Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
RIAN
There’s no more talk of marriage for the rest of the night, thank God. While I told Rebekka we’re just having a bit of fun, I’m not fooling either of us. And moving her into my apartment is the first step in saving her from that bastard she calls husband.
I’ll never forgive him for humiliating her the way he did tonight, which is why I don’t feel nearly as guilty as I should for the events that occurred afterwards. I can no longer say I’m obsessed with my best friend’s wife; I’m obsessed with a woman who’s married to a man I barely know anymore.
‘What are we doing?’ Rebekka says as she nuzzles into my chest beneath the covers of my queen-sized bed.
‘I’m hoping we’re going to have sex again.’ I reach for her hips and rock her until she’s on top of me. She spreads her legs, straddling me.
‘As usual, you default back to humour for deflection.’ Her palms run over my pecs, skimming over my nipples. I stare at her through the moonlight slanting in the window.
‘Sweetheart, I’m not joking.’ I buck my hips up, nudging her slit with my erection. She’s dripping with desire.
‘You told me nothing has to happen again until I’m ready,’ she whispers. A flash of white teeth assures me she’s smiling.
‘Are you telling me you’re not ready? Because your pussy is telling me something else entirely.’ I reach for her breasts, marvelling at them through the moonlight.
A low moan slips from her lips as I slide my dick along between her slick folds. ‘You don’t play fair,’ she complains.
‘Actually, I do. And I always will be fair with you. I promise you that. But if you’re serious about not wanting anything else to happen between us, you should probably get off me right now, because knowing you’re in my bed, naked and wet is nearly enough to make me come alone.’
‘What I want and what I should do are two very different things.’ Her voice is thick with desire.
‘In my house. You’re the queen. You get whatever you want. You want me to make you come? I’ll do it. You want me to hold you and listen to some old lady tell us we’re a gift to the world, I’ll do that too. All I want is for you to be happy.’
‘You make me happy,’ she whispers.
‘Ditto, my darling.’
She raises her hips then, our eyes lock through the dim light as she slides down over my cock, taking me in one life-affirming inch at a time. No matter how many times I have her, it’ll never be enough.
‘You feel so good,’ she moans, grinding against me.
‘Ride my cock, baby. Ride me anyway you want. I’m yours.
’ She arches forward then so her furled nipples brush against my chest. Her lips find mine as she works me in a slow, sensual rhythm.
It’s completely different from earlier at the bar.
It’s like we’re the only two people left on this earth, connected in the most primal way.
I sweep my tongue through her mouth, savouring every second.
She tastes like champagne and sin. It feels so right, how can it be wrong?
I stroke her breasts, her hair, her backside, then finally, when I can’t hold on any longer, I reach between our bodies until I find her clit.
She straightens then, sitting up to give me the access I need to play with her.
‘You’re so fucking beautiful, baby.’ She needs to know. I bet he never told her.
‘You’re the baby.’ A grin tugs at her lips. ‘I’m five years older than you,’ she reminds me.
‘A fact which I happen to find hot as fuck.’ I brush my thumb over her clit again and again and again until her core clenches my cock in a vice-like grip. She tips her head back, screams my name and convulses on top of me as her release ravages her.
I can’t hold back. My own orgasm tears through me as I jerk into her, giving her everything I’ve got. ‘Fuck.’ It’s on the tip of my tongue to say those three little words but I manage to hold them back. I don’t want to terrify her on the first night.
She collapses on top of me, burying her face in my neck. ‘How the hell am I supposed to ever go home?’
‘You’re not. It’s all part of my wicked plan. Woo you with orgasms.’
‘What about food?’ She teases. ‘You know I’m all about the pancakes too.’
‘That I can do.’ I stocked up after the last time, just in case. ‘Now?’ I offer. ‘Are you hungry?’
‘In the morning,’ she mumbles, rolling off me and settling into the crook of my arm. Her cheek nestles against my chest, and it feels like the most natural position in the world.
I’m about to ask her if she wants me to put on one of her sleep meditations when I notice the change in her breathing pattern. It’s slow and deep.
