I put my phone away and stare at a glistening tree ornament, debating. The red orb catches and throws light back out. Silent Night plays on. A family laughs in the corner of the foyer. It’s still three days till Christmas, no matter where I am and no matter what’s happening. It’s still a shitty time to spend alone.
I’m sure Lily will at least agree to that.
I find her in the same place I left her, the only thing different is the wine bottle is now empty, and she’s working on a second one. Her eyes roll at the sight of me.
“Back so soon?” she quips.
I sit next to her. “How about we start over? We’re both stuck here. Let’s make the most of it. I’d say dinner is a great way for me to extend an olive branch How about it?”
The corner of her mouth twitches. Not waiting for her answer, I pick up my menu. She stays. We order dinner and sit uncomfortably for a couple of minutes.
“You’re cute when you’re irate,” I tell her.
Lily narrows her eyes at me. “I see right through you.”
“Don’t hate me because you jumped to conclusions about the meeting with Forer.”
“This has nothing to do with Forer. It has to do with you being a smug, bastard with a cocky attitude.”
I open my mouth to keep rubbing her the wrong way, but dinner arrives. I’m starving. We keep the talk to a minimum. We barely speak, but when we do, I’m the one initiating. Lily maintains her animosity with me up until she finishes her meal, which is when she promptly throws her napkin on the table and gets to her feet.
“Thank you for the meal, Nick. Have a good evening.”
I sign the bill to my room. “I’ll make sure you get there safely,” I tease.
I expect some resistance, but it’s not there as I follow her out of the dining room and through the foyer in the direction of her room. My cock stirs. Lily is still the finest piece I’ve had in a long time. It’s a shame such a superb connection is wasted just because she’s bummed about a canceled meeting.
“You know, I can tell that you want me to help get things off your mind,” I suggest in complete seriousness.
“Oh my God,” she growls, speeding up.
At her door, she spins around to face me straight on. “Let’s forget about what happened, all right? It was a mistake.”
“Sure. It was a mistake that we stopped when did, just because we’re professionals, and Forer is not.” I raise my eyebrows. “The way I see it, we owe it to ourselves to not let Tapped get the best of us.”
She lets out a laugh. “So, what you’re saying is I should sleep with you to stick it to Tapped.”
“Yes.”
“A revenge fuck…that’s your angle?”
“Why not?”.
Lily cocks her head to one side. “You think this is all just a game.”
“And you’re way too serious. At least let me help you get that stick out of your ass while we’re stuck here.”
Her arms fold. “Oh, that’s rich. You really think this…approach is working on me?”
“You tell me. I read body language, balance sheets, and software code; not minds.”
“Well, sorry if I didn’t hit the peak of my success at nineteen when a trust fund was released in my name. Some of us regular people still have to work for what they want.”
I’m a bit confused.
“You think I didn’t have to work for what I have?”
She flips her hair. Vanilla wafts my way, mixing with my building irritation.
“That’s not what I said. I said you don’t—”
“No, I think that’s precisely what you were getting at.”
Lily’s hands curl into fists. “You’re putting words in my mouth.”
“I’d like to put something else in your mouth.”
Her eyes go wide. I can’t help smiling. She’s so quick to react, pushing her buttons is almost fun. It doesn’t help that getting a rise out of her does the same to my dick. That, and the fact that she’s fucking gorgeous.
And we’re stuck here.
“You presumptuous asshole!” she gasps, rummaging through her purse for her key. She swipes it against the lock without looking.
I’ve heard just about enough. Stepping forward, I grab the back of her head, silencing her with an open-mouthed kiss.
Chapter 6
Lily
Nick steps me backward into the room. I can’t say he’s pushing my limits or forcing the issue, because my arms are gripping his shirt and helping him get us past my threshold. I’m light-headed with euphoria. He tugs my shirt out of my pants, turns me around, and grinds his stiff cock against my ass as he strokes my lower stomach beneath the fabric. Two strong, warm hands—hands I didn’t know I missed—feel their way slipping between my pants and thong panties to cup my mound as he sucks on my neck.
