by Layla Hagen
First, I need to get him naked. Now, I’m not one to take advantage of a vulnerable man for my own pleasure, but getting him inside the tub requires me to take his clothes off.
If I prolong the process, taking my sweet time... well, no one can blame me. Daniel’s body is a piece of art. It deserves all the stroking and worshiping. I run my fingers over every inch of skin I uncover, and when that isn’t enough anymore, I use my mouth too. Down his chest, tracing the ridges of his six-pack with the tip of my tongue until I feel the bulge in his pants press against my throat. Lowering myself on my knees, I undo the button and the zipper, pushing his pants and boxers down.
I take his erection in my mouth, looking him straight in the eyes. He exhales sharply, bringing his hand to cup the side of my face, sliding it to the back of my head, the pads of his fingers pressing on my scalp, as if he’s barely refraining himself from fisting my hair. Oh, I love it when I bring him this close to losing control. I don’t want him to keep his rough side in check tonight, so I’m going to tempt the hell out of him, right until he loses it. Watching his eyes, I slide my mouth lower onto him, and then lower still, until I feel his tip at the back of my throat. Daniel feels it too if the low, husky groan is any indication. Heat zings through me at the sound. Just like that, I’m burning for him.
Damn it. This whole thing is backfiring. My grand seduction plan is supposed to drive him so crazy that he pushes all his troubles to the back of his mind. It isn’t supposed to turn me on so much that I feel like throwing my plan away and jumping his bones right now. No, no, I’ll stay put. Tonight is all about him.
As if sensing my need, he says, “Touch yourself.”
I don’t need to be told twice. I move my hand, but splay it wide on my stomach instead of doing anything naughty, because I just got an idea. I want him to tell me what to do. I want his instructions, every step of the way. Daniel loves giving me commands when we’re intimate, but not more than I love following them. I shrug, opening my eyes wide, hoping he’ll get my point. I can’t talk with him filling my mouth.
Oh, he does.
“Run your finger over your panties, from your clit down to your opening.”
Slowly, I push my pants down, kicking them away, then run my hand over the silk of my panties, just the way he told me to. A rush of arousal dampens my panties. I press my thighs together. Daniel’s eyes become hooded. He draws in a deep breath, and when his lips part, I see his teeth are clenched. He pulses in my mouth, and I clamp my lips tighter around him.
“You’re driving me crazy, woman. Touch yourself again. Run your fingers up one fold, then down the other. Don’t touch your clit this time.”
I nearly bite him when I press the drenched fabric against my sensitive folds. A tremor shakes my entire body, but I move my mouth slowly over him while I touch myself. I’m getting the hang of this multitasking thing, even though I’m so turned on, I can barely think.
“You’re making yourself wet. And you’re driving me crazy. Slide your hand inside your panties. Touch your pussy.”
I dive my hand right in and hear a small splat as my fingers slip through my arousal. Daniel tugs at my hair in a wild gesture. Then he pulls out of me.
“Get inside that tub, Caroline. I need to fuck you right now.”
He helps me up to my feet, pushes my panties down in an instant, and once we’re both naked, we lower ourselves into the tub.
“I’ll sit. You climb on top of me. The tub floor is too hard for you.”
I climb on top, lowering myself onto him, taking him in all at once.
“Ah!” I gasp, but barely have time to draw in a deep breath when Daniel starts pounding me so hard, I clasp the edges of the tub to ground myself. He’s leveling himself on his palms and foot soles, driving into me like a man determined to chase the last drop of pleasure tonight. It’s relentless fucking, but also lovemaking. I watch him lose himself in me, taking me higher with every thrust and then higher still until we’re in that heightened state of mind where no thoughts exist, just sensation. I shatter around him when he rasps out my name, chasing his climax.
I feel more than see him lean back, resting his head at the edge of the tub, pulling me flush against him so I’m lying with my head on his shoulder, the water reaching up to my chin. My back is completely out of the hot water, and I feel a little cold.
