The elevator opened and he stepped out. The walk to his car remained a silent one. He opened her door, helped her in, and climbed in on the driver’s side. Once he got on the highway, he turned to her. “I need to know where I’m taking you.”
“83rd and Winchester.” She’d made a complete fool out of herself by crying, an action she couldn’t even blame on the alcohol, since neither one of them left the bar drunk. Twenty minutes of dead space passed between them. She acted content, as if last night didn’t happen. Inside, she wanted it to happen again, and again, but she had a business to run. He made for a nice diversion, but she’d never give herself to a man again. Suzanne was wrong. She wasn’t on the verge of becoming an emotional cripple. She was living life on her terms by choosing not to place herself in the position of being devastated again. As they pulled up to her house, she turned to face him but refused to meet his eyes. “Thank you for everything.” When he reached for her, she shrank from his touch.
“Ouch. I’d say you’re welcome, but this is not how I pictured this ending.” Sloan stepped out of his car.
“Stop. I can get to my own door.”
“I was raised differently,” Sloan growled at her, rounded over to her side of the car, snatched the door open and pulled her none-too-gently into his arms. His lips crashed down on hers. In full public view, he punished her nonchalance with his tongue, spearing arousal into her body. Angry at her body for liking the kiss, she let out a hiss as he released her.
“That was uncalled for.” She pushed out of his arms and regained a semblance of composure. Fool, she berated herself, and then rattled off her phone number before running the rest of the way to her building.
Two hours later, she sat behind her desk at Artistic Expressions going over the recent changes in her life. She’d won her bid on a lark and paid for the building in cash from her inheritance. The art she bought catered to a variety of customers. Being able to sell to any class of society made her dream a reality. Many people appreciated fine art, but couldn’t afford to purchase on a high end scale.
The artists she’d commissioned, along with the ones who had come to her, agreed wholeheartedly art should be available to anyone who enjoyed the inspiration artists brought to life, regardless of financial status. Supporting her community, her brothers and sisters gave her the fulfillment she thought she needed. Now she questioned her other needs.
Just then the television flashed and she saw Sloan. Confusion washed through her, followed by clarity. How could he be part of some sick scheme to hurt her further? Her mind spun as her gut clenched in anger over being used, tricked. She felt tears of humiliation before they filled her eyes. With shaky hands, she picked up her purse and left her building as if the devil were on her heels. She walked down the block to where she recognized the conference was being held. Furious with nothing else to lose, she pushed herself past the photographers and reporters and stopped directly in view of him. This new act of cruelty was the last straw.
“Briar?” He spoke into the microphone, having the nerve to beam a smile at her.
“You are worse than the snake behind you. Did you have fun? Did all of you laugh?” She turned her rage on every team member in front of her. Cameras whirred behind her, but she didn’t care. Those same members of the media killed her heart with their cameras six months previously.
“What are you talking about, Briar?” Sloan hushed the crowd with a look.
“Unbelievable. You can hush an entire audience with one glance, but I’ll be damned if you silence me. Am I supposed to be the pity of my hometown again? Is there no escaping the scandal that ripped me apart? Do you all find humor in tearing me down further? This is surreal.” Oh he played blind ignorance well. He had to know. After all, as the new owner of her ex’s baseball team, he should know all the players’ public pitfalls.
“Would someone, anyone, care to clue me in to what she’s ranting about?” His eyes turned obsidian black, the way his jaw ticked as he spoke sent a ripple of unease through her. This wasn’t a man to mess with. But he sealed his fate by taking advantage of her.
“I repeat, would someone tell me what is going on here?” He gripped the podium. Vehemence laced his voice when he repeated his question.
No one in the press bothered to make the first move.
Pathetically, only Westly had the nerve to step forward. “She’s my ex and she’s bitter, so don’t listen to her. We didn’t last. I met and married someone else. It’s not my fault she can’t get over me and move on with her life.”
