Claimed By Him: (Contemporary Romance Box Set)

by Alexis Winter

  My face is numb and my cheeks burn from the cold. Tears are leaking from my eyes, then freezing on my cheeks before they can even fall all the way down. I’m tired. Sore. Frozen. Panicked. I’m numbly walking, not even paying attention anymore—just knowing that I have to keep moving. Lying down is not an option no matter how tired I get.

  I slowly walk around a curb, no longer able to walk at a normal pace. The snow has let up a bit, and I can see a cabin off in the distance. There’s a light on—a yellow glow shining through the two front windows. It’s so warm, I can practically feel it from here. Excitement burns in my chest, pushing me to walk faster, then to run. I stumble and fall through the snow-filled dips and ditches, but finally find the driveway that allows me to walk up to the front door.

  I lift my hand and knock on the wood so hard that the doorknob and hinges rattle. The door swings open.

  “Aria?”

  His voice draws my eyes up to him. Ethan. Of course it’s Ethan.

  “I-I,” I start, but he grabs me by the shoulders and pulls me inside, where it’s so warm.

  “What the hell are you doing up here?” he asks, pulling me against him in a big hug. “Fuck, you’re freezing. Come on.” He pulls me across the room and guides me down to the floor in front of the fire. Quickly—faster than I can even process—he throws a blanket over my shoulders and grabs my foot.

  “Wh-what arrrre you dooiiiing?” I ask around my shivers.

  “You need to take everything off to warm up. I’ll be surprised if you don’t have frostbite. It’s, like, two degrees outside!” he yells, removing my socks and shoes while I can’t do anything but shiver.

  He stands. “Take off your wet clothes and I’ll get you something to drink.” He walks away, to the small kitchen area.

  I quickly look over my shoulder at him to make sure he isn’t watching, then remove my jacket, shirt, and bra. I stand quickly and remove my jeans, leaving my hot pink panties on. I pull the blanket back around me and sit in front of the fire to warm up.

  He comes back with a lantern, a bottle of bourbon, and two glasses, causing me laugh.

  “I thought you were getting coffee, not liquor.”

  Chapter 6

  Ethan

  “Alcohol works better at warming you up,” I say, sitting on the floor next to her and pouring us both a drink. “What the fuck were you doing out there, Aria?”

  “I wanted to camp,” she says, raising the glass and taking a long sip. “Everything was fine until the sun went down. What is this place?” She looks around. “You live here?”

  I shake my head. “I live in town. This is just my hunting cabin.” I shake my head again, clearing it to get back to the point. “Why the fuck did you think today would be a good day to camp? Didn’t you see all the winter storm warnings on TV?”

  She shakes her head. “I didn’t even think to check the weather. I’m so stupid. And then my phone didn’t work. And I got my car stuck in a ditch. With no phone, I couldn’t call for help. I decided to sleep in the back seat until morning, but I woke up when I ran out of gas. I knew I couldn’t stay there with no heat, so I figured if I was going to freeze, I would take my chances and hopefully find someone who could help.” She holds her glass out for more. Her hands are still shaking, but she’s gotten her chattering teeth under control just enough to talk clearly.

  I fill both our glasses and watch as she drinks it like a pro. “You’re lucky, you know? You could have died out there.”

  “I know,” she mumbles.

  After a long silence, I turn to inspect her. She’s finally stopped shivering and her cheeks are glowing a light pink color instead of a bright, angry red. I laugh. “I can’t believe you were camping.” I shake my head and pinch the bridge of my nose.

  “Shut up.” She bumps my shoulder with hers. “I got tired of my quiet weekend at home. All my friends were busy, and you never got my hint, so...”

  “What hint?” I ask, confused, picking up my glass and finishing it off.

  “I told you I was going to have a quiet weekend at home…alone…” She holds out her glass and I fill them both.

  “Oh.” I nod once. “I got your hint; I just forced myself to forget about it.”

  She lets out a deep breath. “I thought we were past this. I mean, I know we don’t know each other that well yet, but we’ve been able to put everything behind us and talk and laugh at work.”

