The Orchard Inn

by A. M. Kusi

  “Okay, deal.” Jax agreed.

  “You go first,” she said.

  “Are you single?” Jax might be okay with the occasional hook-up or casual fling, but he was never one to encroach on someone else’s relationship.

  “Yes. Are you?”

  “Always. Are you turned on right now?”

  She licked her lips and looked up at him before answering, “Soaked.”

  The desire to take her right here on this balcony while everyone watched, was damn near overwhelming. He was hard, straining against his zipper. He swallowed, trying to regain control of himself. “It’s your turn,” he managed.

  “What is the wildest thing you have ever done?” she asked.

  “Uh . . .” Jax had to think about her question. He hadn’t done anything crazy in his life. He had strict parents, who would beat his ass if he ever got out of line. Being black in an almost all white school meant he’d had more pressure thrust upon him to ‘behave’ a certain way.

  Even in college he didn’t get too crazy. After realizing how boring his life seemed, he got creative with his answer. “I’m hoping that tonight will be the wildest, craziest thing I’ve ever done. Maybe you can help with that.”

  She smiled and laughed. “I like your answer. Last question.”

  Jax grinned. “What’s your fantasy?”

  She blinked twice, the only tell that she was surprised by his question. He guessed if he removed the mask she was wearing, he would see a tinge of pink on her creamy skin.

  “You want to know my fantasy?”

  “Yes,” he said, feeling like it was getting more difficult to breathe by the second.

  “I want . . . to be tied up.” She moved her lips to his ear and whispered, “I want to be so completely out of control that I have no choice but to enjoy every minute of it. I want . . .” She trailed off, her breaths increasing, thrusting the swell of her breasts into his chest. “I want you to take control until I beg for you to stop.” She pulled away.

  There was no longer any doubt. She wanted to spend the night with him too. Jaxton had never been so turned on in his life. He might actually die if he didn’t get this woman alone.

  Her lips parted in invitation as she stared at his mouth. He leaned and kissed her. A warm sensation flooded his body, instantly seizing control. He deepened the kiss. Sliding his tongue in, coaxing, tangling with hers like two hot flames flickering to life. She met his hunger with her own urgency. She tasted like whiskey and the promise of sex. Her hands gripped his neck tighter as she grinded, against his body. Jax wanted her. He needed her. Now.

  She broke the kiss, and breathlessly asked, “Last question. Want to get out of here?”

  It was as if she had read his thoughts. “Yes,” Jax said without hesitation. “I have a room?” he suggested.

  “Perfect,” she agreed.

  He grabbed her hand, admiring the sly smile spreading across her face as she bit her bottom lip. He had plans for those lips, and he wouldn’t stop until every last bit of the lipstick was smeared onto some part of his body.

  He pulled her hand through the crowd of guests just as a keynote speaker stopped the music and tapped on the microphone. Jax didn’t care. There was only one thing on his mind in that moment, and it overrode his senses. He had one goal and his target was set on this mystery woman like a heat-seeking missile. He led her to a private elevator and used his black key card to activate it, then pushed the button for the penthouse suite he’d reserved for the night. Jax turned to look at her, and she met his gaze. He still held her hand, a tease when he wanted to touch and explore every part of her naked skin. The sexual tension was making it hard to breathe.

  No longer able to restrain himself, Jax picked her up in one quick motion so that her legs wrapped around his body before his mouth smashed onto hers. She moaned into his mouth as he deepened the kiss. She grazed her teeth along his bottom lip and he groaned before the elevator dinged and the doors opened. He carried her through the spacious entryway to his suite.

  “Drink?” he asked.

  “Bedroom,” she answered.

  “I knew I liked you,” he said, carrying her past the dimly lit living room and kitchen, and into the master bedroom. He flipped the switch for the gas fireplace, thankful that he had left the ambient music playing on the built-in sound system.

