Adored: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella (1001 Dark Nights) Read online

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Don’t push me again, Laurel. I’ve had enough. You push me one more time and you’re going to see a side of me you don’t want to see.” For the second time that day, adrenaline pounded through his system.

  Come on, baby. Push me again. Let me take over.

  His dick was so close to getting what it wanted. All these months and it had been ruthlessly controlled, tamped down and put on a leash. Hell, since he’d met Laurel he hadn’t taken a lover, not even for a night. He didn’t want anyone else. He wanted her and if she pushed him one more time, he could chuck his morality for the night and have her. He’d given her every out. She was a smart girl and he’d given her control. All she had to do was make the sensible choice for both of them.

  “Fuck you, Mitch.”

  Decision made. He fell on her like a hungry lion.

  * * * *

  Laurel’s whole body came alive when Mitch’s muscular body pressed her against the door. She could feel the wood at her back, but there was more at her front. He was hard, his cock already thick, and he didn’t hold it back. It was pressed against her belly, insistently telling her that no matter what happened, nothing was going to be the same after tonight.

  “I fucking warned you. I won’t stop this time. I won’t play the gentleman again,” he whispered before his mouth descended on hers.

  Thank god. Six months. They’d passed and every night she dreamed about what they could have had if he hadn’t played the damn gentleman that night in Hawaii. They’d wasted six months. Six months when she could have felt him against her, when she could have had the heat of his body to warm her own. They could have been sleeping together, sharing a life beyond the confines of this office.

  His lips found hers and he was ravenous. He slanted over her mouth again and again, dominating and taking what he wanted. His tongue surged in and she could feel that slow slide in her womb.

  Just like that she was wet and ready. Her body felt malleable, as though it knew this man was the one who could mold her and bring her to fruition. Every inch of her body felt primed. Her nipples rasped against the fabric of her bra, her breasts heavy and wanting. Her clothes were suddenly too tight and she wanted nothing more than to throw them off. She didn’t need clothes around him.

  A sudden vision of what it would be like now that Mitch was finally claiming her stamped itself in her brain. She could hear him commanding her to be naked when they were alone. She would curl up at his feet as they relaxed. It would be the two of them and they wouldn’t have to argue. They would be together.

  His hands found her backside, squeezing. A low groan ground out of his mouth as he explored her. She could feel herself softening, offering herself up for his slow exploration. This was the man who would finally teach her what all the fuss was about.

  Mitch pushed her to be better than she was, to think more clearly about points of law and to challenge herself to greater heights. She’d always known it would be the same in the bedroom. She’d had lovers before, but sex had been something to do, a way to show affection. Sex with Mitch was a force of freaking nature.

  He pressed her against the door. His mouth was a marauder, plunging in and taking what he wanted. His hands gripped her hips and suddenly she felt her feet leave the ground. Mitch had a good half a foot on her, but it didn’t seem to matter. He simply lifted her to where he wanted her to be.

  “Feel that. That’s what you fucking do to me,” he growled against her mouth.

  His cock. His very large cock, from the feel of it, was pressed right against her pussy. She had to gasp when he ground that big erection against her clit.

  She intended to give as good as she got. “You can’t tell what you do to me because there are way too many clothes between us.”

  “Tell me, Laurel. Tell me how wet your pussy is.” His voice had gone deep, smooth and richer than normal. This was his Dom voice and it made her obey with ease.

  “So wet. My pussy is already soft and wet for you, Sir.”

  “Do you want my cock?”

  “I want everything,” she answered honestly. She wanted him to take her in every way a man could take a woman. She wanted long nights where they simply explored their boundaries. She’d been fooling herself. Sanctum wouldn’t mean anything without Mitchell as her Master. She only wanted to submit to him and only in the bedroom. She wanted to be his partner out of it. He needed her. He needed her to push him past his shell and she needed him for so many things. She needed the safety she’d found with him. No one had ever taken care of her the way he did.

  His hips kept moving as he kissed his way across her face. He licked the lobe of her ear. Damn but that felt good. He nipped her before lifting her easily. “Put your legs around me. I don’t want to wait. I can’t. I need to be inside you. I’ve waited too fucking long.”

  She did as he asked because she’d waited too long, too. Months of yearning made her reckless. She wrapped her legs around his waist, forcing her skirt up around her upper thighs. She could already feel the way her panties were damp and clinging. She was going to make a mess of his slacks, but it didn’t matter. Her brain couldn’t wrap itself around anything but how good he felt as he held her up and opened the door.

  He strode through the office she’d worked so hard to turn into something comfortable for him, past her own office where she kept the set of legal books Mitch had bought for her when she’d finished her paralegal certification classes. He’d said anyone who could put up with him while she attended school deserved something. Most women would see them as a simple tool, but the law was the only thing Mitch truly loved, and sharing it with her had been an act of affection on his part.

  She could see through him, see to the softer side of the man. Why had it taken him this long to acknowledge that they were good together?

  He strode into his office, her weight not holding him back at all. She’d watched him as he played basketball with her brother and their friends, so she knew the strength that lay under his white dress shirts. Always white with black slacks. He had what must be fifteen pairs. The only things that changed were his ties.

