Always Will: A Bad Boy Romance

by Claire Kingsley

  “Not a chance,” he says.

  “You’re supposed to agree.”

  “There’s no rule that says I have to agree to your rules.” He plants a soft kiss on my lips before I can argue. “I already told you I’m going to fuck you on top of my desk. I intend to make good on that promise.”

  My heart flutters a little at the thought. Fuck, he’s hot. I almost hate that he can make me feel this way. “We at least need to be careful at work.”

  “Wait, I thought I fired you.”

  “You’re hiring me back on Monday,” I say, “and when that happens, we need to be careful.”

  “Define careful,” he says.

  I sigh. He keeps shifting closer, and I can’t seem to stop myself from touching him. I slide my hands up his chest. “People are going to freak out if they think I’m sleeping with the boss.”

  “You are sleeping with the boss.”

  “Correction,” I say, adding a little wickedness to my tone. “I slept with the boss. It doesn’t mean I’m doing it again.”

  He grips the sides of my robe at my waist and pulls me closer. “You’re sleeping with him. As often as possible.”

  I laugh. “Let’s just take things slow at the office. You’re the boss, so no one can give you too much shit. But people are going to think … they’re going to think a lot of things about me.”

  “Who gives a fuck what they think?”

  “I do,” I say, leaning back. “This is my career, Ronan. I have to work with these people every day, and I don’t have the benefit of being the one to sign their paycheck.”

  “All right,” he says. “But it’s going to be very hard to work with you all day and keep this in.”

  “Do your best.” My phone buzzes with a text. I have a feeling it’s either Braxton or Kylie. “I should check that. If it’s my brother and I don’t answer, he’ll come busting through that door in about three minutes.”

  I grab my phone and check. Sure enough, it’s Brax.

  You OK? Text me back now or I’m coming over.

  I’m fine. You don’t need to come over.

  U sure?

  I shake my head and reply. Positive. TTYL

  “Your brother?” Ronan says.

  “Of course,” I say. “I told him he doesn’t need to come over.”

  “He’s going to hate me, isn’t he?” Ronan asks. By his tone, he doesn’t seem too concerned about it.

  “Not necessarily,” I say, although that’s kind of a lie. Braxton doesn’t like anyone I date. “But you can expect him to give you the suspicious side-eye a lot.”

  Ronan laughs. “All right, since the old rules are gone, that means I don’t have to keep ordering dinner in the office to get you to go out with me.”

  “So you admit those dinner meetings were all a ruse to get me in bed,” I say.

  “They were much more than that, Selene,” he says, his voice throaty. He runs his hand through my hair. “So much more.”

  I stare at him. What does he mean? Is this the same man who walked out on me five years ago? Do I dare believe he could be different now?

  What the fuck am I doing?

  “I’m coming on too strong, aren’t I?” he asks.

  “No, I just…”

  “You have doubts,” he says.

  “Ronan, what is this?” I ask, leaning away. “If I’m just your latest conquest—”

  He puts his finger to my lips. “No, Selene. I told you that when this happened a second time, it wouldn’t be a mistake.”

  I open my mouth, but I’m not sure what to say.

  Ronan lowers his voice. “I blew you off once. I’m not stupid enough to do it again.”

  It feels good to hear him acknowledge what he did—like we aren’t hiding from it.

  “So, we’re … dating,” I say. “Sleeping together. Exclusive.”

  “Yes,” he says, grabbing my hair at the base of my neck, just hard enough that I can’t pull away. It sends a tingle through my whole body. “Label it however you want. Just tell me I’m staying with you today, and I can sleep with you again tonight.”

  My mouth curls up in a smile. “Your place or mine?”

  ***

  Ronan and I grab breakfast at a little restaurant not far from my house. I’m grateful Brax and Ky don’t text again. I’m dreading explaining this to Kylie. She’s my best friend, and she’ll support me. But she won’t bullshit me either, and she’s going to give me an earful for sleeping with Ronan. Especially when I tell her I fully intend to do it again. Often.

  Because holy shit, whatever else is going on between Ronan and me, the sex was unbelievable. And that’s enough for now. Although I’m dreading facing the office on Monday.

