Adrian Read online

  Victoria nodded with a small grin. “Yes. I just needed to text my roommate that I was probably going to be home late.”

  “You have good friends to be worried about you.”

  “I guess you can say that.”

  Her smile tempted him to kiss her secrets out of her. Instead, he set the tray down on the coffee table.

  “Here you go, Ms. Victoria.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Adrian.”

  “It’s absolutely my pleasure,” he murmured while sitting down next to her.

  They both took a sip of their respective drinks while looking away from the other. Adrian mentally shook his head. Conversation was his gift. How could he possibly be so nervous?

  Because Victoria is different.

  “You have a lovely home, Adrian.”

  He looked about him. “I suppose I do. Thank you.”

  “You suppose?” she asked with a wry smile. Victoria pointed behind her. “I bet the view is gorgeous.”

  “It is. That I know for sure.” Adrian waited for her to ask him how he could afford the view, especially in the city where square footage was some of the most expensive in the world.

  Victoria just nodded. “I’ve always wondered what things look like in the day. I only see out the windows at night because in the day my feet are firmly on the ground. At school. I mean…ah…I’m not in any skyscrapers until the night…at my job.”

  This time Adrian couldn’t bite back his smile. She sounded so adorably flustered. “I completely understand, Victoria. Although I would say you have the best views when you see them at night. Want to see what I mean?”

  “Sure.”

  Adrian stood up and held out his hand. She took it without hesitation. It thrilled him more and more how easily she was getting used to his touch. He led her to the window. “See. Look at all the lights, Victoria.”

  She sighed in appreciation. “It’s so beautiful. I can hardly miss the stars in the sky when the lights are spread out all around us like this.”

  Adrian let go of her hand to slip his arm around her waist. He caught the ragged inhale of breath and smiled.

  “Where did you live before this?”

  “Further down south.”

  Adrian paused. “Is it a secret?”

  She laughed and shook her head. “No. I was just feeling a little embarrassed to admit to a big, fine city-boy like yourself that I’m from North Carolina.”

  Victoria had let her voice lapse into a delightfully sexy Southern drawl. Adrian tightened his hold around her waist and whispered in her ear, “Now how did you mask that accent so well and more importantly, why?”

  She giggled and leaned into his side. “It’s my thing. Accents, I mean. I can pick them up easily.”

  “Hmm…well, I’ve just discovered that I happen to love your Carolina accent.” Adrian ached to nuzzle the sweet spot of where her neck met her shoulder. He wanted to taste it and let his tongue make her moan for him.

  She looked up at him and Adrian raised his head, putting distance between himself and temptation.

  “Now you’re just saying that to be sweet.” Victoria laid it on thick with a saucy grin.

  “Is that so?” Adrian’s cheeks hollowed. She lost her smile and stared at him, dark gaze serious and watchful. There were a million questions that she obviously could’ve asked him but Victoria remained silent.

  Adrian suspected the only reason she came with him was because he had practically sworn that he would be a perfect gentleman.

  He couldn’t betray her trust.

  He wouldn’t betray it.

  He could control himself.

  He had to.

  Adrian released her even though it physically hurt him to do. Desire to strip her naked, to taste every part of her body, especially the honey between her thighs, pounded relentlessly.

  “Don’t.”

  He froze.

  Victoria reached out. “Please don’t.”

  Adrian didn’t move an inch.

  ***

  His eyes gleamed amber in the half-light. It was the gaze of a half-tame predator. Victoria didn’t have to keep touching him to know the tension in his body reflected the one running through hers.

  It hurt.

  Victoria didn’t have to wonder what the pain was because she knew. The pain that dug velvet talons into the underbelly of her will was desire. Pure animalistic desire. She wanted Adrian more than she’d ever wanted anyone or anything before in her life.

  “Please don’t leave me.”

  “I’m not going to leave you,” Adrian answered immediately in a hoarse voice unlike any she’d ever heard from him before. “That’s the farthest thing in my mind right now, Victoria.”

  Right now.

