I nearly sagged in relief when she nodded her head and left her hand in mine. Not having any clue where I could take her for some privacy we ended up in the storeroom again.
She blushed as I pulled her inside with me.
Locking the door, I turned and looked at her. I couldn’t stand the distance I’d put between us.
“Come here. Let me hold you.”
She hesitated and stared at the door for a second. My heart sank in worry. Was she going to walk out that door and away from me? After an agonizing moment, she paused before she collapsed into my arms; her own arms wrapping around my neck as I squeezed my arms around her waist. I held on to her so tightly, never wanting to let her go.
Her soft breasts crushed against my chest, my pelvis rubbed against hers. There was no way she’d miss my arousal.
I buried my face into her neck. “I’m so sorry. My life is so fucking screwed up, but apart from my music, you’re the only good thing in it. I’m terrified of losing you, but I can’t have you.”
“Phoenix, I’m yours… Don’t you know that?”
She pulled her face from my chest and met my eyes. “Make love to me.”
“Here?”
She answered me by stepping back and lifting her dress over her head.
I gulped.
She was standing in front of me in a white lacy bra and matching panties.
Fumbling in my wallet, I quickly withdrew the condom that I’d put in there last night before I threw my t-shirt off. Undoing the button and zipper on my jeans, I stalked towards Thalia who was standing in front of me licking her lips. I had to taste her. Needed to taste her.
My hands went to her waist as I lifted her up to me, our mouths meeting, our tongues slipping and sliding against each other as she wrapped her legs around me; I pressed her into the wall.
“God, I need you to breathe.” I bent my head and sucked one of her nipples into my mouth through her bra. She ground her pussy against me, arching in pleasure as I bit down on her pebbled nipple.
She had me so worked up; I just hoped I had the strength to stay loaded before I got inside her.
“Phoenix, I need you fast and hard.”
Oh hell.
With unsteady hands, I quickly placed her on her feet and turned her around, putting her hands on the wall. I pulled her ass out towards me, bending to take her panties down her legs and off.
“Open your legs.”
Shoving my jeans further down my hips with unsteady hands, I ripped into the condom and smoothed it down my shaft. I moved in close and rubbed my cock up and down between her butt cheeks while I reached around in front of her and undid the clasp on her bra. Her large breasts spilled into my waiting hands.
She pushed back into me, driving me totally insane. I kept one hand on her breasts and moved my other south, between her legs.
As I slid my fingers over her naked mound to her clit then her cunt, I put one finger inside her only to have her clamp down on me. She was so ready, which was as well because I was coming to the end of my control.
“God babe,” I kissed her shoulder. “I need to be inside you,” I growled.
“Oh God,” she moaned. “Then get inside me all ready.”
Taking hold of my cock, I rubbed the tip around her clit and entered her slowly.
We both sucked in our breath. It felt damn good, although for the first time with this amazing woman I’d have preferred a bed; it was too late for that. For the first time since my life got so screwed I was inside someone and I wasn’t sure how long I’d last.
Taking hold of her hips, I put my open mouth to her neck as I went balls deep inside her.
“Phoenix, move.”
“You feel good. I want nothing more than to fuck your cunt, but if I move, I think I’ll come.”
She pushed back against me. “I love you talking dirty. It really turns me on.”
I groaned into her neck as she tightened her internal muscles, squeezing my cock.
“Is the tip more sensitive because of the piercing?” she asked moaning.
“Oh yeah.”
She smirked, pulled forward before impaling herself back on my dick.
I was lost.
She turned her face to look at me as I captured her mouth with mine, holding her tight while I pumped into her. Within a couple of strokes she was coming, her cunt quivered around my cock holding me so damn tight as I shouted my release into her neck, which went on and on.
Finally at an end, I collapsed over her back with my arms wrapped around her waist, panting hard into her neck.
“Phoenix…”
“I don’t want to move,” I told her on a gasp as she squeezed her cunt around my cock, again. I moved my hands down to her hips and slowly withdrew from her, dragging a gasp from the both of us.
She turned around and met my eyes so I did the most natural thing in the world and pulled her into my arms before I remembered my cock was semi-erect with a condom half on and off. Laughing, I pulled away and tried to hide my embarrassment as I removed the condom. Tying the end, I wrapped it in a paper towel I’d retrieved from a shelf and shoved it into my pocket as I hitched my jeans up and shoved everything back inside.
Thalia was still naked, although she’d fastened her bra, which I hadn’t even bothered to remove. “Here, let me.” I picked her dress up from the floor and helped her back into it then grabbed a couple more paper towels; dropped down to my knees in front of her.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Maybe not, but I can’t keep my hands off you. Let me do this.”
She swallowed at the same time as she nodded her head.
Smoothing my hands up her thighs, I pushed her dress up past her hips as I moved closer to her pussy and the dragon tattoo on her hip. Amazing.
Taking a deep breath, I wiped her clean, and helped her back into her panties. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer to me. With my cheek resting against her mound, I just breathed her in while she ran her hands through my hair, over and over again. I shuddered and clung to her wishing my life were simpler.
