Make Me (Sterling Shore Series #10)(23)

She groans, and I fight the urge to find a way to comfort her. I'm stepping into uncharted territory, because Harley is baring more truths than I realized she had. I wasn't prepared for this.

"My grandfather had left me a hefty trust, but it was in my father's name," she says, even quieter this time. "It was money to build my future on."

She looks up, her eyes meeting mine with a sadness there.

"He gave it to Jessie instead."

"And he could do that?" I ask, even more pissed off now. "Legally?"

"My grandfather died long before Cynthia started dragging my father around by his dick. The money was mine, but in his name. Jessie started her life and career with it. Built her successful bank on the back of my future. I was left to start from scratch. I've earned all I have the hard way." 

I lean in closer, gingerly wiping a tear off her cheek with my thumb. She leans into my hand, her eyes refusing to release more tears.

"He said she was always the daughter he wanted. Smart. Beautiful. Driven. And extraordinary. He said that money was better invested in her, because she did more than play video games all day."

"And your mother didn't fight him on this?"

She laughs bitterly again.

"My mother," she sighs. "My mother was too busy being desperate for love to even acknowledge my life spinning out of control. She was always quick to pat my cheek and tell me tomorrow would be better. But that was about all the mothering she did. It was usually too inconvenient for her to do that much."

"And now she uses you," I say softly, understanding more about her by the second.

"Not as much as she'd like, but more than I care to admit. I don't feel right letting her go broke and homeless. But my courtesy only extends so far."

Before I can think it through, I'm on her, kissing her, tasting everything I can.

It's a terrible reaction to have, but I can't handle hearing more without trying to make some of it go away.

She moans into my mouth, her fingers clutching the front of my shirt like she can't decide if she's going to rip it open or push me away.

I break the kiss, my forehead resting against hers.

"I'm sorry," I say on a quiet breath.

To this, she actually laughs, one that's free and genuine. "You'd better not be sorry about kissing me."

"Not that," I say, smiling as my hand slides up her waist, tugging her under me until I can come down on top of her.

Her breath hitches, but I don't give her space.

"I'm sorry that I sucked at being a hero when you needed one."

A small smile graces her lips. "I'm sorry you sucked at heroics too."

Then she laughs, and I shake my head. Not what I was expecting. Then again, Harley hasn't been what I expected at all.

"Are you going to punish me for considering revenge?" she muses, all trace of her earlier pain replaced by mischief.

I wish I could so easily flip the switch, but I'm still hung up on the soul she just laid bare. As though it wasn't an intimate, personal piece of her life.

"No," I say, tugging her sweatpants down.

Her eyes widen for only a second, and she helps kick them off.

"I'm going to reward you for your honesty," I tell her as I stare down at what I assume must be some really comfortable underwear.

She shrieks and shoves them down as quickly as possible, kicking them away as though that will banish the momentary sight of them, and I grin down at her as her face flames.

"Call before you come over next time," she hisses, playfully slapping my chest.

I shove her shirt up instead of responding, because I like surprising Harley. I doubt I'll ever warn her. I also like being surprised by the fact she isn't wearing a bra.

She doesn't fight me or try to cover up as my mouth fastens around a nipple. I love the sounds she makes when she's in my control.

My fingers skate around her hips and thighs, teasing her, and she arches against me, desperate for some sort of pressure.

My attention moves from one nipple to the other just before my thumb brushes her clit. You'd have thought she just had an orgasm when she moans.

Grinning, I do it again, still teasing, even as she tries to buck against my hand.

"So impatient," I whisper, sliding my lips over her cleavage before my mouth finds hers again.



       
         
       
        

She sucks on my tongue, and this time I'm the one groaning as I thrust a finger inside her, still teasing her clit with my thumb. She shudders against me, and I begin working her into a steady frenzy, wishing there was a completely different part of my body inside her right now.

But I'm patient. The couch of her living room after a soulful confession isn't the right time for our first time.

