Beyond Bliss (23 page)

A shiver ran through her. “Mom, it’s early.
And
you know I’m not looking to get married or even get into something serious right now.” As the words fell from her lips, something in her chest tightened painfully at the half-truth.

In truth, she
hadn’t
been looking.

But being with Lucas changed everything.

*****

“You’re beautiful.”

Two simple words pierced through the silence, and her head jerked up at the sound.  The regulatory filings she’d been so wrapped up in moments earlier lay strewn across her desk, now forgotten, as she met his stare head-on. 

Her dark eyes sparkled and a small smile curved the corners of her lips upward.  “Is that so?” she teased.

He stayed where he was, next to the door he’d shut softly after he’d entered her office, his eyes eating up the vision she presented.  She’d twisted the heavy mass of her hair behind her head, securing the strands in place with only a pencil.  Her reading glasses were perched precariously on the edge of her nose, and her lips were a delicate, rosy color—shiny not from lip gloss or cosmetics, but her habit of constantly running her tongue across her bottom lip when she was deeply lost in thought. 

He’d seen her do it countless times when they shared his home office in the evenings. They hadn’t had a discussion about any of it—the status of their relationship, expectations, hell—even what their relationship was, but oddly enough, they’d developed something of a routine over the last few weeks.  During the week, they stayed in the penthouse apartment he had, located in mid-town, close to the office, but weekends were spent in her apartment. 

He’d been surprised the first time she’d invited him over, but she’d seemed reluctant to part with him, and she’d woken up their first Saturday morning back after Hawaii with a yen to be around her own things and a bagel from her local deli. 

He’d indulged her, but once he was in her space, he found himself thoroughly charmed. 

Her apartment was one-fifth the size of his, but he’d instantly felt at home.  An overstuffed, comfortable looking taupe couch dominated the center of her living room, flanked by two equally overstuffed chairs, fabric littered with tiny flowers, on either side.  The entire back wall was one giant bookcase, and she’d swatted playfully at him when he teased her about alphabetically ordering every single title. 

When he’d found several erotic romance novels neatly organized amongst volumes of case law, philosophy, poetry, and Pulitzer prize winning titles, she’d blushed adorably and muttered something about needing a sweater from her bedroom.  Intent on teasing her, he’d opened one such volume, following her while easily flipping through it until he found a dog-eared page and started to read aloud.

“
Barely breathing, her eyes fell to the rough fingers insistently pushing the material of her already too-short dress up her thighs.  ‘You thought you would tease me, huh?’ he growled, his voice thick with arousal as one of his talented fingers dipped underneath the waistband of her lacy panties.  ‘No,’ she whimpered helplessly as his fingers teased her damp, sensitive flesh.
” 

As he’d read the words, his own voice sounded thick with want.  He’d looked up from the book causing her to lose her breath at the scorching heat emanating from eyes the color of dark slate. 

When he’d bent his head to continue reading, she finally let out a little breath. 

But then he continued to read aloud, his voice dark with promise, and she knew the spell hadn’t been broken.  Words washed over her like teasing caresses, flames licked over her sensitive nerve endings turning her need for him into an inferno. 

“
She gasped when he tore at the soaked center of her underwear and shoved two thick fingers into her warm core.  ‘I can’t wait,’ he muttered, making quick work of undoing his belt and zipper.  She tensed in anticipation when she felt the thick head of his cock teasing her entrance, but in the next moment he thrust his length into her wet heat, and she screamed
.”

He hadn’t been able to read anymore.  He’d looked up from the book, and she stood across the room, a sweater hanging limply in her hands, chest rising and falling unsteadily. 

Dark eyes, glittering with intent, searched hers for answers. 

“You read this?”

“Yes,” she’d whispered.

“Do you fantasize about this?”  His voice was harsh, sounded gritty even to his own ears.

This time, she’d looked down, but not before he caught the bright gleam of excitement in her eyes.

“Strip.”

The harsh command was curt, but the need in his voice caused the ache between her thighs to worsen. She’d looked up in surprise, but the heat in her eyes told another story.  Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on her jeans, but moments later the denim slid to the floor.  She tugged at the hem of her t-shirt next, and when that was off, she started at the front closure of her lacy bra. 

“Leave it.  Up on the bed.”

He followed her movements as she nervously pushed a lock of thick hair behind her ear before she scrambled onto the bed.  He stalked after her, a predator waiting to claim his prey.

Ever so slowly, he inched toward her, his massive frame shielding her body as he trailed his hand up the smooth skin of her legs before he stopped at the apex of her thighs.  She held her breath, suspended in anticipation, but when his fingers slipped underneath the drenched silk of her panties, seeking her soft flesh, her groan matched his own. 

“Fuck,” he rasped, marveling at how responsive she was.  He hadn’t even touched her up until then, but she was wet and ready for him, her tight canal hugging his fingers, pulsing and clenching as if to draw him deeper. 

“You want it just like that?” he asked, referencing the passage he’d just read as he continued fucking her with his fingers with his thumb pressed against her clit. 

“Please,” she begged.  

It was dark, primitive, the need she evoked in him.  Just when he thought it couldn’t get bigger or burn brighter, he fell deeper into the sole purpose of consuming her whole.  She whimpered plaintively when he moved his hands away from her center, but in the next moment, he hurried at the fastening of his jeans, just barely shoving the waistband of both his jeans and boxers down.  His cock sprang free, thick and hard, and he growled when her soft pink tongue swept over to lick at her lip.

Her eyes flew to his face with he gripped the center of her panties between his hands and tore the damp material in one hard tug and aligned himself to her entrance.  Without warning, the thick head of his cock pushed through her swollen tissues and her hips canted up to take him deeper. 

