Lose Control (Firebacks Book 3)

by Linda Verji

Chryssa sat up in her seat. “Please tell me you’re not dating Sergio again.”

  Sergio was one of Aaron’s lovers who also had a rather bizarre fondness for women’s clothing. Aaron had been forced to make certain ‘adjustments’ to his wardrobe in order to enjoy the wealthy Spaniard’s company. Only Chryssa’s spirited defense that the firm was infringing on his rights had prevented him from getting fired.

  “God No!” Aaron exclaimed, shaking his shoulders a little in mock trembling. “These are not mine. They’re yours,”

  “Mine?” Chryssa was surprised. “Who are they from?”

  “I don’t know. You told me not to go through your mail, remember,” Aaron answered, his eyes wide with affected innocence. Chryssa merely raised her eyebrows. Aaron gave a long-suffering sigh before saying, “The red ones are from Mickey and the white ones are from E.S.”

  E.S. Eli? Chryssa couldn’t stop the small skip in heartbeat.

  “Is E.S. the reason you’ve not replaced King?” Aaron asked.

  “Mind your own business Mr. Nosy.” Chryssa shooed Aaron from the office. She read Mickey’s card first. There was only one word scrawled on it Ceasefire? Chryssa smiled. She would call him as soon as she got to the house so they could make up completely. It was always good to have a brother who couldn’t hold a grudge worth a damn.

  She opened the envelope attached to Eli’s roses. When she started to pull out the card inside it, a ticket fluttered out as well. She didn’t need to read it to know what it was. Temptation. The card he had sent along with it read.

  You know you want to see it and besides do you really want to waste a ticket this good? It doesn’t have to be a date. Think about it . E.S.

  ***

  Sunday afternoon Eli stood outside the theater trying not to tap his foot impatiently or to pace the street like he wanted to do. It was ten minutes to opening and Chryssa still wasn’t here. Had she stuck to her guns? Maybe she was pissed off that he was pushy. He shouldn’t have sent those roses via courier. Maybe they’d gotten lost mid-way. Man! Where was she?

  “You’re going to break a brain cell if you continue thinking so hard,” a lyrical voice said behind him. Eli turned slowly unbelieving that it was her. It was. Chryssa stood behind him on the sidewalk. All the people milling around in the street disappeared and she became the center of his world.

  “Chryssa.” He nodded sedately trying to pretend like his heart wasn’t dancing a jig underneath his grey polo shirt. “You came.”

  “Eli, I came,” she mimicked his words. “Like you said why waste such a good ticket.”

  “Indeed,” Eli agreed. How she managed to make a leather jacket, a summer dress and heels look sexy was beyond him. But she did. She looked just as delicious dressed as she did naked.

  “So are we doing this?” she asked tucking her hands deeper into her leather jacket.

  “Yeah!” He gestured towards the sliding glass doors. “This way milady.”

  “Uh uh! A minute.” She neatly sidestepped the hand he was going to wrap around her waist. “We need to talk terms and conditions first.”

  “Terms and conditions?”

  “If this is not a date we need to keep it as such,” Chryssa said. “First you must keep at least thirty inches away from me at all times. Don’t laugh with me, at me or in my direction. Don’t try to whisper in my ear or throw your hand at the back of my seat. There will be no buying popcorn that we can share. In fact just pretend like there’s an empty seat next to you.”

  “Okay.” Eli nodded. “Very reasonable demands.”

  “Let’s do this,” Chryssa said already marching towards the entrance.

  “About the popcorn though…” he called out. Even through the murmur of people flowing around them he could hear her click in annoyance. Eli didn’t even bother hiding his smile as he followed her in.

  The ice had just cracked.

  CHAPTER 13

  Hanna was not a happy woman.

  Things were not going as planned.

  “This came in the mail today.” Hanna slid the sheet of paper towards Tess Harrington when in reality she wanted to hit the svelte blonde’s face with them. Her voice was like a whip cracking in the large home office as she snapped, “You said you’d get that little brown-noser to drop the case.”

  “I did,” Tess nodded. “But I didn’t know all the facts of the case then.”