She writhes against me as I continue to kiss her and fuck her with my fingers, keeping steady circles on her-

She cries out, her pussy clenching around my fingers as she breaks the kiss and shivers. That's the second time I've almost gotten off in my pants.

I watch her face, loving the wash of expressions. She goes from near agony to bliss within seconds, and I grin down at her as I withdraw my fingers.

Her eyes lazily open as she stares up at me with a coy little grin.

"Your turn," she says.

I start to agree to that, when her phone starts ringing. She acts like she's going to ignore it, but I reach over and grab it for her.

She curses when she reads the name, and answers. "Really not a good time."

Her face falls, and then I see her slip into her business mask.

I know that face. I've worn it plenty of times.

I lift off her, and she tugs her shirt down as she sits up.

"Tell them that can't happen. I have the contracts. There's no way to weasel out."

She curses and stands, and I sit around, enjoying watching her be Harley Hayden CEO. I like seeing all the extra layers most people probably overlook.

"Fuck. Fine," she says, glancing over at me apologetically. I know that look too.

Looks like I'll be handling things on my own.

"Get the jet ready. I'll be there in an hour."

Jet?

She hangs up, and a frown takes the place of her earlier smile.

"I have to go to New York. Got a business trying to seize control over their assets, even though I'm the majority shareholder."

"Mutinies are always a pain in the ass," I say, smirking when she groans.

"Can … can I ask something?" she says, a bit of uncertainty in her eyes.

"You mean something else?" I ask, going with playful, since she looks so wary.

Her smile forms again, but it disappears almost immediately.

"What are we doing?"

My eyebrows go up, but before I can speak, she rushes on to add, "I mean, is this thing going to fizzle out while I go to New York? Are you going to hook up with someone else in the meantime? I've done casual, but I really can't do casual with you."

A grin tugs at my lips as I stand up, walking around the couch to draw her to me in a hug. "When you get back, we'll finish what we started. And no, I don't do casual either." 

She smiles up at me, but then her eyebrows rise as she pushes against me, feeling the fact I'm obviously hard.

"Ignore it. I am," I say on a sigh.

She laughs, and I pretend I'm not in pain right now. "We could-"

Her phone rings again, cutting her off, and she answers it, still pressed against me. "Yes. I heard. I'll be there as fast as I can."

As she hangs up, I tilt her chin up, kissing her softly. "Go. We'll have more time when you get back. Next time, I'll be smart enough to not hand you your phone."

She laughs before turning to walk toward a bedroom, and I force myself to walk out of her house.

I glare at my hand, and wonder how I went from finding sex to be redundant to suddenly thinking about it all the time.





Chapter 22



HARLEY



My phone lights up, and I grin as my lawyer harps on all the details to the five men in the room who are trying their damnedest not to stab me.

DALE: Just so you know, you were bent over my bed last night. I had your skirt pushed up over your hips while I pounded into you from behind. I had you leave your heels on to help out with the height difference.

ME: Had no idea you were a sexter. I like you even more now. And on Friday, I'd like to make that a reality.

DALE: Friday? That's four days from now!



I giggle like an idiot, and the room around me goes silent as five pairs of eyes swing my way.

Make that six pairs. My lawyer is even arching an eyebrow at me. I'm glad I only brought him instead of the team. Otherwise, even more scrutiny would be bearing down on me in this moment.

"Proceed," I say with a dramatic wave of my hand. "It's not like anything is going to change, so I don't understand the point of this. I'm majority shareholder. Everyone else in here is irrelevant."

"Bitch," a man mutters under his breath.

"With a wonderfully juvenile comeback like that, I can't imagine how your client lost control of his own company."

His eyes narrow as he leans forward, but I ignore him and text Dale again.



ME: I know. This is a mine field right now that I'm navigating a little recklessly. I'd like to be back sooner, but by Friday, I'll have this company sold and I'll be all yours. I'll even wear little garters and stockings for your fantasy.

DALE: Plant images like that in my head, Harley, and it's hard to think of anything else.