Tasting the Forbidden - A Mayhem Erotica Anthology (3 page)

“
Me
, huh?” He grinned down at me, taking a step closer, his fingers trailing down my bare arm.

Our eyes locked, and my breathing escalated at the heavy lidded hunger I saw in his.

“Well, you are kind of demanding of my time.”

He leaned down, his breath warm against my neck, making my skin tingle. “Maybe I don’t want you to have a social life for selfish reasons.”

I drew in a sharp breath. His lips were so close to mine, it would be nothing to lean forward and see how delicious they were.

A silent groan of “fuck” came from him, the heat of his hand leaving me as he stepped back, clearing his throat.

It took me a moment to recoup, unable to look at him, my fingers finishing up the buttons and swinging the garment on.

I cleared my throat. “What about you? Ever want kids?”

“I always thought I’d have kids with Melody, and we were trying, but ended up divorcing before we had any. Sophie was a mistake that I pay for, as you know. She was too selfish, and bringing kids into that mess would have been a disaster.”

“But do you want kids? You know you’re not getting any younger,” I teased him with my comment, trying to take the edge off of the atmosphere that surrounded us.

When he chuckled, I knew it worked. “Yes, I’ve always wanted children, but sometimes finding the perfect woman for the role of wife and mother is a difficult task.”

“Perhaps your standards are too high,” I quipped as I finished up the last button and began tucking the bottom into my skirt.

“You’ll make a wonderful mother, I have no doubt.” It sounded like the words slipped out on accident, and my gaze snapped to him. A familiar emotion, similar to one I’d seen in myself many times, stormed in the depth of his sea-blue eyes – longing.

I had to ignore it, otherwise I might start hyperventilating at what it all could mean.

I held my hands out and twirled in front of him. “Am I presentable?”

He heaved a sigh. “Don’t make me answer that. Come on, let’s go.”

His hand wrapped around mine as he walked out of the room, me trailing behind. It was new, along with the sensations that coursed through me.

Lines were blurring, and I was losing my sense of direction.

Chapter 3

U
pon arrival at our destination, we were greeted by Derrick Welch, partner of Welch and Rochester, along with two of his employees. They all shook Shane’s hand as the hostess came to seat us. I remained silent, and moved to take my place on his right at the table.

None of them even noticed me, so it was unexpected when a chair was pulled out for me. When I looked up, I found a set of sparkling green eyes.

“Thank you,” I said with a smile as I sat, and he pushed the chair in.

He beamed at me. “You’re welcome. I’m sorry, I don’t think I caught your name.”

“Laurel.” I held out my hand, but instead of shaking it, he leaned down and pressed his lips to it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Laurel. I’m Steven Erickson.”

“You as well.” I tried to be polite in return, but couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief that someone approached me. I sat a little straighter, feeling a bit more confident and less invisible – it was nice to be noticed.

The table was round for the five of us, and Steven sat in the seat to my right.

Small talk was the conversation as we looked over the menus. After our order was placed, I pulled out my tablet to bring up the spreadsheets, along with all of the data needed.

Steven quirked his brow and looked from Shane to me. “You’re quite knowledgeable, Laurel, maybe I should steal you away from Shane. You could work
under
me
.”

The men with him laughed, and I wanted to hide since a marked heat was rising on my face. Shane was dead silent beside me, giving them a half-hearted smile.

I let out a squeak, jumping in my seat when a hand grabbed onto my left thigh, just above my knee. The whole table turned to look at me, including Shane, but it was Steven who grabbed my arm and asked if I was okay.

“I, um, thought…spider.” I let out a breath and waved my hand at him. “It’s fine. Sorry.”

Shane’s grip lessened when Steven sat back, but didn’t leave my leg.

Conversation was a bit stilted after that, making it difficult to get any goals accomplished. The luncheon ended up being a disaster from the moment we walked in, until we stepped out the door. Shane’s mood was to blame for most of it.

“Well, that could have gone better,” Shane grumbled as we slipped back into his car.

“Maybe if you and Mr. Ericson hadn’t gotten into a pissing contest it would have,” I argued.

He glanced at me sideways, and I dared him to deny it.

His jaw was clenched tight as he drove, his hands almost white knuckled. I was used to his bad moods, but I couldn’t figure out what caused the one creating the tension that was boiling between us.

“You shouldn’t act so naïve like that. A man will take it as an open invitation that he can do things to you.”

The words out of his mouth were not what I was expecting.

“
Naïve
?”

“You were practically throwing yourself at him. Laughing and flirting.”

I turned with my mouth agape, wondering who the man beside me was. Never before had I seen such a reaction from Shane.

“Excuse me?”

“We were there for business, not so you could get a date,” he spat.

I stared at him, appalled he could think such a thing. There was a bite to his words, angry energy surrounding him. I had no interest in Steven, and was at a loss at Shane’s reaction.

“Thank you, sir, I’ll take that under advisement.” I rolled my eyes at him, shifting away from him and crossing my arms over my chest, ending the conversation.

The remainder of the ride was silent, both of us stewing in our seats, unwilling to break the tension.

My hands were balled in fists; teeth clenched. I willed the tears not to fall that filled my eyes, but was failing. Realization that I would never be a woman he could look at with love, or even respect, overwhelmed me, and made my entire insides feel like I’d been stomped on until I was so raw I could barely breathe. I blinked back the tears once more, as I continued to tell myself, he would never have the burning need I had for him, and it was all breaking my foolish heart.

Before the car even stopped, I had the door open and was out, walking as fast as I could toward my car down the aisle. I had to get away; I couldn’t go back upstairs with him.

