But I don’t leave. Instead, I step closer to the bed, coming around to the side closest to where she’s sleeping, my gaze never leaving her. The moon’s light shines into the room, illuminating her in a soft glow, and I’m fascinated. I watch the rise and fall of her body as she breathes deeply, her parted lips plump and alluring even when she’s asleep. I listen to the sound of her soft, even breathing. Her eyes are closed, thick eyelashes like dark little fans lying across her skin.
She looks peaceful. So beautiful that the urge to go to her, to slip beneath the covers and join her, is so strong I almost do it.
But not yet. I need to rationalize this first. Though it’s nothing close to rational, being in this room with her uninvited. I’m breaking the fucking law. I should leave.
I don’t.
My cell phone is set on silent and my wallet is in my back pocket, my room’s key card tucked safely inside. I brought nothing else with me beyond the clothes I’m wearing and the shoes on my feet. I could easily strip in silence and climb into bed with her like some sort of nut job, explore her body with my hands and mouth and fucking teeth, waking her up in the best possible way. Then I’d finally slide deep inside her, fuck her hard, fuck her deep until we’re both coming with low groans.
I’d have to be quiet. Stealthy, if I’m really going through with it.
No way are you going through with it, asshole.
My smug side rises up, ready for the challenge.
Watch me. It’s what she wants. You’ve got nothing to worry about.
I really hate that guy sometimes. He gets my ass in trouble.
Deciding the hell with it, I take off my shirt and toss it on the floor. Undo the button snap on my cargoes and carefully pull down the zipper, thankful it’s quiet. Until I’m standing in her bedroom with just my blue boxer briefs on, my entire body on fire at the thought of what I’m about to do.
I go around to the other side of the bed, the one that’s empty, and I carefully, quietly pull back the covers. She doesn’t move. Her back is still to me and I can definitely confirm that she has nothing on. She sleeps naked.
Approval wholeheartedly given.
Without another thought I slide into bed with her, pulling the covers up over me. I lie there for a minute, stiff as a board, holding my breath, not wanting her to wake up and freak out. Because she absolutely should freak out. She has to, despite what she said to me earlier. No way did she really mean that, wanting me to sneak into her room. Maybe it was more like a dare, her wanting to see if I’d be crazy enough to make her supposed fantasy come true.
Like the dumbass I am, I fell for it. This girl … makes me do stupid shit. I’m a thinker, a planner, and she’s turned me spontaneous. Something I never believed I could be.
She shifts in her sleep, sticking her ass out straight toward me almost provocatively, and all rational thought seeps out of my brain. I become nothing but primitive urges, resting my hand on her ass, smoothing my palm over her soft skin, intoxicated with the feel of her, the smell of her, the knowledge that she’s lying next to me, oblivious and vulnerable to whatever I want to do to her.
How dangerous that is. How lucky she is that I’m a relatively good guy who snuck into her room, ready to fulfill her every fantasy, and not some violent asshole that’s hell bent on hurting her.
Yeah. My rationalization for my actions wouldn’t fly with the law. I don’t know who I’m trying to convince.
Maybe yourself?
A soft, feminine sigh lingers in the air and Lily is pushing her ass into my hand, almost as if she knows it’s there. I caress her skin, swear I can feel the heat of her pussy, and then she’s humming, a sweet little sound that definitely indicates she feels my touch.
And she likes it.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” she whispers and I go completely still, wondering if I should jump out of the bed and get the fuck out of here. What if she calls security? What if she already did? Or worse, what if she tries to wrench off my nuts?
“I knew you’d come back,” she continues as she scoots closer to me, her back to my front, her bare ass brushing against my cock, which happily rises to the occasion. Only the thin barrier of my underwear prevents me from slipping inside her and I grit my teeth, tell myself to get it together.
I say nothing and Lily lifts her arms behind her so they come around my neck, her hands at my nape, and I automatically wrap my arms around her waist, my fingers resting against the soft skin of her stomach. “You’re pretty bold, you know, sneaking into my room.”