  He kissed her as he moved toward his desk. Their tongues melded and there was nothing awkward. She’d always found kissing awkward, a little messy. She was never sure what to do with her hands or how to move. She didn’t have to with Mitchell. He took over. He moved and she followed as though they’d done this a thousand times before.

  Heat flashed through her system. She’d never been so aroused in her life. It was like all the tension of the day, of the last six months, was being crushed under a tidal wave of desire. Her blood thrummed through her system, waking up parts of her body she’d never thought of as sexual. When he touched her back, she shivered all along her spine.

  She heard a crash and realized Mitch had shoved everything off the top of his big desk. He set her there, one arm around her at all times. Even in his passion, he was gentle with her, making sure she was safe. Now she could see the advantages to the massive thing as he settled her on it. He didn’t stop kissing her for a second. Their mouths moved together, tongues sliding and playing.

  His big body was in between her legs, forcing them apart as his hand moved under her skirt. She felt his palm on her thigh, moving up and up to where she needed him to be. Her head fell back as his fingers moved under the waistband of her undies and started to slide over her labia.

  “You’re so wet,” he groaned against her neck.

  “I told you, Sir. I’ve never been this wet before.” Only for him. He invaded her every thought, all her dreams. She had no idea why this surly, gloriously masculine misanthrope did it for her, but he did. Chemistry. They had it in spades. Mitch walking into a room could make her temperature spike.

  He moved back and she watched as he pulled his soaked fingers from her core and brought them up to his nose. He breathed her in deep. “God, you smell like fucking sunshine, Laurel.” He sucked them inside his mouth, licking her essence off.
“And you taste even better. I knew you would. I knew you would be the sweetest thing I’d ever tasted.”

  “Please, Mitch.” She knew she was begging, but she couldn’t do the whole foreplay thing. She needed him. They’d waited far too long to take their time.

  His face turned savage. “Yes, I think it’s about fucking time I pleased Mitch.”

  His hand went to the buckle of his belt and he shoved his slacks and boxers down with a single thrust, his cock jutting out. She caught a brief glimpse of the gorgeous monster before he was kissing her again. His fingers were back on her pussy, but he seemed to be pushing her undies aside…and then he was there.

  Oh, she had to force herself to breathe as she felt the broad head of his cock start to push its way inside.

  Alarms bells started to go off in her head, but they were a distant thing. She clutched at his arms, feeling the muscles of his big biceps through the fabric. She loved how his daily wardrobe hid the gloriously masculine body underneath. It made her want to unwrap him, to slowly rid him of the garments until he was naked in front of her and there was nothing else between them.

  She longed to throw off her clothes, but the moment was coming too fast. It was like life had sped up the minute she’d started to climb those stairs. Anger had fueled her and she’d wanted nothing more in that moment but to piss him off. He pushed her buttons, too. Sometimes she thought they were gasoline and fire. They could fight until they were blue in the face but neither one would leave.

  But this, this was what it had all led up to.

  “God, Laurel, you’re so tight.” He gripped her hips and pushed in.

  She could barely breathe. “I’m perfectly normal. You’re too big. God, don’t stop, Mitch.”

  One of his hands found her hair, tangling in it and pulling her head back. There was the tiniest bite to his hold that had her scalp lighting up with sensation. “Even here you argue with me.”

  For a second she felt like he was disappointed, but the moment passed as he forced his cock in another inch. He kissed her again and she held on for dear life as he thrust in using small movements. In and out. Gaining ground with each pass. He was so big. She was stretched and super wet, but he still was almost too much for her.

  “I’m not going to last. You’re too tight. Too long.” His breath sawed from his chest. “Gotta make it good for you.”

  She bit her lip as he held himself still. His hand made its way between their bodies and then she was the one who was whimpering. His finger slid against her clitoris. He rubbed the pearly button while their mouths played together. His tongue slid inside as though trying to make up for the fact that his cock was still. Over and over he rubbed and played and the pressure built inside Laurel until she came, her body bowing, nails digging into his arms as she rode out the pleasure.

  He moved his hand to her thigh and drove his cock deep. It was like she’d let him off the leash and he pounded inside her. She looked up and his eyes were closed, his head thrown back as he shoved in one last time and she felt heat streaming from him to her.

  She looked up, ready for another kiss, another caress from him. They had all night. It might take forever to get enough of this man.

  Mitch stared down at her. Just for a moment, his eyes were soft, as though he was utterly satisfied. That look was quickly replaced with tension and dawning regret as he took a step back, pulling up his slacks. “I can’t believe we just did that.”

  “Mitchell?” She’d felt so sexy a moment before, utterly lost in the moment. But apparently the moment had passed and the Dom had left the building because it was Mitch’s frown on that handsome face.

  She sat up, her undies shifting back though they were soaked beyond repair at this point.

  Soaked because Mitch hadn’t used a condom.

  Oh, god. They hadn’t used a condom.

  “Laurel, this was a mistake.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair and turned away from her as if he couldn’t stand to look at her another moment. “God, what did I do?”

