Ruthless (A Lawless Novel) Read online

  He ran his hands along her thighs, spreading them wide. She stared at him. At his eyes as his fingers skimmed her body. His green eyes heated, warming up as his skin flushed with his own arousal. When she thought he would get to work on his clothes, he pulled her down until her backside was right on the edge of the desk. He dropped to his knees.

  She shuddered at the thought of what he was about to do. “Please, Riley.”

  He looked up her body, their eyes locking as he spread her wide. “This is what I wanted to do about five minutes after I met you. I wanted to taste you. I wanted to put my mouth on you and see if you were every bit as sweet as you looked.”

  He lowered his head and she felt the heat of his breath on her flesh for a single second before sweet fire seemed to singe her as he put his mouth right on her pussy.

  No teasing. No taunting. He wasn’t playing around. He meant to make her come and quick. Her body went taut as a bow as his tongue tortured her. Wet heat slid over and around, dipping inside her most sensitive place and making her fight to stay still. She wanted to ride his tongue, but this was his place. She was in control everywhere but here. This was where he ruled, and she loved the power in his hands as he held her down. It only worked because she trusted him, because he wouldn’t hurt her. It was all right to let go with him, to give over and let him take the reins.

  Pleasure swamped her senses. He groaned against her tender flesh, the sensation sliding over her skin.

  “You taste so fucking sweet, Ellie. Nothing ever tasted as good as you do. I’ll never get enough.” His right hand moved up, and she felt his fingers moving into her channel. “You’re going to be so tight. You’re going to grip my cock like a vise.”

  “It’s been a long time for me.” Even the two fingers he began to work inside her felt big.

  He fucked her gently as he stared up from below. “No one since the divorce?”

  She shook her head. It felt so good. It was hard to talk, but he needed to know. “I dated some, but no one who moved me. And there wasn’t a lot of sex for about a year before.”

  Two years and all she’d had was her vibrator, and even that had fallen into disuse. She’d put everything she had into cleaning up her father’s messes and getting ready to take the company to a completely different place. She’d forgotten about her own needs until this one man made them come roaring back on line.

  His fingers caressed as his tongue found her clitoris. He sucked her, gently working as he curled his fingers inside.

  Ellie fought to stay still, finally making her hands into fists as she tried so hard not to scream out.

  He hit some magic place inside and she couldn’t hold back a second more. It didn’t matter that they were at the office. It didn’t mean a damn thing that someone could still be here. All that mattered was the sensation of his fingers and his lips and tongue. She soared over the edge and before she could come down, he stood and began to fight his belt.

  Ellie lay back. Exhaustion made her weak but she loved how her blood thrummed through her system, reminding her of what she’d been missing for so long. Passion. Connection. Intimacy. All of it was wrapped up in Riley Lang.

  She looked up as he shoved his slacks and boxers down, freeing his cock. He had a foil packet in his hand. It looked like her new man was a Boy Scout—very prepared. His hands shook as he tore it open. She got a better glimpse of his cock. Thick and long, with a pretty purple head. He sheathed it and then he was back at her core.

  “I want to see you.”

  He was still dressed, with the singular exception of his slacks, which had hit the floor. He pressed his erection in. “I can’t wait. I told you what would happen if you said yes.”

  He was stretching her deliciously, and she couldn’t help but smile. Her system was still sparking in a pleasurable way. His hair was mussed, his face a tight mask as he started to press his way inside.

  She’d done this to him. He was always so smooth and polished, and now the man looked desperate. Desperate for her. How was it possible? He was a Greek god of a man, but he was pressing inside her, holding her hips and forcing his way in.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She shook her head. “No, baby. You’re not. I was just . . . I don’t know why you’re here with me, but I’m so happy.”

  He hissed a little and thrust in hard, as though trying to teach her something. “Look at me. I’m here because I fucking can’t stand the thought of not having you. You tempt me like no other woman ever has. I don’t understand you and I might never, but I’m going to know you, Ellie Stratton. I’m going to know what makes you smile and what makes you scream out my name.”

  He gritted his teeth and started to fuck her in long passes. So full. He filled her in a way she’d never been before. Though she’d been tired from the orgasm, her body heated all over again. She wrapped her legs around his lean waist and angled herself up. She wanted more of him. She wanted all of him.

  He stopped talking, his head dropping forward as he settled in. His hips thrust and she moved to meet him.

  “You feel too good, baby.” He moved his hand and found her clitoris, rubbing in time to the hard thrust of his body.

  She shoved up and went off all over again. It was almost too much, too much pleasure, too much feeling. Tears pricked her eyes and she cried out again as his body lost its rhythm and he pounded into her, holding her tight when he came.

  He fell forward, letting his head find her breast.

  She held him and wondered if she wasn’t in trouble. She wrapped her arms around him because her first thought was that she never wanted to let go.

  Her second thought was a bit more practical.

  What the hell had she done?

