What He Craves (6 page)

I was fuming. Absolutely livid. How dare this man come
barging into my home late at night and demand to be told who I was spending
time with.

Making sure he saw I was furious, I glared at him. “That’s
none of your business.”

“Of course it’s my business.”

I narrowed my eyes even more. “Since when?”

“Since when? What the hell is wrong with you? What’s going
on?”

“Why don’t
you
tell
me
?”

“What are you talking about? I’ve had no women at my place
late at night. What are you suggesting?”

I took a moment to breathe. When I felt like I wasn’t going
to pass out, I said, “My friend took me out to dinner because I lost my job--“

His eyes bulged. “You what?”

“We saw you. With the bitch from the charity thing. Alexis.”

“You lost your job?” he repeated.

“That’s not the point. I. Saw. You.” I poked his chest.
“With. Her.”

“There’s an explanation for that.” He crossed his arms over
himself and angled his head. “We weren’t on a date.”

“Of course there’s an explanation. There’s always an
explanation.”

“No, really. There is an explanation. She’s the chairperson
of another charity. We’re working on a fundraising event--“

“Right.” I waved my hand and shoved past him.

“Really.” He grabbed my wrist and forced me around.

I glared. Hard. Jerked my wrist out of his grip. “Don’t
touch me.”

“I’m telling the truth, Bristol. Alexis is organizing a
fundraiser--“

“That wasn’t what was really going on. She wants you. Don’t
you see that? She’ll do or say anything to spend time with you.” I smacked my
forehead with the palm of my hand. “Really? Are all men so gullible?”

“I’m not gullible,” he spat. “And you’re changing the
subject.”

“No.” I shook a finger at him. “You’re the one changing the
subject. I’m talking about you seeing other women.”

“I’m not ‘seeing’ anyone.”

“Anyone. Not me, either. You got that right.” Feeling tears
burning my eyes, I stomped away.

Of course, being the overbearing bastard that he was, he
grabbed my arm to keep me from getting too far. While I fought him, he pulled
me into an embrace.

I tried not to snuggle up to him. I really did. But it felt
so good to be held. And even better to be reassured.

“I swear, I didn’t touch Alexis. Not a hair on her head.
Nothing. We were discussing the fundraiser, nothing more. I understand she
wants more, but there won’t ever be anything intimate between us. Never. Not
even if you were to tell me to get lost tomorrow.”

I didn’t want to believe his words.

Yes, yes I did.

No, I didn’t.

Shit.

I closed my eyes and listened to the deep thump-wump of his
heartbeat. The steady beat soothed me.

“I’ll give you a job. Come work for me,” he said.

Dammit. Now what? If I worked for him, I’d have to be around
him all the time. That could go either way, depending upon how things were between
us. Already, our…relationship…was rocky. Would the added stress of working
together make things worse? “That’s a bad idea.”

“I’d never hold your job over your head, if that’s what
you’re thinking.”

“You wouldn’t have to.”

“Dammit.” He angled back slightly, lifted my chin. “I want
to help you. Let me.”

I turned my head. If I looked at him, I would soften. I knew
it. “I don’t know.”

“You need help.”

He was right about that. I did. I’d tried finding something
on my own. Tried and failed.

But taking a job working for a man I was dating was a bad
idea. Really bad.

Maybe I could take something temporarily? Until I could find
something else?

That might work.

Or not.

“I don’t know anything about what you do,” I said. “What
kind of job could you give me?”

“I’ll find something. We’re always looking for intelligent
people with a good head on their shoulders.” He massaged my shoulders. I could
feel the tension draining from my body, and with it, my willpower. “I’ll let
you know what openings we have, and then you can decide whether you’d like to
apply.”

“But--“

“You won’t necessarily have to work directly under me.” He
grasped my chin again, forcing me to look him in the eye. “Nobody has to know
about our personal…relationship.”

“But--“

“And if you decide you’d rather remain…” he visibly
swallowed. “…friends at any point in the future, then your job would never be
in jeopardy.”

My belly twisted. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll call you.” He cupped my cheeks and bent down, kissing
me softly, gently, sweetly. “And I’m sorry for busting in here like a raging
bull. Very sorry. I guess I got a little jealous.”

“You surprised me.”

“I’m such a bastard sometimes.” Stepping back, he shook his
head. “Who the hell did I think I was? We’re not married.”

“Drake’s an old friend--”

“Don’t.” He pressed a fingertip to my lips. “You don’t owe
me an explanation. We never talked about…about you seeing other people. You’re
free to see whomever you like.”

“Sure, but--“

“It’s probably smart in your case not to get too close to a
bastard like me. I’m more trouble than I’m worth.” He looked at me, his eyes
shadowed.

“You’re not trouble.”

“You don’t know me well enough to say that yet. Give me
time, and I’ll prove to you exactly how fucked up I am. Trust me.” He took my
hand in his, gave it a squeeze.

I glanced down at our joined hands then up into his eyes.

He genuinely believed what he was saying. He really did feel
like he was fucked up, trouble, heartache.

Jill would agree with him.

 Me, I was torn. A part of me believed it too. That part of
me was afraid to get too close because I didn’t want to be hurt. That part of
me was looking for reasons to cut things off before they got too serious.

But another part of me wanted to understand this man, to
break through the wall enclosing his heart, and find out what he was hiding.

What would it cost me to shatter his defenses?

Was I willing to pay the price?

“Goodnight, Bristol,” he said, tipping his head toward the
door. “I’m going to leave now.”

I watched him grab the doorknob, twist it, pull. “Wait.”

