Chapter 20
20
LILY
I ’m kneeling on the inner ledge of the spa, water streaming down my body and rolling over my exposed breasts as I face James. I’m shivering, scared, excited. His gaze follows every droplet with ruthless intensity, sharp and insatiable.
“Look at you,” he moans, that dark voice raising goosebumps across my skin. “Fucking gorgeous.”
There’s something dangerous in his expression that turns me on, fire pooling between my thighs. My heat has wrapped around my mind like a warm blanket, muffling my thoughts like they did earlier in the day. The cool air against my wet skin, the heavy thud of my heartbeat, the intoxicating scent of James—it’s all overwhelming.
“You just going to stare?” I challenge, finding my words despite the fog of desire clouding my thoughts. “Because I could get dressed and go if?—”
“Shut up, Lily,” he says, the command soft but unmistakable. “You’re not going anywhere.”
I should be offended. Should tell him to go to hell. Instead, a traitorous quiver runs down my spine.
“Make me,” I whisper.
His eyes darken further, storm clouds gathering. “Careful what you wish for, little baker. I’m not as gentle as Hunter.”
The mention of Hunter should cool my ardor and remind me of what happened earlier today. Instead, it only seems to amplify the ache inside me.
“Who said I wanted gentle?” The words escape before I can reconsider them, bold and brazen in the steamy air between us, just like when I asked Hunter to bind me.
“Oh, sweet girl.” James’s laugh is dark, almost cruel. “You have no idea what you’re asking for.”
He stands in one fluid motion, thumbs hooking into the waistband of his boxers. My breath catches as he slides them down his powerful thighs and kicks them aside, standing before me in all his damn glory. I’ve seen naked men before, but nothing compares to Alphas at their peak, stirring something raw and instinctive inside me.
He’s magnificent—all hard planes and defined muscle—but it’s the size of his offering that makes my eyes bulge, intimidation momentarily breaking through my heat-induced confidence. His cock is thick, heavy, a big vein running the long length, his hair above it cropped short, somehow making him look bigger.
“Having second thoughts?” he grunts, a knowing smirk playing at his lips.
I want to say something witty, something that puts us back on even footing, but my brain seems to have short-circuited, leaving me speechless for perhaps the first time in my life.
“I thought not,” he states as he sits back on the edge of the tub. “Come closer.”
It’s not a request. It’s a command issued with the certainty of someone who expects to be obeyed. And God help me, I want to obey. Want to surrender to whatever this is between us.
I shuffle closer, the water sloshing gently around me. “Bossy much?”
“You have no idea.” His hand comes up to cup my cheek, thumb brushing across my lower lip in a gesture that’s somehow both tender and possessive. “But I think you like it. I think you’re tired of always being in control, always having to make the decisions, run the business, be the responsible one.”
The observation hits too close to home, exposing a vulnerability I usually keep carefully hidden. I drop my gaze, uncomfortable with how easily he’s read me.
“Hey.” His fingers tilt my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes again. “Don’t hide from me.”
“I’m not hiding,” I protest, but it sounds weak even to my own ears.
“Liar,” he says, but there’s no heat in the accusation. “It’s okay to want this, Lily. To need it.”
“Is it?” I whisper, voicing the fear that’s been gnawing at me since I first presented with my heat. “Because it feels like I’m losing myself. Like I’m turning into someone I don’t recognize.”
Something softens in his expression, a glimpse of tenderness beneath the dominant Alpha exterior. “You’re not losing yourself. You’re discovering a new part of yourself. There’s a difference.”
“What if I don’t like what I discover?”
His lips quirk into a half-smile. “From where I’m sitting, there’s a lot to like.”
The compliment, delivered with such casual certainty, warms me from the inside out. Before I can overthink it, I reach out, my fingers closing around his erection. He’s hot and hard, impossibly smooth against my palm.
James hisses through his teeth, head falling back slightly. “Fuck, Lily.”
“That’s the general idea,” I quip, feeling a surge of power at having affected him so visibly.
His eyes snap back to mine, and the inferno I see there nearly melts me on the spot. “Smart mouth. I can think of better uses for it.”
The suggestion sends a jolt of electricity through me, awakening nerves I didn’t know existed. I’ve done this before, but never with someone like James, never with an Alpha. The thought should be intimidating. Instead, it’s thrilling.
