. She looked away, hoping he wouldn’t notice, but knew it was too late. “Why is it that you reduce me to tears each and every time? I swear, I never cry.”

  He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, leaning his cheek against the top of her head. “Riley, this isn’t the sort of thing you’ve had to deal with before. Your life’s been in turmoil the last few weeks—and don’t think it escapes me that I’m the reason for all your problems. But I do love you, Riley.”

  With her head nestled against his chest, she could hear his heart racing, echoing her own. Now that her initial hurt and anger had faded, she knew that he was still the sweet, caring guy she’d fallen in love with all those years ago. And she also knew that no matter who else she’d dated, her heart still seemed to belong to no one else but him. She’d loved him from the start and loved him now—she just needed to get past their current difficulties.

  She looked up at his handsome face and saw the kindness and concern in those blue eyes of his. “Tell me we’ll get through this, Thorsen.”

  “We will. And we’ll get through it together, though I have no doubt you’d be better off without me. Safer, at least.” He cupped her cheek and brushed her lips in a whisper of a kiss that left her wanting more.

  And yet she knew this was one hell of a dangerous game she was playing—especially when they’d soon be sharing a bed. She just didn’t know if she had it in her to keep her distance when her heart and soul ached to be with him once more. “I swear, I don’t know what to do about you.”

  “Don’t overthink things, darling, and don’t go rushing into anything either. We have time, yeah? And maybe once all this is all over and the dust has settled, you’ll have a better sense of what’s right for you.”

  He was right. She was overthinking things, though if she didn’t slip out of his arms and away from his half-naked body, she wouldn’t be thinking at all.

  “I’m going to call it a night. Anything I can do to help with those bruises before I turn in? Maybe get you some ice or a pain-killer?” Not that she’d stepped away from him. If anything, she was even more aware of how his hard muscles and warm skin felt under the palm of her hands.

  “I’m fine, love. Just a bit stiff.” He let her slip free of his embrace, and pulled back the covers. “Do you mind if I grab the side closest to the door? Just in case.”

  “Yeah…sure.” Did that mean he was worried that those guys might show back up?

  Riley dug through her bag for something to wear to bed, though her mind strayed back to the men who had attacked them. It didn’t take long for her to change into a tank and shorts, but she was back to feeling on edge.

  “Do you think they’ll send another group after us?” She pulled back the covers on her side of the bed while eyeing Thorsen, who’d already gotten settled while she’d been getting changed.

  “I won’t lie to you, love. They might, though I promise to keep you safe. Don’t go worrying yourself.” He shifted over to make sure she had enough room as she crawled in next to him. “I’m still not sure if it was Durham or my cousin who sent them, but it seems to have to do with the land deal, which means this will likely end once the land is sold.”

  Riley wasn’t totally clueless, and knew there was a good chance things would escalate to keep them from closing the deal. She rarely had to deal with any sort of hostility in her life, and the thought of another attack was starting to freak her out.

  “Won’t that mean they’ll try to stop us from making it to the meeting tomorrow?” She was sure he could hear the panic in her voice, but there was no help for it. The first attack had scared the hell out of her, but after Thorsen single-handedly kicked their asses, she knew they’d send more fire power the next time around.

  “They might try to, but we won’t make it easy for them. Ethan and I will figure something out, and I promise, we’ll keep you from harm.” When he pulled her into his arms and nestled her against his side, she didn’t protest, too worried about what might happen. “Don’t suppose I can convince you to go visit a friend far away from this mess?”

  “So I can be worried sick about you and Ethan? I’m not leaving, Thorsen. ”

  “Then I guess we should probably get some sleep.” He flicked off the light, gave her a quick kiss and nestled her close, spooning her from behind. “It’s going to be a busy morning.”

  She didn’t know how much sleep she’d get while tangled in his arms, but at least her mind was no longer dwelling on her problems. Each time either of them shifted, she was left wanting to completely forgive him for all his wrongs if he’d just do a more thorough job of distracting her.

  Though she might feel differently come morning, in this very moment, she knew exactly what she wanted. Turning to face him, she kissed his neck and nuzzled against him, breathing deep so his scent of smoke and moss filled her head. Her heart and body ached for him, and though she wasn’t ready to just pick up where they’d left off, she still loved him. More importantly, Thorsen was doing everything he could to secure the inn’s future and make things right between them. And she’d seen the price tag on that land—he was putting a lot on the line.

