Sinful Desire

She obliged willingly as he grabbed protection, unzipped his pants, and sank into her. Her body flooded with pleasure, with a deep and hungry desire to give herself over to him, to however he wanted her.

Gripping her hips, he drove into her. “Tell me something, Sophie,” he said in between thrusts. “Who’s fucking who right now?”

Heat licked her veins. “You are. You’re fucking me.”

He grabbed her hair, wrapped it around his fist, and yanked. “That’s right. I’m having you. I’m claiming you. I’m taking you,” he said in a hot, smoky voice. “Are you taking me?”

“No,” she said, as he tugged tight on her strands. “You’re doing it.”

“I am. And I’m going to do it again and again and again.”

“Yes. Please do it again,” she cried out, as electricity roared through her body. She shut her eyes, seeing stars, feeling heaven, and losing herself to him.

He swiveled his hips and claimed her with his cock. He commanded her with his words. He brought her the most bone-deep pleasure she’d ever known as he took her to the edge and came undone with her.





Chapter Sixteen


“Tell me about this event. What should I wear?” he asked, as he turned onto the Strip to drive her home.

“Tux. Do you own one?”

He laughed softly. “Of course I own a tux. Where is it?”

“The Venetian.”

“And who are the sponsors?”

“Well, me, for one,” she said, then rattled off a few names of local companies, including a law firm, an insurance company, and a national sporting goods chain. “And Redwood Mountain Ventures, too. A venture capital firm.”

He jerked his head to look at her as he pulled to a stop at a red light. “Redwood Mountain Ventures?”

She nodded. “Yes. Why?”

“That’s my brother’s firm. Colin’s.”

“Oh, that’s great. I’ve been dealing with one of the other partners. A woman. I didn’t make the connection that your brother the venture capitalist was at this firm. But how wonderful that he’s a supporter. It’s a great cause. I was at the community center earlier today. They’re going to do so much for kids that need extra help.”

“Interesting,” Ryan said, wondering why Colin never mentioned anything about such a hefty donation. But then again, his youngest sibling had never been one to brag about all the ways that he gave back. “I wonder if he’ll be there.”

“You should ask him. It would be nice to say hello. I’m hoping John can make it so perhaps you can meet him, too,” she said, lightness in her tone, because, of course, she had nothing to hide.

Unlike him.

His chest clenched. He muttered a silent curse as he reached her building. Now would be a great time to admit he’d already met her brother, had been questioned by him at police headquarters about his father’s murder, and then received a phone call from him, hunting for more details about his mother’s straying ways.

Honestly though, telling her about the connection to her brother wasn’t the hard part. What felt insurmountable was what it meant—if he told her he knew John, he’d have to tell her about his parents. He’d have to give voice to how his family had been blasted to pieces one night when he was only fourteen.

He’d never told someone he’d dated. He’d never wanted to.

But here in the driveway of her building, nearing midnight, after the most mind-blowing sex of his life, was not the moment to dive into the past. He needed to figure out how to tell her without fucking everything up. His experience in saying the right thing was terribly limited for many reasons—he didn’t get close to people, and he didn’t speak of matters no one else needed to know.

Trust was a screwed-up promise.

Intimacy was a lie.

Love wasn’t real.

She’d shared so much though, and he had to figure out how to do the same.

He said good night and headed for his home, taking his dog for a midnight run to glean some answers. But an hour of hard exercise under the stars didn’t illuminate his own path any better, so when he got into bed with his dog curled up on top of the covers, only one thing was clear.

He was fucked.

Because he liked her more than he’d ever intended. That first night with Sophie he’d gone in armed with every intention of keeping things only physical. The second time, too. Hell, he’d tried to do as much tonight. But his intentions were futile. He wanted this woman with a desire that burned away everything in its path. That consumed his brain cells. That chained up his heart. And for the first time ever, he felt the flicker of something awfully dangerous. So dangerous it made him start to use words.

Words that mattered.

Words that came from that organ inside him that had gone on lockdown many years ago.

Words that could mean the start of something more.

from: [email protected] to: [email protected] date: July 17, 1:13 AM

subject: You

You are exquisite.

He tossed his phone on his nightstand and dragged a hand through his hair, dreading the moment that was barreling down on him.

He ran a hand between Johnny Cash’s soft ears. “Where do I go from here, buddy? Tell me that.”

The dog licked his face.

“Ha. Already done that. That’s not the problem whatsoever.”





Chapter Seventeen