“Show me,” I challenge, my voice huskier than I’ve ever heard it.
“You sure about this, baker girl?”
“I’m sure.” Through the heat haze, the confusion, the fear, and the doubt, one thing is crystal clear—I want James. Here. Now. Deep, down in my throat. “I want this. I want you.”
Something possessive flashes in his eyes. “Say it again.”
“I want you,” I repeat, leaning into his touch. “I’ve craved you since we first started chatting on the phone. Then I see you, and you have those cheekbones.”
A laugh rumbles through his chest, genuine amusement breaking through the sexual tension.
“They’re very distracting.” A smile tugs at my lips. “Almost as distracting as your ass in those jeans.”
“So, you were checking me out,” he says. “And here I thought you couldn’t stand me.”
“Oh, I couldn’t,” I assure him. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t notice... certain attributes.”
His laugh fades into a devilish smirk. “And now?”
I shrug, aiming for nonchalance despite our current position. “Now, I’m wondering if you can back up all that Alpha posturing with actual skill.”
It’s a bold challenge, one that makes his eyes narrow dangerously. “You’re playing with fire, little baker.” James’s hand slides into my damp hair, cradling the back of my head.
“Maybe I like getting burned,” I counter, echoing words I’ve said before but meaning them differently now. “Maybe I need it.”
James studies me for a long moment, as if weighing my sincerity. Whatever he sees in my expression must satisfy him, because his grip on my hair tightens just enough to send a tremble through me.
“Open up,” he commands. His gaze lowers to his cock.
I obey without thinking, letting instinct guide me. James’s groan of approval vibrates through me as I press my lips over the tip of his cock. His pre-cum is salty, sweet, soft, warm, and all mine. He groans, a deep, guttural sound that reverberates through my body. I open wider and take more of him in, slowly, deliberately.
A heady rush of power washes over me, despite my technically submissive position. I might be on my knees, but I’m the one making this powerful Alpha lose control. And the heat is overwhelming, the carnal pleasure a burning ache between my legs.
“Good girl,” he praises, and the words send an unexpected thrill through me. “Take your time and slide those beautiful lips lower.”
Time is the last thing on my mind. My heat has ramped up again, turning my blood to liquid fire, and I’m desperate for any form of relief. I push him farther into my mouth. God, he’s so big.
James’s hand guides me, not forcing but suggesting. His other hand cups my cheek, an oddly tender gesture given the circumstances.
“Look at me,” he commands softly.
I raise my eyes to his, and the darkness I find there nearly undoes me. He’s watching me with such force, such hunger, I feel simultaneously vulnerable and powerful.
“Perfect,” he murmurs. “So fucking perfect with those big eyes and that sweet mouth full of my cock.”
The compliment ripples over me like warm honey, soothing some broken part of me I hadn’t realized needed healing. I redouble my efforts, wanting—needing—more of those words, more of that look in his eyes.
“Goddamn,” he growls, his thumb caressing my cheek. “Go deeper— Fuck!”
My pussy clenches so tight, it throbs.
I smile around him, pleased with his reaction. My free hand slides beneath the water, seeking my own relief from the building pressure. James notices immediately, his eyes tracking the movement.
“That’s it, touch your little cunt,” he orders. “Make yourself feel good while you take care of me. Show me what you need.”
I suck on him, my tongue swirling the length of the base, teasing and taunting. He throws his head back, his breathing coming in short, sharp gasps.
“Fuck,” he says, his hold on the back of my head tightening. “Don’t stop.”
Continuing to suck and lick, my hand stroking up and down his shaft. He’s getting harder and thicker, pulsing with anticipation.
“Deeper, Lily,” he growls. “Take it all.”
I obey, pushing my head back, taking him as far as I can. He’s so big, so thick, it stretches me, pushing to the back of my throat, and I gag. But I don’t care, don’t stop, even when my eyes water. The discomfort is quickly overridden by the pleasure, the sheer intensity of the sensation.
As I devour him, I find my clit, swollen and buzzing. I stroke it, matching the rhythm of my mouth on his cock. The combination is explosive, a tidal wave of sensation that threatens to overwhelm me.
