by Ali Parker
“I won’t take no for an answer.” Kent looked over toward Bethany. “Did you have plans tonight or are you good with us talking over dinner?”
“I’m great with it.” Bethany forced a smile, hating the idea of having to sit between Erica and Damon at dinner. She had almost convinced herself that they had been involved on some level. How could they not?
“Is Matthew going to be there?” Erica asked, her voice softening a little.
“Did you want me to have him there?” Kent moved back as Erica walked in between them, her attention on Kent.
“Yes. I’ve not given up on convincing him to come join me. The man has talent.”
“So you say, but I’ve seen nothing other than him remaining locked in his college days. I swear that boy’s going to be the death of me.” Kent shook his head, his smile telling a different story.
“Not everyone can be Damon, boss.” Erica walked out into the hall as Bethany turned to Kent.
“Erica wants Matt to work for her or…”
“Yeah. Matt’s always been very artistic, and a few months ago Erica had me send him up to Seattle to spend time helping her develop a new advertisement for us. She seems to be quite taken with his talent.”
“Have you seen the ad?” Bethany asked, surprise rolling over her at the new information.
“Nope. He’s tight-lipped about it. He thinks he has us all bamboozled, but we know he’s brilliant. Just because he’s not an accountant like Damon and I, he thinks he has to act like an idiot to stay under my radar. What he fails to understand is that I would never force him into a mold that he doesn’t fit into.”
Bethany walked back to her office in sensory overload. Between the heated encounter with Damon and the run-in with yet another beautiful woman that had been in his life far before her, she was spent. She walked into her office and stopped short as her chair turned.
“That took too long.” Damon smiled and nodded to her door. “Close that.”
She stood frozen in place, his voice low and commanding. Desire rolled over her in waves as she tried to remember how to speak.
“I’m not going to ask you again, baby.” He licked his lips and stood.
Bethany turned and closed the door, moving to face him as she pressed her back to it. “There are a ton of people around here. No way we’re doing anything in this office. Let’s go to the big one upstairs if you’re feeling…”
“Turned on by you?” he asked and stopped a few feet from her, extending his hand to her. “Did you like Erica?”
“Were you and her together before us?”
Damn. She hadn’t wanted to ask, and honestly didn’t want to know. She put her hands in Damon’s, and yelped softly as he pulled her flush against him, her heel almost catching on the carpet. He wrapped his strong arms around her waist and looked down at her, heat filling his gaze.
“And if I said yes?”
“I don’t know. She’s far more beautiful than me.”
“I wish you could see what I see.” He kissed her nose before releasing her. He turned and pushed the papers off her desk, the heaps of files flying to the floor on both sides of the cherry wood structure. “No. We weren’t together. She’s into Matt and I’ve never found her remotely attractive. She likes art for god’s sakes.”
Bethany took a step back before forcing a laugh. “Art isn’t all bad.”
“Hush.” He moved back toward her, pulling her close and leaning down to consume her mouth. He groaned softly, his arms so tight around her that it was hard to breathe. She pulled back a little as he licked and kissed at her mouth before moving down to her neck.
“We are not doing this in here.”
“Yes, we are. I told you that night at the club that you had a choice.”
“Yes, and I went home with you. Being naked and shaking on my desk at work is not on my to-do list.”
“That’s okay. It’s on mine.” He pulled back and smiled. “You’re beyond beautiful to me. Don’t forget that.”
She pressed up on her toes, capturing his lips again, needing his words to be made manifest. So many changes as of late had left her barren and questioning everything. He pulled back and slipped out of his jacket before walking to the door and locking it.
“No moaning loudly. I don’t want to have to reprimand you in front of our CEO for schlepping it up in your office with some poor unsuspecting male.” He laughed as her mouth dropped open. “What? It could happen.”
She pressed her rear against the desk and lifted an eyebrow. “Oh? You’re good with me schlepping it up with some other guy?”
“Fuck no,” he growled and moved toward her, wrapping his hands around her waist and lifting her to sit on the desk. He glanced down as his fingers pressed into the flesh of her lower thigh before dragging her skirt up as he pushed. “I’m the unsuspecting male.”
“No one will believe that.” Bethany reached up and ran her fingers through his hair before pulling him down for another kiss. Hunger pulsed through her as the smell of his skin and cologne filled her senses. “God you smell good.”
He licked at her mouth before lowering her back on the desk. He ran his hand over her breast, squeezing softly and tugging her down toward him. “I want these fucking clothes off of you, and yet there’s something so desperate about fucking you while you’re still dressed, like I can’t bother with taking the time to strip you bare.”
“Stop talking and take me. I need you inside of me,” she whispered.
He made her bold. His confidence becoming hers quickly. He would fill any need she had and it was damn time she started taking advantage of that.
“Yeah… Lift your ass.”
She did and he pushed her skirt the rest of the way up as he let out a sound of appreciation as the skirt ripped down the side. “You should be punished for lying.”
