Lethal Consequences (21 page)

She pushed down all those stupid schoolgirl emotions and moved toward him, heading for the door. “You’re right.” She was also done waiting for someone to save her. It was way past time she saved herself. “I’ll fuck whoever I want.”

He captured her arm at the biceps before she could get past, stopping her momentum. “That’s not what I said.”

“It’s what you meant.” She tugged her arm from his grasp and reached for the door handle. “Let me go, Landon. Just let me go for good.”

His hand slapped the wood just above her head, preventing her from opening the door. “I . . . can’t.”

His whispered words held so much anguish, her heart lurched in her chest. Her hand froze against the door handle. He didn’t touch her, didn’t move closer, but his heat washed over every inch of her skin, and his warm breath fanned the nape of her neck, sending the fine hairs beneath her ponytail to stand at attention.

“I know I should,” he said so softly she almost didn’t hear him. “I know it’s the only thing I can do. But I . . . can’t. I
need
to protect you.”

Her heart rate shot up. “Protect me? Or control me?”

“Livy,” he whispered.

“No.” She gathered her courage, let go of the door, and turned to face him. He was only centimeters away, his hand braced against the wood above her head, looking down at her. And though his eyes were pained, though she knew he was struggling, she wasn’t about to give him an ounce of pity. Not now. Because she was struggling just as much. “I’m a person, not a thing.”

“I know that.”

“No, I don’t think you do. You treat me as if I’m made of glass. I’m not, you know. I’m pretty damn strong. Stronger than you give me credit for. You say you love me, but this isn’t love. This is you trying to manipulate me into doing what you want—or not, as the case may be.”

“I . . .” His face went ashen. He dropped his hand from the door and quickly stepped back. “How . . . ? What . . . ?
Why the hell
would you say that?”

Oh yeah, Marley had been right. His filter had clearly been down thanks to the 151. He obviously didn’t remember spilling that little secret. But Olivia no longer cared. She was done letting him push her around.

She stepped away from the door, advancing on him. “You shouldn’t drink so much. Or mix alcohol with Xanax, apparently.”

He moved back another step, stumbling when his leg hit the arm of a chair. She knew she was freaking him out, but she didn’t care about that either. For once she felt powerful. “If you don’t want me, that’s fine. But stop trying to dictate my life. I don’t need you, Landon. I may want you, but I’ll get over that. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that I can get over anything.”

She turned back for the door. But this time when he captured her arm, he didn’t just hold her still, he whipped her around and pushed her back against the solid wood. “Don’t leave. Not like this.”

Her chest rose and fell with her deep breaths. Her pulse pounded in her veins. She looked up, hating and craving him all at the same time, and hating herself for feeling that way. “Why not? What do you want? I’m so sick of this. Just tell me what you fucking want.”

His eyes widened at her words, but the swearing didn’t bother her anymore. She just needed answers. Needed to let go of the past. Of who she used to be. Needed to be free. Of him, with him . . . she wasn’t sure which. Needed—

“I want . . .”

“You want what?” she snapped. “Dammit, just
tell me
already.”

His gaze searched hers. So pained. So unsure. So tormented. “You. I want . . . you.”

Relief and irritation swirled inside her. “Then stop dicking around and do something about it.”

He went stone still. His gaze flicked over her face, indecision warring in his rich brown eyes. And her heart dropped when she realized he still wasn’t going to act.

She was an idiot. Such a gigantic idiot to think that any of this mattered. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her hand around the door handle at her back and turned.

He moved in at her front before she could get all the way around, a mixture of strength and frustration and heat all wrapped up in one lethal package. Her gaze shot up to his. To the desire burning in his dark eyes. To the hunger. And she had time to suck in one surprised breath before he closed his mouth over hers and pushed her back against the cool wood once more.

His tongue swept over hers, and the taste of him shot straight to her soul. A hint of darkness, of desperation, but mostly the sweetest, most amazing tenderness. A tenderness he’d shown her time and again. One she was sure he didn’t even know he had in him. But tenderness wasn’t what she wanted now. What she wanted—no, what she
needed
—was to
feel
what she meant to him.