A moan escapes me, and James’ grip tightens in response.
I look up at him through my lashes, enjoying the way his jaw clenches with restraint.
“Keep looking at me like that. Want to see those pretty eyes while you take me deeper.”
I comply, maintaining contact. His breathing grows heavier, more ragged, while I rub and pinch my clit faster, the rise in me moving like a storm. Building and building.
“Fuck,” he hisses. “No one’s ever made me feel like this. The way you use your tongue... right there... goddamn. And when I’m done with you here,” he continues. “I’m going to fuck you, knot you, then make you come on my tongue until you’re begging me to stop.”
A whimper escapes me, my nipples tight, the ache in my gut sharpening.
“You like that idea, don’t you?” He traces my cheekbone with his thumb. “Like thinking about me between your thighs, making you scream my name. Making you mine.”
The dominant claim in his words has my pussy quivering with desire, and I shake and moan against him. His growls and the pressure of his hand against the back of my head keep me going, sucking down on him.
“Fuck, Lily,” he groans, his hand tightening in my hair. “I’m close. So fucking close. You’ll take all of me into you, won’t you?”
I nod, not breaking rhythm.
“Such a pretty girl. Born for this, weren’t you? Born to be mine.”
Mine . The word echoes in my head, resonating with something deep and primal inside me. It’s too soon, too intense, too everything—but in this moment, with my body humming with arousal and my mind clouded, it feels like truth.
James’s breath catches, his body tensing. “Lily,” he warns, giving me one last chance to pull away.
I don’t. Instead, I maintain eye contact, wanting him to see my decision, my surrender.
His cock jerks in my mouth, hot jets of cum flooding me. I swallow it all, gulping, savoring the taste as I feel the tremors that wrack his body.
“Swallow every last drop,” he growls, his body stiff, then he hisses.
He’s still holding my head, his fingers digging into my scalp.
I’m surprised by how natural it feels, how right, as if my body knows what to do even if my mind is catching up.
Finally, the spasms subside. He lets out a long, shuddering breath, his body collapsing against the edge of the spa. He’s breathless, but a grin tugs on his lips. He releases his hold on me.
I pull away, my face flushed, and lick my lips. I look up at him, my heart still pounding.
“Well,” I say, breathless. “That was… intense.”
James stands, water sluicing down his body in rivulets that draw my attention. He’s still aroused, I notice, with a mixture of surprise and satisfaction. Before he can step out of the spa, another wave of heat pulses through me, causing my body to shudder involuntarily. A small sound escapes my throat—something between a gasp and a purr—and James turns back to me, eyebrow raised.
“I know that look,” he says. A slow, knowing smile spreads across his face. “I’ve got what you need, little baker.” He slides back into the water and positions himself on the ledge, reaching out one hand toward me, fingers curled in invitation. “Come to me,” he says.
My body responds before my mind can catch up. I move through the water toward him as if pulled by an invisible thread, my limbs no longer under my conscious control.
“I couldn’t stay away if I tried,” I admit.
“Now you understand,” he states. “What they say about Alphas and Omegas—it’s not just biology. It’s something deeper.”
I nod, speechless for once. I do understand. All my life, I’ve prided myself on my independence, my control, and my ability to choose my own path. But with him, I’ve become a different person.
James guides me to straddle his lap as he sits on the ledge inside the tub, my knees on either side of his hips, his still erect cock right there. I rub myself against him, the sensation mesmerizing.
The position also puts us face to face, intimate in a way that makes my heart race.
“You did beautifully,” he says. “So perfect for me. So responsive.” The water sloshes gently around us. “And I know you are still sour about earlier and said we shouldn’t do anything,” he admits. “But I’m going to be a selfish asshole and need to fuck you now... forgive me... but I’m weak.” Something flashes in his storm-gray stare—vulnerability, need, a glimpse beneath the confident Alpha exterior that makes my breath catch.
“I want this more than anything,” I gasp, unable to think straight.
A flush of pleasure ripples through me. His other hand dips beneath the water, finding my pussy. When his fingers press between my folds, sliding over my clit, pinching me, I nearly come undone on the spot.
“James, more,” I say breathlessly, my head falling back.
“That’s it,” he encourages, his voice a dark caress. “Let me hear you. Let me feel how much you want this.”