  When she kissed his neck again, he let out a deep growl. His hands skimmed down her back and settled on her waist, pulling her close so it was impossible for her to ignore his hard length pinned between them. “By the gods, Riley, are you sure…”

  “Shhh…” She didn’t want to overthink things, and right now this felt right, even if she was emotionally exhausted. She needed this distraction—and she was desperate to lose herself in him and forget their problems.

  Letting her hands wander, she c
ould feel his muscles tense wherever she touched him, his reaction to her immediate. She loved that she could have such an effect on him, especially when her reaction to him was always instantaneous.

  He brushed his lips against hers with a teasing kiss, but the slow pace he was setting made her want him even more. She nipped at him and deepened their kiss, as her hand wandered under the waistband of his boxers to stroke his length with a feather touch. The delicate skin of his cock felt like silk pulled over a steely shaft as she wrapped her fingers around his girth and let them slide from the tip down to his thick base.

  “Get these off.” Her words were spoken against his lips and between kisses, but instead of obliging her, he groaned and firmly covered her hand with his.

  “Och, love…you know I want you. Desperately. But…fuck.” He shook his head and let out a deep breath. “It’ll kill me if this is it. If you’re planning on going your own way once this is over, then I don’t think I can do this.”

  “You’re the one who told me not to overthink things, Thorsen. And I was trying to take a leap of faith—that things would be okay between us once things got sorted with the inn.” She was now frustrated and hurt, wishing she’d just gone to sleep. “I’m not a fortune teller, and it’s not like anything in life is guaranteed anyway.”

  “Riley…I know that.”

  She pulled out of his arms and got to her feet, needing to put some distance between them before her emotions got the better of her. After everything he’d put her through, why the hell was she even going down this road? Except that she knew why.

  “You’d think the fact that I still love you would be enough—or the fact that you’d be getting laid. Most guys would be happy enough with that alone. What the hell do you want from me, Thorsen?” She should have never come to Vermont with him.

  Desperate to get away, she flicked on the light and started gathering her clothes. She still had her car. Let him catch a ride home with Ethan.

  He climbed out of bed and came to her side, a teasing smile dancing on his lips as he set aside her clothes and took her hands in his. “Tell me again, darling.”

  “Tell you what?” She tried to yank her hands free but to no avail. “Let go of me, Thorsen.”

  His smile kicked up another notch. “Tell me again that you love me.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly so she was now pressed against his naked chest, all too aware of his hard length as it rode against her slit, distracting her from her protests. “Tell me, sweet Summer.”

  “No. It was nothing but a lie.” But already she was softening in his arms, his touch melting away her hurt and anger, soothing all the jagged edges. She tried another halfhearted attempt, though even she didn’t believe it. “I’m going home.”

  “Are you really, darling?” His hands slipped down her back to cup her ass and pull her tightly against him, so her pounding heart was echoed between her legs.

  “What do you want from me, Thorsen? I was perfectly happy to go down this road and you were the one who put a stop to it.” He distracted her with a kiss that left her dizzy and wishing he’d just take her back to bed.

  “That’s because I’m a fool and I can’t think straight when I’m around you.” He nipped at her neck until her head fell forward against his shoulder and her breath caught, his next words spoken between kisses. “You leave me desperate, darling, because I can’t imagine my life if you’re not in it.”

  Truth was she felt the same about him. She’d been devastated when she found out Thorsen was with Holt because up until then, she’d never been so happy or felt so complete.

  And then he kissed her with a toe-curling kiss that left her unable to think of anything but him, reminding her of what they had together and what could be.

  She could barely get the words out past his kisses, as he lifted her up off her feet and she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Promise me everything will be okay, Thorsen—and that you’ll stay safe.”

  “I promise, love.” He laid her on the bed, nestled between her legs, covering her body with his.

  “I swear, if you don’t get these boxers off this time around…”

  He chuckled and gave her one more kiss. “I’ve learned my lesson, darling, and wouldn’t dream of denying you.”

  He quickly obliged her and got himself naked before ridding her of whatever she was wearing, their clothes tossed haphazardly aside. He hooked her leg behind the knee, opening her up to him and burying himself deep in one go, her breath catching as he filled her. As worked up as she was, her body was more than ready for him.

  His pace was quick but purposeful, so each stroke sent a wave of pleasure through her, building on the one before. She kissed him to keep her cries from being heard, as his hips rode high with each thrust, rubbing against her clit perfectly while filling her completely. Her skin tingled with the sensation that told her she was on the verge of coming.

  And then he bit her neck. It was just enough pain to push her over the edge, her body clenching around him as she rode out the waves of pleasure.

