Vested Interest Box Set: Books 1-3

by Melanie Moreland

  “But—”

  “I liked the color. Trust me, Cami had to stop me from buying you one in every color. I couldn’t resist this one, though. I think I showed great restraint, don’t you?” He reached over and took it from me, draping it over my shoulders with the other one. “I love this color on you against your skin.” He tucked the edges under my arm. “It will keep you warm.”

  My throat felt thick. I cupped his face, feeling the scruff on his chin under my palm. He leaned into my caress, smiling into my kiss.

  “Thank you. This has been the best birthday I can remember.”

  “Good. Mission accomplished.” He tapped the end of my nose. “Can you stay a little longer? We could watch a movie or something?”

  I nodded. “I have no class until one tomorrow.”

  “Great. I’ll get us a drink.”

  Bentley

  She accepted the gifts. I had seen the way her face paled when I compared what I spent to something she could relate to, but I had to make her understand. I meant what I said: I would buy her things, and I didn’t want it to be a constant battle. I knew she lived very modestly, and although I didn’t want to overwhelm her, I did plan to make her life a little easier wherever I could.

  I uncorked and poured some red wine. In the fridge was a plate with some snacks Andrew had prepared at my request. I put it all on a tray and went back to the living area. Emmy was wandering around, investigating the room. She stood by the sideboard, studying the array of decanters.

  “The antiques belonged to my parents. They brought them over from England. I asked the designer to incorporate them into the room.”

  “They’re lovely.”

  I bit back my smile. I noticed she didn’t say the room was lovely. I had to admit that I found it too much at times. I rarely used it.

  “I thought we’d go to the theater room. It’s more comfortable.”

  “Okay,” she agreed.

  She giggled as we went back into the elevator. “I’ve never been in a house with an elevator until today.”

  “I bought the property and designed the house to fit it. The lot was narrow, and so I built long and up. My architect designed the place to maximize the square footage, and the elevator is a plus. Some days I don’t feel like climbing all those stairs.” I chuckled. “Especially when I forget my glasses in the den and have to go up and down three flights to get them off my desk.”

  “Makes sense.”

  “I lucked out on the lot, but it took me a while to get a design I liked.”

  “Oh?”

  “It’s the corner, on a dead-end street, with a ravine all around it. The property had been vacant for a long time since it was such an odd shape. My neighbors next door are an older couple and all they were worried about was that I didn’t tear down the trees on the property line we shared. I was happy to comply.”

  “You like it here?”

  “Yes. It’s a quiet area—sort of a hidden treasure in Toronto. It’s about twenty minutes to the office unless there is traffic, and another short drive when I go other places I frequent.”

  “You said there was a garage?”

  “Yes, I built one for convenience that holds my personal car. I house my other cars off-site. Frank drives them to me as needed.”

  “Your personal car?” she asked, confused.

  “Sometimes I like to drive myself. However, there was no room for a big garage,” I explained. “I was lucky to get one car in there. The house takes up the entire lot. No garden, no backyard. I built it as far to the edges as we could legally go.”

  “Not much for gardening?”

  “I wouldn’t know how if I tried. There’re a few pots of flowers around the pool, but Andrew looks after them.”

  We walked into the movie room, and Emmy’s eyes grew large in delight. “Oh my God! This is amazing!”

  I had four elevated rows of movie recliners in the room, all in a dark red leather. Wide, deep, and comfortable, they were great to relax in and watch a game or movie. The walls were a soft taupe color, and the room had its own popcorn maker and a small kitchen area. The back wall held all the electronics and floor to ceiling shelves housed hundreds of movies and TV shows. The screen itself took up an entire wall and the surround sound rivaled any theater.

  I spent a lot of my downtime in this room.

  “What do you like to watch?”

  She looked around in awe. “Anything is good. What do you normally watch?”

  “At this time of the night, usually the news, but we can do better than that.”

  She surprised me. “No, I haven’t seen the news for a bit. It would do me good to catch up.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yep.”

