Steal Me (Longshadows Book 1)

by Natalia Banks

  But I’m here, alone, with the thought of Kieran Knight’s icy blue eyes on me. If he were standing in the doorway right now, what would he do?

  My imagination takes over as I swear I see him standing there.

  “Take them off,” he’d whisper growl my direction, his blue eyes on my pants. Tucking my thumbs into the hips of my pants, I give into the fantasy. Whisking them down with little ceremony, I drop them beside the bed.

  Giving a little spin, I catch sight of myself in my mirror. My cheeks are glowing pink and the tingle of excitement at my nudity rushes through me. Warmth tickles along my skin and I squeeze my eyes closed as a breeze kicks back the curtains and crashes over me. The sensation is almost too much and I drop back on my bed.

  My fingers caress the gentle swell of my breasts, and I moan at the sheer pleasure. They feel warm and heavy in my hands, and tight from all the hours bound up in that damned sports bra. My whole body feels like it’s humming - glowing, even - and I enjoy the thought of him walking over to my bedside as he orders me to touch myself.

  My fingers obligingly part the soft flesh of my pussy. The gentle graze of my fingertips on my clit brings a sharp moan to my lips. Still, I part the folds to really focus on that button of pleasure. I’m not in the mood to take my time.

  I want this.

  I need this.

  Knight has been dominating my thoughts since he walked into my damn life. Might as well let him dominate this orgasm.

  The thought brings every point of pleasure to life in me as I tease my clit. My free hand finds my nipple and I gently pull it, sparking a white-hot beam of pleasure straight to the heart of me. Fuck, this is amazing.

  I imagine him parting my legs with his. He’s a powerful guy, I bet he’s fucking gorgeous under those clothes. Imagining him naked sends heat racing through every last inch of me. My heart slams so hard I feel faint as I imagine him covering me, lowering on my body like he fucking owns me. Because that’s the kind of guy he is; the kind who owns his women.

  My breaths come quicker as my fingers work my clit harder. There’s no mercy with him. He’d lower his head to sink his teeth into my neck. There’d be pain, but there’d be pleasure. I cry out, the sound hoarse as my hips begin to buck into my hand.

  I bet he’d be quick to enter me, too. No slow, gentle, stare into my eyes all loving like bullshit. He’d push home, fill me completely, as if I’m not whole without him, like he’s doing me more of a favor than I’m doing for him.

  The thought brings a yelp to my lips and pleasure pushes me forward to that peak I know is coming. It’s too fast. I never come fast. This is a half-hour process on the best of days.

  But the thought of him over me, his blue eyes narrowed as he tells me to come all over his cock, brings me to the brink and I hover there, certain I’m facing total destruction.

  “This is my pussy,” He’d growl, reminding me he owns me.

  And I’d agree, for the moment. If he could finish me, I’d promise him anything. Anything.

  “Mine,” he growl, before his teeth scratched my jaw, before they nipped at my lower lip, before he kissed my chin.

  The world shatters as my body plunges over the brink. White dots dance behind my eyes as pleasure crashes over me. The pulsing of my body feels odd as the fantasy of him over me, filling me, fades away to the clarity that comes post orgasm.

  I push it back, allowing myself the pleasure that continues to lap at me like waves on the beach. But the self-awareness pushes back.

  I just brought myself to an all too quick orgasm thinking about Kieran Knight.

  Chapter 17

  Kieran

  “Mr. Knight?”

  I lift my head, staring at Nikki. “What?” I ask, wondering how long she’s been standing there, staring at me, talking to me while I zone out and try to bring myself out of this funk I’m feeling.

  After the fight with Olivia yesterday and my continued failures with Emma, I’m feeling a bit beat. But instead of my usual push to destroy everything that pushes back against me, I just feel tired.

  “The tenant is still there.” Nikki’s eyes are wide, and I sense she’s nervous. And she damn well should be. She’s delivering bad news. I fired the last woman who gave me bad news.

  “Um, I’m wondering if Sally is really fired, or if...” she trails off, staring at me.