Bad idea, bad idea, my logical mind is screaming.
Fuck, this feels too good to be logical. My body is on its own trajectory.
Nick nearly tears my blouse off. I think I hear a button pop. I pull from him to check the damage, but he grabs my hair and smashes his teeth to my neck again. He steps forward, walking me over to the bed. I kick my shoes off right before we collapse onto the mattress.
Nick finishes what I started by removing his suit jacket and tossing it to the floor. His biceps strain underneath his shirt, the sight of them making the muscles between my legs clench. I’ve yet to see him completely naked. There’s no way he’ll disappoint. I’ve felt those hard lines and bulging muscles beneath my hands.
Now I’ll get to feel them on top of my naked body.
He takes the shirt off, looking in my direction while he pulls his arms out of it.
“This isn’t right,” I say, hoping he’ll agree. I’m not thinking straight right now. What we’re doing is a bad idea. I need Nick to back me up.
I try to pick out some objection I can use, but he gets off me and I already miss him. I realize then that he’s removing his pants. A huge bulge presses against the fabric of his boxers. Just like that, I’m completely distracted.
“Yes. This is.”
I can’t even speak. Nick throws himself back down onto the bed. He grabs my legs and yanks me towards him. I don’t resist as he gets the rest of my clothes off of me. Who am I kidding? I am not walking away from this. I slide his boxers down. His warm body locks me to the mattress and his soft tongue runs across my teeth. The tip of his cock pushes against my leg, hot, stiff, and ready to go.
I’m throbbing with desire, about to scream from frustration.
Nick stops kissing me. “You know,” he says against my cheek. “Once you get your clothes off, you’re pretty easy to get along with.”
My teeth clamp down. “Fuck you,” I grit through tight teeth.
He chuckles. “Yes please.”
“Shut up.” I push against him, throwing him off of me. He sits up on the bed with a surprised look on his face. I grab the base of his cock and swivel my tongue around its tip. Nick stops talking. Pumping his shaft slightly with both hands, I work my mouth up and down his length. With each bob of my head, I take a little bit more of him in. Tasting his salty-sweet pre-cum makes me wet.
Nick groans and relaxes underneath me. I relax my jaw and take in more of him, massaging his balls with one hand. Saltiness lands on my tongue. He’s close to coming, but I’m not going to let it happen. Not when he’s been intentionally pissing me off for the past hour or so. I let him slip out of my mouth, and I sit back on my knees.
He has lust and frustration written all over his face. Both give me some satisfaction. Before I can take another breath, his hand is on my wrists, locking them together above my head. He tosses me down onto the mattress. I don’t plan on going anywhere. This is my room, and I can’t wait to see what he’ll do to me. I resist a bit under his grip.
“Don’t move,” he commands, breathing the words into my ear.
He kisses me feverishly, his available hand takes free rein with my body. His fingers f
ind their way over my breasts, roughly twisting and pinching at my nipples. Pain shoots through me and I yelp against his mouth. He pays no attention. Down, down, he goes.
A finger pushes into my dripping wet opening.
Nick chuckles against my lips. “You’re ready for me, I see. Hate me now?”
“Yes,” I moan.
“How about now?” He rubs his thumb over my clit. My hips rise off the bed for more contact.
“Move and I’ll spank you.” He lets go of me to retrieve a condom from his pants. I stay put, but the truth is I’m curious about what his idea of spanking might entail.
Nick watches me while he stands there, cock facing forward, bobbing as he rips open the condom wrapper.
“Good job. It turns out not only can you listen, but you can also keep your mouth shut.”
“Go to Hell,” I snap without thinking.
His lips tighten as he rolls the condom over his cock head and down his shaft. “Just for that, I’m won’t go easy on you.”