She’s asleep.
For some reason, that makes me smile. I press a gentle kiss to her forehead. ‘Goodnight, my love.’ I might not be able to say it to her when she’s awake, but I have no problem if she hears it in her dreams. She snuggles closer and sighs contentedly.
I blink hard, squinting through the early morning sunlight leaking through the blinds. Rebekka is lying on her side next to me, her hand tucked beneath her cheek on top of the pillow. There’s an unreadable expression on her face.
‘Staring at someone while they’re asleep is kind of creepy.’ I smile, reaching for her beneath the covers. ‘I should know; I spent hours staring at you last night.’
‘Always the joker. Don’t tell me you’re one of those cheerful freaks who bounce around bright eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning.’ A small smile touches her lips as she stretches an arm above her head.
‘Better than being just the joke.’ I shrug. ‘Which is what usually happens in my family. And no, I’m not usually this cheerful, but waking up to your stunning face has that effect on me.’
‘You’re such a charmer.’ She rolls her eyes, digging her teeth into her lower lip.
‘I won’t tell you the other effect it has on me.’ I bite back my grin.
‘If it’s the steel pole digging into my stomach, I’m well aware.’ Her eyes flare.
I smooth my palm over the curve of her hip. ‘No regrets about last night?’
‘Only that we didn’t do it sooner.’ She shuffles closer. ‘I am slightly worried, though.’
‘What are you worried about?’
‘Everything.’ She reaches for my bicep, trailing her fingers lightly over my skin.
‘Anthony finding out about us. The press printing pictures of him and his PA. Public humiliation. Professional ruin.’ She pauses then, her throat bobs as she swallows.
‘Mostly I’m worried about us. This can’t end well.
’ She shakes her head. ‘So, take your pick.’
I pull her body flush against mine and stroke my hand over her spine.
Her eyes bore into mine. ‘Anthony will never know what went on upstairs in my bar, or in my bedroom, unless you tell him. He certainly won’t hear it from me.
As far as the press goes, I had my security team confiscate all the photographers’ cameras as they left.
James has contacts in the press, I asked him to make sure no one prints anything about Anthony or you.
So, other than the people who were in my bar last night, who incidentally, were plied with free champagne and cocktails, I don’t think you have to worry about the public humiliation. ’
Her shoulders sag in relief.
‘As far as professional ruin goes, you are the best in your field at what you do. I’ve seen you in action. You have nothing to worry about.’
She looks at her left hand, at the rings resting on her left finger.
A frown furrows her forehead. One day, I’m going to replace them with rings I put there—even if it’s the last thing I do.
I reach for her chin, tipping it up until her eyes meet mine again.
‘And as for us, I don’t want it to ever end. ’
‘I can’t make you any promises, Rian. I’m not free to do that, no matter how much I want to. There’s a good chance both of us will end up getting hurt here.’ She sighs.
‘When you let someone in, there’s always a chance of getting hurt, Bekka. It’s the same in every relationship. But I promise you this. I will never hurt you.’
‘What if I hurt you—by accident?’ she whispers, gnawing on her lower lip again.
‘Despite my nickname,’ I scoff, ‘I’m a big boy. Don’t worry about me. I’m just happy to finally be with you, whatever that looks like right now. It’ll all work out, trust me.’
‘How come you’re so sure?’
‘Because you and I were meant to be. I’ve known it since the minute I met you. So stop worrying about things and let’s just see how they unfold.’
‘You’ve got a wise head on those shoulders.’
‘Thank you.’ I press a kiss to her lips.
‘Thank you—for having my back.’ Her hand slides up over the nape of my neck, and she runs her fingers through the back of my hair.
‘Always,’ I promise. ‘Now what do you want to do today?’
She stares at me with an incredulous look on her face. ‘You want to spend the day with me?’
I shake my head in wonder. She still has no idea how deeply I feel for her. ‘Sweetheart, I want to spend every minute of every day with you. When will you get the memo?’