An Act of Obsession (Acts of Honor Book 3) (13 page)

He stares down at me, indecision battling in his dark gaze. “I won’t be very good company right now.”

“You don’t need to be. I just want to be near you.”

His hard expression softens. Reaching out, he swipes a thumb across my cheek, and it’s then I realize that I’m crying.

My fingers encircle his wrist as I lean into his touch. “Please, let me come.”

He relents with a heavy breath. “All right, come on.” Grabbing my hand, he leads me to the passenger side and helps me up.

My heart tumbles in my chest when he leans in to buckle my seat belt.

“You sure you don’t want to go back inside and finish the rest of your night?” he asks, his face only but a breath from mine.

There are a lot of reasons why I shouldn’t leave with him, but none of them matter. “Yes. I’m sure,” I whisper, his close proximity robbing me of precious air. I’m unable to take in a full breath until he backs out of my personal space and closes the door.

Things are silent as he heads out of town. I think about asking where we’re going but then decide it doesn’t matter. As long as I’m with him, I don’t care where we go.

Ten minutes later, we arrive at a secluded beach that’s encompassed in darkness. He parks close to the water, lowering all the windows before shutting off the vehicle.

My eyes close as I breathe in the salty air, the cool breeze drifting in, leaving behind its mist upon my face. It brings me peace.

I look over at Kolan as he sinks deeper into the seat, staring out at the dark water in front of us. “Is your house far from here?”

He shakes his head. “Nah, a few miles back.”

I wait for him to look at me but he keeps his gaze trained ahead. “I’m sorry about what happened tonight. I shouldn’t have panicked like that.”

Fury hardens his expression. “None of what happened tonight is your fault.”

“It’s not yours either.”

“Yeah, it is. He was only there to start shit with me.”

“That doesn’t make it your fault.”

He remains silent, clearly not agreeing with me.

“Are you really going to fight him?”

The moment his eyes meet mine, I know the answer. “Yeah, and I’m going to shut him up for good.”

I had hoped it was a heat of the moment thing, but I should have known better. Kolan doesn’t say things unless he means them. I hate that he’s getting pulled back in when it’s clear he didn’t want to, especially knowing that guy used me to do it.

“He went too far tonight,” he continues, his gaze shifting to the water again. “You or my sister could have gotten hurt.” His jaw flexes, making the angry red welt on his right side more pronounced. “This is why I like to be alone. It’s better for everyone.”

“That’s not true,” I argue. “I’m glad you came tonight, and I know everyone else is, too. No one wanted you to leave.”

He grunts in disbelief.

Unfastening my seatbelt, I lean over to gently rest my hand to the swollen surface of his jaw, but he snatches my wrist before I can make contact, halting me midair. I flinch, his quick reflexes startling me. His hard eyes soften before letting my hand rest against his stubbly cheek.

Did he think I was going to hit him?

The thought has my throat burning something fierce. “Trust me. Being alone all the time gets old really fast,” I tell him, hearing how much sadness there is in my own words.

His hands span my waist before hauling me over to straddle him in one smooth motion. A gasp pushes past my lips, heat igniting through my body at the feel of his erection between my legs.

“Well, we’re not alone right now, are we, Lia?”

My pulse thrums wildly, desire thickening the air between us. I shake my head, unable to find my words.

He brings his large hands to thread through my hair, his gaze holding mine. “You know I’d never hurt you, right?”

Every muscle in my body stills, the question catching me off guard. “Of course I do. I’m not scared of you, Kolan.”

“Good.”

“Did you think I was?”

He shrugs. “Not really, but after what happened tonight, I wasn’t sure.”

“No. I like being near you,” I reveal on a whisper.

“Me too, baby, too much.”

His admission lights up every cold place inside of me. Boldly, I rest my forehead against his, baring more than I should. “I like the way I feel when I’m with you.”

“And what is it you feel?” he asks, his voice sounding rougher than it did a second ago.

“Things I can’t explain,” I say, opting for the truth. “When I’m near you, my body feels things that I’ve never felt before.” His hands grip my thighs, fingers digging into my flesh. “But most of all,” I whisper, “you make me feel safe. Something I haven’t felt in a really long time.”