  Jax set her down. She stood in front of the bed, facing him. Her breasts swelled with each quickened breath. A flicker of hesitation flashed in her eyes before she smiled and reached behind her neck, pulling the straps of her dress undone. Blinded by white hot lust, his eyes locked on her in awe and fascination as the silky-smooth dress slipped to the ground. Exposing her bare body, it confirmed his suspicions: she was absolutely naked underneath the dress. She stood perfectly stripped except for her face hidden by the mask. Aphrodite sent straight from Mount Olympus. His eyes caressed and memorized every inch of her curvy body: the peaks of her breasts that he wanted to suck and palm, the juicy thick thighs that he couldn’t wait to wrap around his body again, only this time, naked.

  “I think I may be in love.”

  She laughed. “Your turn.”

  Jaxton didn’t waste another minute. He tore off the bow tie, and threw his jacket onto a crumpled pile on the floor. He put his cuff links in his pocket and started to unbutton his shirt, but only got one undone before she spoke.

  “May I?”

  Jax looked at her nearly black eyes and nodded.

  The mystery woman stepped out of her black heels before moving closer. She was a full foot shorter than him, and he liked that. She ran her hands up his chest to the buttons and started to undo them expertly. How many men had come before him? A foreign feeling burned in his stomach. He shook the thought from his mind. It didn’t matter because she was his for tonight.

  Jax took the opportunity to run his hands down her hips and around the curve of her ass, fueling the ache that throbbed in his pants. Her skin was creamy perfection. She pulled the white starched fabric from his body revealing his toned abs and tattooed arms. She gasped and licked her lips.

  “Do you like what you see?” he asked with a chuckle.

  “Mmm hmmm.” She moaned, biting her lip again.

  His body ignited, needy and desperate. No longer able to restrain himself, he was powerless with the savage need to possess her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his mouth at war, sucking the offending lip before raking his teeth against it. She whimpered as she ran her hands over his shoulders and down his abs before undoing his belt. He could smell the same primal urges on her, and he had a feeling that he would never be the same after tonight. Warnings echoed in his mind, but his own greed for pleasure overrode them, drowning them out the second his pants fell to the ground. He stepped out of them, falling on top of her on the bed. He still had his briefs on, but she remedied that soon enough.

  They were a sensual knot of mouths and tongues, hands and skin. Twisting and tangling together in frantic, frenzied gasps, nips, and caresses. She was his drug, and he her addict.

  He kneaded her breasts with his palms before using his mouth on one of her erect pink nipples. His hand skated down her soft belly to the wet, hot juncture between her thighs, feeling her arousal, coating his hand in it as he found her sweet spot. She shivered and gripped his shoulders tighter, as if she too was afraid of this energy between them. Her moans created a map of her pleasure, guiding him. It made him want to give her more, to give her everything, to become an expert in her desire.

  Jaxton had experienced his fair share of one-night stands. His life was about his career, and that didn’t leave time for romantic relationships. This was the most exhilarating encounter he’d ever had. And they hadn’t even gone beyond making out yet.

  He couldn’t get enough of her kisses, her moans, and her soft body against his hardness. Usually, he would take his time, exploring every
inch of a woman, pleasing her in every way she would let him. This time, he felt an urgency to be inside of this mysterious beauty—as though she could slip through his fingers like quick sand and disappear at any moment. Jax didn’t even know her name and she’d made him feel things that no other woman before had: spinning him in a web of desire, reeling him closer to the wildfire of promise. Overpowering his own demand for release, he found himself drowning in the urgency to send her flying.

  Her body tensed and her fingernails dug into his flesh as she shuddered around him. He pulled his fingers from her wetness, bringing them to his own mouth, tasting her.

  “So fucking sweet.”

  She moaned in response, reaching out to wrap her hand around his hardness. He pulsed, and groaned. His blinding unbridled pleasure and torment building. He wanted to get lost in this woman, and take her every way she would let him. He knew one night would never be enough. He was so close. Tension throbbed, making it damn near painful with each second he was not inside her.

