Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
JAMES
I t’s as if I’ve entered a parallel universe and I don’t know the way home.
If only my head would stop throbbing, I might be able to make sense of what’s happening.
When the guy leaves, I stare at Ana and a million questions are screaming for answers and from the look of her, she is as confused as I am.
I can tell she’s nervous, which is a surprise because ever since I’ve met her she’s been nothing but confident.
I suppose watching a gunfight in a dark alley knocks that out of you real quick and the first words I speak are, “Are you okay?”
She nods, the pallor of her skin and the tight lines around her mouth tell me she’s not and as I catch sight of the watch and the keys, they taunt me from the table.
“Perhaps you should start at the beginning, Ana. How do you know that guy? ”
A spark of fear lights her eyes, and she glances down and shrugs.
“As much as you. He showed up when we needed help and on the journey here, he told me what he expected in return.”
“He was following you.”
She nods miserably. “So it would seem.”
“The other night in the bar, you set me up?”
“How fucking dare you!”
Her eyes flash and she hisses, “Last night was meant to be an escape. How the fuck was I supposed to know you were my boss?”
I roll my eyes. “Do you think I’m stupid? You were starting work in my fucking organization and any applicant with their head screwed on would have done their research. You got lucky when I walked into the bar, and now I know why.”
“Fuck you, James.”
“Thank God that never happened.” I fire back, rage clouding my judgment as I face her with the full force of my anger.
“And it never will!” She shouts back and I note her hands trembling as she balls them into fists by her side.
“Jeez–” She rolls her eyes. “If I knew you were such an asshole, I would have given it to the bartender instead.”
I run my hand to my head and wish it would stop beating me from the inside.
“Here.” She flings a pack of Advil my way and says wearily, “Listen, I’m not happy about how this panned out, believe me. In doing the right thing, I have landed in a heap of trouble and now have a different boss to report to.”
“Who is that guy?”
She shrugs and flops onto the white couch that appears brand new.
In fact, the more I look around, the entire apartment appears brand new and I say as an aside, “This place. It’s seriously freaking me out.”
“Why?”
“What apartment is all white? I mean, I’m guessing you rented this, but surely the landlord has taken minimalism to new heights. This place has no soul.”
“Well, I like it.”
She points to the door. “Feel free to leave and we can take this up in the morning when we’ve had some sleep.”
“You think I can sleep?” I groan. “I should call my brother.”
“And say what?” She snaps irritably.
“Check he’s okay. We only have that guy’s word on where he is and excuse me, but I can’t see Dylan enlisting in the military for anyone.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s shit scared of his own shadow and wouldn’t be able to follow an order if it hit him between the eyes.”
“Then he is in the right place to learn. ”
Ana sighs. “Listen, it’s been a freaking weird night and I don’t know about you, but I could use some sleep. Actually, food and sleep. I’m going to order take out. I can make it for two and we can work out a plan if you like.”
“Fine.”
I reach for my phone. “I’ll order Chinese.”
“What if I don’t like Chinese?”
“Well, what then?”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t enjoy Chinese, but you could have asked my preference.”
“So, it’s Chinese then. I’ll order a selection.”
“What if I want to choose?”
I hand her the phone. “Then choose. I don’t give a fuck what I eat, but I do care about my brother. God only knows why.”
She snatches the phone from my hands and as our fingers brush together, it reminds me of how good they felt gripping my cock last night and I swear my entire body reacts.
The slightly glazed expression in her eye tells me she’s back there with me and yet it was one night only, never to be repeated. Never to be finished either as it happened and I hate that despite the shit we are in right now, that is all I can think about.
There is something so alluring about Annabelle Starling. Mystery surrounds her and as she grips my phone, I whisper, “Why are you so secretive? ”
“I’m not.”
She looks away and I reach out and grip her face, forcing her to gaze into my eyes. Our lips are just inches away, her breathing is ragged, and those gorgeous eyes reveal the same longing in mine.
We have unfinished business and yet this is hardly the time to remind her of that, but I can’t help the intense yearning stretching through my entire body.
Her eyes flash with anger, but her chest heaves and as I pull her closer, she whispers, “What are you doing?”
