“Oh, now you’re getting demanding?”
“I want my furniture back.”
“Deal,” she said quickly. “I was in a bad spot when I redecorated your condo.”
“Thank God.” He sobered again. “Bells, I want to make all your dreams come true. Find what you want to do, and whatever I can do to make it happen, I will.”
Bella lifted a finger to his lips to silence him. “I don’t need a Prince Charming, I need a lover and a friend.”
“Is that a song?”
“Sounds like one.”
“Are you going back to teaching self-defense?”
Bella sighed. “I don’t know. I’ll do a few more classes and reconsider. I don’t feel right about it.”
“You said your students wanted you back. What’s so wrong about that?”
“I feel like an imposter.”
He rubbed his temples, as if she were giving him a headache. She probably was. He didn’t understand her reluctance, and she didn’t expect him to. It wasn’t easy to explain without her sounding like a whiny victim rather than a woman who could no longer pretend to be something she wasn’t.
She didn’t know what to do with her future any more than she did a few months ago, and her indecision placed her firmly in the flake category as far as she was concerned.
Meanwhile, Cedric had transformed from an irresponsible playboy to a man any woman would be proud to call her forever love. He’d become a standup guy like her sisters’ men. In fact, the unreasonable jealousy Bella had experienced as each sister had fallen in love had faded considerably in the past few months.
Cedric loved her
.
The thought gave her a warm feeling inside where she’d been cold before, despite her fears. Oh, hell, yeah, he thought he loved her, but she couldn’t shake years of programming that she wasn’t lovable, and now she was more screwed up than ever.
“I’m the best candidate for the job.”
Bella startled back to the present. “Job?” She must have missed something.
“Lover and friend.”
“I’m sure you are, but I’m not sure you know what you’re getting into.”
“Honey, I know. Oh,
ja
, I know.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“You’re a stubborn, insistent man. You don’t give up, do you?”
“Which makes me a great match for a stubborn woman.”
She didn’t dispute the title. When the personality trait fit, she owned it.
“I want you more than a week.” His lower lip jutted out in the most adorable pout. His little boy begging melted her resolve.
“I’m messy.”
“I’m tidy. I’ll clean up after you.”
“I’m moody.”
“Your moodiness will be a challenge I’ll gladly accept.”
“I’m a flake.”
“I’m a reformed flake. I’ll lead you down the path of responsibility without succumbing to being boring.”
She shuddered as if boring would be the worst thing in her life. He gave her a wet, slobbery kiss as if to prove how boring they wouldn’t be. And just like that, Bella had to have him, not to distract him, but because she needed his body as much as she needed his soul.
Acting as the aggressor, she pushed him down onto the mattress and stripped off the covers, leaving his incredible body on full display. He propped his hands behind his head with a smirk playing on his lips, and let her look her fill.
“You’re beautiful,” she said reverently. She’d worship at his altar any day or night. He was the most incredibly gorgeous man she’d ever encountered from his muscular arms and legs and his fine ass to his lickable chest and well-defined abs. He was male perfection with the chiseled face of a Norse god. Even that stupid fish tattoo dancing on his biceps was pure sexy.
“You aren’t just beautiful, you’re stunning.” His gaze casually ran up and down her body, and she felt his gaze as if he were physically caressing her.
“Always have to be one up on me, don’t you?”
“Up works. In fact, down on you works too.” His blue eyes turned smoky, and she knew his mind had gone straight to his favorite place—the gutter. She might as well join him.
“Did you want me down on you?”
“Fuck, yes.” His gaze locked on her nipples as a smirk played on his lips. “And I like the tat, really like it.”
She had to smile. She’d gone to a tattoo artist a few days ago and turned her S scar into an intricate tattoo of the sun rising and flowers blooming, just like she was blooming. The colorful ink covered her entire breast with her nipple as the center of the largest flower. She loved it. Obviously, Cedric did, too.
She swung one leg over his hips and straddled him. He reached up and grasped her waist. Leaning forward, she kissed his lips while lowering herself onto his once-again rigid dick. He felt so fucking good filling every empty part of her until she swore she’d burst. She threw her head back in ecstasy once he was fully inside her. “Oh, yes. Yes. Yes.”