He pulled back and looked down at her, his chest rising and falling with his shallow breaths as if he’d shocked himself more than her. And as she looked up at him, that fear trickled back into his eyes. The same damn fear she saw whenever he thought he’d done something “wrong” where she was concerned.

No more . . .

She gripped his shirt at the front and curled her fingers into the soft cotton. “Stop treating me like I’m some fragile flower. I’m not. I’m a full-grown woman with full-grown needs. If you want me, then show me. No more holding back. I won’t break. Not even close.”

He swallowed hard. “Livy—”

“Not with words, Landon. Words are empty.
Show
me.” Her hands fisted tighter, and she rose to her toes. “I’m right here, dammit. I’m—”

His lips captured hers, and a groan echoed from him into her. And then his hands were on her, wrapping around her waist, pulling her away from the door, plastering her body to his in a movement so strong and fierce, she gasped.

She opened to him, swept her tongue into his mouth, and gave as much as she took. His lips grew greedy, demanding, his kiss filled with danger, with promise, with a tiny bit of pain as he nipped at her bottom lip. He pushed her up against the door once more, his body closing in at her front to block out everything but him. And as he plundered her mouth, his hands swept down to the bottom edge of her sports bra. His fingers hooked the elastic band, and then he broke the kiss long enough to yank it over her head.

Every inch of Olivia’s skin was on fire. She reached for him as soon as the bra was free, rose up on her toes, and fitted her mouth to his once more. He groaned against her and pressed his erection into her belly, already hard, already swollen. Desire exploded inside her, made her ache, made her wet. She kissed him deeper, wanting only to get closer. His warm, slick tongue raced over hers as his fingers streaked up into her hair, fisted, and pulled.

A sharp shot of pain echoed across her scalp. She gasped as he tugged her head back. Then groaned when his mouth closed over her neck and suckled.

This was what she wanted. No more playing it safe. No more being careful. Just raw need and blinding passion.

Tingles raced all down her spine as he teased and nipped at the sensitive skin of her neck. It was good but not good enough. She wanted more. Wanted faster. “Landon . . .”

His teeth sank into her flesh, and pain shot across her skin once more, making every muscle tense, making her gasp again. She curled her fingers tighter in his shirt. And then his tongue swept over the spot, soothing the ache, rocking her desire to a whole new level. She groaned as his lips moved lower, across her collarbone heading south, as her body grew even hotter.

His large, warm palm closed over her right breast. And then his mouth was there, closing over the tip, his tongue flicking against her nipple, making her shudder, drawing her deep to suckle until she saw stars.

She angled her hips upward, pressing into his erection, desperate for his cock. Her hands streaked down his sides to the waistband of his jeans. His mouth pulled free of her breast, and his fingers found her nipple and pinched. A jolt of electricity shot between her legs, and she gasped again. Then his lips closed over hers once more to kiss her deeply.

Pleasure . . . Pain . . . Not nearly enough of either. She wanted more of both.

Her hand found his shoulder. She dug her fingertips into his rock-hard muscles, rose up on her toes, and kissed him deeper, grinding her aching sex against his cock. Wanting more. Now. Right now. “Landon . . .”

He pulled away. “Turn.”

He whipped her around to face the door, and she had only a split second to brace herself before her palms slapped against the hard wood.

Her brain wasn’t working. She had one need, and he wasn’t giving it to her fast enough. “Landon—”

“Hold still.”

His fingers hooked into the waistband of her yoga pants, and then in one quick move he stripped them from her legs. Cool air washed over her skin, and she shivered as he pulled them free of her feet, but the chill was quickly pushed aside as his palm grazed her foot. “Open.”

She trembled and swallowed hard, loving this new side of him. Loving that he wasn’t holding back anymore. She slid her right foot out an inch.

He trailed his fingers across her ankle and up her leg, leaving behind a line of hypersensitized skin. “I love this tattoo. When did you get it?”

“Um . . .” Her throat was so thick she could barely speak. He was asking about the purple butterfly on the outside of her right ankle. “College.”

“Sexy.” He slid his hands up her inner thighs and applied pressure, forcing her legs farther apart. “Wider.”