  He needed to fuck her and get it out of his system because he had no room for uncomfortable sensations such as attachment. He couldn’t afford to feel this way about someone. But stopping seemed like the ultimate form of torture, and he wasn’t a masochist.

  “I have to be inside of you,” he said, his lust boiling over.

  She swallowed before asking, “Condom?”

  “Always.” Jax leaned over the bed, reaching to grab a foil packet from his wallet.

  He took off his mask before rolling the latex on, hazy with tension. He climbed back onto the bed and spread her thighs apart, nudging his tip at her hot entrance. Ready to put an end to his misery, he gripped her hips preparing to thrust inside.

  She gasped. “Oh my god!”

  He smirked. “My friends call me Jax, but I’ll take it.”

  “I know,” she said.

  Jax stopped, his eyebrow raising questioningly. “You know me?”

  She pulled the black and gold mask from her face, the fireplace illuminating her lust-swollen lips.

  “Fuck.” Jax froze in shock before raking both hands over his face in frustration at the dilemma.

  “We still could,” she offered.

  Jax jumped out of the bed, turning his back on her as he pulled on his clothes hastily.

  “Jax, it’s not a big deal. Relax,” she said.

  He looked at her for a second before blocking his view with his hand. “Harper, please put some clothes on.”

  “That isn’t what you asked me a minute ago,” she teased.

  Jax didn’t find one thing about the situation funny. “That was before I knew you were my best friend’s little sister and my boss’s daughter. Damn it!” He pinched the bridge of his nose.

  Harper got up and dressed, fumbling to tie her dress. She looked embarrassed. “Sorry I was such a disappointment,” she said, grabbing her shoes and running towards the elevator, making a quick getaway.

  Jax came bounding around the corner, following. “Harper, we need to talk about this!”

  Click. The elevator doors shut before Jaxton could get there in time.

  “Fuck!” he yelled out to himself in the empty suite.

  How the hell was he going to fix this? How had he come so close to ruining all he had worked for in one night? How had Harper, younger half-sister of his best friend River Parker, grown into such a sexpot?

  To continue reading Harper and Jaxton’s story, visit

  www.amkusi.com/conflictofinterest

  Thank you

  Thank you for reading The Orchard Inn. We hope you are emotionally satisfied with Ella and River’s love story. If you’ve enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review on your favorite retailer.

  Also, you can start reading books 2 and 3 in The Orchard Inn Romance Series right now!

  Harper and Jax in Conflict of Interest (Book 2).

  Isa and Ethan in Her Perfect Storm (Book 3).

  Thank you again for reading The Orchard Inn!

  Cheers,

  Ash and Marcus.

  A.M. Kusi

  About A. M. Kusi

  A. M. Kusi is the pen name of a wife-and-husband team, Ash and Marcus Kusi. We enjoy writing romance novels that are inspired by our experiences as an interracial/multiethnic couple.

  Our novels are about strong women and the sexy heroes they fall in love with, are emotionally satisfying, and always have a happy ending. Discover more about us at:

  www.amkusi.com

  To receive updates about new releases, pre-orders, giveaways, and more, visit the website below to join our newsletter today:

  www.amkusi.com/newsletter

  After you join the newsletter, we will send you a FREE novella to read.

  To contact us, use this email address

  amkusinovels@gmail.com.

  Happy reading!

  Also by A. M. Kusi

  Conflict of Interest

  (Book 2 in The Orchard Inn Romance Series)

  Her Perfect Storm

  (Book 3 in The Orchard Inn Romance Series)

  Luna and Sol: A Forbidden Love Story

  (Standalone)

  For a complete list of all our books, visit:

  www.amkusi.com/books

  Quote References

  It’s okay if you’re burning with anger or sadness or both. It is necessary for you to collapse so you can learn how phoenixes are reborn.

  – Noor Unnahar.

  Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.

  – Khalil Gibran.

  You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.

  – C.S. Lewis

  Find someone who, when you’re in the darkest part of your mind, sits down with you and points out the stars.

  – Elise Schempp