  Those were the words that should’ve pushed her away. It was the visceral reminder that right now might be all she’d ever have with him. After all, Victoria couldn’t trust that anything between them might continue after tonight.

  Adrian might find her infinitely less interesting once they slept together.

  Victoria might feel that way about him herself.

  However, right now was all anybody ever had.

  Right now.

  “I came here tonight because I wanted to.” Victoria cleared her throat. “I wanted to be with you, Adrian.”

  “Be with me?”

  “Yes. Be with you.” She took a step closer so she could touch his arm. “I want you, Adrian. I want you to make love to me—”

  Adrian yanked her to him and buried his hands in her upswept hair. His mouth crashed against Victoria’s. She whimpered. When he softened the pressure she moaned and pushed her body hard against his. Her small hands reached for a fistful of his hair as well and she nipped his bottom lip.

  He responded to her primal command beautifully. Adrian pressed Victoria against the window and devoured her mouth. His tongue expertly slid against hers, coaxing it to play with him. It was everything she’d ever imagined and more.

  Much, much more.

  Victoria couldn’t draw enough breath into her lungs. She wanted Adrian more than she wanted air.

  When he placed his hands on either side of her breasts, Victoria ripped her lips away from his and moaned one word.

  “Please.”

  “God yes!” Adrian bent down and kissed circles around her breasts, getting achingly close to her nipples before starting back again. She dug her fingertips into his shoulders but it didn’t hurry his pace at all.

  Victoria reached behind her. Her fingers fumbled with the zipper, desperate to pull it down.

  Adrian’s hands stayed her. “Not yet.” His beguiling lips kissed away her protests. A long minute later he looked into her eyes. His heavy-lidded gaze reflected the lust pounding throughout her body. “Let me do it. Turn around for me, Victoria.”

  She did as he asked, eyes staring blindly at the view. Victoria felt his hands slide across her back as if memorizing the shape of her body. She shivered and held back a hungry moan when he finally undid her zipper. Her dress fell to her feet.

  More than ever Victoria was so glad she bought new underwear. Practical thoughts evaporated when Adrian’s lips made contact with the base of her spine. His tongue tasted her and his kisses followed. Victoria leaned against the window with both palms against the window. It was cold but she was so heated that she barely noticed.

  “Spread your legs.”

  The command was a thing of beauty. Victoria widened her stance, excited beyond words at what Adrian would do next. She heard him murmur something unintelligible and then his tongue laved her mound. The satin clung to her wetly as he did it again and again.

  Victoria’s legs trembled. She leaned against the window and pushed her backside out, needing to open herself further for Adrian’s erotic onslaught. He squeezed her bottom while he rhythmically rasped his tongue against her.

  She gasped loudly, feeling the drugging-sweet tightening in her belly. “Oh God!”

  Adrian growled, “Don’t hold b
ack, kitten. Let go for me.”

  His words threw her over the edge. A snap and then pleasure waves crashed over Victoria. She reached behind her, needing to touch Adrian. His fingers entwined with hers, keeping her in his hold even while his tongue never slowed its wonderful rhythm. Except when he stopped long enough to whisper, “I want you to do it again for me.”

  Victoria closed her eyes and slid right back into desire as if she hadn’t come hard already. She was hyper-focused when Adrian slowly pressed butterfly kisses all along her slit. After many minutes of playing with her, he let go of her hands and tugged her panties down.

  Imagination couldn’t prepare Victoria for how good his mouth felt on her bare skin. He tongued her slippery folds, probing them with a hungry thoroughness that had her straining harder against Adrian. She whimpered his name, falling ever-faster down into a sensual world where Adrian created and controlled every one of her sensitized nerve endings.

  Then everything ratcheted up when his fingertips carefully slipped inside her just a fraction of an inch.

  Victoria arched up with a strangled cry. She wanted more and said so. Adrian lightly tapped her aching bud with the tip of his tongue as he slid one finger deep inside.

  She exploded.