  —

  Riley looked at Ellie’s curvy form through the opaque glass of the shower and wondered if this woman wasn’t his version of freaking Viagra. He’d had her not an hour before and he’d been hard ten minutes later. He could feel the beast straining as he watched her. “Is there room in there for two, baby?”

  He’d bundled her up after the mind-blowing episode on the desk. She’d looked up at him, her eyes wide and whole expression so soft, he’d damn near told her everything.

  It had been right there on the tip of his tongue to give her every bit of information he had. He thought about holding her and telling her what he was doing and begging her to forgive him. Hell, with Ellie’s soft heart, she might understand it all and become his partner.

  The fact that he remembered in that moment that his freaking brothers had probably listened in on their sex had shocked the sense back into him.

  He’d gotten them both dressed and packed up the food.

  Ellie had been quiet during the cab ride to her place, her brain likely going a thousand miles a minute. When the cab had stopped in front of her building, she’d turned to him, but before she could tell him good night or that she needed time to think or other bullshit, he’d kissed her.

  That seemed to delay the inevitable recriminations for a few moments.

  She’d allowed him in and they’d watched the news while eating the reheated orange chicken, broccoli beef, and dumplings he’d brought them. He’d pressed a glass of wine in her hand and she’d drunk about half of it.

  He needed to store a bottle of Scotch over here.

  When he’d told her to go take a shower and get ready for bed, she’d shockingly complied.

  He should have known that that brain of hers would start working again once the orgasm had worn off. He needed her to concentrate on the fact that it was done. They were in a relationship. Oh, they might not be changing social media statuses, but the deed was done. He wasn’t going to sneak away and pretend it hadn’t happened.

  He finally had her where he wanted her, and he intended to keep her there.

  “Um, I’ll be out in a second,” came the obviously a
nxious reply. “If you could grab a towel for me, I’ll let you have the shower.”

  Yes, he needed to shut that shit down or she would be waiting for him with his clothes, all buttoned up in some Victorian nightmare gown and showing him the door.

  He wasn’t about to let that happen. He’d just gotten her naked. He intended to keep her that way for a while. She was simply the loveliest thing he’d ever laid eyes on. Or hands. Or dick.

  He was so hard again.

  If he didn’t want to lose the ground he’d gained, he was going to have to invade. For a few seconds he’d forgotten this was war. He was overdressed for this particular battle.

  He shucked his clothes in quick order. He didn’t have time to tease her. The fact that she hadn’t seen him naked might throw her off long enough for him to get her in his arms again.

  If she told him no, he would leave, but he didn’t think for a second that was what was best for either of them.

  Ellie needed a place where she could go wild. He intended to be that for her.

  He would protect her from the fallout. He would keep her safe. She might lose some face, the stock might fall momentarily, but he was being optimistic.

  He could do this. He could come out of this with revenge and the girl.

  Because he’d decided he really wanted the girl. Fuck, he wanted her so bad.

  He opened the shower door and stepped in.

  Ellie turned and her mouth opened, likely to order him to leave. She didn’t get that command out. Her eyes widened and she was staring at him. “You’re naked.”

  He gave her what he hoped was a high-wattage smile. “I am. So are you, gorgeous. Come here and let me clean you up. After all, I’m the one who got you so dirty.”

  She seemed to force her eyes away from his dick. He’d closed them into the cozy shower, but she managed to put some distance between them. “I think we might have made a mistake.”

  He put his hands on his hips and didn’t need to affect his emotions. No acting there. He really was sick of this. “I told you to be sure.”

  Her eyes slid away. “I thought I was. God, Riley, look at you. I’m not an idiot. You’re . . . all that muscley stuff and I’m average.”

  He stared at her, not quite understanding. “You’re not average. I think you’re beautiful.”

  “I’m trying to figure out why you’re here.” She wouldn’t look at him. She kept staring at some place over his shoulder. “What do you want from me? You’re practically a damn male model. It doesn’t make sense.”

  His blood was starting to boil. He knew it was irrational. He really was here for another reason, but all he wanted from her tonight was sex. And affection. And . . . damn, just her. He just wanted her. “What do I want? I think I’ve made that plain. I made it plain when I ripped your clothes off and fucked you on top of your damn desk.”

  She nodded. “Yes, I want to know why you would do that. You could have any woman you wanted. There are many more beautiful women at the office than me. So I have to assume you’re with me because I can give you something else.”

  What was it with women? He could feel his blood pressure ticking up. How could she question the physical charge between them? He’d never had it with anyone else. Did she not feel it, too? His hands were fists at his side. “Ellie? Do you see my dick? Does it think you’re average? Is my dick worried about moving up in the business or whether it’s fucking the alpha female? Or was it hard again a few minutes after we had sex? Are you really so insecure you’re going to force out a man who wants you? I’ll walk away right now if you tell me you don’t want me, but I’ll be damned if I’ll let some idiotic insecurity come between us.”

