Page 42 of Forbidden Bond

When Topher gets home, he’s clearly surprised to find me in front of his front door. Just like always when I’m around him, a tremor starts beneath my skin, buzzing through my body. It’s impossible to ignore. I’ve been fighting it for so long, I’m not sure how to stop.

“You okay?” he asks, his tone wary. “You didn’t come into work today.”

I don’t say a word as he opens the door and asks me inside. Then, from my jacket pocket, I pull out the crumpled picture of us my dad printed. Topher stares at it for a beat before heading toward the kitchen. When he returns, it’s with a bottle of water, which he hands to me. I accept it gratefully.

“What did your family say?”

“Carlo already knew we were hanging out so he didn’t say anything. Christian was a little pissed. He gave me the usual speech. ‘Be careful, this isn’t just about you, it’s our entire family,’ yada, yada, yada. Ultimately, he told me not to do anything stupid. But that’s it. His reaction was pretty tame, if I’m being honest. I’m worried something else is going on.”

“Oh,” I say. “Lucky you.”

“What did your dad say?”

“He basically told me I’m a disappointment. And then he forbade me from ever seeing you again.”

Topher crosses his arms over his chest. “And yet, here you are… What are you doing here, princess?”

My throat feels a little dry as I speak. “I-I don’t know.” I get to my feet. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be here. My dad would kill me if he found out.”

Topher fixes me with a cool look but he doesn’t make any move to stop me. I don’t know what he’s waiting for.

“Katherine,” he says softly, “why did you come here?”

“Because,” I swallow, scared of the next words that will come out of my mouth, “I think I want to have sex with you.”

Topher’s eyes widen and I feel a rush of satisfaction that I’ve surprised him.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” he says slowly, unsurely.

“I remember what I said that night,” I tell him, “When I got drunk. When I told you I hated being your friend, I meant it. And when I was in your lap, the only thing I could think about was kissing you. I think about it a lot when I’m around you, actually.”

Topher’s much closer than he was a few minutes ago. Like he’s drawn to me. Just like that first night.

“You’re doing much better than me, princess,” he murmurs. “I think about kissing you all the time.”

The intensity in his eyes is like staring directly into a blazing inferno, and I can’t take it anymore. I look away and all my bravado falters. What am I doing here? Topher must notice the shift in my countenance before he pushes his hand through my hair, titling my head up so I’m looking at him.

“Don’t get scared on me now,” he whispers.

“I’m not scared. I’m just wondering if this is a mistake.”

“The minute you took a job working for me, you made a mistake, Katie. Now you’ve got to live with it.”

He’s right, I know he’s right. My scalp tingles where he’s holding my hair, and the slight pressure causes my thighs to clench. I rise to my toes so we’re much closer. My lips hover close to his, close enough to kiss, close enough to finally put us both out of our misery. My breasts brush against his chest and heat shoots straight to my core.

Pure lust erupts inside me so violently I grow dizzy. I run my hands up his chest; he’s hard and warm and he smells so good I could get lost in him. Butterflies dance along my spine. I want nothing more in this moment than to take my clothes off. To drop to my knees and make him feel good. I want his hands on me and I want his head between my legs. My motivations for coming here might have been wrong, but now all I can think about is him.

When I can’t take the suspense anymore, I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and drag his lips toward mine. It’s tentative at first, and Topher barely touches me—except his hand that’s still in my hair. I think it’s a challenge. He wants me to prove how much I want him. I trace his bottom lip with my tongue. I crave his touch more than I’ve ever craved anything else. I want him so bad.

The tips of my fingers tingle with the need to touch him. They move down to his shirt and lower until they’re pressing against the bulge beneath his pants. Topher release a shuddery breath as I trace the outline of his length. He groans and his palm slides down my neck, locking me in place as he finally kisses me like I need him to. My hand is still on his cock and I rub softly, feeling him grow impossibly harder. I frantically undo his belt and zipper.

Our tongues tangle together, stifling my moan as I slip a hand inside his pants. He sucks in a breath when I trace the tip of his cock. I swipe at a bead of arousal with my thumb, rubbing it in circles across his head.

“Fuck,” Topher whispers.

His eyes are so dark right now—a telltale sign that he’s not in control. He’s being driven by desire, lust. His chest rises and falls with each ragged breath. I’m forced to pause in my ministrations when he lifts me into his arms and carries me into his bedroom. He drops me onto the bed and I stare up at him, hoping my expression conveys my need.

He doesn’t say a word as I sit up and begin to undress. My dress comes off first and when I unclip my bra, the desire in his eyes intensify. I’m seated on his bed, naked except for my thong. The only sounds in the room are our heavy breathing. Hopefully, he can’t hear the pounding of my heart.

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