Forbidden Lust

“Exactly! I have to date the people they want me to date, and I can’t work because none of the Diamond women ever worked.” She put her head in her hands, letting out a sigh.

“Maybe you can change that. None of the Diamond women are you, Lourde.”

It was true. She was different, so different from her mother, who, although lovely, was a true socialite. And I’d even met her grandmother before she passed at a handful of family events. Same as her daughter. Maybe it was the different generation or strong personality, but Lourde was a turtle wanting to hatch and make her own way to the water.

“I’ve tried, Barrett.”

I shook my head. “You haven’t tried.”

“What?” She narrowed her eyes.

“What have you done? Cried and whined a few times to Mommy? All I’m saying is maybe try something different.” The rise and fall of her chest were rapid, her jaw set. I stared at her, taking way too long to pull my gaze away. But when I did, I was the first to break the stare.

She stood up, hitting the underside of the bench with the stool, and took a few steps away. I’d pissed her off. The woman had last night’s ordeal to deal with, and I’d gone and been an asshole again. But she deserved the truth.

I stood. “Hey, Lourde, wait.”

What are you doing?Let her go, Barrett.

“Try something different?” She stepped toward me, so she was less than an inch from me. “Like this?”

Her hand traced the underside of my shirt. Her smooth hand rode each curve of my muscles and sparked a fire in my belly. I let her get to my pecs before I could muster enough strength to stop her. Roughly, I grabbed her hip with one hand and her wrist with the other. “What are you doing, Lourde?”

“Something different,” she said, her voice thick with the hard-on that was forming in my pants.

“Don’t play with fire.”

Her eyes darkened. Fuck, if it weren’t for her brother, I’d bend her over and fuck her right here on my counter. Get her out of my system and move on.

“Why?” she asked, and her other hand trailed her fingers along my mouth. With one hand, I cupped her face. Her lips turned kissable to the force.

“I’m warning you, dollface, don’t.”

My hand dug into her hip while the weight of her thighs pushed into me.

“I bet you like it rough,” she said, sending my pulse to fucking Pluto. Who was this vixen, and where was the proper socialite?

“No one would ever fuck you like I would. But I promise you something. We’ll never, ever go there. Your pussy’s not worth the trouble.”

She gasped, breaking the spell she had over me. I dropped my hand from her hip and the hand that cradled her jaw.

“Now, I’m late for work,” I said, like the asshole I truly was.

I knew no one had ever spoken to Lourde like that. I also knew I had to say it in order for her to get over the silly crush she’d always had on me. Hurt her. That was the way to make her forget about me and the stupid infatuation. Now all I had to do was erase her blistering touch on my skin and tell my cock to forget about Lourde Diamond.