On His Terms (18 page)

“What
in the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he said in a low voice, and took hold
of her arm to lead her away from the crowd that was making their way toward
them. He pulled her toward a secluded corner, and didn’t hide his anger for
her.

“
Rian
,
calm down.
I
did you a favor. I know she is your secretary, and that you have a hard-on for
your staff, but she is nothing but trash.” She flipped her hair over her
shoulder and narrowed her eyes at him. “I’ve told you before, and will tell you
again, being with me will make our families strong,
Rian
.”

“Just
shut the fuck up, Beatrice.” His hands shook with his rage. “How dare you think
you can put your hands on anyone, especially Sorcha, all because you have this
dramatized fantasy in your head that what we did for a couple of weeks was more
than just fucking.”

Her
cheeks turned red, and she pursed her lips. “I’m not a fool to think it wasn’t
just about sex for you, and honestly it was for me, too.” She took a step
closer to him. “But after those couple of weeks I started to feel more for you,
and although it certainly isn’t love, it certainly is enough to start
something.”

“There
is nothing between us, and even if I had entertained the thought, your little
act of assault sealed the deal that I don’t want you.”

The
anger faded from her face, and she exhaled. “I’m not apologizing for what I
did, but you have to know that I cared about you, and then you just discarded
me like I was nothing.”

Although
he was angry with her and wanted nothing more to do with her, he couldn’t deny
that her words reminded him of what Sorcha had told him in the car when they
had gone shopping in the city. He sighed, ran a hand over his hair, and tried
to get his annoyance under control. “I’m sorry that I made you feel that way, I
really am. That wasn’t my intention, Beatrice, but nothing is going to change
who and what I am.” He said those words, and although he meant them, he also
knew that he had hurt her. “I’m sorry I made you feel like that, but I never
led you on, Beatrice. I told you up front what it was we were doing, and you
thought the same. You only wanted the sex, but then you turned into this crazy
woman that hits women that are innocent in all of this. Because you’re jealous,
Beatrice, and that is low.”

 
She didn’t respond for several seconds, but
then narrowed her eyes, and he knew she was gearing up to throw one hell of a
hissy fit. “You would rather spend your time with a low class employee than a
woman like me?”

Rian
had apologized for making her
feel like she wasn’t worth his time, but she kept stepping over the line.
“You’re acting like a snob.” He was about to leave and let her stew in her own
self-hatred and annoyance, but she started speaking again.

“If
you want a piece of cheap tail, fine, but you and I both know that she couldn’t
give you what I can.”

“And
what the fuck would that be?” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared
down at her.

“A pure line of children, without
lower-class blood.”

And
with that he cursed under his breath and stalked away from her. Fuck her, fuck
this situation, and fuck him trying to block out his emotions for Sorcha.
 

****

Sorcha
slowly opened her eyes, the heavy feeling of someone watching her drawing her
out of her sleep. After the drama at the dinner party, of Beatrice slapping her
across the face, and of Sorcha having the strength to walk away and not
retaliate, she had lain in bed and stared at the ceiling. It had only been a
couple of hours, but the ride alone had taken most of that time, especially
with the heavy downtown traffic. She hadn’t even waited for
Rian
,
hadn’t called him or even wanted him to come after her. This wasn’t her life,
wasn’t her battle to fight. She had her own problems, her own issues that
didn’t have to do with a man she was only fucking for a week’s time, and the
bitches that wanted to keep him for themselves. As far as Sorcha was concerned
they could have
Rian
.

But after that thought she felt
this tightening in her gut.
All she could think about was the talk they had in the car, of the way she felt
after laying it out there for him. Could she really be caring about the softer
side of
Rian
Hartford? Better she block out any and
all emotion that had to do with wanting
Rian
for more
than sex, because those emotions would end up getting her hurt in the long run.

Sorcha
had been surprised she had fallen asleep anyway, especially with how much
adrenaline had been pumping through her veins. She turned and stared
blurry-eyed at the clock. It was early, and although she knew
Rian
hadn’t followed her, for whatever reason, she knew
he’d be coming soon. The moonlight shone through the window, almost iridescent
as it illuminated the room. The feeling of still being watched drew her away
from her thoughts, and she pushed herself up into a sitting position and
glanced around. At first she didn’t see anything, but then she glanced at the
doorway and her heart stopped. The large body standing there motionless was
shrouded by shadows. Sorcha held the sheet to her body, as if covering herself
from
Rian’s
penetrating gaze; despite the fact she
was in a tank and pair of cotton shorts. She didn’t know how to feel,
especially when he took a step into the room, and shut the door behind him.

“I
should have gone after you, but I stayed to speak with Beatrice and clear
everything up.” He turned his back to her and started taking off his tux.

“You
don’t owe me an explanation,” she said softly. In all honesty she didn’t want
to talk about it.

He
glanced over his shoulder at her as he removed his bowtie, but he didn’t
respond. When his jacket was off he started removing his cufflinks, wristwatch,
and then took his shirt off. The power in his back, of the way his muscles
contracted and relaxed with his movements, of course had heat filling her. She
turned away, because she didn’t need this right now. After a few minutes, and
the sound of clothing ruffling, she felt the heat of
Rian’s
body. With a hand on her shoulder, he turned her so she was forced to watch
him. There he stood, in nothing but a pair of low hanging lounge pants. Sorcha
was at least thankful he hadn’t just jumped into bed naked and expected her to
fuck him after what had happened. He sat on the edge of the bed, kept his hand
on her arm, but glanced down at the ground, as if he didn’t want to look at her
face.

