by J. A. Owenby
“You’re making it very difficult to talk to you about work,” Sutton said, a flush creeping up her cheeks.
“But I’m the boss …” My hand drifted under her top and my fingers danced across the smooth skin of her stomach and up to the lace fabric of her bra. My thumb brushed across her taut nipple through the material.
“Pierce, this is important.” Sutton struggled to control her breathing. “I’m serious … Just … don’t … stop.” She arched into my touch. I had her right where I wanted her.
“I love you.” I sucked at her ear lobe. “Tell me you’re mine, Sutton.”
She slinked out of my hold, grabbed the sides of my face, and stared into my eyes. “I’m yours. I’ve always been yours.” Tears glistened in her eyes.
My pulse jumped. No matter how many times she said those words, I turned into a puddle. She owned my heart, my soul, and my body.
Flipping open the button on her jeans, I pulled them over Sutton’s hips and down her thighs. I moved the lace material of her G-string out of the way and pushed a finger into her.
“Every single day for the last nine years, I’ve lied to myself. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed touching you, seeing your smile, hearing your laugh, and being inside you.”
My name rolled off her lips as her eyes fluttered closed, and I moved my finger in and out of her pussy. She grabbed my shoulder while my thumb circled around her sensitive bud.
“Jesus, you’re going to make me come already.”
Bending down, I flicked my tongue across her clit and chuckled as her back curved off the wall.
Her fingers struggled with the buttons on my shirt, and I backed away, my attention greedily raking over her body. She kicked off her jeans and G-string, her breathing hurried and rushed.
“Take off your top.” Her cheeks darkened with the order, and I tugged mine over my head and tossed it on the floor.
“Your bra.”
She released the front clasp, and I stared at her speechless. No one could render me breathless like she could.
“Nothing compares to how stunning you look right now,” I said softly.
Sliding the straps of her bra off her shoulders, our eyes locked.
I shed my jeans, pinned Sutton against the wall, and grabbed both of her ass cheeks. She instinctively hopped up and wrapped her legs around my waist. I moved inside her, and Sutton whimpered with pleasure.
I stayed still, and she encircled her arms around my shoulders and buried her head against my neck.
“I’ll never leave you again, Sutton. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I hurt you so much last time.”
Her breath hitched, and she grasped ahold of my short hair. My heart hammered against my chest as she clung to me.
“Pierce,” she mumbled as I filled her. “I love you. I’ve always been yours.”
I thrust harder and groaned.
My hands were greedy to caress her, and I groped her ass, breasts, and every other inch of her I could. My entire being ignited with a heat that consumed me. She was the only thing that could extinguish it. I craved her. I needed her. I loved her.
I walked backward, turned, and sat Sutton on the edge of the desk. Leaning her back on the cool surface, I moved slowly. I guided her legs and repositioned them over my shoulders.
“Thank God you're still flexible.” I plunged deeper.
Sutton grabbed the desk while I pulled out slowly and shoved back in forcefully.
Her eyes widened, her body arching up as I continued. With my palms on either side of her, I quickened the pace. I dipped down to her breast and teased her nipple with my tongue. Sutton dug her nails into my back, and I surrendered to the pleasure coursing through me.
Our gazes locked as I pulled out of her. I couldn’t look away from her. She was the most gorgeous woman I’d ever been with. Eventually, I moved her legs off my shoulders and trailed kisses on the inside of her right leg. I knelt down on the floor and gazed up at her while my fingers spread her folds apart. She propped herself on her elbows for a better view. A grin stretched across my face before my tongue darted into her.
Sutton released a slow moan. Her eyes were glued on me as I devoured her, the tension building as I continued.
“That’s it, baby,” I said. Her core clenched as I sucked her clit.
“Oh God. I’m going to come.”
I bit at her lightly with my teeth and sent her over the edge. A cry escaped her as she orgasmed. She’d barely finished when I pushed back in.
Sutton sat up and my hands threaded through her long hair as I pumped in and out. She whimpered as I reached all her sensitive places.
“Ah, you’re about to come for me again,” I whispered.
The second the words left my mouth, her core clenched tightly around my cock.
“That’s it. Oh yeah, so good.” I pounded her, and a low, guttural sound filled my throat as I came.
Our bodies relaxed as we remained entangled with each other.
“I’ve not been happier in years than I am at this moment,” I said against her hair. Closing my eyes, I granted myself permission to dream about our future, of a life with her beside me. Nothing could ever take her place in my heart. Inhaling her scent, I allowed everything else around me to melt away. It was just us, and I’d give everything I could to keep it that way, but it wasn’t realistic.
“Me, too. I hate to break the moment, but we need to talk.” Her hands danced up my back, over my butt, and gave my ass a swat. “That’s just in case I don’t get what I want,” she said, giggling.
Chapter 28
Five minutes later, Sutton and I were dressed, and I sat in the chair opposite her at my desk.
“What’s going on?” I asked. “You mentioned something about the employment offer to Redd when I came home.”
She flashed a sexy smile at me, then sighed. “I know verbally I accepted the offer … but we haven’t signed anything yet.”
