The Sinner's Secret

by Kira Sinclair

  Blakely jerked and then stilled. After several seconds she whispered, “What are we doing? This isn’t smart.”

  A puff of silent laughter escaped his lips. “Enjoying each other’s company?”

  “We don’t like each other.”

  “You keep saying that. I like you just fine, Blakely. You’re sharp, tough and resourceful. You’re loyal to a fault and sexy as hell.”

  Brushing a strand of hair away from her face, Gray stared down at her as she stared up. Both of them paused, teetering on the edge of something. A choice. Potential. An opportunity that could be everything...or nothing more than a few stolen days of a good time.

  Gray wasn’t sure what would happen, but he knew without a doubt he was willing to take the chance to find out. He’d spent years without choices, without the option of doing and having what he wanted. Tonight, he was damned and determined to take the opportunity in front of him.

  But only as long as Blakely wanted the same thing.

  “When this elevator stops, I’m going into that room. If you follow me, I’m going to strip you bare, kiss every inch of your naked skin and fuck you until we’re both blind with pleasure. If you’re not okay with that, don’t get off.”

  * * *

  Blakely pressed a palm against the cold wall of the elevator. Gray didn’t bother turning around to see if she followed when he exited. Was that because he knew she’d follow?

  His words rang through her head. There was no question that she wanted what he was offering. Her entire body hummed with the aftermath of that kiss. She could feel the echo of his hands on her skin and needed more.

  Following him wasn’t smart. It wasn’t safe.

  But she was tired of being both. God, she’d been smart and safe her entire life. Played by the rules and watched as others who didn’t were rewarded. Tonight, she wanted to feel. Real and raw. For once, she wanted to make a stupid, amazing, earth-rocking choice.

  The aftermath would come soon enough.

  The doors began to shut. Blakely’s belly dropped to her toes, as if she’d already taken an express ride back to the bottom floor.

  No.

  Her hand shot out with inches to spare. The doors touched her skin and immediately bounced back. She slipped through the opening and into the entryway of an amazing suite.

  A high ceiling soared above her head. And a massive wall of windows greeted her from the opposite side of the room. Taking several steps, Blakely surveyed the amazing view, a backdrop of light and action against the inky night sky.

  Her breath backed into her lungs. Not because of the stunning view, but because Gray stepped up behind her.

  The hard length of his body pressed against her. His arms wrapped around her and his palm found the edge of her jaw. Gently cupping her face, he eased her around until his mouth found hers again. The angle of his hold had her arching against him, a little off balance and dependent on him for stability.

  Something about that felt uncomfortable and inviting all at once. Because she knew there was no way he’d let her falter.

  He held her exactly where he wanted, commanding the moment in a way that made the blood in her veins thick with anticipation. His other hand was busy, as well, methodically popping open the buttons down the front of her shirt.

  She’d been purposeful when she’d dressed this morning. Casual, but professional. Determined to set the tone of this trip from the outset.

  Spreading open her blouse, Gray let her mouth go long enough to peer at what he’d revealed.

  “Please tell me your panties match this bra.”

  A small smile tugged at Blakely’s lips.

  She might have been professional on the outside, but staring at her lingerie options this morning, she just hadn’t been able to make herself reach for anything plain. Instead, she’d chosen a mesh-and-lace bra that left almost everything except the bottom edge of her breasts naked. What was that saying? Something about sexy lingerie making a woman feel confident, even if no one else knew she was wearing it?

  She’d embraced that school of thought for sure.

  “As a matter of fact, they do.” Maybe she was gloating. A little. But the appreciation and approval in Gray’s voice was absolutely worth it.

  “Let me see.”

  Setting her away from him, Gray took several steps backward.

  Turning, Blakely did the same, increasing the space. Without the pressure of his body to keep it in place, the shirt he’d opened slithered off her shoulders to pool at her feet.

  Normally, Blakely felt uncomfortable in these types of situations. She was typically a get-naked-get-in-bed-and-have-sex kind of girl. Focused on the end result, because that’s what they both wanted, right?

  Tonight was entirely different.

  Probably because of the way Gray was watching her.

  His hungry gaze tripped across her skin. She could feel it, as tempting as any caress. Clearly, he wanted her. Appreciated her. Which only increased her confidence.

  “I’m dying here, Blakely. Show me.”

  Reaching down, she popped the button and zipper on her pants. Rolling her hips, Blakely let them follow the shirt down to the ground.

  Gray’s sharp intake of breath was worth a million words. His deep green eyes went hot. Kicking off her heels, Blakely stepped closer, standing before him in nothing but her bra and panties.

  Her nipples ached and her sex throbbed. She wanted him to touch her. A cool draft of air kissed her overheated skin, sending a scattering of goose bumps across her body.

  “Gorgeous. You’re beautiful, Blakely.”

  Closing the space between them, Gray cupped the nape of her neck and gently pulled her up onto her toes. He eased her into the towering shelter of his body, fusing their mouths together.

  The kiss was powerful, deep. Drugging.

