I frown. “What do you mean?”
“Do you want me to go slow?” He drifts his fingers across my cheek, then down my neck, toying with my bra strap. My breath quickens at his touch. “Or fast?”
Oh, God. I don’t know what sounds better. “Wh-what do you want?”
He hums and tilts his head. His gaze lingers on my face before it dips low, landing on my breasts. My nipples harden at his blatant contemplation and I fidget, wishing he would say something. “Both have their merits,” he finally says as he reaches out and runs his finger along the lacy trim of one bra cup, then the other.
Gooseflesh rises at his touch and I sway on my feet. “Yes.”
“I think I’d rather take my time.” His gaze returns to mine. “And savor you.”
That sounds absolutely perfect.
Chapter Twenty-six
Ryder
I’m minding my own damn business in yet another packaging meeting when I see her walk by, sexy as fuck. As usual. She stops in the doorway of the conference room I’m sitting in, giving me a perfect view of her, and I almost feel like she does it on purpose.
She may act sweet and innocent, but she’s devious—at least when it comes to tempting me.
Violet is wearing her hair up, revealing that elegant, kissable neck. Pearl studs are in her ears and the dress she wears is a deep shade of purple. It fits her body to perfection, accenting every dip and curve.
But it’s her legs that do me in. Usually they’re bare—which is a temptation I fight against since that first moment she let me touch her. Today, though, she has on black, diamond-patterned stockings and the highest, shiniest black shoes I’ve ever seen her wear.
Instantly my brain goes to Violet sprawled across my desk, her skirt hiked up to her waist, those patterned legs splayed in the air while I stand between them, fucking her until she screams.
Yeah. I’m a twisted mess over this woman. I can’t get enough of her. I stayed the night at her place last night and kept her up. Alternating between talking, kissing, and fucking, there wasn’t much time to sleep.
I wonder if she’s up for a repeat performance tonight.
“Ryder. Did you hear me?”
I jerk my attention away from Violet standing in the doorway to smile at Luann, one of the smartest members on my team. “Sorry. Repeat that?”
We’re talking about finalizing the packaging for the holiday sets and she asks if I prefer gold or silver trim.
I go with gold.
The meeting is over and Violet is still standing there, talking with someone. I can’t tell who. Anticipation fills me as I get up from my chair and start for the doorway. I keep my steps measured, not wanting to look too eager.
The woman makes me fucking eager. She’s all I think about. All I want. I care about her. Worry about her when I don’t know where she is. It’s confusing as hell.
I draw closer. I’m about to say something when I see exactly whom she’s talking to.
Zachary motherfucking Lawrence.
“Violet.” I murmur her name as I stride by her, not stopping, not even looking in Lawrence’s direction. I can sense his smug arrogance, the triumph he feels radiating off him. The asshole thinks he’s won.
But he’s not the one sleeping in Violet’s bed at night. He’s not the one with his face buried between Violet’s legs, tonguing her until she comes. And he’s definitely not the one sinking his cock deep inside her welcoming body.
Yeah. That honor would go to me.
She doesn’t say hello, but I can’t blame her. I feel her eyes on me, though, as I walk away, and I smile. We’ve gone full incognito with this … affair we’re having, and I’m enjoying the hell out of it.
I take that back. I don’t like her spending time with Lawrence, even though I told her to do it. I don’t like pretending I’m on good terms with Pilar, either, because I don’t trust her. That bitch is trying to cross me and fuck over Violet. She is hell-bent on getting whatever she wants, and it doesn’t matter who gets hurt in the process.
Oh, and I’m this close to having confirmation that she’s fucking around with Forrest Fowler.
The woman has balls of steel, I gotta give her that.
Deciding I may as well go see her and get it over with, I make my way to Pilar’s office, knocking on her open door before I enter. She’s on the phone and she turns away from me, murmuring something quick before she hangs up and turns on the charm.
