Beneath These Chains (Page 54)

Lord clinked the neck of his bottle against my glass. “To us.”

The rattling of the lid of the pot broke the moment, but it was a done deal.

Lord and I? We were an us.

Happiness. Contentment. Downright fucking triumph.

I felt all of those things when Elle didn’t turn and run the moment I called her my girlfriend. Not that I would’ve let her get far—I could picture a wrestling match in the living room if she’d made a break for it—but it was the principle of the thing. She trusted me, and we were a team and headed in the same direction. The only other person I’d had on my side, unequivocally, was my brother. Now that Con was with Vanessa, our bond hadn’t lessened, but it had changed with his shifting priorities. As it should. And now, for the first time in my life, I wanted what he had with someone. I wanted it with Elle.

“You’re seriously not going to let me help at all?” she asked as I loaded our plates into the dishwasher.

“Finish your coffee, woman. I’ve got plans for you.”

“Plans, I like the sound of that.”

I smiled as Elle downed her after-dinner coffee.

“You’ll like the reality of it even better,” I said. “Because I’m ready for my dessert.”

From the couch, Elle raised an eyebrow. “Dessert, huh? Wonder what that could be?” She set her empty mug on the coffee table.

I dried the last dish and shoved it in the cupboard before tossing the towel on the counter. “Guess you’re gonna find out right now.” Stalking toward her, I held out a hand. “We’re moving this to the bedroom.”

Elle, sexy siren that she was, spread her legs a few inches. “Isn’t the couch good enough?”

I leaned down and grabbed both hands and tugged. As soon as she was standing, I ducked again, placing my shoulder near her stomach and tossed her up.

“Whoa, hold on.”

I palmed her ass as I strode toward the bedroom. “Holding on.”

Elle’s giggle softened her words. “You know that’s not what I meant. What if I’m not in the mood to be manhandled?”

“I don’t care if you’re not in the mood to be manhandled, as long as you’re in the mood to be Lord-handled.” I slowed as I approached the bed and lowered her down with a bounce.

Her gorgeous red hair was mussed, and her eyes shone. Wanting to see her more clearly, I flipped on the light on the side table.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful, Elle.”

Her smile was small. “You’re not too bad yourself, pawn star.”

I dropped to my knees in front of her and wrapped a hand around both ankles before sliding them up to her knees. Coasting my palms along her thighs as I pushed her dress up to her waist, I paused when my thumbs skimmed the edge of her red lace underwear.

“There’s a good reason I don’t let myself see you in your underwear before we go to work in the morning, because I’d spend all damn day thinking about them, and we’d never get a thing accomplished.”

“I’m not seeing how that’s a bad thing at least one day a week. We still haven’t tested out the couch or the desk in the office.” Her breath hitched on the last word because I’d slid my thumb under the lace.

“These come off now, and the only reason I’m not ripping them off with my teeth is because I want to see you bent over that fucking desk, skirt flipped up, with your sassy red panties teasing me.”

I tugged them down her legs, until there was nothing separating me from paradise.

“Perfect. So fucking perfect. I could eat your pussy for every meal and never get tired of it.”

Chill bumps prickled Elle’s skin, but she didn’t reply.

Spreading her with my thumbs, I didn’t hesitate, I dove in—licking, sucking, tasting, teasing. Elle bucked and writhed against my face, and I teased her entrance with two fingers before plunging them inside.

Every time. Every damn time the man set me off like a rocket. I was boneless on the bed as Lord rose to his feet. He always took care of me first and rarely let me take the lead. Today, that was going to change. When he leaned over the bed, I sat up and reached for his buckle.

“Whoa—”

“No. I want to give you at least a fraction of what you give me. And that means you’re going to stand right here and let me.”

Lord’s hand cradled my jaw. “You want to suck my dick?”

I nodded.

“Then I’m sure as hell not gonna argue.” His thumb brushed over my lips. “Open. See how sweet you taste.”

I did, and his thumb pressed inside. The salty sweetness of my own flavor burst on my tongue. Spurred on by the naughty move, I was even more determined to give him a night he’d never forget. Tomorrow, the entire world could fall to pieces, but we had tonight. This was more than sex. This was us. This was everything.

He withdrew his thumb, and I tugged at his button and zipper until I palmed his cock through his boxer briefs. Not wanting to waste time, I shoved both down his hips.

“I hope I don’t sound crazy when I tell you I can’t wait to get my hands on your cock.”

Lord’s fingers threaded through my hair, and he released a low laugh. “I’ll never complain about that. Ever.”

Wrapping a hand around the base, and always amazed when my fingers didn’t touch, I lowered my head. But a tug on my hair held me back from my prize. I looked up at Lord, and his expression was hot and determined.

“You want to give me what I need?”

“Yes,” I breathed, anticipation ratcheting up inside me.