He stretched two fingers inside her. Twisting his hand, he made her gasp.
“Sebastian.” She rode up and down on his fingers, tightening around him and drawing him in closer.
She was ready. Past ready. Energy pulsed around her. Adrenaline shot through him. The timing would never be better.
Using one hand on her hip to steady her, he guided his cock inside her with the other. Like every other time, she swallowed him, her body taking him in, adjusting while he watched. The sight of her opening, the feel of being inside her, wove a spell around him. He couldn’t reason or build a wall. She’d broken past his defenses and for a few minutes while she raised her body over his, he didn’t care about the lack of control.
Her palm cupped his cheek. “Sebastian, I want you to move.”
The haze cleared his head and he realized she held her body still above him, waiting for him. He didn’t wait. Shifting his hips up and down, he filled her then retreated. In this position, he could go deep and feel her tightness all around him.
That lasted for a few passes only. Then she eased her body down. Took him down to the base and had them both gulping in air. She bent forward, pushing him farther, though he didn’t understand how that was possible.
With her hands on his shoulders, she leaned in and kissed him. Then she pulled back until her lips tickled his. “Now it’s my turn to ride.”
SEVENTEEN
Kyra didn’t intend to go to Bast’s office the next afternoon. It was Saturday and he should have been home like a normal person, but he’d gone in. Since she managed to leave her wallet in his car in her rush to get in his house and on him last night, she had to go there first instead of heading straight home from his place. And she needed to go home because her father kept leaving messages and promising another surprise visit. Having him live on the fringes of her life, just waiting to go off, kept her from ever feeling calm.
The timing had her in the same dress and without underwear for the second day in a row. Not her finest moment but her options were limited. Okay, maybe she could have had him drop the wallet by her apartment, or done that thing where they secretly passed it between them at the club that night. But the covert bullshit seemed silly to her today. Not after last night.
Not on a day where so few people should be hanging around the office. Or so she thought until she’d stepped off the elevator and walked into activity in the reception area. Now she sat in his office, waiting for him to finish a conference call in the other room. Good thing she texted rather than just dropping in or they could have had a replay of her last office visit. Not good.
She heard his voice in the hall. Then his footsteps. By the time he walked in the office and shut the door behind him, her body had revved up and excitement pinged around inside her at the thought of seeing him.
He didn’t disappoint.
The man looked hot in a suit. The casual office attire worked on him, too. Blacks pants and red polo. The contrast brightened his skin. Also made her want to strip him down.
He leaned down to give her a quick kiss before dumping a file on his desk. It was so natural and sweet . . . her brain almost imploded. The door was open and this was his office. She could only hope the open display of affection meant his insistence on secrecy might be fading.
He slid into the big chair across from her and smiled. “I’m starting to think you have a thing for the leave-behind.”
He looked so good but sometimes she had no idea what he was talking about. “Is that guy talk?”
“It’s a standard guy trick.” He stacked the file he just brought in on top of a stack of others. “You leave something to have an excuse to see the person again. A reason to call back or come over a second time without officially asking for a second date or running the risk of looking overeager.”
This sounded a bit like tips for the lovelorn. “Have you used this inventive trick? And by ‘inventive’ I mean it’s really not.”
“Sure.” He drew out the word. “All the time when I was eighteen.”
This side of him, playful and charming, appealed to her on a fundamental level. “Did it work?”
“Absolutely. I saw a lot of action at my all-boys boarding school.”
She laughed at his put-upon, woe-is-me expression. “Poor Sebastian.”
“Yes, exactly.”
She glanced around the office. Saw the phone lines lit up and heard noise in the hallway. Activity buzzed around them, but not as much as the other day when she came in. A few people walked by but the mad rush had died down.
“I can’t believe you’re working on the weekend. That you dragged other people in with you.”
“I’m not making anyone work today. The other people here have caseloads and they handle them. I supervise, not micromanage.”
That felt a bit like a lecture. “This appears to be a sensitive topic for you.”
“Sorry. When you’re in charge you worry you mess up that line.” He leaned back with his elbows on the armrests. “And, honestly, I work every day.”
So matter of fact. He said the comment like it made sense. “All work and no play makes Bast a boring boy.”
“Am I?”
She thought about what he could do in bed . . . in the shower . . . in his desk chair. “No.”
“I thought if I put in a few hours today then we could try that whirlpool tonight.”
She got a glimpse of that infamous tub last night. So deep and huge that it looked like a family of four could live in it. “You keep promising but you’ve yet to deliver on this heavenly sprayer thing.”
“I’ll take that as a challenge.”
“The use of water in our sexual games has me intrigued.” He worked wonders with everything else and she bet water would be no different.
“Excuse me.” The female voice floated through the room.
Kyra jumped at the invasion.
The blood drained from Bast’s face. “Lena? What are you doing here?”
“I left a message.”
He stood up. His hand went to his stomach as if he meant to button a jacket he wasn’t wearing. “With whom?”
