“More,” she pleaded. She wanted to feel that over and over.
He didn’t disappoint her. He began thrusting fast and hard inside her, and her body surged again and again with pleasure. She’d never be able to leave his bed after this.
When the sun was fully up on the horizon, his body stiffened, and he let go, releasing his own pleasure while buried deep within her.
She grew sleepy beneath him, but the contentment she felt being held in his arms almost frightened her. He rolled over, then pulled her tightly against him.
“You’re mine now, Elena.”
His words sent both a thrill and terror through her. She knew this wasn’t going to have a happy ending for her — their connection was only temporary.
But why not enjoy it while it lasted? She could worry about the fallout on some other day, couldn’t she? At least he wasn’t sending her away this time right after.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Elena sat on Tyler’s deck and shuddered as a breeze passed by. It wasn’t the coldest afternoon in Seattle, but it certainly couldn’t be considered warm, either.
Still, the great view made up for her bit of discomfort. But she had a larger problem. What in hell was she going to say to Tyler now? He’d still been sound asleep when she’d snuck from his bed, taken another shower — a long one, this time — and then found herself wandering out onto his back deck.
The house was nice, not what she’d been expecting from him. Yes, it was huge, much larger than any single man needed, but there were touches throughout it that made it more inviting, almost … warm. Except out on the deck.
Pictures of him and his brothers along with the older couple they’d lived with as children hung from his walls. Throw blankets rested on the back of a couple of comfortable armchairs in the living room and the coffee table even had a fishbowl centerpiece. She had to be curious. Had he decorated the place, or had he just paid someone to come in and do it for him?
Most likely it was the latter. That’s what little Richie Riches did.
“Is something wrong?”
Tyler’s warm breath on her neck startled her. Elena had been so deep in thought she hadn’t heard him approach her. After she’d awoken early that morning, they’d indulged in a sex marathon, but it hadn’t curbed her desire for this man.
She wasn’t sure that a year, or even multiple years, would dull her hunger. At just his nearness dangerous cravings rested low in her belly.
Agreeing to work with this man had been foolish of her — not that she’d had any choice. Making love to him again had been even more reckless. How in the world could she separate herself from him emotionally if she continued giving him her body?
Oh. He’d asked her a question. “It’s just a little cool out here,” she told him.
“One minute.” He disappeared, but he was back a few moments later with a thick blue throw.
Before she knew what he was doing, he was lifting her into the air, and he sat down, pulling her onto his lap and wrapping the coverlet around her.
She instantly forgot about the cold. It wasn’t only the throw that was warming her up.
“Um … thank you,” she whispered, wishing she were able to hold herself away, but finding her unruly body curling up against his.
She could tell herself all day that it was for his body heat, but it was just as much for the comfort of being in his arms. This was beyond ridiculous. How could she think of him as her lover now instead of her enemy, and after only a few hours pinned beneath him … and on top of him … and …? She’d always thought she had a logical brain. Still, many people made love while still hating their partners in sin. She apparently wasn’t that type of girl. She was unforgivably weak.
“I never sleep past six in the morning, and now it’s noon. I feel like a sloth,” he said, each word a warm breath on the side of her neck.
“I don’t think either of us got much sleep, so you have nothing to worry about,” she told him. “I do have to go into the offices today, though.”
“That’s true. I’ll gladly go back to bed and spend all day in it — if you stay there with me. Forget about going to work.”
As he said this, he unclasped his arms, and slipping a hand beneath the coverlet, he began caressing her stomach. Her instant response was to consider begging him to take her right there and then. Instead, she let out only a small groan when his fingers went beneath her shirt and traveled up over the mound of her breast.
Elena had been feeling so relaxed, but she forced herself to stiffen. She had to get away from this place before she lost her mind. She hadn’t had any time to think since they’d made love, over and over, just this morning. It had been so impulsive, and she hadn’t given herself a chance to change her mind. She hadn’t wanted that chance. But now she had to process what she’d done. And she couldn’t do that while Tyler was touching her. Conflict of interest.
“What’s the matter?”
His fingers stilled and when she didn’t reply right away, he forced her to face him, with her mouth now only inches from his.
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“Tell me the truth, Elena.”
“I just … this all happened … and now … I just … maybe I should get home and change for work.” The words felt as if they were being torn from her throat.
His eyes dilated and his lips compressed, and for a moment she thought he was going to be angry with her. That would be good. If he was pissed off, she could be pissed off, too. But just as quickly as the emotion flashed across his face, it went away.