He climbs on the bed. His hands find my wrists again, pushing them into the mattress, holding me down with what’s probably only a fraction of his weight but feels like all of it. His dick hits my opening, roughly pushing aside my wet, swollen pussy lips.
He stays true to his promise, drilling into me hard, ignoring my cry, which is a mix of surprise, pain, and pleasure. Each hit of discomfort is followed by one of ecstasy. Nick’s hot breath covers my cheek as he pummels into me. Whimpers escape from my throat. I sound like I’m losing control, and I am. This man has total control over me. I can’t stop him even if I wanted to.
Which is perfect, because I don’t want him to stop now.
My walls tighten around his thickness. I’m getting close. The tense coiled-up feeling in my lower belly is about to unwind, causing limbs to shake and a guttural moan to leave my throat even before an orgasm hits me hard. Nick growls, eyes dark as I buck beneath him. He holds my hips firm to the bed to stop my thrashing and grinding. Probably because I’m affecting him.
He thrusts into me harder, his hands returning to my wrists. I’m so sated, I don’t keep track of how much time has passed as he pulls out and leans back. He sits there, stroking his cock as he just gazes at me. A fine sheen of sweat covers his face. I can keep staring at him all evening long, but without warning, he flips me over and lifts my ass into the air. He must love that I’m not interested in fighting him or struggling for control. Two orgasms in one evening tend to get me in a cooperative mood. Still, I tense, not knowing what to expect.
Nick parts my thighs, pushing my legs as far apart as they’ll go. Hot breaths of air strike the space between them and I squirm. He digs his nails into me even more to stop me from moving. I’d be lying if I say I don’t enjoy how rough he is as he grips my butt cheeks, pulling them apart, preparing me for what is to come.
His soft tongue runs along my cunt, lapping up all the wetness there. I’m already shaking as he fucks me with his tongue, but I’m quickly learning that Nick is not about playing tame or keeping it simple. Pressing a finger at my asshole, he uses his other hand on my hip to guide me back and forth onto his tongue. Soon his finger is sinking into my tight hole, matching his tongue, taking my pleasure through the roof. I tilt my head down and I practically scream into the pillow from the wicked pleasure that bows my spine.
Nick silences me with a hard spank on my ass cheek. I bite down on the pillow as his tongue makes languid circles around my hole. I’m so sensitive that I can’t help but tremble. Each time I do he spanks me.
I’m gasping for breath, riding the high tide, teetering on the edge. It’s too many sensations at once. Choked noises leave my throat. My nails tear at the sheets. He pulls his mouth away. It’s replaced by his dick, the thick head gliding into my pussy. He hits the perfect spot right away, making my new cry one of pure ecstasy.
Fingers clutch at my scalp, twisting hair between them. He takes some of my strands into a ball and tugs, reining my head back. I arch my back, struggling as Nick pulls my neck up and uses the other hand to push my hips down. On the one hand, it hurt like hell feeling like a pretzel, but fuck, his cock head hits my G-spot each and every time, until I come hard again.
He rides me through the aftershocks, groaning and pumping until he digs his nails into my hips and fixes his groin to my ass cheeks as he comes.
My scalp is grateful when his fingers loosen in my hair, but the rest of me misses the heat of his skin as he draws away from me. The mattress gives as Nick relaxes beside me. Letting my legs stretch out, I lower to the bed to catch my breath and face his direction. He’s starting to look way too comfortable in my bed as he lies there on his back with his hands locked behind his head.
Like he owns the place.
A cocky grin lifts his lips. “Feel like room service?” he asks. “I could use a beer.”
My lips press together. “I didn’t even invite you in.”
His eyebrows shoot up, but he says nothing.
Maybe I want him to tell me how good this was for him. I’m not sure why, but I climb off the bed and find my ripped shirt.
“That was fun. You should go.”
