Always Will: A Bad Boy Romance (17 page)

My voice is barely a whisper. “I think I’m falling in love with you too.”

An easy smile spreads over Ronan’s face. His lips come to mine and he kisses me, deep and slow, tangling his fingers in my hair. I’m lost in the feel of him, falling through the air like we just jumped out of a plane. He wraps me in his arms. His kiss is luxurious. I run my hands through his hair and press my body against him.

Whatever else happens at work, I’m too far gone to stop this now.

21: Ronan

I hang up the phone after what may prove to be the most important phone call of my career. The meeting is on, and we’ll have the chance to pitch our plan to get the biggest contract I’ve ever gone after. My thoughts swirl and I lean back in my chair, putting a hand to my chin. I’m feeling a little invincible right now.

I get a sudden craving for speed. For freefall. But I’ll have to wait to indulge it, because I have a shit ton of work to do and several meetings that are too important to miss.

I can’t wait to tell Selene. Her hard work is as much a part of this as anyone’s. My hand hovers over my keyboard, about to type a message asking her to come to my office. But we have a meeting in ten minutes; knowing her, she’s already in the conference room preparing. I’ll wait. Maybe I’ll tell her over dinner.

Just thinking about Selene sends a strange warmth through me. I’m still reeling from the fact that I told her I’m falling in love with her. I didn’t plan on saying that. That wasn’t why I went straight to her house when I found out she’d left work early that day. I knew she was upset about the rumors, and I had to make sure it wasn’t going to drive her away. On the way to her house, all I thought about was what the company would do if we lost her. I didn’t let myself think about what
I
would do. I couldn’t. Wrestling with that would mean I’d have to face what I was feeling. And that was too fucking much.

Until the words came out of my mouth.

It was a rush just to say it. To admit what I’ve known for quite some time. Selene isn’t a game. She’s not a prize, or an accomplishment I can add to my trophy case. She’s an unbelievable woman—smart, funny, sexy as hell. She’s opened up a place inside me that I didn’t think was there anymore. I thought it died a long time ago. But somehow, she found it. She drew it out and made it live again.

The fear is still there. But I’ve never been one to shy away from fear. I use it. Embrace it. So I pushed past it and admitted that I love her. And fuck, I’m glad I did. I do love her, and hearing her say it back made it worth the risk to bare my soul to her.

Sarah knocks on my door. “You have a minute?”

“Sure, come on in.”

She takes a seat across my desk. “Well?”

I can’t help the smile that crosses my face. “We got it.”

“Are you serious?”

“Completely,” I say. “They’re coming here next month. We have a lot to do to prepare, but we have our shot.”

Sarah shakes her head slowly. “I almost can’t believe you’re pulling this off. But then again, you are … you.”

I smile again. “Anything else? I have a meeting and then I’m ducking out early. I think I deserve it.”

“I’d say so,” she says. “If that’s the case, mind if I head out when you do?”

“Hot date?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have a hot date,” she says with a smile. “What about you? Seeing Selene tonight?”

I lean back in my chair. “Yes.”

She raises her eyebrows. “We’re admitting to this now?”

I shrug. “I’ve never denied it.”

“You haven’t exactly been forthcoming.”

“You didn’t ask,” I say.

“All right, I’m asking,” she says. “And not as your assistant, but as your friend.”

“Asking what? There wasn’t a question.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re such an ass. Are you in a relationship with her?”

“Yes.”

“So, is this the usual thing?” she asks, her voice hesitant.

“What does that mean?”

“You know what it means,” she says. “How long is this going to last?”

“Are you asking me to put a time limit on my relationship?”

“No, I’m asking you if you’re serious about her.”

“Why?”

She sighs. “Because we’ve been friends since we were nineteen, Ronan. Sometimes friends talk about things. In sentences. Without deflecting by asking more questions. So I’ll ask you again. Are you serious about Selene?”

“Extremely.”

She raises her eyebrows again. “Extremely? Now you need to tell me what that means.”

I look away. I’m usually pretty open with Sarah. She’s known me long enough. “She’s different. It’s been a long time since I saw myself having a future with someone.”

“Since Chelsea?” she asks, her voice quiet.

