A brutal betrayal, p.15
A Brutal Betrayal, page 15
She stood slowly and walked over to where he was sitting. He watched her with wonder and interest until she pulled his chair back and sat down on his lap, straddling him. Then, it was just shock that coursed through his veins, maybe a tad bit of lust too. She hadn’t spoken a word, but once she was on his lap, facing him, she looked into his eyes, the smile dropping slightly, overtaken by a serious expression. Declan’s heart raced; worry, fear, desire making their mark across his chest.
“Meg?” he questioned.
“Declan, look at me.” He quirked his eyebrow and she chuckled. “I mean, look at what I’m doing. I couldn’t have just walked over and straddled you, or anyone, a few months ago. I don’t know where this confidence is coming from, but it’s because of you. I feel like a different person with you. No, that’s not right. I feel like the old me with you, the one who didn’t fear getting close to someone they cared about, the one who wanted to feel the heat and contact that only another person could bring. I feel so safe, so comfortable with you. I’ve never felt that way with anyone, not before, not after. And you’ve been so patient, so understanding with me. I know it hasn’t been easy, stealing kisses whenever you can. I…I just…” She cut herself off by sealing her lips over Declan’s. The entire episode had his thoughts running a mile a minute. He couldn’t think clearly with Megan this close, this bold. His blood was flowing south, and he was helpless to stop it, especially when he looked into her eyes and saw the trust in them.
He was paralyzed for a moment as her lips crashed into his, her fingers threading into his hair. Her warm body pressed closer to his. He felt the soft brush of her breasts against his chest, and it was all he could do to suppress a groan of approval. His body had been in a war with itself ever since Megan walked into his office. His body had wanted to strip her and pin her against the wall while he explored every inch of her. His mind, though, that was a different story; his mind knew better, but right now, his body was winning. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as their tongues mingled with pleasure, eliciting a surprised gasp from her lips. She moved her hands to his chest, and he just vaguely registered that she was probably preparing to push him away, but then she didn’t. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. She tasted like blueberries and wine, leftover from dinner, and he couldn’t get enough; she tasted like pure bliss, and all they were doing was kissing. If that was all Declan ever got, he’d survive, as long as it was Megan’s lips he was getting drunk on.
She broke away, her lips only inches from his, but her eyes fixed on him. “Dec, I…I don’t think I’m ready, but I want to…” She licked her lips nervously, but it just made her that much sexier as her fingers started trailing their way down. He watched her fingers move slowly toward his belt, her words not registering for a moment. And then it hit him. She felt bad for making him wait so she wanted to give him something, something she thought she could handle. His body was on fire, and not just for the unbridled lust running through his veins. He was touched that she wanted to pleasure him, but not like this. He didn’t want her to feel like it was something she had to do. He didn’t want her to surrender her own pleasure until she was one hundred percent ready to give him everything she had and then, and only then, would he allow himself purely selfish joy.
He stopped her hands with his own. “No, Meg. I’ll wait for you until you’re ready, forever if I have to. I don’t want you doing anything because you feel like you have to.”
“I want to,” she protested meekly.
“Do you trust me?” he asked. That question was starting to become part of their dialogue.
“Yes,” she responded without hesitation, and he felt the surge of pride rush through him.
“Then not tonight, but please, may I…let me make you feel good. Let me show you how cherished you are. Let me worship your body the way it deserves to be, the way it should have been from the very start. Let me wash away any fears you have of letting someone in that closely. Let me do this for you.”
“I…I don’t know…I’m afraid to…”
“Give up control,” Declan finished for her. She nodded in response. “By letting me give you pleasure, Meg, you’re not giving up control. I have to listen to you and to your body to make sure I’m doing the right thing. You control everything; your responses are my guide, I’m just following your lead. We’ll stop the minute you don’t feel comfortable or good, but please let me show you that you are a survivor and not just on the outside.”
“I…um…yes.” Her last word was said with determination, and Declan could see that side of her win the internal battle that had been raging inside her. Before she could protest, Declan stood up from his chair; her legs wrapped tightly around his body and pushed papers to the side with one hand before gently setting her down on the desk in front of him, her legs slowly falling away from his body, her wide eyes filled with lust and worry.
“Do you trust me?” he asked her again as he stood rooted between her legs. She nodded. “No, Meg, I need to hear you say it. Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you trust me to make sure you only feel ecstasy and joy and no pain?”
“Yes.”
“This is important, Meg. Do you trust me to stop if you tell me to?”
“Yes,” she answered immediately. Declan let out a deep breath.
“I’m going to undress you now.” He spoke softly waiting for her to give him the go ahead. She nodded slightly, and that was all he needed. “I’m going to keep my clothes on so you feel safer, no worries about what I’m going to do, okay?” Again she nodded. He bent down so his lips could reach her neck and kissed her, slowly, gently trailing kisses along her neck to her jawline and then to her lips. Passionate kisses, filled with hope and trust and longing. He trailed his hands down the sides of her ribcage, feeling her breathing become erratic at the promise of what was to come. Still kissing her, he took hold of the hem of her shirt and slowly brought it up, breaking apart only long enough to lift it over her head.