Slowly, I become aware of Daniel splashing water over my back, warming me up. I snuggle closely up to his neck, peppering his skin with kisses.
“So, where’s that bath bomb you keep threatening me with?”
I reach out to the edge of the tub, bring it up for his inspection. He sniffs it.
“Doesn’t smell like your usual stuff.”
Chuckling, I pull back, sitting so I can look at him. “I don’t attack a man when he’s down. I’ll force my vanilla and lavender bath bomb on you another time. What’s the verdict on this one?”
“Bring it on.”
I drop it in the water, then reach for his shower gel. “I’m going to rub this into you, like a massage.”
“You’re going all out tonight.”
“Told you I’d take care of you.”
Something flickers in his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything. I rub gel on my palms, then get to work, massaging his chest, his arms, the front of his shoulders.
“Found out who leaked those photos.”
“Oh! By your disgruntled look, I’m going to take a guess that it wasn’t the intern.”
“It was Justin. I promoted Marcel and Honor over him, and apparently it was enough to turn him against me.”
“I’m sorry. That’s terrible. But now it’s all over, right? It’s all good?”
“Firing the man I considered my mentor doesn’t exactly feel like winning.”
“I bet not.”
“He actually said he’d hoped to have something to leak about my family. Nearly got a shot at Summer at the New Year’s Eve party last year.”
I lower my hands from his shoulders to his chest, feeling his heart beat frantically, and I know he’s playing in his mind what could have happened. I’m imagining some worst-case scenarios too, but I’ll keep that to myself. It’s the last thing he needs to hear right now. He needs my strength, and to be comforted.
“Some brother I am, eh? And a fantastic boss too.” His voice dripping with sarcasm, he rests his head back on the edge of the tub.
“Dan, stop beating yourself up about everything. You are a great brother, and a great boss. Karla told me that on the trip, Marcel and Honor were only saying positive things about you.”
“They won’t trash me in front of customers. Doesn’t mean they really think that. When I started this company, I wanted to build something I could be proud of. Make my family proud.”
“You should be proud of what you built. And your family is proud too. If you don’t believe me, just ask them.”
“You’re so beautiful, sitting here, listening to me.” He takes my hands to his lips, kisses my knuckles. He’s never showed me this side of him before, never let me see him vulnerable and emotional. “I’m so happy I have you.”
“I’m happy to be here, Dan.”
He’s still in brooding mode, though. Still vulnerable and unhappy. I bite the inside of my cheek, pondering what to say next. Reassuring him it’s all good won’t help. Sometimes we don’t need to hear “everything will be okay.” We already know that, but we still feel like we could have done better, like we’re not enough. The feeling is all too familiar for me, and while I avoid talking about it, maybe sharing this will help him—at least make him understand it’s normal to feel like this from time to time. Not pleasant, but normal.
“I have these moments too,” I say softly. “When I don’t feel like I’m enough.”
Daniel straightens up, fixing me with his gaze.
“When Mom boasted to everyone that my brother is a neurosurgeon, told me I could have done better than being an elementary school teacher.” This was the easy part to
confess. Swallowing, I trace a random pattern on his chest with my forefinger. “Then, after the miscarriage and the surgery, the few times I told men I couldn’t have kids, it didn’t go well at all. They kind of made me feel like I’m not woman enough.”
The muscles in his arms and shoulders tense. He pulls me closer until I’m lying on top of him. “That’s why you were afraid of telling me.”
“Yeah.”
“Is being around kids hard for you? At school or with my family?”
“Not at all. I’ve always loved kids. After the diagnosis, I immediately started thinking about adoption, and it felt right. But not everyone thinks this way.”
“They were not men enough for you. No big loss for you.”
“You’ve got a knack for turning this around to make me look like a prize.”
“You are a prize. You’re a smart, funny, and loving woman. You’re everything. My everything.”