“Yes, since Chelsea,” I say. For the first time, saying her name doesn’t hurt. “Fuck, Sarah, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m crazy about her.”

“Wow,” she says. “I’m really happy for you.”

“What are people in the office saying about her?” I ask.

“In regards to the two of you?” she asks. “People are just speculating. You don’t exactly hide the way you look like you want to eat her for dinner. The problem is, people fill in the blanks. Your reputation followed you back to Seattle, so people make assumptions.”

“My reputation?”

Sarah tilts her head and raises her eyebrows. “Come on, don’t tell me you’ve never heard what people call you.”

I’m not sure I want to hear this. “I don’t believe I have.”

“CEPD?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Chief Executive Panty Dropper,” Sarah says.

In another context, that might be funny, but I don’t find it amusing. “That’s idiotic.”

“Yes, it is,” she says. “It’s immature and silly. But you asked what people are saying. Office buzz is that you’re having a sort-of-secret fling with Selene. Mostly people wonder if she’ll quit when—or, I guess,
if
it ends between you.”

I shift in my chair. That’s about enough sharing for today. “All right, get out of here. Have a good date.”

She shakes her head. “Okay, you too. And congrats on the meeting.”

“Thanks.”

Sarah leaves, and I close my laptop and grab my phone. The meeting is in the large conference room. I brought up some of the key people from the dev team in San Francisco, and they’ll be reporting their progress on the work they’re doing with the developers here.

As I suspected, Selene is already here, standing at the front of the room chatting with one of the dev guys. I hesitate just inside the door, looking at her. She’s wearing a fitted cream blouse with the top two buttons undone, a dark gray pencil skirt, and a pair of sexy black heels with straps across the tops of her feet. The strappy shoes put some interesting thoughts into my head.

I step to the side and people file in, taking their places around the table. Selene glances over and meets my eyes with a little smile, just the slightest curve to her lips.

The things I want to do to that mouth.

I take a seat at the back and rest my elbow on the armrest, my fingers on my chin. This project is becoming Selene’s baby as much as mine, so I’m content to let her take the lead.

She starts the meeting with her usual relaxed efficiency, revisiting the goals we’ve laid out for the company, and summarizing the progress we’ve made. Her eyes sweep over the entire room, but I catch her gaze at every opportunity. I’m mesmerized, watching her lips as she speaks, her hands gesture, her legs move, pressing against that skirt as she takes slow steps across the front of the room. And those shoes. Fuck, she looks hot in those heels.

When she finishes, she gives the floor to the lead developer, and comes to the back of the room, taking a seat in the opposite corner.

My attention should be on the front of the room, but Selene crosses her legs and blood rushes to my groin. Her eyes flick over to me and she gives me that sultry almost-smile again. She shifts in her seat and slides a hand up her thigh, to the hem of her skirt, and pushes it up, just a little. Her fingers swirl across her skin, dipping beneath her skirt and out again. I have to stop myself from groaning.

With her face still pointed dutifully at the presentation, she lifts her hand to her neck and traces the line of her shirt collar. She trails her hand down and brushes the backs of her fingers across her nipple, setting me on fire with lust. I suck in a breath and give the room a quick glance. Everyone’s backs are to us. My dirty girl knows exactly what she’s doing and it’s driving me crazy.

Still not looking at me, she leans down, as if she needs to adjust her shoe. She runs her fingers up her leg, ankle to skirt hem, reminding me of the silky feel of her skin. I can’t even pretend I’m paying attention to the meeting, and my dick is so hard I’m going to have to be careful when I stand up so I don’t cause a fucking scene.

Selene flips her hair over her shoulder and brings her hand to her chin. Slowly, she slides her fingers up to her mouth and her tongue darts between her lips. My heart races, the blood pumping so hard I can feel it in my temples. She dips the tip of her index finger into her mouth and sucks, just for a second, then draws it out again. She pauses, her eyes still on the front of the room, then does it again. In, and out, her tongue flicking across her lips.

Adrenaline bursts through me. My eyes are locked on Selene, the droning voice at the front of the room fading in the wake of the desire I can barely contain.

