The Billionaire Next Door(41)

“I have no patience tonight,” he warned against her nipple. Then he lifted his hips from hers and ripped the wrapper open with his teeth.



Her eyes were heated as they locked on to his body. “I don’t want your patience.”



“Good.” He spit a piece of foil out, covered himself and then took her in a rush.



They both shouted and her nails scored his back as a climax rolled over her, through her. He absorbed the sensations of her grabbing on to him and then he let loose until he was heaving on top of her, riding her hard, driving them both into a frenzy.





***




Lizzie was mindless underneath Sean’s rhythm, nothing but the sensations in her body. Just as he growled low in his throat and his body tensed from shoulder to thigh, she seized up again and arched into him. They shuddered together, his arms shooting around her and squeezing tight.



It was a while before either one of them could catch their breath and he rolled off her slowly as if he didn’t want to leave. “You okay?”#p#分页标题#e#



She smiled at the hoarse sound of his voice. “Are you always going to ask that?”



“If things keep up like this, yes.”



“I’m fine.”



“Be right back.”



As Sean disappeared into the bathroom, she lost her grin and the bed got cold fast.



What was she doing? This…whatever it was…with him was so awkward. Even though they were great together in bed, she didn’t know whether there could be anything else between them.



She sat up and looked around for her T-shirt. She found it just as he came in.



“Can I stay?” he asked as she pulled the thing over her head.



Yanking her hair free of the collar, she said, “Sean…I don’t know. What just happened was probably a mistake.”



As he put his hands on his hips, she had to fight to ignore how astoundingly beautiful he was naked.



She cleared her throat. “I think you should go.”



Because given that she was conflicted, if he stuck around, she was liable to be swayed by his proximity.



Good Lord, who wouldn’t be swayed by a man like this?



For a moment, she thought he was going to argue, but then he nodded and bent down to the floor. He pulled his trousers on commando, picked up his boxers and his shirt and jacket and went to the door.



“Mind if I call you?”



“Don’t ask me that, Sean. Do it or don’t.”



His brows dropped down low. “Fair enough.”



He turned away and didn’t look back.



As his footsteps went down the hall, her heart felt like a lead ball in her chest.



Just as she heard the front door open, something made her spring out of bed and run for the living room. She stopped herself in the hall, though.



Desperation was not good in situations like this.



Keeping herself in check, she watched him shut her door then listened to him go up the stairs and settle directly above her.



He was sleeping on the couch again.



As she went back to her bed, she wondered why he did that. And was reminded of why a relationship would be so difficult with him.



It was hard to fall in love with someone who couldn’t share himself with you.





***




In Sean’s dream, the one that really got to him, the one that was the worst of the bunch, he was ten years old and coming home from dinner at a friend’s house. It was winter and the snow was falling. His too-small boots were squeezing his toes until they were numb. His mittens had holes at the tips of the fingers and the pads of the thumbs. His jacket was thin and dirty.



But his stomach was full and that made all the difference. His school buddy, Butch O’Neal, had a mother who was a cook and a half. And as the O’Neals had five kids, one more mouth was no big deal.



Sean went over to their house a lot.



As he walked along in the dark, the snowbanks came up to his shoulders and he imagined himself on the ice planet Hoth from theStar Wars movies. He was Han Solo back from rescuing Luke…and Princess Leia was waiting at home for him.



He smiled, picturing himself as a hero.



Except then he came up to his house. All the lights were off on the top floor and the TV was flickering blue and green in the front window.



Lights off was a bad sign.



He looked at the downstairs unit. It was dark, as well, because the tenants had moved out a week ago. That always made things worse.



It happened a lot. Those first-floor people never stayed long. He had a feeling they didn’t like the noises that came from upstairs and he could understand why. He didn’t like the noises, either. He would have moved out if he could have.