  Adrian immediately rose to his feet and yanked her bra down as he kissed her passionately. Victoria tasted herself on his lips as she thrust her tongue into his mouth. It was so incredibly erotic, especially because Adrian seemed to take so much pleasure in her taste.

  Victoria’s thoughts hazily drifted about how glad she was to have taken a chance on him when Adrian suddenly lifted her with one arm.

  “I got you. I won’t let you go…promise.”

  Victoria sighed in bliss as his lips traveled down the column of her neck. Her hands roamed over his wide shoulders. Greedy to feel his skin beneath her fingertips, she pushed at his suit jacket and then roughly unknotted his tie. Victoria’s fingers fumbled with the shirt buttons, stoking her impatience and lust for this beautiful man.

  Finally her hands met warm flesh. Victoria purred in pure pleasure. His muscles flexed beneath her questing fingers when Victoria pressed her lips against his throat. Adrian felt so perfect, warm…alive. She craved to sink her teeth deeper and to leave her mark.

  “Victoria, look at me.”

  She tore her mouth away. The heat in his gaze melted her completely.

  He smiled wolfishly while adjusting her easily in his arms. “Don’t close your eyes. I want to see them as I come inside you.”

  Victoria’s breath caught in her throat. Excitement throbbed as she felt his shaft enter her inch by exquisite inch. The incredible fullness would’ve stretched her to the near-point of pain if Adrian wasn’t going so slowly.

  Then he was completely inside.

  She let out a ragged breath. It was done. She wasn’t a virgin anymore. Spontaneous happiness possessed her. She laughed out loud. Adrian grinned.

  “Good?”

  “Better than good.”

  He closed his eyes and moaned. “Are you ready for more?”

  “More? I want it all!”

  Adrian grinned feral and raw while squeezing her bottom in his large hands. He then rocked into her, hips increasingly pounding faster and faster, until all Victoria could do was hold on and cry out loudly in appreciation.

  He was so hot and hard and she was so wet for him. It was decadent and delirious. Adrian kisses drew her pants into him. In no time at all, Victoria felt the stirrings of another orgasm.

  “Adrian! Oh God, I’m about to come again!”

  He groaned loudly and bent his head so he could tongue her stiff nipples. Victoria instantly shattered in his arms. Adrian then became ravenous. He kissed every part of her he could reach. Victoria barely came down from her carnal high when Adrian stiffened.

  One arm wrapped around her, pulling Victoria into him. She felt her name as a sensual whisper against her neck. She could feel the hot spurts and shuddered erotically. Dimly, she was aware that she’d broken the rules but it didn’t matter as it should’ve.

  Held in his arms, her back against the cold window and her front pressed tightly against her lover’s naked chest, Victoria tasted happiness. She didn’t know, couldn’t even imagine, this feeling of pure joy.

  “That was incredible, Victoria.” He exhaled heavily. “It felt so perfect being inside you. This is…words fail me.”

  She laughed, ecstatic and happy beyond recent memory by the feeling his words inspired. “I know it felt incredible to me too. Is this normal?”

  Adrian kissed her, softly and sweetly. “You’re stroking my ego, Victoria.”

  She linked her arms around his neck. “Really. I don’t know.”

  His sleepy smile curled her toes. “What do you mean you don’t know, kitten?”

  “You’re my first.”

  ***

  Shock hit Adrian like a fist low in his gut. Of all the words he could’ve guessed she’d say, those weren’t anywhere on the list.

  “When you say ‘first’ you mean…” He let his words lapse into silence.

  The pure joy in Victoria’s beautiful face faded away. Adrian immediately felt guilty.

  “I mean what you think it means. I’m or at least I was a virgin.” She raised her chin, gaze glistening with vulnerable defiance. “Is that a problem for you, Adrian?”

  “Actually it is.”

  Victoria looked away. “Put me down please.”

  Adrian cursed softly under his breath. He bungled it completely. He had to make it right. “Victoria, don’t misunderstand me. If I had known that this was your first time I would’ve done it right.”

