House Rules(49)

I flinched, the thought that he would attempt something like that filled me with dread. I didn’t know the rest, but better to hear it now than later when more than intrigue and desire were involved.

“I couldn’t get you out of my head. For that first week, I dreamt about you—the feel of your lips, the way your body held me tight inside you. With my dad handing over the business to me, time wasn’t on my side. I worked my ass off to take over and I wasn’t about to let a woman stand in the way of that.” He rubbed a hand over the muscles in his neck.

“When I couldn’t get you out of my mind, I decided to go out and screw you out of it. I thought I could pick up where I left off and nothing would change. The first night, I picked up a woman and between kisses called her Tess. Then there was the blonde you met. It took me the whole night to realize that I’d spent our entire exchange comparing every little thing she did to you. Before I would have taken her home anyway, fucked her senseless and sent her on her way.”

He picked up my hand from where I had it fisted against my leg and turned it over, lifting it so his lips could touch the sensitive underside of my wrist. My eyes were glued to his lips on my body.

“You were the first woman to ever spend the entire night in my bed.”

My head snapped up, eyes wide. “I was . . . I . . . You never let another woman sleep in your bed.” I said it like a statement even though it was half a question, my disbelief shining through.

“No. It was always about fucking and pleasure. But you . . . you were different. It took me a while to work it all out in my head purely because you were so different. There’s plenty I’m going to fuck up, Tess. I’m a selfish bastard, I like getting my own way, and I almost never compromise. But if that’s what I have to do to be with you, then I’ll try. Because I want all of that and more with you, and if you’re willing to stick around and give me a chance, I’ll break my back to give you all of it.”

His teeth nipped at the soft skin before he soothed it with his tongue. A moan rose low in my throat. The man knew exactly how to touch me.

“How can I say no when you make such a persuasive argument.” My voice was low, raspy.

“Mmm, that’s what I like to hear.”

He moved closer on the couch, leaning in to nibble right behind my ear. Sparks flew along my nerves directly to my clit. I turned my head, dislodging his mouth and plunged my hand into the back of his hair, bringing his lips to mine. At the first swipe of his tongue I opened for him, the invasion sweet and spicy all at once. Tingles raced through me and thoughts of going home without feeling him inside me once more seemed like such a bad idea.

He’d let down his guard, for me. Dropping so many of the walls that I’d wanted to climb that first night at dinner. It was hard to say no. There was no longer a war within me; my body and my brain wanted him.

I slid my other hand down his chest and across his stomach until I could feel the bulge of his cock pressing against his jeans as his hips thrust up into my hand at the same time he tore his mouth from mine. He watched me, waiting to see how I reacted when he slipped his hand below my tank top and bra to roll my nipple between his fingers and found the bud already tight, waiting for something. I thrust my chest out. A sharp, but delicious pain pierced me when he pinched my nipple hard.

“Oh god,” I cried, struck by the sensation of pain and pleasure mixed together.

No man had ever touched me that way.

I loved it.

His thumb continued to lightly rub my nipple. Breathe in. Breathe out. Each breath came harder and faster. His eyes never left mine.

“I promised you no sex tonight. I’ll keep my promise, walk you to the door right now, and take you out another night. Or we can go upstairs and explore all the things I want to do and make you scream my name over and over again. The choice is yours.”

I shivered, wanting to stand my ground and stick to my words from earlier at the same time as my body hummed in anticipation of what he could do with his hands . . . and mouth . . . and . . .

Gah!

There were so many things that I should be thinking about. Things to consider and decisions to make. But with his hands on me I couldn’t think straight. He was a devil in disguise, but I wasn’t sure that was an issue for me anymore.

Sincerity and lust warred in his eyes. He’d let me leave if I really wanted. But that wasn’t what I wanted. When I made that demand, I thought that was the only reason he wanted me to come home with him. But now, after everything he’d just said, I knew there was more to all of this and I wanted to explore it. The last two times together passion raged between us.