She batted her eyes and leaned into his hand. “Do I get a reward for my bravery?”
Sebastian’s shoulders shook with a soft chuckle. “Yes, darling. You do,” he promised, tracing his thumb over the swell of her lips. “I’ll give you anything you wish, but you’ll have to wait until I’m not dead on my feet.”
“I think I can muster up enough patience to wait.”
He smiled and took her hand, tugging her toward the steps. “Come lay down with me. I just want to hold you until I fall asleep.”
Josh’s yawn seemed to drag on forever. His hooded sweatshirt hung crookedly on his frame. The dark color only served to highlight the tired shadows playing on his face. Glancing up, he offered Taylor a lopsided smile as she set a mug of coffee and plate of fresh peanut butter cookies down in front of him.
“Thanks, kid. Keep the sugar and caffeine coming, and I might survive this day yet.”
A soft snort drew their attention, and they both turned to watch Sebastian prowl through the room behind them. “She didn’t make them for you.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, Baas. It’s all about you.” He rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Taylor again. “Someone’s still fucking cranky. Didn’t you make sure he got a nap?”
She smothered a giggle behind her hand. “He only seems to be that way toward you.”
“Well aren’t I just the lucky one?” Josh scoffed.
“Watch your mouth,” Sebastian growled, dropping onto the couch beside him.
“What? Now I’m not even allowed to make light around your girlfriend?”
“Make light all you want. What I don’t care for is you talking like a disgruntled trucker around her. Do you use that language in front of my niece and sister?” Sebastian asked, lifting a tawny brow in his direction.
“Well, no, but…”
“Then refrain from doing so in my home.”
“It’s okay,” Taylor said with a soft laugh. “It’s not the first time someone’s dropped the f-bomb around me. In fact, you said the same thing a few hours ago.”
He lifted his head and pinned her with a piercing stare as Josh chortled beside him.
“Ahh, the truth comes out,” his partner drawled, his face twisting into a teasing grin.
Taylor lowered her gaze, wishing she could take the words back as Sebastian’s eyes continued to drill into her. She shifted uneasily on her feet.
“I didn’t use the term in casual conversation did I, Taylor?” he asked in a silken voice.
“No, Sebastian.”
Josh’s attention shifted between the two of them. A worried expression started to crawl across his face, and his smile faded. Taylor swallowed and squirmed beneath Sebastian’s unwavering stare.
“I don’t want you exposed to that kind of behavior and picking up bad habits that I am going to have to spend my time correcting. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir. Crystal. I’m sorry.”
He nodded. She didn’t need to be told twice. Skirting around the men, she hurried for the relative safety of the kitchen and filled his favorite mug. After stirring in a splash of peppermint mocha creamer, she carried it in to him, along with a plate of warm cookies. Sebastian’s wink assured her all was forgiven. His hand trailed up the back of her thigh and stroked it with absentminded affection as he poured over the papers Josh had spread before them. His partner chewed the end of a pen and flipped through his own files.
“Hey, Baas, check this out. Getting a location out of this guy’s friend should be no problem. It says here he has…” he trailed off, his gaze flickering to Taylor.
She raised her hands. “No worries, I’d rather not know,” she assured him. Running her fingers through Sebastian’s hair, she attempted to smooth his thick curls. “I’m going to go change the sheets and work on some laundry.”
“Good idea, baby. I’ll come find you before I go.”
He smiled and pulled her down for a smoldering kiss that made her cheeks flush with desire and her heart pound a little faster. She squashed a needful whimper as he released her. His jaw tightened for a brief second and, throwing the papers in his other hand on the table, he cleared his throat and stood.
“I’ll help you strip the bed. The mattress is heavy.”
“Really, Sebastian?” Josh asked incredulously. His forehead furrowed with disbelief. Muttering, he shooed them away with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Taylor colored at the unspoken implications brewing between the two men.
“Make yourself at home,” Sebastian suggested.
He wrapped his arm around her waist and steered her toward the steps with an unrepentant smirk. They barely made it into the hall when he spun her and slammed her back against the wall. His mouth slashed over hers in a bruising claim. Whimpering into the hungry kiss, she clutched at his back with one hand and fisted his curls with the other. His chest vibrated with a low growl as he turned her and barreled her toward the bedroom. Desire exploded through her body like burning napalm. The moment they made it through the doors, she was clawing at his shirt while he kicked the wooden barriers shut behind them. Flinging his arms up, he tore his sweatshirt over his head. Their mouths clashed again. The sound of rending fabric spilled through the room as he seized the front of her baby tee and tore the thin material. Her fingers fought with the button on his pants. Sebastian wasn’t as diplomatic. Dragging her thighs over his hips, he scooped her off the floor and carried her to the bed. Groaning into her mouth, he tore her yoga pants and panties down in a rough yank. Their clothing hit the floor in unison.
Taylor cried out as he filled her. Winded by lust and delirium, her breath came in shallow gasps. Sebastian’s eyes locked with hers as he slammed against her womb and stilled. His arms trembled. Savage, brooding desire and dominance stamped his face. Winding her arms around his neck, she strained with her efforts to capture his lips. A primal noise rose from the base of his throat as he caved and smashed his mouth against hers. She almost wept with joy when he seized a fistful of her hair and drove into her again.
The slow, battering thrusts increased to an animalistic frenzy. Their fierce lip lock drowned her cries of pleasure and pain. At least she hoped they did. Then again, she really didn’t care. All that mattered was Sebastian and the sheer power of his body as he thrust into her, bruising her deepest places and laying claim on her soul. Taylor screamed as a raging orgasm seized her and took hold. Darkness swirled. She almost passed out from the force. Sebastian’s face mirrored her ecstasy as he pounded harder. She clung to him, crying his name as his thrusts came faster, and a cavernous rumble built in his chest. Her nails dug into his back, her breath catching, while she struggled to hold on. His roar broke the silence. Taylor stared as a humbling wave of bliss swept across his handsome features. Nothing beat watching the pleasure wash over him or the forceful throb of his body as he emptied himself deep inside her.
The room spun with her lack of air. They held onto each other, trembling, as he covered her face with kisses and fought to catch his breath. The look in his eyes assured he was every bit as speechless as she felt. His thumb brushed across her brow, sweeping a lock of hair away. A worried frown crossed his face.
“I didn’t hurt you did I?”
Gazing up at him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. “Yes, but only in a good way.”
He stared at her for a long moment, his expression softening. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he bowed his head with a slow shake. After planting his lips on her damp temple, he rolled to the side of the bed and stood with a grunt. Too exhausted to move, she watched the play of his muscles as he tugged on his clothes.
“You were going to say something,” she murmured. “What was it?”
He wandered into the bathroom. She giggled at the sound of running water. Craning her head, she watched him rub fresh deodorant under his arms and splash cooling torrents of water on his face. When he came back into the bedroom, their eyes locked. His mouth curved wit
h a languid smile.
“Now’s not the time, darling. You’ll find out soon enough. I promise.”
Leaning over her, he braced his hands against the mattress and captured a kiss. He caressed her cheek before he stood. “Suffice it to say I love you…very much.”
She couldn’t contain her contented grin. “I love you, too.”
Moments later, she pulled her pillow over her head to smother her laughter when Josh’s voice rose from below. His tone was incredulous, if not a little concerned.