Page 5 of Bartered Innocence

Rian rolls his bottom lip under his teeth. “Yeah, but not the way you think.”

“Oh, I’m not really thinking about anything but how hot you are.” The words register as soon as they slip out, and I cover my mouth with my hand in embarrassment. I’m not much of a drinker, but I didn’t expect to have loose lips just yet.

He breaks out a heart-stopping, sexy smile. “Funny enough, that’s exactly what I was thinking because your beauty is unlike anything here.”

I roll my eyes and try to stifle my own grin. When I move closer his fingers brush down my thigh. I'm captivated by his cologne and want to bury my face in his chest for more; I didn't realize a scent could be so attractive.

“Save the one-liners,” I say, trailing off a bit as I lose track of my thoughts. My heart starts to beat erratically as I try to think of a way to get him into the hotel Sonia booked down the street. I didn’t realize I would be so nervous to ask a guy to fuck me.

Rian licks his lips. “Do you want to go somewhere a little more private?”

“Like where?” I breathe out, stunned that we are thinking the same thing.

His eyes light up. “Like my apartment.”

I nod, trying to calm my nerves as he holds out his hand for me to grab. He gestures at someone next to him and then leads me out of the bar. When I catch Sonia’s watchful eyes, she gives me an encouraging thumbs up and waves me off when I move to step toward her. I frown and continue to follow Rian silently, a little shaken. It was so effortless to get someone to take me home. And the most gorgeous man I’ve ever met is going to ensure I’m no longer a virgin by the end of the night.

* * *

The first warning I should have listened to was when he pulled me out the back entrance to a black SUV parked privately. I kept my mouth shut, climbed into the passenger seat, and tried to ignore my suspicion that the windows were bulletproof. The second warning sign should have been when we parked under a sky rise apartment building and he didn’t immediately move to get to my door because he shoved a gun in the center console first. As soon as I climbed out I had to act clueless, like I didn’t see the deliberate flash of metal. He held out his hand for me again as we walked to the elevator, and when he pressed one of the top buttons labeledP1, I knew it wasn’t just some regular apartment. I tried to glance over his face and the visible tattoos, but he didn’t seem familiar at all. I wasn’t sure if my intuition was warning me or if my paranoia of getting caught was making me wary. Either way, it was too late to turn back.

I barely get to glance around his penthouse before he cups my face, his lips crashing to mine. Moaning into his mouth, I let out a small gasp when his hands slide to my shirt and he pulls back for a second to tug it over my head. His fingers glide to my jeans and my head feels dizzy with how fast he’s moving. I grip his arms, awkwardly trailing to his stomach and pushing his shirt up.

Rian steps back, grabbing the collar on the back of his neck and dragging his shirt over his head. He nods at me as he starts to undo his pants, and I assume he wants mine off too so I follow his silent demand. It leaves us both in our underwear and his very obvious bulge, his heated eyes roaming over every inch of my exposed skin. I curl my fingers to stop the urge to cover myself.

In the next second, his large hands grab my waist and haul me up. A small yelp escapes me as I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms encircle his neck. I stare down at him, a sensuous smirk teasing on his mouth.

“I need to touch you, but I want to take you in my bed.”

I raise my eyebrow. “So you’re gonna carry me there?”

His hands slide to my ass, squeezing my cheeks as my clothed center rubs his rigid stomach. Rian’s tongue rolls over his lips as he walks down the hall.

“I can feel how soaked you are. Your sweet pussy is leaking all over me.”

A flush spreads up my neck and face. When we cross the doorway into his bedroom, his observant eyes take me in. “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s hot seeing you want me as much as I want you.”

This time I let out a small laugh and roll my eyes. “I’m sure you say that to all the girls you take home.” I hate the words as soon as they leave my mouth. The insecurity of knowing he’s slept with others while this is my first time overrides my logical filter, letting my jealousy peek through.

Rian chuckles softly. I would have missed it if his breath didn’t fan against my neck. He sets me down on the bed and I lay back to stare up at his cocky expression as he leans his weight on his palms on either side of my head. “I can’t remember the last time I brought a woman home. Believe me when I say there’s something about you that caught my eye.”

I exhale a shuddering breath and trace my fingers down from his shoulders to the waistband of his boxer briefs. “Okay, I believe you. Now less talking and moredoing.”

He pushes his knee between my legs, opening me up to him as he drops onto his elbow and keeps half his body off mine. My heart is pounding away with nerves as he pulls at my bra, the strap falling down my arm and my nipples hardening from the cool air. His hot mouth is on one in the next second, and I gasp from the sensation. I don’t even notice his hand sliding to my back and unhooking my bra before it's being tugged off me.

Rian switches to my other breast, kneading the one he just left with his fingers. If someone told me yesterday a man fondling my chest would drive me wild with arousal, I would have said they were crazy. He shifts his hips and his hardened length presses against my thigh and my mouth drops open. It feels so long, thick, and heavy. My stomach flexes at the teasing, trailing touch of his hand as he slips into my panties. Everything is happening so fast, but the words to ask him to slow down stall in my throat as he skims against my heated flesh. It feels forbidden but exciting, and a burning desire builds in my belly.

My hands freeze, unsure how to push forward and touch him.

He sweeps along my core and groans against my breast before pulling his head back. “You’re so fucking wet and I’ve barely touched you.”

“O-okay.” I’m not sure what else to say. I feel like I’m being electrified from the inside out, every touch amplified with a powerful need for more. I expected it to be quick, less touching and more bearing through it, but so far it’s been the most thrilling time of my life.

With his bright blue eyes fixed on my face, searching for something, he slowly pushes two fingers inside me. Goosebumps ripple across my body at the stretch; it’s not painful, but it’s slightly uncomfortable. I swallow down the saliva pooling under my tongue and gather all of the courage I have left and stick my hand past his waistband, bumping into the hot, hard flesh of his cock.

A gasp escapes me as my fingers brush the length of him, so heavy and swollen. Rian reaches between us and shoves his underwear off, and my attention falls before I can catch it. He’s as big as he felt. While I’m admiring it, he grabs my hand and wraps my fingers around his shaft and shows me how to stroke him. He thrusts his fingers in and out of me with a matching pace.

My chest rises and falls faster as we stay like this for a few moments, our ragged breathing and pumping hands the only noises.

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