“Darling. A visit from you is always a lovely surprise. Especially since I feel such a … distance between us lately.” She leaps up from her chair and comes to me, clasping her arms around my waist and pressing her lips to mine.
I lean away from her mouth, startled that she would try and kiss me at work. Shocked that she would kiss me at all. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know,” she trills, as she releases her hold on me and does a little dance around her office. “It’s a good day, you know? The sun is shining, the weather is warm. I had words with Violet this morning and I think I upset her. Life doesn’t get much better than this.”
I’m stunned. “Words? What are you talking about?”
Why didn’t Violet tell me? What the fuck is going on?
Pilar tsks and settles back in her chair. “I paid her a visit in her palace, otherwise known as her office.” She rolls her eyes. “Nothing like this dump.”
She has a corner office with an amazing view of the city. It’s far from a dump. “Hell, Pilar, are you ever happy?”
“Today I am.” She laughs. “You should’ve seen her. I got her riled up. Trembling so hard her voice shook as she tried to defend herself.”
“What exactly did you say?” I feel fucking awful. I wish I had been there so I could defend Violet, but …
Yeah. That would’ve blown our cover for sure.
“I heard her complaining to her sister that she was worried her line wouldn’t be ready in time for its set debut date. The moment Rose left her office, I went in for the kill.” Pilar smirks. “I tried for the innocent act, feigning concern for her line, then implied that maybe she wasn’t cut out for heading such a large, demanding project after all.”
“And what did she say?”
“Nothing! Well, she told me she had it under control, and there was hardly any fight in her. God, she’s boring. I don’t understand why you’re all fascinated with her. You. Zachary. Forrest.” She shakes her head. “She’s a little nothing.”
Jealous. Pilar is so jealous she can hardly see straight.
“Sounds like you got your digs in.” It grates that I have to play along. “I notice you keep mentioning our fearless leader’s name so casually,” I drawl, hoping she thinks I’m teasing her and not fishing for information.
But I am fishing.
“I’ve spent an awful lot of time with Forrest lately,” she says coyly. “He’s a lovely man.”
“I’m sure.” Old enough to be her father, too, but that’s not stopping her. “Sleeping with him to climb your way to the very top?”
“Oh, stop.” She laughs a little too loudly, her discomfort a little too obvious. “I would never do that.”
“Uh-huh.” I approach her desk, my gaze never leaving hers. “Tell me the truth, Pilar. Are you fucking Fowler?”
Her eyes widen and she rests her hand at the center of her chest. “Are you accusing me of having an affair with Forrest?”
“I am.”
She bursts out laughing. “I can neither confirm or deny your suspicion.”
“Give me a break.”
“I can’t give up all my secrets, you know.”
“You used to,” I remind her.
“So did you,” she throws back in my face. “But that’s all changed, hasn’t it? Now you’ve cut all ties between us and walked away. If you can’t help me, then I need to help myself, right?”
I can’t even deal with this woman. I decide to change the subject, throw her off. “What about Lawrence?”
&nb
sp; Her brows rise. “What about him?”
“Why did you fuck around with him?”
“He was nothing. A distraction.” She waves a hand, dismissing him. “You said you wanted to seduce Violet and I wanted in on the action. I couldn’t let you have all the fun.”
I ignore her teasing tone. I don’t find anything about this funny. “Were you already fucking Forrest when we had that conversation?”
She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t have to. The coy smile that curls her lips is my answer.
“You never told me,” I say stiffly. I’m shocked—and surprisingly hurt, which I know is stupid, but I can’t help it. We’ve shared so many things, so many ups and downs, that the fact that she deliberately chose not to tell me that she was having an affair with Forrest Fowler bothers me.
Yet I’m lying to her about Violet, so I have no room to judge.
“There’s nothing to tell.” She’s holding it all in, I can tell. She’s not going to give me anything, not that I can blame her. We’re lying to each other. I may have called off this game, but we’re still playing and it’s getting dirty.