  Right as we’re leaving the restaurant, I get a call from the police. They want me to come in and give a statement. Ronan takes me, and insists on coming inside the police station with me. I speak with an officer; he asks me to describe what happened, taking notes with clinical efficiency. He tells me they searched the bar, but didn’t find anyone matching the description, and no one seemed to be missing one of their group. It’s likely whoever the jackass came with got him out of there before the cops showed up.

  It’s disappointing, but not surprising. I give the officer what I can, answering his questions with an increasingly large pit in my stomach. Talking about it is uncomfortable, but I get through it. The officer assures me he’ll be in touch if there are any new developments. I figure I probably won’t hear from him again.

  Outside the police station, we get back into Ronan’s car. I breathe out a long breath and rub my temples. Ronan puts a hand on my leg. His touch is so comforting.

  “We should do something to get your mind off this,” he says. “What do you normally do when you’re stressed?”

  “I don’t know. Drink with my brother and Kylie, mostly,” I say with a laugh.

  He shrugs. “Well, it’s kind of early, but we could get started.”

  “What do you do when you’re stressed?” I ask.

  He turns toward me. “Jump from high places.”

  “Right, the skydiving and all that,” I say. “You’re an adrenaline junkie, aren’t you?”

  “I have been called that many times.”

  “I don’t think your way would help,” I say. “I’ll stick with gin and maybe a cheesy rom-com.”

  He looks at me, his gray eyes eager. “You know what else helps with stress?”

  My lips turn up. “What?”

  He leans in to kiss me. “How about we swing by my place so I can get some clean clothes, then we’ll go back to your house. I’ll bartend after I fuck the hell out of you again. I did not get enough of you this morning.”

  His voice is like a lightning strike to my core. I’m not sure I want to wait to get back to my house. His hand slides up my thigh, and he kisses me again.

  “You better start driving,” I say, “or we’re going to get into a lot of trouble out here in front of the police station.”

  18: Selene

  I take a deep breath as I step out of the elevator. It’s the same hallway I’ve been walking down for four years, but everything looks different this morning. The soft beige walls, the large photos of Puget Sound, the line of office doors—I know it’s all the same as it was last week. It’s me that’s different.

  Despite being assaulted in the back of a bar—a reality that seems so surreal, it’s almost like it happened to someone else—my weekend was pretty fantastic. Ronan and I spent Saturday together at my house—watching TV, drinking gin and tonics (he is an excellent bartender), and fucking each other’s brains out. The man was insatiable—and I admit, so was I. It was like we were making up for the months we’ve spent denying ourselves. We went to bed exhausted late that night, tangled in the sheets together. I woke up Sunday to find he’d gone out and gotten me coffee and breakfast. He even put a little birthday candle in my cranberry scone.

  I tried to put Braxton and Kylie off, but it was our birthday, and I
couldn’t go all day without seeing my brother. Ronan seemed to realize that I wasn’t quite ready to tell them about us, and bowed out of dinner, saying he had work to catch up on. I had a nice dinner with Brax and Ky, and amazingly, they didn’t prod me for too much information. They were more concerned about how I was doing after the events of Friday night than what might have happened with Ronan staying at my house. I’m pretty sure Ky is on to me, so I’ll have to come clean soon. After she and Braxton hid their relationship from me, and all the trouble that caused, we all appreciate more honesty from each other. I won’t keep it from her, but I do need a little time to think before I tell her.

  Whether Ronan actually had work to catch up on, or was simply perceptive enough to realize I needed space, I was both grateful for it and sad to see him go. I had a hard time falling asleep last night, alone in my big house again. It was so tempting to text him and ask him to come over, but in the end I decided I need to be careful. Part of me is ready to jump in with both feet, but the other part is worried. I very clearly agreed to date my boss, and now I have to start dealing with the consequences of that choice.

