I looked at him then, blue eyes meeting blue eyes in the dark, and an understanding passed between us. Lee let out a low, pleased growl as his mouth found my lips again. “Okay, Snap. I’ll give it to you hard.”
As he tore open the condom packet, the sounds of our laboured breathing filled the small room. A second later, he positioned his cock against me, his hips rocking gently back and forth. I felt like I’d die if he didn’t slip inside me soon.
As I let out a frustrated moan, Lee leaned close so his mouth was on my ear again. “You belong to me,” he growled, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach. “Say it.”
“Just shut up and fuck me,” I begged him.
He groaned when he shoved into me in one swift, hard motion, but withdrew quickly and ordered again. “Say it.”
“I can’t,” I whimpered.
“You can,” he insisted, plunging into me once more but pulling out again too soon.
Unable to stand the torture any longer, I surrendered softly. “I belong to you.”
His eyes gleamed with victory, like he’d just won something. And then he fucked me so hard I forgot my own name. His hips jutted back and forth with exquisite precision, and I let my face fall to his neck. I loved the sounds he made, how he grunted as he pounded me. My fingers dug into his shoulder muscles so harshly I was going to end up leaving marks. He felt amazing, so good I could feel myself clenching around him, like I might come from the inside.
“Fuck,” Lee swore, feeling it, too. “You really like me, don’t you?” he said, his voice laced with arousal.
I refused to look at him, burying my face deeper into his neck as he buried himself deeper inside me. His fingers pulled at my chin, bringing my face up so that I’d look at him. It was right then that the lights flickered back on, and I saw his face clearly, saw the possession and need in his eyes.
Our gazes locked, and I couldn’t look away. I was mesmerised by him. The way his eyes captured mine made me feel like I was his entire world. His hands came up to cup my cheeks, and I felt my muscles clench again, an orgasm building until I came on his dick.
“Jesus,” Lee groaned, his eyes fluttering closed as he savoured it.
It wasn’t long before he came, too, and I watched, fascinated by the how he looked, so overtaken by pleasure. His body dropped onto mine and his arms wrapped around me, pulling my torso tight to his. I felt his mouth at my neck, planting kisses all the way down to my collarbone. Finally taking a second to look around, I found we were in a small, unused office. There was an old filing cabinet by the door, and I was sitting on what used to be somebody’s desk. I’d never had sex in a public place before, and the unsettling fact that I’d just broken the law sank in.
The scariest part was that I didn’t even feel bad. I couldn’t, not with Lee’s smell surrounding me and his mouth worshipping my skin with tender kisses. His hand reached for my chest, briefly cupping my breast before slipping inside and palming it fully. His thumb flicked over the tight nipple.
“God, your tits are perfect, and I haven’t even had a chance to taste them yet.” He groaned as though in pain, his mouth dipping lower to suck on my cleavage.
“We can’t stay here,” I protested.
“The fuck we can’t.”
Closing my eyes, I moaned when he pushed the cup of my bra down and closed his mouth around my nipple. I looked down and he stared up at me, the heat in his gaze telling me he wasn’t done by a long shot.
Unfortunately, the rest of the world had other ideas, and my phone began buzzing loudly in my bag where I’d dropped it over by the door. Lee’s teeth pressed down around my nipple, the pain agonisingly sweet.
“Ignore it,” he ordered.
“I can’t. My friend Reya will be wondering where I am.”
“Karla,” said Lee, his mouth leaving my breast as he rose to look me dead in the eye. “I’ve wanted you for months, haven’t been with a single person since the day I met you. No way are we done here.”
Startled by his admission, I drew back, my hands braced on his chest. “You…what?”
“You fucking heard me. Now, come here,” he murmured in a sexy voice, but I was already getting up from the table, putting my dress back to rights and trying to find my underwear. I looked around the room before turning back to Lee. His mouth formed a smirk when my eyes trailed to his pocket, where he’d stuffed my black lacy thong.
I held my hand out. “Give me that.”
