This lying thing was getting old, but I tried to tell myself it was for a good cause. Plastering my most charming smile on my face, I went out into the hallway and tapped the night janitor on the shoulder. “I have a strange favor to ask. I was in the library earlier on and I think my earring fell off in there. Would you happen to have a key I could use?”
He hesitated but only for a moment. I was, after all, a college employee. He pulled a large silver key out of the pocket of his coveralls. “Just make sure you lock the door when you’re done,” he cautioned before handing it to me. “And bring the key right back!”
“I will, I promise! Thank you!”
Chapter 10
When I laid eyes on Hayden, it was like for one brief moment, all was right in the world. As I stood just inside the library doors watching him stride across campus looking tall, muscular and completely in control, I was filled with a sense that everything would be okay. I lit up inside, startled by how brightly I still burned for him.
“Hayden!” I called, stepping outside and waving to make my presence known. I wanted to run to him and launch myself into his arms, but I hesitated. I’d been the first person he’d opened up to in years. He’d broken all his rules for me and even risked his life. In return, I’d deceived him and left him while he slept. Would he even want to catch me if I jumped?
The answer, as it turned out, was in his stride. As soon as he laid eyes on me, Hayden Slate the heir to a fortune broke into a run. Sprinting the rest of the way until he reached me, he moved with agility and grace. But it was so unlike him to break that carefully constructed air of control that it spoke volumes.
“Daniella!” he gasped as he came to stand in front of me, his hands gripping my arms just above my elbows. “Are you alright?” The moonlight illuminated his handsome face, which was full of concern for me. I couldn’t help but think he looked like a movie star who belonged on the silver screen instead of in some sleepy little college town. But I was glad he was there. Actually, glad didn’t even begin to describe it.
Opening my mouth to answer him, no sound came out.
“Daniella?” he urged, his fingers gently brushing my long dark hair back from my face.
As though it was instinct, I wordlessly wrapped my arms around his neck. That one simple gesture seemed to melt the last of Hayden’s defences and he lifted me up with ease. His embrace felt like home, warm, loving and safe. “You’re not mad at me for leaving?” I whispered, my lips almost grazing his earlobe.
He shook his head. “At first I was,” he admitted. “I was hurt and embarrassed. But it pales in comparison to what I did to you.”
It was clear he was still harboring guilt for the awful things he’d said to me. A short while ago I would have said he deserved to feel guilty but now, knowing what I did, I wanted to absolve him of regret. “You had your reasons,” I reminded him. “I understand that now.”
“And you had your reasons as well,” he agreed. “I should have known you don’t take orders from anyone – at least not outside of the bedroom,” he added with a glimmer in his eye. “You’ve worked hard for the life you have here. I admire that you’re not willing to just walk away from it. You’re a strong woman, Daniella. Your independence is a pain in the ass sometimes, but it’s also pretty damn sexy.”
Our lips brushed then and just like that, all bets were off.
We half-tumbled into the library foyer, our bodies pressed together in a tangle of limbs. “The art gallery is over there,” I managed to breathe, pointing in the direction of the door. But despite the urgency of our situation, we were suddenly in no hurry to get out of there. Something else had become more urgent.
The library had always been my sanctuary. It was housed inside an impressive old building with a rich history. The interior had that familiar, comforting musty smell of old books. In this day and age of electronic readers and online research, there was something sacred about the scent of a well-worn book and the words patiently waiting between its pages.
For Hayden and I to have that entire library to ourselves was something special. But for once it wasn’t the books I was interested in; it was him. He’d come back for me. Even after I’d pushed him away, he’d put everything – including his life – on the line to see to it that I was safe. That chivalrous attitude was one of the things that had initially drawn me to Hayden Slate. There was something so hot about knowing the lengths to which he’d go to protect me.
Hayden carried me over to one of the tables in the center of the library. I’d sat there many times over the years as I’d studied for finals and researched papers. But I’d certainly never been bent over the table and undressed by a tall, handsome heir before…until now.