So she’s really okay with this? “You wanted it,” I say, as a sort of test. I skim my hands up her stomach and she arches forward, my palms cradling her breasts.
A laugh escapes her and she squeezes tighter around my neck. “I did. I still do,” she admits softly, a little moan escaping her when I run my thumbs over her nipples, back and forth over the beaded points. “God, your hands are so big.”
“I’m a crazy motherfucker for doing this,” I tell her. She needs to know what a risk I took, sneaking in here. What a risk she took by leaving her door unlocked for any old asshole to walk in and attack her. I should spank her ass for doing something so careless.
I wonder if she’d like it if I tried to spank her ass.
“I have a thing for crazy motherfuckers,” she admits, her breath catching in her throat when I pinch her nipple hard. “Are you really here to make my fantasy come true?”
“Yes.” I lean into her and nibble on her ear, making her gasp. “Are you going to do what I say, no questions? I need total submission from you, princess. No protests. No arguing.”
She nods, her hair brushing against my face. I love the smell of her. I could inhale her all damn day. “Whatever you want me to do. I’m yours.”
Her words sound way too good. She shouldn’t make promises she probably can’t keep.
“So when I tell you what to do, you’ll do it? I won’t push you too far. I’ll make sure and give you everything you want, baby girl.” She shivers when I call her that, and I caress her breasts, holding them in my hands. I’m dying to suck her nipples into my mouth and really taste her, feel her squirm beneath me and beg me for more. “I promise.”
“I promise, too,” she whispers. The purr of satisfaction in her voice is raw and unfiltered. I want her falling apart in my arms. I want her gasping, unable to breathe, unable to fucking think.
I probably want too much from a woman I barely know but damn it, that’s exactly what I need to experience, too. It’s been too long since I’ve lost myself inside a woman. I’ve been too wrapped up in other shit. Stupid shit that holds me back and fucks with my head.
“Then let’s get started, princess.” I release her breasts and pull away from her, her hands falling from around my neck. Placing my hands on her back, I give her a gentle push. “Lie on your stomach.”
She does as I say, no questions asked, no protesting, kicking the comforter away from her body so all I see is naked flesh as she rolls over onto her stomach. She folds her arms underneath her head, resting her cheek on her entwined hands so she can watch me. Her eyes glow in the dim light and my skin tightens the longer she looks at me.
“You have too much clothing on,” she observes.
I glance down at my underwear, my cock straining against the front like it wants to burst free, a tiny spot of wetness from leaking pre-come. “I get naked and I’m bound to fuck you.”
Her eyes heat and her lips curve in a tiny smile. “But that’s exactly what I want.”
“I’m sure.” I hover over her, pushing her hair away from her neck. “We’ll get there,” I murmur against her skin just before I kiss her nape. Lick her, her salty sweetness dissolving on my tongue, making me crave more.
Without moving away from her neck I shift so I’m completely over her, my knees on either side of her hips, my mouth still at her nape, my hands curling around her front. She lifts up, allowing my hands to slide between her body and the mattress, and I cup her breasts,
kneading them, running the heel of my palms up and down, teasing her nipples.
I lift away from her nape and that’s when I spot a tattoo. High up on her neck, almost hidden completely by her hairline, is a bird—a flock of them, at least five, seeming to try and escape into her hair. “Nice tattoo,” I say.
“You found my birds,” she murmurs as she bends her head, allowing me a better glimpse. I trace each bird with the tip of my finger, enjoying the hide-and-seek game we’re having with her ink. “I never get to see them.”
“That’s what happens when you get a tattoo on the back of your neck.” I drop a kiss on each bird, making her shiver. “Do you have more?”
“You’ll have to search my body and find out.”
Her words are just the invitation I want to hear. I slide down the length of her, my lips mapping her skin, making note of the spots where she jerks away because she’s too sensitive or where she moans when I find a spot that must feel particularly good. She’s ticklish, especially around her ribs, on the back of her thighs, behind her knees. I even kiss her feet, the soft soles, lightly tonguing her toes. She giggles and I find another tattoo, this one on the side of her left foot, a pretty little pink flower.