  I turned on the TV and sat back in my recliner. She curled up in the one beside me, giggling as I showed her how to use the remote and recline back.

  I tried to concentrate on the screen, but my gaze kept drifting over to her. More times than not, when I would look over, her eyes were riveted on me. Then she would look shy and glance away.

  She looked tiny in the chair, and I realized it was the first time I had ever had a woman in my theater room. It hadn’t been built when my last relationship ended. Aiden and Maddox took up considerably more room than she did.

  She stood from her chair. “Washroom?”

  “Across the hall.”

  I watched her leave, smiling at the fact she still had both shawls wrapped around her. I watched the TV, and glanced at my watch. She’d been gone longer than I expected and I worried she was unwell. Hearing her footfalls, I relaxed. She hurried in, and without warning, slid onto my lap.

  I wrapped my arm around her. The chair was big enough for the two of us, and I wondered why I hadn’t thought of sharing until now. “Well, hello.”

  She hummed and burrowed into me. I reached down to tug her closer, and my hand froze as it touched the bare skin of her thigh. I inhaled sharply, and looked down, meeting her steady gaze.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Being spontaneous.”

  “I think in your spontaneity, you forgot your pants.”

  With a slow leer, she grabbed my hand, pulling it higher. There was more skin. All I could feel was warm, supple skin.

  “I lost my shirt, too.”

  I spread my fingers wide across her back, pulling her flush to my body. “Emmy,” I warned.

  “It’s my birthday. You said you wanted it to be a good one.”

  “So, sitting on my lap almost naked makes it one?”

  She traced her finger along my jaw, running the tip of it over my bottom lip. “It depends on how much more naked I get.”

  My cock twitched, swelling and pressing against the confines of my pants. I sucked her finger into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the tip. She watched me with hooded eyes, her breathing picking up. Goosebumps broke out on her skin.

  “If I take off your shawl, you’ll get cold.”

  “Unless you can figure out a way to warm me up.”

  She was impossible to resist, and I didn’t want to.

  I hit the remote, turned off the TV, but left on the low voltage lights to see. I gripped her hips, shifting her easily, so she was straddling me in the chair. I groaned when I felt her heat pressing down on my growing erection. She slid her fingers through my hair, as I held her hips and my mouth fused with hers.

  Instantly, everything else faded away and there was only her. Only us. The feel of her wet, sweet mouth. The slide of her tongue with mine. How she felt pressed to my chest, and the slow motion of her undulating over my cock. The low, erotic sounds she made as we sank deeper into our kisses, cranked me up. I couldn’t get her close enough, taste her enough, or feel her enough. I slid my hand down her back, across her hips, and delved my fingers under the silky waistband, cupping the swells of her ass, then gliding into her heat. She gasped in my mouth as I circled her clit, moaning at how ready she was for me.

  “Jesus. You’re so hot, Emmy. So w
et for me.”

  “I want you,” she pleaded. “I’ve wanted you all night. I want to see more of the passion you showed me last week.”

  “You’re going to have me.” I licked and nipped at her neck. “All of me. But first, I want you to come, here, right now.”

  “Yes . . . Bentley . . .” She whimpered as my fingers continued to work her.

  I eased one inside her, then another, using my thumb to keep the pressure on her clit. “I want you to come for me, Emmy. Come on my hand, and I’ll take you to bed, and we can start all over. Only next time you can come on my cock.”

  “Oh God—”

  Watching her fall apart was incredible. Her head fell backward, her back arched, and she uttered a long, low cry as her pussy clenched around my fingers, and she rode out her orgasm. Her shawl fell away, exposing her gorgeous, lace-covered tits. I sucked one tight nipple into my mouth, lapping through the satin, biting down gently as she cried my name. My weeping cock strained at the confines of my pants. I needed her naked and under me. I needed to feel her tight pussy milking my cock, and the way her body would slide against mine as I took her.

  Claimed her.

  Made her mine.

  I felt like a damn caveman, but I didn’t care.

