Hearts Collide

by Masters, Ellie

  Paul was out there somewhere, and she wouldn’t rest until she brought him home. In the meantime, she had a life to lead. That life was imbued with purpose. She believed that with every fiber of her being. Her purpose made the calm times more valuable and carried her through the roughest patches.

  The gondola’s wheels screeched over the rails as they ascended to the top of the cliff where Insanity perched. The constant wind rocked the small car, but the cables held them firmly in place.

  “Why did you name the estate Insanity?” she asked.

  Bent huffed a laugh. “Forest named it, actually. Considering what happened with his sister, he thought naming it after the song Ash wrote for her was appropriate, especially considering how massive it is. The fact we all kind of live together is a little insane as well. We’re like a frat, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  “Ah, I see that. But you don’t really live together. The estate is so big I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen Ash, Bash, Spike or Noodles in the same place. It’s easy to get lost in this place and a hike to track anyone down. Now, Forest is different. I see him nearly every day.”

  He kissed her nose. “Tracking you down was no easy feat.”

  “You seemed to have found me quickly enough. Did Forest snitch?”

  “Forest never told me where you were.” His expression had her thinking there was more to that comment, but Bent didn’t elaborate.

  “Well, I find the place intimidating and incredibly lonely.”

  “Lonely? How can that be? There’s always someone around.”

  “Well, Forest is my only real friend. I never really knew Skye. I’ve made a few friends with the staff, but they’re busy with their duties, and I’m not exactly friends with the band. Between our therapy sessions, I basically spend my time alone.”

  “You’re kidding me? And what do you mean you’re not friends with the guys?”

  “I’m not kidding you, and you do realize I’m the hired help? We don’t exactly hang out with the band. I sound kind of pathetic don’t I?”

  She hadn’t felt sorry for herself until saying it out loud. Forest had been clear on what she’d been signing up for. Built along the remote California coastline, the nearest town was a twenty-minute drive along hairpin curves. She’d grown up in the city and never needed to obtain a driver’s license. That made her transportation options limited. It hadn’t mattered though, because she had everything she needed at Insanity, room, board, and a respectable salary. There was one more thing. As long as she worked for Forest, she had hopes of one day finding her brother.

  “But don’t you get out?” Bent’s brows scrunched. “Drive in to town?”

  “I don’t own a car. I haven’t really left the estate since Forest hired me on.”

  “You haven’t?”

  “Not really. Once or twice on errands with Forest, but that’s it.”

  “We really need to change that. Anywhere you want to go, you say the word. The world is at your feet.”

  “Right now? I’m happy to be exactly where I am. Who knew a growly bear could have a heart?”

  “That’s not all I have.”

  She giggled, because his erection couldn’t have been more prominent. It pressed against her hipbone as he cradled her in his arms. And while she’d never seen him fully erect, she had seen Bent naked. Intimidating didn’t begin to describe her concerns about how everything might fit together. Bent hadn’t been boasting when he’d said he was generally the biggest man in a crowd.

  The gondola rocked as it came to a stop at the top of the cliff. Bent readjusted his hold, hefting her in his arms. She worried about his right arm getting fatigued, but he didn’t seem to be struggling. When the doors opened, a shadow filled the doorway.

  She looked up and found herself staring into Forest’s remarkable eyes. Piercing blue, his gaze could be terrifying, but she knew the warmth buried deep in his heart.

  “I see you found the girl, Lover boy.” He shouldered through the opening and leaned against the glass walls, folding his arms across his chest. “I was just on my way to find you, Piper.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you, but it looks like you’re a bit indisposed.” His gaze hardened as he glanced at Bent, communicating something unspoken between them. “I’ll catch you later.” With a sweep of his arm, he gestured for them to exit.

  Piper twisted in Bent’s arms, curious as to why Forest would be looking for her. It could be any number of things.

  “Is something up? Did you need to speak with me?”

  “Oh fuck no,” Bent said with a growl. “I’m not stopping for the two of you to have a chat.”

  Forest’s laugh came out more of a rumble. “It can wait. I don’t want Bent coming after me for cock-blocking him.”

  Her entire face heated with Forest’s comment. He might be free and open about sex, but she wasn’t. She curled her head against Bent’s chest, mortified as her cheeks heated.

  “Damn straight!” Bent said. “But don’t count on anytime soon. I plan on spending the rest of the day—”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Forest gave Bent a shove, moving them out of the gondola. “I don’t need the specifics, or any of the generalities. You know, she is capable of walking on her own. You really going to carry her all the way back to your suite?”

  She didn’t miss Forest’s glance at Bent’s weakened arm, or the sudden stiffness in Bent’s frame.

  “What the hell do you care?” Bent’s clipped words matched the irritation in his tone.

  Forest shook his head. “You two have fun. If you hurt her, Lover Boy, you and I will have more than words.” He yanked the glass doors closed and set the gondola rumbling back down the cliff.

  “Oh my God,” she said, “I’ve never been more embarrassed.”

  “Don’t mind Forest. He’s harmless.”

  “To you! You’re not the one who just had your big brother catch you in the arms of the man you’re headed off to have sex with.” She pressed her cheeks, not surprised at the heat against her palms.

