Page 47 of Sinful Attraction

“Even if it implicates your sister?”

I keep my voice as gentle as I can, as kind as I can, but his obvious discomfort makes my heart sink. He’s still having problems with the whole idea of an internal betrayal, even though his sister has always been a raging asshole. It’s driving me up the wall.

But maybe nothing but hard evidence is going to change his mind.

“Yes,” he says finally, looking resolute. “He might not have manipulated her, but he could have outright lied.”

Or Maria could be manipulating the guy on the video,I want to suggest. But I know he’s not ready to hear that. And it’s frustrating the hell out of me.

“Michael,” I say finally, “I believe you want to believe that. But what if—”

“Look.” He is starting to sound irritated. “Like I said, have a look at the guy, try and actually find anything substantial on him if you feel like it. I just think it will end up a dead end.”

“Michael—”

“Arya, please,” he breaks in. “Please, don’t do that. Don’t accuse my sister of anything. Don’t leave me feeling caught between two people I... I care about.”

I stop dead, blinking. What did he just say?

“Michael, I’m not accusing your sister of anything unless the evidence proves she’s involved. You’re not caught between us. The truth is going to be what it’s going to be, and we’ll just have to deal with it.”

He takes a shivery breath. “I feel caught between you and my family. If they knew we’re together, or even working together... let alone getting close to accusing one of us of doing this...”

“I know, I get it. It really wouldn’t go over well. I understand that, and I hate it. I’ve been thinking about how my family would react, but in my case... I... I can do no right with them anyway. Maybe it’s time I did something that they really don’t approve of so I can at least make a clean break.”

I have a huge lump in my throat as I admit this.

He reaches over and brushes the fingers of one hand down my hair gently, his eyes softer than I am used to. “I thought we agreed we could just cross the bridge about our parents’ reactions when we came to it,” he says gently.

“What I’m saying is, why can’t we just do the same when we find out who the suspect is?”

He pauses, his hand still on my hair, and then pulls away a little as he thinks about this. “I guess I have to, or none of this is ever getting done.”

That’s a start. It’s all I can expect. I lean my head on his shoulder and sigh with relief.

After a few heartbeats, his hand comes down and cups my face, and I look up at him, and he kisses me. It’s warm and slow, and it creeps up on me until suddenly, we’re out of our chairs and in each other’s arms, starved for each other after only two days.

We don’t make it to bed. We barely manage the couch. Before I know it, I’m panting under him with my skirt up to my waist, one shoe off, and my blouse unbuttoned. He’s shoved my bra aside and is sucking urgently at my breast while his hands burrow under my skirt.

I hear my voice coming out in little yelps of pleasure and need. One of my hands is in his hair while the other braces me against the arm of the couch. He’s pulling my panties down off my hips, down to my knees. I kick off my other shoe and help him pull it off.

I hear the tear of a condom wrapper and some impatient fumbling. His breath is coming in harsh pants through his nose. His mouth switches to my other breast, and I arch and squirm under him while he crouches between my thighs.

He slides up my body, leaving my nipples aching and tingling from his attention. But then, the velvety head of his cock is rubbing against my pussy lips, pushing in.

He pushes in hard, and I shout, “Yes!” before I can stop myself, and he groans through his teeth in reply. My legs wrap around him, and he starts pounding into me, just the right side of too rough, our hips clapping together and sending jolts of delight through me.

I won’t last long. It’s not that kind of sex. Every thrust pushes me another half inch closer to the edge. I can hear my voice starting to rise and my cries starting to sound desperate. I’m begging him not to stop...

He groans loudly, his back arches, and he shudders so hard that it sets me off by itself. I clench around him, sobbing with delight, so completely into it that I hear myself screaming, but I don’t even care.

He settles over me and lays his head on my shoulder, and I wrap my arms around him and close my eyes.

I don’t know where my loyalties lie anymore. I don’t know if the fight to get that money back is worth it beyond having it. If his family or my family will ever just let us live as we are. I don’t even know if what Michael and I have is something that has a chance of lasting. However, as I feel him get up to get rid of the rubber, all I can think of is wanting him back in my arms again.

Have I lost the game here? Or have I won something I never expected?

Chapter 21

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