Chapter 14
Matteo Ricco
She said no but kisses me as though her life depends on it. I should be furious at her rejection, but I’m not. In fact, pride and awe flow through me.
Brook was never a pushover. She’s the most headstrong, stubborn woman I’ve ever known. Her refusal to push aside her quest for revenge is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
I’ll do everything in my power to make the process as quick as possible, even if she’s too stubborn to ask for help, because I need her by my side and in my bed for the rest of my life.
I pour my silent vow into our kiss. When I lift my head, she whimpers and scratches my nape.
“Don’t worry, little rabbit. I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.”
“But—”
“I’m not wasting a single fucking second,” I growl.
“You’re mine all day today.” I nip her bottom lip and lick away the sting.
“And tonight.” She gasps as I slip a hand inside her blanket and grab her soft, warm breast. “Hell, I’m not letting you go until thirty minutes before clock in to work tomorrow morning. ”
She closes a fist in my hair and tugs. I groan.
“You wouldn’t,” she says.
I roll her nipple between my thumb and forefinger and grin at her.
Goosebumps rise on her flesh. I shift her on my lap and ghost my lips along her jawline.
“You’re right. I’m not letting you go even then. I’ll drive you to work in the morning.”
She arches her back, offering me her breasts and pressing her ass against my hard cock.
“I didn’t bring clothes. Or shampoo. Or—”
“We’ll order whatever you need and have it delivered.
It’ll be here before dinner, but first—” I seal my mouth over her jugular and suck as I trail my hand down her torso and slip my fingers through her sopping folds.
Hunger roars through me as she moans. I toss her onto the bed behind me and rip the blanket away as I trail kisses down her body. “I need another taste.”
I feast.
She fills more than my stomach. Her open reactions humble and excite me.
I sink into a world of carnal satisfaction, pleasuring my little rabbit on the bed, floor, couch, against the wall, in the shower, and under the stars in the living room against the windows.
She wrings more from me and leaves me reeling in satisfaction yet my hunger never ceases.
When I wake with my arms around her from behind, her breast in my hand and my hard cock nestled between her ass cheeks, I give in to temptation and slip my hand between her legs. She rouses and grabs my wrist.
“I won’t be able to walk tomorrow,” she murmurs.
“Then I’ll carry you everywhere.”
She huffs in amusement but spears her fingers into my hair and twists to meet my mouth.
When my alarm rings, she becomes my morning workout.
I carry her into the shower and scrub her from head to toe, smirking when she groans as I knead the shampoo into her hair and ignoring my hard cock as white suds trail down her perfect curves.
She steals the loofah and pushes down onto the bench before returning the gesture.
I watch in mute awe as she strokes my entire body with reverence. Her dainty hands and hungry eyes make me feel powerful. Invincible. Worshipped.
The bruise on her arm still looks painful, but the yellow and green around the edges proves she’s healing. She doesn’t complain about the pain, but I offer her pain relief with breakfast anyway.
When I park in my designated CEO spot, I grab her by the nape before she can open her door. She squeaks as I tug her face to mine over the center console.
“I don’t know how I’m going to keep my hands off you,” I growl against her lips.
She closes her fists in my hair and kisses me with desperate strokes of her tongue before jerking away and stepping out of the car. I struggle to breathe from the force of my desire. She leans back into the car and grabs her briefcase.
“Thank you, Mr. Ricco. I’ll have your coffee ready in ten minutes.”
When I finally get my brain back into gear, I chuckle and run my hands through my hair. Her clever dismissal sets a clear boundary while making me feel claimed. The jealous beast inside me preens. She’s as eager as I am for our next meeting.
By the time I walk into my office, a steaming mug of coffee sits on my desk and several sticky notes from Mr. Brunswick wait on my computer monitor.
Between the big projects we launched last week, daily operations, and searching for leads from the class reunion, the hours fly by.
Monday churns to Tuesday without another chance for me to speak with her.
In fact, she scampers home during my last meeting of the day, leaving Mr. Brunswick to finish the daily checklist.
She returns Tuesday morning with a slight edginess to her awareness, but she settles into work with a smile, and by the end of the workday, she looks tired enough to keel over, so I send her home with orders to rest.
I rode her too hard, but fucking hell, keeping my hands off her is nearly impossible.