He turned to look at me. His eyes were full of emotion. Dark
emotion. The shadows terrified me. “Bristol. Let me walk out this door now.”

“But what you said, about yourself--“

“It’s true.” He sounded so beaten down. “Look at the way I
acted tonight. Look at all the confusion and hurt I’ve caused you already.”

“You acted no worse than I have. I was jealous. I jumped to
conclusions.”

“You didn’t follow me around town.”

“You
followed
me?”

He nodded. “I told you, I’m…” He closed his eyes and sighed.
“I don’t just want to touch you. I don’t just want to kiss you. I
crave
you. With every cell in my body.” As he was speaking, he was coming closer, and
every cell in
my
body was responding to him.

He stopped within inches of me, looking down at my face, his
expression intense. “The second you’re out of my sight, I miss you.” He reached
for me, but before his fingertip made contact, he yanked it back and jerked
away. “I am going to tear your heart apart, Bristol.”

I didn’t want to be hurt. I didn’t want to feel the way I
did now, either. Confused and sad, longing to be in his arms. If I was thinking
clearly, I would have let him leave.

If.

He grabbed the door again, and I whimpered.

Twisting around, he took another look at me and slammed it
shut. Then he charged at me, hauled me off my feet, and slammed his mouth on
mine. The kiss was wild. Lips and tongue crushing, possessing, staking a claim.
I surrendered to his need willingly, kissing him back as he carried me to my
bedroom. I fell onto the bed, and he went with me, catching himself on
outstretched arms. He pulled my lower lip into his mouth, nipping it gently. He
then groaned and angled upward so he was kneeling over me, spread knees straddling
my legs.

“Bristol, say the word. Say red,” he commanded.

I shook my head. “No.”

He grabbed my shirt in his fists. “Please.”

“No.”

He ripped the material, and I gasped. A blaze swept through
my body.

“Say the word,” he growled.

“Green.” I arched my back, pushing my aching breasts up.
“Green.”

He flattened his hands over them, kneading their softness
through my bra, and I moaned as a ripple of pleasure pulsed between my legs.

More. I wanted more. Despite my fear. Despite my confusion.

He pulled my bra cup down and pinched one nipple between his
finger and thumb.

“Yes,” I whispered as my body tensed. Arms. Legs. Stomach.

Shane had said he craved me. I had no doubt he was telling
the truth. But what he didn’t know was that I craved him too. His kiss. His touch.
His possession.

“Arms up,” he demanded.

I did what he said, lifting them over my head.

He reached under me, unhooked my bra and wrapped it around
my wrists, binding them.

The sensation of being tied, trapped beneath him made me
writhe with need. A burning ache pounded between my legs, and my tissues
clenched, damp heat slicking the insides of my thighs.

He bent over me, nibbled my earlobe. He audibly inhaled.
“I’m not going to let you make me lose control this time.” His hand glided down
my stomach. I stared into his eyes and he reached lower, lower, between my
thighs. “Say the word, Bristol.”

“Green.”

He kicked his leg over, kneeling beside me. “You’re so damn
beautiful.” His jaw was tense as he shoved my skirt up. His gaze dropped. His
eyes darkened. “Dammit.”

I parted my legs, bending my knees, spreading myself for him.

He gritted his teeth, ripped the scrap of material out from
between my legs and cupped my ass, lifting it. With tongue and teeth, he
tormented my sensitive tissues, my labia, my clit. I thrashed and moaned and
cried and begged but he didn’t stop, he wouldn’t take me. Wouldn’t fill me.

I needed him inside me, needed his thick length stroking
away the overwhelming burning.

His tongue dipped inside, but that small invasion wasn’t
enough. It added to the torment instead of easing it. I could barely breathe. I
was burning all over. Muscles trembling. Skin on fire.

I was about to combust when he yanked his pants down and
thrust inside.

“Look at me,” he said, sounding as breathless as I was. He
was seated deep inside me now. He was holding completely still, stretching my
tissues, the tip of his cock pushing at the entry of my womb.

I opened my eyes and stared up into his. They were hard,
piercing.

If I could have, I would have touched his face, stroked his
jaw.

“Shane,” I whispered as my insides tightened around him. I rocked
my hips taking him as deeply as I could as he withdrew and then shoved inside
again. His rhythm was fast and hard. And my body responded. This was what I’d
needed. This was what I’d craved.

“My master,” I murmured as I surrendered to his claiming.
“Do what you will.”

He held me in place with one hand, keeping me from sliding
as he pounded into me. With the other, he caressed my clit. ‘Round and ‘round
that fingertip went, and inside me a whirling blaze built, bigger, hotter. My senses
amplified. Sounds louder, smells so intense I could taste them. The huff of our
breaths and the sharp slap of skin meeting skin filled my ears. The scent of
his skin and our blended need filled my nose. I was soaring, quaking, pulsing,
writhing, on the verge. On the edge.

“Come, Bristol. Come now.” He pressed hard on my clit and
the pressure sent a blade of erotic heat slicing through me. I exploded. My
inner muscles spasmed around him, squeezing rhythmically. He halted, growled
and then began thrusting harder, faster, driving his length into me until we
were both shaking from exhaustion.

When he withdrew, I felt empty. For just a moment. Until he untied
my wrists, lay beside me, and pulled me into his arms.

“Bristol,” he whispered. “I crave you. Day and night. Every
minute. Every hour. Make it stop. I can’t live like this.”

“Shane,” I whispered, rolling on my side to face him, “I
don’t know if I want it to stop.”

The End

* * * * *

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*****

Please turn the page for a special sneak preview of DARKEST
DESIRE, the second book in my Black Gryffon series.