My hands were pinned beneath my body, effectively immobilizing me. I wondered if Hayden had deliberately put me in that position and then inwardly scoffed at myself. Nothing Hayden Slate did was accidental. Trust him to bind me even without restraints.
We didn’t have much time. We both knew it, though neither of us said so aloud. We had to make the most of what little time we had – even a few extra minutes was a risk. We could be caught. The night janitor could come along…or someone worse. It was risky, what we were doing. But in that moment we only had eyes for each other.
I felt Hayden push my skirt up until it was bunched around my waist. Then he yanked my panties down, grunting in approval when he discovered I was already soaking wet. It never ceased to amaze me how the well-spoken, magnetic heir could be transformed to a wild, sex-crazy animal the moment he got me naked. It thrilled me to my core every time.
The cool air kissed my hot flesh, reminding me of just how exposed I was. I could only imagine the eyeful Hayden was getting as he stood behind me, my smooth-shaven pussy bulging obscenely from between my thighs, wet and ready. There was something thrilling about being in such a vulgar and submissive position.
“Do you still remember our safeword?” Hayden asked.
“Yes.” How could I forget? His kinky, exciting sex games would stay with me forever.
“Knock on the tabletop if you can’t say it.”
At once, he was draped across my back, his muscular torso pinning me to the table. I gasped as I felt his hands close around my neck and his hardness slam into me from behind. Just like that our bodies were one. The position Hayden had me in was one of complete and utter domination – I was completely at his mercy. And I loved every second of it.
His strong fingers pressed against my neck, restricting my oxygen. Breath play was something that had never appealed to me before; it seemed dangerous and completely unsexy. But everything Hayden did to me turned me on, even if on its face it was frightening or demeaning.
And in my heart of hearts, I knew I was safe with him. He’d gone to great lengths to ensure my safety, even putting my well-being before his own. If that wasn’t proof of enough, I didn’t know what was. Hayden would push me to my breaking point, sure, but at his core he was gentle and kind. That knowledge allowed me to trust him fully and to surrender to him completely.
As Hayden controlled every aspect of my being, right down to my breathing, I felt the desire in my loins building. His cock was pumping my pussy as though his life depended on it. With every inward thrust I could feel the tip grazing my g-spot, awakening all those sensitive nerve endings that were hidden away so deep inside me.
I whimpered and pushed back against him, searching for my release.
His grip on my neck tightened and I began to see stars. I could feel my heart rate increasing as my head began to swim. Momentarily, I wondered if he was going too far. What if he underestimated his own strength and choked me?
Despite my fears, my body craved an orgasm like it craved oxygen. My hands were still pinned beneath me and with a little maneuvering I was able to reach my clit. It was as hard as a pebble, sticking out excitedly and begging for attention. I stroked my fingertip over the engorged flesh and felt my body immediately tighten.
Hayden felt it too. He chuc
kled as my inner muscles clamped down hard on his cock, milking him. “Normally touching yourself without my permission would earn you a spanking, but I love the way your pussy is squeezing my cock,” he growled in my ear. “Make yourself cum, Daniella. I want to feel every spasm and shudder.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. There was a time when I would have been embarrassed to play with my pussy in front of anyone else, but my need was so great that at that moment, shame had no place in my world. My fingers flew across my swollen clit, rubbing it hard in a fast circular motion until I exploded.
Screaming wasn’t an option, and not just because we couldn’t afford to draw any attention to ourselves. I could barely even breathe with Hayden’s hands around my neck. My head spun as my pussy began to spasm. The lack of oxygen only served to intensify my orgasm, making me that much more aware of the pleasurable pulses attacking my nervous system.
I was completely consumed by my release – and what a sweet release it was.
