An Improper Ever After(5)

"Don't you dare muffle your reaction to this," I growl against her quivering flesh. "You're going to come again and scream until your throat is raw."

"Elliot, I ca-"

I don't let her finish. I push her to another climax, then another and another and she screams through them all until her voice breaks.

She collapses, clinging to my shoulders. After a short moment, she pulls me up and kisses my mouth, her tongue gently licking at my lips. If I didn't know better, I'd find the gesture tender and loving.

I'm just about to pull away, but she wraps her hand around my straining erection. My vision turns hazy for a moment as pleasure courses through me. The pressure in my dick is relentless and brutal. I could come after just a couple of strokes from her, but I'd rather die than lose control like that.

Her lips brush over my hammering heart. "Thank you, but you forgot something … "

I should move away, but I can't. I'm a man, and I want what I want.

She drops to her knees before me and takes me deep inside her mouth. My eyes roll up and it's all I can do to keep my legs stiff.

Belle doesn't drive me to an orgasm with single-minded focus the way I did to her. Her mouth is sweet as she pleasures me. It's as though she is making love to me in the most primitive way, and even as my mind rebels, rejects the idea, my body is helplessly drawn to her, craving more of her tenderness.

When she cups my balls and pulls me hard and deep into her mouth, I'm lost. I shatter with a hoarse cry, and she drinks me in, her soft gaze on me.

And in that moment, I realize one thing I've tried to deny since discovering her deception.

No matter what, I crave her with an intensity that borders on madness.





Chapter Three



Annabelle

I stay at Elliot's feet as he gathers his breath. He braces his hands against the edge of the vanity, and stares down at me, his chiseled face stark with the recent orgasm.

Finally he squeezes his eyes shut and tilts his head back. Then he stands straight and says, "The shower's yours. I have a few conference calls."

Slowly I push myself up. My legs are like soggy pasta, the flesh between my thighs hypersensitive. His right hand twitches, then he clenches his jaw and leaves me alone in the bathroom. 

I inhale deeply and review what just happened.

If I'd been thinking more clearly, I would've known nothing would change from sex. What just happened was great-it's always been fantastic between us-but it isn't enough to fix what's broken.

Have hope. He isn't indifferent.

I can work with anything but indifference. Maybe one night isn't enough time for him to cool down and regain the proper perspective. With more time he'll be willing to listen-really listen.

I've been telling myself what Elliot and I have is only for a year, so it doesn't matter how things pan out between us. But I care about what he thinks, how he feels. I wasn't just saying it when I told him I loved him. I did and still do love him. So even if all we have is a year, I don't want it to be a bad year. I want to leave my mark on him so he'll always think of me with … well, something warm and sweet, even if it's not love.

By the time I step into the shower and wash, I feel better. The warm water is soothing. Back in the closet I pull on a simple sleeveless yellow dress. I'm not going to make a move against Mr. Grayson until Elliot and I have a calm talk. Mr. Grayson knew about Elliot needing a wife, so maybe whatever he was having me do actually had more to do with my husband. Elliot and I should come up with a game plan so neither of us is working against the other inadvertently.

Just as I enter the kitchen, Nonny emerges from her room. She's put on a black dress and matching sandals, and her hair is pulled back in a high and tight ponytail. A thicker than usual layer of concealer betrays the fact that she has dark circles under her eyes. Anger and shame simmer in equal parts in her eyes … which won't meet mine. I don't know what she and Elliot talked about yesterday before he left the penthouse, but whatever it was didn't solve the problems between us.

I go to the kitchen and hand-wash the crystal tumbler I left in the sink earlier. Nonny watches me, then looks away.

Guess she isn't making the first move.

"Cereal?" I keep my voice as neutral as possible. Trying to pretend that nothing's happened is an insult to both of us, but I don't know what else to do.

"No."

Nonny walks to the fridge, making sure not to touch me, and takes out a small tub of strawberry-flavored Greek yogurt. She stands, waiting until I move out of the way, then opens the top drawer for a spoon.

"I'm sorry."

Her motion's jerky as she stirs the thick white stuff. "You did what you had to do." Still, she keeps her gaze on the food in front of her.

"If you know that, why won't you look at me?"