The-Adonis Read online

  He loved how there was no question about him being there. She made him feel at home. “Oh, I know,” she cried, sounding like a little girl. “Let’s play cards.”

  Her childlike glee was catching and he found himself drawn into her excitement. “Okay,” he agreed. “Do you want to play poker?”

  Sticking out her bottom lip, Thea began to pout. “But I suck at it. I always lose.”

  “What if we make a wager that’s a win for you either way?” he suggested.

  Thea’s eyes narrowed. “I’m listening.”

  “If I win, then we go out tonight and do something fun,” he answered.

  “And if I win?” she asked.

  “If you, by some miracle, pull off a win, then I will paint your toenails.”

  Her tinkling laughter made his ridiculous offer worthwhile. “You’re on, buddy, so you’d better start counting your money because I intend to tie one on when we go out, and you’re paying.”

  “You really don’t think you can win, do you?” he asked.

  She waved a dismissive hand. “I never do.”

  In that moment, he realized a few things. He wanted Thea to win, even though it meant he would be painting her toenails, and at some point, he had become closer to her than he was to Owen.

  The fuzzy white sweater stretched tightly across Thea’s chest, showing off her amazing figure, and her beautiful green eyes followed him as he paced angrily from one end of the room to the other. She sat calmly at one end of his couch, with a Ziploc full of ice pressed to her head, appearing as if this type thing happened to her every day. Instead of looking wary, as she should have considering his current temperament, she merely looked as if she hoped he would either explode or sit down. Realizing he was probably making her dizzy, considering the huge bump she had on her head, he started to sit, but found himself exploding instead.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you here with these fucking people instead of happily married with kids somewhere?”

  Thea lifted the icepack from her head and tossed it onto a nearby table. “These people,” she said, matching his tone. “You know, being different doesn’t make someone bad. It just makes them different,” she argued, sounding more tired than defensive. “Most of the couples who attend my ball are in loving relationships and are merely satisfying a voyeuristic need. They are all consenting adults, using protection, and hurting no one.”

  “So you say,” Rob said childishly, even though he was not sure why he continued to argue with her, other than the fact she was sexy as hell when she was angry.

  “Why do you care?”

  “I don’t,” Rob admitted. “I could care less what those people do, but they aren’t you, and it’s a bit like finding out your podiatrist gets off on fucking people’s feet. I’m not judging. I’m only saying it’s a bit unnerving to realize someone whom I pictured was off living a good life is actually the queen of an underground society I never knew existed.”

  Thea laughed. “Was your podiatrist there humping someone’s feet?”

  “I don’t have a podiatrist,” he admitted on a laugh.

  She chuckled, then clutched her head, making his chest tighten. He should have taken her straight to the hospital, and he was not sure why he hadn’t, other than he wanted to be the one to care for her. Closing the distance between them, he brushed her hands away in order to inspect her wound for himself. It did not look as if it had gotten any worse, but she would feel like shit in the morning. There had been so many times he had pictured his fingers in her hair, but never for this reason. He did not like seeing her in pain. Thea let out a soft moan and he realized his inspection had turned into a caress somewhere along the way. He knew he should pull his hand away, but instead he trailed his fingers along the curve of her cheek, watching intently as her eyes fell closed.

  “Owen was such a fool,” he said quietly. As soon as the words left his mouth, Rob knew he had made a mistake. Thea’s eyes snapped open as she pulled away from his touch. He dropped his arm, but refused to back away and allow her any personal space.

  “I’ll call a cab to take me home.”

  He couldn’t stop her from leaving, but he did not want her to go.

  “You shouldn’t be alone tonight. You probably have a slight concussion.”

  “Then I’ll call one of my friends to come stay with me,” she argued, and he did not miss the implication he was not a friend.

  “Is this friend a man?”

  Her chin took on a stubborn tilt and she remained quiet, answering his question without saying a word. A roar sounded inside his head, drowning out everything else. It did not matter he hadn’t seen her in years. It was better he hadn’t. Owen had been his friend back then and loyalty kept him from her, but none of those things mattered any longer. The moment he had pulled her into his lap and realized who she was, all of his old desires came rushing back to the surface. He was still the man standing on the outside wanting a woman he couldn’t have.