A wicked thrill shot through her, and she widened her stance, not knowing what he had planned, excitement vibrating in every nerve.

“That’s it.” His warm palm and long fingers landed against her lower back, forcing her to tip her ass out and up for him.

Heat arced through her and enflamed her face at what he must be seeing. He
groaned behind her, and then she felt his hands running along the soft curve of her buttocks and down the backs of her legs.

“So fucking sexy,” he muttered. “I’ve dreamt about you like this.”

He had? Olivia turned her head and pressed her cheek against the door while his hands continued to trace all over her exposed flesh. Everywhere but where she desperately wanted him to touch.

His soft lips grazed first one, then the second dimple at the base of her spine. Her eyes slid closed. She breathed deep as his lips moved lower, across one cheek and then down the other. Her pulse sped up. Against the door, her hands grew sweaty.

“I want to hear you scream, Livy.” His hand slid around her waist, then up her belly until his fingertips brushed her sensitive breast. “Don’t hold back.”

She’d said that to him. Only minutes before. Or maybe she’d just thought the words. She couldn’t remember now. But she didn’t have time to ponder because his lips were moving lower, his other hand pushing against her lower back, forcing her to arch higher for him. And then she felt his tongue, sliding over the slick flesh between her legs.

Her whole body trembled. He did it again, and electrical vibrations rocked through her hips. His tongue slid across her opening and then flicked over her clit. Groaning, she curled her hand into a fist against the door and rocked back against his agonizingly slow lick.

“Landon . . .” She needed to say something else. To tell him what she needed. But she couldn’t find the words.

“God, you taste good. Just as I knew you would.” His tongue brushed over her clit again, this time harder and faster. “Let go, baby.”

His hand squeezed her breast. His fingers moved to her nipple. Between her legs, he laved his tongue over her again and again. She pushed back against him. Rocked into his touch. He pinched her nipple between his forefinger and thumb, and a sharp stab of pain exploded in her breasts, then shot straight to her clit. He licked faster. A keening sound rose in her ears. She knew it was coming from her, but she couldn’t stop it. Fire built in her core, echoed to her breasts and down again. She pushed back against him, needing more. Needing everything.

His tongue slid down to her opening. He pinched her other nipple as he pressed his tongue against her. She groaned and arched her hips even more. Her orgasm barreled closer, hovering just out of her reach.

“Landon . . .” Her hand opened, then slapped against the door. She squeezed her eyes tight. Licked her lips. Landon’s tongue slid back up to her clit. Flicked again and again. Stars fired off behind her closed eyes. She gasped and pushed back into his wicked, hot touch. Wanting, needing, aching, craving . . . Then his lips closed over her clit and he suckled.

White-hot electricity raced down her spine and exploded outward from the spot. She cried out as waves of pleasure rushed over her body, dragging her down. Her body quivered as he continued to torment her, as the ecstasy went on and on. When it finally eased, she slumped against the door, her body slicked with sweat, her limbs weak and trembling.

Fabric rustled at her back, but she couldn’t force her eyes open just yet. Soft, sweet lips pressed against her left buttock, her lower spine, her shoulder. Then his fingers were on her hips, pulling her back toward him.

“Again.” One hand streaked up her belly, over her breast, and cupped the side of her face, pulling her head back toward him. His mouth closed over hers, and that tempting, naughty tongue of his swept over hers before he pulled a breath away and whispered, “I want to hear you scream again. This time my name.”

A shiver rippled through her. He dipped back into her mouth, kissing her again with renewed passion. She tasted him and her own burning desire. His bare thighs brushed the backs of her legs, and the raging need she’d felt before came rushing back. Suddenly, the release she’d just had wasn’t nearly enough.

She tried to turn, to reach for him, but his hand landed against her hip, holding her in place.

“Stay right there,” he whispered, adjusting behind her. “That’s it. Arch for me.”

She pushed back against him. The wide, blunt head of his cock teased the oversensitive skin between her legs. She groaned and dropped her forehead against the door, arching higher, wanting more, needing all of him. The tip of his cock circled her clit, and she trembled. He pressed a fraction of an inch into the heat of her sex.