Reece guided her into the elevator and before the doors had fully closed, he was on her.
His touch was angry, hot, intense and she met him with the same emotion.
They were two burning comets smashing into each other, obliterating everything in their universe, determined to be the last one standing.
But they were both disintegrating.
Tana wasn’t even sure how they managed to make it inside the loft but within seconds, their clothes were off and they were skin on skin.
Rubbing, touching, tasting.
A groan escaped her lips as his hands roved, squeezing her breasts, pinching the hardened nipples as her pelvis grew heavy with need.
Words were unnecessary between them.
Touch was what they required.
As if the need to feel had eclipsed their need for air.
Reece was insatiable.
“Fuck, Tana,” he growled with a dark hunger that thrilled her senseless. “I need you so bad.”
With a quick motion, he bent her over the leather sofa, the cool, smooth texture rubbing her nipples as his fingers sought out her damp slit.
“You’re mine, baby girl,” his voice rough and raw, sending shockwaves through Tana’s body. “Everything you are, everything you will be…mine. Do you hear me?”
YES! Even if her lips wouldn’t allow the word to slip free, her body sang it loud and shrill as he found her clit and pinched the swollen nub, causing her to jerk and gasp.
Closing her eyes, she awaited the feel of his cock splitting her open but when the wet slide of his tongue breached her twin halves, she shuddered with an unknown pleasure as nerve endings became electric.
“Oh God, Reece…Reece!”
Tana didn’t have time to be embarrassed or shy, the pleasure of his tongue teasing a taboo place was all she could register.
She gripped the sofa, clenching her fingers around the soft leather, her breathing shallow.
Moisture dripped down her thigh as her juices slicked her insides, desperate for more.
Mindless with need, she squirmed against his mouth, pressing back, groaning as his tongue penetrated her ass.
OHHH MY GOD!
A litany of babbling threatened to erupt from her mouth as his tongue circled and teased, while his finger rubbed her G spot, thrumming that secret place deep inside her that made the world disappear.
Suddenly, Reece pulled away, grabbed a handful of her hair and wrenched her head back as he shoved his cock inside her.
The brutal invasion sent shockwaves of pleasure rippling through her as he pinned her to the sofa with his cock, his hand buried in her hair forcing her to accept him.
It was amazing and terrifying at the same time.
Reece thrust against her, each flex of his hips driving his cock deeper until she could do nothing but shudder with the intensity of each slam lifting her on her toes.
There was no escape.
Nowhere to go but into the void, which she gratefully did.
Tumbling into darkness, Tana lost her grip on reality as her body exploded with pleasure, clenching every muscle and stopping time for a heartbeat.
Dimly she heard Reece shout like a wild man as he came, flooding her insides with his seed and yet he continued to thrust against her with jerky, erratic movements as if he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
Finally, he stumbled away from her and she turned in time to see him slam against the wall as he slid down, his legs spread akimbo, his face flushed.
He rested his head in his hand, propped against his knee and struggled to catch his breath.
What’d just happened?
Reece slowly rose to his feet, saying, “Stay. Or go. Your choice. I’m going to bed” before disappearing into the bedroom.
Her dignity cried out to dress and leave but her feet refused to carry out what her brain was screaming.
The bed called.
The bed with Reece in it.
It was freezing outside.
Finding a cab would be dicey.
Perhaps in the interest of safety…
Oh hell, just admit what was going on.
She didn’t want to leave.
“Son of a bitch,” Tana muttered as she stalked to the bedroom and climbed into the bed, bumping Reece’s naked body roughly with her behind. “Scoot over, you bed hog. And if you start snoring I will stuff a sock in your mouth.”
“Same to you,” Reece responded sleepily before he was out.
And lightly snoring.
A reluctant smile found her lips before Tana joined him.
***
Reece awoke to find Tana gone the following morning. He hadn’t expected her to stay, not after he’d treated her so badly last night but he’d hoped that maybe, hell, he didn’t know what he was hoping for.
Time was up.
Reece had used up the last of his loose cash and he was fucked.
He had to give Dillon the information.
Humiliation burned in his gut at how low his cousin had brought him.
To freeze his accounts was the ultimate bitch slap and he wanted to knock the teeth out of Dillon’s smug face.
A logical voice — that was completely foreign to him — told him to come clean with Tana, tell her that Dillon was squeezing him to find something he can use to win the case but his pride balked at the idea.
How was that conversation supposed to go?
Hey, Tana, remember how I was filthy rich and took you on all those awesome, exotic adventures? Yeah, well, can’t do that anymore ‘cause I’m flat-ass broke. Still want to cuddle?
His cheeks flared with heat and he groaned as he punched the pillow next to him.
C’mon, get real.
Playtime was over.
He’d always known this wasn’t going to last so why hold onto something that was a short-term thing?
He needed his money.
Dillon, the fucking prick, had pegged Reece right on the nose when he’d said poverty wasn’t his style.
Riding in a taxi cab wasn’t his style.
And why didn’t Sutton stick up for him? He was his goddamn older brother.
And yet, Sutton couldn’t be bothered with Reece’s situation to get Dillon to stand down?
