CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: CHLOE

Oh, no.

No. No. No. No. No.

He couldn’t have heard me, could he? There was no way. I covered my mouth. I’d practically suffocated myself through my orgasm.

It was impossible.

Right?

“D—disturb me?” I asked, bringing my hands out of the water. “What do you mean?”

“Mm. Tell me, Chloe. Did you enjoy the sight of me touching myself so much that you had to lock yourself in your room and do the same thing?”

Fuck.

“What were you imagining when I went back to the shower? Were you thinking that I was finishing myself off?” His deep voice sent a shiver through my body. “Did you touch yourself thinking about me?”

How was it that his words were so threatening yet so sexy at the same time?

And why the hell was I getting turned on?

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said quietly, dipping my head. “This is highly inappro—”

“If you didn’t want me to say inappropriate things, you shouldn’t have been snooping on me in the shower,” he murmured in my ear, his lips brushing my earlobe. “Do you want to know why I was doing that? It was because of you.”

I pressed my thighs together. “Me?”

“Your yoga clothes aren’t as modest as you think. I walked in there yesterday and you were bent over with your head down and your arse in the air, and your shorts were revealing a bit too much.”

Oh no.

How was it possible that this situation was getting so much worse?

“So, I was going to handle the problem myself, until I saw you watching me. If you were wondering if I finished myself off when I went back to the shower, you were right. Seeing you watch me turned me on, Chloe.” He slid his hand across the edge of the counter until his thumb brushed my hip. “Imagine how surprised I was when I went back to your room and heard you moaning in there.”

Heat flushed through my body.

I turned him on? All of this was happening because of me?

“And that was a problem,” he continued, keeping his mouth close to my ear. “Because when I left you, all I could think about was what you were doing to make yourself moan like that, then I started wondering what I’d have to do to you to make you make those noises.”

I stared at a worn-down bit of grout on the tiles in front of me. If I didn’t, I might just close my eyes and give into the deceptive seduction of his voice.

God only knew my body was reacting to what he was saying.

“I always thought you hated me, even if we are friends now.” He dipped his head and brushed his lips down my neck in the most featherlight touch, not quite kissing me but not quite not kissing me at the same time. “But there’s no way you hate me after hearing your moans. Am I right, Chloe?”

I swallowed, beating down my arousal. “We shouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“Then tell me to stop.” He moved behind me, and I could feel his erection pressing against my lower back. He touched his lips to the tender spot beneath my ear and wrapped one arm around me, pulling my body back against his. “Tell me no, and I’ll stop. I’ll walk away, and we’ll never discuss this again.”

I couldn’t say anything.

Stop what?

What was he going to do?

“Tell me yes,” he murmured. “And I’ll touch you the way you want to be touched.”

“Who said I wanted to be touched?”

“Your body. You’re turned on right now, Chloe, and you know you are. Your cheeks are all pink and you’re breathing is all shuddery.” He grazed his teeth across my neck. “So, what is it? Yes, or no?”

I drew in a shaky breath. He was right. I was turned on, and I did want to be touched, but this was Theodore.

Mr Black.

The Bastard.

My boss.

“You’re my boss,” I whispered.

“Not right now.” He nipped and licked at the side of my neck, sending little shoots of pleasure flying through me. One of his hands slid up my body, expertly avoiding my breasts, and cupped my jaw. His finger and thumb followed the line of my jaw perfectly, and he tilted my head back. “Answer me, Chloe. Do you want me to touch you right now? Can I find out what I must do to make you moan for me?”

Shit.

I was done for.

There really was only answer right now—one that every bit of my body was crying out for me to give.

“Yes.”

He turned my face just enough so that our lips could meet. His kiss was hungry, and the fervour with which he moved his lips across mine was nothing short of fiery. Every stroke of his tongue against mine lit a spark deep inside me, and I whimpered as he slid his hand up beneath my jumper dress and cupped my breast.

His fingertips toyed with the edge of my bra cup, and the will-he-won’t-he anticipation sent a shiver of longing through me.

I reached up and wrapped my arm around his neck, using my other hand to grip onto the edge of the sink for dear life. The kiss combined with his touch was so intense that it almost felt as though I’d collapse if I let go for even a second.

He pulled my bra down and cupped my breast, rubbing his thumb across my nipple. The soft fleece of my jumper dress brushed across it in the absence of his touch, and I couldn’t help the small moan that escaped me.

He swallowed every little noise I made with his kiss as if it were nothing. His hand moved from my neck to under my dress to cup my other breast, and I pressed my thighs together as if it would stop the incessant throbbing of my clit.

I couldn’t escape how wrong this felt. Theodore was my boss—and it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I didn’t want to smack him with something very heavy.

How was it possible that I was being groped by him in the kitchen?

Fuck. I wasn’t sure it mattered. Everywhere he touched me sparked to life like he had some magical power in his fingertips, and that was abundantly true when he slid his right hand down my stomach to the apex of my thighs.

“Open your legs,” he whispered, dotting dangerously firm kisses down my neck. Tiny little sucks accompanied each one, and I had no choice but to obey as his fingers crept between my legs.