I frowned and leaned back in my seat while I waited for her to continue. Was she backing out?
“After spending the day with Dick… If I accept the offer, I have a stipulation.”
“For whatever reason, I thought you were already on board. What’s going on?”
Sutton scooted forward in her chair and folded her hands in her lap. “Pierce, Dick’s super smart, an excellent programmer, and a great guy. You can’t fire him. I can’t take his job.”
“But you hacked right into my system, Sutton. I’d be stupid to not bring you on board. Do you need more money?” Worry hinged on my words. She knew I’d take care of anything she needed, but she was also very independent. I loved that about her, but sometimes it made it difficult for her to ask for help.
“No, no nothing like that, and it’s not about the salary. You’re paying me more than I’m worth.”
“I researched the compensation before I made you the offer, but I don’t understand the change of heart.”
“Just because I hacked your system doesn’t mean he’s a bad employee. I had a blast working with him today. He showed me his new app, which is fantastic, I taught him some new code ... Pierce, we’d make a good team for you. Plus, if I wanted time off, then you'd have him, and vice versa. I think with the size of your company, you need us both.”
I pushed back in the chair and searched Sutton. She was serious, and nothing I could say would reverse her decision. But maybe she was right. My business was growing, and two people weren’t unheard of. I also liked the fact I could easily whisk her away during the week, and I didn’t have to worry about her being on call.
“If you’ll take the position, I’ll keep Dick. However, if you ever have a concern at any point, you need to tell me.”
“Yes!” She hopped out of her seat. I laughed as she snuggled into my lap and looped her arms around my neck. She kissed me slowly and brushed my nose with hers. “Thank you. I think it’s too much for one person anyway. I feel better about two of us on the team. I guess sleeping with the boss has its benefits,” she sa
id, teasing me.
I playfully smacked her leg. “I would have hired you regardless.”
“Now that I’ve officially accepted, I’ll give notice at the publishing house. I know you haven’t figured out the details yet, but am I staying here with you for now? And what happens when … if Claire comes home? Will you stay in Portland, or are we going back to Spokane? I know that’s a million questions, but I’m trying to figure things out. I feel like I plunged full force into a new world, and I’m flailing around attempting to find my footing.”
I cupped the back of my neck and attempted to massage the tight muscles. “I’d like you to stay here with me for multiple reasons, but the most important … I want to see your face first thing every morning. As the sun filters through the curtains, I want to watch you sleep, and your chest rise and fall with every breath you take. I want to kiss you awake and bring you coffee in bed.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “You remember. Those are the same words you spoke to me before we graduated. Before I lost you.”
“I never forgot them, and even though we’ve been apart, there wasn’t a day I didn’t think about you. Every word I said … I meant it then, and I mean it even more now.” I dipped my head down and gave her a lingering kiss. “I love you so much.”
She leaned her forehead against mine, and her fingers lightly trailed down my cheek.
“I’m thinking about keeping the penthouse. Do you like it here?” I asked.
She sat up, her eyes wide. “Why? You hate it here.”
“No, babe. I love Portland,” I finally admitted. “I love the city, the rain, the artistic and progressive culture. The longer I’m back, the more I long to be here. It was my home for years.
“What? This is news to me.” She brushed a stray hair from her face and waited for me to continue.
“I hate my past. I hate how, after nine years, I show back up when my father dies, and the darkness is waiting to swallow me whole again.”
“Then why? Why would you keep your place here?” Confusion flickered across her expression.
My feet shuffled, and I spun us around toward the wall-to-wall window.
“I’m not the same man I was when I left. Your family is here, and we need a place to crash while we travel back and forth. I can have Redd and ZW work assignments from here and know they have a home to meet and sleep in when they need it. It will also allow me to keep the company’s presence strong. Dad started Westbrook Security in Portland. The corporate office is here, and the business’s roots are here. And … there’s something else that doesn’t have to do with the penthouse.” A slow grin eased across my face. Hopefully, Sutton would be as thrilled with the idea as I was.
“Yes?” she asked, appearing overwhelmed with my confession.
“I’d like to take you to Italy and France to see the vacation homes there. You can work or take a vacation since I won’t fire Dick.”
Her mouth dropped open, and her hands flew to her face. “Oh my God. I almost orgasmed from the mere thought of visiting.”
I barked out a laugh. “I guess what I’m saying is that we have time to figure things out, Sutton. If we’re in this relationship, then we’re going to travel and bounce around, but I want you to always feel like you have a home in Portland. If you like the penthouse, that is.”
“I do. I love it, and not because of all the elegance and beauty, but I feel safe, and the views are breathtaking. And … it brought us back together.”
I finally understood what the home meant to Sutton. It wasn’t about the money or a fancy place to live. It held incredible sentimental value. Dad and the penthouse had led us back to each other, given us a second chance.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll keep it. I’ll hire a company to pack your belongings and move them in. I’m happy to cover the realtor’s cost to sell your place.”
“Wait … Oh. I guess I wasn’t thinking about my place. I mean, staying with you with some stuff here sure, but ... Sell my home?” The color drained from her face. Dammit, I’d moved too fast.