  Her mouth pursed into a precious moue. “What do you mean?”

  Adrian dared to kiss her gently. She responded to him and he felt relieved that he hadn’t lost her. “I wouldn’t have taken you against a window for your first time. I would’ve made love to you in the bed like you deserved.”

  Victoria caressed the side of his face. “I like how you did it. It was perfect and better than anything I could’ve ever imagined.”

  “God, I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  A sweet blush appeared. She looked down and shook her head.

  “Look at me, kitten,” Adrian commanded softly. “Tell me the truth. Did I hurt you at all?”

  “Only a little. Not really.” She bit her lip. “I thought you knew. I thought that’s why you were taking it so slow.”

  He hadn’t suspected a thing. Past experience had shown Adrian that because he was rather endowed, it was best for his partners that he take his time. He wisely kept his explanation to himself.

  “I didn’t.”

  Adrian felt a bit of a fool. He wanted to ask her how it was possible that she’d remained untouched for this long. Instinct warned him to keep his questions to himself. Victoria would tell him if and when she desired. Still, the mind boggled.

  “Oh.”

  Unwilling to leave himself open to unsavory speculation, Adrian nuzzled her mouth. “Let me redeem myself?”

  “There’s no need.” Victoria’s tongue teased his with soft strokes.

  “Maybe not, but it’ll be fun for both of us if I try.”

  Victoria sighed against his mouth. “Very well. If you insist.” She winked audaciously and wiggled her hips.

  Adrian was still hard inside her. He didn’t need a second invitation. He strode towards his bedroom and her laughter echoed like a thousand delicate bells.

  SEVEN

  Victoria awoke in the predawn hours. She looked over at the sleeping man beside her and experienced a curious rush of awe and shyness. Awe that she’d experienced an unforgettable night with such a beautiful man and shyness because she was naked beneath the sheet.

  “Adrian?”

  “Mmm?”

  “I have to go home.” Although she’d whispered it, his eyes flew open as if she’d shouted it.

  “Home?”

  “Yes. I have a 9:00am class today.”

>   Adrian rolled over and looked at the clock. He sat up with a confused frown on his face.

  “I slept through my alarm?”

  Victoria reached out and ran her hand down his bare arm. “I never heard it go off.”

  Adrian’s gaze met hers. His smoldered with hunger. “I’ll get my workout another way then…”

  Even though they’d just fallen asleep a couple of hours before, Adrian immediately rolled her underneath him. They made love urgently without words, letting their hands and moans speak for them. They shuddered together, mouths open and eyes wide with bemusement at how much more pleasurable it was to come simultaneously. They showered together the same way, even when Adrian had Victoria bent forward at the waist as he pounded her into keening submission.

  Adrian rained kisses all over her face afterwards, murmuring, “It’s never been this good, kitten. Never.”

  Breathless and feeling as if she could barely stand up, Victoria couldn’t ever imagine experiencing this with anyone else. All she could do was smile.

  He cupped her face and kissed her hard. His gaze penetrated. “Never. Do you understand?”

  “Y-Yes.”

  His feral smile melted into a possessive kiss that had Victoria scrabbling for more of him—which he was generous enough to give her again right there on the bathroom counter.

  Eventually, Adrian left her to get dressed in peace. Victoria pulled a new toothbrush out of its container and wondered why seeing a drawer full of them made her uneasy. She blow-dried her hair, doing her best to finger-comb her long locks because she didn’t want to be presumptuous by using Adrian’s hairbrush.

  What’s happening to me? Why am I feeling so weird about him…us?

  Victoria’s unease increased when Adrian joined her fifteen minutes later in the kitchen.

  Attired in a dark suit, hair perfectly in place, Adrian was a gorgeous sight to behold. Victoria’s body responded as if they hadn’t spent half the night making love in his bed…and on the floor…and in the shower…and the bathroom.

  “You look quite handsome.” Victoria hoped that the distance she sensed was one being created on her side. It went without saying that she’d never had a “morning after” so she didn’t know what was considered normal.