  “What’d you mean you didn’t know all the facts?” Hanna said. “I told you one of your ‘lawyers’ was filing a paternity suit against me. I told you my joining your firm was dependant on her dropping the suit. And I thought we’d understood each other. Now I get a notice from the court that if I skip another appointment with the lab I’ll be charged with contempt and Kian Harper will get his order of filiation? What kind of bullshit is this?”

  “I understand how you feel-”

  “No, you don’t,” Hanna interrupted. No one could understand the fear she felt at the thought of RJ and Kian having a relationship. Hanna knew her faults. She wasn’t the best person out there but RJ had always loved her, partly because Richard senior was a bullshit parent and had never shown any kind of interest in him. But now he’d have a real father – a real parent. She would lose him.

  Ignoring her interruption, Tess continued, “…but you didn’t tell us that you’d tried to blackmail, Harper. Dropping the case now would make it seem like we endorse your tactics.”

  “Bullshit.” Hanna knew enough about firm politics. “What’s he offered you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tess didn’t even blink her blue eyes.

  “His account?” Hanna asked. Tess cheek twitched slightly and Hanna knew she’d hit the gold mine. “I can bring you the Clayton account.”

  “Can you?”Tess’s eyebrow shot up. “Your father-in-law wouldn’t even endorse you to become a judge. What makes you think he’ll take your advice on anything law related?”

  Hanna had no defense for that other than the fact that the Senator had never been her – or his son’s - greatest supporter.

  “The way I see it I’m the one doing all the giving in this relationship. I’m the one finding you the endorsements you need. I’m the one offering you a hefty salary and now I’m the one expected to give up one of my biggest clients in New York.” Tess shook her head. “I’m sorry. That’s not going to happen.”

  “You’ll lose the Danier case,” Hanna reminded her desperately.

  “Maybe.” Tess shrugged, her slim shoulders rising with the movement. “Everyone’s got to lose sometimes and the benefits of keeping Harper’s case far outweigh the cons of getting a guilty verdict for Kendall Darnier.”

  She would’ve loved to tell Tess to stick her job where the sun don’t shine but this was not the time to burn bridges. What Tess didn’t know was that Hanna also needed a place to lay her head. Her former firm had requested her to look for another job after her co-counsel had reported her to the senior partners at Green, Green & Becket for encouraging Polo Nelson to kidnap Tasha’s daughter, Asia. Harrington Shultz’s offer had been like manna from heaven.

  She asked, “So you’re just going to throw me under the bus?”

  “I’m sorry, Hanna. I have to look out for the firm first,” Tess said. There was genuine feeling in her eyes, but Hanna didn’t put much stock in apologetic expressions. She’d faked them enough herself. Tess added, “But in case you want it, Harrington Shultz still has an open spot for you.”

  Just not at the price of Kian Harper.

  Long after Tess left, Hanna sat in her office and mused over her dilemma. She couldn’t skip another lab appointment – she had no doubt that this time Judge Murray would lock her up and throw away the key. But if she went for the test the truth would be out there for everyone to see and they’d take RJ.

  The sound of the front door opening interrupted her thoughts. Her gaze flew to the wall clock. Six p.m. RJ was home. She sat up straighter, a ready smile on her face to welcome him. His footsteps drew clo
ser and he stopped at the door. She waited for the usual knock, but none came. Instead there was a long pause, then the footsteps faded away. Tears sprung to Hanna’s eyes.

  Damn Kian Harper!

  Damn Chryssa Williams!

  They were taking her son away from her. She had to stop them.

  It took a while but finally the perfect solution hit her.

  Every lab has a lab assistant who’s strapped for cash.

  ***

  The trip to watch the Broadway production gave Eli the momentum to push for more activities outside the bedroom. First he claimed that since she’d taken his tickets she had to repay him somehow. That’d led to her agreeing to help him choose some crockery for his kitchen. Up to now he still couldn’t forget the flush of embarrassment on her face when the cashier had called them Mr. and Mrs. Stone.

