Burning Up

by Marie Coulson

  Arthur Kent’s words began repeating in my mind. Maybe Jared couldn’t do the whole monogamy thing. Maybe his needs, desires, and sexual hunger were something I just simply could never fulfill. Sighing deeply, I sniffled and wiped my eyes with a napkin. I would have to return to the hotel. I’d left my case there, and my passport was inside. And besides, I needed to see him. I had to confront him, scream, yell, cry, and call his cheating ass out!

  Slamming the napkin on the table, I stood and began the walk back to the hotel. The knot in my stomach tightened with every step I made, but my anger was fueling my journey.

  * * * *

  Riding up in the elevator, my chest felt heavy as I fought back the tears that were eager to run freely down my face. I wouldn’t be weak; I couldn’t break down, not now. Jared had wronged me for the last time.

  I still had the room key in my pocket, and as I pushed open the door, my boiling rage began to spill over. With my fists clenched, I marched into the lounge before heading to the bedroom. I wanted to scream at him and scratch the women’s eyes out, but when I entered, they were gone. I stormed through to the bathroom, but that too was empty. Turning around, I stopped as my eyes fell on Jared. Standing in the doorway, his hands in his pockets and his tie loose around his crisp white shirt, he glared at me. He raised an eyebrow and as I walked toward him, he stared at me, without a word. Lifting my hand, I stood in front of him and slapped him hard across the face. I slapped him so hard that my palm was stinging from the contact it had made with his slightly unshaved cheek. He didn’t blink. Infuriated, I hammered my fists on his chest and growled loudly.

  “You asshole! You lying, cheating, fucking asshole! I hate you!”

  He remained as solid as stone. Breathless, I stood back and glowered at him. Taking a hand from his pocket, he scraped his thumb across his chin.

  “Are you done?”

  I couldn’t believe his attitude! How dare he treat me this way. “Finished? I’ve barely started! How could you!?”

  He shrugged. “I have no idea what exactly it is you believe I’ve done, Layla. I came out of my room to find your bag in my hall and you nowhere to be found. So, I have a few fucking questions myself before you begin to cast your accusations at me.”

  I scoffed and threw my hands in the air before skirting around him and entering the lounge. He followed me but said nothing.

  “Oh really? You have questions? Well, I have a several! First, who the fuck were those three women? Second, I hope you really fucking enjoyed them because it’s the last time you’ll be dipping your cock into anyone for a long time when I’m done with you! And third, how could you do this to me? After everything!”

  He shook his head and chuckled. I rushed at him and shoved him hard. Asshole. Grabbing my wrists, he pulled me against him. My chest heaved against his broad, muscular frame, and I was panting with fury.

  “Once again, Layla Jennings jumps to conclusions and gets the completely wrong idea.”

  I tried to struggle free, but his grip on me tightened.

  “I didn’t imagine them, Jared! Three women, in their underwear, in your suite! What possible excuse could there be? They were in the wrong room? You were being a good neighbor and allowing them to use your bedroom as a changing area!? How stupid do you think I am!? And what’s more, this wasn’t the first time they were here!”

  He shook his head, and spinning me around, he drove me back against the wall, and pressed me against it forcefully.

  “I wasn’t fucking them which is exactly what you think I was doing! There I was thinking we were over this trust shit and you swoop in, unannounced, and don’t even tell me you’re in Paris! You have no regard for your safety or my fucking sanity! Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?”

  I gave a sarcastic chuckle. “Are you kidding me!? You were in here with three women who, and I quote, you couldn’t decide which one you wanted, and you have the nerve to question my honesty!? You are such a douche!”

  He growled and practically roared as I continued to try and free myself from his grasp.

  “I didn’t have sex with any of them! They’re models!”

  Now, I really did laugh. His attempt to squirm his way out of this was leaving a lot to be desired. “And that’s supposed to make a difference? Ha! So they were expensive whores, but still whores nonetheless.”