“Someone besides this idiotic prick care to enlighten me?” He snarled at Westly.
A local reporter decided to fill Sloan in on what led to this scene. “Mr. Jonston scandalized the public when he cut Ms. Thompson off without a dime…while they lived together. We received word from a reliable source that he closed all accounts and married another woman right under her nose. When the pictures came out, the unveiled bride wasn’t Ms. Thompson. They’d been together since high school. He used to play up their relationship to us so the story shocked the community.”
Sloan glanced her way, but once again she was removed to the day she found out, exposed and vulnerable. Ashamed she hadn’t seen the end coming. Shaken.
Sloan turned to Westly. “You have to be shitting me. Are we being punked?” He gave Westly a scathing scowl. “Fucking prick.” He crossed the small space, through the other players and slugged Westly in the nose. The sound of cartilage breaking echoed in the coliseum. “Get this jackass off the stage.”
He turned to the manager and Commissioner Jackson. “As the new owner of the Devils, I want his shit packed up and out of the locker room within the hour. I have zero tolerance for taking bets in general. More when they’re bets from a player against his own team. Everyone listen up. Heed my words. To work for me, or play for me, I demand the highest level of integrity and honor, on and off the field. Anyone who doesn’t possess those qualities will be removed from the team. In the event I am needed at my other business, the manager will take over in my absence.”
He then stepped off the podium, and stormed out into the sea of people who parted for him. He found Briar, and moved the reporters out of her face. He snaked his hand out and drew her into his arms. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I’d have told you what I did for a living if I’d known. Believe me when I tell you I’d never be the cause of your hurt and embarrassment.” He kissed her forehead. “I broke his nose.” He winked at her.
Briar groaned. “You didn’t have to. I’m sorry for this.” She’d assumed the worst, judged him unfairly instead of asking.
“No problem.” He bent to whisper in her ear. “Next time, go all accusatory and hellcat in my place, so I can fuck you hard again.” He kissed her behind her ear, smiling at the cameras.
“Are you and Ms. Thompson an item?” a reporter asked with pen and pad on the ready.
“You better believe it. And, I know how to take care of what’s mine.”
“We just met last night.” Why did he want more after her insane explosion?
“Everyone has to begin somewhere.” He caressed her chin and then kissed her softly.
Briar couldn’t help but chuckle as she allowed Sloan to whisk her away. No one understood firsthand the damage done to her, but he got her. The reasons for his need for privacy began to make sense. A look into his personal and professional lifestyle, if the conference was anything to go by, spoke volumes on how media could affect a person’s personal life.
She stifled a case of the giggles as he flipped his designer sunglasses on and gave the reporters a parting grin. It’s a crime to be that sexy.
Leaning over to the driver’s seat with the intention of touching him, heat suffused her face as his gaze sent spikes of heady sensations ricocheting between her legs. She’d bet all the money in her bank he knew what she had planned. “I want to go all hellcat on you right now,” she teased before she ran the tip of her tongue against his lobe. His heated skin warmed her palms. She
wound her hand up his chest to play with the hair curling at his nape. He leaned back and licked her lower lip. Desire clouded her judgment, so much so, she forgot about the press just outside his car, how she embarrassed them both by taking what she wanted. She didn’t stand a chance when he kissed her, teased her lips open. He tasted of darkness, of sin, and damn it if she wasn’t glad she was his.
A moan left her mouth, or his, she couldn’t tell. She had lost herself in the taste of him. Firm lips melted with hers. She broke off the kiss and sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. “Take me to your place.” His expression caused her core to explode in wetness. He held that wild look, all serious and aroused, as if irritated that they couldn’t continue.
“What the lady asks, she shall receive.” He gunned the engine and shot into traffic.
Briar squirmed in her heat-activated seat when he pushed on the massage button. “You’re bad.” She gripped her arm rests and sighed. He’d get his as soon as they reached the privacy of his home.
“Feel good?”
