Page 60 of One Billion Reasons

“Why bring me down just to save me? Why tell me you can’t give me more than empty pleasure and then turn around and be absolutely wonderful?” My voice is rising, and I don’t care.

“Because you’re mine.” He takes a step toward me. The look on his face is anger and longing all rolled into one. “Mine to rescue.” He slashes a hand through the air. “Mine to protect.” He steps in, and we’re just inches away. So close I have to tilt my head back to meet those beautiful eyes. “I promised your brother when we met that I would take care of you. You come first, Lane. Even before myself.”

My stomach drops and my heart races and I start to feel like I might be sick. You’re mine. I’ve wanted to hear those words for so many years, but not like this.

“What the fuck?” I whisper. “What kind of patriarchal bullshit is that? So because I’m yours, you decide what’s best for me?”

“No. It’s not like that.” He shakes his head. “It’s more like…I would do anything for you. If you’re trapped, I’ll rescue you. If you need a house, I’ll buy it for you. If you were in danger, I’d kill someone to protect you.”

“For Liam.” I hate this. “And yet you won’t give me the one thing I want from you.” A connection.

He shakes his head. “I can’t, Laney.” His voice is hoarse. His eyes are pleading.

I hate you, Miles Becker. The words are on the tip of my tongue. But they’re a lie. So instead of speaking, I reach up and seal my mouth to his.

For a second, I think he’s going to stop me, and then he makes a low sound in the back of his throat and crushes me to him.

27

Miles

I can’t resist her. I know I should. I shouldn’t have touched her this morning. Or yesterday. But kissing Lane is like staring at the sun or checking how sharp the tip of a knife is. You want to do it. You know it’s bad for you. But you’re inexorably drawn to it.

She tastes like anger and sadness, and I kiss her back with everything I have. Her lips part on a groan, and I gather her to me, until just the tips of her toes touch the floor. I want to devour her. Her little gasps are everything, and I eat them up with my tongue and my teeth until she’s breathless and boneless against me.

I press her back on the couch, and she goes easily, her eyes wide, her lips swollen. I push up her short pink dress and press my lips to her stomach, and down her thighs, up to her neck. She’s shaking with need, so I strip off the lace thong she’s wearing and bury my face between her legs.

She tastes so fucking good. So I tell her. She cries out as my tongue flicks over her clit. Already swollen, already wet for me. Hell yes.

“Miles,” she begs, and my cock jerks in my jeans at the sound of my name. I drag the flat of my tongue up through her wetness. How many times have I pictured this? How many times have I been with a woman and squeezed my eyes shut until Lane’s face was all I could see behind my lids? God, it’s fucked up. And everything I want.

She tugs on my hair to lift my head and I let her. “More.” Her cheeks are pink, and her lips are parted.

“Lane, I—” My breath sticks in my throat, and my words die as she strips off the dress and rises up on her knees. She’s wearing a sheer lace bra that hugs her body and lifts her breasts up. Her nipples are hard and just visible through the fabric. She cocks her head, and I freeze. This is bad.

Her hands drop to the waistband of my jeans, running just along the edge, dipping inside the top. I groan, and she smiles. Stop encouraging her.

She’s watching me, predatory and intent. I have to regain control. And then she wraps her fingers around my erection, and my hips punch forward. I’m lost. She eases the zipper down and strokes me, once, twice.

“Fuck, Lane.” My words are pained. She strokes again, too light to do much, but enough to tease. “More, please. Stop teasing me.”

“I should take you right to the edge and then kick you out.”

“No.”

She grips my cock, and my spine bows. “Fuck. Do that again.” I don’t know how we got to this place, but I love it. She’s like a drug, and I can’t stop wanting her, even when I shouldn’t.

I close my eyes. I shouldn’t. I really, really shouldn’t. I promised myself this was about her, not me. But she wants this. Just a little bit. Just this once. I loose a shuddering breath. I nod, and then she’s pushing my briefs down and I’m helping with shaking hands. And then her mouth is on my cock and I can barely think.

She’s hot and wet and the suction is perfect and holy shit. I just barely keep my hips from bucking into her mouth. She swirls her tongue and sucks me down. I hit the back of her throat again and again.

“Fuck, Laney. That feels so good.”

She makes sounds of pleasure at my words. She wants more.

So I groan and give it to her. “I love how you suck me down. I love seeing my cock disappear between those beautiful lips. Yes, sweetheart.” I hit the back of her throat. “Yes, that feels so fucking good. When I hit the back of your throat, I—” She does it again and I groan. “Fuck, yes. Take me.” She moans and increases her pace, and my whole body is trembling with need.

“Lane.” I weave my fingers through her short hair. “I’m close. I don’t want to come in your mouth unless you want it.”

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