“Tell me to stop.” I grunt as her lips hover dangerously close to mine, the adrenalin still running high after possibly the worst night of my life.
“Your brother.” She holds up the phone. “You want to check on him?”
“Don’t change the subject.” I whisper huskily, concerned that the blow on my head has made me lose my mind.
She licks her lips and the lust that sparks in her eyes is directed like a dart to my cock and she whispers, “This is a bad idea.”
“We have unfinished business.”
“Just a fuck then.”
“It could be arranged.”
“No recriminations, no regrets.”
“Not from me.”
She bites her lower lip as my fingers tighten on her chin, gripping it firmly as I guide her lips to mine .
“Your head.” She whispers against them and I growl, “Means I’ll forget this ever happened.”
The wicked smile my words light on her face only increases my hunger.
Our lips collide like two magnets and as I force my tongue inside her mouth, I taste closure.
This is all we need. To get this out of our system and it’s as if something feral is uncaged from deep within me as I push her back against the couch and run my hands the length of her thigh. She moans as I tear off her panties with a force that can’t be contained and she returns the favor by unfastening my pants and pulling them roughly away from my pulsating cock. Her hand slides around the thick length as I dip my fingers inside nirvana, and it’s as if I’m coming home.
I swing her around until she is astride me, her wet pussy grinding against my desperate cock and as my fingers tangle in her hair, I pull down sharply, causing her to cry out.
I’m not gentle, this isn’t what this is, it’s carnal and basic and unleashes the demon that sits inside my soul, its cage door swinging on the hinge as it takes over my mind.
“Condom?”
She groans as her clit drags against my shaft and I growl, “My pocket.”
She reaches inside and removes the foil packet and tears it apart with her teeth and removes it with practiced ease. She shifts and rolls it down the length and without another word positions above me and stares deep into my eyes as she whispers huskily, “Promise me you’ll forget this ever happened.”
“What happened?” I grin wickedly and she laughs, a soft laugh that hits me straight in the gut.
I grip her hair and guide her wet pussy toward my aching cock and as I slide it home, her eyes are glazed as she stares deeply into mine.
Fuck! Why does this feel so good?
“James.” She gasps as I grip her hips and work her body along my shaft, slowly, deliciously and savoring every second.
“You’re so wet.” I growl huskily as she stares into my eyes and bites that god-damned lower lip of hers that only increases my desire.
“You feel so good.” She whispers, and I have to agree. We are good together, and this is every bit as sensuous as I thought it would be.
We are fucking like two horny teenagers on their parents’ couch and that hasn’t escaped me. It was fast, unapologetic and so not enough.
“Your bedroom.”
I groan against her lips and she nods. “Give me a minute.”
She pushes down on my cock and cups my balls in her hand and squeezes them gently, immediately causing me to lose my shit. With an agonized groan, I run my hand behind her head and grip her hair, holding her exactly where I want her as I thrust up inside paradise. I couldn’t stop what happens next if I tried and as I release fast and heavy into the condom, it’s as if all my problems go with it. Endless streams of cum spurt into the plastic receptacle and I swear my heart is beating harder than it ever has before.
She makes to shift off me and I growl, “Wait one minute.”
I am desperate to keep her here because one time is not gonna cut it. I already know one night will never be enough and when she pulls away, it’s as if I’m losing something valuable.
“James, I–”
Her face is heated and yet she has never looked more adorable than she does in this moment and I am so not done with her yet.
“Your bedroom.” I remind her and she blushes, the spark in her eye telling me everything I want to know.
“But–”
“The night isn’t over.” I remind her and she blinks in the darkening light.
“Okay.” An impish grin spreads across her pretty face and, as she shifts off me, she reaches for a tissue from a box on the side.
I clear away the condom as she says with some hesitation, “It’s okay, you don’t have to, well, it was probably a mistake and I, well, I won’t say anything.”
“We haven’t finished yet.”
My voice is full of determination and without giving her a chance to argue, I grip her hand and say roughly, “Now are you going to show me where the fucking bedroom is, or do I return the favor here on the floor?”
Her face flames as she nods and without another word, leaves her hand gripped tightly in mine as she leads me from the room.