“Mmm, your pussy is squeezing my cock so hard,” Hayden grunted as he released his grip on my throat and grabbed my hips, pulling me back toward him. I gasped for air, flushed and panting as he drove himself into me over and over until he reached completion.
Hayden pulled me to him, penetrating me deeper than ever before. He felt massive inside of me, stretching me wide open, claiming me as his own. The intimate invasion caused renewed pleasure to ripple through my exhausted body. I involuntarily let out a deep, satisfied sigh as I slumped to the table beneath him.
Behind me, I could hear Hayden’s breathing, erratic and labored. In fact, I wasn’t sure but I thought I could even hear his heart beating in his chest. “Daniella,” he muttered as he struggled to regain his composure, “You’re going to be the death of me. But at least I’ll die the happiest man in the world.”
To know that my body had given him such pleasure was gratifying. But even though it was merely an expression, the mention of death sent a chill through me. Though there was nothing I’d rather do than curl up in Hayden’s arms, I knew we needed to get moving. “The gallery,” I reminded him as I stood on unsteady legs.
Wordlessly, he offered me his arm. With Hayden steadying me, we made our way to the small campus gallery. I immediately led him past the wall displays to the out-of-the-way storage room where I’d discovered the painting I suspected was the stolen original piece.
Even though he didn’t come right out and say it, I could tell Hayden had his doubts. He pulled the brown paper back gingerly and spent long moments just staring at what was concealed within. “I’ve never seen such a convincing print before,” he murmured, sounding impressed but dubious.
“So it is a print?” I asked anxiously, feeling let down. I’d been hoping for his sake that he’d find what he was looking for, no matter how unlikely that may be.
He didn’t answer. Instead he crouched down in front of the canvas and squinted at it. As I looked on barely daring to breathe, he examined every inch of the piece. I watched as his brow furrowed. Suddenly he seemed less sure of himself than he’d been moments earlier.
“Hayden?” I pressed, biting my lower lip.
“It doesn’t make sense,” he finally whispered, half to himself.
“What is it?”
He looked at me then and I saw the wonder in his eyes. “You were right,” he told me, seeming as though he was in a bit of a daze. “This is the original. But what’s it doing here of all places? It doesn’t make sense at all.”
I, of course, had no answer for him.
“We should get this out of here,” he announced as he abruptly stood up. He carefully pulled the paper back around the painting and repackaged it for transport. Then he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll have someone meet us here right away.”
“Hayden, I’m not so sure about your security team…”
“Neither am I,” he said immediately, alleviating my fears. It was clear the doubts I had were shared, and rightfully so. “Don’t worry, I’m not calling them. I’ll get someone I trust to come for us.”
I looked down then at the key tightly clutched in my fist. I was squeezing it so hard that it was probably going to leave an imprint on the palm of my hand. “I should return this to the night janitor before he comes looking for it,” I told Hayden. “Do I have time?”
“Can’t you leave it?”
I hesitated. “I promised I’d return it,” I told him. It was silly. Even in that moment, I recognized that it was silly. But I’d always thought of myself as a woman of integrity and lately I’d been thrust into such a bizarre scenario that I’d been telling little white lies left and right. I’d made a promise to the night janitor and, no matter how insignificant, I wanted to keep it.
Hayden didn’t argue with me. He could probably sense my reluctance to leave without fulfilling my promise. “We’ll have to hurry,” he cautioned. “I’ll come with you.”
“You can’t leave the painting here.”
“No, you’re right,” he conceded. “I’ll have to bring it along.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Should you really be carting around a painting worth millions?”
“Absolutely not,” he replied. “But you’re worth more to me than all the paintings in the world.”
“That’s sweet, but I can look after myself,” I insisted. “And you can’t afford to let anything happen to that painting,” I added, knowing it was valuable in ways that weren’t just monetary. “I’ll meet you out front in five minutes.”
“Daniella,” he said, stepping forward to catch my arm before I left. Even just that simple touch sent a rush of excitement surging through me. It felt like fireworks every time we touched and just like that, the butterflies in my stomach had been awakened.
