Always Will: A Bad Boy Romance (13 page)

“Does it hurt?”

Her tongue runs along her lip and she winces. “It’s sore, but not too bad.”

My eyes lock on her mouth and I slide my hand around the back of her neck. I keep my grip gentle. If she pulls away, I’ll back off, but my need to touch her is overwhelming. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

“It could have been worse,” she says, her voice soft.

I brush my nose against hers. Being near her feels so good. My craving for a hit of adrenaline is suddenly sated, although there’s no rush going to my head. I’m calm and relaxed, but just as alive as when I’m hanging off the side of an airplane eighteen thousand feet above the ground. It’s the strangest thing. I can’t remember the last time I felt this way when I wasn’t in mortal danger.

“I’m staying with you today.” There’s no question in my mind. I can’t leave her. What happens tonight, I don’t know, but she’s going to have to kick me out on my ass if she thinks I’m going anywhere now.

“You really don’t have to do that,” she says.

I brush her hair back from her face. “I know.”

She looks down and I can feel her hesitance.

“I want to kiss you.” Ordinarily, I wouldn’t ask this way, but I’m so aware of what she must be feeling after last night. She’s like a cracked piece of glass—still strong, but liable to break if I’m not careful.

Her eyes meet mine, full of fire. She wants me, too. I can see it. “We shouldn’t do this.”

My body aches for her. The hours spent holding her while she slept, the feel of her skin, her scent in my nose, all come crashing down on me. I don’t just want her. I
need
her.

“You’re fired.”

“What?”

“You’re fucking fired,” I say. “I’ll hire you back on Monday.”

I surge in and press my lips to hers, soft at first so I don’t hurt her. She grabs my shirt and pulls me closer. Her mouth opens for me and I slide my tongue in, deepening the kiss. My jaw aches, but it’s nothing compared to the feel of her lips. I hold the back of her head, twining my fingers through her hair, and slide my other hand up her thigh.

Leaving her mouth, I trail kisses down her neck. She leans her head to the side, her hair spilling down her back. I reach around and grab her ass, scooting her forward on the stool. She tips her knees open and wraps those mile-long legs around my waist.

“Selene, I need you right now,” I say into her neck. My blood burns, desire running hot through my veins. I grind my hard cock against her and she moans, her fingers digging into my back.

This big house is full of bedrooms, but they’re all too far away. She drops her feet to the ground and stands, our mouths meeting again. We stagger toward the living room, yanking off each other’s clothes as we go, our lips only parting long enough for us to pull off our shirts. I’m on fire for her, my hands all over her body, insatiable.

The backs of my legs hit the couch and I stop. I cup her breast and kiss my way down her neck, past her collar bone. I run my tongue along her nipple until I feel it harden, then graze it with my teeth. Selene shudders.

“On your back,” I say.

She complies, lying down on the L-shaped sectional. She slips her thumbs into the waistband of her panties, but I gently grab her wrist.

“I’ll do it.”

She drags her teeth over her bottom lip and lifts her arms over her head, ceding control to me.

God, she’s spectacular. The smooth lines of her neck and shoulders, her full round tits, narrow waist, protruding hip bones. I get on my knees in front of her and lean in, running my tongue down her belly. I pull her panties off and slide them down her legs, kissing as I go. I let them drop to the floor and turn my attention back to her phenomenal body.

“Where should I start?” I ask. I pull down my underwear, releasing my very solid erection. I love Selene’s hungry expression as she looks at me.

“Ronan, you better put that cock in me,” she says, her voice breathy.

I climb onto her and lean down, pressing the tip against her opening. She widens her legs, tilting her hips into me.

“Do you need me to get a condom first?” I ask, speaking low into her ear.

“I have it covered,” she says. “I need you. Now.”

I thrust into her and she clutches my back. I groan into her neck. Holy fuck, she feels good. Even better than I remembered. How is that even possible? I’m overcome, consumed with a heady surge of passion. I slide out, reveling in the feel of her sweet folds surrounding me, and plunge in again. I don’t want to lose myself too quickly, but she’s intoxicating.

“I don’t think I can do slow and sweet with you.”

“I don’t like slow,” she says, meeting my eyes, “and I’m not sweet.”