When I don’t say anything she starts to laugh. “Darling, are you jealous?” She looks thrilled at the possibility.
Fuck no. Irritated, yes. “If you’d told me what you were up to all along, I might’ve done things differently.”
But then I might not have gone after Violet so hotly. I can’t regret that.
“Everything is falling into place perfectly. Don’t second-guess your choices. And don’t question mine.” She beams at me. “I’ll get what I want and you’ll get what you want. Trust me.”
I don’t trust her. And I’m worried that she won’t get what she wants.
Not sure if I will, either.
Minutes after I return to my office Violet is striding in, her expression fierce. Sexy. She stops in the middle of my office, her hands on her hips, her head tilted to the side. She looks like she wants to tear me apart. “Why the hell were you in Pilar’s office?”
I lean back in my chair, startled. Irritated. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me you got into an argument with Pilar?”
“When was I supposed to tell you that?”
“Oh, come on.” I sit forward, resting my forearms on the edge of my desk. “You have no problem emailing me that you want me at any given time of the day.”
Her cheeks redden and her stance wilts a bit. “Keep your voice down,” she practically hisses.
I smile. “You started it.” Arguing with her is going to lead to sex. I can feel it.
Then again, everything Violet and I seem to do leads to sex.
With a huff, she turns and goes to the door and for the briefest, scariest moment, I think she’s going to walk out and never look back. Ever again.
But she doesn’t. She goes to the door and shuts it, then carefully turns the lock before she faces me once more.
“She came into my office this morning after she spied on my conversation with my sister.” Violet lifts her chin. “Then she tried to imply that I can’t handle the responsibilities I’ve been given.”
Nervy bitch. “What did you tell her?”
She shrugs. “I didn’t really say anything except that I have it handled, and I asked her to leave my office. I wasn’t going to lower myself to her level and sling insults. My father raised me right.”
Huh. Not going to touch that one, considering Pilar is possibly messing around with Violet’s “raise her right” father.
“Why were you in her office?” she asks when I don’t say anything.
I don’t want to talk about Pilar. “Come here,” I say softly.
“No.” She stands her ground. “Tell me, Ryder.”
“Are you defying me?” I ask, irritated that she won’t do what I say. That I always feel the need to command her and possess her like some sort of warrior set out to conquer.
“Yes. I am.” She stares me down but she doesn’t scare me. And I don’t think I scare her, either. She knows how much I want her. Is she aware of how much I need her? “Tell me what you two talked about.”
“It was nothing, Violet,” I finally confess with a gentle sigh. “I tried to ask her a few questions about your father, but she dodged them all.”
“Really.” She sounds skeptical and I can’t blame her.
“Really,” I answer firmly. “Now come. Here.”
Reluctantly she approaches me, her teeth sunk into her lower lip. As she draws closer, I can smell her and I inhale discreetly, a surge of lust bolting through me. Fuck, I want her. Always.
“Sit down.” I turn my chair toward her and pat my thigh in invitation. She tentatively settles her ass on my leg, keeping her head bent. I lean in and smell her neck, nuzzling the soft, sensitive skin behind her ear. “Feeling a little defiant today, aren’t you?”
She keeps her head bent but doesn’t move away from me. Not that she can, with my arm wrapped firmly around her waist. “I don’t like you spending time with Pilar.”
“I don’t like it when you chat up your ex right in front of me,” I return.
“I didn’t know you were in the conference room,” she says in her defense, but her voice is weak.
Leaning in, I place my mouth at her ear and whisper, “Liar.”
She doesn’t look at me, doesn’t deny what I said, either. Proving she knew I was in that conference room the entire time she was talking to that asshole.
“You’re a bad girl, Violet. Lying to me. Trying to make me jealous.” I touch her hair, skim my finger over the shell of her ear. Her breathing shallows and finally she lifts her head, her gaze meeting mine.
“Are you?”
I frown. “Am I what?”
