He shifted position slightly, and started a fast, hard, furious rhythm that Chloe couldn’t match. She lifted her hips and let him pummel into her.
She could feel a hot flame ignite in her belly, and she started to tremble.
“Come for me, Chloe. Come,” Gabe demanded harshly as he lowered his head and nipped at the sensitive skin of her neck, and then soothed it with his tongue.
She’d wanted to see Gabe in all his feral passion, and she was getting exactly what she fantasized about.
As he raised his head, she could see that animalistic expression on his face, every feature tight with need.
Her orgasm rocked her with its intensity; her entire body started to pulsate with an intense relief that it had previously been denied. It was so intense it was almost frightening.
Helplessly, she let her climax shake her. She tossed her head, and her fists clenched, her short nails digging into the flesh of Gabe’s straining hands.
Release hit her with a final wave as she watched his face, the muscles in his neck flexing and releasing as he began to come.
Keeping up his punishing rhythm, fucking her like he never wanted to stop, he groaned her name. “Chloe.”
It was one of the sweetest sounds she’d ever heard, and as a final wave rushed over her body, she screamed in ecstasy.
She’d never felt a climax this intensely before. Maybe because she’d never completely let go. Emotions flowed over her until tears filled her eyes: relief, intense pleasure, passion, and love.
I love him so much.
The thought pleased her and frightened her. What had started as pure desire had turned to intense love for this man who was so willing to open himself up to her completely.
Still shaking from the most incredible orgasm she’d ever had, her body went limp as Gabe rolled over and let her sprawl on top of him.
Caressing her hair, he was silent as his chest heaved.
“I swear you’re going to kill me,” he said as soon as he could speak. He paused before adding, “Thank you, darlin’.”
He was thanking her for trusting him with her body. She didn’t need clarification.
“You’re thanking me for that amazing orgasm?” she teased.
“Yes,” he replied earnestly. “Did I hurt you at all?”
One minute he was demanding, and the next he was worried about her. Gabe Walker was a complex man, but she loved every part of him. “No.”
“Good. I’m hoping you’ll keep me for a while,” he joked.
I’ll keep you forever.
She didn’t say the words, but she was tempted. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.” She tried to keep her tone light, but her heart grew heavy.
What would happen when this affair was over?
“Good. Stay with me,” he commanded.
Chloe had no problem with that order. She was going to stay with him as long as she possibly could and try not to think about what would happen in the future.
She needed to learn to live in the moment, because right now it was all she had.
Chloe was in her office the next afternoon when a package arrived. She took it from Cal, who had been sorting the mail and had dropped by to deliver something addressed to her.
She stared at the envelope on her desk after Cal had departed, wondering if she should even open it. She already knew it was from James, even though there was no return address. He’d already warned her it was coming.
She reached for the manila mailer nervously, wondering when she’d ever pay enough for her mistake with James and have him out of her life completely.
Not knowing what might be inside, she stood up and held it as far away from her body as possible, carefully breaking the seal. Tilting it toward her, she saw what looked like a flash drive, a tiny one that would plug into her computer.
Her fear dissolving, she removed it.
What. The. Hell?
It was obviously information he wanted her to see, and her stomach was rolling. It wasn’t like she’d ever done anything illegal or even immoral.
I don’t have anything to fear.
Tilting her chin a little higher, she sat and loaded the file onto her laptop on the desk, tapping her fingers on the wood surface impatiently while she waited for it to upload. All she wanted was to see what James assumed would send her running back to him and figure out how to combat the information as soon as possible.
I don’t want to think about him anymore. I just want it to be over. I’m happy now, and I’m healing. He’s nothing to me, and I won’t let anything he said or did affect me anymore.
Carefully looking into the envelope again, she noticed he’d sent a handwritten letter.
It took a moment of talking to herself to open it, trying to remember that he didn’t have the power to hurt her anymore.
Chloe,
View the contents of the enclosed file I sent and see if that’s really information that you want everywhere on the Internet. If not, I expect to see you at my house by tomorrow morning, or I’ll post it everywhere. You won’t ever be able to escape it. Do you think you’ll have any kind of career, or that your family will ever be able to survive this kind of scandal? I think not.
I’ll see you in the morning. Be here or this will be everywhere by noon. I have the original, and I didn’t send this via email so it wouldn’t inadvertently get released. It will be our secret if you do what I say. If not, you’ll find out exactly how destructive the consequences will be.
He hadn’t signed the note, but he didn’t have to. Suddenly, Chloe wasn’t feeling so sure of herself, shaken by the words James had put on paper.
Clicking with her mouse, she opened the download, and she could do nothing but sit in stunned silence as she viewed the vile contents of the file.