I keep my cock buried in her, as far as I can go, and kiss her mouth. Her tongue slides along mine, hungry for me. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I don’t care,” she says, her voice tinged with urgency.

I hold myself up with one hand and grab her ass with the other. She pulls her knees up higher and groans as I start moving in and out.

The rush overtakes me, sending me flying. I want to make this last, but her heat beckons me on, and I thrust faster.

“Fuck, Ronan,” she says.

Her pussy tightens around me and I almost unleash. I slow my pace, drawing out the agonizing bliss. I’m ready to burst inside her, my cock pulsing. I almost can’t think, my mind and body consumed.

Selene’s eyes are half-closed, her lips parted. I devour her mouth, the pain in my jaw disappearing in the mind-numbing flood of pleasure. She presses her hands into my back and grinds her hips against me as I pound her.

An orgasm hits me out of nowhere, knocking the breath from my lungs. My body stiffens as I release into her and I feel her pussy pulse around me, heightening the pleasure. I keep thrusting while she calls out, the waves of my climax washing over me, filling me with ecstasy. I don’t stop until she’s finished, plunging into her over and over while she comes.

I touch her face with a gentle hand while we catch our breath. I’m as high as I’ve ever been on a wingsuit jump, but it’s more than the euphoria of adrenaline and danger. I’m sated and content, but still fully alive. I don’t understand how she makes me feel this way.

“God, Selene, I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” I kiss her lips softly, careful not to hurt her. I’m still inside her, but I’m not ready to break free. “You’re incredible.”

She kisses me back, running her hands through my hair. I enjoy the feel of her for another moment before I get up. She stands and smooths down her hair.

“I’ll be right back.” Her eyes linger on mine for a moment before she heads for the bathroom.

17: Selene

I slip into the bathroom and close the door behind me. I’m somewhere between “floating on air in bliss” and “banging my head against the counter at my stupidity.”

I just fucked Ronan. My boss. On my couch.

And holy hell, he was incredible.

All that pent-up desire I’ve been trying to deny flooded through me at his touch. I knew I was a goner as soon as I came downstairs and saw he’d made me breakfast. After the way he comforted me last night and held me while I slept, a crack in my carefully crafted facade began to grow. I could feel it opening, letting in Ronan’s heat. It made me crave him all the more, and when he touched me, I was done for.

But I might have just made a very big mistake.

I take my time cleaning up, to give my head a moment to clear. I want to tell myself the only reason he rocked my world is the fact that it’s been so long since I’ve been with someone. My self-imposed dating moratorium, and subsequent time spent dating Aidan, means it’s been months—a lot of months—since I’ve had sex. But I’d be kidding myself if I try to believe that. I know it isn’t true. Ronan got under my skin five years ago, and he just reminded me why.

I come out of the bathroom to find him back in the kitchen, dressed in just his boxers and open button-down shirt. God, he looks sexy like that.

He gives me a relaxed smile. “I think our breakfast got cold. Maybe we should just go out.”

I smooth down my hair, although I already fixed it in front of the bathroom mirror. I feel like I need to keep a little distance between us, so I sit down on the bar stool across the island.

“Sure, we could do that.”

He pauses with his hands resting lightly on the countertop, and meets my eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

He comes around the counter and runs his fingers through my hair. “You’re beautiful, but you’re definitely not fine.” He leans in to kiss me, and my doubts fade a little at the feel of his mouth on mine.

“I know what you need,” he says when he pulls away.

“Other than a lot of coffee?”

“I’ll get you any coffee you want,” he says and kisses my forehead. “But I know what else you need. New rules.”

I can’t help but laugh. “I don’t know, I think we were doing pretty well with our old ones.”

“Speak for yourself,” he says. “Your rules were torture. Although my rule still stands.”

“No dating anyone else?” I ask.

“You bet your ass,” he says, slipping his hands around my waist. “I don’t share.”

“I guess the
no sleeping together
rule is thrown out?”

“It better be,” he says.

“Okay, new rules,” I say. “No sex in the office.”

“Not a chance,” he says.

“You’re supposed to agree.”

“There’s no rule that says I have to agree to your rules.” He plants a soft kiss on my lips before I can argue. “I already told you I’m going to fuck you on top of my desk. I intend to make good on that promise.”