  I set my things down on my desk and pull my laptop out of the case. I’m tense with anticipation. What is Ronan going to do? What’s he going to say? Will it be awkward to see him here? I told him we need to take it slow at work, and I think he understands why, but I have a feeling he’s not going to be quiet about us. Not for long, anyway. I feel like I need to have a short sound bite for when people ask what’s going on. I’m not sure if I should simply be honest, or try to downplay things. Why yes, I am having crazy hot sex with the boss man. Is that a problem?

  I put a hand to my forehead. When he and I were together this weekend, my concerns were there, but it was easy to push them aside. It wasn’t just that the sex was incredible—though it was. But it simply felt good to be with him. Easy. We chatted and joked and drank a little too much, and it was fun. He was fun. Our verbal sparring transformed into playful banter, and we had a great time.

  My message notification lights up as soon as I’m online, and I get a tingle in my belly.

  Morning. Can I see you in my office?

  I smile. God, it’s been less than twenty-four hours since I saw him, but I missed him. I am in so much trouble.

  Sure. Be there in a minute.

  I head down to Ronan’s office. Sarah isn’t at her desk, and I’m grateful. I feel like as soon as anyone looks at my face, they’re going to see it. They’re going to know. Especially his assistant.

  Ronan is at his desk. His attention is on his computer screen, and he’s got that sexy groove between his eyebrows. He keeps almost nothing on his desk, save his laptop and sometimes his phone. His office is all clean lines and uncluttered spaces. There are a few bookshelves, but everything is placed neatly. The pictures on the walls are hung in precise order. His condo was the same—orderly almost to the point of being stark.

  I’m hit with a sudden flutter of nervousness. It’s so silly. I’m a grown woman, not some little girl. I take a deep breath and knock softly. “Morning.”

  He looks up at me and leans back in his chair, a hungry smile crossing his face. “Morning, gorgeous.”

  “You needed to see me?” I ask.

  “It’s not even eight, and already you’re all business,” he says. “Come in.”

  He stands and walks over to meet me, slipping his hands around my waist. He kisses me and I take a quick glance over my shoulder.

  “No one’s here yet,” he says. He slides his thumb over my lip and tilts my face to the side. “This is healing pretty fast. I doubt anyone will notice.”

  His touch makes me heat up and I resist the urge to clench my thighs together. “I hope not. I don’t really want to have to explain it.”

  “How was the rest of your birthday?” he asks, putting his hands on my waist again.

  I glance back at the door. “It was nice.”

  “Did you miss me?” he asks, quirking an eyebrow.

  He’s so fucking sexy. I’m ready to melt into a puddle at his feet—but damn it, I haven’t even made it to eight o’clock on Monday morning. What am I doing?

  As if he can sense me about to pull away, he dives in, planting a hard kiss on my mouth. His hands slide around to my back and he presses me against him.

  “Yes, I missed you,” I breathe when he finally pulls his mouth from mine.

  “Good. I missed you, too.” He reaches out behind me and shuts the door, then fumbles with the lock while he kisses my neck.

  “I don’t think we should do this here,” I say, but there’s no conviction behind my words. He grabs my ass and presses his erection against me.

  “We definitely should,” he says, his voice thick and raspy.

  He pushes my skirt up and reaches between my legs, rubbing me through my thong. My eyes roll back in my head as he massages my clit, sending shockwaves through my whole body.

  “The blinds,” I say.

  He doesn’t stop teasing my clit through my panties. His teeth graze down the side of my neck. “I’ll get it.”

  He pauses, leaving me breathless, and takes a remote out of a desk drawer. A click of a button, and the blinds close.

  “Come here,” he says. His voice is hard, commanding.

  I’m throbbing with need, and the fact that we’re in his office in the early morning is starting to matter a whole lot less in the wake of his fiery touch. I want his hands on me again. Hell, I want all of him on me, and I want it right now.

  I walk over to his desk and he moves his laptop onto the shelf behind it, leaving the desk clear. He pulls me close and kisses me hard. It sends a jolt of pain through my jaw, but I don’t pull away. The pain doesn’t matter.

  He hikes up my skirt and spins me around, pinning me down on his desk. One hand presses into my back, bending me forward, while the other yanks down my thong.

