Page 34 of Implode

“You definitely have a way of making life interesting,” he says with mirth.

We manage to clean up the entire indoor picnic display and remove all evidence that we just spent the last twenty-nine minutes together. I enjoy spending time with Nic—there’s no denying that. Lining the periphery of my thoughts, however, is the constant reminder that I’m pregnant. I am carrying a baby whose father is not known. I also know that neither candidate wants to be a fresh or repeat father. I mean, who would with someone they have already booted out of their life? Nic may seem interested in me again now, but as soon as he figures out I’m pregnant, he’ll see me less as a thrill and more as extra baggage. I know the weight is too much for anyone to carry.

I don’t think my heart can handle another loss. Us breaking up the first time was hard enough.

I throw away the last napkin and turn around to come body to body with Nic’s rock hard one. “Excuse me, sorry,” I mutter, obviously frazzled at his close proximity. I glance around the office space and see no sign of life. I expect Nic to take a step back, but he doesn’t budge. I can smell his aftershave and feel the heat radiating off his body.

“What could I do to get just one kiss?” His words come out like a throat-growl, full of pent-up need.

His question catches me off guard. My eyes move up to his lips, and I suck in air through my closed teeth. My heart pounds in my chest, and my eyes stay fixated on his mouth.

My shoulders shrug in a nonchalant manner. “Just ask,” I answer simply, without thinking of the—

Nic’s eyes change with the impact of my words, stopping my thoughts. His mouth swoops in and captures mine; at the same time he grips my hips with hurried need. He does not ask. He just takes. I open for him and allow his tongue to explore. I moan breathlessly, savoring the taste of his mouth and reacquainting myself to his touch. I stand on my tiptoes to allow him better access, tipping my head back in sweet surrender.

Slowly and methodically, his feet walk me back until I am stopped only by a wall. Nic breaks the kiss, just to lick down my chin and suckle at the sensitive spot at the base of my neck, all while his hands roam and feel along my sides. Making a wet trail, he slides his mouth along my jawline and settles against the shell of my ear.

“Beg me for it,” he whispers, tickling my highly charged skin.

“Never,” I grind out.

I can hear his snicker as he jerks his hips forward and lifts me at the same time. My core grinds against him, and I throw my head back as I resist giving in. Like a delicate butterfly, I am mounted to the wall, helpless prey to my own toxic desires. And I’m addicted to that euphoric feeling of knowing I am Nic’s to do with as he pleases.

“Submit to me,” he coaxes. “Say the words I need to hear.”

“Never.”

I can feel the vibration of his laughter. He is having too much fun. It’s as if he already thinks he won. My eyes close as his hands grip at the fleshy globes of my ass cheeks. Squeezing.

“Ahh,” I pant. My legs wrap around him tighter. I bounce a little in his hold, only adding to the friction.

He is not even trying to hide his desire to break me down. The way he looks at me, his eyes taunting me—beckoning me to relinquish control over to him.

“This doesn’t mean anything,” I choke out, my breaths coming in staccato intervals. “You hear me? It meansnothing.”

“Sure, keep telling yourself that. I’m not convinced. And you don’t sound to be either.”

“I’ll stop then if you think this means more,” I threaten.

“No, you won’t. I’ll call your bluff.”

“What?”

“There’s no way in hell you are going to voluntarily stop my dick from sliding in between your soft folds on your own. I think you crave me like I crave you. We both know we are bad for one another and yet our bodies were designed for this level of sin.”

I bite down on my lip at the clarity of his words. I swallow, but the moisture pooling in my mouth has a difficult time going down. I adamantly shake my headno. I can’t do this right now.

“You want me with the same magnitude I want you. Lie to yourself?Fine. You do that. But this thing we have between us?” He motions between us with the nod of his head. “It ain’t going away, baby. It’s just making it clearer to me that everything I thought I feared is precisely what I need. And that is you. All of you, Claire. Body and soul. You are my cure.”

“Nic, you don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Expect me to pursue you. Expect me to not give up. Expect me to be relentless. You are mine.”

I bite my tongue. There is no way I am giving in, despite feeling like I am gushing just from the way his hips hold mine in place. Every breath he breathes vibrates me just enough to feel the rub of his pants against my center.

“Come on, Claire,” Nic eggs me on. “Show me how mad you are at me. I can take it. I can handle all of your emotions. Your fire. Don’t hold back.”

I push at his chest, at first lightly. Then harder. And harder. I thrash in his arms at the pent-up aggression I have toward him and how he broke up with me and how he is pulling me back to him like he did our entire trip to Vegas.

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