“Laurel!”

I ignored his commanding call, keeping on course with my goal in sight.

“Damn it, Laurel, stop!”

He grabbed my wrist, pulling me back to him. I tried to wrench away from his grasp, but he held firm.

“Let go!”

“No.”

Venom flew from my mouth in the form of words, sharp and stinging. “Remove your hand, Mr. Winthrop.”

“Look at me, and perhaps I might.”

I clenched my jaw, and with as much strength as I could muster, turned and locked eyes with him. My hope to give him a cool glare was muffled by his aura. His blue eyes were filled with fire, and I recoiled from his impending presence.

Voices echoed off the concrete walls, breaking the strange atmosphere. His eyes darted around, locking onto something just past my car. With large steps, he veered toward whatever he spotted, dragging me by the arm. I was tripping over my feet to keep up; the heels I was wearing were making it difficult to keep up.

“Let me go!” I tried once more to free myself from his bone crushing grip, but to no avail.

He opened the door to the outer staircase, pulling me inside. But, instead of climbing the stairs, I was pushed against the concrete wall, Shane’s lips crashing to mine.

I stood still, in shock for a second before my hands reached around his neck and pulled him closer. A moan rumbled in his chest as he stepped forward, closing the gap between us. That was the last of my willpower – my desire snapped. My nails scratched at the nape of his neck, my mouth opened and I searched for his tongue.

His fingers flexed against me, his hold tighter, kissing deeper.

He pulled his head back, panting. “He’ll never touch you like this.”

I shuddered against him, loving the possessive nature that had overcome him. “Why? Tell me why?”

His lips grazed mine as he reigned in his control. “You are
mine
, Laurel. Fuck that I’m your boss, that the company doesn’t condone a relationship because of that, or that I’m more than a decade older than you, I don’t care. I’ve been fighting this thing between us for too damn long, and that pisses me off. So, fuck it.”

My fingers threaded through his hair, and I pressed my lips to his. “Sounds like a plan to me.” I lifted my leg, wrapping it around his hip. He groaned, and his hard length pressed against me.

Harsh breaths pounded out of him as his touch frenzied. All the feelings, the desire he had were spoken through his fingers and hands as they moved up my body.

“Laurel, fuck, I want you so bad.”

“Then take me, Shane. I need you, it’s been three years. Now, not later.”

“I don’t have anything,” he protested, shaking his head.

“I’m on the shot, and I’m clean, and I know you are because you got tested after Sophie, so stop fucking stalling, and fill me like I’ve dreamed since I met you.”

His head fell into the crook of my neck while he muttered a “fuck.” He bent down, grabbing my other leg and pushing my skirt up around my waist as he nestled himself between my thighs. Hands flexed on my ass as he thrust up against my pussy.

My eyes rolled back, head resting against the wall, a low moan slipping past my lips. When he rubbed against my clit, it added fuel to the fire already raging within me. My nails scratched at his skin, teeth nipping, while I rocked against him.

The desires and dreams of being with him were coming true with each press of his lips against my skin, grip of my flesh, and his body moving against mine. It couldn’t end yet, I needed more. I needed everything, and I wasn’t going to wait any longer.

My hands slithered down, locating his belt and began undoing the buckle.

“Baby, if we don’t stop I’m going to take what’s mine right here and now,” he panted against my cheek.

“Yes,” I hissed, grabbing his ass and pulling him closer. “Take me. Mark me.”

I could almost hear the last chain on his restraint pop and clink to the ground. A growl rumbled through his chest, his hand shot between us, grabbing my pussy through my panties. “So wet – my pussy is so wet for me.”

I moaned as I nipped at his neck, desperate for more. I worked to free him from the confines, lowering the zipper. His own fingers pushed aside the thin fabric of my panties, and I shuddered when he touched me.

The sensation set me off, and I shoved my hand into the opening I’d created, fingers wrapping around the hot silkiness of his cock head. He groaned, his head falling to my shoulder. “I love you touching me, baby.”

He pulled back, his eyes alight with lust, and ripped my hand from him, pinning it to the wall beside my head. Before I could cry out in protest he was lined up, shoving his cock inside me.

My body shook, muscles tensing, eyes faltering as obscene moans were forced from me. So good, he was so good. He filled me, stretched me wide, sliding in and out.

His hands fisted in my hair, the pins that held it up, plinked against the concrete floor as they fell. Hot kisses landed on my lips as his hips thrust forward.

A groan left his mouth into mine while he drove into me. He let go of my hand, and I wrapped it around his neck with my other one, gripping the hair at the nape of his neck, scratching at the skin.

“Laurel…you feel so fucking good.”

The pace of his hips picked up, pounding me into a euphoric bliss. My body was alight, the pleasure and pressure building, and I knew what was coming. The thing that had eluded me with all other men before – an orgasm.

My breathing picked up, brow scrunched as every muscle coiled tight. His name was a litany on my lips.

“Come for me, baby, squeeze my cock.” His fingers tightened on my ass, grabbing me hard and pulling me down to him as he pumped in.

Nails dug into his skin as my back arched off of the cool concrete wall. My mouth opened in a silent scream, turning into a high pitched screech as I clenched around him.

“Yes!” he cried out, his speed increased, pounding into me. He slammed into me, flush against me as his body jerked, spilling into me.

He slumped against me, his head resting in the crook of my neck as our breathing settled. We stayed like that for a few minutes, resting until we were able to calm down.

He chuckled against my skin, placing light kisses along my jaw and working his way up to my lips. “After we have dinner tonight, I’m doing that again.”