Bethany laughed and reached up, pulling on his tie hard as he bent over her. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Damon’s gaze locked onto hers as he freed himself from his slacks, the sound of the material hitting the ground sending a rush through her. He buried his face into the soft skin between her breasts, his tongue lapping at her as his fingers pushed the panties aside.
“So wet, Beth. You need this?”
“I’ve been thinking about you all morning. I’ll always need you.” She groaned and wrapped her legs around him, pulling herself down the desk further as he nipped at her chin and stood.
“Good girl.” He pulled hard on her hips, filling her with his large cock. She arched and groaned, bucking once against him. “If you make another loud noise I’m going to be forced to put something over that pretty mouth of yours. I don’t wanna do that, but something tells me you might like it if I did.”
He rolled his hips as she closed her eyes, the sound of his voice and the weight of his threats pulling her to the edge of ecstasy so fast. He held on tightly to her, his body working deep rhythms as he panted softly.
Beth glanced up at him, the look on his handsome face throwing her over the edge. She arched hard again, a deep moan ripping from her. Damon pressed himself to the top of her, his palm covering her mouth as he picked up his pace.
“Your wicked little moans are going to get us caught, pussycat.” He rocked into her faster, the friction delicious, the sound of their fucking overwhelming her. She moaned against his fingers before licking and sucking at them. His eyes rolled back as he groaned. She bit his fingers hard and he groaned loudly as he moved his hand from her mouth.
“Hush before you get us caught.” She leaned up and kissed him hard, her feet pressing to the edge of the desk as she lifted her hips and tugged hard on his sex with her body.
“Oh fuck. I’m gonna come if you keep that shit up.”
She jerked harder as he growled and stood back up. His fingers slipped between them, his thumb pressing tightly against her clit.
“Work yourself against me. I want to hear you once more.”
“I thought you… Said to… To hush,” s
he panted softly before coming again.
“Mmmm, I changed my mind. Those little needy sounds pouring from you drive me mad, Beth.” He moved back and pulled her legs up, closing them and lifting them in front of her before pressing back inside of her as she whimpered. He kissed her legs and licked at her ankle as he worked his hips. A moment later his eyes closed, the last inch of him being forced inside of her as the world dissolved into wicked heat.
“More,” she moaned, and gripped the desk to press against his assault.
“Take it then. It’s yours. Own it, baby.” He jerked his hips, the sweet slap of him against her, mixed with his words, left her in mindless shivers.
He was hers, and owning him sounded too good to be true.
Chapter 3
The sun pressed against her exposed shoulders as she walked to class. The world somehow righted because of Damon’s hands having been all over her. How the man made her feel so good in so many ways was still mind-blowing. She left holding her skirt as he walked closely beside her. The rip wasn’t horrible, but enough to where she was more than mortified by the idea of walking out with it. They were both laughing by the time they reached her car.
He had leaned over as she rolled the window down, the look in his eyes leaving her breathless. He was going to tell her… He had almost said it. It was on the tip of his tongue surely. She shouldn’t have saved him from the heaviness of the moment, but the truth was - she loved him. He would express himself when he was ready. She was more than sure of his feelings for her… He showed it more than anyone before.
Bethany reached up to ensure her sleeveless white top was positioned properly. The last thing she would want is for Kendal to think she was trying to dress seductively. Her black slacks worked well with the shirt, giving her a business casual appeal, while still allowing her to be comfortable. She walked into the business building and removed her sun glasses, blinking a few times to let her eyes adjust. A warmth pressed between her legs, the soreness of Damon taking his pleasure at such a deep angle resonating with her.
So fucking hot.
She walked into the large auditorium as Kendal looked up from the podium at the front. He pulled his glasses off and looked around, as if confused. “Is it Thursday? I’ve been thinking it was Wednesday all day. Weren’t you just here yesterday?”
Bethany laughed and dropped her purse and notepad in one of the chairs in the front row before sitting down in another one. “I need to work today and tomorrow if you’re okay with that. I’ll be out of town until mid-next week because of my parents getting married.”
“Your parents are getting married?” He lifted his eyebrow, the smirk on the side of his mouth endearing.
“My mom is marrying Damon’s dad.”
“Wow. That’s a plot twist.” Kendal laughed and moved around the podium before hopping off the stage. His corduroy pants fit him well, but he was one of the only men she had ever seen pull them off well.
“Right? That’s part of the struggle I guess.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“Not really. I’m not sure what to say other than the fact that it depresses the hell out of me.” She shrugged and looked up at him as he stopped a comfortable distance from her, leaning back against the stage.
“I understand that, but it’s not like you’re blood related, Bethany.” He shrugged as if it wasn’t that big of a deal.
“It’s no different than you falling for one of your students, but you’re hell bent on not letting that happen.” She tilted her head, letting her lip lift as he shook his head in denial.
“Not even close. I’m bound by my agreement with the university and I’m in my thirties. I’m not interested in a college-aged tart.” He blushed as he held up his hands. “Not that you’re a college-aged…”
She cut him off with a loud laugh that felt good. “I get it, but most of the students here are far old enough for a relationship, Dr. Tarrington.”