“A hibiscus,” she explains when I trace the delicate design. “I’ve always had a thing for them.”
I don’t say a word, just continue to kiss my way back up her body until I’m gently flipping her over at her waist and she goes willingly. Lifting up, I straddle her hips, staring down at her, my gaze zeroing in on her breasts. That’s when I spot yet another tattoo, this one curving just beneath her right breast. A scattering of stars, like a constellation. I trace them with my finger, goose bumps forming in my wake.
They represent something, a part of her. What, I’m not exactly sure, but there must be a meaning for the tattoos she chooses.
I want to find out those meanings. The meaning of Lily. There’s more to her than she leads on. She’s not just some sexy rich girl out looking for a good time, no matter how hard she tries to push that image. It’s a front. There’s something deeper playing behind the scenes. There’s a reason she’s on the run, why Pilar hates her so damn much, why Lily’s hiding.
I want to discover all of her secrets. Fuck the job. Fuck what I’m supposed to take from her, this woman who’s naked and beautiful and wants me just as much as I want her.
At least for tonight. All I want to do, all I can think about, is fucking Lily.
“Are there more?” I cock a brow.
Her smile is mysterious. “Search and see for yourself.”
That means there are definitely more. And I can’t wait to find them.
chapter nine
Lily
HIS BIG, WARM HANDS roam all over my body and set my skin on fire everywhere he touches. I really like his hands. Those long, skilled fingers that are slightly callous and the wide palms—one of them alone can practically span the width of my ass and that’s kind of amazing.
He’s palming my ass now, rubbing it, slapping the side of one cheek and watching it jiggle. I jolt when he slaps it again, harder this time, and I mumble a shocked, “That hurts.”
I’ve had guys spank me before but I didn’t enjoy it. At all. More like, the spanking irritated me. It felt like they were trying to claim me as their own personal piece of property to do with whatever they wanted. Oh, I’d always put on a show for them, gasping and squealing and acting like it turned me on.
It never turned me on. But the way Max is touching me, smoothing his palm over my stinging flesh just before he slaps it again, well …
I’m aroused. Wet. I lift up on my knees a little bit, pushing my ass into his hand—again—and he takes the hint, slapping it so hard the sound reverberates throughout the quiet room¸ and I swear I hear a grunt of satisfaction come from him at the exact same time I moan.
“You like that, princess?” He’s caressing the spot where he smacked me, his fingers so gentle my heart flutters. “I can see how pink your skin is even in the dark.”
The moon is bright, painting the room in silver, gilding his sharp features, his beautiful mouth. I watch him from over my shoulder, my arm resting beneath my head, my ass in the air. “I like it,” I admit, my voice quiet. I say nothing else because I’m scared I’ll say the wrong thing. Or worse, that I’ll say too much and make a fool of myself.
“Interesting.” His hand moves to my other butt cheek and he taps it, lightly. “You have the most perfect ass I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
I start to laugh, then clamp my lips shut when I see the serious glow in his eyes. “I’m glad you like it,” I say, feeling ridiculous as I turn away from him.
“I like everything about you I’ve uncovered so far.” My gaze returns to his, shocked by his admission, but he says nothing more. He slips his fingers between my cheeks, skimming over my damp folds, and his eyes narrow as he dips his fingers deeper. “Damn, baby girl, you’re soaked.”
I should be embarrassed. Overabundant wetness is something I rarely have to worry about when I’m with a guy. I mean yeah, they’ve aroused me, a few have given me orgasms, or I touch myself and make sure I gain my satisfaction when they do. But with this man in particular … I’m aching. My clit is throbbing and my pussy feels … empty. I want to know what it feels like to have his cock move inside me. I won’t be satisfied until that happens, and I hope to God it does.
I’m desperate for it. For him.
“You must really like it when I spank you,” he says almost reverently. He sounds downright fascinated by the possibility and I’m more than a little mortified. He’s probably not really into that sort of thing … Wait a minute.