“Fuck,” he panted, as his eyes rolled back in his head. He gripped her ass and held her in place, letting out an exasperated groan. “Condom.”
“No need, as long as you’re clean, I certainly am.”
“Same here. I’ve always been careful.” His eyes lit up like the top of the Space Needle during New Year’s Eve fireworks. “Have you been holding out on me, woman?”
“A girl can’t give up all her secrets.” Bella batted her eyes and pretended to swoon. He swatted her bare ass, and she yelped. Her butt stung but her female parts hummed with approval.
“You’ve been on birth control all this time and never told me?”
She gave him a coy smile. He swatted her again, harder this time. Her inner muscles pulsed around his cock, and he groaned. Served the bastard right.
“You can never be too careful, and I believe in backup.” She sobered a little, deciding to tell him the whole truth. “I don’t want children, Cedric. You might as well know that now, in case this thing goes any further. Maybe I sound selfish, but there are plenty of children in this world who aren’t wanted. If my long-dormant mothering instincts ever decide to stand up and be counted, I’ll foster or adopt.” She waited for the horror to cloud his handsome face, maybe even repulsion over her lack of interest in being a mother. Instead, he laughed. His entire body shook; even his dick buried deep inside her body vibrated from his laughter.
“What so funny?” she groused, never having liked being left out of a good joke.
“I don’t want kids either.”
“Ever?” She watched for his reaction and found none. Her confession had little effect on him, but then he was buried fully inside her, maybe not the best time to toss a bombshell his way and expect him to be lucid about it.
He started laughing again. “It’s damned hilarious we’re having this discussion in our current position. Who does that?”
“We do.” She started laughing too. “We’re crazy.”
“A good crazy, baby. Now fuck me.” He didn’t wait for her; instead he took charge, lifting her hips with his strong arms and slamming her back down on his dick time and time again. Nothing gentle about his touch this time, despite having told her he loved her moments earlier. She attempted to process what such animal passion might mean, but one look into those blazing blue eyes, and she forgot her name and her misgivings.
Putting her hands on his shoulders, she took control of the pace, and he let her have her way. Instead he grasped her nipples, pinching hard and tugging on them. The pain sent needles of pleasure radiating through her aroused body and drove her higher as her passion burned hotter. She fucked him like a crazed animal as he continued his heavenly torture of her sensitized nipples. Her breath came hard and fast. He twisted her nipples, and she came with a rush at the exact time he spilled himself inside her. Their mingled cries reverberated around the room as Bella collapsed on top of him with her sweaty chest pressed against his.
She held him tightly, and he held her.
She never wanted to let him go.
Finally, she lifted her head, and their eyes met. Her world changed in that moment, even more than it had changed during the attack, and she knew her heart would be forever his. She couldn’t fight her feelings anymore, couldn’t even remember why she’d been fighting them. His seed was inside her, and it was the hottest, most sensuous sensation she’d ever experienced, and she’d experienced a lot. But not this. Not this melding of two souls and two bodies. Not this knowing she’d found what had been missing for so very long
She cupped his face in her hands and smiled with pure, unadulterated joy. “I love you, Cedric,” she whispered. His eyes were shut, but his smug, lazy grin indicated he’d heard her. He opened his eyes and met her gaze.
“Of course you do.” He chuckled and kissed her, gently this time, wrapping her in the safe cocoon of his arms.
The next evening, a Sunday night, Cedric did a charity signing and was done by seven. He was walking on air when he entered the building and punched his floor. He couldn’t contain the grin on his face. Bella loved him. She loved him. Cedric. The former party boy and reformed manslut. Looking back, he could declare with absolute certainty he’d known the minute he’d laid eyes on her in a sexy party dress and killer heels that she’d be the one to tame him. And she had. In a way. Though there was nothing tame about their sex life. Bella rivaled him in the adventurous category.
He stepped out of the elevator and crossed to his door. Bella told him to hurry home as she was having a dinner party. A dinner party? Bella? Okay, maybe if it was catered, but he was pretty damn sure it wasn’t. Shaking his head in amazement, he unlocked the door and walked into his condo, stopping dead.
What the fuck?