He moved his hands under her bra, kneading the skin just below her breasts, giving her a heads up of what was coming next. She moaned into his mouth, and he used the opportunity to unclasp the front closure of her bra, letting the cups fall to the side. He took each breast in his hands and groaned himself. She was perfect. They were soft, full, fitting exactly in his palms. He brushed her nipples with each thumb, feeling the nubs get hard under his touch. He broke away and looked into her eyes.
“Okay?” he asked.
“Yes, God, yes,” she mumbled.
He looked down at the dusky rose nipples, and his mouth watered. He lowered his head to catch a nipple between his teeth, flicking lightly with his tongue. She gasped, and he continued his slow torture with his tongue. He let his hand move slowly toward her pants, his mouth still latched onto her nipple. He unbuttoned her pants and started pushing them to the side, but Megan was planted firmly on the desk. He lifted his head, looking at her face, her eyes closed, her lips parted. She was feeling this, and it was his doing. This was the best moment of his life.
He moved both his hands to her pants and whispered her name, “Meg.”
She opened her eyes, and they were glazed over. He tugged lightly at her pants again and she nodded, understanding him. She lifted herself off the desk, using her hands to help hold herself, just enough to simply slide down her pants, along with her panties. She was still sitting on the desk, exposed to him, completely vulnerable, and she seemed to finally register the seriousness of the situation because her eyes became focused and she tried to cover herself.
“Don’t,” he asked, not demanded. “You’re stunning, absolutely exquisite.” She was like a statue come to life, hard lines and soft curves. Her flat stomach quivered with fear and anticipation, her lips trembled with desire and self-consciousness.
“I’ve…I’ve never been…You’re the first to see me this way.”
“You don’t know what that means to me.” He already knew that was the truth, but he could still hear the wonder in his own voice. This beauty was on display for him, something no one else had ever had the privilege of seeing and she was truly remarkable. And more importantly, she trusted him.
“Megan, I want you to feel good, but you need to know that you are in control. If it’s too much or you can’t handle it, we’ll stop.”
“Okay.” Her voice shook.
“Eyes on me, okay? If you see me, you’ll feel more comfortable.”
“Okay.” Her voice sounded stronger.
He trailed a finger around her thighs, and they quivered under his touch. He moved to kneel in front of her and placed a kiss on her thigh where his finger had just been. He placed small kisses along each thigh, moving higher, closer to her. She was glistening, wet, ready for him. Her psyche may have been damaged, but her body knew what it wanted, what it had been missing out on for years.
He stared at her wet sex for a moment before he trailed his tongue along her folds. She tensed, and he stopped immediately. When her body relaxed, he trailed his tongue along her folds again, breathing her scent in. She smelled like fresh clean soap and tasted like jasmine. He lapped at her lips, moving his tongue up and down, allowing her to get adjusted to the feel of him, to the feel of her own gratification. When he felt her shiver under him, he moved his tongue to flick at her nub. She moaned, and he felt the wetness pool out of her. He wanted to plunge his fingers in her while he assaulted her with his tongue, but he restrained himself. She wasn’t ready for that quite yet.
“Declan,” she panted, and he stopped, pulling away immediately, bracing himself to completely stop. “I didn’t know…It feels so good. I just…it wasn’t like…”
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked.
“Yes…no…I don’t…no, please don’t stop. This isn’t like that, this is anything but that. Make me forget anything but this, please.” He wasn’t sure if that was the right response, but he was keyed up himself, giving her this was preventing him from thinking clearly, and her pleas spurned him on.
He latched onto her with his mouth, his tongue giving way to a torturing pleasure. He heard her panting breaths, heard her moans and small sighs, felt her body shudder under him, felt her eyes on him and although he was rock hard, throbbing, begging to find his own release, this was bliss. Knowing he was the first to do this to her, knowing she was coming apart because of him, knowing he was giving her this, and she was allowing it was the best feeling in the world.
“Oh, God, Declan,” she screamed as her climax overcame her, her body convulsing. He didn’t let go, his tongue licking her as she rode out her release.
When he was sure she was spent, he stood up.
“That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen and the greatest gift you could have ever given me,” he whispered and kissed her gently before going to the bathroom and grabbing a towel.
He wiped her gently as she lay still, no longer sitting up. When he was done, he threw the towel on the floor and lifted her, carrying her to the bedroom and setting her on the bed. They didn’t say anything, but they didn’t need to as he lay down next to her and pulled her to him.
“Declan, I…”
“Shhh,” he spoke softly, stroking her arms.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice deep, husky, her words full of meaning. He knew what she was thanking him for. For turning something she feared into something she craved, for pushing away the bad memories and replacing them with something beautiful and magical.
He kissed her cheeks, her jaw, her mouth, and they stayed like that until it was time for Megan to go home.