  “I know,” I agree, swirling the liquid in my glass.

  She must be getting annoyed, because she stands, holding her blanket around her body, her pink painted toes sticking out underneath. “So, what’s the deal? We’re friends, aren’t we?” Her eyes are stretched wide, and her perfectly manicured eyebrows arch themselves higher.

  “I guess so,” I reply.

  “You like me, don’t you?” Her voice is an octave too high.

  I swallow and close my eyes. “You know I do,” I breathe out, hating myself for admitting it to her.

  “Then what’s the big deal? You like me. I like you. Let’s do something about that.”

  I stand up in front of her. “What should we do about that, Aria? You know what will happen. Don’t make me say it.” Our chests are nearly touching. I feel something between us. It’s tugging me closer to her.

  “What? Say what?” she practically yells.

  “If I let myself feel what I know I’m already feeling for you, we’ll hook up. And yes, it would be fucking amazing, life-changing even. But then, you’ll want more. And I…” I grit my teeth and pull my eyes from hers. “I’m not that guy.” I turn and walk away, only to turn around to face her, happy I’ve at least put some distance between us. “You’ll be hurt and pissed, then your dad will fire me. Both our sisters will hate me. Our families are too close. Everything will be fucked up.”

  She steps closer, and the look in her blue eyes scares me—me, a man who’s been through the military, a man who weighs two hundred pounds, a man who walks up to strange cars almost every night with the chance he might not walk away. I can brave all of that. But this little one-hundred-twenty-pound woman scares the ever-loving shit out of me.

  “Ethan, I’m not the girl who does relationships. I don’t get clingy or demand more than anyone is willing to give me. And just so you know, I take what I want.” The blanket falls to the floor, and my eyes roam her hard, beautiful body: her long legs; her flat, toned stomach; her big, soft tits; her slender neck; her plump lips; all the way up to her blue eyes that are begging me to fuck her. My dick hardens, every muscle tenses, every bone freezes. I’m no longer able to walk away. I’m stuck, but she’s not. She’s closing the distance one slow step at a time.

  When she’s directly in front of me, she presses her bare chest against mine and reaches up, clasping her hands together around the back of my neck, pulling me in for a kiss. Her sweet lips press against mine, and her hot tongue that tastes of bourbon snakes into my mouth. She’s warm, soft, and sweet, and I can’t stop myself from what I’m about to do.

  My hands reach out and grab ahold of her hips, pulling her against me and picking her up in the same action. Her long legs wrap around my hips, holding me tightly. Our kiss deepens, moving at lighting speed. One minute we’re standing in the middle of the cabin, and the next, I find myself pressing her back against the wall. My hands travel her body, squeezing her luscious tits, and massaging her hips and ass. My fingers find the waistband of her panties, and they pull the fabric away from her stomach.

  I break the kiss, resting my forehead against hers. “Tell me to stop, Aria,” I beg her. “You have no idea how many times I’ve pictured fucking you until you beg me to stop. Once I start, there’s no stopping me. Don’t let me do this,” I plead. My mouth lands on her jaw, kissing its way down her body.

  “God, Ethan, please don’t stop. Don’t ever stop,” she moans.

  I suck her hard nipple into my mouth and flick my tongue against it until she cries out. Already, her knees are shaking and her lips are quivering. I kne
w I could do this to her: make her go crazy with lust. I drop to my knees and pull her panties down her thighs in one swift motion. Her trembling hands lace through my hair, pulling me closer as my mouth closes in on her clit.

  My right hand takes her left thigh and drapes it over my shoulder, giving me even more access to her beautiful body. My tongue runs between her lips, spreading her arousal as I flick her hard nub back and forth. With every flick of my tongue, her muscles tighten, her lips part, and she gasps.

  I want to take my time with her. I want this to last as long as fucking possible because it can never happen again. This is all I’ll ever allow myself—this one night—a night in which we’re lost to alcohol and a burning yearning that consumes us both. There are no prying eyes. Here, we can’t be found or judged. We can just be: the last two people on earth, a man and a woman with needs and desires. Here, nothing is wrong.