It was one fucking building.
As if the Buchanan empire didn’t already have a ton of them.
This was a power play and Dillon wanted to see how far he could push Reece.
Well, he’d pushed him too far.
That was for damn sure.
Dillon was in the city, likely at the Buchanan penthouse.
Time to pay his cousin a visit.
bookmark: 21
Chapter 21
z
Tana quietly let herself into the brownstone to find Frannie ready, winding her scarf around her neck with a warm smile. “Late night?”
“Yeah something like that,” Tana mumbled, trying to stave off the odd tingle of tears at the back of her nose. She was not going to cry over Reece.
Ridiculous.
She should’ve left last night.
But she hadn’t.
Tana looked to Frannie. “Have you ever…I mean, how do you know…never mind.” What was she thinking? Her mind was a mess. “I’m sorry. You must be exhausted and here I am blubbering on about nothing.”
“Don’t mind me. My internal clock is all wonky by this point in my career. I’ve been taking the night shifts for as long as I can remember. I’ll crash around noon. You need to talk about something? I have a few minutes I can spare.”
Frannie’s conspiratorial wink was nearly Tana’s undoing. Her Grams used to do the same thing. She blinked back tears.
“I do need to talk to someone,” Tana admitted with a watery cry and suddenly she was folded into Frannie’s arms like a lost duckling.
“There, there, it can’t be as bad as all that,” Frannie patted Tana’s head with a soothing murmur. “What’s this all about?”
Tana pulled away and wiped he
r running nose. “I think I did the worst thing I could’ve ever done.”
“That bad?” Frannie’s brow went up. “How bad are we talking?”
“I did the last thing I knew I shouldn’t do. I’m so stupid.”
“Dearheart, you have to tell me what’s going on. I’m starting to worry. Do you need an alibi?”
Tana laughed and shook her head. “I need a lobotomy, though. Do you think you could manage that?”
“Sorry, not my expertise. However, I can put on a pot of water and make some tea. How about that?”
“Sure.” Tana nodded, plopping into a chair at the dining room table. “Though I doubt a cup of tea is going to fix the mess I’ve put myself in.”
“You never know. Tea is a powerful thing. Why do you think it’s so important in England?”
Tana chuckled at Frannie’s silly humor and waited for her cup of tea before spilling her guts.
“Okay, tell me what’s so bad that you’re looking like you need to leave the country.”
Tana drew a deep breath and as the words jumped to her tongue, her eyes began to water again and she couldn’t speak.
“Oh, sweetie. It’s not that bad.”
Tana nodded vehemently. “Oh, it is. It’s wretched.” Frannie waited for Tana to elaborate. Tana knew she had to just spit it out. No matter that she mentally cringed at the very idea. “I fell in love with Reece Buchanan.” Then she covered her face to hide from her own shame. “I’m such an idiot.”
Frannie drew back, confused. “You mean that nice young man who’s been squiring you about? Taking you to nice places and putting those roses in your cheeks? Maybe I’ve been out of the game too long but…how is this a bad thing? Seems pretty lucky in my book.”
“He’s a Buchanan,” she said simply. “They’re liars and cheats.”
“Says who?”
“Says everybody whose ever crossed them.”
“Are you crossing this Buchanan man?”
“Well, no. I mean, sort of. Reece’s family wants to tear down my grandfather’s building. I’m fighting tooth and nail to keep it.”
Frannie took a long moment before she framed her response carefully, taking Tana’s hand gently as she said, “Honey, do you have the money to restore the building?” At Tana’s sad shake of her head, Frannie continued with a sigh, “I know it’s hard to let go of things but sometimes their place in our lives has run its course. That building is falling down piece by piece. Sooner or later, it’s just going to be dangerous.”
“But it will kill my papa to know it’s gone.”
“Your papa is a wonderful man. But his mind isn’t his own any longer. Within six months, he will lose what lucidity he has left. Then you will be left with a building that you can’t sell, and a heartbreak that you can’t shake. So tell me…why are you fighting to keep something that brings you nothing but pain?”
“You don’t understand…my papa put everything he had into that building. It means the world to him.”
“I think you’re wrong,” Frannie said gently. “I think you mean the world to him…not some falling down building.”
Tana stared at Frannie, protests ready and hot on her tongue but there was some truth to what Frannie was saying. A truth that was hard to swallow.
“But what about the history of the building? The Tamarack meant something to this city. Why doesn’t it mean something now?”
Frannie sighed. “Honey, that’s a question that we probably won’t get answers to. Not everything is meant to survive the test of time. It’s a hard truth and even harder to swallow when something means the world to you. But, realistically, what is the best case scenario for the Tamarack?”
Tana shrugged unhappily. She didn’t know. Now that her one potential investor had split, she had nothing. All she had was the conviction of a broken-hearted, desperate granddaughter to hold everything together.
And that wasn’t enough.
“Are you saying I ought to cave and let Buchanan Enterprises mow it down?” Even saying the words was difficult. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I can’t do that. I just can’t do that to my grandfather. Maybe he only has a little time left but I can’t do that to him.”
