Page 34 of Ruthless Rival

Edward kicked off his shoes and flopped down on the bed, resting his head against the pillows. He joined his hands on his stomach and watched me. “I’m right here, darling.” He chuckled.

I turned to him, feeling my heart thud heavily and rapidly as my anxiety ramped up. I needed this to work because this would probably be one of the very worst things I had ever done. It wasn’t the worst thing tohappento me, but it was the worst thing I had chosen to do to myself. “You’re wearing too many clothes.” I motioned for him to take his suit jacket off.

Edward smirked at me. “Why don’t you come take it off for me?” he asked.

I feigned a playful laugh before crawling onto the bed toward him, moving my legs on either side of him so I could straddle his waist. I grabbed the lapels of his suit jacket and slipped the material off his broad shoulders before tossing it to the side. My hands moved along his arms through the material of his shirt. “Wow. Someone has been working out,” I purred to him.

“I did some stretches after you texted me the other day,” Edward replied with a grin on his face. He stared right at the swell of my breasts peeking out of the top of my dress, not even bothering to gaze up into my eyes.

Honestly, I preferred this so I could stare at the wall instead of at him. “I can tell,” I told him as I worked on unbuttoning his shirt. His skin didn’t feel warm like Alberto’s did.

I mentally shook my head at myself, clearing the thought of Alberto out of my mind. I shouldn’t desire him. I should’ve despised him for drawing me in just to push me away. He acted like he was so damn unachievable, like he walked on water. I shouldn’t have cared if he fell in and drowned.

Edward licked his lips as he leaned close, pressing his face against the swell of my breasts.

I rolled my eyes and stayed still, letting him bury his face. I could already feel how hard he was beneath me. Meanwhile, I was like the desert. There was only one man who could get me worked up, and he wasn’t here.

“No other woman in New Orleans could hold a candle to you,” Edward told me as he finally lifted his face from my breasts. He wrapped his arms around me, trapping me against his chest.

“You’re too sweet,” I replied as I rested my hands on his shoulders. He was holding me a degree too tightly for my comfort, but I let him grip me. I wasn’t afraid of him. If it came down to it, I could strike him where it hurts and make a run for it.

“Take off your dress. I want to see you,” Edward said huskily. He tucked his arms behind his head and peered up at me, waiting impatiently.

I pulled my dress over my head and let it drop to the floor next to the bed. I glided my hands down my sides, sitting on top of him in a black strapless bra made out of lace, along with a black thong that didn’t leave much to the imagination.

“Oh, baby. You’re a goddess,” Edward breathed out, sounding strained as he stared at my body. He reached out and tentatively touched me like I would burn his hands.

“You think so?” I asked as I pushed my hair behind my shoulders, putting my entire body on display. No burning here, I thought to myself. The faster I could get him to finish, the quicker I could be out of here. Thankfully, he didn’t seem like he would last all that long. I could grind on his lap and make him finish in under two minutes.

“Yes,” Edward replied, settling his hands on my hips as I swayed a little. He groaned at the light friction, his eyes shutting. “Feels so good. So sexy.”

I swallowed hard as I kept moving, feeling him harden even more against my inner thigh. Nausea threatened to creep up my throat, but I did my hardest not to get sick. I had to see this through, especially since I was already this far.

“Let me get on top. I want to be on top,” Edward begged me.

The last thing I wanted was to be under him, but I couldn’t protest. I merely nodded and let him roll us over. I tensed as he hovered above me, burying his face in my neck to kiss me. Goosebumps popped up all over my skin as it crawled from his touch. Every cell in my body wanted me to push him off, but I forced myself to stay still.

“Oh, your body is so perfect. I could touch you all night. Maybe I will.” Edward grunted against my neck as his hand moved up my stomach toward my bra.

I gripped the bed sheets tightly and clenched my jaw, keeping myself from squirming. If he saw I was uncomfortable, he would stop, and I wouldn’t get what I needed. I forced myself to close my eyes, but Alberto popped into my mind. No matter how hard I tried, he kept coming back to my thoughts, and if I could’ve shut off my brain, I would’ve done so in a heartbeat.

Edward pulled back enough to strip off his shirt and pants, leaving himself in his blue boxers. He crawled back over me, sliding his thick fingers into my hair as he pushed his clothed erection against my thigh.

My heart hammered in my chest as I started to veer over on a fight or flight mode. I couldn’t breathe at this point, suffocating in my discomfort, but I did my best to disassociate. I had been through worse things in my life. I had experienced worse pain.

Edward leaned down and pressed his lips against mine, humming beneath his breath. “So sweet,” he whispered to me while looking down at my bra. His finger traced the edge of the cup. “I’m ready to take this off.”

I felt his hands slide under my back to unhook it, my body tensing.

Right before he could undo the clasp, the hotel door flew open with a loud crash, startling both of us.

Alberto stormed into the room with his large bodyguard on his heels. He glared at Edward and lunged at him. For a second, I thought Alberto might kill him, but he tossed Edward off the bed instead, freeing me.

A glare immediately crossed my face as I gazed up at Alberto, our eyes locking.

He didn’t look angry any longer. His eyes were dark for another reason.

His expression made heat stir inside of me, but he wasn’t off the hook. He was far from it.

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