  Her fingers, which are threaded into my hair, start to tighten and pull, jerking my head backward. Her hips begin gyrating, moving her sensitive clit back and forth across my tongue. My hands rush to her hips, stopping her movement so I have control.

  She moans, practically a cry for help. “Ethan, please!” she calls out, releasing my hair to pull her own.

  “Please what, Aria?” I ask, pulling my mouth away from her and replacing it with my hand. The sick side of me wants to watch her face as it contorts with the pleasure I cause her to feel.

  Her eyes pop open when I slide two fingers inside her. “I need you, Ethan,” she whispers.

  “This is a one-time thing, Aria. We tell no one. Ever. Understand?”

  Her lips part with her heavy breathing, but her head nods as her eyes lock on mine.

  Without needing words, I stand and pick her up against me. My mouth finds hers as I move us over to the bed. Her legs wrap around my hips as we fall on top of it. Her arms encircle my neck, keeping me close, but I break the kiss and pull away, studying her surprised expression. Without breaking our stare, I lean back and unfasten my jeans. Her eyes finally fall from mine, dropping down to watch as my hands free myself. When I’m fully exposed for her, she licks her lips as she gets herself to her knees.

  A gasp leaves my lips when she reaches out and takes me in her soft hand, pumping slowly and teasingly. She opens her mouth to say something, but I’m afraid whatever it is will ruin this moment, so I shake my head no, and she understands without argument.

  I reach for her, my hand threading into her long curls and pulling her lips against mine. Her hand doesn’t stop pumping while her mouth doesn’t stop giving. Slowly, I lower her back to the bed once again as I take my place on top of her. While I want this to last, it seems she can’t wait to get started. Her hips move upward, causing my hard dick to slide between her slick folds. My hands hold firmly on her hips, keeping them still as I grind my hips into hers. The second my cock feels her silky soft skin, something inside me breaks: my willpower. It completely shatters and goes flying into a hundred tiny shards. There’s no way I could ever gather every piece. I’m a broken man now, and all I can do is deal with it. There’s no going back.

  “Are you sure about this, Aria?” I ask with my eyes closed, not able to bear the thought of seeing her face when she tells me to get off of her.

  “Fuck me, Ethan,” she says, voice strong and sure.

  When I hear my name leave her lips, I pull back and thrust forward. The tip of my dick pushes through her barrier and dives deep inside her with ease. The moment I’m inside her, we both let out a moan of relief. I’m afraid to move. All I can do is remain completely still, otherwise I may go over the edge too soon. Every muscle in my body is hard and rigid, holding back every movement I could make that could possibly force me to let my release go. As I work on regaining my composure, her muscles tighten around my dick like a vise.

  “Ethan, please. You feel too good to stop now. Can’t you feel it?” she whispers, lifting her hips and lowering them before repeating the process.

  “I can feel it.” I lower my mouth to hers and kiss her deeply as I let my muscles ease. I melt into her. “You were made for me, Aria,” I whisper against her lips as I pull back and thrust inside her again. “You fit me perfectly,” I groan in relief. I’ve never in my life been with a woman who was a better fit. Aria is so fucking tight it makes me want to come immediately. But she’s enjoying the way I fill her. She’s not asking me to slow down or be softer. She’s not withering in pain. Her face is showing nothing but the pleasure my body is bringing hers.

  She pushes against my chest, and before I know what’s happening, she’s rolling us over and taking her place on top of me. Slowly, she slides down my length. Her head dips back and her lips part as a loud moan escapes. She teases me by slowly moving her hips up and down.

  I’m completely stunned that she would take the lead like that. In all of my daydreams about her, I was the one fucking her until she begged me to stop. I never thought she’d be the type to take control, but fuck, it feels better than I could ever imagine.

  I grab ahold of her hips and squeeze them to try to maintain this high I’m riding on. Naked bits of flesh poke out between each of my fingers from squeezing her so hard. She may even have bruises tomorrow, and that thought only makes me hotter. I’d love evidence of me left on her skin.