I curl in his arms like a kitten, soaking in his words. His admission beckons me to counter with one of my own, to open up.
“You’re my everything too, Dan. You’re the best thing that happened to me. The best.”
This right here—each of us baring our souls to each other, sharing our fears—feels more intimate than anything we’ve done before. We never laid ourselves bare this way the first time. Maybe because at that age we didn’t have many skeletons, or maybe we just weren’t ready to trust the other with the less-than-perfect stuff.
“Even when I’m a mess?” he asks.
I’m flat against his chest, so I can’t see his expression, but I spy the way his hand tightens on the edge of the tub. My answer is important to him. I’d argue he’s far from being a mess, but it’s not what he needs.
“Even then. Especially then. You’re human. My human. Here’s a little secret. I know you’re not perfect. No one is.”
“Damn, all that hard work and I still can’t fool you into thinking I’m perfect.”
“Nope. The jig is up, I’m afraid. But I’ll be here no matter what, ready to listen to you, with a bath and anything else you need. I promise.”
“I don’t need the bath, or anything else. I just need you.” He threads his fingers through my hair, his breath caressing the side of my head. “Listening without judging, trusting me.”
I nibble at the base of his neck, which might possibly lead to a hickey, but I need to kiss him, touch him. I need to feel closer to him. No clue if he’s ready for sexy time again, though.
“Lying naked on top of me is also a big bonus,” he adds in a naughty whisper. I giggle against his neck, happy we can find the light and humor in any situation. The joke’s on me, it appears. He’s always ready for sexy time. Men.
“I knew it. It all comes down to sex. Watch it, or I will treat you to my vanilla bath bomb.”
He slips one hand between us, teasing a nipple. “They’re awake already.”
“Keep going like that and I’ll upgrade to a cherry and honey bath bomb. You’ll smell like dessert for a week.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Daniel
Turns out firing someone for attempted sabotage requires more paperwork than setting up a damn company.
By the time Thursday rolls around, I’m ready to forget this week altogether, pretend it didn’t exist. Solving everything this week is imperative because I have a tour on Monday, and I’m flying out to Sydney next Tuesday, where I’ll be closing a business deal. I have a hearing tomorrow morning for Justin’s case, but as I pull my car in my parents’ driveway, I’m determined to let loose, enjoy Thanksgiving dinner.
A flurry of voices echo in the house when I step inside. Everyone is sitting on the various armchairs and couches in the enormous living room, a drink in hand. After greeting my parents and Martin, I head straight to Caroline, who is sitting on a sofa, talking to Landon Connor, a cousin from my mom’s side of the family.
“Landon, good to see you, man.” I shake his hand, kissing Caroline on the forehead, then sitting on the armrest. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”
“Wanted to head out to LA, but didn’t work out time wise.”
The Connor clan resides in LA, but Landon moved to San Jose years ago with his wife, Rachel. Unfortunately, since she passed away, my cousin seems to be spending every waking moment working.
“Ouch, I bet Valentina has put a ransom on your head,” I say, referring to his twin sister who likes to organize family events as much as Mom.
“I’m waiting for ‘Wanted’ signs to pop up any second now,” Landon replies. Caroline grins, wrapping an arm around mine.
“Val needs to come to San Francisco more often. I need someone to teach me how to properly perform Irish dances. I can’t believe she’s so much better at it than I am. You lot are only half-Irish!” she says.
“Ah, my dad took his dancing seriously,” Landon says. His father emigrated from Ireland to America around the same time Caroline’s parents did. “And Val’s the only one who can dance out of the lot of us.”
Caroline sighs wistfully. “I’ll be happy if I can evolve to the point where I’m not stepping on my own toes anymore.”
“Or mine,” I supply.
She jabs me playfully with her elbow. “I did not step on yours.”
Landon winks. “I can confidently say you step on your dancing partner’s toes too. Had a black toe or two myself after Blake’s wedding.”
Caroline folds her arms, glancing from Landon to me. “You’re banding against me. That’s unfair.”
