Page 31 of The Bourbon Bride

I laugh and wrap my arms around his shoulders to pull myself close to his broad back. “Such service. Who knew I’d get a prince and a steed in the same pretty package.”

He scoffs. “I’m the guy who would beat up the prince for being a little pussy. I’d rather get my hands dirty on the battlefield. I’m not afraid to do the hard things, whatever they may be.” His hands are bands of steel on my thighs, and I believe him.

“A morally gray knight, then. That works for me, since I’m no princess.”

“You’ll always be my princess.” He squeezes my thighs and I smile against his back as we bump down the hallway.

He deposits me on the soft leather sofa in the den, grabbing one of the soft throw blankets from the back and dragging it over my legs.

“You sit tight. I’m going to change out of this suit so we can cuddle.”

“Promise?” I call, smiling in pleasure at the thought, and watch his retreating figure. He’s dreamy.

I’m searching through the movie channels looking forThe Shiningwhen he returns and the remote falls from my hand when I get a look at him. He’s wearing gray sweats that show off his powerful legs and a black t-shirt that stretches across his chest. I can’t help noticing the bulge in his crotch on display as he walks despite likely not being aroused in the slightest. He’s big even when he’s not hard. The blood rushes into my face and my whole body grows hot. Hayes in athleisure wear is a whole different level of sexy. And far more comfortable for him than a suit, I am sure.

He settles next to me, his back pressed into the corner of the couch. He shakes his head like he doesn’t like the spot, throws the blanket off my legs, and scoops me up just to deposit me in his lap as he stretches his legs into my vacated spot. Then he drapes the blanket over the both of us. He shifts my hips around until I’m snuggled between his legs, my behind backed up tight to the crotch I was just ogling and lets out an exaggerated sigh.

I can’t fight the smile that is plastered to my face during this whole precious ordeal.

“That’s better.” He pulls my back flush against his chest and wraps his arms around my middle. I feel him press his face into my hair and inhale. “Now we’re ready to watch a movie.” His words are exhaled right above my ear, and I shiver.

I do, in fact, scream during the movie. It freaks me out enough to turn my back to the screen and bury my face in Hayes’s chest, my arms wrapped around his middle and my legs straddling one of his thighs.

His big hands keep up a steady caress along my back until the music on the screen lets me know the scary part has passed and I’m able to pull my face away again. When I look up at him, ready to apologize, I catch his intense stare and watch as he lets his bottom lip roll out between his teeth. His lip is slightly wet, and I want to taste it with a fierceness that has me feeling hot all over. I raise myself up to straddle his hips and catch his lip in my teeth this time, feeling him groan at the contact. My hands snake behind his neck, sliding into his hair and pulling his head forward so I can kiss him. His hands settle on my hips, clenching as I tentatively delve my tongue into his mouth and find his waiting, expectant and eager, to meet mine.

I forget all about the movie as I take my time learning every detail of his lips, how our tongues can clash or move together, and the drugging taste of him that has my hips moving over his, feeling him grow harder in response. I don’t know how the movie ends, or if Jack ends up being a dull boy after all, but I do know what it feels like to come apart in his lap, my moans swallowed whole by his mouth.

thirteen

Hayes

Mymindkeepswanderingback to Paige when I should be focused on meetings. Instead of strategy analysis and market research for phase two, I’m still thinking about her whimpers and the way her body moves with mine each time she straddles my lap, or lies below me, always fully clothed, and finds her release through the friction we create.

She’s a natural, every sincere and unpracticed movement like she’s been pulled from my deepest fantasies and washed to be the cleanest version of what I long for. Even the way her body fits against mine, it’s just… perfect. It’s going to be so much sweeter when the clothes are removed and she’s ready for me, but I’ll take what I can as she grows more comfortable and confident exploring what our bodies can do together.

It’s been decades since I dry-humped a girl like this. My sexual experiences usually move from foreplay to fucking as the mood strikes within the session, never thinking that I wouldn’t end up inside my partner at some point in the span of the evening.

There’s something different about moving slowly with Paige that keeps me from rushing in. I’m savoring every first with her and building the tension that will break in sweet release when it’s time. And I’m jerking off more than I have since my teens. Thank God I haven’t come in my pants, but it’s been a close thing on several occasions now.

“Hayes, we need you focused on what’s going on here, not whatever the fuck you’re thinking of instead.”

I cut my eyes to Zander and glare. I hate that he’s being the fucking voice of reason.

“Are we buying a fleet of rental yachts or not?”

Payton shakes his head. “Profit margin isn’t high enough for the investment and operating costs. We’re back to just the boutique hotel chain. Your girl’s business is still on the docket, along with six others, to make it the largest chain in the U.S.”

I nod. Without the Xenios Group properties, we’d have to cobble together several more acquisitions and risk spreading our investment too thin. We can make the most impact with our plan A, and it requires Xenios.

“I’ll work on it,” I promise. “As for the others, how are the acquisition plans going?”

“Southampton, Royal, and Atherton are all barely treading water, so they should take the first lifeline we throw without a fight. We’ll be doing them a favor,” Zander says.

“My sources say the other three are amenable to the prospect, but will put up more of a fight, so we’ll have to go in low and work to the deal we planned on. They’ll take it eventually.” Payton grins, turning his attention to me. “So, has the Xenios princess taken you out at the knees, or is she still fighting? You’re crankier than usual, so I think she’s playing hard to get. Or she’s not that good.”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” I growl, crumpling a P&L sheet for one of the hotel groups in my fist.

“You’re so touchy when it comes to her. Why so secretive, Hater?” Zander presses. “Afraid if you brought her up more, I’d slide into her DMs with a dick pic and steal your girl?”

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