“Are you having second thoughts?”
I didn’t miss the fear and pain that flickered across her face.
“No, baby. No. I’m sorry. I was so wrapped up in the moment I forgot about my house. And, moving out of my bungalow means … it means that deep down inside myself, I have to trust that you won’t leave me again.”
Chapter 29
Sutton might as well have reached inside my chest, wrapped her fingers around my heart, and squeezed until all the life drained out of me. Logically, there wasn’t any reason for her to not fear that it would happen again. But no way in fucking hell would I lose this amazing woman who was currently sitting in my lap.
She stood slowly, biting her nails. She was rattled and scared. I couldn’t blame her. I’d left her pregnant and alone once before.
“Hey, if this is too much, or my timing is off … you’ve got Claire to deal with, your parents, and now me. We can slow down. You can stay here as my girlfriend and keep your house, too. I need you to feel safe and comfortable with your decisions. I guess I’ve waited so long to have you in my arms again, I’m proceeding too quickly.”
Sutton nodded, chewing on her thumbnail. She rubbed her temples and inhaled sharply. “I know you’re not the same person that left after Connor was murdered.” Her voice hitched with the mention of his name. “I’m not the same person, either. We’ve both grown up. But I’m terrified. I need to take things slow with my house. I think working for you, traveling, practically living together are huge changes for both of us. I mean, what if you’re just grieving over your dad and you don’t love me like you used to? What if I’m only here to fill in a gap during tough times?”
I shook my head. Never in a million years would I have thought it would have crossed her mind.
“Do you think you love me because Claire is missing, and you need someone to help you deal with it?”
Her blue eyes widened. “No! I’ve never stopped loving you … ever.”
I placed my finger on her mouth, silencing her. “And I’ve never stopped loving you … ever.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and she threw her arms around me. “Thank you. I think I just need to get adjusted to everything. My emotions are all over the place. Right now, inside myself, I’m moving so fast, I’d make a hyper three-year-old look calm.”
I drew her slender frame against me, relishing in the warmth and comfort of her body. “I understand. My life has been flipped inside out, too, but don’t you ever doubt I’m all in.” I lifted her chin up with my finger and kissed her passionately.
She parted her mouth, her tongue tentatively touching mine.
My hand traced down her back and cupped her ass as our kiss deepened.
“Boss.” Redd knocked on the door.
“What?” I barked. His timing sucked.
“You have a visitor. I think you’ll want to see this one for yourself.”
“Are you expecting anyone?” I asked Sutton.
She shook her head no, her forehead creasing.
Releasing Sutton, I waltzed to the office door. “Stay here until I know what’s going on,” I said over my shoulder.
I closed it behind me and stepped into the living room. Redd nodded toward the front where Jaxon and Jeffrey blocked the visitor from entering the rest of my home. Anyone who had the balls to show up unannounced … it had better be good.
Clearing my throat, I approached the backs of Jeffrey and Jaxon. They shifted a few steps and allowed me a clear view.
“Well isn’t this a surprise.” My hands clenched into fists. He looked exactly like his university directory picture in the file Brian had sent to me, but apparently, he had more guts than I’d given him credit for to appear at my house like this. I glanced at Redd and nodded toward my office. We’d known each other so long he immediately knew I wanted him to stay with Sutton. No way was this son of a bitch getting anywhere near her.
“What are you doing here?” I growled. �
��And how are you here?” I focused on Jeffrey and Sully for an explanation, puzzled how this man had landed at my place.
“I found him banging on the door down the hall,” Jeffrey said. “When I realized who he was, I brought him into the entryway. I didn’t want him taking off before you had an opportunity to talk to him. Apparently the security here can be paid off with a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill.”
“Thank you.” I scanned my visitor. A sleep-deprived lanky man stood in front of me, trembling.
“Mr. Colbert, once again, what are you doing at my house?” My voice was clipped and uninviting.
His dark hair was rumpled, and his plaid shirt and khaki slacks were wrinkled. He was a complete wreck.
“I … I,” he stammered. “They took my wife and babies.” He choked out the words as he sank to his knees and sobbed.
I glowered at him, not feeling an inkling of sympathy for him, but I also knew he’d sing like a fucking bird on fire, and I could corroborate Lionel’s information and possibly gain more. My gaze narrowed while this man blubbered like a toddler all over my floor.
“Guess you should have thought about that before you handed Claire Forrester and the other girls over to the Cobra Bastards to be sold. I can’t say I have any compassion for you.”
Mr. Colbert’s head snapped up, his eyes red and swollen. “Please, I’ll tell you everything I can. I’ll turn myself in, I’ll do anything you want if you’ll just bring my family home.”
“What makes you think I can do that?” I asked.
“I know who you are. Your father spoke to the university faculty about security and self-defense. After one of his presentations I took him out for coffee, and we talked for hours. I picked his brain about some of the cases that had made the news, too. Even though I only spent an afternoon with him, it was obvious your father was a fair and respectable man, and he had an impeccable reputation. He’d do whatever he had to in order to protect his clients and bring home innocent victims. His blood runs inside you. My instincts tell me you can offer even more than your father did.”