Sitting in his living room drinking, laughing, and looking way too comfortable were Zeke Wolfe, his neighbor, and Zeke’s teammate, Fernando, and Hunter McCoy, a tight end for the Seattle Steelheads. It was so weird, he almost walked out, certain he’d walked into the wrong condo. Bella saw him and grabbed his arm, yanking him into the room.
“Guys, you know Cedric?”
The men nodded as they stuffed their faces with some appetizers that smelled like they came from heaven’s kitchen and looked even better. Even Rumble sat nearby on his haunches, drooling and wearing a hopeful expression. The way these clowns were devouring the food, there wouldn’t be anything left for Cedric, let alone the dog. Ignoring the weirdness of the situation, he obeyed his stomach as it loudly reminded him it hadn’t had a meal since early this morning when he and Bella had raided his pantry for an in-between sex snack.
“Racehorse? I’ve always wanted to own a racehorse.” Zeke’s eyes lit up as he addressed Hunter.
“I have a few shares available at a bargain price,” Hunter said.
Cedric’s eyes opened wide with horror. Hunter was fucking crazy. Zeke’s two older brothers both owned a stake in this very horse, as did Cedric. Zeke wanted nothing to do with his brothers, while Cedric considered them two of his best friends. All in all, a recipe for disaster in the making.
Cedric shot Hunter a glare and discreetly shook his head. Hunter stared at him as if he hadn’t a clue, but he did. Hunter had something up his sleeve, and Cedric was pretty sure he didn’t want to know what it was.
During a lull in the conversation, he pulled Hunter into the kitchen under the guise of helping him prepare the next round of drinks. As soon as he had the tight end pinned between the refrigerator and sink, he drilled him.
“Are you fucking nuts?” Cedric hissed, keeping his voice down so it couldn’t be overheard in the living room.
“About what?” Hunter’s calm response exasperated Cedric.
“His two brothers have shares in that same horse.”
“So do you. So does Cooper.” Hunter shrugged, completely unaffected by the family drama he was about to stir up.
“They hate each other. Or at least Zeke hates them.”
Hunter stared at Cedric as if he were speaking in an alien tongue. “I am merely the channel for reconciliation. If it happens, it’s fate.”
“You’re fucking playing with fire.” Cedric snorted and almost laughed, but Hunter appeared dead serious.
Hunter leveled an unreadable stare at him. “I fucking don’t care.” He spoke with such conviction that Cedric backed off. Hey, not his circus, not his monkeys. If Hunter wanted to meddle with the brothers’ relationship, Cedric would stay clear of the entire disaster. He’d always been a lover not a fighter. Hell, he’d rarely fought with his asshole father. Usually he walked away when things got intense, like he walked away from anything requiring deep emotions and commitment.
The truth hit him like a puck to the gut. He avoided confrontation at all costs. Bella embraced it. Or had, until her attack. They were people who never faced their problems because they either walked away or deflected the real issues by creating drama.
Yet, here was Hunter creating a situation that could only cause grief and doing it anyway. Cedric wouldn’t have touched the animosity between the brothers for a multimillion-dollar, ten-year guaranteed contract.
Hunter watched him with those ancient eyes, and Cedric squirmed. He swore the guy saw right through him and found him sadly lacking in spiritual depth. He’d be right about that.
“I still say you’re fucking crazy.” There he went, insisting on the last word again.
“I’ve been called worse.”
“You’re Tanner’s best friend.” Cedric referred to one of Zeke’s older brothers and Bella’s brother-in-law.
“Exactly.” Hunter’s slow smile hinted at his nefarious intentions.
“You’re doing this on purpose.”
Hunter winked at him, grabbed the tray full of beer and chips, and carried it into the living room. Cedric leaned his ass against the counter and tried to make sense of his life. All he got for his efforts was a splitting headache.
Bella appeared in the doorway. “Everything okay?”
He pushed off the counter and crossed to her, wrapping her in his arms. “Remind me never to piss off Hunter.”
Her brows furrowed. “Why?”
“I think he’s a ruthless bastard under his calm exterior.”
“Perhaps,” she agreed. “A true warrior.”
Cedric couldn’t agree more. “Why don’t you get rid of these jokers, and we’ll have our own private party?”