“Yes,” Briar croaked. As she relaxed watching the scenery whiz by her inner hellcat continued to purr in her ear, pushing her to egg Sloan on. So he wanted to play…she would too. With one deliberately slow move, she pressed her hand to his inner thigh and squeezed precariously close to his goods.
He groaned, gripping the steering wheel. “Briar, you’re going to make us wreck.”
“What? Don’t tell me you can’t do two things at once,” she taunted with her hand now on his cock. A soft brush over the material hiding his flesh from her, and the car lurched. He shot her a scathing look that made her tremble with want. She slipped, stroking him again. His growl was accompanied by the brakes slamming on at a red light. The glare he shot her showed the effect her touch had on him. “Oh my…” She let the words drop. If looks could kill she’d be dead or well fucked if the intent on his face rang true.
When he steered into his garage and drove up the ramp to his private parking space, Briar’s heart beat skipped. She hadn’t the slightest idea if she still held control over their playtime or if he’d turned the table on her. Her shallow breathing hastened. Thankfully the compact seats couldn’t handle too much movement, or so she thought. The noise of a seat lever and track slamming back startled her. She stared at Sloan.
“Time for talking has passed—” He manhandled her onto his lap.
“I’m scrunched!” She moaned at the delightful contact but fumbled for the door handle. Freedom loomed in front of her. Briar wriggled off his lap, falling haphazardly out of the car. Too bad he followed right behind her. Just as she stood she felt him, all of him pressed against the crease of her ass.
“Not so fast.” He picked her up.
“No fair, I’m in charge.” She slid down the front of his body and grasped his hand, leading him from the car to the private elevator. “No touching.” After hitting the button for his floor, she released his hand and stared him down. The door chimed and the bay doors opened. Briar slapped at his hands, then wagged a finger at Sloan when he reached out to touch her. “No touching.”
With each step she took toward his bedroom, an article of clothing fell to the floor. Flinging her bra away, Briar smacked something with her arm. When one of the boxes started to topple over, Sloan rushed to catch it. In his hurry to grasp the box, their hands met. The cardboard crushed inward on his end. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know I was so close.” She relinquished her hold on his possession.
Briar saw him flinch for just a second, as he ran his hand over the name Sam. But before she could say anything further, he turned on her, the glint back in his eyes. Time to get back to business at hand, but she’d definitely ask about the box later. She turned, reaching for the zipper on her skirt.
By the time she’d reached the thick frame of his door, only her thong and heels remained. Not once did she look back to see if he was close. She could feel his warm breath on the nape of her neck. Briar did a sultry turn, facing him with her hand resting on her hip. “I hope you’re ready for me.” She pointed to the bed and slapped his ass when he passed her. Dutifully, Sloan stripped off his suit in jerky movements. Thick biceps, lean muscle, and tight hot ass filled her vision. Damn. What a sight. Sloan took up most of the bed with his size. Briar moved over to him. “Are you ready?” She straddled his sex and raked her nails over his chest.
“Hell yeah, cariña.” His husky voice filled with arousal heightened her ever growing appetite.
“Am I your sweetheart?” She leaned down to flick her tongue over his nipple. The tiny bud hardened. She liked his response to her and licked again. Her wet core lay right on top of his throbbing cock. She slid her thong away from her sex and lifted her body to slide onto him. When he slapped her ass, she moaned, her eyes widened as reality hit. She’d forgotten the condom. She plucked it from his hand, ripped the packet open and sheathed him. No words were necessary. Passion drove her, she met his gaze with hers when she positioned herself over him, and slid down. His cock fit wall-to-wall inch by torturous inch. “So big.” She eased up and set her own rhythm.
“Briar.”
“Too slow?” She responded by dragging her body even slower, rocking her clit over his pubic hairs. The friction electrified her, sending shards of pleasure through her body.
He snorted.
“My…my…my…Someone’s a bit impatient.” She rose and slammed down on him, taking her time to bask in her power over him.