Landon holds up his hands in defense. “Just presenting evidence.”
“Sorry to interrupt,” Summer calls, approaching us. “I need to steal my favorite cousin for a bit.”
As Landon rises from the couch, I warn him. “Don’t believe her. She plays the favorites game with all of us.”
Landon laughs, lacing an arm around Summer’s shoulders. “I’m the only cousin here tonight. I’m the favorite by default.”
“He still looks so sad even though it’s been a while since Rachel passed away,” Caroline says in a low, wistful voice. To me, Landon looks just fine, but I’ll admit I don’t pick up on these things like my sisters or Caroline do.
“She was his wife,” I say simply. If something happened to Caroline, I don’t think I’d ever recover.
“I know, but I was hoping he’d catch the Bennettitis virus too. He is related to you, after all.”
“Blake’s been giving you ideas, huh?” I ask with a grin. Ever since our eldest siblings fell in love one after the other, Blake declared the Bennettitis virus is ravaging our family.
“He has. And by the way, Blake was saying something about a guy’s night out tomorrow evening.”
Just then, Mom announces the turkey’s ready, and we can all head to the dining table. Taking Caroline’s hand, I lead the way.
“Speaking of brothers, I talked to Niall today,” I say, pulling out the chair for her.
Caroline groans. “He gave you the talk, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, but he was more laid-back about it than I expected.”
She cocks a brow as I sit next to her. “Define laid-back.”
“He didn’t tell me anything I wouldn’t tell someone dating Summer,” I say truthfully.
“Wow, you’ve had quite a day, between dealing with the stuff with Justin and my brother semi-threatening you.” Leaning in, she adds in a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ll take care of you tonight, I promise.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Predictably, Thanksgiving dinner stretches for hours, right until Will falls asleep with his head on the table, and we decide to call it a night.
***
The next evening, I’m the last to arrive at Blake’s bar, where I decided with my brothers plus Pippa’s husband to have our men’s night out.
Everyone’s sitting around two high bar tables pushed together: Sebastian, Logan next to him, then Eric. Blake, Christopher, and Max are on the other side.
“How
did it go?” Logan inquires. “Blake told us.”
I groan, staring at Blake. He was supposed to keep his mouth shut. I haven’t told any of my other siblings about the issue with Justin because I saw no point worrying them, but when I called Blake at lunch to tell him I’d be late this evening, he insisted I tell him why.
Blake grins. “Blame the beer.”
“You’ve just had half a glass.”
“Blame my big mouth. Thought they should know. They usually have good ideas.”
“If you need lawyers, we have a whole lot of them on payroll already,” Sebastian offers.
“Nah, I’m good. A competent team is handling it. Just want to get it over with. Forget it happened.”
Logan drums his fingers on the table. “Might happen again, so look out. Corporate sabotage isn’t that uncommon.”
“It isn’t?” I raise a skeptical brow.
“Nah. You get frustrated employees everywhere. Pay attention to vengeful ex-employees. We had one once who tried to stop a transport to Europe. Was a bit of a nightmare.”
Max chimes in. “Competitors sometimes get nasty too. Stir up legal trouble, or send the feds over.”
“Low chances, I’d say. Not a big fish like Bennett Enterprises. No big fish in my industry at all. Doubt any of the others would waste their time with something like this. I wouldn’t.”
Sebastian scratches his chin, downs a mouthful of beer. “Because you’re decent. Not everyone plays fair. If your lawyers don’t come through, we can help. Ours have handled just about everything.”
Surprisingly, the news that my brothers have gone through something similar calms me somewhat. It’s good to know this is at least in the realms of normalcy.
Blake looks at me smugly. His first reaction when I told him was “Why the hell aren’t you telling the others? I bet they’ve seen it all at Bennett Enterprises. They’ll have some advice.”
Unlike me, Blake’s never had any issues asking my brothers for help or advice.
“Say it,” he demands.