He gives me a nod and gets out of bed. More silence. My heart sinks. I want him to leave. I do. He needs to go. But I expected at least a little bit of a fight. Isn’t he feeling a shred of anything inside that ripped, toned chest? Nick grabs his clothes and hurriedly pulls them on. I sit on the edge of the bed, arms crossed, as I watch him. Each move he makes causes some muscle or another to flex. After a few seconds, it’s too much to handle and I opt for staring at the floor instead.
I feel his eyes on me. He’s probably hoping that I beg him to stay. I don’t look up. There are footsteps as he heads for the door, and then a slam.
He’s gone.
For good this time.
Chapter 7
Nick
I take an extra-long shower, inhaling the steam, clearing my head, resetting after Lily. The woman is abrasive, defensive and competitive, but get her into bed and she’s something else entirely. My cock twitches. It’s willing to put up with her feisty attitude just to get inside of her again.
Am I?
I can’t shut off this new desire to claim her, to rein her in and take control of her. Especially because she lets me. That’s the kicker. Lily’s a spitfire. She is steamrolling her way through her career, busting her ass to prove she’s just as good or better than the major players in our industry. She may be better, but even talent won’t guarantee her a seat at the table.
Helping her conquering the boardroom does not really matter to me. I want to know if she’s been waiting for the right man to come along and put her in her place.
In the bedroom.
No one can do that better than me.
I dry off and put on a fresh dress shirt and slacks. There’s no telling what else is going to happen between us. The night is still young.
I pull my laptop out and perform a quick search of her name in a few professional software developer databases. If she’s at a meeting with Tapped, she has some experience under her belt. The results impress me. Lily Henderson has a strong development background with top-tier consulting firms. A few clicks get me to the website for her startup. No surprise there. She has worked on complex, multi-year, big budget projects with massive industry leaders. Then she goes off on her own, probably expecting the offers of work would follow. I lean back against the bed’s headboard, wondering why she left and how come no one has swooped in from another firm to hire her.
If that’s what she wants.
Judging from the fact that Forer is interested in her, my guess is it’s only a matter of time before she either lands a deal big enough to support her staying on her own, or she throws in the entrepreneurial towel and returns to work for the big boys.
Pulling my shoes on and grabbing my wallet, I head down the hall with a seed of a plan forming in my head. If Lily can keep her attitude in check long enough to listen to my proposition, t
here may be some hope for her.
As I turn a bend on my way to see her, she comes around the corner and crashes into me.
“Oh!” she gasps, staring up at me with curiosity. “Oh. You.”
I notice she’s wearing a coat and carrying a small suitcase.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Her eyes flash defiantly and she lifts her chin, though she makes no move to break away from my hold. “Really? I need to report to you that I’m leaving too?”
“You’re not thinking of leaving the hotel on foot, are you?”
Her pouty lips purse. No answer.
“That’s exactly what you’re doing. Maybe you need me more than you realize,” I tell her.
“We’re three blocks away from a Holiday Inn. I’ll manage.”
All I can do is shake my head at her poor judgment.
“What?” she asks.
“You live in New York and you still want to risk going into that storm? I didn’t think I’d have to convince a local to stay indoors.”
“Just watch me.”
“I will, and I’ll enjoy it too, but then I’d have to come out there and drag you back inside kicking and screaming. Can we just skip that part, and get back to sipping on wine and spanking that fine ass of yours?”
“I don’t need this.” She rips her arm away from my hand and starts walking.
“You act like I’m beating down your door, sweetheart,” I growl. “And let me remind you, you’re the one who just kicked me out for fucking you right.”
Her eyes widen. That hint of fast-burning anger causes her breathing to change.
“Come with me,” I tell her before she can answer. “There’s something I think we should discuss.”
“I’m leaving,” she huffs, but doesn’t move or say a thing.
“Right. Into the storm to get yourself killed. To get frozen underneath a snow drift until it melts, or someone digs you out around Easter.”
Her mouth twitches. She’s breaking.
Her Cocky Client (Insta-Love on the Run Book 5) Page 3