  Languid desire melted through Blakely’s body. His clothes scraped against her naked skin, reminding her how vulnerable she was right now. A dangerous edge of anxiety swirled at the fringes of the heat he was building.

  Pulling back, she reached for the hem of his shirt, tugging it out of his slacks. Gray let her, somehow sensing her need to even the playing field. Lifting his arms, he helped her work the shirt up and off. Blakely didn’t even bother tossing it—she simply let it drop to the floor behind him.

  His ruffled dark brown hair made her lips curl up in a smile. Gray Lockwood wasn’t the kind of guy who let much of anything ruffle him. It felt intimate somehow, to see him that way. More intimate than standing in front of him in her underwear.

  Reaching for him, Blakely let her fingers sift through it, smoothing his hair back down. She let her hands drift down his neck, shoulders, torso.

  Everything about him was tight and hard. His body swelled with muscle that had not been built in a gym. But what gave her pause was the smattering of scars scattered across his body.

  Blakely let her fingertips play over them, memorizing the way the puckered skin felt. Gray stiffened beneath her exploration, but didn’t pull away. She wanted to ask the questions, but knew he really didn’t want to answer them.

  And now wasn’t the time.

  Turning her gaze up to his, she leaned forward and placed her mouth over a particularly ugly one just over the swell of one of his pecs. And then let her mouth trail downward until she found the tight, tiny nub of nipple.

  Sucking it into her mouth, Blakely relished Gray’s groan. His fingers tangled in her hair, curled into a fist. His hold arched her neck at the same time he pressed into her. Blakely responded with the scrape of her teeth against the distended bud of flesh.

  But that patience didn’t last long. With a growl, Gray grasped her around the waist and boosted her up onto a kitchen island she hadn’t even noticed was there.

  The cold surface of the countertop connecting with the warm curve of her ass made
her gasp with surprise. Reaching behind her, Gray had the clasp of her bra popped open and his mouth on her breast within seconds.

  She arched into him, relishing the way Gray’s wet mouth sucked on her skin. His palm spread wide at the base of her spine, keeping her where he wanted. Waves of sensation built in her belly as he tugged and sucked and laved.

  His mouth played across her skin. Tingles chased up and down her spine. Pressing her knees wide, Gray stepped into the open V of her thighs. His fingertips caressed the delicate skin at the juncture of her hip and thigh, tracing the edge of her panties. Teasing, tempting her with what she really wanted.

  She writhed beneath his touch, needing so much more. “Please.”

  Gray obliged, slipping a finger beneath the barrier of her panties and finding the moist heat of her sex. Blakely gasped and arched up into his caress, silently demanding more.

  “God, you’re wet,” he groaned.

  Urging her down, Gray hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties and tugged them down her legs. Kneeling at her feet, he stared up at her. The expression on his face sent her reeling. Harsh, needy and sexy as hell. She’d never had a man look at her with such desire and intensity.

  Naked, spread across the kitchen island, Blakely should have felt exposed. But she didn’t. Instead, she felt empowered and sexy.

  Hands to her knees, Gray urged her wider as he leaned forward to trail kisses up the expanse of her inner thigh. He licked and nipped, sucked and nuzzled. Until his wicked mouth found the very part of her aching for relief. Blakely’s world went dark as his mouth narrowed everything down to that one spot.

  His mouth was magic. Blakely groaned, dropping back on her elbows because her body just wouldn’t stay upright anymore. Her eyes slipped shut, bursts of color flashing across her brain along with his lightning strokes of pleasure.

  The orgasm slammed into her, rocking her entire body. Her hips bucked against him, but his hard hold on her thighs kept her in place. She rode out the relentless waves for what felt like an eternity.

  Blakely was breathing hard, her entire body laboring to pull enough oxygen into her lungs. Her elbows were shaky, but somehow she managed to stay mostly upright. It would have been embarrassing to collapse completely onto the kitchen counter in front of him.

  Although, he probably wouldn’t have cared.

  Gray rose between her spread thighs. His mouth glistened with the aftermath of her orgasm. His own lips curled up into a self-satisfied smirk. Blakely had the urge to do whatever it took to wipe that expression off his face.

  Starting with stripping him of the last of his clothes.

  Blakely curled her hands into the waistband of his slacks, using the hold to jerk him closer. Sitting up, she made quick work of his fly and pushed both the pants and boxer briefs over his hips.

  Gray toed off his shoes and stepped out of the pile of clothing, kicking it out of the way.

  God, he was gorgeous. Light spilled over his body, highlighting the peaks and valleys of pure muscle. Two grooves sat at the edge of his hips, leading with a V straight to the promised land.

  His erection, long and thick, jutted out from his body. A tiny pearl of moisture clung to the swollen tip. Blakely’s tongue swept out across her bottom lip. She really wanted to taste him.

  A groan reverberated through the back of his throat. “Don’t look at me that way.”

  Startled, Blakely’s gaze ripped up to his. “What way?”

  “Like I’m a chocolate sundae and you’re starving.”

  A grin played at Blakely’s lips. “You’re better than a sundae, Gray, and you know it. You’re hot as hell.”

  “You think so, huh?”