  He kissed her sweetly, his eyes searching her face as he brushed a stray lock from her face, his touch lingering. “I love you, Riley. More than life itself.”

  Before she could find her voice, he flipped her onto all fours, his fingers digging into her hips as he drove into her, riding her rough so she was teetering on the edge again, every nerve in her body alight. He pulled her up onto just her knees, so her back was pressed against his chest, each thrust now hitting a different set of nerves.

  When she thought she might just burst into millions of shards of light, he bit the curve of her neck where it met her shoulder and slipped his hand between her legs to rub lazy circles over her clit.

  “Will you come again for me, darling?” And so she did.

  Her body quivered in his grasp as she came again, and he joined her with his own release so she finally felt whole once more, cradled in the love and safety of his arms.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Thorsen sat in the diner booth with Riley tucked in at his side, ignoring the looks Ethan was giving him while trying his best not to grin ear to ear. It seemed like she’d forgiven him for all his stupid mistakes, though he didn’t want to think of what would happen between them if he wasn’t able to save the inn. If nothing else, last night had been a start, and he couldn’t ask for more.

  They had a few hours before their meeting with the Teagues, and after the night Thorsen had with Riley, he needed breakfast. A big pile of it. Luckily, the diner was efficient and it didn’t take long for their food to show up.

  “Did they agree to the new location?” Thorsen had asked Ethan to switch up their meeting with the Teagues, so as to avoid any thugs who might be waiting around the law office where they’d met the day before.

  “They did, and they agreed to the precautions you recommended so as to avoid being followed. Although knowing you were attacked and they could also become a target has scared the crap out of them.” Ethan shook his head. “I told them not to contact Mark…”

  “It may be what happened, though I wouldn’t put it past my cousin to notice we were no longer on the island and make the connection.” Thorsen reined in his anger, still furious that Riley could have gotten hurt in the attack. “Either way, we won’t be voiding the offer we made, since we don’t have proof the Teagues contacted Mark, and we still need this sale to go through.”

  “Did they give any indication as to whether or not they’ll sell you the land?” Riley had been on edge all morning, and he couldn’t blame her, knowing everything was on the line.

  Ethan poured the maple syrup over his pile of blueberry pancakes. “No, they didn’t say. But we’ll know soon enough.”

  Thorsen’s phone rang. Mark. Anger flared in his chest and it was a good thing for his cousin that they weren’t meeting face to face. He got to his feet, knowing he’d need to take this call in a less public place or risk getting thrown out of the diner. “Sorry. I need to take this.”
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br />   Ethan shook his head. “Keep your temper, Eirik.”

  But already, Thorsen was heading for the door and answering his phone. “You fucking bastard.”

  “I’m doing all I can to guarantee this inn you talked Holt into buying actually turns a profit—and I’m the bastard? You have some nerve, Eirik. And I can tell you now, if you screw me over on this land deal I have going, I’ll be sure the board knows you’ve attempted to sabotage every effort I’ve made to make this a profitable venture for Holt.”

  “And do you really think the board will support you when they find out you sent a group of thugs after us? Holt’s never been that sort of company.” It was the truth. His father would never have tolerated those sorts of underhanded tactics, nor would he have associated with anyone who would.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” There was a hint of surprise in Mark’s voice, but it had also wavered, as if he’d just realized that his associates at Durham may very well go down that road.

  “I’m talking about the three men who attacked us last night. You’re just lucky I was able to keep Riley safe or this would be a far different conversation.” The thought was infuriating, and Thorsen did little to hide his anger.

  “Eirik…I didn’t realize—”

  Thorsen cut him off. “Do you really think it wise to climb into bed with a company like Durham? They’re not exactly the sort who play nice with others, yeah? And you’re getting ready to form a partnership, which I guarantee you will not be easy to sever when you decide it no longer suits you. Except that you won’t be the only one dragged into this mess, but Holt.”

  Silence. Clearly, Mark hadn’t really thought this through, or hadn’t realized what it would be like to work with a company like Durham.

  Thorsen continued, knowing he had Mark questioning himself. “Cut your ties with Durham, Mark, before it’s too late. For fuck’s sake, I know we’ve had our differences, but you don’t want to go down that road, and you sure as hell don’t want to drag Holt into that sort of relationship and then have to explain it to the board. I’m buying the land next to the inn, are we clear? Use it as an excuse to back out of the deal if you want—and you best make sure that’s the end of any threats. Do you hear me? Because if anyone comes after us again, I’m going to make sure you’re the one who pays for it.”