  “I wasn’t buying them! I was buying the clothes and underwear they were modelling!”

  “That’s disgusting! Not satisfied with looking, you have to have a souvenir, too! You really are a sick, twisted, deviant little …“

  He cut me off as he threw his head back, released my hands, and laughed.

  “You think that’s what I was doing!? Layla, I was buying them for you!”

  I gave him a confused look while still glaring.

  “Your entire wardrobe was delivered here three days ago. I unpacked it, and came to the conclusion that not only do you wear too much denim, but you also don’t possess any outfit suitable for the places, people, and social events that we will be encountering in Europe. I was getting you a whole new collection. I’m a notoriously bad shopper and after my personal shopper, Philippe, became frustrated walking around the boutiques and leaving empty-handed, he suggested models. I chose those three models because they are the same size, build, and height as you. But I only saw you. Not them.”

  I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair.

  “You expect me to believe that?”

  Taking my hand, he pulled me into the bedroom and over to the large closet that stood against the far wall. Opening it, he gave me a satisfied and smug smile.

  “Yes, I do expect you to believe it because it’s the truth. See for yourself. Evening gowns, dresses, casual outfits, everything you could possibly need with the shoes and accessories to match.”

  Reaching out, I caught a long, red gown in between my fingers and felt the silky fabric. It was clearly expensive, and I could see the row of tags on each garment as they lined the enormous closet. Okay, so maybe he was telling the truth, but that didn’t mean he was off the hook. Closing the doors, I took a deep breath and faced him.

  “So you bought me a new wardrobe, and you suddenly think it’s okay and acceptable for you to have three half naked women walking around your suite? It’s not! If I had pulled some shit like this, you would have gone thermonuclear! I’m expected to what? Say it’s okay just because you didn’t sleep with them? It’s not.”

  Storming out of the room, I made my way to the hallway and grabbed my case. I was done fighting. Catching my elbow, Jared halted me and tore my case from my hands, throwing it aside with ease.

  “So that’s it? You’ll just bail? Too easy, Layla.”

  Tears threatened as his deep blue eyes searched mine.

  “I don’t know what you want from me, Jared. You just don’t see what was wrong with what you did, and I am so sick of the double standards when it comes to the two of us and trust.”

  He raked his fingers through his golden hair. “You mean the way I trusted you to tell me the truth about your visit home?”

  I gave him a confused look. “What are you talking about?”

  He closed his eyes tightly for a moment before sighing deeply.

  “I know you saw him. I know the two of you spoke, and I also know, he had you against a wall. When were you going to tell me that?”

  My heart sank. How did he know? My mind raced, trying to understand how he could possibly have known. The concierge? Amy? And then, it dawned on me. Scowling at him, I snapped.

  “You had me followed, didn’t you? Daniel was following me! No wonder he never called to check up on me, he already knew everything! Oh my God. And you want to talk about trust? You don’t even trust me enough to give me my privacy!”

  “And clearly, for a damn good reason! You’re mine, Layla. I won’t share you, and I won’t just let some little rock star wannabe try to steal you away!”

  “Well, I don’t know exactly wh
at Daniel thought he saw, but what happened between Ollie and me in that foyer wasn’t exactly friendly. He called me on my shit and we parted on bad terms. There, happy now? I lost a friend and found out my boyfriend was stalking me all the way from Paris! Oh, and that he spends his spare time watching women in underwear try on my clothes.”

  He shook his head and grunted in frustration. “Enough! Layla, I’m sorry, okay? There, I said it. I told you I would screw this shit up, and I told you I’d do it more than once. I’m new at all of this, and I don’t expect you to like everything I do. But, I expect you to be patient and if I do something that pisses you off, talk to me about it. Hell, scream, yell, and fight with me, but don’t just fucking disappear! I was out of my mind when I saw your case there. My heart nearly gave out when I searched the hotel for you and found nothing. I had no idea where you were or even if you would come back. When I saw your passport, I realized you’d be returning for it and decided to wait for you. When I saw you, I didn’t know if I wanted to kiss you or spank the shit out of you for making me so fucking crazy with worry!”

