Effortless

A devilishly hot grin pulled at his lips.

“I know, I know,” I breathed, too wrapped up in his sexually charged haze. “The look.”

“My favorite.”

A rush of anxiety surged through me, filling me with a sense of foreboding. I shoved it away as fast as possible but not before Alastair noticed.

“Hey,” he whispered. “None of that. You’re here with me now. You’re safe. I will never let him near you.”

“It’s not that, trust me,” I said, flicking my wrist to ward off the mention of my ex-boyfriend. “Can we go to bed now?”

Alastair studied me for several seconds to make sure I was really alright. I didn’t want him to worry over what was probably just my self-doubt rearing its ugly head at the most inopportune time.

Placing my hands on his chest, I smiled. He smiled back, melting my heart. “What do you want to do in bed?”

“You.”

Nuzzling into my neck, he hugged me soundly, as though holding me in his arms was the only thing he was meant to do for the rest of his life. I wanted to bottle this moment up for as long as I could.

“You’re mine, Alastair,” I declared, tightening my arms around him.

“Always,” he said.

CHAPTER TWO (#udc4d14b7-1f7c-5487-954c-55962bec609a)

I stretched under the blankets as best I could, not wanting to disrupt Alastair’s vice-like grip on me. A delicious, satisfied soreness hummed between my legs and down my thighs. His gloriously naked body pressed into mine as he grunted in response to my movements.

“It’s not time to get up yet, is it?” he muttered in my ear.

“Almost. It’s just after six.”

I managed to free an arm and shut off the alarm on my phone before it buzzed. Alastair turned me so I faced him, opened a sleepy eye and grinned. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning, yourself. Did you sleep alright?”

“Never better.” He kissed my forehead, nose and cheeks before pulling me into his chest. The last thing I wanted to do was remove myself from this amazing cocoon of comfort. Pieces of his messy hair tickled me like they always did. Waking up with him never failed to put a smile on my face. It was one of the perks of us sharing a bed.

“You feel good,” he said, sliding his hand over my backside. And there was the other perk. “Come shower with me.”

Untangling his body from mine, he pushed back the blankets and stood up. I drank in every absolutely stunning naked inch of him. His toned, athletic physique was second to none. That body was made to please a woman and thank goodness I was on the receiving end. Lifting an eyebrow, he gazed down at me. “Look at you, all sexy and gorgeous on that bed.”

I stared at him through a lusty fog. “Why did you leave?”

“Good question.” He crawled back on the mattress. “You smell good,” he said, leaving a trail of kisses up my stomach. “So beautiful. And sweet.” Lacing his fingers through mine, he held both my hands over my head against the mattress. “And mine.”

I parted my lips, welcoming his kiss.

“I love this look,” he said with a note of satisfaction, “and seeing you this turned on.” He angled his head so his mouth hovered near my ear, making it easier for the velvet tone of his accent to slide through my bloodstream. “You’re always so ready for me. Tell me what you’re thinking about.”

Forming a coherent sentence wasn’t possible. Neither was breathing.

“Alastair,” I moaned, arching my back. “Stop talking.”

“And do what?”

“Whatever you want.”

Letting go of my hands, he wet his lips. On impulse, I nipped at the bottom one.

“Tempting,” he said, sitting up. “But what I’d like to do to you would make us both miss work and I have a full day of meetings.”

WHAT?

My expression must have dropped like a lead balloon. I sat up and pouted. Cupping my chin, he kissed me firmly. “Tonight.”

Something was off. I could see a subtle change in his demeanor.

The diamond shimmered on my finger as I stroked his cheek. “Is everything really okay with work after that board meeting?”

He tensed, retreating behind the all too familiar protective shield. “Mostly.”

“Talk to me.”

He’d made leaps and bounds in the sharing department but still hid behind the mask whenever he felt overwhelmed or flat out didn’t want to explain what was happening in his head. I brushed a few messy pieces of his hair back, waiting patiently for an answer.

“Just the usual, kitten. You know, the Holden way.”

I really didn’t know. I could only assume he was referring to his uncle.

Running both hands through his hair, he sighed. “Can we keep all talk of my family out of the bedroom? I’d rather this be a place for us to escape the outside world and lose ourselves in one another.” Tracing the edges of my lips, he aimed a white hot stare at me. I could tell he was agitated and didn’t want what little time we had together this morning to end on the wrong note.

“That sounds good to me,” I said, smiling. His expression softened, giving me that amazing, fluttery feeling in my stomach after breaking through his walls.

* * *

Alastair kissed me a little too long in the backseat of the Mercedes SUV after Paxton pulled to the curb in front of my building.

“I want you spend all day wondering about all the different things I’m going to do to you tonight,” he whispered on my lips. “I want you to anticipate every touch, every kiss, every move.”

I swallowed hard, glancing at the driver’s seat to see if Paxton heard any of that. He seemed oblivious, staring out the window.

“Amelia. Look at me.”

I met his heated stare and shifted on the leather seat. “This is the second time you’ve gotten me hot and bothered this morning without following through, Holden. I think you’re enjoying it.”

His sexy grin only made it more difficult for me not to tear off his expensive, three piece suit and have my way with him in the back of the car. Seeming to read my thoughts, he cupped my chin. “Control it. Channel what you’re feeling right now and save it for later. Just think how much more satisfying it will be.”

“You’re a piece of work,” I muttered, squeezing his thigh. “But I love you anyway.”