He rocks his hips over me, and I see stars, but it’s not nearly enough. Nothing will be enough until he’s inside me. I spread my thighs, making room for him and hoping I’m giving him a direct signal to hurry up and make things happen.
“In a rush?” he asks. “Because I’m not. I intend to explore every inch of this hot body before I make you mine.”
I shiver at the words. My stupid heart soars at the implication — the one I want is probably the one he can’t possibly mean. But a girl can hope, and despite everything in my life, I’ve always hung on to promise and possibility.
He pushes himself lower, dips his head, and licks at my nipple. His longer hair falls around his face as his mouth pulls the taut bud into his mouth, and I thread my fingers through the strands. But I can’t hold on because there’s a direct connection from my breast to my sex, and suddenly I’m pulsing and needy, my hips moving desperately beneath him. He merely switches sides, moving back and forth between my breasts until I’m senseless with desire.
Then I hear the rippling of protection, and he’s back over me, his hard length pressing inside. All the while, he’s kissing me, his lips soft and arousing. The feel of him inside me is everything I’ve dreamed of and wanted. He braces on his hands on either side of my head and pushes in deeper.
I suck in a shallow breath. It’s been awhile, and I’m not experienced, so it hurts at first.
“Shh.” He continues, slow and easy, his thrusts shallow, his lips gentle on mine.
My body responds, and quickly he’s gliding in and out, and I’m soaring at the sensations he’s awakening inside me. It wasn’t like this last time. This is glorious and amazing. Our bodies are in sync, and I’m reaching heights that are incredible.
“You feel so good, Princess.”
I can’t find the words to respond. He doesn’t seem to care. He likes to talk during sex, and he’s whispering hot, dirty things in my ear. Things that make me wetter, more aroused. But he also tells me how I make him feel. What he wants to do to me next, and my sex grows slicker, and he’s pumping into me with ease.
I rock against him, match him move for move, arching my back. I’m mindless, loving the feel of his hardness over and inside me. And I’m building toward something huge, something big, and I reach for it, my fingers digging into his shoulders, my moans loud as ecstasy washes over me. It’s glorious and intense, and I’m totally gone by the time I hear his groan and feel him collapse over me.
#
I wake up in an unfamiliar bed, a warm, hot body surrounding me, and immediately remember last night. I’m not used to sleeping with anyone, and I’m surprised by how comfortable I am with Zach. How well I slept.
I glance over my shoulder. From the look of him and the cute snoring sounds, I had the same effect on him. I grin, happy in a way I haven’t been in a long time. I hope we’re not uncomfortable with each other when he wakes up, but I assure myself we’ll be okay. He’s easy to be around. And because of the deep pain he exudes about his sister, I know he’s a man whose feelings run deep. A man with depth. I like that too.
I like him.
“Have you been awake for a while?” he asks, his voice rough with sleep.
I tingle at the sound, memories of hearing him rumble naughty things in my ear coming back to me. I press my thighs together, but I only make the sudden ache grow.
“I haven’t been awake too long,” I say.
“But you’re up and thinking.” He pulls my hair off my face and nuzzles his lips against my neck.
I purr like a contented kitten. “I prefer to call it remembering.”
He rolls me to my back and comes over me, his big, gloriously naked body hovering over mine. “Are you sore?” he asks.
I blush. I know I do. My cheeks are hot, and I’m embarrassed. “Does it matter?” I am, a little, but it’s not something I’d talk about with him.
“It does if we’re going to do it again.”
That’s when I realize he’s hard and erect and he’s pressing against my aching but aroused flesh.
“Do you always wake up ready to go?” I ask, then close my eyes. There I go again, speaking what comes to mind.
He laughs, the vibration sensitizing me even more. “I’m a guy, so yes. But with you in my bed, I’d say I’m even more ready.” His gorgeous eyes darken further.
And then he takes me to heights that surpass even last night’s.
Chapter Five
My life isn’t perfect. Never has been. I thought it never would be. One chance meeting, one special man, and one month later, things are different. Life is sparkling and bright. I see everyday images with a new eye. The blue sky and the white, speckled clouds add a lightness to my step, and even the dingy dorm room and my sucky roommate don’t seem as bad these days.
Maybe it’s because my bodyguard now comes with benefits. I chuckle at my joke as I hang my bag on a hook in the back room of The Tavern.
“Someone’s happy,” Callie says, joining me. She, too, is placing her belongings in their places.
“Maybe someone’s getting lucky,” Mark, a busboy who has a bad habit of eavesdropping, says, butting into my business.
“Go away,” I say to him. I don’t want to discuss my private life with someone I barely know.
He rolls his eyes. “You two are no fun.”
“Go find friends,” Callie tells him.
Until he learns boundaries, I don’t see such a thing happening. But he listens for once and walks out of the room, mumbling to himself about cliquey women.
“Seriously,” Callie says, studying me with care. “It’s great to see you with a new light in your eyes.”
“Thanks,” I say. Callie’s a sweet woman.
She’s older than me, and she has wisdom I’m still hoping to develop.
“He seems to really be into you.”
I shrug. “I hope he is.” Because I’m really into him.