  “She’s fired. Want to join her?” I snap. Instantly Nikki snaps to attention.

  Her look changes, and I see it for what it is. “I’d do anything not to get fired,” she whispers, her tone silken. “Anything.” Her voice becomes almost a purr, and I look at her. Before I can do something I will regret, I order her out of my office.

  I hate you! Olivia’s voice rings in my ears.

  And my father speaks up. You’re just a shitty excuse for a man.

  Angry, I get to my feet and grab the file on my desk. I’m a half a heartbeat from throwing it across the room when a sheet of paper with post it notes stuck to it flutters free and lands face down on my desk.

  Startled out of my rage, I drop the file on my desk and pick up the sheet, feeling the will to live drain right out of me with every passing second.

  Each post it note is marked with a single name.

  Cami.

  And a time.

  8am. No message.

  Cami 9:15am. No message.

  Cami 10:10am. No message.

  Cami 11am. No message.

  Cami 12:35. No message.

  Cami 1:42. No message.

  Cami 2:08. No message

  My heart sinks to my toes.

  She knows where I am. She knows I’m here, that I’m getting this log. She knows what she’s doing.

  My cell rings and I jolt. Hating myself for being so jumpy, I answer it.

  “Mr. Knight?” The voice is vaguely familiar.

  “Speaking.”

  “Hello, this is Linda with the school. Olivia isn’t here and I was wondering if you kept her home for a sick day.” She sounds worried, but I’ve been having so many problems with the school, I’d rather not have more.

  “Let me check with her nanny,” I say, keeping the panic I feel from my voice. “I’ll call you back.” As soon as my finger is on the end button, I’m out the door.

  The drive home is a blur.

  I pull up in front of the house and see Beau, the bodyguard, outside. He nods at me, a sign that all’s well, but I breeze past and into the house.

  “Sandy!” I shout, “Olivia!”

  “Kieran, what’s gotten into you?” Sandy asks, her face white as she appears from the kitchen.

  “Where’s Olivia?” I ask, and she tries to quiet me down.

  “She’s sleeping! She was up half the night crying!” Sandy follows me, fluttering her hands as I rush toward Olivia’s room. I burst in the door and see her peacefully in bed, headphones in her ears. The rise and fall of her chest tells me she’s sleeping and relief floods me.

  With quick steps, I make my way to her side. Taking the place beside her, I curl up against her, smiling as her dark hair tickles my nose. The panicked fear of having possibly lost her sends my heart into a drumbeat of war, and I take deep breaths. She’s here. That’s all that matters. I haven’t lost her. She’s here.

  Gathering her into my arms, I feel her sleeping body snuggle into me as I hold her. I can’t imagine losing her. It would destroy me.

  When I’m finally calm, I leave her room. As I close the door I see her settle, her breathing deepening as sleep takes her under the level of dreams. I turn to Sandy, who’s still watching me, her face white as a sheet.

  She thinks she’s about to get fired.

  Good. She fucking should be.

  I lean in, snarling as I speak. “If you ever pull her out of school without telling me again, you’ll be out on your ass, hear me?”

  She nods so quickly she looks like a cartoon character. She hurries off and I pull the phone from my pocket. I call the school. “Yeah, the nanny kept her home. She w
asn’t feeling well,” I tell them. I’m met with understanding and an apology for causing me concern.

  I hang up and stand in the hallway, feeling so utterly alone and broken.

  The ride to Emma’s ranch is quiet. Olivia ignores me, despite my attempts to get her to open up and talk to me. But she hasn’t forgiven me for last night’s fight. Which is fine. I get it. She’s pissed, still.

  But when we pull up in front of the farm house, it’s a relief.

  Olivia gets out and slams the truck door before I even shut off the engine.

  I follow her out, and glance up at an open window on the second story of the house. Sheer curtains billow out of the window, and I catch sight of Emma closing the bedroom door. There’s a little curve to her lips and a pink tinge to her cheeks that’s enough to get me rock hard in an instant.