  I stood, gripping her ass as she wrapped her legs around me. I strode down the stairs, hissing when I felt her tongue and teeth on my neck. In my room, I laid her on the bed and stepped back. The moonlight flooded the room, showcasing the way her creamy skin stood out against the navy blue of the duvet. Her golden hair spread out around her head like a halo. My clothes disappeared, discarded carelessly on the floor. Emmy sat up, shrugging off her shawls, and pushed them aside. I saw the delicate shiver that raced through her body.

  “Are you cold?”

  “No,” she assured me, voice trembling with need.

  Our eyes locked as she removed the wisps of lace that covered her, and she lay back, opening her arms. “I need your warmth, Bentley.”

  I covered her body, the sensation of her bare skin on mine superb. Our bodies molded together, her softness conforming to my hard angles perfectly. I felt the coolness of her skin warming under my touch. I caressed and stroked her, learning her body—what made her shiver, gasp, and call out my name in a longing voice. I trailed my lips over her skin, tracing the dips and curves, discovering her ticklish ribs, laughing with her as she squirmed and giggled. She groaned when I found her, wet and warm, teasing her with my fingers, and then my mouth, until she arched under me, her fingers grasping at my skin.

  My cock ached with the need to be inside her. The feel of her hands exploring me, the touch of her mouth on my skin, and the sound of her whispering my name were undoing me. Her touch was gentle, making me tremble in anticipation. I had never felt that way about someone. Never been affected the way Emmy did it for me. The walls I built, the guard I kept up, fell away completely. My entire focus was on the tiny woman under me, and her pleasure.

  “Please, Bentley, I need you,” she pleaded, her eyes bright in the dull light. “Please.”

  I grabbed a condom from the night table, rolling it on. I hovered over her, sheathing myself inside her inch by inch until we were flush. Her legs wrapped around my waist, anchoring me to her body, her tightness surrounding me.

  I dropped my face to her shoulder. “Jesus, Emmy. You feel so amazing wrapped around me.”

  “Please,” she whimpered.

  I began to thrust, groaning at the responsiveness of her body. Gradually, we built our rhythm, our bodies attuned to each other, moving as if we’d done it a thousand times. Her hands clutched my shoulders, and her nails dug into my skin. Sweat raced down my back, as the sensations increased. I sat up, pulling her hips with me, slamming into her harder. She cried out, her voice hoarse with desire. My balls tightened, my nerves snapping with electricity as my orgasm built.

  “Come with me, baby.” I slipped my hand between us, teasing her clit. “I need you to come.”

  She stiffened, her body bowing in a taut arch as she shattered.

  I followed, my orgasm tearing through me as I rode her hard, and came inside her.

  I fell forward, my weight pressing her into the mattress. I covered her mouth with mine, kissing her until we were breathless. I rolled from her, discarded the condom and tugged the duvet over her rapidly cooling body. I slipped in beside her, tucking her to my chest. She burrowed close, her gentle breaths drifting on my skin.

  “Are you all right, Freddy?”

  I felt her smile. “Yes, Rigid. I’m more than all right.”

  My next question surprised me. “Will you stay?”

  “If you want me to.”

  “Yes. I do.”

  “Okay.” She sighed. “I’d like that.” She pressed a kiss to my scruff. “Best birthday ever. Thank you.”

  I lifted her chin, needing to kiss her again. “I think I should be thanking you, Emmy.”

  “Let’s call it even.”

  I tucked her close. We’d never be even.

  She was so much more than I could ever be. And she had no idea.

  Emmy

  Warm kisses woke me. Again.

  The more formal, rigid Bentley apparently disappeared once we were alone and naked. He was rigid in a totally different way. His guard fell away, and the open, sexual man he kept hidden revealed. He was a passionate, sensual, and giving lover. He made me feel beautiful and wanted. His need for me was empowering.

  We made love twice in the night, his desire for me seemingly endless. Being with him, surrounded by the dark with his body pressed to mine, was a surprisingly intimate act. It felt as if we were the only two people in the world. I loved how his voice became raspy; the way he uttered my name as he came, and his hissed curses. He was incredibly gentle, yet his touch was possessive and sure.