Chapter 42
Thalia
Sitting outside the house in the dark on the porch swing, I tried to bring some order to my thoughts, which were running rampant around my head.
After Phoenix had given me the best orgasm in history and dressed me, he’d taken me out back into the forest and held me tight while he explained to me what was going on with him and Mia. I’d promised him I wouldn’t let on to anyone that I knew anything about it.
It was like being in the 1800’s with how their parents were acting – blackmailing them to marry.
My parents might have a habit of treating me like I was still a child, but at least they didn’t give me a hard time over boys. My dad had once told me, just before I left for college, that money wasn’t everything and to follow my heart. I’d been stunned at the time, because he only ever issued orders.
Following my heart was what I planned on doing; I just needed Phoenix, who’d been absent for the rest of the day, to get with my plan. I also wanted him to talk to Mia to try and do something from her end.
“Thalia?”
I jumped. I was so engrossed in my own thoughts I hadn’t realized Liam had joined me.
“You okay?”
I let out a sigh. “Yeah, just thinking.”
“Jack, no doubt.” He smirked sitting opposite me.
“Maybe.”
He started to laugh. “You are so predictable… Reece told me you’d gone off with him earlier.” He cocked an eyebrow in question.
Ignoring his unspoken question, I asked one of my own, “When you invited me out here for the summer, why didn’t you tell me you were bringing me out here in the hope I’d interfere with Jack’s wedding?”
He met my eyes in surprise.
“You already know I like you. At first I thought perhaps we might get closer and then I could stop thinking about Mia. You’re different, and as soo
n as I saw you I knew Jack wouldn’t stand a chance.” He started running his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry, but my heart belongs to her.”
I offered him a small smile. “It doesn’t matter, I’m in love with your brother so I’m not offended that you don’t have other feelings for me, in fact I’m relieved.”
“So you’re in love with my brother, huh?” He grinned. “Does he know?”
Sitting back in the porch swing I started to push back and forth slowly with my foot. “No, he doesn’t know and don’t you go telling him. It’s for me to say when I’m ready.”
“I won’t say anything…I think Mia’s dad is holding something over her head as well. I don’t know what. I thought she was coming round to me, but since I started asking her questions, she’s been avoiding me like the plague.”
That upset him. I could see it on his face. Despite the rough time we had been having, I truly liked him. Liam was my friend and I cared about how he felt. “I’m so sorry. Maybe she’s avoiding you so she doesn’t act on her feelings for you, because it’s obvious to me that she has them.”
“Thanks for that.” He rubbed his hand through his hair and looked out into the darkness. “I’m going to hit the sack.”
“Okay. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Watching him walk inside, I turned towards the porch steps when I heard the bottom one creak.
My breath whooshed out. Phoenix was standing there, not looking happy.
“You can’t love me…and Liam needs to stop with Mia.”
“What…”
I jumped up to go to him, but he put his hand out to stop me. Instead I took hold of his hand and brought it to my lips, kissing his knuckle and felt a shudder run through him.
Not thinking I stepped into his space and brought my hands up to his face in a light caress. His hands landed on my waist as he rested his forehead against mine and met my eyes. “I can’t say what I have to with you in my arms.”
“Then don’t say it,” I whispered.
He moved his hands up to my face as I smoothed mine over his chest.
“I’m moving in with Donovan.”
I froze. “Why?”
He kissed my forehead and looked deep into my eyes. “Because if I stay here, you’ll be in my bed every night and to hell with the consequences. As much as I want you there, I can’t do that to you…or me for that matter, because if the wedding ends up going ahead it will kill me having to leave you behind. It’s going to hurt like hell as it is.”
At his words I burst into tears. Phoenix cursed pulling me into his arms while I cried all over him.
“Thalia, God baby. Please stop.”
His voice broke. I pulled away swiping at my tears and met his tear filled eyes.
Leaning forward I placed a small lingering kiss to his lips then pulled away, completely, moving to stand at the top of the steps, I turned back to him. “I’ll miss you…Goodnight.”
I quickly walked inside and straight up to my room, which I locked before throwing myself on to my bed.
My tears continued to fall and started to fall harder knowing Phoenix was just as upset as I was.
After about ten minutes of feeling sorry for myself I heard my cell ringing in my purse so I quickly scrabbled across my bed and made a grab for it.
“Yeah.”
“Thalia, is that you?”
“Yeah,” I replied to Callie as I sniffled into a tissue.
“Are you crying?”
“I was...maybe still am, a bit.”
“Spill, what’s happened? Who do I need to kill?”
Giggling, I tried to pull myself together. “No one. Everything’s just screwed up.”
“Tell me?”
“I will when you get here… You’re coming, right?”
“Yeah, in a couple of days. That’s why I rang, but I think I’ll text you the details.”
“Okay, I’m going to get a quick shower and try to sleep. Hopefully, everything won’t look so hopeless tomorrow.”
“I hear you. Take care. Love you.”
“Love you.”
