Page 15 of Guilty Pleasures

Before she can finish, my hand comes down with a resounding smack on her exposed skin, the sound echoing in the quiet room. Harper yelps, a sharp cry that resonates with shock and a hint of something else.

"I'm tired of games," I growl, my voice filled with resolve, each word emphasized by the sharp, decisive slaps that follow. "No more maybes. No more 'we'll see.' I want a commitment."

Harper squirms on my lap, her body reacting instinctively to the stinging sensation. Her pale skin gradually flushes a delicate shade of pink. Her whimpers fill the space between us, adding to the charged atmosphere.

"Tell me you're mine," I demand, my voice firm yet carrying an underlying urgency. "Only mine."

With any warning, I flip Harper over, my fingers digging into the supple curves of hips, anchoring myself as I drive into her with desperate need. Her skin is slick with sweat, shimmering under the dim light, as her cries of pleasure fill the air, a symphony of raw, unbridled ecstasy. Each powerful thrust is punctuated by the sharp crack of my hand meeting her flesh, leaving a crimson imprint on her smooth, rounded ass. The sting makes her gasp, her back arching like a bow, taut and ready.

"Who do you belong to?" I growl, my voice a low, feral rumble as I tangle my fingers in her hair, gripping tightly. The scent of her, of us, is thick in the air.

"You!" she screams, her voice hoarse with need. "Only you, Silas!" Her body convulses, a tremor of surrender and release.

Her words ignite something primal inside me. I increase my pace, pounding into her relentlessly as she grips the sheets. The bed creaks beneath us with the force of our lovemaking. I'm consumed by the heat of her body, the softness of her skin, the intoxicating scent of her arousal.

Harper's moans grow louder, more desperate. I can feel her trembling, teetering on the edge. With a final hard smack to her ass, she comes undone, crying out my name as waves of pleasure crash over her. The pulsing of her inner walls pushes me over the brink, and I follow her into ecstasy.

“No more bullshit, baby. I know I fucked up. I know I gave you a hard time.” I grasp her hand, threading my fingers through hers. “But I promise, you’ve turned me into the biggest fan of the color pink. Whatever brings you joy makes me happy.”

“Are you admitting your undying love?”she asks with a giggle.

Without hesitation, I answer, “Yes, Harper Brooks. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she says with a smile that makes my heart soar. She wipes the sweat off her brow and curls into my embrace, giving me a light slap on the cheek. “Maybe you can add some of my merchandise to your suites?”

I pull her closer and kiss her forehead. “Not a chance.”

CHAPTER 14

BONUS SCENE

HARPER

Ipush open the door to In the Pink, and the familiar aroma of scented candles and perfume washes over me as I scan the store for Zoe. She’s been out of pocket for five days, ever since she met with the Becker brothers, and has failed to give me the play-by-play of their meeting last week. After hounding her daily, via phone, text and email, she promised to return to help me discuss a new product line I’m introducing over Christmas. She better not come up with another excuse.

As I march toward the back of the store, I spot her arranging a display of silk scarves and looking suspicious as fuck.

"Zoe!" I call out, waving as I weave between racks of flowy dresses and shelves of costume jewelry. “Where the hell have you been? Is this what I can expect from my new VP of marketing?”

Zoe turns, her eyes widening slightly when she sees me. "Harper, hi," she says, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "You’re late. You said you’d be here at 9:00."

"Don’t you dare try to turn this around on me. I’m ten minutes late. You’ve avoided my calls and waited until the middle of the night to send me cryptic voicemails. I’ll repeat, Where have you been?” I try to keep my tone light, but there's an undercurrent of frustration I can't quite mask.

Zoe's shoulders slump a bit. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I've been… preoccupied."

I raise an eyebrow. "Preoccupied? With what? Or should I say, with whom?"

A blush creeps up her neck. "Harper, I… was in Paris."

I freeze in my tracks, too stunned to talk and move simultaneously. "What? You were out of the country, and you didn’t tell me? Why? Alone? Since when do you travel anywhere alone?"

Zoe takes a deep breath. "I wasn’t alone. I was with the Becker brothers. We left the morning after our meeting and only returned late last night."

The words hit me like a slap in the face. Are they poaching my best worker? Why would they fly her to Paris? “Are you quitting? Please don’t tell me they hired you to work for them. I can match whatever they offer you. At least, I think I can.”

Zoe shakes her head, then drops her gaze to the floor. “It’s not about business. We’re…kind of…together.”

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh my God. Spill now."

---