by Liv Brywood
As their pieces raced around the board, she collected a large amount of property. He lagged behind, as usual.
“Do you remember that time we lost the thimble piece under the bed?” she asked.
God, did he ever. It was the first time he’d kissed her. The first time he’d kissed anyone. The soft brush of her lips against his nearly short-circuited his sixteen-year-old brain. Over the years he’d tortured himself reliving that moment until his heart ached with the loss of her.
Why would she bring it up now, knowing she had no intention of going back to what they’d had? She dropped her gaze to the board.
“I miss playing this with you,” she whispered.
“Me too.”
She swallowed. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say more, but she picked up the dice instead.
Screw the game.
He rolled onto his knees and crawled over to where she sat. A startled expression crossed her face.
“Aaron, what are you—”
He silenced her with a searing kiss. Every inch of him sparked to life, as if he’d just awakened from hibernation. When she threw her arms around him and pulled him close, his bear chuffed with approval. The beast missed her and hadn’t stopped grumbling about how he’d let her go without a fight. He’d tried to convince his bear that Violet wasn’t his mate, but his bear saw right through his lies. The creature didn’t understand that for Aaron, the truth was too painful to admit. How could he claim her as his mate if she was thousands of miles away?
She’s here right now, his bear said.
Heat pooled tight in his core. The muscles in his stomach clenched as she slipped her tongue into his mouth. Since she wasn’t holding back at all, he tangled his hands in her hair and deepened the kiss.
She moaned into his mouth before swirling her tongue against his. His heart beat faster than a stampede of wild horses in a thunderstorm. With a decade of pent-up longing spurring him on, he swept the pieces off the Monopoly board. He eased her back onto the floor and covered her body with his.
When she hooked a leg around his thigh, his cock twitched. He arched against her, unable to keep still. Her hands slid up his back. His skin tingled in response. The need to touch every inch of her consumed him. He ran his hand down the side of her body, stopping at the curve of her butt. As he cupped her ass, she whimpered and sighed.
He tore his lips away from hers and trailed sultry kisses along her neck. He shifted his weight and moved to cradle her breast in the palm of his hand. A feral growl rose up from his chest. With his bear’s lust awakened, he needed to cool his heels before things got out of control.
“Maybe we should stop,” he whispered.
“No.”
“If we keep going…”
“Make love to me, Aaron. Make me forget everything else.”
He groaned and rolled onto his back, taking her with him. She straddled him and ground her hips against his cock. It was his undoing.
As he reached to unbutton her blouse, she ran her fingers over his chest. Each button popped open to reveal another inch of her creamy flesh. And when her white satin bra peeked out from between the edges of her shirt, he lost all control.
Violet gasped as he tore open the last few buttons on her shirt. The hunger in his eyes swept through her like wildfire. A rush of heat pooled heavy and thick in her pussy. She leaned back and let her shirt slide down her arms. Aaron sat up to unhook her bra with deft fingers. Suddenly self-conscious, she shivered. But as he slowly eased her bra off, the sense of wonder in his face quashed her nervousness.
“You’re so incredibly beautiful,” he murmured.
He leaned forward to brush his lips across the top of each breast before moving to take one nipple into his mouth. As his lips closed over her, she whimpered. Drawing a full breath took more effort as her body melted against him. His gentle exploration of her breasts lit a fire inside her that could only be put out with his tongue.
As he licked, sucked, and teased her swollen nipples, she drew his shirt over his head. He broke away long enough to let her pull his shirt off. A shaft of sunlight streamed into the window to illuminate the hard, muscled expanse of his chest. Over the years he’d shed his cute, boyish innocence in favor of a new, deeper masculinity. He was different. Sexier. Even better than before. But he still remembered how she liked to be touched.
Slowly and with great reverence, he worshipped her with his hands and mouth. It was as if he were making love to more than just her body; it was as if he were making love to her soul. And he hadn’t even finished undressing her.
“I never stopped wanting you,” he whispered against the hollow of her throat.
“Oh, Aaron…”
The strain in his voice broke her heart. She’d spent years ignoring the wistfulness in his voice when they’d spoken on the phone. She’d pretended that his holiday cards were just musings from an old friend. She’d brushed off sexy dreams about him as a side effect of too much caffeine. But deep down, she knew it wasn’t the truth.
To stop the uneasy thoughts, she leaned over and trailed her tongue across his pecs. He groaned and lay back. She scooted down and unbuckled his pants. The thick silver buckle fell to one side. Her fingers trembled as she reached for his zipper. As he watched her through thick lashes, his tongue darted out to moisten his bottom lip.
Encouraged by his sensual gesture, she unzipped him. He lifted his hips as she tugged his jeans free. She tossed them onto the bed. As she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his boxers, his stomach clenched. His cock strained against the fabric. She hadn’t seen him naked in ten years and time stood still as she pulled his boxers off.
Thick, hard, and heavily veined, his cock swept toward his belly. Her mouth watered at the sight. She couldn’t wait to taste him. But as she lowered her lips toward him, he cupped her cheek with his hand.
“Wait,” he whispered. “I want to see you…all of you.”
