Strictly Business (Mixing Business With Pleasure Series Book 1)

by Ace Gray

  He left my mouth only for a moment to take my breast between his lips. His tongue flicked back and forth over my sensitive skin. I wrapped my legs around his and wove my hands around his shoulders. He pressed harder into me. I arched my back trying to get my chest flat against his. I drug my fingers down his back, digging them in as hard as he usually did in return.

  Nick thrust repeatedly into me, and I started to gasp into his open mouth. His strong hands rolled up and down my body, tracing the dips and curves he knew so well. Nothing made me feel better, or more alive, than this delicious, perfect, intense moment. It wasn’t because we were having sex, but because he was here with me. Because he was holding me tightly, and his heart hammered against mine.

  He kissed along my jaw and pulled on my earlobe before returning to my mouth. The friction and steady pace made my stomach flip. I was alive, and finally grateful to be so.

  The groan that accompanied his orgasm was loud, anguished almost, and I could feel him adoring my body as he collapsed on top of me. I couldn’t join him, though. As much as I relished the feel of him in me, and on me, I was still too broken to let go. I couldn’t forget it all and melt into the easy ecstasy we usually had.

  “Sweets,” he breathed.

  “I’m so glad you’re here.” My voice didn’t sound like my own. “I missed you so much. I needed you so much.”

  “I’ve been dying to be here. I got clearance to fly back earlier.”

  “I noticed.” I smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth.

  “Did you not enjoy that?”

  “Of course I did.” I smiled as best I could and ran my fingers through his hair.

  “But you didn’t come. I love watching your eyes flutter and feeling when you clench onto me. What’s wrong?”

  I hadn’t noticed until now that his eyes were that menacing steel gray color. I took a deep breath.

  “You know exactly what’s wrong but now really isn’t the best time to talk about it.” I tried my best to smile genuinely.

  “Why not now?”

  “For starters, you’re still inside me.”

  “It’s my favorite place to be.”

  He nuzzled his nose into the crook of my neck before slowly rolling over. He propped himself onto his elbow to trace lazy circles on my stomach. His brow furrowed.

  “I hated being away from you.” He bent to kiss the swell of my breasts. “If I hadn’t left, none of this would’ve happened. Will you ever forgive me?”

  I swallowed hard. “It would’ve happened regardless, and I’ll be forever thankful you weren’t there. It’s hard enough to handle what happened without the idea of you being involved.” My fingers yanked the covers up toward my chin. My body wanted to shut back down.

  “That it happened at all makes me sick. Are you really OK?” He was being so careful with his words.

  “No. I’m sad. I feel guilty. I feel sick.” The tears came unbidden back to my cheeks.

  “I know. I do too. I wish you didn’t feel any of those things.” He leaned down to kiss the skin above my heart then settled in to listen to it beat.

  “It hurts so completely. Every fiber of my being is damaged.” I couldn’t stop the shaky sobs that were working their way back up.

  “I’ll figure out what happened.” His hand rubbed my thigh but his ear stayed resting on my chest. “I’ll make it right. Nothing will ever happen to you, Kate. I’ll die before I let it.”

  “Don’t say that. Death isn’t something to joke about.” My insides revolted just thinking about it. My instinct was to shoot up, glower at him, maybe yell, but he kept me rooted.

  “I’m not joking. At all. This tears me up too.”

  It was the first time he’d been remotely firm with me since the incident. He ran his fingers gently up my rib cage, and we laid like that for a long time. I aimlessly played with his hair and my tears slowed. His lips moved with unspoken words and I guessed he was counting my heartbeats, unconvinced they were real.

  He breathed against my skin. “All I’ve ever wanted was to protect you. I promised I’d keep you safe and I failed.”

  “You didn’t fail.”

  “We have different definitions of success, then.” His voice was slightly harsh, his emotions churning as rapidly as my own. “I swear this won’t happen to you again. I only wish I could swear that to Trevor.” Nick’s voice broke and sobs shook my shoulders when he said Trevor’s name.