On Wednesday, she surprises me with the completed papers to sue Ms. Lynn, including dozens of surveillance pictures and the photos Brook took immediately after her accident.
The man in the driver’s seat catches my eye because he stares right at Brook in the photo.
He looks vaguely familiar, but I don’t know where I saw him before.
My woman impresses me with her thorough work, and even though I expected nothing but the best from her, I can’t pass up the opportunity to pull her into my arms and steal a kiss. She balks but gives in when I tease my tongue across her lips.
When she thumps the side of her fist against my chest hard enough to leave a bruise and wriggles for freedom, I reluctantly let her go.
She assures me she’s fine when I ask, but guilt worms its way into my heart and I vow to take better care of her this weekend.
I’ll ensure she gets proper rest and nutrition between rounds of pleasure.
Thursday morning, she’s more withdrawn than usual. I call her into my office before lunch, using an asinine excuse, and gesture for her to join me at my desk. The moment she steps into reach, I pull her into my lap and kiss her.
We both heave when I lift my head. I cup her face and study her expression.
“What’s wrong, little rabbit?” I ask.
She shudders but whacks me on the shoulder.
“My boss is getting too handsy, that’s what’s wrong. Let me go,” she snaps.
“You’re not regretting what we did, are you?” I ask.
She shakes her head.
“Did I hurt you?”
She rolls her eyes and sighs.
“I already told you; no, I’m fine.”
“Are you worried about this weekend?” I press.
She stiffens before resting her fingers on my forearm and meeting my stare.
“I need a raincheck this weekend,” she says.
“Why?” I demand.
“I have an appointment tomorrow. You already approved my time off,” she says.
I quirk a brow.
“What does that have to do with the rest of the weekend?”
She pushes my hand away and stands. I grab her hips and spin her around to face me.
“You can’t escape me, little rabbit,” I growl.
Misery-tinged fury swirls in her rich brown eyes.
“I’m not escaping or pulling away or whatever hairbrained idea your insecure alpha male brain is feeding you. I just need one weekend to myself for medical reasons, so stop being an overbearing ass and give me some space to breathe.”
The emotions behind her outburst are too complicated for me to dissect, so I pull her closer and pin her hips between my knees before grabbing her wrists and wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
My mouth waters as her cleavage hovers a few inches away from my face, but I meet her eyes and ignore the lust pulsing through me.
“Are you on your period?” I ask.
She hesitates but shakes her head.
“No, I’m not, but you’re an ass for trying to blame my frustrations on my hormones. Just listen to me,” she demands.
I trail a hand down to her hip and play with her collar as I breathe in her scent.
“I am listening. You haven’t given any answers,” I say.
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before pinning me in place with her intense rich brown orbs.
“I am going for my yearly medical work up tomorrow, which includes a blood draw and half a dozen other tests. After watching my mother go in and out of the hospital for years as she fought cancer, I always feel drained afterward—and no, I do not want company. I need time alone to process.”
Despite her steady tone and reserved expression, I sense the turmoil in her soul, so I shove down my disappointment over a lonely weekend and rub my thumb along her jawline.
“Is that why you’ve been off in the mornings?” I ask.
She blinks.
“You noticed?” she asks.
I nod.
After a moment of consideration, she shrugs.
“I keep feeling like someone is watching me on my commute, but I have no proof.”
I stiffen.
“I have a few well-trained bodyguards on reserve—”
“Don’t you dare. I’ll call the police if there’s an issue. For now, it’s just a hunch. I haven’t seen anyone following me.”
“No, Brook. This is nonnegotiable. I won’t take chances with your safety. They’ll be discreet. I’ll send you their information.”
She studies my face, recognizes my resoluteness, and sighs.
“Fine, now let me go. I only have so much time for lunch, and my boss is a jerk,” she declares.
I laugh and steal a taste of her sweetness before letting her go. My cock throbs in my trousers as she adds an extra sway to her hips on the way out the door.
My vicious little rabbit has no mercy.
Friday drags and drags. My clocks seem stuck in slow motion. Food tastes like ash. Work doesn’t hold my attention. Mr. Brunswick gives me a dubious look when I ask him to repeat himself. Ms. Simon’s absence echoes throughout the entire executive floor.
I take a stack of work home with me, but my penthouse has no life without my little rabbit. After a restless night, a dull morning, and a few hours of research, I wander to my private rooftop for a jog in the evening sun.