Page 80 of Undeniable Temptation

Physically.

Emotionally.

“I need to feel you.” She began removing his jeans with mimicked worship, making sure to memorize every last inch of his skin as her palms trekked over his ass, his thighs. He was hard for her, his devastation no match for his passion even though his eyes remained bleak.

He swept her off her feet, his strong arms swinging her into an embrace as he brought them down to the couch. Weathered hands guided her to straddle his lap and she wiggled against his cock as their mouths reconnected. Her body wasn’t ready. Arousal hadn’t kicked in, only the demand for connection, but she sank onto his length, lessening the emotional agony with a bite of physical pain.

This felt like goodbye. Each press of lips a farewell, every stroke of his fingers leading to an inevitable end. She kissed her love into him, rocking their bodies together as tears pricked her eyes. Even with his cock inside her, he seemed miles away, the distance between them already growing.

She rocked harder, trying to bridge the gap. She kissed with more determination, hoping to remain tethered.

Nothing worked.

He did the same. Harsh strokes of tongue. Brutal jerks of his hips. The pleasure didn’t increase. Only the suffering. His mouth found her neck, her collarbone, her chest. She leaned her head back, giving free rein to the moisture now seeping from her eyes.

She couldn’t derive gratification from this moment. Her heart wouldn’t allow it. But she let him take what he needed, rocking her hips along with his increased tempo.

“I can’t lose you,” he rasped, his fingers digging into the flesh of her ass.

Too late. She was already lost. “I’ll always love you, Ryan.”

Her words seemed to shove him toward climax, his movements becoming unfettered. Chaotic. He pounded into her, thrust after thrust of persecution and comfort. Black and white. Right and wrong. He came undone in her arms, his shout of release guttural, almost animalistic in her ears. Tight hands clung to her. Harsh breaths called to her. Jerks turned into undulations, the gentle rock of his hips signaling an end that was more than physical.

“I’m sorry.” He kept his head bowed, his chest rising and falling as he cradled her against him. “I’m ruining everything.”

She shook her head, keeping them close so he didn’t see her tears. “You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Then why does it feel the exact opposite?”

“Because sometimes life isn’t fair, and good people are punished.” She wiped her cheek on her shoulder, removing the moisture.

He pulled back and met her gaze. “Oh, God, Leah.” He cupped her cheeks, his thumbs wiping away her tears in gentle strokes. “What have I done?”

“Nothing.” The word stuck in her throat. He hadn’t done a thing… Yet he’d done everything, too—lifted her up, placed her on a pedestal, admired her without reservation. Then Julie kicked the platform out from beneath her. “This isn’t your fault.”

She comforted him the best she could, listening to his cathartic whispers as a stabbing pain built in her brain. When his words tapered, she excused herself and fled for the bathroom, grabbing her cell along the way. She needed to find calm in the chaotic storm. She needed to decrease the pressure pushing down on her head. The long-forgotten sense of a panic attack was building with each hyperventilated breath, her loss of control imminent.

She locked the door, cleaned herself up, and gripped the counter as she hung her head and stared at the tiled floor.

He was having a baby.

Julie would remain in his life.

She gulped in air and pressed a palm over the throbbing in her skull.

Their relationship was over.

He had to build a future without her.

“Stop it.” She held her breath and stood tall. “You’re stronger than this.” She waited until the need for air became a physical burn, then sucked in a long, deep breath. “No more.”

She closed her eyes and pictured nothingness. No Ryan. No Reckless. No panic. She forced the calm she needed. “Focus.”

Dissect and assess. Evaluate and strategize.

“One thought at a time,” she whispered.

OK. Here goes.

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