He shot me a challenging stare. “Come and get it.”
I pouted in frustration. “You can’t just say stuff like that and expect me not to freak out.”
He stepped forward, and I stepped back. “Stuff like what?”
“That you haven’t been with anyone since you met me. What does that even mean?”
He ducked his head, levelling his eyes on me as he answered simply, “It means you left an impression.”
“That’s…that’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? Have you been with anyone?”
I folded my arms over my chest, causing Lee’s attention to wander to my cleavage. “That’s different. I haven’t been in a relationship, and I don’t do one-night stands.”
“Well, that’s good to hear, because I plan on making this” — he paused and motioned between the two of us — “a regular thing.”
I gaped at him. “That’s not going to happen, not unless you also plan on changing your entire way of life, because I won’t conduct a relationship with a criminal.”
I was well aware of what a hypocrite I was being, but I couldn’t seem to help it. The wiring in my brain just fizzled out whenever I was around him, causing me to do things I never would normally.
“Ouch, hit me where it hurts, why don’t ya?” Lee chuckled, and my temper rose.
“This is all just a big joke to you, isn’t it? Just a bloody game to occupy your time.”
“No one’s playing games. I like you a whole hell of a lot, Karla. I’ve told you that already, so stop trying to convince yourself otherwise.”
All the air left me when he moved forward, backing me into the door and cupping my face in his hands, his gaze reverent. “Give me a chance, and I’ll prove to you that everything you think you see is blurred by perception.”
His lips met mine, soft and tender, and after a moment of resistance, I kissed him back. My hands fisted in his black T-shirt. The sweet way his mouth worshipped mine hit me even harder than having him inside me. With a sharp breath he broke away and drew me into a hug. We stood there, holding one another but not saying a word. When my phone started buzzing again, I knew I had to go find Reya.
Lee bent down to place one last kiss on my lips before pulling my thong from his pocket and bending to help me back into it. He smoothed down my dress, then ran his hands through my hair. Lastly, he swiped a thumb under both my eyes to fix my makeup.
“All better,” he whispered, and my heart thrummed. I knew we’d just had sex in a musty old office, but that was probably the sweetest thing a man had ever done for me.
Unable to form words, I nodded, and Lee laced his fingers through mine, opening the door and leading me outside. He stayed with me as we searched the club for Reya, finally finding her outside in the smoking area. Ingrid and Gina were nowhere to be seen, and I got a surprise to see her sitting with Trevor, deep in conversation.
“Reya,” I called out to grab her attention.
She turned to me, and I was uncomfortably aware of how her gaze lowered to my hand, which Lee was still holding. She cocked an eyebrow, and I dropped his hand instantly. I didn’t turn to see his face, but I knew how quickly I’d let go must have bothered him.
“Uh, hey,” I said, stepping over and casting a hesitant glance in Trevor’s direction.
“Where were you?” Reya asked, the knowing slant to her mouth telling me she already had her suspicions.
“Have Ingrid and Gina gone home?” I asked, ignoring her question because I didn’t know how to answer it. Lee was unnervingly quiet
beside me, and I could feel his eyes practically scorching a hole in my head.
“They went back to a party with those guys from earlier. I stayed to wait for you, and that’s how I bumped into Trevor here.”
My brow furrowed. “Oh, do you two know each other?” Sitting there, they seemed way too comfortable for two people who’d just met.
“Nah, never laid on eyes on her before,” Trevor cut in with a charming smile before glancing back to Reya. “Which, quite frankly, is a travesty.”
She narrowed her gaze at him, but she wasn’t doing a very good job of restraining her smile. Trevor grinned wider, like he knew he had her in the palm of his hand, despite her acting unimpressed.
“Well,” I said, clearing my throat, “we should get going. Do you want to share a cab?”
At this I felt Lee’s hand press into my lower back. “I’ll drive you.”
I glanced at him. “I don’t think so. You’ve been drinking.”
“I had one shot and half a beer. I’ll be fine,” he insisted.