My heart flutters a little at the thought. Fuck, he’s hot. I almost hate that he can make me feel this way. “We at least need to be careful at work.”

“Wait, I thought I fired you.”

“You’re hiring me back on Monday,” I say, “and when that happens, we need to be careful.”

“Define careful,” he says.

I sigh. He keeps shifting closer, and I can’t seem to stop myself from touching him. I slide my hands up his chest. “People are going to freak out if they think I’m sleeping with the boss.”

“You
are
sleeping with the boss.”

“Correction,” I say, adding a little wickedness to my tone. “I slept with the boss. It doesn’t mean I’m doing it again.”

He grips the sides of my robe at my waist and pulls me closer. “You’re sleeping with him. As often as possible.”

I laugh. “Let’s just take things slow at the office. You’re the boss, so no one can give you too much shit. But people are going to think … they’re going to think a lot of things about me.”

“Who gives a fuck what they think?”

“I do,” I say, leaning back. “This is my career, Ronan. I have to work with these people every day, and I don’t have the benefit of being the one to sign their paycheck.”

“All right,” he says. “But it’s going to be very hard to work with you all day and keep this in.”

“Do your best.” My phone buzzes with a text. I have a feeling it’s either Braxton or Kylie. “I should check that. If it’s my brother and I don’t answer, he’ll come busting through that door in about three minutes.”

I grab my phone and check. Sure enough, it’s Brax.

You OK? Text me back now or I’m coming over.

I’m fine. You don’t need to come over.

U sure?

I shake my head and reply.
Positive. TTYL

“Your brother?” Ronan says.

“Of course,” I say. “I told him he doesn’t need to come over.”

“He’s going to hate me, isn’t he?” Ronan asks. By his tone, he doesn’t seem too concerned about it.

“Not necessarily,” I say, although that’s kind of a lie. Braxton doesn’t like anyone I date. “But you can expect him to give you the suspicious side-eye a lot.”

Ronan laughs. “All right, since the old rules are gone, that means I don’t have to keep ordering dinner in the office to get you to go out with me.”

“So you admit those dinner meetings were all a ruse to get me in bed,” I say.

“They were much more than that, Selene,” he says, his voice throaty. He runs his hand through my hair. “So much more.”

I stare at him. What does he mean? Is this the same man who walked out on me five years ago? Do I dare believe he could be different now?

What the fuck am I doing?

“I’m coming on too strong, aren’t I?” he asks.

“No, I just…”

“You have doubts,” he says.

“Ronan, what is this?” I ask, leaning away. “If I’m just your latest conquest—”

He puts his finger to my lips. “No, Selene. I told you that when this happened a second time, it wouldn’t be a mistake.”

I open my mouth, but I’m not sure what to say.

Ronan lowers his voice. “I blew you off once. I’m not stupid enough to do it again.”

It feels good to hear him acknowledge what he did—like we aren’t hiding from it.

“So, we’re … dating,” I say. “Sleeping together. Exclusive.”

“Yes,” he says, grabbing my hair at the base of my neck, just hard enough that I can’t pull away. It sends a tingle through my whole body. “Label it however you want. Just tell me I’m staying with you today, and I can sleep with you again tonight.”

My mouth curls up in a smile. “Your place or mine?”

***

Ronan and I grab breakfast at a little restaurant not far from my house. I’m grateful Brax and Ky don’t text again. I’m dreading explaining this to Kylie. She’s my best friend, and she’ll support me. But she won’t bullshit me either, and she’s going to give me an earful for sleeping with Ronan. Especially when I tell her I fully intend to do it again. Often.

Because holy shit, whatever else is going on between Ronan and me, the sex was unbelievable. And that’s enough for now. Although I’m dreading facing the office on Monday.

Right as we’re leaving the restaurant, I get a call from the police. They want me to come in and give a statement. Ronan takes me, and insists on coming inside the police station with me. I speak with an officer; he asks me to describe what happened, taking notes with clinical efficiency. He tells me they searched the bar, but didn’t find anyone matching the description, and no one seemed to be missing one of their group. It’s likely whoever the jackass came with got him out of there before the cops showed up.