  “You’re pretty when you blush,” Bent said with one of his sexy smirks.

  “I’m never going to live this down.”

  “You?”

  “Yes, me?”

  “Are you kidding? I’m the one carrying Forest’s little sister to my bed. Just think about that for a minute.”

  “Can you promise me that’s the last time we mention his name?” She couldn’t help but giggle.

  “Hell, that’s a definite. Now, about the rest of the day, I hope your schedule is clear.”

  “Until therapy later this afternoon.” They had another session scheduled and she was itching to get him back in the VR world and working with the modified glove Forest had engineered. She had high hopes for what it could mean.

  “Luv, we’re taking one day off from therapy. There’s no way I’m letting you out of my bed today.”

  “Bent, you promised.”

  “Give me a day before you start bossing me around with your torture sessions.”

  “I thought we said, I wasn’t the one who was going to be the boss.”

  “You’re not.” His gaze smoldered with that comment, and sent her heart in a tailspin. “You belong to me for the rest of the day, to do whatever I please. Tomorrow, however, while in therapy, you can boss me around.”

  “But only during therapy right, the other times…I’m not the boss?” His words came out an uncertain squeak and brought back that needy throb between her legs. The idea of what Bent promised down on that beach did yummy things to her insides.

  About what he’d said down on the beach? Where exactly were the boundaries of whatever kind of relationship they were forming?

  “We’re not diving headfirst into that. There’s a lot to talk about, and I have every intention of having those conversations, but at a pace that is both safe and sane for you. I’ll lead us down that path, but I won’t rush it. This isn’t a one and done kind of thing goin
g on between us. I hope you’re prepared for that.”

  Not a one and done kind of thing? She wasn’t sure what to think about that comment. It hadn’t escaped her notice that she wasn’t just headed to bed with Bent, but with a rock star. The number of women who had shared his bed wasn’t something she cared to think about, but neither was it something she could ignore. In her excitement, she hadn’t really considered the kind of man Bent was, or what he expected in a lover. He could have any woman he chose, at any time. For now, he chose her, but what would happen next week, or next month?

  Doubt crept in, stealing her joy. She’d never considered being a one and done fling. With a sniff, she decided to worry about that another day. For now, he was hers, all six-foot-more of brawny Bent belonged solely to her.

  He hefted her in his arms again, holding back a grunt.

  “Why don’t you let me down? I can walk the rest of the way.”

  Tension filled his face, and the grip of his right hand slipped slightly.

  “I’ve got you.”

  A flash of irritation flickered behind his eyes. By the time he carried her to his rooms, a sheen of perspiration dotted his brow. She didn’t miss the look of relief when he finally deposited her on the floor in the hall to dig for his keys, but then Bent opened the outer door and gestured for her to head inside.

  Suddenly, everything became real and her heart leapt for her throat as her stomach took a nose dive south. She wasn’t here for a therapy session. This was something more.

  Just Take

  Piper

  Perhaps, Bent felt something similar to Piper’s nervous unease. He stood at the door, holding it open while heat simmered in his eyes. The intensity of his gaze raked her skin, but he said nothing. He simply stood there, holding that damn door. That wasn’t unease. Not even close. Carnal hunger radiated from him, and it looked like only his tight restraint held him back.

  With her thoughts a tumultuous tumble in her mind, and her body doing crazy things she didn’t quite understand, Piper placed a hand over her belly in a useless attempt to quiet everything down.

  “Pixie?” The low rumble of Bent’s voice brought her eyes to meet his, only she couldn’t.

  Her gaze traveled up the broad expanse of his chest, meandered over the thick muscles of his neck, swept across the hard angles of his jaw, and brushed momentarily against the heat simmering in his gaze before plummeting back down to the floor.

  There was simply too much of him. Her breathing hitched.

  With a finger under her chin, he lifted her face, but her gaze didn’t follow. It couldn’t. Not when every nerve in her body chose that moment to riot and spark in an electrical firestorm. Her stomach tumbled and fell through what felt like empty space, while her knees weakened and threatened send her tumbling to the ground. Her heart had taken off, running at a gallop within her chest.

  With a gulp, she wished Bent had kept her in his arms and carried her inside rather than set her down. In doing so, he forced her to make a decision. She could turn and run. Or step across the threshold and into something both terrifying and incredibly wonderful.

  “Bent, I…”

  What did she want to say? Why did words fail her? How was it possible a simple nickname had sent her entire being spiraling out of control? When had this happened?

  “You look terrified. Are you sure you want this?”

  She gave a tight nod, but her attention skittered down the hall, away from Bent, and toward safety.

  Safety?

  Somehow, she was back in his arms. The big bear of a man had her wrapped tight. His warm, virile scent flooded her senses, making her feel safe and protected. His embrace did something else entirely to her body. The galloping of her heart intensified. The tiny hairs of her arms lifted with the surge of electrical energy buzzing through her body. Her breath caught in her throat, bringing dark spots dancing at the edges of her vision.

  Bent released her, freeing her from his embrace, but not his control. His hands cupped the sides of her head and he stooped down, forcing her to engage with the intensity of his stare.