  She opens the front door and asks me where Olivia is. “She headed to the barn,” I tell her, needing to let her know Olivia’s having a rough day. “Listen, she’s upset. Take it easy on her,” I say, and Emma halts, her gaze on mine.

  “Why?” she asks, her stare serious.

  “Because she’s upset.” I’m speaking fucking English, right?

  A smile flashes across her face as she studies me. “All the more reason to go harder on her. Mr. Knight, life isn’t easy on us when we’re having a bad day. Hell,” she says, and I lift my eyebrows that she’s cursing in front of me, “Life likes to fuck us harder when we’re upset.” She turns and heads toward the barn, a sexy sway to her hips.

  “Don’t talk like that around her,” I say, and Emma glances over her shoulder at me with a sultry stare that sends every thought attempting to process below the belt.

  Fuck, she’s clearly had a change of heart.

  That, or she’s thinking with something south of her heart. I’ll take it. I’ve been wanting to take her anyway. A rough tumble with a sexy woman, especially one who’s been so hell bent on fucking up every plan I put in place, would do wonders for my moral.

  I’ve earned some god damned stress relief.

  Chapter 18

  Emma

  Walking away from Kieran is an amazing feeling. Knowing he’s staring at my ass only intensifies my pleasure. Fuck, after last night’s incredible orgasm, all I can think about is how amazing the real thing would be.

  And I can see it in his eyes; he’s thinking about it too.

  But I’ve got a job to deal with. No naughtiness in front of Olivia.

  I find her at the barn, watching Jenny and her colt. She ignores me for a moment, then speaks up. “I was going to start mucking out Dreamer’s stall but I wanted to make sure that’s what we’re doing today.”

  “Yep!” I tell her, keeping my voice cheerful. She nods and get to it. I watch her, but I’m confident she knows what she’s doing.

  And I realize it’s a good idea for her to know that too. “Hey,” I ask, and she stops and looks up at me. Those blue eyes of hers are as serious as her father’s and it breaks my heart. “Mind if I go put Jenny out to pasture while you work? I mean, you’ve got this.”

  And I see it; the small start of a smile curving the corners of her lips. She dips her head in an obvious agreement and I snap a lead on Jenny. With light feet and a warm heart, I walk her out to the pasture, her little colt following. When she’s out to pasture, I walk back toward the house, wondering where I’d lost Kieran at. He hadn’t come out to the barn, and I know he’d followed me part way.

  Around the side of the house, I feel a hand grab my arm and I’m pulled hard against his chest. His hands lock on my arms and he turns me and presses my back to the side of the house. His lips meet mine, demanding and savage, like a starving man.

  My lips part, allowing him deeper. I want to taste him. I want to know how he does everything. A moan escapes me, and I feel him plundering my mouth like he wants to learn my every secret. Then his lips leave mine and I whimper, a sad, pathetic sound.

  “I’m going to have you,” he growls, the promise sweet to my ears.

  “Are you?” I ask, unable to help myself. The need to push him, to question him drives me even now.

  His teeth find a soft spot on my neck and sting as they scrape. The promise of sex and danger are almost too much for me. “Yes,” He says, breathing on the spot. The cool air eases the sting and makes my knees tremble.

  “I have to go,” I tell him, and he releases me. I step away, but he grabs me and pushes my front to the side of the house and pins me there.

  “I don’t take orders from you,” he says, his body leaning into to mine. His hips, pressed to mine, leave me speechless as I realize the hardness I feel in the cleft of my ass is exactly what I think it is. Pressed helplessly against my house and more aroused than I’ve ever been in my life, I can only moan in response.

  How does he have such an effect on me? It doesn’t seem possible. No guy has ever done this to me.

  “And I don’t take orders from you,” I say, my heart dancing. Sure, I want him. I want this. But I don’t want him to think I’ll just bow before him whenever he’d like me too.

  Suddenly, he releases me and I turn to face him. But he walks away, as if nothing happened. There’s a set to his shoulders that’s tension and doom, and I’m lost in excitement.