He fucked her hard, oblivious to everything but wet heat that gripped his pulsing cock.

He was rough, merciless.

Feral, even.

Her breath hitched as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and all sane thought flew from his mind as his thrusts changed tempo until he was slamming into her body, demanding everything from her but giving all of him as well. 

When her breathless moans turned into shrieks, he slowed and searched her eyes.  “Please, just like that.  Please Lucas, don’t stop.”

“You’re fucking perfect,” he muttered.  “Perfection,” he whispered against her lips as his mouth took hers savagely, mimicking the motion of his hips between her thighs. 

Moments later, when she came, he’d swallowed her cry before he ripped his mouth away from hers and emptied himself inside her. 

Now, as he stood in her office, he wondered if she’d be willing to forego the rules for some afternoon play.

“You’re thinking about sex again, aren’t you?” she accused, her playful tone jolting him back into the present.

He held his hands up, even as he felt the smirk twitch at his lips.  “I plead the fifth, counselor.”

But he moved towards her, slow and steady, his intent clear in his eyes. 

She jumped up and shoved away from her desk.  “Oh no you don’t,” she hissed.  “Lucas, we talked about this,” she whispered furiously.

He noted with interest that her delightful breasts were heaving in the way they did when she was angry, aroused, or both.  She sure as hell didn’t look angry right now.

He prowled closer, enjoying the way her eyes widened with panic as she edged closer to the floor to ceiling window behind her desk. 

“Lucas!”

He stopped just short of one of the padded chairs seated across her desk before he settled into one.  “What?” he shrugged innocently. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, but still remained in her position.  “That was mean.”

“What was?”

“You deliberately made me think you were—you—arghh!  You’re insufferable sometimes, you know that?” she huffed.

“But you love to suffer me, don’t you?  What are you more upset about?  That I made you think that we were going to have a lunchtime quickie or the fact that my dick isn’t buried deep inside you right now?”

Color stained her cheeks.  “You can’t say things like that!”

He ignored her.  “Trust me, I’m upset you’re not flat on your back on the desk right now too.  But you insisted on these ‘rules’,” he used air quotes around the word for emphasis, “so I’m here in a non-sexual capacity.”

She rolled her eyes at him.  When she’d initially presented him with the rules, he’d loudly objected. 

No bases at the office (first, second, third, or home).  Written communications on company messaging and emails were to be purely professional in nature and remain innuendo-free.  They were to enter and exit the office separately, not together.   

And he wasn’t allowed to eye fuck her seven ways to Sunday in the presence of others.

She batted her eyes at him.  “Okay, Mr. Sinclair.  What non-sexual favor can I do for you today?”  She leaned against the window, arms crossed under her chest.  He appreciatively admired the way her posture plumped up her breasts. 

“No eye fucking Lucas!”  She glared.

"I can't help it," he shrugged.  "It's not like I want to be walking around with a constant hard-on, baby."  He turned his best puppy dog eyes on her.  

"Seriously?" She asked, but the sound of her laughter was light and carefree.  The sunlight from the window glinted off her hair, giving her natural highlights and once more, he was amazed that she truly had no idea how stunning she was.  

He fixed his gaze on her, and she sobered at his steady stare.  "What?" 

"I had an interesting call today."

"Oh?"

"When did you last speak to your mother?"

Suspicion immediately clouded her eyes.  “Why?” she asked hesitantly. 

“Just curious.”

Her brow wrinkled adorably. 

Whipped.

Hell, she was even cute when she frowned at him.  He ignored the word that whispered across his mind and leaned forward. 

“I spoke to her today, actually,” she said slowly.

“She mention visiting anytime soon?” 

She pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes.  “Ok Sinclair, cut to the chase.  I’m done with this cat and mouse game.  Why the sudden interest in my mother?”

He shrugged once more.  “Just wanted to know if you spoke to her before or after I did.  Guessing it was after, considering she told me that I shouldn’t listen to you if you told me you weren’t looking for anything serious…and that if I was of the same mindset, then I should stop my ‘dalliance’ with you because I was eating up valuable time you could spend focusing on looking for someone who was husband material.”  As each word left his mouth, her eyes got progressively wider until he feared her eyes would bulge out of her pretty head.

She groaned as she unceremoniously plopped down in her chair.  “I’m so sorry,” she mumbled, her face hidden between her fingers.  “Please ignore my mother.  How did she even get your number?”

“Someone named Sarah apparently gave her the main line to reception, and she asked to speak with me, regarding an urgent matter concerning Miss Harlow.  When Rosie popped her head into your office, you weren’t inside and Tyrone didn’t know where you were, so she assumed something had happened and interrupted me in the middle of a meeting.”

“Oh my God.”  She looked up, consternation written all over her delicate features.  “I am so, so sorry.  I’ll speak with her.  I can’t believe this woman.”

He chuckled.  “I can’t believe her either, but no need to apologize baby.  I was bored out of my mind with the new marketing pitch.  This call was definitely more entertaining than sitting in that room trying to uncross my eyes from staring at all of those damn graphs and numbers.  Anyway, looking forward to meeting her.”

“Huh?”

“She mentioned something about paying a visit to make sure I met her standards.  Happened to be on a flight out next week, so I invited her to the gala celebration for the Hiliau deal.”

Her consternation was replaced with a murderous look.  “You what?” she shrieked, the sound piercing through his eardrums.

He winced.  “God, have mercy.  You sound just like her,” he muttered. 

She continued to glare at him.  “You are unbelievable, you know that?”  Despite the heat in her words, he was thankful for her lowered tones.