Like, really into him. As in, I think I’m falling hard. A month has passed since we slept together for the first time, and we’ve really bonded. He meant it when he said he liked to cook, and I spend more and more of my off time in his Queens house. Since the area is so small, there’s a lot of hip bumping and grinding, which I know is intentional. It’s fun and sexy, and I feel so good about him, us, and the direction of my life. And it’s about time.
My classes are almost over. Finals are coming up in two weeks, and graduation looms like a big, shiny beacon. It won’t mean the complete end of my attachment to my parents, but if I can find a job, I’ll be closer than not to self-sufficient.
I’ve been sending out resumes and applying for apprentice-type jobs in decent Manhattan restaurants. It’s a stretch to think I’ll get one that way. One of my professors knows my goals and promised to talk to some people he knows in the industry and see if they can find me a training position. I hope a connection comes through by graduation. I can work a day job for pay and learn at night. The Tavern hasn’t been helping. I haven’t worked anything except the bar in months, despite Tank’s brother’s initial promise of kitchen training.
In my most daring dreams, I want to own a specialty breakfast shop where I can cook my own recipes that I’ve been working on and perfecting since I turned sixteen. I have an entire handwritten book of ideas, and I know exactly what I would want the place to look like and what I would want to serve. It would be any breakfast lover’s dream. I’ve even gone so far as to share my hopes and dreams with Zach, and he hasn’t laughed at me. Instead, he encourages me to believe.
For now, I’m serving drinks though, and I start going through my night. But I’m taken off guard when I find Sean sitting at the bar at The Tavern, staring at me through hooded eyes. All six feet of him dwarf most other men. I used to take one look at his dark hair, blue eyes, and muscular body and melt. Now I prefer one blond, built man who has consumed my every thought. Still, Sean’s here to see me, and I signal to Callie to take over for me.
Curious and confused, because
Sean has no time for anyone or anything, I walk toward him. “What are you doing here?”
He scowls, as if annoyed that he’s here at all. I suppress a grin and don’t tell him I appreciate him coming out to see me. It’ll just make him uncomfortable.
“So?” I ask.
His gaze rakes over my outfit, and his frown deepens. “I want to meet this guy you’ve been gushing about.”
My cheeks burn with heat. “I don’t gush.”
“I beg to differ. I call you this morning to make sure there haven’t been any more incidents at work, and all you can talk about is this Zach guy. Does he have a last name?”
“Anders,” I say and look toward Zach’s usual seat. The seat he’s had since we’ve been together.
The chair is empty. Now I’m the one frowning.
“Anders.” Sean narrows his gaze.
“What?” I snap, not liking the look on his face.
He shakes his head. “Nothing. At least not yet. Don’t get over-involved with him. I’ll have him checked out.”
“You’ll do no such thing!” I yell.
Suddenly there’s a big hulking presence beside me. My boss, not my … boyfriend? What is Zach to me anyway? We’ve never defined or labeled it. Suddenly I want to.
“Problem?” Tank asks.
I shake my head. “Just a family issue,” I say, glaring at Sean. “I can handle it.”
“Five minutes and back to work.” Tank strides back behind the bar, but he points two fingers, gesturing between his eyes and me and Sean. He’s watching out for me.
I find it odd that suddenly Zach’s nowhere to be found.
“Introduce me to this guy who never leaves you alone.” Sean folds his arms across his chest. The muscles in his forearms bulge … not even a quiver from me.
I glance around quickly. “He had to leave tonight. Emergency,” I say.
Again, he narrows those cold eyes. Good thing I know I’m exempt from the chilliness there. “I don’t like it. And I’ll be in touch.”
I roll my eyes. “Yes, big brother.”
He smiles. It’s quick and brief but I catch it.
“Don’t do anything crazy. No digging into his background. This one’s different.” I’m sure of it.
“Everyone’s got secrets, Chloe. I’m just going to make sure his can’t hurt you.”
I shiver at his words. Unnecessary words. Words that don’t apply to Zach.
Except it’s not like him to disappear without telling me. So … where has he gone?
I ask him as soon as he returns to his seat, not long after Sean’s gone home.
“Got a call from South Oaks.” His eyes are cold, and I shiver.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, worried about his sister.
“Yeah. Fucking perfect. Think I can get a drink?”
I blink and spin away, pissed that he thinks he can talk to me that way for no good reason, and for the next twenty minutes, I proceed to ignore him.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Tank or Callie ignores him, so someone serves him a drink. He broods while I work, and I have no idea what’s come over him, but my feelings are hurt, and I’m upset.
Even if I have to spend money on a taxi, I’m going home alone. Except when my shift ends and I head out front hoping to avoid him, he catches up to me. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“Home. Alone.” Of course, it’s late, and the patrons are gone, so no taxis are driving by, just cars, which means I’m stuck with him.
I step onto the side of the road for a better look, and he yanks me back. “You’re going to get hit. Come on. I’m sorry.”
“Really? Again?”
To his credit, he looks away.
“Listen,” I say, more gently this time. “I understand that you have personal issues. I have them too. But you can’t take them out on me.”
He swallows hard, and it’s obvious he can barely meet my gaze. “I’ll work on it.”