  When I finally find myself back in the barn, more composed and in control, I find Olivia working on saddling up Dreamer. I watch her try to get the heavy bit of leather over the horse’s back a few times, then step in to offer her advice. I’m not going to do it for her, but I’ll show he ran easier way. Being small and a girl on the farm taught me that where the men use brute strength, we have to use our brains and leverage.

  And I can tell it means the world to her that I’m showing her rather than doing it for her. Knight is wrong. He shouldn’t be going easy on her. He should be giving her the tools to take on the world right now. She needs it. She needs to build confidence in herself. In her ability to do things on her own. She needs some control.

  But it’s not my place to tell him that.

  So I begin to puzzle over it in the back of my mind. I’ll figure out a way to get him to do what I want. Somehow, someway.

  “Mind if I ride with you today?” I ask her. Her face lights up and I begin to saddle up the mare I take out while Jenny is unable to be ridden.

  “Who’s this?” Olivia asks, and I become aware of Kieran entering the barn. Or, my body becomes aware of him. It’s the same sensation I feel before a lightning storm. That crackling of the very air as everything charges up.

  “Quicksilver,” I tell her, glancing over my shoulder at him. He’s watching me closely as I put the bridle on the mare. Once she’s ready to go, we both walk our mares out of the barn. Once we’re clear of the main door, I mount up.

  Olivia seems surprised, but quickly follows suit. We ride toward a pasture that’s open gate and empty. It’s a much larger space than Olivia has ridden in before, and I’m curious to see how she handles the extra legroom.

  Once inside, I nudge Quicksilver into a trot. Easily rising, I notice Olivia keeping pace beside me. Her form is flawless, and I give it a moment before pushing up another notch. Quicksilver has a beautiful, even, canter, but she looks graceless and flawed beside Dreamer, who’s got the long stride of a racehorse.

  And Olivia, along for the ride, is thrilled. Her face is bright and happy, and there’s a new sense of joy and freedom in her.

  As I catch sight of Kieran on the fence, watching us, I smile.

  This feels right.

  This feels like home.

  Like family.

  And it’s a startling realization. One I don’t want to think about. One I can’t face. Not right now while Olivia’s so obviously in a bad place and Kieran is watching me like he can’t wait to devour me.

  Chapter 19

  Kieran

  Damn if Emma doesn’t look amazing when her body is moving with the horse. The way she lifts her weight looks like she should be straddling my hips, not the horse’s mids
ection. Past her, I catch sight of Olivia, and instantly the excitement dies. Olivia, a huge grin on her face, is obviously enjoying the freedom of this new riding space.

  While the extra land makes me nervous, I see what Emma is doing. She’s showing Olivia she trusts her. That she’s got this. That all her lessons and hard work has paid off.

  It’s a shame when the time draws to a close and the woman and girl ride toward the gate side by side. I follow, feeling like a third wheel as they talk barn speak about the horses. But something about it, perhaps Emma’s easy treatment of Olivia, maybe the way Olivia is looking up at Emma like she worships her, something feels so very normal.

  But it’s not, I remind myself. I’m here to get Emma’s ranch. I’m here to figure out a way to get her to sell. And I’ve been failing spectacularly. So I’m going to break out the big guns. If I get Emma to fall for me, I could marry her.

  If I marry her, I could take control of her ranch.

  If I have control, I could move her out and away. I could destroy the old house. I could segment everything into parcels. I could build my subdivision of condos. And Emma could live a lavish life. It’s not a bad thing. Hell, I could enjoy being tied to her, even. And if we wind up unhappy, well, divorce isn’t unheard of.

  The only thing stopping me from moving forward is fear.

  Fear of hurting Olivia.

  If she gets attached, then everything ends in divorce, I’m not the one who’d be hurt. Hell, Even if it hurt Emma, she’s a big girl. She’d move on. But Olivia is my daughter. I need to find a way to handle things delicately. I need to find a way to protect her.

  The drive home is silent yet again, despite my attempts to engage.

  “You did great today,” I tell her, needing her to know I noticed her progress.

  She says nothing, then surprises me. “Do you love Emma?”