“Jealous?”
I scowl. She’s trying to drive me crazy and it’s working. “Do you want me to be?”
“I don’t know what I want from you.” She shrugs.
“Ah, but I think you do. And for your information, I was.” I kiss her neck, let my lips linger on her soft skin. Emotions swirl within me at having her so close. “Extremely jealous.”
“Then let’s give up this stupid charade and be done with it,” she suggests hopefully.
Sweeter words were never spoken. “Sounds good to me.” I rest my hand on her knee and give it a gentle squeeze. “Nice stockings.”
“You like them?” She sounds hopeful, and I wonder if she wore them just for me.
“Not your usual style. I thought I preferred your legs bare. Easy access, you know.” I slip my hand up her thigh, the silky feel of her stockings adding a sensual friction I can definitely appreciate. Her breath catches, making me smile. “But these are very interesting.”
“I’m glad you approve,” she says as my hand slips beneath her skirt, feeling the bare skin of her naked upper thigh.
“Thigh highs?” I push her skirt up to reveal that indeed, she’s wearing thigh-high stockings. I trace the wide band of lace, my finger coming perilously close to the front of her black panties. “Little hooks and a garter belt probably would’ve done me in, though.”
Her cheeks flush pink. “I’ll remember that for next time.”
She fidgets on my lap, making me fucking hard, and I clamp my arm tight around her waist, trying to keep her in place. “That I can still make you blush after everything we’ve done together blows my mind.” I slide my hand over the front of her panties and discover they’re soaked. No surprise.
Her hips lift, a subtle indication that she wants more, and I oblige, slipping my fingers beneath her panties and rubbing against her. “You like that?”
She nods and sinks her teeth into her lower lip again.
I shift lower, plunging into her drenched folds, inserting my index finger inside her body. “Feels so good you can’t speak?”
She nods again, her eyes sliding closed when I start to fuck her with my finger in earnest. I press my forehead to the side of her head, my mouth at her ear, and I watch my hand move beneath the black lace of her panties
. It looks hot. Forbidden. The way she’s moving with me, the sound of my fingers working her creamy pussy, her quickening breaths …
“You’re close, aren’t you.” I bite her earlobe and she squeals. “Say it.”
“I-I’m close.”
“Beg me to make you come.” I stop moving my hand.
“Please.” She whimpers when I flick her clit with my thumb. She’s a pro at this now. I’ve made her beg me to let her come time and again. “Please, Ryder. I need you. Make me come.”
“I’m going to fuck you on my desk,” I whisper in her ear as I slowly, deliberately start to thrust my fingers within her body again. “Would you like that?”
“Yesss,” she hisses.
“I don’t have any condoms, though.” My hand stills and so does she as her gaze meets mine. “Are you …”
“On the pill?” She nods. “Yes.”
“I’m clean.” Excitement builds within me. I’ve never had sex without a condom. I may have been a dumb kid, but I never forgot to suit up. A big mistake like that could screw you up forever.
“So am I,” she whispers as I start to stroke her again. She closes her eyes, seemingly overcome. “I want to know what it feels like. With no barriers.”
Christ. So do I.
She turns her head toward mine, her cheek resting against my hair, and we remain like that, my hand furiously working her pussy, our accelerated breaths mingling. She’s trembling on my lap, my cock is poking against her ass, and when I whisper in her ear, “Come,” she shatters, my name falling from her lips accompanied by a sob.
I wonder not for the first time if this woman was made for me. She’s so responsive. Feisty. Smart as hell. Sweet. Sexy. Filthy when I demand her to be.
I’m an addict, but she’s the only one that I crave. The only thing that makes me feel good. That makes me feel whole and like I have a purpose in life. The scary thing about addiction, though?
It takes over your life. Becomes the only thing you can focus on, the only thing that takes the pain away. If I keep this up, it’ll become more and more difficult for me to walk away.
And I should walk away.
She knows it.