“He’s not lying. I’ve seen him drink a whole bottle of tequila and still score a perfect bullseye on the dart board,” said Trevor.
Lee patted his chest. “Strong constitution.”
“Let him drive us,” said Reya shyly. “I don’t want to pay for a taxi.”
I thought it was more that she didn’t want to say goodbye to Trevor yet, but I didn’t call her out on it. Giving in, I sighed and said, “Fine.”
A moment later, Lee was wrapping his arm around my middle and leading me from the club, while Reya and Trevor followed behind. I bristled at his show of possession, my body growing rigid.
“Ashamed of me, Snap?” Lee whispered in my ear, and I looked up. The way his eyebrows dipped down made me feel terribly guilty for my behaviour.
“I’m not ashamed. It’s just complicated. You know that. If anyone I work with saw me here with you, it’d create a whole host of problems.”
There was understanding in his eyes before he bent to whisper in my ear, “Let me drop your friend home and then take you back to mine. I need to be inside you again.”
I shivered at his words, but I knew I couldn’t say yes. Having sex with him had been even more intense than I’d imagined. Going home with him was too close, and I knew that if I spent the night in his bed, I’d end up falling for him.
“I can’t,” I said, my throat constricting.
His thumb rubbed back and forth over my hip. “Don’t make me beg.”
“I have a, uh, a thing early tomorrow morning,” I said, my brain scrambling for an excuse but coming up empty. There were too few plausible commitments that took place early on a Sunday morning.
Lee didn’t say anything as we walked around the corner to where he’d left his car. I spotted it right away, but frowned when his arm around my waist tightened. That was when I noticed the guy standing there. He was all alone, wearing a black hoodie and dark jeans. A peaked cap shielded his face from view, but somehow I felt his eyes fall on me with interest.
“You all right there, mate?” Lee called, his voice hard. Everything in him was coiled tight as he scanned the figure standing on the footpath.
“Just passing through,” the man answered, twisting his head to take a leisurely look at Lee’s car before he turned and walked away. Lee was frowning, and Trevor seemed just as tightly wound. They shared a moment of silent communication.
“Who was that?” I asked, a feeling of unease coming over me, and I wasn’t quite sure why.
Lee wore a faraway expression as he answered, “Someone trying to send a message.”
“What does that mean?”
Shaking himself out of it, he blinked before replying, “Nothing, Karla. Come on, let’s get you home.”
I knew instinctively that there was something he wasn’t telling me, but I allowed him to lead me into the car anyway.
Nine
Lee spent several minutes checking out his car before finally starting the engine. He seemed distant, his mind elsewhere as his fists white-knuckled the steering wheel and he drove in the direction of Reya’s house. She lived with a couple of other students and was always complaining about how messy and rude they were. I didn’t envy her.
Glancing through the overhead mirror, I saw Trevor with his arm resting along the back of the car seat while he asked Reya questions and she gave him tentative answers, trying not to blush at his attention. I was jolted out of watching them when I felt a warm hand grasp my knee, and looked to the side to see Lee’s eyes flickering from the road to the hem of my dress. His thumb grazed the inside of my thigh, and I was suddenly remembering our time in the office room, how good it felt to have him inside me, invading every one of my senses.
God, I wanted to go back to his place so badly. Being with him tonight hadn’t quelled my hunger at all. On the contrary¸ it only grew stronger.
A few minutes later, we were stopping outside Reya’s. Trevor got out and walked her to her door. When he returned, he let his head fall back, grinning like the cat that got the cream.
“Okay, this is probably verging on TMI, but that is the finest rack I’ve ever seen.”
Lee chuckled at his brother, and I twisted around in my seat to eye him. “That’s my friend you’re talking about, and she’s more than just a pair of tits, so show some respect.”
“Oh, calm your knickers. My intentions are pure – purely sexual.”
I narrowed my gaze at him as Lee warned, “That’s enough, Trev.”
The younger brother flopped back in his seat, muttering, “Your girlfriend needs to chill out.”
