Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 138904 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138904 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
He groaned, his first vocalization in a while, and one of his arms went up to brace against the door above her head. He tucked his face into the curve of neck, and his massive body heaved against hers, while she hung on for dear life.
“Oh, fuck,” he swore into her skin, before he shuddered against her. One more hard thrust. And a final agonized groan, before Vicki felt him throbbing inside of her. Of course, she knew exactly what was happening to him, but she was shocked by how powerful it made her feel to have this big man as weak as a kitten in her arms.
She had done that to him. Her, ordinary little Victoria Ann Hollingsworth, she was the reason he was helplessly shaking like a leaf right now.
She was still basking in the glow of it all, the wonderful relaxing sophomoric effect of great sex…when she felt his body language change, even while he was still throbbing inside of her.
He gently lifted her off him and carefully set her down onto her not-too-steady feet. He turned away to remove the condom and adjust his clothing. His rapidly returning self-consciousness was making Vicki uncomfortable too, and she grabbed one of Hugh’s zip-up hoodies from the rack and shrugged into it. She felt better when she was engulfed by the fleecy fabric, which covered her to her mid-thigh.
She pushed her damp hair out of her eyes and squinted up into his face myopically. He made a soft sound and stooped to pick something up. When he straightened again, he gently slid her glasses back onto her face.
Vision restored, the first things Vicki saw were the guilt and discomfort on Ty’s face.
“Sooooo…” She drew the word out, still fighting to regain her breath. “That just happened.”
He grimaced. “I’m sorry.”
“Are you? Didn’t you enjoy it?”
He frowned, looking confused.
“I’m going to call you a damned liar if you say you didn’t enjoy it, Ty,” she warned, wrapping her arms around her body in an unconsciously defensive gesture.
“I enjoyed it,” he muttered. “It was fucking spectacular.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Vicki said, her smug returning and probably revealing itself in her smile.
“But it shouldn’t have happened.”
“Why not?”
“You know why.”
“Right, no fraternizing with the enemy.”
“Jesus, Vicki, you’re hardly the enemy.” He sounded so horrified by her words that she allowed her grin to widen even further.
“Hmm, so what am I?” she asked.
His brow lowered as he considered the question.
“You were off limits.” He sounded frustrated and pissed off.
“Were? What am I now, Ty?”
His hand went to the back of his neck and squeezed, as if he were warding off a headache.
“You’re trouble is what you are. Trouble…but so fucking irresistible. And, damn it, you should still be off limits!”
“Was once enough for you, Ty?” she asked, serious now. She was gratified when her question made him glower at the wall behind her. He refused to answer. “Well? Was it?”
“God help me, it wasn’t,” Ty admitted, his voice a moody grumble.
“It wasn’t for me either.”
“Then I should step down as your primary CPO.”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Vicki…”
“No, Ty, we’re both consenting adults here.” Vicki stared at him for a moment, head at an angle as she tried to figure out what he was feeling. “Let me ask you something, are you on duty right now?”
He frowned, and she pressed her point further. “No, you’re not. You were off the clock the moment you cleared the apartment. Everything that happened between us after you came back downstairs was during your private time. You broke no rules, Ty.”
His hand dropped from his neck, and he closed his eyes as he appeared to consider her words. Vicki relaxed and allowed her smile to creep back, when his shoulders drooped in defeat.
His eyes opened, and he nailed her with his grim stare.
“This is not a relationship. If that’s what you’re looking for, then it ends right here. Got it?”
Vicki didn’t know how she felt about that. She liked Ty. She was intrigued by him, wanted to know more about him. And she wasn’t sure how to navigate a sex-only arrangement with someone.
“We just sleep together?” Her question was tentative, uttered in a ridiculously small voice. Not quite the voice of the empowered woman she had hoped to project. She sounded too vulnerable and uncertain.
“No sleeping. Just fucking. And after we return from your mother’s wedding, it’s over.”
Well. There was certainly no uncertainty in Ty’s voice or mind. He knew exactly what he wanted.
And if the end of her vacation was the deadline, it answered the question about whether Ty knew about his impending reassignment.
“What happens after Mum’s wedding?”
His eyes narrowed. “Let’s not play games, Vicki. We’ve been honest with each other so far, okay?”
“You’re being reassigned.”
“I am.”
“Will you miss me?” she asked on a whisper, and then could have kicked herself for the stupid, revealing question.