Authors: Joya Ryan
“
Funny, because disappearing for days would have led me to believe otherwise.”
“
I was going to come see you tomorrow.”
“
Oh, well then, I guess all this is solved.”
“
Don’t be sarcastic.”
“
Don’t tell me what to do!”
He moved his hands to
grab the edge of the table, pushing himself further into me. I was eye level with his hard torso. The black cotton that lined it stretched over the hard ridges of muscle. I wanted to reach out and touch him. Scratch him. Bite him.
“
I thought you liked it when I commanded you.” His voice was rough.
I
tried to huff out a breath, but he was too close and his amazing scent was clouding my lungs. He was right, I did like it. I liked how he made me feel. Safe and desired—powerful and submissive all at the same time. He brought out contradicting emotions. High and low. Confused and restless. Manic and depressive.
No. That wouldn
’t be me. That would never be me.
“
I see you, Katelyn. You run from yourself.”
I couldn
’t hold back my hurt any longer. “Is that why you fucked me, then ran?”
“
What happened between us was a lot more than fucking.” His breath fanned over my forehead. “And yes, I ran. Because I didn’t know what the hell you had done to me.”
“
I did to you?” I looked up at him with all the anger I felt. He was the one who affected me!
“
You don’t make sense to me, Katelyn. I’ve spent the last four days trying to figure out how you could be innocent, yet dark. Sexy and maternal. One moment you’re ripping my shirt, the next you’re timid.”
“
Exactly. Crazy emotions. You bring them out and that can’t happen.” I shook my head. “We’re done.”
“
Oh, we’re nowhere near done. Whatever the hell it is that spooks you, I’ll find out. Then I’ll eliminate it.”
“
I’m not giving you one more thing to manipulate me with.”
“
Manipulate you?”
“
This isn’t just about sex, Adam. That stunt you pulled with my face. What was that?”
“
I found it interesting that you trusted me to touch you where you didn’t let others even come close.”
Fury
bubbled over. “Interesting? Messing with someone like that is
interesting
?”
I
shot to my feet. He moved just in time before I took out his face with the top of my head.
“
I wasn’t messing with you, Katelyn.”
“
You left!” I yelled. Those stupid tears I had been holding in rose to the surface. “Not a word, Adam! Not anything. It was like you were some kind of dream. You make me feel crazy.”
Crazy.
The concept danced around my brain. How many times had I heard that word? How many people had said that about my mother? Thought that about me?
I can
’t be like her…
He
moved in on me, his body pressing into mine. The edge of the table was digging into my backside. I placed my palms behind me for support. Damn it, I shouldn’t have had anything to drink. I knew better. It blurred my shield, let everything that I worked so hard to keep hidden slip out.
“
I’m sorry, Katelyn.” He gripped my shoulders and stared down at my face. His eyes were like blue starbursts, wild and flickering with heat. “You confused me. I saw you with your cousin, then later that night—”
“
What does Simon have to do with this?”
His expression was
fierce. “I watched you tuck him in. Take care of him. Like you’d never let anything hurt him.”
“
I wouldn’t.”
“
I know. I saw that.”
I was so lost. What did my relationship with
Simon have to do with this conversation?
“
You’re not even his mother, yet you care for him. I knew how badly you wanted to get out of that house, but you wouldn’t leave until you were certain he was sound asleep. You stayed while his own mother and father kept company with random acquaintances all night. Would his mother have known if something had happened to him?”
I shrugged.
“No, they wouldn’t have. But you would.”
I frowned. Something
had shifted in Adam. Something dark and sad.
“
Adam?” My voice cracked and my words were barely a whisper. The man before me had his own demons, but the extent of them was where I was fuzzy.
“
I fucked up, Katelyn.” His hands slid down to my hips. “I don’t deal well with the things you’re forcing upon me.”
“
Oh, I’m forcing you?”
He grinned.
“Woman, you have no idea of the power you hold.”
He lifted me to sit on the table and stood between my thighs. His breath was tickling over my collarbone.
I grabbed the hair at his nape, leaned in, and whispered, “I think I’m falling in hate with you.”
His hands clutched my ass and rocked me against his jean
s-clad erection. “I hope so.”
He kissed me. Hard and deep. Like he
’d missed me. And I kissed him back, because damn it, I’d missed him, too.
Gone. I was gone for this man. It was amazing what I clung to
—an apology and a glimpse of the lost boy beneath the façade. It was that Adam I ached for. The one who commanded my body. The one I wanted to know and nurture. He wanted to eradicate the skeletons in my closet? I wanted to chase away that darkness in his eyes.
His mouth worked mine. Hot and quick. Passion and desire fueled me. I couldn
’t get enough. I fumbled with the button on his jeans. I needed him inside me. Needed to feel that connection again, knowing that when it was severed and he was gone, it would only hurt worse. But like a junkie for a fix, I was desperate for Adam, any way I could get him.
He slid
my pants off and threw them behind him, then yanked his jeans down low on his hips. His erection jutted free.
I spread my legs.
He tore my panties.
Fast. Hard. Desperate. I was clawing at him. Trying to find any bare skin I could to run my hands over.