“I
want to apologize for the way Beatrice acted tonight. She was drunk, and she
let her emotions get the better of her.” He looked at her then, but the way he
was positioned, and the fact the light came through the window, blocked out the
front half of him in shadows. “I made sure you got home okay, but I figured
you’d want a little time to yourself.” He paused for a moment. “So that’s why I
didn’t rush back here and say all of this.”

She
licked her lips, not sure what to say, so she just kept her mouth shut.

“But
I don’t want to just apologize for the way Beatrice acted, because it was my
actions that pushed her to that point.”

“She
controls how she acts.” Sorcha appreciated that he was apologizing, but he also
was a firm believer in taking responsibility for her own actions. Beatrice
might have been drunk, but
she
decided to confront Sorcha,
she
had
dug up in Sorcha’s personal life, and
she
was the one that had lifted her hand and hit her. “But I am glad you took some
responsibility in your own actions.” She smiled, but she was still on edge
about how the night played out.

He
nodded and started rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm. “I told her that
I was sorry for making her feel less than what she was, because if I had been
more considerate of others’ feelings instead of my own, maybe this wouldn’t
have happened.”

“And
you realized that now?”

He
shrugged.
“Pretty fucking crazy, huh?”
He turned so
his back was to her again, and stared out the balcony windows. “But I
realized,” he glanced at her, “and yes, in the short time it took for you to
knock some sense into my arrogant ass, that I do live a selfish life.” He
exhaled, and before he could turn away from her again she sat up once more.

Sorcha
didn’t know if she should be gladder that he finally realized what a total ass
he was, or that he was actually admitting it to her out loud. “Is she okay?”

He
turned toward her again, and she saw the way he knitted his brows. “Why would
you care? She hit you, assaulted you, and said some pretty hateful things.”

She
shrugged. “Yeah, she did all of that, and was a mega bitch, but what can I do
about it?” She swallowed at the intensity of his stare. “Besides, I’m only in
this with you for seven days, remember? What is the point of getting all up in
arms when I won’t be in your life permanently, like she thinks?”

He
didn’t speak, didn’t even move. All
Rian
did was
watch her like he wanted to say something, like he wanted her to know
something. His mouth parted, and she expected him to blow off what she said,
but when he snapped it shut and clenched his jaw tight, her heart started
pounding harder and faster.

“
Rian
?” she whispered, confused as to what was happening
right now. She could feel it in the room, surrounding her, making the hair on
her arms stand on end and this weird feeling in her stomach intensify.

“Nothing.
I’m fine.” He exhaled and ran a
hand over his perfectly styled hair, which in turn had the ends standing in
disarray.

She
swallowed roughly at the way his deep and husky voice seemed to spear straight
through her pussy. “It doesn’t seem like everything is okay.” Her voice cracked
slightly. Her throat felt incredibly parched as she watched his gaze travel
over her face, as if he was trying to read her without words.

“Is
it wrong that I wish I would have made the contract longer?” His voice was
hard, and the way he said those words made her think he was saying more than
just that. “Is it wrong that I want you more than I deserve?”

“What?”
She gripped the sheets in her hands.

He
shook his head but kept his gaze on her. “I’m talking about exactly what I just
said. I’m talking about wanting more than just these seven days with you.” He
moved his hand over the side of her head. “I want you like I’ve never wanted
another woman. I don’t deserve you,
that’s
for fucking
sure, but I’m selfish and want you regardless.”

“
Rian
…”

He
ran his hand over his jaw, and looked away for a second, before returning his
gaze toward her. “All I know is that for the past six months you’ve infuriated
me, annoyed me, pissed me off on every occasion, yet I still wanted you more
than I have ever wanted another person in my goddamned life. Doesn’t that say
something monumental?”

Her
heart was beating fast and fierce, as if it was trying to keep up with what was
going on around her. “Yes, and I feel the same way.”

“Fuck,
baby, you have no idea how hard it was for me to get that out.”

Oh,
she had an idea, because it had been hard for her to come to that realization,
too.

“Nothing
needs to be said. Not a word.” He leaned in and captured her mouth with his,
grabbed the back of her neck with his hand, and kissed her senseless. “You feel
that?” he murmured against her mouth, and she knew, just knew, what he was
talking about. It was this feeling at the base of her spine, slowly moving
through her until it stopped in her mouth and heated her from the inside out.

Her
pussy tingled and became wetter the longer and more intently he kissed her. She
felt like she was suffocating with pleasure and need. Her arousal and brain
were raging war between each other. Her emotions were real, genuine, and
Rian
had just bared his soul to her.

He
broke the kiss and placed his hands on either side of her, like he was caging
her in for what was to happen next. This was
different,
his passion more isolated, controlled, and focused right on her and this
moment. This felt like he was with her in the now, like this wasn’t about him
having sex with her, but about him giving a piece of himself to her.

“I
am, Sorcha.” He groaned against her mouth, and she knew she had said those
words out loud. He loomed over her, all hard sinew and tendons straining and
bunching above her and making her mouth water. He looked down at her lips, and
she involuntarily licked them.
Rian
groaned, and this
clenching need slammed into her pussy. He leaned forward so that she was braced
back on the headboard, and forced to inhale the dark scents that covered him.
It was a mixture of his expensive cologne, of the liquor he had drunk tonight,
and then of everything else that made up
Rian
Hartford.

The
position had her breasts thrust out. She lowered her gaze to his mouth, the
need to press her lips to his again overwhelming her until she found herself
rising to do just that. Her mouth was an inch away from his, and their breath
mingled as their arousal increased. She could feel his need for her as if it
was her own.