Chapter 24
It had been two weeks since Megan opened up to Declan. He had given her pleasure a few times since but never took any for himself. With every touch, every taste, she relaxed more and more with him and that alone was enough to keep Declan going. It was a wonder; no, she was a wonder to him. He was falling more in love with her each day, and it was getting increasingly harder to keep that to himself. Whereas, before he was afraid to tell her because he didn’t want to scare her away, now he was afraid she’d think he was trying to push her to go further. He should have just manned up and told her when he first felt the stirrings of love. It was too late now. He’d have to wait.
He had found out the other day that Megan had never been to a club or a lounge before. She had been too scared, too nervous—her memories keeping her away from experiencing something so many of their peers were enjoying on a daily basis.
“We’re going to a club this Saturday,” Declan had declared after he found out the little tidbit.
“No, no way. It’s too much.”
“How would you know?” Declan questioned.
“I remember,” she whispered. He didn’t want her to remember that time, but he needed her to surpass her fears.
“Alright, fine, a lounge then. Same idea, but less crowded.”
“I don’t know, Dec.”
“I haven’t been doing my job lately,” Declan mused. “We’re supposed to be getting you out of your shell. Well, this seems like a great opportunity to step out of the box.”
She begrudgingly agreed, and that was where they were headed now. She was dressed in a short, red, figure hugging dress with a low scoop back that accentuated the smooth curve of her spine.
“You look magnificent,” he told her when he picked her up. She blushed and told him her assistant had helped. He’d have to remember to send Tracy a thank-you card.
“Breathe, Meg. You’ll be fine. I reserved a table, so we don’t have to worry about anyone getting into our personal space,” he told her as they walked in. All eyes were on her—men were lusting, women were envious—but Megan didn’t seem to notice. She didn’t realize how stunning she was, and she was nervous and fidgeting.
They walked in, and the host directed them to their table. They sat in silence for a few minutes, the music seeping into their pores, the vibe exciting. He watched Megan, watched her breathing even out as she took in her surroundings and relaxed.
“Do you want a drink?” Declan offered, but Megan just shook her head.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“So, is this all you thought it would be?” Declan teased as she watched the people dance and move around their table.
“It’s really loud and obnoxious,” she stated and then broke out in a huge grin. “I love it.”
Declan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled wide, bringing his arm around her and pulling her back so that her back was nestled into his side.
“The evening is all yours, Meg. If you want to sit and people watch, that’s what we’ll do. If you want to dance, I’ll be your partner. And if you want to leave, well, you made it here in the first place and that’s what counts.”
She turned and stretched, placing a soft kiss on Declan’s lips.
“I don’t want to leave. Let’s stay here for a little though and then maybe we can dance.”
She blushed when she suggested dancing, a red stain creeping up her neck. It was so endearing. It was sexy as hell.
An apple martini for Megan, which was slowly sipped, two whiskeys for Declan and an hour later, he felt Megan tugging his arm.
“Let’s dance.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, it’s starting to get crowded, and I don’t think I’ll handle it if there are too many people. So if I want to try it out, we should dance now.”
“I want you to break free of your fears, Meg, but I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
“I want to dance,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Alright then.” He laughed.
They danced for two songs with Declan doing everything he could to cage her body in with his. The dance floor wasn’t too packed yet, but it wouldn’t stop anyone from bumping into them. As far as Megan had come in a short amount of time, he didn’t think having a stranger grind against her was a good idea. Megan made a signal that she was done for now, and Declan grabbed her arm and started leading her off the dance floor. He had only gone three steps when he felt her tug on his hand, and he turned to see a random guy grabbing her other arm. From the stumble in his steps to the glazed look in his eye, he was drunk and probably didn’t even comprehend what he was doing, but the look of absolute horror on Megan’s face was enough to draw Declan’s rage to the surface. Megan was frozen, panic already setting in while the guy tried to coax her into a dance. It took Declan only a second before he had ripped Megan out of the guy’s grasp and sucker punched him in the jaw. He watched him stumble back into his friends and knew he’d probably lunge back for a fight. Declan was itching to lay him down, but he couldn’t deal with him. Megan needed him more than he needed the guy to learn some manners. The alpha edge that he had learned to temper was eager to come out. The military man in him was dying to teach the guy some manners, especially when it came to Megan, his Megan. A slight tug at his arm had his gentle manners coming to the forefront. Megan was his only concern now, not the asshole who needed a lesson.
He rushed her out, not caring about his tab. He’d call the lounge the next day and deal with it then. Megan was his main worry. They drove to her place in silence. They needed to talk—Declan needed to make sure she was all right, but he didn’t want it to be in the car while he was distracted. It didn’t stop him from glancing over at Megan every few seconds. He watched her demeanor go from rigid with fear to calm and loose by the time they got to her place.
He walked around and led her to her place.
“Dec, I’m fine, you can stop watching me,” Megan assured him.
“You’re not fine. You…that guy…this…” He couldn’t form complete sentences. “It’s all my fault. It was my idea. I pushed you. If I hadn’t, this wouldn’t have happened.” He had released her hand by then, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.