  For a second, he thought he’d been too harsh. He hadn’t thought it through, hadn’t planned that speech. Those words had been straight Riley Lawless, as though they were really just two people trying to muddle their way through.

  Then she walked to him, her arms going around his torso and those sweet breasts pressing against him. “I’m sorry.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped his arms around her. “I think you’re gorgeous, Ellie. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. Haven’t I been after you since the day we met?”

  It might have started as something else, but the attraction was real. The need had turned into something he wasn’t sure he could go without.

  “I don’t understand it. It’s never happened to me before.”

  He forced her head up gently. “Do you think I do this every day? Ellie, I’ve never pursued a woman the way I have you. I told you before. My relationships have been casual and often random. I have never in my life run after a woman the way I have you. I’m crazy about you.”

  No lie there. He couldn’t remember everything he’d said while he’d been taking her on the desk, but he had to hope his brothers believed he was acting because otherwise he would get some serious lectures about not falling for the mark.

  Shit. He might have already fallen for the mark.

  He shoved that thought aside. He’d hoped once he’d actually gotten inside her, he would realize that it was simply sex. Yeah, it fucking wasn’t, but now wasn’t the time to deal with it.

  Now was the time to cement the bond. If he had any chance of keeping her after the bomb went off, he needed a strong bond in place.

  “I’m crazy about you, Riley.” She bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him. “What does it mean?”

  Finally she was asking him the right question. He couldn’t help himself. He dropped a kiss on those soft lips. When had kissing become something he wanted to sink himself into? Kissing was something he did to get to the sex, but he found himself indulging with Ellie. It meant something more with this one woman. “It means we’re together now. I told you I didn’t want a one-night stand.”

  Her hands ran up his back and she moved against him as though trying to get closer. “What about the office?”

  He couldn’t stop kissing her. He moved to her forehead and that little spot between her eyes. His blood was starting to get hotter than the water. “What about it? There are no rules against dating at StratCast.”

  “It would look bad.”

  “Baby, they’re already talking about us. It doesn’t matter. It simply means that they know we’re a team and they have to deal with us. If you look at it in that light, we’re actually being aboveboard and honest.”

  “You think that’s the right thing to do?”

  “I think I don’t want to pretend we’re nothing but coworkers. Maybe it would stop Ron from HR and that bastard Greg from sniffing around you constantly.”

  “You’re insane.” But this time she settled back against him, obviously letting go of her insecurity.

  He might have a fight again in the morning, but tonight it looked like he’d won the battle. “You don’t see how men look at you. I suppose I should be grateful because otherwise you might have gotten scooped up. I would bet they looked at you differently when you started wearing those filmy dresses instead of the dowdy suits. And if they saw you naked, they would never leave you alone.”

  He kissed her, letting his mouth play on hers. He could take his time now that he’d fed the beast. Oh, it was hungry again, but he could handle it now. He could take his time and indulge his senses in her.

  In her sweet smell. Citrus and sex. It was a heady combination.

  In the touch of her skin. She was so fucking soft and warm. He would regret leaving her at the end of the night.

  In the sight of her. He would never forget how gorgeous she’d been spread out for him on her desk. It had been the single most erotic moment of his life, looking down on her and seeing how much she’d wanted him.

  And the taste. When he’d put his mouth on her, he’d never wanted to stop. Sweet and sultry. He would never forget what it felt like to put his mouth on her.

  He would dre
am about her for the rest of his damn life.

  Without thinking about it, his arms tightened.

  “I think I’ll pass on the nudity. I would look really funny at meetings if I walked around naked,” she murmured.

  “You would look gorgeous and no one would get anything done.” He wasn’t going to think about the fact that she would likely hate him at the end of this endeavor. He was going to concentrate on the time he had. No woman had ever held his attention like Ellie did.

  He liked her. He’d liked women before. He wanted her. He’d certainly done that before, too. The problem was he was starting to like who he was when he was around her, and that was a completely new state of being.

  He liked being Ellie’s protector, advisor, and all-around go-to guy. That was why he’d bristled in a way that had nothing to do with his real purpose. He’d been pissed off that Castalano thought he could get her alone. That fucker thought he could take advantage of her, bully her, scare her.

  Kill her?

  That was ridiculous, but he’d done it before.

  “We should get cleaned up or we’ll lose all the hot water.” She sighed and cuddled again, either ignoring his possessive hold or not minding it.

  Sexually satisfied, Ellie was sweet and affectionate.

  “Turn around.” He gently moved her so she was back to front with him. He grabbed her soap and worked up a nice lather.

  This was an intimacy he’d never performed before. He let his hands work over her shoulders and the back of her neck. She’d already washed her hair, the scent of orange blossoms permeating the room.

  Now oranges would likely make him hard because he would think of her.

  “I had a shitty day, Riley.” She let her head fall back as he moved down, soaping her chest and cupping her breasts.

  “I know, baby. If you want to talk about it, I’m willing to listen.” He stood there with her, washing down her skin, but more importantly trying to infuse her with his calm.