I turned to him, feeling flushed and slightly giddy. “Yes?”
He looked jubilant, like he couldn’t quite believe what was happening. His eyes were sparkling and it seemed like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. To see him in such a state of joy was uplifting.
“Do you realize what this means?” he asked, sounding awed. “I can make a deal now. I can finally get whoever is behind the death threats off my back. They’ll have their painting and I’ll have my life back!”
“Is it really that simple, do you think?” It sounded too good to believe – but oh, how I wanted to believe it! Maybe I truly could have it all – my career, my life in Burlington and Hayden Slate. The thought was positively dizzying.
His fingers entwined with mine. “When I deliver the painting to whoever’s so hell bent on having it, I’ll be able to find out the identity of the person or persons behind the death threats. I’ll collect evidence and take it to the police. No one can come after us from jail. I won’t be a danger to you anymore, Daniella. We won’t have to live life on the run. We can have a life together…if that’s what you want.”
I was positively beaming. “Of course it’s what I want,” I assured him, kissing him before I left. His lips lingered on mine like he didn’t want the moment to end – and neither did I. Everything was falling into place. Maybe it was the endorphins talking but it felt like there was just a sprinkle of magic in the air. I’d never had a sweeter kiss in my life.
Chapter 11
Back at the Sociology department, the hallway lights were on but the night janitor was no longer where I’d left him. For a moment I worried maybe he’d left but then I happened to glance out the window. He was out there having a cigarette.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I headed toward the exit so I could return the key. But before I could reach the doors, I crashed right into someone stepping out of one of the darkened offices! It was so unexpected that I nearly lost my balance. I stumbled backwards, my heart immediately leaping into my throat.
Panicking, I let out a scream – and so did he.
“What are you doing here?” Mark demanded in an uncharacteristically high-pitched voice once we’d both calmed down just a bit.
“I co
uld ask you the same thing!” I retorted, immensely relieved it was him and not some scary psycho killer. I was also slightly amused to discover that he screamed like a girl. The more I came to know about him, the happier I was that things between us hadn’t progressed any further than they had.
We stared each other down for a moment. It felt silly, like we were two cowboys in a western movie waiting to draw guns at sundown. It was Mark I was dealing with here. Mark: my slimy, self-serving ex. I wasn’t afraid of him.
“What’s with the box?” I finally asked, nodding to the large cardboard container he held in his arms. I could see a few papers, an ugly little doll he’d always referred to as his good luck charm and a coffee mug poking out of the top.
“I’m quitting,” he said quietly.
I couldn’t hide my surprise. Given Mark’s friendly relationship with the head of the Sociology department, he was pretty much the only contract employee who didn’t need to worry about being out of work in the face of budget cuts. I had no doubt that if Mark stuck around, he’d continue to build his career with little-to-no effort on his part. For him to be leaving was absurd!
“Why?” I demanded.
He sighed dejectedly. “I got in over my head.”
“With…?”
Mark shook his head. “No, I’ve said too much already. Let’s just say it’s not a good idea to be poker buddies with your boss.”
“Kind of like it’s also not a good idea to date a co-worker?” I quipped. Then, taking a deep breath, I blurted out, “I know about your computer hacking, Mark.” Technically I didn’t – I merely had a hunch. But it was a strong hunch and I wanted to see how Mark would react.
To my delight, he immediately gulped. His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat, a telltale sign of his nervousness...and, perhaps, his guilt. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said in a voice that was slightly too high-pitched. But after that giveaway reaction, there was no pulling the wool over my eyes.
Sometimes the power of silence cannot be overstated. I didn’t say a word. Instead I stared him down, momentarily reveling in the power I had over him. I’d never considered myself to be particularly vindictive, but after the way he’d made me squirm it felt good to get a little payback.
His for Now (His #2) Page 8