She stood on shaky legs and unbuttoned her slacks. He laced his fingers behind his head and leisurely watched her undress. When her pants hit the floor, his teeth tugged at the edge of his bottom lip. Her panties were already wet, but the seductive motion sent a fresh wave of moisture to her pussy.
She ran her fingers across her trembling belly before shimmying out of her panties. When they hit the floor, he sat up.
“Come here.”
She knelt beside him and leaned over to cover his chest with hers. Their lips met in a dance of seduction, leaving her panting and desperate for more. When he rolled her onto her back and slid down between her thighs, she couldn’t resist.
He lay on his belly with his face resting on the inside of her thigh. She parted her legs, eager to feel his tongue on her. But he didn’t dive right in. Instead, he nipped and licked and dragged his tongue up the inside of one thigh before repeating the torturous exploration on the other leg. By the time his hot breath grazed her pussy, she was dripping and dying to be claimed.
And he claimed her.
Oh, God, did he claim her with his magical tongue.
Her fingers dug into the soft blanket as he traced a line from the bottom of her pussy lips to toward the top. She needed him to touch her clit, but he swirled around it once before diving back down to tongue the length of her.
“Aaron, please,” she begged.
“Shh,” he whispered. “I want this to last forever.”
“Oh, God.”
Her head dropped back as he pushed her thighs wider. He curled one tormenting finger into her pussy and stroked her until she writhed with lust. Her hips arched to meet his mouth before retreating from the overwhelming pleasure. The more he licked and sucked her lips, the more she wriggled against him. She couldn’t hold still, even as he cupped her hips in his hands and pinned her to the floor.
When his lips finally found her aching clit, she cried out. Her head snapped back as a primal scream burst from her lips. Everyone on the ranch had probably heard her, but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered but th
e graze of his lips, the suction of his mouth, and the glide of his fingers sliding in and out.
Tension coiled in her pussy, pushing her close to her breaking point. Every muscle tensed inward, as if conspiring to tighten her body into a ball of feverish desire.
“I can’t,” she gasped. “Oh, God.”
He pulled her tight against his mouth and captured her clit between his lips. He sucked and sucked and sucked until her eyes rolled back. She exploded in a sobbing mess of ecstasy. Her body convulsed as swift pulses tightened her pussy. She curled into a ball, knocking her knee against his head in the process. His soft chuckle barely registered through the haze of the most intense orgasm of her life.
She twitched and moaned as the orgasm continued to destroy her. Aaron rolled onto his knees and scooped her into his arms. She couldn’t move as he stood and carried her to the bed. As he gently laid her on the quilt, she went limp. Her muscles turned to jelly as a stupid grin spread across her face.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, playfully.
“I can’t…I can’t even move right now.”
“You don’t have to. Just let me hold you.”
As he climbed onto the bed, she turned and let him take her into his arms. She snuggled against him. The thump of his heart against her ear slowed as he gently caressed her back. Being held by him felt like coming home. She’d never been so content with anyone. If she could lie in his arms for a hundred years it wouldn’t be long enough.
He tilted her chin up. The hunger in his eyes rekindled her desire. She couldn’t let this be all about her. She wanted to give him the same amount of pleasure he’d given her. And maybe more, if that were even possible.
She kissed his lips and wrapped a leg around his thigh. The thick length of his cock pressed against her still-quivering belly. She slid one hand between them and wrapped it around his cock. He groaned and thrust his tongue into her mouth.
As she stroked his rigid shaft, she skimmed his bottom lip with her teeth. He growled and tried to roll on top of her, but she pushed back.
“Not yet,” she murmured. “I want to taste you.”
A strangled whisper of sound followed by a soft groan spurred her on. She left a wet trail of kisses across his chest as she nibbled a path toward his cock. She followed the thin line of hair from his bellybutton to the top of his shaft. He rolled onto his back and laced his fingers behind his head as she knelt between his thighs.
As she licked the soft flesh at the tip, he moaned. She dragged her tongue down one side and up the other before sucking him into her mouth. He unlaced his fingers and used his hands to pull her hair out of her face. She took every inch of his thick cock into her mouth. When she reached the base, she held still for a second before slowly releasing him. She swirled her tongue across the head before capturing him between her lips.
A wet sucking sound filled the air as she continued to pleasure him with her mouth. His moans became long, undulating cries of ecstasy as she devoured him with ardent kisses. When she broke away to lap circles around his balls, he gasped.
“Come here.”
He half-dragged her up to cover him before flipping her onto her back. He grabbed his jeans from the floor and fished around in one pocket before cursing and digging through the other.
“I don’t have any condoms,” he said.
“I’m on birth control. It’s okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Come here.” She beckoned with her finger.
He didn’t have to be asked twice. As he moved to cover her, she wrapped her legs around his waist. She arched her back as he moved to slide his huge cock into her tight pussy.
“God, I needed you,” he whispered against her ear.
She didn’t know how to respond, so she simply tightened her grip on him and squeezed her muscles around his cock. He growled and thrust deep. She gasped and shivered as fresh waves of desire flowed through her. She reached for his ass and clung to him as he rolled his hips to claim her with long, hard, deep strokes.