Rolling off the bed I locked the other bathroom door then stripped and climbed into the shower, trying to relax and to clear my head.
Chapter 43
Jack
It had been a couple of days since I’d last seen Thalia and it hurt like hell staying away from her. I’d been keeping busy, working late at the office, continuing to work when I got back to Donovan’s place and falling into bed around one in the morning, exhausted.
I’d tried talking to Mia about our situation, but she’d refused to listen and kept insisting we had to go through with it. In fact, at one point she even suggested that we marry, but live our separate lives. She admitted to knowing about me and Thalia and told me that as long as I married her we’d live up to our end of the bargain. There was no reason why she couldn’t carry on with Liam and me with Thalia, at which point I’d laughed at her and told her to get real.
There was no way I could be with Thalia when I was married to her, and I didn’t think Liam would go for it either. I also had no intention of putting Thalia into that position, what life would we have.
“You planning on jumping in the beer?”
“Would be easier.” I looked up to see Liam standing at the side of our table…with Thalia. I couldn’t take my eyes from her. She took my breath away every time I looked at her.
Donovan smacked me on the back. “Move over and let the lady sit down.”
On autopilot, I scooted further along the bench seat as Liam practically shoved her down next to me. He was sitting opposite grinning. What the hell was he doing?
Thalia’s hand started to slide over mine, I turned my hand so that our palms met as our fingers entwined. I held on tight and just sat looking at her.
She blushed and licked her lips, the movement I followed with my eyes wishing we were anywhere else but Kix so I could taste her.
My body temperature was rising along with my cock, which was becoming uncomfortable, but I wasn’t ready to let go of her hand yet.
“Are you all right?” I whispered, moving closer to her.
“I am now…Phoenix…”
“Fuck. Let’s dance.”
Keeping my hand in hers, she stood to let me out and then as soon as we walked on to the dance floor, she wrapped herself around me and…sighed.
Holding her just as tight, we moved around the dance floor to Bless This Broken Road by Rascal Flatts, which I sang along to real quietly into her ear. As the song came to an end and went into another one I moved my hand slowly south cupping her butt in my hand.
She moaned. The sound had my cock surging against my zipper.
Pressed tightly against each other there was no way she would miss my twitching dick. I was so uncomfortable, I had to slip my hand between us to try and make room in the front.
“Want a hand,” she whispered into my neck.
I growled and tried to control my breathing. “Just the thought of you having your hand in there is enough to have me leaking.”
“I’d rather use my mouth. I want to see how long it takes you to come with just my tongue and mouth playing with the tip of your cock where you’re pierced.”
Her words stopped me dead in the middle of the dance floor, seconds from coming. Breathing heavily, I cupped her face in my hands and looked into her eyes, but it wasn’t easy because I knew what I was about to say would upset her…and me.
“I want you. I want you so much; I’m seconds away from walking away from my home, family and career to be with you; to hell with everything else and the reason why I have to marry Mia. But I can’t do that. I’m not made to walk away from responsibility. I love you, but I can’t be with you again. This has to be goodbye.”
Before she could see my tears, I quickly kissed her on the forehead then turned walking out of the bar leaving her standing crying in the middle of the dance floor. I knew one of my friends would take care of her, but I still felt li
ke the biggest bastard going.
For once I was trying to do the right thing, without what I wanted getting in the way, but it felt like my heart was being ripped out. I needed to be alone, so I walked towards the forest and went in deeper than I usually did, in case one of the guys came after me. I was such a fucking mess I didn’t want any witnesses.
Finally coming to a stumbling halt against a huge fallen tree, I sat down and buried my face in my hands, crying like a fucking baby.
Eventually calming down, I came to the conclusion that I needed to talk to my dad. Really talk to him and hopefully come up with a solution because the wedding was only a week away and I knew there was no way I could go through with it anymore. I’d even thought of hiring an actor to marry us so that it would appear that we’d married, but in actual fact we wouldn’t be married. A stupid idea, but it might work and I was desperate.
Standing up to head back, I realized I’d been fucking stupid saying goodbye to Thalia, it had been an hour and I knew there was no way I would be able to stay away from her, who had I been kidding.
Chapter 44
Thalia
My heart broke last night when he said goodbye to me, then left me on the dance floor without a backwards glance, but I was sick and tired of crying myself to sleep over him.
In truth he’d looked as sick as I’d felt, but it certainly didn’t help me any. As I’d stood watching him retreat, Donovan had walked up to me and pulled me into his arms, moving me around the dance floor, while I cried into his t-shirt. I wasn’t sure what I’d have done but for Donovan rescuing me. When I’d finally managed to get the tears under control, Liam had brought me back to the house where I’d spent most of yesterday locked up in my room.
Rolling over onto my stomach, I burrowed my head under the quilt. I could hear voices downstairs, which made me freeze. Was Phoenix down there? I could make out Liam’s voice and a woman’s. Mia maybe.
With a heavy sigh, I pushed the quilt over to the side and stepped out of bed walking to the bathroom.
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