He yanked his shirt over his head and I was so grateful. I scored my nails down the hard muscles of his stomach. He hissed and gripped the backs of my knees, pulling me closer. Right when I dug my heels into his ass, he surged inside me.
“
God, I’ve missed you,” he groaned and thrust again. “Does it hurt? Are you sore?”
“
No.” I clung to his shoulders. “It feels amazing.”
“
You feel amazing.” He pushed deep, over and over. I loved that there was no barrier between us. I threw my head back and gasped. Wrapping one strong arm around my lower back, he fucked me harder.
The whole table shook. The
cup of water toppled over, rolled to the floor, and shattered. The sound of glass breaking only urged me on. Apparently it did Adam as well, because he went wild.
He bit at the swell of my breast, undoubtedly
leaving teeth marks. I braced my hands behind me and arched into him. He consumed me. Every part of me was on fire and calling out to him to drive the inferno higher. Hotter.
My arms lost strength, so
I lay back on the table. Spread out, totally open, I let him have me.
“
This—” He gripped my hips in his hands and pounded hard. “This is what you do to me.”
He buried
that big cock into me again and again while yanking my body toward his to meet every thrust. My breasts bounced, the thin shirt unable to conceal them with the few strings provided. Adam leaned down and ripped it away, then latched on to my nipple. He alternated between deep suction and toying flicks of his tongue. I wound my fingers in his hair and clutched him to me.
“
God, yes!”
He sucked harder right before he bit the sensitive peak.
I came undone. My orgasm raced over me. Fireworks burst in my blood vessels and I cried out from the intensity. The pleasure was so sharp, it bordered on pain. And all the while, Adam fucked me through it.
Wit
h a groan, he came and I felt the pressure of his release all the way to my core. Warmth spread and simmered. I felt his seed inside me, coating me.
I was
marked. Claimed.
My arms and legs wove around him, clutching him close with everything I had. I was not ready to let him go. Not ready to let him leave my body. I would beg if I had to, but he couldn
’t leave me. Not this time. I couldn’t handle it. It made me weak, and I should be ashamed. But he was imprinted on my every cell. I might not want to need him, but that was what had happened.
Adam
didn’t draw away. He merely wrapped his strong arms around me and lifted me up. Still inside me, he walked down a long hallway. I held on as best I could, but I was limp and dazed.
He
slowly pulled out of me. Cool sheets hit my back. I was exhausted. This past four days had weighed heavily on me and all of a sudden, after having Adam, it seemed to disappear. I just needed him. A warm cloth rubbed between my thighs. I didn’t have to open my eyes to know Adam was cleaning me, taking care of me. Then a thick comforter engulfed me.
“
Sleep now, lover.”
The alcohol and orgasm
induced sleep was creeping up on me. My body tensed. I looked around.
“
Shh…” Adam’s hand came down on my shoulder. “You’re in my room. My bed. I’m not leaving this time.”
I settled back down, t
oo tired to argue. Too tired to even speak. I lay on my stomach and slid myself down so my foot dangled off the end of the mattress.
“
What are you doing?” Adam’s voice was sounding further and further away as sleep surrounded me.
“
So I know where I am.” I tapped my foot along the edge of the mattress. “So I know how far away the ground is.”
“
Why do you need to know where the ground is?”
The answer seemed obvious in my drunken stupor.
“So if she comes in…I can run…”
I thought I heard him say,
“You’re safe here,” but sleep enveloped me before I could be sure.
It was still dark out. Adam was next to me in bed, asleep on his stomach. Happiness swelled. My brain was foggy from stress and lack of sleep, but somehow I thought today would be different. Surely some kind of progress had been made between Adam and me?
I sat up and ran my hand
along his spine. He snapped awake and in a flash, spun to his back and gripped my wrist so tightly I thought he’d break it.
He stared straight a
t me. “You sick fucking bastard.”
“
Adam?”
His eyes were open, locked on mine, but I didn
’t think he saw me. His brows furrowed.
“
Katelyn?” Sleep fade from his face. He blinked several times, then looked at where he held me. He instantly dropped my hand. “Forgive me. I am used to sleeping alone.”
Part of me was so happy to hear that he didn
’t share his bed with just any woman. The other part was worried about what I’d just witnessed. I knew from experience that what lurks in the night and in the back of your darkest memories can still haunt you.
“
Adam. What’s wrong?”
“
Nothing. I was just sleeping.”
Whatever turmoil
was churning in his mind, he obviously wasn’t ready to spill it. I could understand that. Knew that some things didn’t bear recalling.
I placed my
palm on his cheek. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
“
I’m not.” He grabbed my hips and maneuvered me onto my back. He was over me a heartbeat later, spreading my thighs with his knees.
He kissed m
e. “I’m glad you’re here.”
My heart melted and he sank into my body. With his lips fused to mine, he
brought us both to climax as we watched the sun rise over downtown Chicago.
~
Half way through the day, my phone buzzed with a text message.
Thank you for this morning, lover. I enjoyed myself immensely
.
I smiled
.
You are a wonderful host. I found myself thoroughly entertained. If only more people paid their guests such attention…
Special attention for a special woman.
Are you flirting with me?