His thumb circles my most sensitive spot, and I moan out loud, my hips bucking against his hand involuntarily. Just when I think I can’t take anymore, he grasps my hips firmly, adjusting our position.
“Look at me,” he demands, and I force my heavy eyelids to open. His gaze is intense. “I want to see you when you take me. When you truly become mine.”
I’m balanced over his erection when he pushes down on my hips, my pussy spreading, taking him into me.
“Oh God,” I breathe, my fingers digging into his shoulders for purchase.
James groans, his grip moving my hips in a slow, deliberate rhythm. “You feel incredible,” he reassures me.
“I wasn’t expecting to be turned on so quickly again,” I admit, trying to maintain some semblance of coherent thought as waves of pleasure wash over me.
He pushes into me deeper and deeper, water sloshing around my waist. He watches me with fierceness.
I try to say something that proves I’m still in control of myself, but all that comes out is a desperate moan as he shifts our angle slightly.
James chuckles, dark and knowing. “You try so hard to keep control,” he observes, one hand sliding up my back to tangle in my damp hair. I pause on his lap, his cock deep inside me. “Let go, little baker. Let me look after you.”
I stare at him, something in his words striking a chord deep inside me. “I don’t know how,” I confess, the admission torn from some place vulnerable and hidden.
His expression softens, then he presses a surprisingly tender kiss to my collarbone. “Trust doesn’t come easy. But right now, in this moment, can you trust me to take care of you?”
I search his face for any sign of deception, any hint that this is just Alpha posturing. I remind myself he lied to me already, yet everything about him makes my heart skip.
“For now,” I whisper, the words feeling like a surrender and a victory all at once.
He grins. “I’ll take it,” he submits, and the words sink into me. “Now, hold on to me and let go of everything else.”
I cling to his muscular arms, my forehead pressed against his, as pleasure builds to an impossible peak.
“Let me feel you come apart. Let me see what I do to you.”
He thrusts into me, over and over, and I’m meeting every movement with my own, my breasts bouncing. He leans in and claims one in his mouth, and the teasing of his tongue on my nipple has me groaning for more.
The orgasm slams into me fast and sharp, sending me into a convulsion of euphoria. Shaking, I cry out, but he’s stealing my screams when he claims my mouth.
Pleasure crashes through me with such force, tears spring to my eyes. James follows me over the edge with a growl that’s more animal than human, his arms tightening around me as his body pulses inside mine.
Inside me, he’s thickening. Growing. Knotting… with strangers I barely know, yet somehow, they already own me.
He hisses, and his body shudders as I feel him flood me with his cum, stretching my insides as he locks himself in place.
“James,” I gasp, clinging to him as my body trembles with aftershocks.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs, his arms strong and steady around me. “I’ve got you, Lily.”
I collapse against his chest, utterly spent. My limbs feel liquid, and my mind is blissfully empty of anything but the sensation of being held, being filled, being... claimed.
“You were perfect,” he says, his voice a low rumble against my ear. He strokes my hair, his touch gentle despite the inferno of what just passed between us. “So responsive. So beautiful when you surrender.”
The truth is, there was surrender on both sides—his control just as undone as mine by whatever this is between us.
James reaches over to the control panel, turning on the jets. The water warms almost instantly, bubbling around us in a soothing caress.
“We aren’t going anywhere for a while,” he says, a hint of a smile in his voice. “Might as well get comfortable as we might be here for about half an hour, maybe less.”
Nodding, I settle more comfortably against him. The physical pleasure has subsided to a warm glow, leaving room for other sensations—the steady beat of his heart against my cheek, the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the lingering scent of cedar and dark chocolate that seems to emanate from his skin.
“I’ll look after you now,” he murmurs, his lips brushing my temple.
My head is fuzzy from heat, release, and the strange, powerful connection that seems to bind us together. I’m not sure if I heard him right, not sure if he meant it the way it sounded.
As I cradle against him, I wonder how things will be between us when the heat finally subsides and reality comes crashing back in.
I push those thoughts aside, grateful to feel semi-normal without the ache deep in my stomach.
For now, I let myself sink into the moment—the warmth, the closeness, the way they hold me like I’m something precious, something lasting. A girl can dream, right?