“Courtney…” His voice hardened.
“Do not ‘Courtney’ me,” she snarled, pointing her finger furiously at his chest, trembling with her fury. “I stood before you, my soul bare and bleeding and not once…” She held up her finger imperiously. “Not even one time, neither by look nor by word did you even hint that you should feel any a single tender emotion for me. That you gave one whit for the agony resounding through my soul.”
“You got your sense of drama from your mother,” he growled, frowning back at her as he propped his hands on his hips. “Let me know when you’re finished chastising me and we’ll talk.”
“Finished chastising you?” She smiled. It was all teeth. “Oh dearest Ian, I have finished chastising you. You may return to the cold comfort of your Club, and the even colder depth of your bed. Alone.”
She couldn’t believe it. Could not believe his daring, his nerve.
His eyes flared with sudden anger.
“You will listen to me,” he snapped. “Don’t push me, baby. I’ve been pushed far enough.”
“I have yet to push you, Ian Sinclair,” she yelled, furious, as she stomped to the door. “I have yet to show you what an arrogant all-knowing prick I now believe you are. You may leave.” She flung the door open, fury pulsing through her.
She hadn’t come in a month. No orgasms. No pleasure. No sexual pain.
She had cried until her pillows were drenched.
She had made her mother cry. She had brought tears to her father’s eyes.
She had suffered. For what? So he could arrive in her home, in her bedroom and say his feelings were hurt?
Phfft! on his feelings.
“You damned little wildcat.” He stomped to her, jerking the door out of her grip and slamming it closed before jerking her back in his arms, restraining her hands behind her back and drowning her furious scream with his lips.
Lips that ate at hers. Lips that slanted across hers as his tongue forced its way into her mouth, licking at her, devouring her.
She hadn’t had an orgasm in a month.
She had drenched her pillows in tears.
And he was here now. Kissing her as though he could not taste her enough, his c**k pressing hard and demanding against her stomach as he arched her into his embrace. He consumed her senses, forging past the fury to the soul-deep hunger for his touch, the satisfaction only he could bring.
She needed more. She had to be closer, to draw the heat of him into her, to hold this small, unexpected touch forever to her heart.
“You left me, Courtney…” he growled against her lips, nipping at them erotically as her eyes opened drowsily to stare back at him. “You can’t leave me, baby. Never again. Not ever again.”
She would have spoken, she would have questioned the surprising declaration if his hands didn’t seem to be everywhere at once, divesting her of her clothing, stroking her, sending her senses spinning with his touch.
She was weak, and she knew it. He might not love her, but before she had to walk away from him forever she could touch him once last time, take him into her body and remember forever how perfect it was.
You can’t leave me… Never again… Not ever again…
The words vibrated through her mind.
“No. Wait…” She turned her head from him, trembling, pleasure and pain vibrating through her body. Pleasure from his touch. The pain of losing him. “Ian… Oh God, yes…”
His lips covered a hard, up-thrust nipple heatedly, drawing on it, sucking it deep into his mouth as his teeth rasped against it and his hands pushed the loose pants from her hips.
She was lost then. Nothing mattered but his touch, his hand lifting her to the bed as he followed her down, his amazing dexterity as he laved her nipple and quickly stripped the clothes from his own body.
Finally, he was naked. Hot and hard, his body tense and ready as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight as his lips moved once again to hers. The kiss opened her soul. Pleasure flooded every cell of her body, every corner of her spirit as his hands cupped each side of her face, holding her still as his head lifted.
Her breath caught at what she saw in his gaze. Emotion, bright, intense, adoring emotion.
“I love you, Courtney,” he whispered, his expression twisting painfully as he watched her. “I didn’t know how much I could love until you were gone. Until your laughter no longer filled my home, your wicked high jinks no longer made me crazy. Until I stood in that damned club and knew, without you by side, my life was as empty as my bed was without you in it. I didn’t know what love was, until I saw my refusal to admit it drown all the sweet innocence in your eyes. I love you.”