“Have you tried talking to the Buchanans? You’re pretty persuasive. Maybe you can persuade them to restore the building instead of knocking it down.”
“Why would they do that?” Tana retorted mulishly, feeling backed into a corner.
But Frannie just chuckled and tucked a lock of Tana’s hair behind her ear, saying, “Well, maybe because a Buchanan is in love with you.”
Tana startled. In love? Reece?
“You’re wrong,” she stammered, unable to fathom Reece falling for her. “I mean…he couldn’t…right?”
“I’ve never seen men do more for women they don’t care for but I’ve seen men do less for women they supposedly love. This Reece seems like he cares for you a lot. What do his actions say to you?”
Tana bit her lip.
Was Frannie right?
Did Reece love her?
And if he did…what did that mean for them both?
***
“Tana! You better be dead or incapacitated because otherwise I’m going to kill you!”
Tana emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head to find Gypsy glaring at her. Frowning, she asked, “What are you yelling about?”
“I’ve been trying to reach you for days! Don’t you answer your phone? This is important.”
Oh crap. She’d forgotten again to call Gypsy back.
Tana sent a chagrined look Gypsy’s way. “Sorry, I saw your missed call and when I planned to call you back, I got distracted. Things have been kinda rough. Reece and I—”
“That’s exactly what I need to talk to you about,” Gypsy cut in, surprising Tana. “I have something terrible to tell you and I can’t believe I have to be the one to deliver the bad news.”
“What?” Tana asked, dreading whatever Gypsy was gearing up to share. “What’s going on?”
“The other night, your mother, of all people, came into Nos during my shift. Normally, I would’ve avoided her like the plague but she started talking about Reece and I had to eavesdrop.”
“Reece?” Tana repeated, feeling queasy. “What do you mean? Why would my mom be talking about Reece?”
“Tana…she was bragging that Reece was going to find out how to bring down your case and when he does, she’s getting a fat check for her help. And then, I remembered something I let slip the other day with Reece and I felt like throwing up.”
Tana waited, holding her breath, afraid she might vomit.
“I accidentally let slip that your papa was slowly losing his marbles. Then, when I heard your mom blabbering on about everything she was going to buy with the Buchanan money, I realized if Reece and your mom were working together, then what I let slip could be exactly what he was looking for to tank your case.”
Tana lost strength in her legs and sank to the sofa, her breath catching painfully in her chest.
Of course Reece didn’t love her.
Never had.
He was using Tana for an advantage.
It would’ve been just a matter of time before Tana had shared Papa’s secret to Reece and he’d been waiting her out. “Oh God,” she breathed, doubling over. “I’m going to be sick.”
“Tana, I’m so sorry! You were right about that scumbag Buchanan and I feel terrible for encouraging anything between you. He was just so charming and handsome and seemed like a really good guy that I ignored what you’d been telling me about that fucking family. I feel like the worst best friend ever.”
“It’s not your fault,” Tana said, finding her voice, though it came out scratchy and raw. “I should’ve known better.”
“This isn’t your fault,” Gypsy disagreed vehemently. “This is his fault. He’s to blame. I can’t believe that sneaky bastard could do this. And to work with your mother…blech. That’s just wrong on so many levels.
You don’t think…” Tana looked at Gypsy sharply and Gypsy stopped, taking the hint, finishing with a hasty, “No, he wouldn’t sink that low. I’m sure of it.”
Tana’s head was spinning. “I’m going to kill him.”
Gypsy bit her lip. “There’s more.”
“More?”
“Your mom was saying that Reece was the one who killed the deal with Revitalize.”
“What?”
“She didn’t say how but she said he was definitely the one who was responsible for Revitalize pulling out. He’s a rotten snake and I just want to punch his lights out for you.”
Reece had killed her Revitalize deal?
Why hadn’t she seen this coming?
Of course he had!
How could she have been blind to what was right in front of her face?
What an idiot she was!
“You’ll have to get in line,” Tana returned, fury blotting out the hurt. “If he dares to show his face again, I swear I’ll murder him.”
“If you need help, I have five thousand dollars I can put to the job.”
Tana knew Gypsy was joking but her best friend’s love and support soothed her ragged heart.
She didn’t blame Gypsy for being the bearer of bad news. Lord knew Gypsy was as solid as they came.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, rubbing her temple.
She needed a plan.
Tana needed to squash whatever tender feelings remained for Reece MOTHERFUCKING Buchanan so she could think straight again.
And that required some solitude.
“For now, I need time to think before my shift.”
“I understand,” Gypsy said, hugging her tight. “Call me if you need anything. Including an alibi.”
Tana offered a weak smile as Gypsy waved goodbye and left.
Reece had lied.
Reece had used her.
Reece…had tricked her into falling in love.
Of all the sins listed against Reece…the last one was the worst.
bookmark: 22
Chapter 22
z
Reece burst into the Buchanan penthouse, completely enraged.
The door slammed so hard against the wall that the door knob left a hole in the exquisitely expensive wall paper.
Pushed (Billionaire romance): Pursued By The Billionaire (Buchanan Romance Book 2) Page 15