“Don’t forget turnabout is fair play, cariña.” He brushed his fingers over her nipples and pinched hard.
“Sloan.” She rocked hard down on him, and began a tempo to take them both over the edge. Her breasts throbbed with fullness from his touch. She covered his hand to keep him kneading and toying with her. She clamped her thighs on either side of his hips, to anchor her on him. His throbbing vein beat against her sensitive channel, causing a shudder of pleasure through her body. The wetter she became the easier his wide cock battered against her womb.
“Fuck Briar—” He fingered her rim and she shook. “Like that do you?” He rubbed the striated ring of muscle again and pressed his finger just inside.
“Sloan.” She panted, hastening her jerky movements.
“Feels so good, cariña. Ride me hard.” He held her hips to him and ground up.
The force of his cock added to the torture of his pelvis on her clit drove her to madness. She rode him like a demon possessed, imagining she was on a mechanical bull. He bucked under her and she clenched her muscles together sucking his thick erection deeper into her. She heard him grunt and felt her climax fast approaching. “God, I’m going to come!” Past exhaustion, she let it wash over her. His body shuddered underneath her, as her walls stole his orgasm. She heard him curse.
“Something wrong?” She licked the sweat beaded on his chest.
“I was going to fuck the shit out of you, cariña.”
“I know you wanted to, but I wanted a turn. This was my turn. Next time you can be in charge.”
“Damn straight—”
“But right now I want a nap,” she said and slid off his cock. She lay down on his bed, watching him toss the condom in the trash. She enjoyed his perfect body and made room for him to join her. Her head fit well tucked into the crook of his shoulder. Her last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep were of him.
Epilogue
In the following months Briar became a permanent fixture in his life. Sloan watched her arranging the artwork he’d purchased from her gallery on the kitchen wall. Rather, he watched her ass wiggle as she stretched to hang the item in the perfect spot.
“How about here?”
“Looks great cariña.”
“You said that last time. Are you giving me an honest opinion or staring at my ass again, Mr. Guiterrez?”
“Both.” She cast him a scathing glare. He’d only bought the art to show support and have one of her pieces to stare at when she wasn’t around. He hadn’t wanted that deep of connection with anyone in a l
ong time.
“Gah, why do I bother?” She stepped off the stepladder and moved aside. “I give up. You decide where to place this.”
“You’re sexy when flustered. The abstract piece is good where you have it now. Heck, the first, second and third places were good too.” Sloan ran a hand over his hair, trying to fathom her reasoning, coming up short in the end.
“You need a crash course in art and the importance of showcasing. The centerpiece of the room or hallway is the main decorative piece.”
She prattled on while he rubbed the rim of a bottle with the hem of his shirt, before taking a sip. Nothing like a good beer to end an otherwise hectic day.
“You toning me out already?”
“I hear you sexy.” He admired her passionate nature in and out of bed.
“Hmmph.” He watched her gauge the wall, deciding if the spot worked. “Now what about that last box?”
“What box? You unpacked everything.” While he’d been content to live among stacked cardboard and strewn furniture, she hadn’t. Not since they spent more time in his penthouse than in her apartment.
“You know, the one marked Sam.”
“That’s not going to be unpacked. It’s on the shelf in my closet.”
“We can go through his things together. You said I was the only one you trusted to talk about him with, how he protected our country and paid with his life. Such a man doesn’t belong on a shelf in the dark. His memory belongs in the light with memories that heal in time.” Briar ran her hands up his chest, and placed a kiss on his lips.
Sloan set the bottle on the table behind him to thread his hands through her hair, deepening the kiss. He parried and molded her body to his. The need for oxygen abated leaving only a burning desire to taste her, his piece of salvation.
“Stop distracting me…”
“You kissed me first.” He winked and slid his hands around her curvaceous ass.
She swatted his hand away, forcing him to turn her body to face him, with nowhere to go.
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