Page 68 of Regally Binding

Chapter Thirty-Two

Bear’s second favourite movie genre played on the tiny television in the semi-dark room.Die Hardwas everything she was expecting an action movie to be: gritty life-or-death situations with a damaged hero trying his best. She was basically watching Bear’s life.

Without Strike keeping an eye on them, they’d sat against each other. Bear’s body was warm, and as Liss fought sleep, she rested her head on his shoulder and curled up against him. When he wrapped an arm around her and his hand stroked her back gently, she reminded herself they were just friends hanging out. Since they’d met, her life had brimmed with stress, distraction, and exhaustion, and tonight was no different. But within the safety of Bear, her limbs lightened, and her breathing slowed.

His lips brushed her head, and she slid her hand under his top and stroked his chest. His muscles quivered, and she remembered all he’d said in the kitchen about what it was like to be properly fucked.

“Liss,” he grunted as she leaned against his chest. “I don’t get involved with clients.”

His heart beat rapidly. Usually, she’d take the rejection and leave, but there was something in how he said it, like a grain of hope rested on his tongue.

“I won’t be a client soon, and then we’ll never see each other again. I’ll have guards and be locked away from the world,” she replied, biting the inside of her mouth. “You don’t get involved with clients. But I won’t use anything against you. You don’thave to invest in this or me, so don’t worry that I’ll text you all the time. I get what this is.”

He paused the film and faced her. He tracked her tongue as she ran it across her lips. “You deserve to have someone invested in you,” he said as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes, remembering his lips brushing her forehead in the palace. “Look at me, baby.”

Liss opened her eyes to find Bear worrying his lip as he stared at her. “You don’t do hookups.”

“I don’t do good sex either, apparently.” Liss attempted to lighten the moment but resigned herself to the truth at Bear’s intensity. “Next week, I won’t be able to have casual sex or fun dates. We both have a lot to lose. If I sleep with some random guy, the media will be all over it. There’s so much I’ve missed out on, and I’m scared I won’t ever have it.”

She dropped her head, but he tucked his finger under her chin and eased it back up. “I don’t want to hurt you, Liss, but this will be a one-off—well, three-off—once I discover how to make you come hard. I’m not relationship material. But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about you naked and moaning my name since the second you cheeked me in the Bentley. Are you sure you can do this without feelings?”

She brushed the pad of her finger across his lower lip. His nostrils flared as she dipped her head to kiss him. He eased his mouth open, and their tongues explored each other. His fingers threaded into her hair, pulling out the elastic that held her ponytail, and she leaned into the kiss. She stroked his stubble with the back of her knuckles. Shivers slid up and down her back as she took the kiss deeper, pushed him against the sofa, and climbed onto his lap. His hands gripped her thighs as she ground against him.

“Princess,” he uttered against her lips. “Don’t stress. I want this, but you didn’t answer my question. Are you sure you can do this without feelings?”

Of course she couldn’t, but she needed it. Her pulse quickened as she took one of his hands and pressed it against her breast.

“We only have a few days left, so how many feelings can I get?” She struggled to catch her breath as he thumbed her nipple. “Please show me what it is to be well and truly fucked. I can’t spend the rest of my life never knowing. What if you’re my only chance?”

She slid his hand down to between her thighs and pressed it against her clothed pussy. To her, it was like she was on fire.

He ran his knuckles across her joggers. “You’re already wet for me, Liss.” She clenched her jaw and moaned with pleasure. “You’re fucking soaking for me,” he growled.

He brushed his lips against her neck, and his left hand moved from her thighs to slide inside her joggers. “I’m not going to ask if you’re sure again, though my instincts demand I do. I trust you know what’s best for you. From what I’ve learnt about you, you’ve been through a life that some can’t imagine. But if you want to stop or change your mind, you say so, because you always have an out with me.”

Liss nodded. She held his hand against her as she ground against him, moaning every time a knuckle grazed her pussy. “That’s my good girl. Take control and own my hand.”

She met his heavy-lidded eyes.

“I love how much you need this, need me.” His lips returned to her neck. “Strike could return when we least expect it.”

The heat between her thighs was building, and it was getting trickier to concentrate on his words. Her fingers trembled as she gripped his shoulders. His kisses on her skin were like fuel on flames.

“And you’re nervous.” Her skin flushed against his breath. It might have been part of his job to read her, but he didn’t have to be so good at it. “I’m taking you to your room.”

His eyes shone as he stood and threw her over his shoulder. “I liked carrying you through the palace this way. You’ve got a gorgeous, curvaceous bum. At this angle, I can enjoy my endless fantasies of spanking it.”

Her stomach rolled with arousal. Damn, she wanted Bear to spank her one day.

“Be gentle with me, baby,” he added.

Was he teasing her again, or was she projecting her invested heart onto him? The feels were there no matter what, but she needed this. “I’d hate to damage your ego.”

“If anyone can, then it’s you.” Was that a hint of vulnerability?

He pushed open the bedroom door and tossed her on the bed. As she bounced on the mattress, she basked in his control of her needs. His biceps rippled even as every muscle seemed to go taut. He was so fucking beautiful. His wide-eyed gaze travelled up her body with awe and desire. “What have guys done in the past that really turns you on?”

Her mouth twisted to the side as she wracked her memories. Her previous experiences were interesting, but they merged as mediocre moments.

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