  Later, Eli claimed that the trip to the store was worth much more than just a ticket since it’d taken them over three hours to make it. He was a man that always paid his debts; he wanted to repay the favor. Chryssa had refused to play ball until her old gym had been shut down. The new gym she wanted to try charged significantly less for couples. She’d called Eli.

  Eli hadn’t mentioned that he already had free-membership in his own community’s gym or that his house was big enough for him to set up a home-gym. Why would he mess up his chance to see Chryssa every morning?

  “What are you doing?” Chryssa gave him a sideways look as she continued to stroll on the neighboring treadmill. They’d just started their morning training so neither of them had broken a sweat yet. As usual she was wearing a tight tank-top, short shorts and sneakers. It was all Eli could do not to drag her to the changing rooms and strip the teasing outfit off of her.

  Eli continued to pace on the treadmill, stretching and contorting his arms over his head as he walked. To Chryssa, he explained, “It’s called Troga.”

  “Tro…what?”

  “Troga.” Eli took another deep breath as he stretched his arms to the front of his chest then to the sides of his body. He explained, “You do yoga while walking on the treadmill. You should try it.”

  “That’s not gonna happen,” Chryssa mocked. Giving him the side-eye she asked, “Are we running today or are you going to be a pussy and continue tro-gaying?”

  “We’re running,” Eli confirmed. “You know if you practiced Troga you probably would’ve been able to do that thing we saw on Cosmopolitan.”

  “Please! Even a contortionist couldn’t do that.” Chryssa scoffed. “Okay. Dr. Stone. What’s our speed today?”

  “8.2.” Eli said. They both set the speed on their respective treadmills. He added, “Whoever gives up first buys lunch.”

  She didn’t even protest at the invitation to lunch. They were way beyond that. Eli was sure that soon he’d get her to either spend a whole night with him or better yet invite him to her house. Courtesy of Lucky he already had her address but he didn’t plan on using the information. By now he knew Chryssa well enough to know that she would not appreciate being ambushed with clues that he was interested in a relationship with her.

  And he was interested!

  He’d never met a woman quite like Chryssa before; a woman who challenged, intrigued and fascinated him. A woman who kept him on his toes wondering and anticipating what curveball she was going to throw at him next. It wasn’t everyday that a man ran into a woman who could hold his attention as Chryssa could and he’d be a fool to let her slip through his fingers. Eli was no fool.

  Forty three minutes later, Chryssa gave up. She collapsed on her back on the carpet beside her treadmill, giving him the stink eye as he continued to run. Just to piss her off he continued to run while stretching his arms as if starting another session of troga. Kissing her teeth, she stood up, took her towel and stomped away.

  Laughing, Eli slowed down his treadmill then stopped it completely. He jogged after her, turning the corner just as she entered the ladies’ changing rooms. Looking up and down the hallway to make sure no one was coming, he darted in after her.

  This gym was the height of exclusivity and the changing rooms were no different. From the marble walls to the shining steel fixtures that lined it, it smelled of money. He could see why she’d wanted to get in.

  Her back was to him as she rifled through her gym bag. The way she was bent over had him focusing on her ass and his dick swelled in appreciation. The moment she heard the door lock snap, Chryssa turned. Her eyes narrowed, “What are you doing in here?”

  “Is baby angry because she can’t match up to Eli the Great?” he teased trying to keep his eyes away from her tank top stretched tight across her breasts.

  “More like Eli the Idiot,” she grumbled. Her eyes narrowed even further into thin slits when he slipped his t-shirt over his head leaving him bare-chested. Eli almost crowed when she unconsciously bit her lower lip as her eyes lingered over his pecs. In a strangled voice she ordered, “Put on your shirt on. You know we’re not allowed to do that here.”

  Eli laughed, as he kicked off his sneakers, amused by the reversal in roles. A couple of weeks ago he was the one who cared about the rules. Instead of putting on his shirt he stripped off his socks, “You don’t have to buy me lunch.”

  “Really?” she answered. But her eyes were on his hands as he pushed down his shorts and underwear in one quick shove leaving him completely naked. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on his shaft already erect for her.

