Mine to Hold (Mine 3)

Lily was in the ground, but Claire Kramer was still walking around, living the high life. That was so unfair.

His hands were shaking. His gut twisting. He yanked out his phone. Vincent was a damn idiot. He didn’t understand anything.

Colby’s call was answered on the second ring. “You were right,” Colby said, the words heaving out of him. “She was here. York brought her here. The bastard is probably screwing her.”

Because Claire always used her body to get just what she wanted.

The tremor in his hands got worse as his rage swelled. “It can’t go on any longer,” Colby said. “I’m going to make sure she suffers.”

As his boy suffered, every damn day in that prison cell.

Ethan had nothing.

Claire deserved the same fate.

***

Noah’s hand lifted and curved around Claire’s chin. “You need to be very sure. There will be no going back.”

There wasn’t any place for her to go back to.

“I want to be with you.” Her words were the truth. She wanted him for tonight because tomorrow, well, then she’d begin running again.

A new city.

A new job.

Maybe this time, it would take Colby Harrison longer to find her.

Maybe.

He leaned toward her. “I’m going to make you scream for me.”

She shook her head. She wasn’t the screaming type. Ethan had fumbled with her in the dark, and it had hurt, but she knew there had to be more to sex than rough touches. Others found pleasure in the act. She would, too.

I want the pleasure.

But Claire didn’t think she’d scream. Not even for a lover like Noah.

“Yes, I will.” His lips pressed to hers.

Her eyes closed. She leaned into him.

His tongue glided over her lips. Into her mouth. Noah knew how to use his tongue so well. He wasn’t wet or rough. He was…savoring her.

She wanted to devour him.

His hands slid over her shoulders. Touched the straps of her dress.

Then the dress was sliding down to pool at her feet.

And he was kissing his way along the line of her jaw. Down her throat. Over the pulse that raced so frantically. His tongue licked over her skin. She felt the light score of his teeth on her.

Claire gasped.

“Like that?”

She liked everything that he was doing.

“What I like…” Noah muttered, desire heavy in his voice. “I like the fact that you didn’t wear a bra. Claire, I like that a lot.”

A bra wouldn’t have fit under the bodice of that dress and—

He eased away from her. Stared down at her. The lights in the suite were on, shining all around them. There was no darkness.

There was only Noah.

“So perfect.” He lifted his hand. Caressed her right breast. Her nipples were hard. Aching. And his touch sent a surge of arousal straight to her sex.

I’m wet for him. Already.

She reached out to Noah. “I need you now.” Her fingers fumbled with his belt. “Noah, we can—”

“No.” He caught her hands. “Not yet.” He pushed her hands back to her sides. “I’m just getting started with you.”

Sex with Ethan had been fast. So quick. In the back of a car or—

“Claire.”

Her lashes lifted.

“Claire, I’m going to give you so much pleasure you won’t ever think of anyone else.” Then he lifted her into his arms. The move surprised her and she grabbed tightly to him.

But he didn’t carry her far. Just a few steps. Closer to the window. To the big, leather couch that waited right beside that glass.

He spread her out on the couch. She started to cover her breasts, but he caught her wrists. Lifted them above her head. “Don’t move them.” He swallowed. His gaze burned her. “You look sexy that way.”

She’d been hurt badly in Chicago, and she bore the scar from that attack, but Noah didn’t seem to see it at all as he gazed at her. Noah didn’t seem to pay much attention to any of her scars.

I’m the one who can’t see past them.

But Claire shoved her doubts away right then. She was going to have this moment with him. No matter what…I’ll have this.

She still had on her black panties. Panties that she’d picked up back in New York before their flight had left. And she wore her heels. Heels that were higher than anything she’d worn before.

Noah bent his head. His lips closed around her breast. He licked. Sucked.

Claire arched against him. She wanted to grab onto him and hold tightly, but she didn’t move her hands. She kept them above her head, fisted.

His fingers worked her other breast. Lightly tugging at the nipple. Stroking her. Her hips arched again, helplessly. She felt so empty, and she wanted Noah to fill her. She wanted him to thrust deep inside of her.

Then she could pretend that she was just like every other woman. Having sex with her lover. Enjoying pleasure.

“With me, Claire.”

His hand slid over the plane of her stomach. Down, down his fingers went until he was at the edge of her panties.

Her eyes were on his hand.

“If I pull these off, they’ll just get stuck on your shoes,” he murmured. “So…”

He ripped her panties. Tore them in two and tossed the scraps away.

“That’s what I wanted.” His fingers slid between her folds. “Ah, baby, you’re so ready for me.”

He positioned his body between her legs. He’d thrust into her soon, she was sure of it. He’d—

He slid a finger into her.

Claire jerked toward him.

“So tight. You’re going to drive me out of my mind.”

He was already driving her out of hers.

“But you have to be burning up. You have to need me more than breath.” He withdrew his finger. Moved her legs farther apart. The couch was massive, so there was easily room for them both on it and he was—he was—

Noah put his mouth on her.

Claire flinched. She hadn’t expected that move. Her hands flew down to his shoulders.

“No, Claire,” the words growled against the most sensitive part of her body. “Hands up.”

Then his tongue, that wonderful, wicked tongue of his, stroked her. Slid over her. Slid into her.