Hardline (21 page)

  
“Blake, please, let me touch you. I need to.”
 

  
His body deeply seated in mine, I recognized the vulnerability in his eyes when he nodded. I brought my hands down, the muscles in my shoulders aching from the posture. He unclasped the bracelets, freeing me quickly. The second he did, I shoved a hand through his hair and pulled him down to my mouth for a heated kiss.
 

  
As if that one gesture were a green light to fuck me out of my mind, he caught my hip and drove into me. Deep, powerful thrusts that pushed me up the couch until his other hand pressed again the armrest. The leverage allowed him to fuck me even harder, claim me ever deeper.
 

  
“This what you want, beautiful?”

  
“Yes,” I whimpered. “God, yes.” I raked my nails down his sides, wanting to mark him. I gripped his hips between my thighs, hastening his movements over me. I needed to feel him, us together, everything disappearing in the blissful way it could this way.

  
“I never thought I could love anyone the way I love you… Erica...God, you have no idea what you do to me.”
 

  
I trembled, the depth of his penetration sending waves of pleasure like electricity through my body. I was lost in the sensation. I gripped his hair by the roots, my sex crushing down around him. Everything crashed down. Every wall, all my pride. Nothing mattered except this...
 

  
Without warning he rose up on his knees. He caught my ankles, placed them on his shoulders. With his next thrust, I went into orbit. He was so deep.
 

  
He slipped his hand between us and teased tight circles over my clit. Colors flew behind my eyes. I started to slip. The orgasm so close I could taste it. I could feel it down to my fingertips and all the way to my toes.
 

  
“Blake.” His name flew out of my mouth like a plea.
 

  
“Tell me what you want.”

  
“Hard!” I screamed, the climax already ripping through me. My back bowed off the couch completely, my muscles spasming beyond my control.
 

  
With a fierce growl, he dug into the flesh of my hips. With both hands, he shoved me down onto his cock and fucked me harder than I had ever been fucked in my life. His cock lengthened inside me, hitting my core in the delicious way that it always did seconds before he came.
 

  
He cursed, pulsing into me. Eyes to the sky, he caught his breath. He looked as destroyed as I felt. Slipping out of me, he fell back onto the couch. Hands on his head, he blew out a slow unsteady breath.
 

  
“Why?”

  
He turned his head to look at me, confusion mingling with the utter wreckage on his face. “Why what?”

  
“Why on earth would you deprive us of that?”

  
He laughed, and I smiled too, too wasted for anything else but levity. Then his smile faded. He brought his hand to my knee, and stroked my leg gently. Several empty minutes passed.
 

  
“Don’t leave me again, Blake,” I said softly.
 

  
Our eyes locked. “I didn’t leave you.”

  
“You left our bed, and I didn’t know where you were.”

  
“I didn’t want to stay away. I never want to be away from you. You’re all I think about. You’re the only person I ever want to be with.”

  
“Then why did you leave?”

  
He sighed. “If I came home, I was going to fuck you senseless.”
 

  
I laughed again, despite the seriousness I was trying to convey. “When did that become a crime?”

  
“Not nearly a crime, but as amazing as this is—and believe me, it was amazing—fucking you wasn’t going to get me what I wanted. If anything, it would only complicate matters and confuse the issue. We both know sex isn’t the issue here. But I was hoping you’d come around, sooner rather than later. I was prepared to jerk off until you gave in to my demands, but I can’t say I was looking forward to it.”

  
I shook my head in disbelief. “And now that I have?”

  
He slid his hand down farther, catching mine and threading our fingers together. “Now I want to take you home and show you how grateful I am until the sun comes up.”
 

  
* * *

  
I dressed for work and joined Blake in the kitchen. Seeing him there pouring coffee made me realize even more how terrible the brief distance had been. I wanted Blake in my life, every morning, every night, and every minute we could steal in between. Married life, I figured, would cater to that pretty well. A little flutter of excitement went through me at that sentiment.
 

  
I navigated around the island for my coffee, and he snagged me close for a kiss. I melted into it. His lips lingered and his tongue teased. Memories from last night whirled through my mind. Every touch, every toe-curling moment. Now I wished we had time for more. Still, the weekend was close, and we could spend at least some of it in bed. I wanted Blake by my side, but I also wanted to catch up on some much needed sleep. I hadn’t really slept since the trip to San Francisco, and the fatigue was catching up with me.
 

  
“I’m exhausted.” I slipped out of his embrace and lifted myself onto a seat at the island with my coffee.
 

  
“Makes two of us. Why don’t you stay home?”

  
“Some of us have to work, dear.”

  
A comfortable silence fell as we drank our coffee.
 

  
“When does James leave?”

  
I tightened my jaw, lingering bitterness at James leaving seeping in. “I wanted to talk to you about that, actually.”

  
He set his cup down with a thud. His eyebrows went up with a challenge.

  
“It’s not what you think,” I reassured him.
 

  
“What is it then?”

  
“Asking James to leave wasn’t something I wanted to do, but I did it for you.”
 

  
“For us,” he said.
 

  
I exhaled heavily. “Whatever. It’s difficult for me to not draw parallels to your situation with Sophia, though.”

  
He leveled an expressionless stare at me before turning to refill his cup. “She lives in New York.”
 

  
“You’ve also slept with her. You have a history with her. You had a sexual and romantic relationship. Even if I didn’t despise her personally, it would bother me that you still see her...sporadically or not.”