He cupped my pussy, stroking his fingers across the outside of my underwear. I flinched, responding to his touch, and dropped my chin to my chest as he took it one step further and slipped his hand inside my panties.

“Oh, Chloe.” He chuckled, and it vibrated across my neck. “You really did want this, didn’t you? Do you know how wet you are right now?”

Yes. I knew. Every inch of me throbbed between my legs, even more so as his fingers explored my wetness.

“No wonder you were moaning in your room last night.” He lightly pinched my nipple, rolling it between his finger and thumb. “Look how responsive your body is. Does the thought of me touching myself really turn you on this much?”

God, I wanted to smack him. I wanted to jerk my head up and headbutt this cocky bastard so hard I broke his nose, but I was completely and utterly at his mercy right now.

My arm fell from around his neck, and Theodore adjusted his stance, then slowly pushed one finger inside me. My body responded with my hips tilting instinctively into his touch.

His finger was longer and thicker than mine and felt infinitely better, and I let out a little, ‘Ah,’ of pleasure when he added a second finger.

I gripped the edge of the counter tighter as I melted into his touch. Every way my body moved; Theodore moved with me. His erection pressed into me harder and harder as he moved his fingers inside me, and I bent forwards, pressing my arse back into him.

He finally released my breast, only to curve his fingers around my neck once more and straighten my back. “Ah, ah,” he murmured into my ear, pushing his fingers deep inside me and eliciting another moan. “If you’re going to bend over like that, my fingers won’t be the only things inside you tonight.”

My legs trembled, and I was almost sure that the only thing keeping me as upright as I was right now was Theodore’s firm grip on me.

Sure, if my legs gave out there was a good chance I’d be choked to death, but it was a risk I was willing to take.

Even if it wasn’t, I was too far gone. Every stroke of his fingers inside me brought me closer to the peak of pleasure, especially when he slid them out of my pussy and up to my clit. It was an endless cycle of torment where each touch was simultaneously too much and not enough, but when he finally broke it and rubbed my clit, letting the pleasure roll through me, I could no longer take it.

I moaned as my knees buckled. I only just managed to recover my stability, but I dropped my chin to my chest, squeezing my eyes shut.

Shit.

What had I just done?

What had I just let him do?

I couldn’t even blame this on him. He’d made it clear that he’d respect my no, but I’d said yes. He’d asked, and I’d clearly said yes to him touching me.

And now…

“Shit.” Theodore’s voice was little more than a mumble against my hair. “Don’t move.”

I swallowed. “Wh—why?”

“Because I have two heads, and right now, I’m trying to make sure I think with the right one. If you move, I can’t promise anything.”

“I think it’s a bit late for that,” I muttered.

He froze. “You’re right. Fuck it. Can you walk?”

“I had an orgasm, not an amputation. I can walk just fine.”

“For now.” He released me and grabbed my wrist, yanking me after him. I stumbled with the sudden movement, but quickly regained my footing and allowed myself to be dragged through the cottage to the stairs.

Despite my proclamation, my legs were indeed a little unstable, and I almost tripped over my own feet on the way up the stairs.

“What are you—”

Theodore stopped right outside his bedroom door and pulled me against him, snaking one arm around me and tightly clamping my body to his. “Per our agreement, I’m giving you permission to enter my bedroom on the grounds of an emergency.”

An emergency? Was he high?

“What kind of emergency could you possibly have right now?” I asked.

He shoved open the door and dragged me inside, sweeping me across the room until we reached his bed. He released me, and the sudden motion sent me off balance. I fell back on the edge of his bed with a little, “Oomph!” and he leant over me, placing his hands either side of my hips on the bed.

He brushed his lips across my jaw. “What kind of emergency could I have right now?” he breathed into my ear. “That’s simple, Chloe. It’s the kind of emergency where I might die if I can’t fuck you right now.”

His low, breathy words danced across my skin, and the goosebumps that prickled to life almost felt as though they were lacing my body with a deep desire that I was powerless to shake off.

Theodore dropped his head to my shoulder and turned his face into my neck. His breathing was shallow but tight, almost as if he was controlling every single exhale. “Can I?”

I swallowed. “Can you what?”

“Fuck you, Chloe. I want to fuck you.”

A shiver ran down my spine, making my whole body tremble in response to his frank words.

“I want to flip you over and fuck you until you beg me to stop. I want to hold your thighs open and bury myself inside you until you forget your own name. I want to pull your hair and bite your neck until you cry for me.” He grazed his teeth over my neck as if to make his point. “But only if you say yes. Like I said earlier, tell me no, and I’ll stop. Tell me yes, and I’ll do whatever you want me to do to you.”

Shit.

Consent was sexy.

This man was sexy.

Him asking me for my consent was the sexiest bloody thing I’d ever heard.

I lay back on the bed, grabbing the front of his t-shirt so he came down with me. “Yes,” I whispered, brushing my lips over his. “Fuck me, Theo. Make me beg.”