With a sigh, she kissed his chest. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I’m wondering, though, considering your visit from your paid girl.” It was said without rancor.
“The girls can’t work if they aren’t clean, and I’m clean. I’ve not been with a woman without a condom since I was fifteen. Are you on the pill?”
“No. My husband and I had sex fairly regularly for five years and, per his order, we never used birth control, and nothing. He apparently got his girlfriend pregnant the first time they had sex. Last I heard, they have three kids. Three kids in three years, and five years and nothing. Despite us never having tests done, it was obvious the problem was with me.”
Did he hear the emptiness inside her as she spoke, she wondered.
“How does that make you feel?”
Miranda shrugged. She didn’t want to talk about it. “It is what it is. How I feel doesn’t matter.” She pulled away to sit up, deciding now was as good a time as any to go home.
“Where are you going?” Pulling her back down to him, he squeezed her closer until she stopped struggling.
“I have to go home and get some sleep. I have to be up early for work tomorrow,” Miranda gritted out, not liking his firm grip on her body. It also really annoyed her that her stupid body just melted into him.
“That sounds like an excuse people use for a one-night stand, and this won’t be a one-night stand. I told you, your body is mine.” Declan’s words were cool, and he tightened his grip when she struggled against him.
“Declan, it isn’t an excuse. I was given an extremely important audit of a major client. Normally I would just work late, but because of your audit, I went in two hours early today. It allowed me to come here after only working an hour late. I intend to do the same thing until I finish, which will likely be another week.” She was rewarded with a loosened grip, but he didn’t let her go. “Besides, this is just sex. You said it yourself: we enjoy it, and when it ends it ends.” He didn’t like that. She could feel his body tense.
“This isn’t ending, damn it. I don’t want you sleeping anywhere else but with me. Until this fire burns out, you belong with me, in my bed every night.” His kiss was savage and dominating, and she was lost. He was back over her, and when she felt his cock seek entrance past the lips of her pussy, she opened for him. He slipped in and quickly lost control. He took her body, and she was with him in mindless need. Her orgasm came fast, and he followed just two strokes later.
Declan collapsed on her, and she could feel the uneven pounding of his heart against her own chest. Knowing he’d lost control oddly comforted her hectic thoughts. She remembered thinking, after her ex-husband that if a man ever acted in the slightest bit controlling, she would turn on her heel and walk away. Yet Declan’s demanding and commanding personality didn’t bother in the least, and in ways she couldn’t even understand it turned her on. So he wanted her around because the sex was so good it took off his head. Okay, she agreed with him on that. But she made a promise to herself if he ever became controlling in a way that benefited no one but himself, she would walk away. She moved her hands over his back and found traces of scratches, which shocked her, because she didn’t rememb
er doing it.
He pulled away and sat up beside her on the edge of the bed. He ran a hand over his face. “I’m sorry, Miranda.” He sighed and shook his head. “That was... I shouldn’t have done that to you. I just...” He looked away, and his regret was clear. Her heart clenched inside her chest.
She sat up and touched his cheek. “Declan, it’s okay.”
“No, Miranda, it isn’t. I lost control with you. Your body is mine for my pleasure, but also yours. I could have hurt you.”
“I liked it, Declan, liked it very much. You’re right. My body is yours, every time you touch me, and even when you don’t. You’ve made it so that my body welcomes every inch of you every time. If you check your back, you’ll see just how much I liked it. Please don’t apologize, because in a way you losing control reassured me that I’m not just a toy to you. You aren’t playing with me and sending me on my way at the end of the night.” She pecked his cheek, and was rewarded with an answering kiss.
“Good, because I don’t want you to go home. I want you to stay with me until this fire burns out.” His jaw was set and his eyes were a burning amber again.
Declan’s words thrilled her even as they scared her. She felt it too; the need to be near him had been lingering since that first night he touched her. Miranda could admit it now, the ability to have him close and within arm’s reach was almost as good his actual touch. “Okay, I go home tonight, but I come back tomorrow, and I won’t leave until it’s over.”
He nodded in agreement. “I’ll take you home.” Kissing her hard he pulled her out of bed.
Their movements were lazy as they dressed. Actually, he dressed them both, as her hands still had a hard time with the buttons. She trailed behind him, her hand firmly in his to the car, and he opened the passenger door then made sure she was belted in. He moved across the front of the car and slipped in beside her. The drive home was much quicker in the empty streets, the clock in the dashboard told her it was just after two in the morning. Declan found her home without any direction from her, and pulled into the driveway. She sat up as he opened his door, came around to her, pulled her out, and wrapped his arm around her. She gave him her keys when he held out his hand, and waited while he opened the door. He flicked on the lights and looked around with interest.
Pulling her loosely into his arms. “I really want to see your bedroom, but I know if I do, you won’t get any rest tonight. I don’t want you going into work early tomorrow. Sleep until your normal time and stay late like you normally would, and then when you get home, pack a bag and call me. If you have time to look over the books for The Garrick, that’s fine, if not, that’s fine too. I don’t want you worried and losing sleep. Okay?”
She nodded, and was rewarded with a kiss on her forehead. “Get some sleep, but dream of me.”
Chapter Seven
Her alarm went off, and Miranda groaned and hit the snooze button, buying time, and rolled over. As she did, her body came alive with sensations that brought last night back in a vivid replay. Instead of the shame she would have likely felt just a week ago, all she felt was pleasure and anticipation for last night to be repeated. The alarm went off again and she sat up and turned it off. Her body ached, and she smiled as she made her way into the bathroom to take a shower. She had no time to wash her hair, and instead made do with a quick wash. As her hands roamed over her body, all she could think of was Declan’s hands and mouth on her, and her body responded all over again. With a curse, she did her best to push the memories back and get ready for the day.
Leaving work that night, she stamped out the guilt for only staying an hour late. Considering it had been hard to focus on the audit, she was actually further behind than she would normally be. Yet it didn’t matter, every minute after five o’clock had felt like an eternity. For the first time in years, when she left work she hailed a cab instead of taking the El home. Once she was home it was hard to focus on picking several suits that she could easily make use of by simply changing out the blouses and different camisoles. She threw jeans and t-shirts in, along with a few lounging pants she liked to wear around the house. When she was done, she dialed Declan.
“I’m ready.”
“Me too, sweetheart. I’m outside now.”
Pulling her small suitcase behind her, she nearly ran down the stairs. Miranda opened the door to find him waiting for her. He reached for her and pulled her into his arms, and his kiss was slow and hot and full of promise.
“Let’s go, or we won’t make it home.”