My cock is hard, throbbing for release as she quivers and screams in my arms.
By the time she’s quiet again, her rough breaths are brushing across my face. And when her whimpers grow silent, I stare into her dark, hooded eyes and whisper across her mouth, “I forgot.”
“Forgot what?” she breathes.
I nip her lip. “I forgot how much I like to watch you unravel.”
Taylor
An hour later, I’m lying in bed next to Darius, with his fingers trailing over my arm. His clothed body to my naked. I like it here. It feels safe. I know there are thoughts to be had about what we’ve done, but they’re thoughts I don’t care to deal with now. This feels good. I feel happy for the first time in a long time. And that’s where I’m leaving it.
I have no idea how long we’ve been lying here in bed together, while I’m staring up at the smooth white ceiling, but I like the comfortable silence. It’s been far too long since I’ve had it with anyone.
Shawn and I had been over before we’d begun. He was an escape for me to try to forget about Darius…as were the others. But neither my body nor my mind has forgotten what Darius and I shared. And the reminder of how it feels to be touched by him brings my addiction back in full force.
Even now, I want more of him.
“I’d like you to come and work for me,” he finally says, breaking our silence.
I sigh, shifting on his arm to see him better. “And how did you come to that idea?”
“It’s logical,” he explains, continuing to stroke my arm. “You’ll be protected at Bennett. No reporters get in or out of my building, and we have underground parking.”
I consider his proposal. “Let me guess, this conversation falls under the this-is-saving-me-not-saving-you umbrella?”
He grins and arches a brow. “Yes, so don’t argue with me.”
“Believe me, I know better than to argue with you.” If Darius has mastered one thing during his lifetime it’s being charming as well as persuasive.
“I’ll need a couple days to find the right position for you at Bennett,” he continues, brushing my hair off my shoulder. “But I’ll have a job lined up and an office for you on Wednesday. All right?”
I stay silent, nibbling my lip, thinking his offer over.
He flips onto his side, facing me, and I part my lips to answer him, but he stops me by placing a finger on top of them. “You’re strong. You don’t need me—especially a man—to help you. But you’re going to accept working for me because you know that I know you are strong and you don’t need me to help you.”
Sometimes this guy is too good to be true. “It’s just…I really wanted to do this on my own.”
“Yes, I know that.” He smiles sweetly. “But things have changed now. If you aren’t going to use the notoriety to benefit you, then why go through it? If you come and work for me, you won’t have to deal with the paps at all. And it’s not like I’m just handing you a job, Taylor. You can stay in HR, doing exactly what you’re trained to do. You deserve the job. You’ve worked hard for it.”
Okay, so I kinda see his point. I know the paparazzi are going to be a huge pain in my ass. And I can only imagine Bennett, Inc. is locked up tight where it comes to secrets. Logically, I know that I really don’t want to be looking over my shoulder every minute of the day to ensure none of my co-workers photograph me. Of course, emotionally I don’t want to lean on anyone. But things have changed, and I can’t ignore that either. I really don’t want my secrets on a cover of a grocery-store magazine. “Okay, and thank you. I’ll be there Wednesday morning. Happy?”
“Very.” He places his arm behind his head, his dress shirt sliding off his side, showing off tanned abs. “Now, tell me exactly how much your ex has gotten you into debt.”
My mood instantly takes a downward turn. “And just how did you know that it’s my ex’s debt and not my debt?” I don’t put it past Darius to look into my financial situation, inside and out, if he feels he needs to do so to protect me.
His eyes dance, amused, as his fingers tap my nose. “Before you start thinking of all the ways to kill me for looking into your life, it might be best to remember that I know you well. And the last thing you would do is bury yourself in debt.”
“Oh,” I say.
“Oh.” He grins, watching his finger stroke my arm. “So, tell me: How much debt has he left you with?”
The ex-boyfriend in question is a guy I dated before Shawn, who ended up going to jail for check fraud. Which still shocks me. The guy didn’t seem the type at all; even Allie loved him, which was exactly why I had agreed to loan him money. I really hate admitting this. It makes me feel irresponsible. But I also know the debt isn’t mine. “Ten thousand on a loan.” I look at Darius’s chin, unable to look into his eyes when I add, “My ex before Shawn borrowed it from me to buy a truck.”
“And he never paid it back?”
“No.”
“Hrmph,” Darius grumbles.