“You are safe with me. I’d fucking kill anyone that tried to hurt you.”

Emotion surges in my chest, creeping its way up my throat. Before it can escape, he seals his mouth over mine, swallowing my pain and completely obliterating it.

My breath ceases at the first touch of his lips, the simple contact rocking me to my core. The moment his tongue sweeps in, I’m lost to him forever. The connection slams into me, thrusting my heart and mind into a hurricane of sensations. They hurdle through me, leaving every single one of my walls and inhibitions destroyed.

A groan rumbles from him, exploding against my lips and fueling my desire into a desperate frenzy. “I knew you’d be the best fucking thing I’ve ever tasted.”

I don’t return the compliment, not wanting our mouths to sever for even a second. Instead, my hands move to his face while I try to match him stroke for stroke. For the past few weeks, I’ve wondered what his mouth would feel like fused with mine—tasting me, branding me—but nothing could have prepared me for the hurricane that he is.

Strong.

Fierce.

Both of his hands cup my bottom possessively, dragging a moan from my throat. “These shorts have been driving me fucking crazy all night,” he growls, making me appreciate Katelyn’s choice of wardrobe even more. His fingers dip between my legs, stroking over the denim and exerting a pressure that has an army of sensations exploding through my body.

“Kolan,” I whimper against his lips, barely recognizing the needy sound of my voice as I grind down on his fingers.

“What do you want, baby? Want me to touch you, make you feel good?”

“Yes.” I desperately need this—to know what it feels like to be touched by him, not knowing if I will get the chance again.

“Good, because I want that, too. I want to touch and explore this pretty body until you’re screaming my fucking name.”

Oh god. I’m already close to screaming it.

He breaks contact with my mouth, bringing his lips to my bare shoulder as his fingers slip under my straps. He makes quick work of my tank top, pushing the material down to my hips and exposing my soft yellow lace bra.

“Delicate and pretty, just like you,” he murmurs, kissing his way along the swells of my breasts, his tongue tasting my skin while his hand coasts up my bare stomach. Anticipation hums through me as I wait for him to reach his desired destination. That’s until his hand moves to my scarf.

I still, my heated blood freezing in my veins. “No!”

His eyes snap to mine, softening. “Lia, baby—”

“I mean it, Kolan. Please don’t.” If he sees what’s under there, it will ruin everything that’s about to happen, and I need him too much right now.

“Okay, we’ll leave it on,” he says easily, but there’s no missing the hint of frustration in his words.

“Thank you.”

He watches me, eyes boring into mine. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” I answer without hesitation.

Grabbing my wrist, he places my hand behind me on the steering wheel. My pulse kicks up when he does the same with my other. “Keep them there,” he orders.

My fingers grip the leather, pulse racing as he brings his palm to rest between my breasts where my clasp is. With a deft flick of his fingers my cups fall open, baring me to him. My teeth sink into my bottom lip as the cool breeze wafts through the open windows, my nipples straining greedily for his attention.

“You’re fucking perfect,” he growls, his hungry gaze fixated on my naked breasts. As he slides the straps down my arms, he moves in, brushing his lips across my cheek before bringing his mouth to my ear. “I’d never do anything to you that you didn’t want.”

“I know,” I whisper.

“Good, remember that.” A breath stalls in my throat when I feel him secure my hands to the steering wheel with my bra. Leaning back, he cups my cheek, the gentle gesture a contradiction to his fierce eyes. “Trust me to make you feel good.”

I nod. As nervous as I am, I do trust him—with every fiber of my being. “How am I supposed to touch you?” I ask softly.

“I’m the only one who will be touching. Otherwise, I won’t be able to control myself.”

“Maybe I don’t want you to,” I say, surprising myself.

He looks just as shocked by my confession. “Believe me, baby, you don’t want to see me lose control.” With that statement, his large hands cup the heavy weight of my breasts, sending a wave of heat to surge through me.

My head falls back on a blissful moan, the top half of my body arching into his touch as his fingers torment my sensitive nipples.

“Jesus, you’re a fucking sight right now,” he rasps, his voice tight with restraint. “Bound and open for my taking.” Leaning in, he closes his hot mouth over one stiff peak.