Maybe he is. He did ask for my complete submission before we started. And he crept into my room like some sort of sexy thief, sneaking into my bed and touching me while he thought I slept. The entire scenario had been amazingly hot, fueling the long dormant fantasies I’d kept hidden from the world.
I’d been awake the entire time, waiting for him. I knew he’d show up and when I heard the screen door slide open, I had to bite my lips to keep from saying something.
It had been difficult, staying still while I could feel him watching me. I’d never felt sexier, never felt so alive and excited and terrified. My heart had pounded in my chest so hard I swore he could hear it and my entire body was overcome with shivers. I’d loved every moment and when I surprised him? I’d felt triumphant. Sexy.
In control.
But he took the control away from me within seconds, something that has never happened before. I don’t like anyone telling me what to do. I never have.
Until Max.
“Touch me,” I urge, spreading my legs farther, inviting him to continue his exploration.
He does exactly what I want, his deft fingers searching my folds, one long finger pushing deep inside my aching pussy. I whimper, savoring his invasion but wanting something more. Something bigger, thicker. Longer.
“I want inside you so fucking bad,” he grits out, that sexy low growl I’m starting to love coming from deep inside his chest. He sounds tortured, which is good because I am 100 percent tortured and I want him feeling everything I am at the same time.
“I want you inside me, too,” I whisper, moaning when he adds a second finger, then another. He’s fucking me with three fingers, I can hear my wet pussy as he pushes them in and out, and I close my eyes, bite my lip to keep from crying out. He plunges deep, touching a spot inside of me that makes me gasp, makes me tremble, and I want more.
“You ready for me?”
I nod, hoping he can see the frantic movement of my head. I can’t speak, I’m so overcome with the sensation of his long fingers thrusting inside me, his thumb coming around to press against my clit, and then I’m coming, unintelligible words falling from my lips as my entire body is consumed with shudders. My inner walls grip his fingers again and again and I collapse on the bed because my body’s too weak to hold me up. He withdraws his fingers from my body before he grips
me by the hips and turns me over again so I’m on my back.
He’s flipped me around over and over since he showed up as if I weigh nothing and God, I like it. The way he takes full ownership of my body, pushing me into position, driving me wild. He’s commanding, a little rough, a little crude.
A lot sexy.
“Well, well, well, look at this.” His fingers trace just above my pubic hair. “Another tattoo.”
I say nothing, my heart is still pounding too hard and I’m afraid if I try to speak, nothing will come out but a rusty gasp of breath. He brings his fingers, shiny with my juices, to his mouth and licks them, the sight of his tongue making everything inside of me twist with yearning.
He hasn’t even really kissed me yet and I’m dying to feel that tongue of his slide against mine.
“What does it say?” he asks, flashing me a satisfied grin. He knows what he just made me do, how hard he just made me come, and I can see the pride etched all over his handsome face. He’s on a power trip and I’ll give it to him. I have to.
“Get a little closer and find out for yourself,” I finally encourage him breathlessly. My heart is racing as though I just ran twenty miles and it’s hard for me to concentrate, I’m still so blissed out.
Max does as I tell him to, his mouth hovering above my pussy, his eyes glued on the tattoo he’s just discovered. He traces it with his finger again, over every curve of every letter.
“ ‘Keep me wild.’ ” He lifts his head, his eyes meeting mine. “What exactly are you referring to, princess?”
I reach for him, grabbing his hand and pulling him up so he falls on top of me and I whisper against his lips, “That’s what I want from you,” just before I kiss him.
The kiss is dirty. Rough. Primal. Tongues and teeth and bites and sucks, no romantic softness, but I want none of that. I prefer this. Raw and uninhibited, our breaths come fast, our mouths frantic. My hands are in his hair and his are in mine, tugging and pulling and making me whimper, making him growl. Our legs are entwined and his cock is brushing against my belly, leaving wet streaks in its wake because he’s so aroused he’s leaking pre-come everywhere.