  “But you’ll have to do one thing for me.” Eli sauntered closer, his eyes on the sexy slight flick of her tongue against her bottom lip as she watched him. Her nipples pebbled in arousal pushing against her tank. She wanted him!

  “What?” she breathed. His dick swelled even more at her lingering glances, a drop of pre-cum already gathering at his tip. With each step he took forward, she took one back till she was crowded against the long mirror on the wall. He pressed his palms against the glass bracketing her head with his arms.

  He leaned closer letting his lips hover close to hers and his breath whispered over her lips until it felt like he was almost kissing her. Almost but not quite. She closed her eyes and rose slightly so that they could kiss, but he pulled back preventing their lips from meeting. Instead he lowered his arms, his large hands molding over the firm cheeks of her ass before he lifted her up. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his naked flanks.

  They both took a harsh gulp of air when their groins met. With him naked and only her shorts preventing them from consummation, the feelings zipping through both their nerves were like the flames of an inferno. Through gritted teeth, he said, “Take a shower with me.”

  “What if we’re caught? We’ll get kicked out.” Her mouth was trying to rationalize with him, but her lower body grinding against his dick was telling a whole different story.

  “Do you care?” he asked. She looked conflicted but the moment he bent his head and kissed her, all her doubts flew along with her clothes.

  “I swear if we get kicked out you’re paying for our next gym membership.” That was the last coherent sentence for the next fifteen minutes.

  She pressed her fist to her mouth trying to quell her screams as he carried her into the shower, hiked her thigh on his shoulder and put that wicked, wicked mouth to work. Her fingers dug into his head as he played her like a violin. His tongue flicked over and over against her tight bud while his fingers pressed in and out of her in.

  “Eli. Eli. Eli. Sssssss,” she moaned so loudly Eli was afraid someone would come banging on the door. No one did. But by the time he stood up, she was delirious with need, her head tossing against the misted up shower door. She must’ve known that something like this would happen because she managed to disentangle herself from his arms long enough to get out of the shower and come back in with a rubber.

  The first entry into her warm tightness was exhilarating. Keeping her up with his hands grasping onto her thighs around his waist, he drove into her hard. Three months ago if someone had told him he’d be doing
this in a shower, in a public gym, he would’ve snorted in disbelief. Right now all he could do was enjoy the ride Chryssa was giving him and hope it never ended.

  With every push into her, her walls convulsed over his shaft milking him and her nails bit into the muscles of his back. The pain of her nails on his skin was absorbed by the pleasure of being encased in her warm tightness.

  She screamed just as he hit her spot just right and he had to cover the sounds of her pleasure with his lips. Their tongues meshed just as their bodies had until it seemed that the whole world seemed to revolve around their oneness. She met him stroke for stroke, push for push.

  It was hard to hold on when she was gripping him inside her so tightly and moaning like that. But he held on; held on until he heard that keening growl that came from deep in her belly and the hard contractions of her pussy walls around his cock that marked her orgasm. He let go.

  Afraid his knees would buckle if he moved, Eli held her up against the door, his forehead on her shoulders while he took in fast gulping breaths and came off the high he had just taken them into. Finally when he had gained back his movement capacity, he set her back down and helped her clean up.

  “I know what you’re doing,” Chryssa said as he toweled off her body outside the shower minutes later. He had already put his shorts and t-shirt back on.

  “What am I doing?” He pressed a quick kiss on her lips, already starting to harden again. He dropped the towel to the bench trying to gather her to him again but she swatted his hands away.

  “You’re trying to exhaust me so that I don’t remember today’s lesson,” she said pushing him away.

  “I forgot about that” he groaned. Today they were supposed to be doing role-play. He wasn’t really a fan. He liked being Eli and he liked Chryssa just the way she was, but rumor had it that pretending to be someone else was supposed to add spice to sex.

  “Did you get your costume?” she asked. Eli nodded. Apparently Michael Jackson costumes were very popular with adventurous couples. Laughing at the glum look on his face she turned him and then started walking him towards the door with her palms pushing at his back, “Now be a good boy and go get dressed so we can go home and play. I promise it’s going to be fun.”