  I sit up, putting me face to face with her. She wraps her arms around my neck and doubles her pace. Her tits are moving up and down right in front of my face, and I can’t hold myself back. I lean forward, catching one in my mouth as my hand comes up to massage the other.

  She continues to move, going faster and faster. Each second that passes, the faster she moves, the heavier she breathes, the more she calls out. I feel her muscles clamp down around my dick and her arousal nearly soaks the both of us. Her movements are no longer smooth. Now they’re rough and jittery.

  When her soft moans quiet and her body relaxes, I flip us over and take my rightful place on top. It’s time to make her beg. It’s time to show her that her body belongs to me. It’s time to make every last dirty fantasy come true.

  Chapter 7

  Aria

  Goosebumps prickle my skin to the point that it feels like it’s freezing and burning at the same time. My lungs scream for oxygen. My heart beats hard and fast. I’m being pushed to the edge of the earth, and I know that if I fall over, I’ll forever be changed. But I don’t care. I want to know the feeling of Ethan claiming my body. I want to know what it’s like to be safe in his strong arms. I want to feel his heat, his intensity, and his passion.

  Usually, during a random hookup, it’s straight to the point. It’s fast and meaningless. But this is different. Ethan isn’t rushing through. He’s taking his time with me. It’s like he wants to remember every touch, every taste, every smell. He wants every moment burned into his memory as much as I do.

  Just looking up at him as he moves in and out of my body is enough to make me spiral out of control. The way his eyes darken when they lock on mine, the way his jaw flexes, the sound that escapes his lips when he thrusts into me and rocks his hips upward, hitting that perfect spot—it’s everything. He’s no longer Ethan, a cute guy I work with. Now, he’s everything. He’s the air I breathe, the tears I cry, and every movement I make and will make. He doesn’t know this, but he owns me.

  His strong hands massage my entire body: my breasts, hips, thighs, and ass. His mouth switches between smashing against mine to pressing kisses to my jaw and neck. When his teeth scrape my sensitive skin, shivers shoot up my spine.

  When I shatter, he pulls away and flips me over to my stomach. Using his hands, he jerks my hips upward and places his erection at my entrance once again. I’ve never in my life had sex this long before. I’ve never gotten off this much at one time either. But Ethan was right—once he starts, there’s no stopping him. He’s a monster in bed, taking what he wants, but somehow, making me want it too.

  “I told you I wouldn’t be able to stop, Aria,” he says, sliding back inside me. With the position
change, he feels bigger, like he’s going even deeper. Gently and slowly, he pulls out and slides back in. His hand comes around my hip so his fingers can rub circles around my clit. No man has ever owned me this way before.

  My face is smashed into the pillow, and I can’t do anything but close my eyes and enjoy the pure bliss he’s causing me to feel. His hand falls away when he picks up his pace, causing his balls to slap against my sensitive clit. I can feel and hear my heart pounding, the bed banging, our skin slapping, and his deep grunts and moans.

  “You’re so fucking sexy, Aria,” he growls out as he moves faster. “You have no idea how hard I’ve had to work to keep this sexy ass out of my head.” He pulls his hand back and smacks me on the ass, adding to my pleasure.

  A moan escapes my lips, along with a quiet plea.

  “What do you need, baby?” He grinds his hips into me.

  I don’t even know what I need right now. I’m completely lost. “You!” I cry out just as my release starts to build.

  “You have me,” he whispers, doubling his pace just as his thumb applies pressure between my cheeks.

  I scream as my release explodes and washes over me. My lungs stop breathing, my head swims, and all I can do is cry and enjoy the overwhelming sensation that’s taking over my body. His hips jerk hard and he lets out a deep moan.

  Before the earth starts moving for me again, I find myself on my side, wrapped in his arms, with his heavy breathing blowing against my neck and cheek. We’re both breathless, unable to talk or move. Neither of us can do anything but rest, and allow our bodies to settle and our minds to wrap around what we’ve just done.