  “Breathe.” His normally deep voice deepened further, bringing a caress of reassurance to her mind.

  She clung to the command, and took in a breath.

  “Let it out.”

  She breathed out.

  “Now, in.”

  She breathed in.

  The spots faded. Her heart eased its mad dash.

  “That’s my pixie.”

  The slow cadence of his words smoothed the anxiety pulling at her mind.

  “Now, breathe out,” he said again.

  Following his orders came easily, perhaps too easily, because she could imagine other things he might command her to do. Thinking about that, his commands, had her stomach doing somersaults. A desire to comply rose within her, surprising her with the intensity of her need for guidance and control. Not an aggressive personality, she’d always fought against her timid nature. Perhaps that’s why she fought with Bent, using anger to overcome her submissive nature? Did that explain all their arguments? And her tenacity to have the last word? Interesting how that would change with their new roles.

  Her eyes widened. This crazy thing was happening, but hadn’t she always sensed it from the very first moments they’d met. She wasn’t the argumentative type, except when dealing with Bent.

  “Holy shit!” This really was happening. How had she not known?

  “Feeling better now?” Concern filled Bent’s tone, but she barely heard him.

  She clutched at his forearms, putting gentle pressure on him until he released her. A look of confusion crossed over his expression. Then it was turn for his eyes to go wide.

  Piper lowered herself to the floor, taking to her knees.

  “Piper, you don’t have to do that.”

  “I know, but I want to. This feels right.” Fully on her knees, she stared up at a man she didn’t fully understand. The ideas storming inside her mind, the feelings swirling in her gut, made more sense now. “Doesn’t it?”

  Please say yes. Don’t leave me feeling like a fool.

  She prayed his desires matched hers, and that he hadn’t simply been playing a game; playing her.

  “Holy fuck, Piper…”

  He crouched down and gathered her in his arms. He looked down the long hallway, but they were alone. No-one wandered this way unless they were specifically looking for Bent. With her gaze cast down, her words issued forth in a whisper.

  “Please don’t tell me we need to wait. Show me this is real.”

  Needy and raw, his voice cracked. “I was going to take things slow, but fuck Piper. You on your knees has my cock at full attention. I don’t think I can wait.”

  “Then don’t. Just take.”

  She found herself in his arms again. The door slammed behind them and he carried her to his bed. He removed her clothes, practically ripping them off her body, and then he was on her in a collision of flesh and carnal need.

  In a tangle of limbs, he drove her mindless with need, and rushed to meet her completion. Her entire world dissolved in the bunching of his muscles as he drove into her, his grunts pushing her toward a series of orgasms as he held back for as long as he could. With her arms wrapped around his neck and her lips locked to his, he came with an explosion of masculine power, owning her climax, and sweeping her over and into oblivion.

  Insatiable Beast

  Bent

  Bent gazed down at Piper’s sleeping form, mute with wonder for the woman curled against him. He’d taken her harder than he would have liked, but she met his power with the suppleness of her body and the sweetest submission he’d ever seen. If he believed two people could have been created for each other, she would easily be his match.

  Ash believed in fate. According to him, he’d known Skye had been the one from the moment Skye had smacked him on the head in that coffee shop. Three days later, Ash married Skye, although it would be some time before Skye became aware of that fact. What
ever. It had worked for them.

  Things had been much different between him and Piper. Most of the time, he’d wanted to rip her head off. She had argued with him constantly and never let up in her therapy sessions. She was pretty enough to star in a few fantasies in the shower while he jacked off to images of her in nearly every imaginable position. He didn’t have to imagine any more. She had met his ferocity with the yielding of her feminine power. He was drunk on sex, and amazed at the stamina he’d displayed last night.

  He’d had twosomes, threesomes, foursomes, and orgies, but nothing had compared to the fuckfest he and Piper had engaged in last night. A quick check of his cock and he was surprised he hadn’t rubbed himself raw with all the fucking.

  After that first frantic fuck, they’d spent the rest of the day either in bed, eating, or fucking on practically every surface. The couch had been claimed, both with her bent over the back while he drove into her from behind, and with him on his knees before her as he explored every delicious secret of her pussy. He’d propped her on the stool, loving the angle and deeper penetration that allowed. He’d fucked her against the wall, on the floor, in the shower, and in the actual bed.

  The staff had brought food in during one of their breaks, saying nothing about their state of undress. Insanity’s staff had seen all manner of indiscretions. Practically nothing phased them, and they were well paid for their silence.

  After ripping off Piper’s clothes that very first time, he hadn’t allowed her to get dressed again, except to cover herself with a robe when the staff intruded on their privacy. The first rule he enacted, and fiercely enforced, was her mandatory nakedness while in his rooms. While locked away from the outside world, there was no need for any scrap of clothing to cover her flesh; not when his exploration of all things Piper had just begun.

  He did that now, traveling the path of her naked body with his hungry gaze. He’d never get enough of her tight and toned body. Every curve now belonged to him. She might not fully understand his intent, but they would explore mutual desires together. How much of his kink she might embrace remained unclear, but there was no denying her submissive nature.