She brings her hand to her neck and trails her fingers down between the open top buttons of her blouse. Tilting her face toward me ever so slightly, she meets my eyes and blinks, then licks her lips with exaggerated slowness. She drags her teeth over her bottom lip and holds my gaze. I can see her unspoken words written all over her face.
I’m going to fuck you later.

Oh, no, my dirty girl. I am going to fuck
you
later. And I’m going to make you pay for this torture session.

Selene stops her little game, and I’m mostly grateful because I’m so fucking turned on I can barely see straight. I wait in the back of the room, watching her while she finishes up the meeting and chats with a few people as the rest file out and go back to their desks. Her gaze flicks to me a few times but I just stare at her, unwavering. It gives me time to think of all the things I’m going to do to her when I get her alone.

The last person leaves the room, and Selene picks up a stack of papers. Her back is to me and I quickly cross the distance between us. I lean my face into her neck so I can speak directly into her ear.

“You’re a naughty little minx, my dirty girl,” I say, my voice breathy against her skin. “You think you can get away with playing with me like that?”

I can almost feel her hard swallow, the stiffness of her body, the quickening of her breath. I stand behind her, not quite touching. My hands ache to be all over her, but I hold back. I have something special in store, and it begins right here.

“You need to be reminded who’s the boss,” I say.

“Do I?” she breathes.

I spare a quick glance out the door to make sure we’re truly alone, then grab her hair and lean her head to the side, baring her neck to me. “Yes, you do. Be at my place at six on the dot. You earn an additional punishment for every minute you’re late.” I graze my teeth across her skin. “And wear these shoes.”

I let go and walk away without looking at her, high as fuck on the feeling of dominance she’s giving me. I’ll show her who’s boss, and she’s going to love every second of it.

22: Selene

My hands tremble and my heart wants to crack my ribs wide open. I pull out my phone and glance at the time. Five fifty-nine. I stand in front of Ronan’s door, waiting to knock. He didn’t say anything about being early, but he did say six on the dot.

I’m not quite sure what I’m getting myself into tonight, but his little chat with me after the meeting had me almost panting with desire. I think my game in the conference room might have worked too well. He watched me like a predator sizing up his prey, his gray eyes so intense I was sure anyone who looked at him could read his (very dirty) thoughts.

After the meeting, I went back to my office, my vision blurry, and pretended to work until I could leave. The throbbing between my legs hasn’t let up since, and I almost got myself off in the shower when I was getting ready. I stopped, though. I want him to do it. I want to come to him hot and wet and ready.

None of which is going to be a problem.

Six o’clock. I knock on his door.

He opens it, dressed to the nines in a slate-gray suit, complete with tie. I feel a momentary pang of disappointment. Are we going out? We’re meeting Braxton and Kylie for drinks later, but maybe he wants dinner first. I’m not really dressed up—I’m wearing a fluttery gold halter top with distressed jeans and the heels I wore to work—and I wonder if I missed a text from him, telling me what the plan is for tonight.

His eyes rove up and down and he steps aside, gesturing for me to come in. He closes the door behind me and grabs my wrist.

“Are you ready for this, my naughty girl?” he says into my ear.

I gasp a little breath, and my back tightens. Maybe he doesn’t want to go out. “Yes.”

His lips brush my neck. “If I do anything you don’t like tonight, tell me to stop, and I will. You’re safe with me.”

I swallow hard and nod. He steps away, letting go of my arm.

“You seem to have forgotten that I’m the boss,” he says, his voice going icy cold. “I’m in charge. From this moment forward, you will not speak unless I tell you. You will not move unless I tell you, and you will move only as instructed. Is that clear?”

I nod again, practically shivering, and bite the inside of my lip. My panties are completely drenched already, and he’s barely touched me.

“You thought your little game in the conference room was fun, didn’t you?” he asks, taking slow steps in front of me, his hands clasped behind his back.

He didn’t tell me to speak, so I wait, my eyes locked on his face.

Instantly, he’s right in front of me, his hand an iron grip on the back of my neck. “That was very naughty, Selene. You made my cock so hard I couldn’t think. All I wanted was the feel of your skin. The taste of your pussy. The heat of your body. I can’t work like that, dirty girl. I lost my whole afternoon to fantasizing about what I’m going to do to you.”