“I’m not his girlfriend,” I protested at the same time Trevor’s gaze wandered to Lee’s hand firmly grasping my thigh. He shot me a cynical look that said it all. Sure you’re not.
A second later, his phone beeped and he pulled it out to read the message. I turned back around in my seat.
“Hey, where are we, bruv?” Trevor asked.
“Just coming up to Bethnal Green.”
“Pull up here and let me out. Got a few things to take care of.”
Lee stared at Trevor through the mirror, and they shared a moment of that weird silent communication again. Without questioning him, Lee stopped the car and his brother hopped out. When we were back on the road, I shot him a curious look.
“Where’s he off to?”
“Fuck if I know.”
“It’s almost two o’clock in the morning.”
“And Trevor’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”
Now that we were alone in the car, Lee’s hand moved farther up my thigh. My skin prickled with goose bumps and I closed my eyes for a second, trying to summon the ability to think straight. When I opened them again, the engine was off, and I looked up to see we were parked outside my building.
“Come here,” Lee said, his voice a low command.
“I’d better get inside.”
“Not yet,” he argued, and grabbed my hand.
He lifted my body deftly until I was sitting astride him in the driver’s seat, his fingers trailing up and down the outside of my thighs. I heaved a shuddering a breath. He stared up at me with his mouth hanging slightly open. Looking like that, he was more or less impossible to resist. The adoration in his eyes made my chest feel too tight, and when he began to harden against me, I was done for.
It was late, and there was nobody around. Still, I shouldn’t have been considering having sex with Lee Cross in the front seat of his car where anyone could see.
“I can’t do this,” I said, shaking my head.
Reaching forward, Lee gripped the back of my neck and pulled my mouth to his for a quick, hard kiss. “Break the rules, Karla. Just this once,” he said breathlessly as his hands trailed down my body to palm my arse.
I whimpered when he squeezed, pulling me tight to his erection. Before I could protest further, he slid my underwear to the side and plunged two fingers inside me.
“Wet,” he hissed, and I melted agai
nst him, my face falling to the crook of his neck.
“Look at me. I need your eyes,” Lee said, and I pulled back, watching while he coaxed me to orgasm. He continued fingering me, and when his thumb moved over my clit, I moaned. “That’s it — give me those eyes. You’re so beautiful.”
His chest rose and fell as he watched me, his gaze glittering in the dark. The intensity in his expression made me flush, my breaths and sighs filling the small confines of the car. I bent down and kissed him. When I slid my tongue inside his mouth, I was rewarded with a deep, masculine groan, and the next time he circled my clit, I came with an unexpected ferocity right on his hand.
It took me a long time to recover, but Lee just held me, one hand running soothingly up and down my spine.
“Come on, I’ll walk you up to your flat,” he said, finally breaking the quiet.
I was uncomfortably aware of the fact that he was still hard. Moving my hand to his crotch, I rubbed and whispered, “Do you need something?”
Lee groaned but grabbed my hand, stopping my movement. “As much as it pains me to say this, I’ll be okay.”
Staring at him, I watched his Adam’s apple as it bobbed in his throat, and I knew it really had taken a lot for him to say no. I wondered why all of a sudden he wanted the night to be over. Dark shadows flickered in his expression, and I knew he had other things on his mind. Things that hadn’t been there earlier tonight. It was the guy who’d been standing outside his car; something about the whole encounter had been just downright off.
My voice was quiet when I asked, “Do you have a lot of enemies, Lee?”
He turned back to me, his face intense as he answered, “It comes with the territory, Karla.”
***
It didn’t take me long to fall asleep that night, but the next morning when I woke up, everything came crashing down on me like a tonne of bricks. I couldn’t believe what I’d done, couldn’t believe I’d given in so easily. I may not have been the strongest woman in the world, but I’d always prided myself on living my life by a firm set of principles. Then Lee came along and threw a bomb on my rules, reducing them to a pile of meaningless rubble.