  My breath caught in my throat, and I swallowed hard, trying to subdue my anger.

  Slowly walking toward me, Jared took my hand and entwined our fingers. His cheek pressed against mine, and I could feel his breath on my neck.

  “I love you, Layla. What don’t you understand about that? I would do anything for you. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  His lips grazed my jaw just below my ear. My body trembled at the mere touch.

  “I’m sorry that I had those women here, but I swear, I would never be unfaithful to you. I belong to you entirely.”

  Placing our interlinked hands on his chest, he trailed kisses from my jaw to my ear.

  “This belongs to you. All of it.”

  My breathing quickened and my body heated as his lips moved slowly to my collar bone. His free hand was stroking my hip while gently lifting the bottom of my shirt, allowing his hand to skim across my skin. My whole body was treacherously answering the lustful and sensual call of his hot, tense, and erotically charged body. His fingers tightened around mine as he gently and gradually guided my hand down his chest, over his perfect abdomen, and pressed it firmly against his bulging crotch.

  I could feel the thick, firm, and solid erection through his pants. My fingers instinctively closed around it, grasping it in my palm. I began to stroke him up and down, my body reacting to the deep and pleasurable sounds he made as my hand toyed and played around the tip of his cock. Pulling down his zipper, I slipped my hand inside and thrust it into his shorts. His cock twitched as my fingernails grazed the sensitive tip. He let out a staggered breath, and in a swift movement, he was holding me firmly against the wall. His hips pinning mine while my hand explored him, stroking, rubbing, and teasing him.

  My fingers tightened around him and he hitched a breath. He lifted his hands and pressed them, palm down against the wall on either side of my head, caging me in. His teeth nibbled gently on my earlobe before flicking the tip of his tongue over to soothe the hurt. I could feel my knees weakening. Giving into the buckle of my legs, I dropped to the floor and grinned up at him. His eyebrow raised, he smiled back at me.

  “You hurt me, Jared.” My hand began pumping his thick, rigid length and he let out a soft moan.

  “I know.”

  I shook my head. “Is that all you have to say for yourself?”

  Leaning forward, I licked the tip of his solid erection gently. He hissed through his teeth, still holding his hands firmly against the wall.

  “Fuck, Layla!”

  I shook my head again. “I think you need to do better than that. For what you put me through, I should make you suffer for hours for that.”

  A ghost of a smile spread across his deliciously plump, pink lips. “I would let you do it.”

  I had to hide my own grin. Closing my lips around the head of his cock, I slowly moved back and forth, rolling my tongue as I did so. He let out a soft moan and scraped his bottom lip with his teeth. I couldn’t help but get a sick and twisted thrill from the anguish I was causing him. I could feel his whole body tense as my hands moved behind his thighs and I scraped my nails up and down them rhythmically. My teeth grazed the tip of his cock again and he slammed his fist against the wall.

  “Layla, stop.”

  His eyes were closed and I could see the deep concentration written all over his face. His eyebrows pinched together and his breathing was becoming harsher. Moving faster, I continued to tease, frustrate, and drive him crazy with need. His expression contorted into one that almost appeared to be pain.

  “Layla, stop! Now.”

  I ignored him again. I wouldn’t stop. I wanted to bring him to the edge, let him teeter there for a moment, and let it feel like an eternity as I would pull away, release him, and leave him completely exhausted and sexually frustrated. I wanted him to suffer. I knew it was wrong, but I needed him to feel the anger, pain, and suffering that was coursing through my body right now.

  Reaching down, he gripped my shoulders and hauled me to my feet. I stared at him in shock as he pressed me hard against the wall. His eyes were burning with rage.

  “I know what you’re doing, Layla.”