  
He turned and leaned against the counter. The pose was casual, but I could sense the tension rippling below his clothes. I resented what this woman’s name brought into the room. I also resented his clothes. These conversations seemed to go better when we were both naked.

  
“The only reason I ever see her is on business. I’ve told you this. Why do you keep pressing the issue?”

  
“Because I’m human, and like you, I’m jealous of anyone who wants what’s mine. You’re mine, and neither of us can deny that she wants you. You can claim you’re
just friends
all day long, but I could say the same about James and me, and the words would fall on deaf ears.”

  
“What do you want me to do about it?”

  
I traced the rim of my cup, suddenly scared to the death that I was dancing on the edge of disaster with Blake again and so soon after we’d come to terms.

  
“How long have you been invested in her business?”

  
He knitted his brows. “Four years.”

  
I nodded. “That’s a long time.”

  
“What are you getting at, Erica? Spit it out.”

  
“I’d like it if you would consider removing yourself from her business. I’m not saying I want her business to suffer, but I can’t help but feel like keeping that connection with you is like a lifeline for her. Like she’ll always have a chance to try to get you back.”

  
“She has zero chance of getting me back.”

  
“Did you tell her we were getting married?”

  
His jaw tensed. He pushed off the counter and dumped the remains of his coffee cup into the sink. “You’re a pain in the ass, Erica. Do you realize that?”

  
I laughed, relieved to have a little comic relief. “Do what you want, Blake. I’m just letting you know how I feel. You want me to be honest with you, so I am. I made a sacrifice for the health of our relationship, and those sacrifices are more easily made when there isn’t a double standard.”

  
He circled the island and stood in front of me. Staring down, his eyes glimmered with humor. Something had changed in him, and already I loved it.
 

  
“I’ll take it into consideration.”

  
“Thank you,” I murmured, arching up to kiss his lips.
 

  
“Does that make you happy?”

  
I smiled. “You make me happy, so yes. The less of you I have to share, the better.”
 

  
He hummed and lowered again to kiss me, tracing his tongue over my lip. “How about we make you happy one more time before work.”

I worked busily through my work all morning. For the most part, everything was on track. Blake and I were good, James and I had an understanding, and I was ready to move on with my life. After lunch Daniel texted me, reminding me of the meeting we’d scheduled for the afternoon.
 

  
I cursed myself for forgetting. Stepping outside, I caught a cab to Daniel’s campaign headquarters. As much as I didn’t need a second job, meeting Daniel’s assistant campaign manager’s frazzled energy made me sorry for him. Without delay, he led me through the hustle and bustle of the headquarters office that always put me on edge.
 

  
“Great to see you again, Erica.” Will shut the door behind us. Running a hand over his dark blond and generally untamed hair, he settled down behind his desk.
 

  
I sat across from him and pulled out my notebook. “You too. How has everything been going?”

  
“Well, as I’m sure you know, we’re in the midst of the debates.” He threw his hands up.
 

  
I twisted my lips up. “No, I didn’t. Is that good?”
 

  
He raised his eyebrows. He still thought this was an important job for me, not a situation that Daniel had coerced me into, which would explain my total lack of knowledge about the campaign as it currently stood. If I wanted information, I knew how to seek it, but nothing about the Massachusetts governor’s race appealed to me, even with my biological father as a prominent candidate.
 

  
“So far, yes, it’s good. Mr. Fitzgerald is winning most of them. We have a strong position in the race, and with only a month of campaigning left to do, we want this last push to be what solidifies the win.”
 

  
“Of course.” I was still uncertain how I felt about Daniel winning or losing. He was my father, and even though he was a murdering sociopath, part of me wanted to root for him. I shook the strange thought from my head and pressed Will to fill me in more. I hadn’t been in the loop for weeks. Thank goodness, Daniel had given me some space, but I had a feeling that wouldn’t last much longer.
 

  
Will spent the next hour bringing me up to speed. We strategized and bounced ideas around. Somehow I was able to draw some parallels between my own venture and Daniel’s marketing goals, and by the time I left, I’d armed Will with some new initiatives to carry through until our next meeting in a week.
 

  
The constant hum of the area beyond Will’s small office seemed to grow in volume. Sensing a change, I shifted my focus from Will. Through the glass windows of the office, a few people gathered near the entrance where Daniel now stood. He looked imposing as ever in an impeccable suit, but his stance was casual. His lips moved silently. Then his blue eyes met mine and his smile seemed to broaden a bit. A few seconds later, he joined us in Will’s office.
 

  
I stood awkwardly. Should I shake his hand?
 

  
“Will, one of the interns out there had some questions about some press releases that were going out today. Quotes and what not. Can you take care of it? Give me a moment to speak with Erica.”
 

  
“Of course. Take your time.” Will stood quickly, gathering up his phone and papers.

  
As unsettling as Daniel’s presence could sometimes be, I relaxed when Will’s brand of stress left the room. Daniel sat back, legs crossed, drumming his fingers on his knee.
 

  
“How are you doing?”

  
“I’m good.”
 

  
“How’s Blake?”

  
I shot a concerned look his way. He laughed quietly. His mood seemed light, but out of habit, I approached any direct communication with him, especially on the topic of Blake, with caution. Maybe I was still a little shell shocked from some of our other less civilized meetings.