  As if, I belonged to him.

  “Emmy, baby,” he murmured, his lips at my ear. “I have to go to the office.”

  I struggled to open my eyes.

  He chuckled low in his throat. “No, stay in bed. Andrew is off today, so the house is empty. Look around, and make yourself at home. Frank will be here at noon. He’ll take you home so you can change, get your things, and he’ll drive you to school.”

  I was so tired, I couldn’t argue with him. More sleep sounded great. His bed was far more comfortable than mine was, and it smelled like him. The sheets and duvet were soft, cozy, and inviting. The one thing missing was his long, strong body. I wound my arms around his neck, pressing my lips to his throat over the stiff collar. He was clean-shaven today, and his jaw hard under my tongue.

  “You should come back to bed.”

  He groaned, kissing me hard. Morning breath was no deterrent for him, it seemed. “I want to, but I have a meeting.”

  I slid my hand down his chest, cupping his growing erection. “I could persuade you. Staying here would be so much more fun than a meeting.”

  He stepped back, straightening his tie, trying to look affronted. “I cannot blow off business for sex.”

  I arched my eyebrow. “I could blow you.”

  He bent forward at his knees again, the way he did the night prior, and inhaled deeply. “Jesus, Emmy. What you do to me.”

  Lifting his head, he met my gaze, his stare intense. “I love the fact you’re so open with me. That you tell me what you want. God, I want to get back into bed with you and fuck you until you scream my name . . .” His voice trailed off, and he shook his head.

  It was my turn to inhale deeply. I loved hearing him talk dirty to me. It was such a contrast to the formal front he showed to the world. “Something to look forward to then.”

  He lunged, pressing me into the mattress, and kissing me until I was breathless. His own breathing was heavy when he pushed himself away, eyes hooded. “Yes.”

  He straightened his tie again and smoothed down his suit jacket. I noticed his hair wasn’t as perfect as usual. I had sort of messed it up. It suited him, so I didn’t say anything.

 
“You look hot,” I teased.

  He shook his head. “Such a troublemaker. Now go back to sleep and Frank will be here to pick you up. He’ll text you when he is downstairs. The door will lock behind you. Deal?”

  I smiled at him. “Deal.”

  “Stop it.”

  “What? I’m just smiling and agreeing.”

  “You are fucking me with your eyes.”

  “The term is eye-fucking, Rigid, and at least my eyes are having fun.”

  He turned and strode out of the room without another word. I heard his footsteps echoing as he descended the stairs. No elevator this morning for him, which made me wonder if he needed the physical release before getting into the car. Giggling, I rolled over, inhaling the scent of his pillow. It really did smell like him. My phone buzzed from the bedside table, and I picked it up, unable to contain my grin when I read it.

  I’ll make sure the rest of you has fun tonight.

  I dozed in Bentley’s bed but didn’t fall back to sleep. I groaned when I checked my phone and saw it was only 8:30 a.m. Usually, I slept in on Wednesdays, but today wasn’t my usual Wednesday. Obviously, Bentley was an early riser, no matter how little sleep he got the night before.

  I sat up and looked around the room. Large, with more big windows, it was more inviting than downstairs, but still felt empty. The walls were a simple white, the same as the soft sheets on his bed, with navy and gray accents. The furniture was heavy and masculine, and the headboard was padded and thick. His closet was bigger than my apartment, never mind his master bath suite. There was a walk-in shower with six jets, and a huge, freestanding infinity tub calling my name. The heated floors under my habitually cold feet added to the decadence. The closet and bath were connected at the back for easy access. One could get ready and not disturb their slumbering partner, which was what happened this morning.

  I felt my chest tighten as I wondered how many other women Bentley hadn’t disturbed in his bed.

  I shook my head—I wasn’t going to dwell. I would ask him directly. He seemed to appreciate my forwardness. I only hoped I was prepared for the answer. Despite his reassurances, I knew he wasn’t a monk. He was far too skilled in the bedroom and too good-looking not to have had a lot of female companions.