  “Swear to me you won’t leave again. At least not anytime soon.” I blubbered. Him glued to me was the only thing that made me feel like the world wasn’t ending.

  “I swear.”

  He kissed my chest where he’d been resting, followed by each nipple. He let his nose leisurely trace up my body and his sweet kisses followed. He moved to take me again, but I just couldn’t. The flood of emotion when he returned had been one thing. Now I felt too raw.

  It was the first time I’d ever turned him down. My chest constricted and I turned over, crumpling into a small ball underneath his torso. He sat back and reached for my shoulder.

  “Oh, Kate,” he whispered.

  I was still seeing Trevor when I closed my eyes. Nick’s hands on me helped, but my heart ached. He seemed to understand and laid back down, wrapping himself around me.

  Jaime knocked softly on the door after a while, and Bryant’s demeanor shifted. His fingers dug into my skin where he was holding me. I knew I should step in and defend Jaime, but I just didn’t have the energy. I started to trace small circles on his hand, hoping that would be enough to soothe him. They did nothing.

  “Sir,” Jaime started hesitantly. “Could I speak with you privately?”

  All he received was a curt nod. Bryant pushed away from me; my heart thudded at the thought of him pulling away. Before I gave it much thought, I reached for his forearm.

  “Please don’t go.”

  My plea was so out of character Nick hesitated. His face crumpled but Jaime cleared his throat and Nick’s icy mask crashed back into place.

  “I have to. This is important or Jaime wouldn’t interrupt.” His tone was downright bone chilling when he said Jaime’s name.

  “You can discuss anything in front of me.”

  “Not right now.”

  He loosened my hold on his wrist then bent to kiss my palm. The anxiety Bryant had been keeping at bay returned with a vengeance. They slipped to the other side of the door, apparently unconcerned their voices carried through the wood. Their conversation quickly escalated to shouting.

  I listened to that seemingly livid, howling version of Nick knowing he wasn’t angry but rather, terrified. Terrified something like this could happen even after all the security and planning and precautions he’d taken. I hoped Jaime knew too and chalked all this up to Nick losing control. I wanted to call out to him, to defend Jaime, but my heart hurt too much.

  Bryant should be yelling at me.

  Of that much I was sure. I’d insisted on running even though it wasn’t safe in the strictest sense. I was the one who hadn’t taken things seriously. I’d pushed the boundaries, as always.

  My stomach churned when they started talking about Trevor. I couldn’t listen anymore. I had cost a man his life. I lifted my hands—which were shaking violently—and the bloody coverings they’d worn popped unbidden into my mind.

  I couldn’t escape the conversation in my bedroom. Something seemed to amplify their words. I shuffled into my closet, shut the door, and pulled my knees up as I slid down along my dresser. Tears fell down my cheeks and onto my bare knees. How had I let someone lose their life over me? How could I have been so selfish and reckless?

  “Kate?”

  My name rang out just before a door slammed. Nick’s voice was right on the other side of the closet door.

  “Kate!”

  “In here,” I managed.

  The door swung open and light filtered in. His tall frame was outlined for just a moment before he crouched down and moved nose to nose with me.

&nbs
p; “Why did you come in here?”

  “I couldn’t take the yelling. You should be yelling at me. It’s my fault. All of it.” I dropped my head back to my knees.

  “It is not your fault.” He enunciated each word. “Please, stop blaming yourself, Sweets. We have other things to deal with.”

  What?

  I pulled my head off my knees and met his steely gaze. He gently wiped the falling tears from my face.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I had Jaime do a complete review of all the information we gathered over the past few weeks. Even the things that appeared insignificant. I had to know what we missed and how we missed it. I have to know how a situation like Ally can be prevented in the future.”

  I nodded and took a deep breath.

  “During that process Jaime found something else.”

  Nick lost some of his color and a lot of his anger. His eyes were the most terrifying color I’d ever seen, and I felt like I’d been sucker punched. I swallowed hard as water pooled in my eyes again. He wrapped himself around me as best he could. His touch always gave me strength and comfort. Right now, it wasn’t very much.

  His tight hold gave me just enough courage to squeak, “There’s more?”