“Oh god.” I whimper, my body racking with the most exquisite pleasure. He lashes the fiery tip while his fingers continue to work magic on my other. When his teeth lock down, pleasure and pain become one. I jerk against him, a harsh cry falling past my lips.

“Easy, baby.” He blows on my aching bud, soothing the sting. “Do you have any idea the things I want to do to this sweet body of yours, Lia?”

I shake my head, unable to form words with the desire thrumming through my veins.

“That’s probably a good thing,” he mumbles, before moving to my other tortured nipple, giving it the same attention.

“Kolan, please,” I plead, my hips thrusting against him, trying to seek some sort of relief.

“What do you want, baby? Want me to touch your pussy? Take away your ache?”

“God, yes.”

Unsnapping my shorts, he slips his hand into my panties, gliding his fingers through my hot flesh. “Fucking soaked.”

Shock waves of pleasure ripple through me, stealing my breath as he skims over my throbbing clit.

“Bare and smooth, just like I imagined,” he murmurs, before slipping two fingers into my snug entrance. “And so damn tight.”

“God, Kolan,” I wail, bucking against his hand as my body becomes enraptured by his skilled fingers.

A groan vibrates from his chest. “Have you thought about this as much as I have, Lia?”

“Yes,” I admit breathlessly, my lungs grasping greedily for air while his fingers inflict such exquisite torture.

“Did you touch yourself while thinking about it?”

My eyes snap open, locking with his dark ones. Heat invades my cheeks as I nod.

“I’ll bet you were the prettiest sight, stroking this sweet pussy while thinking about me.”

Another whimper pushes past my throat, his dirty words taking me to another level. My wrists tug against their confines as the need to touch him becomes overwhelming. “Kolan?”

“Yeah?”

“I want my hands free. I want to kiss you and be closer to you.”

His fierce gaze softens, while darkness battles in its depths. I begin to think it’s not going to happen, but then he leans forward and releases me with his free hand. “Then come here, baby.”

I close the remaining distance between us, my mouth fusing with his, but that’s where my control ends. With his free hand, he twines it in my hair and pulls my head back, ravishing my lips in a way that I’ll feel for days to come. He switches the position of his hand in my shorts, his fingers curling inside of me to stroke a place I’ve never known about.

“Oh god.” My eyes roll into the back of my head as I become consumed with pleasure. I grind shamelessly against his touch, my hips moving in time with his fingers.

“That a girl, fuck my hand like you would my cock.”

His filthy words are my undoing. I cry out against his mouth, shattering into a million pieces. Ecstasy rushes through every vein in my body as I soar to a place I’ve never experienced before. A place I never want to come down from.

I’ve never felt more alive than I do in this moment.

Kolan is relentless; dragging out my orgasm for so long I thought it would last forever. He doesn’t let up until I’m completely limp and sated. When he slips his hand out, I fall against him, my breathing harsh as I fight my way back to reality. His strong arms hold me close, bringing me safety and comfort as I try to comprehend what just happened.

“I don’t want tonight to ever end,” I whisper, emotion clogging my throat as I think about never feeling this again with him.

He leans his seat back a little farther, hugging me closer. “We have time. I have nowhere else to be.”

I curl into him, tucking my face into his neck and breathe in his incredible scent. His lips move to my temple as silent tears run down my cheeks, wondering how I will ever be able to go back to living my lonely existence.

Sophie

I
’m a bundle of nerves as I make my way to the gym. It’s been three days.
Three days
since I felt the most incredible touch I will ever experience in my life. By a man who has so masterfully captured my heart.

That night, Kolan held me until the sun started to rise and we were no longer able to put off the inevitable. The way it felt to be in his arms is something I will cherish forever. We haven’t spoken since he dropped me off in the early hours that morning and set a date for our next lesson. I desperately wanted to call or text, but I wasn’t sure what to say. Our relationship shifted that night in a way I’m not sure we can come back from.

A part of me wants to throw all caution out the window and take the chance to live again. But then I think about the repercussions and second-guess it all. And what if he doesn’t want that? Maybe he doesn’t share the same feelings I do. It’s no secret he has a past with women, maybe I was just another one to him? The thought leaves me feeling sick to my stomach.