“It’s different and this is your counseling session, not mine.”
“It is, you’re right. Mine is way worse. It will look like incest.” She stood up and stretched. “Enough of this… Besides, you don’t even come close to having the degree to counsel anyone.”
“True… Sort of. You got tax problems?” He smiled and she couldn’t help but chuckle. If Damon hadn’t swept her into a world where only he existed, she would be in line with the other thousand girls to try and snag Kendal. He seemed too good to be true, but Damon did too.
“No, but I’ll know where to come if I do.” She pointed toward the large white board, his scribbles everywhere. “You want me to work up some lecture notes for your classes starting next week?”
“Yep. Just like yesterday. Let’s look at the syllabus as well.”
“Will do.” She walked around the stage and jogged up the stairs as he hoisted himself back up. “Impressive. Ever been in a rock band?”
“Yep. I’m a guitar player through and through.” He wagged his eyebrows playfully.
“Wow. As if you weren’t attractive enough. Yeah, don’t go around bragging about that.”
“No shit, right?” He shrugged and pulled out a few papers from the lectern, handing them to Bethany. “Hey, any news on your friend?”
“Jake?”
“Yes. I haven’t heard anything since talking to his parents last week.”
“He’s still not woken up, but I’m going to visit today. I’ll let you know if anything changes.”
“Man… I thought my college days were hard with all the crazy girls that just acted bazaar.”
“What’s the worst thing that happened?”
“Um no. When you’re not my TA we’ll talk.”
“How about me, you and Damon over beers? Story time?”
“Corona?”
“You bet.”
“Sign me up.” He laughed and pointed to something on the page, extending it toward her. “I’ll be starting here, but it jumps around a bit. Just do what you can.”
“No problem.” She took it and walked back down to one of the small desks.
“Did they convict the girl who stabbed Jake?”
“Not yet, but there’s too much evidence to believe it might have been anyone else.” Bethany let out a long sigh, her heart heavy. “Krista was my roommate for the last four years. Her mother said that she has bipolar disorder, but it’s never been this bad. I know it’s silly, but I can’t help but think that falling in love with Jake and being rejected is what pushed her over.”
“Could be a possibility. Most people with the illness take medication.”
“I’m sure she does too, but love has a way of rooting itself in deeply and jacking you up.” Bethany shook her head, still in a bit of shock over having the situation happen. “Just scary.”
“I think it’s a predisposition too though, Beth. Can I call you Beth?”
“Bethany please.” She tapped her pencil on the desk in front of her. Only Damon called her Beth and she wanted to keep it that way. Made it somehow more special. “So because she had been hurt before, you think it opened her up to being violent about it?”
“I think that someone who’s wanted love for a long time and finally gets it, feels a sense of ownership over it. Sometimes to the point of it being unhealthy. It becomes more like an obsession.”
“And when that love is denied or taken away they snap?” Bethany sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, her thoughts sliding from Krista to Damon. How long had he been opposed to loving someone?
“Sometimes, but I think it depends on the person.” Kendal moved to the edge of the stage again, squatting. “Take Damon for instance. He’s had plenty of shallow relationships, but he’s never, in all our years together, introduced me to anyone he claimed or called his girlfriend.”
“But what if something happened and he lost me? Would you think he would be violent?”
“Are you worried?” Kendal tilted his head to the side a little, his gaze inquisitive.
“No. I
love him too much to think about a future without him. I don’t think it’s the situation with us, but I can’t help but wonder.”
“That’s natural. He loves you too. I can tell. Has he told you yet?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“I fell in love with a sophomore student of mine about six years ago and nothing happened, but my life fell apart because of it. Her parents sued the school and me for inappropriate behavior. That’s why I give my speech. I’m not interested in fucking up my life again. Love can kiss my ass for what it’s worth.”
Bethany sat in silence as if she’d been slapped. Never in a million years had she expected Kendal to share his story. She, of course, wanted to know more, but there was no way she was pushing him. They were destined to have a friendship whether she felt like it was a good idea or not. From what she could tell, he was loyal to Damon and she knew she was… So maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Damn…” She glanced down at the papers in front of her as the image of Damon’s expression when she mentioned loving him rolled across her vision. “I told him that I loved him and he looked like he had seen a ghost.”
“He’s got a lot of demons in his past. Give him time, Bethany. He’s a really good man, but he’ll force you to push past a load of bullshit before you get to see that guy.”
“I know. Protection mechanism, right?”
“Yep. We all have them, and for good reason.”
“He’s letting me in slowly, I just have to stick to the course.”
“You’ll be glad you did.”
She headed to the hospital after wrapping up her job assignments with Kendal. Damon texted that he would meet her there, but she told him to hold off. She needed time alone with Jake. Hopefully Damon would understand that, but maybe not. The fact that Jake had been texting her, begging for help the night of the accident left her raw and scarred.
She should have been there for him and yet she was getting laid on a couch, only concerned with her drive toward lusting Damon into loving her.