  Shaking her head, Blakely gestured for him to come closer. “You’re walking, talking sin. Shut up and come here.”

  Gray did what she demanded, stepping back between her open thighs. Blakely started to jump down from the counter, but the solid wall of his body prevented her.

  Shaking his head, Gray said, “That’s where I want you.”

  You’d think, considering she’d just had a mind-blowing orgasm, that she might have been a little more malleable and accommodating. Not so much. “Maybe I want to be somewhere else.” Like on her knees with him in her mouth. That’s really what she wanted.

  “Too bad.”

  Perhaps if she told him her plan he would relent. But she never got the chance. Because the ability to speak left her the minute his fingers found her sex and plunged deep. A strangled sound stuck in the back of her throat and her hips jumped forward, pressing tight against his hand in an effort to get more.

  “God, you’re so tight.”

  She nodded, her brain unable to form any other coherent response. Gray’s fingers worked in and out, stroking deep. Blakely’s brain scrambled, emptying of every thought except for the pleasure he was giving her.

  Her body went white-hot as her hips pumped in time with his fingers. She was so close...and then he simply stopped. With his fingers still buried deep in her pussy, he gave a come-hither motion with his other hand that had her eyes crossing.

  “Holy...”

  “My thought exactly,” he said. “Lean back, open the drawer behind you and grab a condom.”

  Blakely blinked, but did as he asked. Rolling onto one elbow, she reached to the far side and pulled out a drawer. Sure enough, a pile of condoms sat there.

  Grabbing one, she asked, “How’d you know?”

  “Not my first time staying in this suite.”

  Blakely tried not to let his statement derail her. She didn’t want to think about him being up here with another woman. Or women.

  “And I might have asked the concierge to stock all the rooms with condoms.”

  Laughter and irritation bubbled up inside her chest. “Asshole.”

  He shrugged. “I believe in being prepared.”

  Apparently. Sitting back up, Blakely ripped into the package. Gray held out his hand for the condom, but she shooed him away. This was something she wanted to do.

  Reaching for his hips, she guided him closer. Wrapping a hand around the long shaft of his sex, she relished the weight and size of him. Heat seeped into her palm. Friction added to it as she slid her hand up and down the length of him several times.

  Blakely relished his groan and the way his hips thrust into her strokes. The walls of her own sex contracted. She wanted to feel him deep inside.

  She rolled down the condom over his length and positioned him at the opening to her body. Hands on her hips, Gray paused, holding them both still.

  Looking deeply into her eyes he said, “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “It’s been a while. This is probably going to be fast.”

  “How long is a while?”

  “Almost eight years.”

  “Nope.” No way was that possible. Sure, she understood why he was celibate for seven years, but he’d been out of prison for almost a year. Was it really possible he hadn’t been with anyone that entire time?

  “Why would I lie about something like that?”

  He wouldn’t. There was no reason to. “That’s not what I meant. I just...find it hard to believe someone as handsome and sexual as you has chosen to be celibate.”

  “I was indiscriminate when I was younger. The past several years taught me what was important. And I haven’t found anyone I wanted to be with...until now.”

  Blakely had no idea what to make of that, but she really didn’t have time to consider because Gray took that moment to thrust home.

  Blakely’s head dropped backward. Her eyes slid closed as she savored the indescribable feel of him. Gray gave her a few moments to adjust.

  Hands on her hips, he held her firmly in place as he thrust. In and out, Gray set a pace that had tension and pleasure building steadily inside her.

&
nbsp; Sex on the kitchen counter in a penthouse suite should have felt decadent and dangerous. Something completely out of her normal life. And in some ways this moment with Gray did feel like that. Eight years ago, if someone had told her she’d be here with Gray, she probably would have laughed in their face.

  But now...

  Blakely’s hands ran across his body, touching, memorizing, exploring. He was buried deep inside her, and still she wanted him closer. Needed more of him.

  This wasn’t just physical, although there was no doubt they generated plenty of heat together.

  Gray’s mouth found hers, fusing them together in a way that mimicked the connection of their bodies. His tongue stroked deep inside even as his sex sank deep.

  She felt the flutter of another orgasm teasing at the edges of her senses. Gray’s thrusts became harder and deeper, his grip on her hips holding her tightly in place.

  And then the world burst open around her again. Just as he let out a roar of relief. His body shuddered against hers. And somehow she found the brainpower to wrap her arms around him and hold him tight. Together, they collapsed, the edge of the kitchen counter the only thing keeping Gray upright.

  His labored breaths panted in her ear. The room around her slowly started to come back into focus. And, eventually, Gray pulled away.

  She expected him to say something smart. To make some quip to cut the tension and make light of what had just happened between them. Because that’s what she needed to keep her head on straight.

  Instead, Gray smoothed a hand over her face. He cupped her jaw and brought her close.

  “That was everything I ever imagined and more.”

  Blakely’s chest swelled and something soft fluttered deep inside her belly.

  But the feeling didn’t last long. How could it when he looked at her, his intense gaze trained solely on her and filled with a heat that nearly singed her skin.

  “But I’m nowhere close to done with you tonight.”