  She got up on shaky legs. “You simply did what was inevitable, Mitch. We’ve been moving toward this for six months.”

  His hands were fists at his sides. “I’ve been fighting to avoid this for six months, Laurel. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want any of this. God, am I ever going to grow the fuck up?”

  Tears pricked her eyes and she tried to smooth out her skirt. It was a mess. She was a mess. She could still feel him inside her. Her mind was complete chaos, but her heart was a nasty, aching mess. How could he not have felt what she felt?

  “I’m going home.”

  He finally turned to her, but he wouldn’t look her in the eyes. “Yes, I think that’s a good idea. We can forget this ever happened. We can go back to the way it was.”

  Go back to the way it was? Hardly. But she’d learned where arguing with him got her. It got her screwed. What he didn’t realize was that she argued and fought with him because she cared about him, wanted the best for him.

  Now she wanted to curl into a ball and cry because she’d been wrong. She’d thought if she could get him to make love to her, everything would fall into place.

  Stupid. She’d been so stupid.

  And she might pay the price. She tried to remember when her last period was.

  “Laurel?”

  She couldn’t look at him. They hadn’t even taken off their clothes. She’d thought at the time it was because they’d been too much in the moment, but now she knew he’d never had plans to slow down. She’d been a quick lay for him, a way to burn off the tension of the day.

  He’d warned her. He’d told her he wasn’t good enough for her. She could see now all the times he’d practically begged her to leave well enough alone. He’d told her he was too old for her, too damaged, and she hadn’t listened. Even tonight he’d given her shot after shot of leaving well enough alone, but she had to poke the beast.

  She’d learned her lesson.

  “I’m fine, Mitch. I just want to get home and take a shower.” Her voice sounded hollow even to her own ears. Devoid of emotion, which was a complete joke because she was weeping inside.

  Please hold it together. Don’t let him see you cry. Don’t. Don’t make a bigger fool of yourself than you already have.

  “Laurel, I didn’t use anything.”

  She was not having this conversation with him. “It’s fine. It’s not a problem.”

  For the first time she heard some relief in his voice. “Good. That’s good. The last thing we need…”

  She was out the door before he could finish that sentence. Yes, she’d been an idiot. There wasn’t some soft Mitchell Bradford waiting under the surface. All of that had been spent on his two ex-wives, and all that was left for Laurel was a man who meant it when he said he didn’t want another commitment, didn’t want to even try to love her.

  Or maybe he simply couldn’t. He sure as hell had never lied to her about wanting marriage and kids. He’d been plain about that. He’d never lied.

  She’d lied to herself.

  She grabbed her purse and her computer bag. “I’m going to take tomorrow off.”

  He was standing in his doorway, his shirt untucked and his eyes grave. “All right.”

  “I’ll call and cancel the glass on my way home.”

  “Why? I thought it would stop the natural light or something.”

  She shook her head. “It’s your office. You’re the boss. I’ll cancel it and you do what you like.”

  “Laurel, why don’t we have a drink? I’ve got some Scotch. We fucked up. We should talk about it. Please, I’ll let you handle the glass and stuff. You’re better at that than I am. Come and sit with me and we’ll talk about it.”

  He sounded so lost, like a little boy who didn’t know what he wanted but he knew he didn’t want to be alone.

  She forced herself to turn away. “No. I need to go.”

  He followed her out the door and down the stairs. She didn’t argue. He’d always walked her t
o her car. He wasn’t going to change. Mitchell Bradford didn’t change and it would do her well to remember that one rule of the universe.

  She waited for him to shut off the alarm and then stepped out and into the parking lot. Her Honda was sitting next to his massive SUV. Even his car could rip hers apart.

  “Laurel?”

  She unlocked her car and turned to see him standing in front of the building. “What do you want, Mitchell?”

  It was the question she should have asked before. She’d gone into her whole relationship with him asking what she wanted and having one answer—him. She’d never asked him what he wanted for the simple fact that she knew. He didn’t want her.

  He stared at her. “I’m so sorry, Laurel.”

  She nodded and got into her car. When she looked in the rearview mirror, he was still standing there.

  She drove off, determined to never make the same mistake again.

  Chapter Three

  Two weeks later Mitch stared at her through the big bay windows of The Legal Defense Aid office. Laurel was talking to some kid, probably right out of law school. He was tall and lanky, with a handsome face and stylish clothes. He probably didn’t wear the same white shirt and black slacks day in and day out. Laurel smiled at him, her face vibrant. And then she turned to her sisters, obviously introducing them to the man. Lisa smiled and gave Laurel a wink that let Mitch know she liked the new guy.

  Laurel was good. She was happy.

  “Mitch? Are you going to go in?”

  He took a deep breath before turning and facing the one person he didn’t want to face. He’d been ducking Will Daley’s calls for ten days, ever since he’d gotten back from Chicago. The demise of his relationship with Laurel was almost certainly the end of his friendship with Will, and damn but he would miss the guy. He turned and shook his head. “No. I was just checking in. I won’t bother her.”