I suppose that’s the best he can do. “Good. I’m tired. Can you take me home now?”
He nods. We’re almost at my dorm, a place I won’t have to see in another few weeks, when he looks over at me. “I think we just had our first fight.” He pulls up in front and puts the car into park.
“I think we did.” Despite my lingering annoyance with him, I grin. “Guess you’ll have to make it up to me,” I say, batting my eyes and sliding out of the car before he can make a move to kiss me.
Yes, I’m making him work for it.
Chapter Six
Zach
There’s no way out. Unless I want that bastard to forget what he did to my sister and live a guilt-free life, I have to go through with the plan.
I’ve stalled long enough. I didn’t even push Chloe for sex right away because I couldn’t bring myself to sleep with her, knowing what I planned. So I put it off. And when we finally did? Spontaneous and fucking incredible. I’ve never felt anything like her clasping me in her wet heat. Warm, welcoming, like fucking home.
But the plan always lingers. I could have videotaped her the first time, but even I’m not that much of a dick. I wanted her to have some decent memories, not betray her right away. Afterward, I put off installing cameras, but the joke’s on me. The more time we spend together, the more I like her.
The more I’m drawn to her.
The more I want to be the man who is protecting her for the right reasons.
And the more I want to be someone she can look at with love and trust in those baby blues. The last month with Chloe has been what I would want out of life if I had the luxury of choosing. Even living in my grandfather’s old house hasn’t been bad — because she’s been there with me so often.
But weekly visits with my sister remind me of what must be done. So I had a friend who owes me a favor install video cameras in my bedroom. Various angles. High-tech.
But I don’t know if I can go through with using her, with turning the video over to someone who will make sure it goes viral fast. Because in Chloe’s eyes, I see the man I want to be. The man I could have been for her if that bastard hadn’t destroyed my sister.
Of course, if he hadn’t, then I wouldn’t ever have met her, because nothing about us wasn’t planned. Except for my feelings. I think I love the girl. Which explains why last night, I almost called my friend and had him pull the cameras, which will turn on when we walk into the bedroom. Then Ferro showed up at the bar, and all the suppressed anger and hatred resurfaced.
So the cameras are in place. They’ll do their job.
Will I have the courage to do mine?
Chapter Seven
Flowers arrive at my dorm room the next morning. I open the card, read it, and grin. “Let me make it up to you.” A few minutes later, another deliveryman arrives, this one with a chocolate tree. Seriously. Mini chocolate bars in the shape of a tree. The man is seriously trying to apologize. I’ve already forgiven him. I’d mentally done it last night, but that didn’t mean I planned to make myself look easy.
I pick up my phone, about to text him when it buzzes in my hand. I glance down. “I need to see you.”
I hold the phone against my chest and sigh. Am I in over my head with this guy? I want to see him so badly. It’s like the one night apart is already ripping my heart out of my chest. How could I fall for him so hard, so fast? Granted, he’s stepped up the actual time frame by being with me. All. The. Time.
I blow out a deep breath. The phone buzzes again. “Now,” I read.
I text back: “Okay.”
“Waiting downstairs. Pack a bag.”
I shake my head, yet I do as he says, including textbooks so I can study. Soon I’m running down the dorm steps and out into the summer heat. Sure enough, his black truck is idling out front. My heart picks up speed as he meets me around the passenger side of the car and opens the door.
“We cool?” he asks before shutting my door.
I meet his gaze and see the apology in his eyes. “We’re cool.”
<
br /> He blows out a long breath before leaning over and brushing a lingering kiss on my lips. Already I’m heating up for him, and I’m glad he made the extra effort to apologize. It tells me he understood how upset I was last night. It’s more than anyone’s ever done in acknowledgment of my feelings. He’s always so much more.
When he pulls up to his small house, I feel an overwhelming sense of belonging and home. Kinda scary given my earlier thoughts about how fast and intense this relationship is becoming.
Once inside, instead of settling in front of the television, he’s pacing by the big bay window overlooking the front lawn. “What’s wrong?”
He folds his arms across his chest, and my gaze is drawn to the muscles bulging from the edge of the sleeves. He doesn’t answer for so long I wonder if he will. “This thing between us. It’s more than I expected.”
Eerily, he’s reading my mind, paralleling my emotions and feelings. “Yeah. I was just thinking that myself.”
He tips his head to one side, studying me. “I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing,” he says.
The vulnerability in the admission surprises me, and I’m melting for his aching sweetness. I walk over and pull his arms down so I can clasp his hand. “I don’t know what I’m doing either, if that helps. I think we’re both feeling our way through new territory here.”
“I’m just … I’m not sure I can do this,” he mutters.
My stomach plummets hard. “Then why the flowers? The chocolates? The I need to see you?” What am I doing here? I wonder.
He spins around and pins me with that steely gaze filled with desire. “You make me crazy.” He stalks over and scoops me into his arms and heads toward the steps leading to the small bedroom upstairs.
“You can’t do this hot-cold thing,” I say, my fingers already in his hair. My breasts are heavy, and desire is filling me, making me ache.
The Arrangement: The Seduction (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 5