The pace and intensity sent her rushing toward another mind-blowing orgasm. Locked together in a tangle of sweaty limbs, she took everything he gave her.
But even as his breath hitched and his hips ground against hers, her stupid heart reminded her that he wasn’t hers to keep. She cursed under her breath and squeezed her eyes closed. Stupid, useless brain. Now wasn’t the time to wax philosophical about their relationship. They didn’t have one. This was just sex between ex-lovers and it couldn’t mean anything more.
“Where did you go?” he whispered.
Her eyes flew open to find him gazing at her with furrowed brows.
“I’m right here,” she murmured. “With you.”
“I’ve wanted you since the moment you came back,” he said.
She didn’t have the heart to remind him that she wasn’t back. Returning to Lost Hills, Texas was only temporary.
“Aaron…” What could she say? She couldn’t lie to him and tell him she hadn’t felt the same way since laying eyes on him.
“Come with me,” he groaned.
The angle of his hips shifted to put sweet pressure on her clit. A shock of electric passion sparked the fire he’d been stoking with his perfect cock. She plummeted over the edge, crying out and clinging to him as he found his own release. He came with a shudder. Hot waves of his seed filled her as he surged into her with one last thrust.
“God, I love you,” he murmured.
She froze.
“I mean this. I love this,” he stammered. “Being with you…”
“I knew what you meant.”
“Violet, I—”
She silenced him with a kiss. She couldn’t bear to hear the next words out of his mouth, so she kissed him until he relaxed against her. He rolled off to one side and pulled her against him, her butt pressed against his hips.
Silence enveloped them. She was too afraid to say anything because if she opened her mouth, he might try to confess his love for her. It would be a disaster. She shouldn’t have put him in this position. She shouldn’t have put herself in this position.
As the blissful state of her orgasm wore off, her stomach dropped. Making love to him had been a colossal mistake. She’d intended to keep him at arm’s length and instead she’d leapt into bed with him. She wanted to blame it on the stress of seeing her sister, or blame it on being pulled away from work. But there was more to it, and she wasn’t ready to explore why her heart was breaking all over again.
Chapter 7
Aaron cursed his stupid mouth. He’d blurted out that he loved her, which wasn’t true. Not at all. Not one little bit. He’d lost his chance to love her years ago and he knew better than to try to rekindle their old romance.
To keep himself from saying something else he didn’t mean, he pressed his lips against her shoulder. She stiffened and shifted her hips away, but his bear wasn’t having any of it. The beast clawed at his chest demanding that he claim his mate.
He wanted to strangle his bear. She wasn’t his mate. Trying to explain it to the creature was impossible. Lord knows he’d tried to convince his bear for years that she wasn’t meant for them, but the beast wouldn’t hear it. As far as it was concerned, she was their mate and he couldn’t do a damn thing to convince his bear otherwise.
“I should get going,” Violet whispered. She rolled to face him.
“Don’t go. Not yet.”
“I have to.”
When she scooted toward the edge of the bed, his heart clenched. As much as he wanted to deny that she was their mate, a part of him couldn’t help but wonder if the beast was right.
He rolled onto his back to watch her get dressed. As she pulled on her panties, her breasts swayed. He groaned. How could one woman be so sexy? His cock stirred. He considered dragging her back to bed, but her pinched expression gave him pause. Did she regret sleeping with him?
“You’re staring,” she whispered as she pulled her shirt over her head.
�
�I can’t help it.”
He slid to the edge of the bed and reached for her. She stepped back.
“Please don’t.”
“Please stay.”
“I have to go.”
“I’ve missed you so much.” Damn, there he went with his mouth again.
“You know I can’t stay. I need to get home before my parents get back and wonder where I’ve been.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No.”
The sharpness in her tone stunned him.
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because we both know nothing can come of this. We got caught up in the past and things went too far,” she said. “I’m sorry, but I don’t belong here.”
“You mean you don’t belong with me?” Anger coiled in his chest. His bear huffed and clawed at his ribcage.
“This has nothing to do with you. I don’t belong in Texas and you know it.”
“How can you be so sure?” he asked. “You haven’t been back in years. Things have changed around here. I’ve changed.”
“No, you haven’t. And this town hasn’t changed. Everything’s still the same. There’s no history, no culture. There’s nothing here for me.”
“You belong with your family. What good is history and culture if you don’t have a family to share it with?”
“You sound like my mother.”
“Maybe she’s right,” he said.
She narrowed her gaze and jammed her feet into her boots. Her lips pressed into a thin white line.
“I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression,” she said in a tight tone. “I was upset about Nicole and got carried away. I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“But it did and now you’re running from it the way you always run.”
“Wow. Why does everyone think I’m running away from this place? Maybe I’m running toward something instead. Did you ever stop to think about that?”
“What are you running toward? Money? You never struck me as a greedy person.”
“Greedy? This isn’t about greed. I’m running a major corporation. We’ve created technology to help developing communities around the world. Dozens of NGOs use our software to run their outreach projects. You’ve never once asked me about my work. If you really cared, you’d want to know all about it. But you don’t.”