  My breath comes in ragged gasps and I hear his zipper. I flip my hair and look back at him over my shoulder. He slides his fingers into me and pulls them out again, rubbing my wetness around the tip of his cock. The sight of his hand on his hard cock makes me desperate. I definitely no longer care where we are.

  He teases his cock along my slit and I rock my hips back, trying to make him slide it in.

  “You want this, don’t you?” he says. “That’s my dirty girl.” He grabs my ass with one hand, his cock still in his other, and rubs the tip against me. “Are you sure? You said no sex in the office.”

  “I lied.”

  He licks his lips and keeps rubbing his cock up and down, never quite going in. “I don’t know. Rules are rules.”

  “Fuck the rules,” I say.

  I expect him to ram his cock into me, but he slides in, almost gentle. He holds there for a long moment, grabbing my hips, his eyes half-closed.

  He fills me up, stretching me open, but it’s not enough. I try to move my hips to get the friction I desperately need, but he pins me hard against the desk.

  “Not yet, my dirty girl,” he says. “I’m the boss. I’m in charge here.”

  His hand travels up my back and he grabs my hair. I tilt my head up and move with him as he starts to thrust, letting him control me. I arch my back, trying to get him in deeper, but he keeps it shallow, teasing me. Torturing me.

  “I love being inside you, Selene,” he says, his voice gravelly. He thrusts a little harder. “I love the way you look, bent over my desk.” He thrusts again and pulls my hair. “I love having you at my mercy.”

  Every nerve in my body sparks. I’m spiraling, losing control, my thoughts fleeing on a wave of ecstasy. I don’t know how he does it, handling me like he knows. He straddles the line between pain and pleasure, keeping me just on the brink of both. No man has ever made me feel this way. I can’t get enough.

  He pushes in harder, his hands rough on my body, and picks up the pace. The tension in my core rises, my muscles clenching deep inside.

  Ronan groans. “You like that, don’t you?”
>
  “Yes.”

  My pussy heats up, every move bringing me closer to release. I’m losing control, only just stopping myself from crying out, calling his name.

  He pulls out and the breath rushes from my lungs. His hand lets go of my hair, and I look at him over my shoulder.

  “Turn over,” he says.

  I straighten up and he guides me with his hands on my hips, helping me to sit on the edge of his desk. He tips my knees open, sliding his hands up my thighs, his cock glistening wet in front of me.

  Stepping closer, he pushes his cock inside while I wrap my legs around his waist. He grabs my thighs, his strong arms helping hold me up. His mouth finds mine and our tongues lash against each other, firm and aggressive. He drives his cock in and out, harder, faster. I cling to him, my arms around his neck, and rock my hips against him with every thrust.

  Ronan growls into my ear. “What do you want, baby?”

  “Come in me,” I say. I drag my teeth along his earlobe. “Come in me hard.”

  His first pulses send me over the edge. The ground opens up beneath me and I’m falling. I throw my head back, clinging to him for dear life, overtaken. My orgasm sweeps me away, blurring my vision. Ronan moans into my neck, pounding furiously while he empties himself into me.

  He slows down and finally stops. I can barely breathe. He takes my face in his hands and kisses me, soft and tender.

  “Do you know how unbelievable you are?” he asks, leaning his forehead against mine.

  I kiss him so I don’t have to answer. There’s something in his voice that sends another crack snaking across my facade, threatening my protective shell.

  Suddenly the fact that I’m sitting on the edge of his desk, my skirt hiked up around my waist, comes crashing in on me.

  “Fuck, Ronan, someone probably heard us,” I say.

  He just smiles and lets go of my legs. I stand up and push my skirt down.

  “You can clean up in the bathroom if you want,” he says. He grabs my thong off the floor and hands it to me. His eyes look a little glassy.

  I duck into his bathroom and shut the door. I don’t want to admit how much I loved what he just did to me. I love how he makes me feel when he’s aggressive, grabbing me and making my body do what he wants. I love relenting, ceding myself to him. I’ve never let a man do that to me before. I’ve always maintained control of myself, even in the moment of climax. With Ronan, I don’t want to. I want to let him have his way with me—take me somewhere I’ve never been.