  My eyes narrowed as I sneered at him. “Oh you do, do you? Well, then if you know what I’m doing, you must know why. So tell me, oh all-knowing one, what exactly is it you think I’m doing?”

  He shook his head and raised an eyebrow. “That mouth of yours is really starting to piss me off.”

  I snorted a laugh. “Well a few seconds ago you seemed to be enjoying it when it was wrapped around your dick.”

  Pressing me harder against the wall, he leaned closer. His lips were inches from mine, and I could feel the warmth of his breath on my face.

  “You’re punishing me. At first I thought it was all in fun, or maybe even to make me beg you to forgive me, a little sex game on your part. But it’s not, is it? You think I don’t notice the difference? If you have something to say, say it. Don’t fuck with me, Layla. We’re supposed to be past this juvenile bullshit.”

  Pressing my hands on his chest, I shoved him away from me. “I hate you!”

  I stormed away toward the bathroom, but he was hot on my heels. Catching me around the waist, he lifted me from the ground, turned me around and threw me over his shoulder. I kicked my feet and hammered my fists on his back in protest.

  “Put me down! I swear, Jared, I will make you so sorry for this shit!”

  He chuckled and it fueled my anger. I kicked harder and my fists were now pummeling into his back. Heading for the bedroom, he continued to hold me as he approached the wardrobe. I couldn’t tell what was happening or what the hell he was looking for, but the next thing I knew, I was dropped heavily onto the bed. I bounced there for a moment, still trying to regain my equilibrium from being literally turned upside down. Flipping me over onto my back, Jared straddled me and pinned me by my wrists to the bed with one hand. The other dove into his pocket and a slither of red satin caught my eye.

  “If you can’t be trusted not to fucking storm off whenever we have a fight, you leave me with no choice.”

  I wanted to struggle, but as my eyes became fixed on the deep shade of red, a dozen sexy and disarming memories flooded my brain. Jared clutched the restraints in his hand and grinned wickedly at me.

  “I can see by the expression on your face that you remember these well. I brought everything with me, Layla, plus some new things, too. I can’t wait to torture, please, and entice you with all of them, but right now, we need to get a little control over this situation.”

  Wrapping the satin around each of my wrists, he held them together tightly as he wound the ends around the middle of the metal headboard. I pulled and tugged on them, but it was no use. It never was. Jared was an expert at this, and my attempts to escape were futile. Lowering himself on top of me, he breathed gently in my ear.

  “If you don’t stop struggling, you’re going to hurt yourself, and
that hurts me.”

  I stilled and gazed up at him as he sat back on his heels and removed his shirt. His pants still hung loosely at his waist. In his haste to catch me, he’d simply pulled them up and closed the zipper. I gazed at the deep V cuts that led temptingly into his pants. Damn him and his tasty body. I was still trying to hold onto my anger and he was making it almost impossible.

  With my hands bound to the bed and my temper seething and simmering under my skin, I drew my attention from his abdomen and glared up at him.

  “Don’t give me that look. You traveled alone from the US to Europe with no regard for your safety. You then show up and immediately jump to conclusions about what you see here instead of confronting me. Running away isn’t an option for you anymore, Layla. I’m tired of it. And now, you decide to employ sex as a form of punishment. I’m all for games and teasing, but I won’t have you turn us making love into something you do out of anger. Am I getting through to you?”

  I scowled at him. He was half-right, at least. But the only thing I agreed with was that I was making sex a punishment. The rest, I felt entirely justified about.

  “I am not a child, Jared. I got on a plane and flew from one airport to another. I’m a grown woman. People our age are traveling around the world for crying out loud. You don’t see them being babysat or chaperoned. I wanted to surprise you, but I got a bigger surprise of my own. I don’t care if they were modeling underwear or sucking your cock, it’s all the same to me! You had half naked women alone with you in your room. I am not okay with that. If I pulled that shit, you’d lose it completely. Don’t deny it.”