His Terms

He didn’t speak, didn’t even move. All Rian did was watch her like he wanted to say something, like he wanted her to know something. His mouth parted, and she expected him to blow off what she said, but when he snapped it shut and clenched his jaw tight, her heart started pounding harder and faster.

“Rian?” she whispered, confused as to what was happening right now. She could feel it in the room, surrounding her, making the hair on her arms stand on end and this weird feeling in her stomach intensify.

“Nothing. I’m fine.” He exhaled and ran a hand over his perfectly styled hair, which in turn had the ends standing in disarray.

She swallowed roughly at the way his deep and husky voice seemed to spear straight through her pussy. “It doesn’t seem like everything is okay.” Her voice cracked slightly. Her throat felt incredibly parched as she watched his gaze travel over her face, as if he was trying to read her without words.

“Is it wrong that I wish I would have made the contract longer?” His voice was hard, and the way he said those words made her think he was saying more than just that. “Is it wrong that I want you more than I deserve?”

“What?” She gripped the sheets in her hands.

He shook his head but kept his gaze on her. “I’m talking about exactly what I just said. I’m talking about wanting more than just these seven days with you.” He moved his hand over the side of her head. “I want you like I’ve never wanted another woman. I don’t deserve you, that’s for fucking sure, but I’m selfish and want you regardless.”

“Rian…”

He ran his hand over his jaw, and looked away for a second, before returning his gaze toward her. “All I know is that for the past six months you’ve infuriated me, annoyed me, pissed me off on every occasion, yet I still wanted you more than I have ever wanted another person in my goddamned life. Doesn’t that say something monumental?”

Her heart was beating fast and fierce, as if it was trying to keep up with what was going on around her. “Yes, and I feel the same way.”

“Fuck, baby, you have no idea how hard it was for me to get that out.”

Oh, she had an idea, because it had been hard for her to come to that realization, too.

“Nothing needs to be said. Not a word.” He leaned in and captured her mouth with his, grabbed the back of her neck with his hand, and kissed her senseless. “You feel that?” he murmured against her mouth, and she knew, just knew, what he was talking about. It was this feeling at the base of her spine, slowly moving through her until it stopped in her mouth and heated her from the inside out.

Her pussy tingled and became wetter the longer and more intently he kissed her. She felt like she was suffocating with pleasure and need. Her arousal and brain were raging war with each other. Her emotions were real, genuine, and Rian had just bared his soul to her.

He broke the kiss and placed his hands on either side of her, like he was caging her in for what was to happen next. This was different, his passion more isolated, controlled, and focused right on her and this moment. This felt like he was with her in the now, like this wasn’t about him having sex with her, but about him giving a piece of himself to her.

“I am, Sorcha.” He groaned against her mouth, and she knew she had said those words out loud. He loomed over her, all hard sinew and tendons straining and bunching above her and making her mouth water. He looked down at her lips, and she involuntarily licked them. Rian groaned, and this clenching need slammed into her pussy.

He leaned forward so that she was braced back on the headboard, and forced to inhale the dark scents that covered him. It was a mixture of his expensive cologne, of the liquor he had drunk tonight, and then of everything else that made up Rian Hartford.

The position had her breasts thrust out. She lowered her gaze to his mouth, the need to press her lips to his again overwhelming her until she found herself rising to do just that. Her mouth was an inch away from his, and their breath mingled as their arousal increased. She could feel his need for her as if it was her own.

“Tell me again, Sorcha. Give me this one moment to surrender because you want it and not because you signed a contract.” His upper body was pressed to hers, and the feel of his hardness against her softness was alluring and tantalizing. “Tell me, baby.” His voice was low and strained, as if he were having just as hard a time as she was controlling her emotions.