“I’m sorry.” Lena let out a sharp intake of breath. “I didn’t mean to interrupt a client meeting.”
Not exactly how Kyra viewed herself. Then again, she got the distinct impression the woman was fishing.
“She’s not a client.” Bast might be secretive but he wasn’t outright lying about her.
Kyra counted that answer as progress. Seeing his ex-wife look all at home in his office was not.
“Hi, I’m Lena McNamara.” The woman held out her hand. “Do you work here?”
A nice touch but definitely fishing.
“I’m Kyra.” She reached out her hand but cut off her comment before giving her last name because she wasn’t sure how much Bast wanted to spill.
As soon as Kyra let go, an unexpected mix of anger and jealousy washed over her. This was the woman who made Bast’s private life a public spectacle. She also slept by his side for years. Just thinking about it gave the jealousy spinning around inside Kyra the fighting edge.
Kyra had struggled to push out images of Bast and Lena together before. It would be impossible now. Seeing photos of Lena online was one thing. Those were from charity events and parties, usually with Bast all handsome in a tux and Lena with her hair pulled back and in a fancy dress. Everything looked so done-up and stuffy—neither style of which she associated with Bast.
But the live version of Lena was another story. She had shoulder-length brown hair and these big green eyes. Kyra knew the other woman to be in her early thirties but the petite figure and sweet round face made her look years younger. The dark blue jeans and slim sweater probably cost more than a month’s rent for Kyra, but they fit Lena’s overall look. She came off as sleek yet approachable.
She was pretty wh
en Kyra wanted her to be a troll. Friendly when Kyra wanted to write her off as an awful bitch. But she did seem to have a boundary problem. A grumbling she’d heard from Jarrett a time or two.
And the way Lena looked at her ex-husband, with a sparkle in her eyes and a loving smile. No way was this woman over Bast.
“You should knock before you come in.” Bast came around the desk and put a hand on Lena’s arm. A kiss on the cheek came next.
Somehow Kyra kept her butt in the chair. She wanted to stand up and punch Bast while simultaneously shoving his ex out of the door. Yeah, no irrational anger there.
“The door was open and the conversation sounded like it might be . . . personal.” When Bast didn’t say anything to that, Lena’s gaze bounced to Kyra then back to Bast. “Okay. Look, I just wanted to drop this off.”
She slipped a thin manila folder from under her arm. Kyra hadn’t seen it until right that second. Now she noticed the file and the expensive watch . . . and the diamond wedding band. What the hell was that about? Kyra knew Lena hadn’t remarried. Everyone knew. She’d become a celebrity of sorts when her threesome manual came out. The follow-up novel made her a bestseller and now she gave talks on everything from writing to sexual freedom.
Bast looked at the envelope but didn’t take it. “What is it?”
“The deed.”
“I thought we agreed we’d keep the property.”
“You mean you gave in to my request.” Lena pressed a palm against Bast’s chest with sweet familiarity married people often shared. “I appreciate it, but I owed you this.”
Bast frowned as he took the envelope. “Thanks.”
“You’re right. It was a good deal.” Lena made the pronouncement, then stood there.
At first Kyra stared at the other woman, unwilling to make the situation any easier or cut through the building tension in any way. Then, as the moments ticked by, Kyra felt a kick of sympathy for Lena. She clearly wanted to talk but seemed to be in some sort of emotional and physical lockdown.
“Was there something else?” Bast asked.
Lena nibbled on her bottom lip. “I was going to see if you wanted to get some lunch, but it looks like you’re busy.”
“I am.”
“Right.” She went up on tiptoes and kissed Bast’s cheek, lingering for a bit longer than necessary. When she stepped back, she turned to Kyra with a strange sadness in her eyes. “It was nice meeting you.”
Kyra didn’t know what to say so she went with nothing. The forced smile would have to do.
“I’ll walk you to the door.” Bast put a hand on Lena’s elbow and turned her toward the door. Before walking out of the office, he pinned Kyra with a warning glare. “Wait here.”
“Like I’d leave now.” Not when she planned to ask Bast about a thousand questions about his ex, including if Bast knew she was still in love with him.
Minutes ticked by and footsteps sounded again. Kyra turned around in time to see a man’s tall, lean frame turn into the room. He had his head down and was reading from a piece of paper.
“Bast, I need—” He lifted his head and slammed to a stop when he saw her. “Oh, shit. Sorry.”
She remembered the face. Handsome Asian with enviable thick black hair. The same guy who stomped his way out of the club a few nights ago. “That’s okay. Elijah, right? I saw you the other day and heard Jarrett and Bast mention you.”
The man stood frozen. “Uh, yeah.”
Not the warmest welcome she’d ever gotten from a man. He kind of had that about-to-be-struck-by-a-truck look. “I’m Kyra Royer.”
He nodded as his arms dropped to his side and the paper hung from his fingertips. “Wade’s sister.”
Interesting. Not a question. Then there was the paleness and the scowl. The guy looked ready to vomit. She half wondered if she should call 911. “Are you okay?”
“Why?”
“You should see your face.” Many people feared Wade. He was big with a well-earned reputation, but this was something else. Not fear. A totally different emotion and one she couldn’t nail down.
“What does that mean?”
“You mentioned my brother’s name and you . . . I don’t know. Let’s say it wasn’t a great expression.”
The guy’s skin went from pale to green. “Wade and I don’t get along.”
That was not the first time she’d heard that. Members of her father’s crew hated Wade. Most considered him a traitor for throwing in with Jarrett, then eventually leaving the business. Others had been on the wrong end of Wade’s anger and felt the spike of temper.
“Jarrett says Wade is an acquired taste.” Only Jarrett could get away with that kind of comment.
Elijah didn’t seem impressed at all. He practically ran from the room. Or he would have if he hadn’t run smack into Bast.
Bast held out a hand to steady the guy. “Eli, what do you need?”
“Nothing.” Elijah did a spin and a pivot and raised a hand in a weird wave right before he disappeared around the corner. “I should go.”
Kyra couldn’t help but stare after the man. “What was that about?”
“Which unexpected office guest are you referring to?” This time Bast shut and locked the door when he came inside.
Good call. “Excellent. Let’s start with Elijah and work our way back to your ex.”
“Lucky me.”
Kyra ignored that. “I said my name and . . .”
Bast nodded. “Elijah looked hunted.”
“Yeah, is something wrong with him?” Bast just smiled. Something about the look got the wheels turning in her brain. Wade and Elijah and . . . “Wait, how does your employee know Wade?”
“Biblically.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
Bast retook his seat behind the big desk. “I think you do.”
The fight at the club made sense now. So did Elijah’s reaction and Wade’s weirdness. “That’s the guy Wade had the huge breakup with?”
“Yep.”
“Wade has good taste.” Bast wasn’t smiling now, so Kyra rushed to explain. “I mean, from an objective man-that-guy-is-hot perspective.”
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that so I don’t have to irrationally fire him.” Bast tapped his fingertips together. “Did Elijah strike you as being over your brother?”
“Apparently the breakup was terrible. Wade moped around and refused to talk about it.” He sneered any time Becca or Jarrett said anything about a date or men or . . . well, anything.
“I know. I saw some of it firsthand, but don’t let the yelling and emotional angst fool you. Those two still have a thing for each other.”
“Hate?”
“Some would say the opposite.”
She didn’t need a law degree for that one. The guy she just met showed a broken quality as soon as she mentioned her brother’s name. Whatever happened between them had been of the full-destruction variety, but the feelings still lingered.
Man, love sucked sometimes.
And as soon as her mind went there, she cut the line of thinking off. Love was a forbidden topic. She had sex with Bast. That’s it.
Rather than dwell on her mixed-up love life, she concentrated on Wade’s. “If they’re so miserable apart, why doesn’t Elijah move back in?”
“Wade won’t let him.”
And Wade wasn’t one to rethink his decisions. Generally, if you were out, that was it. “Oh, huh. Should he?”
“I like Eli.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” And now to the topic Kyra tried to put off but it kept circling her brain. “So, Lena is pretty.”
“Yes, she is.”
A part of Kyra liked that he admitted it. He didn’t call the ex names or play the hate game. Still, it wouldn’t hurt the woman to be a little less attractive.
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“And I notice you don’t get angry when she walks in and out of your office. Apparently that nasty reaction is saved for me, your sex secret.” That one stung. She needed prior approval and Lena waltzed in and out without Bast raising his voice.
“I apologized for that outburst.”
In his mind that likely meant the issue was over. She loved how men compartmentalized. “True . . . I guess.”
Bast exhaled as if the conversation bored him and he wanted it over. “We owned some rental properties. One just sold.”
That sounded a tad too cozy. “Haven’t you been divorced for a few years?”
“Yes.” His chair made a creaking noise as he sat forward and folded his hands on the desk in front of him.
“But you own property together.”
“The market wasn’t great. Rather than lose money, we held on to some.”
That felt like legalese to Kyra. Like he was using half words or something. “Whatever she brought has to do with one?”
“The last one.”
“Now tell me what you’re not saying.”
His eyebrows lifted. Both of them. “Excuse me?”
“When your words get clipped and your answers get short, I know you’re telling only part of a story.”
“You can tell that after we’ve been seeing each other for less than a week?”
Interesting how he slipped in the shot without taking a breath. He also conveniently left out their history before. “We’ve known each other for a lot longer. Your legal speak is legendary. Now, stop stalling.”
“She wanted her money out of the property, we’re doing that.”
“Really? Because you seemed surprised she signed the deed.” Kyra might not have a law degree but she knew shock when she heard it. She also knew him well enough to pick up the inflection in his voice.
“She needed money, so I paid her for her interest in the property.”
“Without making her sign it over to you.” The puzzle pieces fell together. He tried to make it all sound like a normal transaction, but Kyra knew this was something else. Lena came with her hand out and he gave her money. “That says something about the type of man you are.”
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