  “Is this friend a man?” he asked again through clenched teeth.

  “So what if it is?” she shot back, defiant.

  “Like hell,” he growled, taking a seat next to her on the couch. He tugged on her arm, coaxing her to lay with her head in his lap. “I’ll sit here with you while you sleep so I can keep an eye on you.”

  “You have to be tired,” she argued, but there was no heat in her words. The tension was already leaving her body and his earlier remark apparently forgotten.

  He brushed her hair over her shoulder and lightly massaged her scalp. “I’m too pissed off to sleep,” he admitted, and a small smile touched her lips.

  Thea turned on her side facing him and closed her eyes. “You won’t stay mad at me long.”

  Just like that, it was as if no years stood between them. With his elbow on the arm of the couch, he held his head in his hand while continuing to stroke her hair with the other. He had only touched her like this one time before tonight, but he had held tight to the memory.

  Owen leaned against the counter and pulled Thea into his arms. With her back against his chest, he spoke softly into her ear as he began kneading her breasts. Owen’s words were too low for Rob to hear, but he recognized his cue to leave. He began to rise to his feet when a single word fell from Thea’s lips, freezing him in his seat.

  “Stay,” she ordered.

  The flush of arousal was high on her cheeks and she looked sexy as hell. He had spent the entire night at half-mast, and with her one word, he was rock hard. His eyes met Owen’s over Thea’s shoulder. Owen slid his hands lower and began pushing Thea’s shorts down her hips.

  “Yeah, man. You should stay,” Owen added.

  Thea’s shorts and panties hit the floor, leaving the bottom half of her body bare. Her soft, tan, and hairless body made his mouth water as he imagined her taste. The sound of Owen’s zipper sliding down almost went unnoticed as Rob concentrated solely on Thea. Her head dropped back onto Owen’s shoulder as she pushed her shirt upward, bra and all, exposing her supple breasts. Cupping them with both hands, she squeezed, and his dick jumped in response. Rob crossed his arms over his chest in an attempt to keep from stroking himself. One of Thea’s hands traveled downward as she pinched one nipple between her fingers with the other. She spread her pussy lips wide, showing him the moisture hidden inside. His body was taut as a bow, and his cock throbbed, straining against his jeans. If he stayed for this show, he knew he would end up cumming without anyone laying a finger on him and that had never happened to him before.

  “You can’t leave Rob looking like that,” Owen said, reminding Rob of his presence, as he urged Thea in his direction.

  Rob knew he could refuse her as Thea came to stand between his knees, but the mixture of finally seeing her gorgeous body bare and the look of longing on her face kept him frozen even as Owen took his own cock in hand.

  Thea reached for his belt, unclasping it. “You can say ‘no,’” she told him quietly, but he couldn’t. He could no more say
“no” to her than he could change the color of the sky. His dick sprang free and Thea brushed her fingers along its line as if memorizing every inch of him. A part of his mind screamed this was wrong. She was a married woman, and his best friend was jacking off only a few feet away, but it was Thea. That changed everything. He kept his gaze locked on her, blocking Owen’s presence from his mind as Thea dropped to her knees. She leaned forward and he caught a flash of her pink tongue before the tip of his cock disappeared inside her mouth. Pleasure shot through his gut as she hollowed her cheeks while sucking him down her throat. She repeated the motion and he brushed her hair aside so he could watch while she serviced him. She gripped his member tightly with one hand while her other hand moved wildly between her own legs. Rob flexed his ass cheeks and pushed with his feet in an attempt to go even deeper. Thea set a rhythm that caused his head to spin and his balls to tighten. Her throat squeezed around him once more and he exploded without having time to push her away. Thea swallowed every drop and licked away every bit of evidence. As her own orgasm hit, she turned her head away, burying her face against his inner thigh, and smothering her cries of pleasure. The world had never seemed as unfair as it did in that moment.

  Rob’s body tensed and her eyes shot open to find him staring down at her. Knowledge settled over her as she realized what it was about him that drew her in. It was the way he watched her. His body would remain perfectly still, but his eyes would burn. That is what Thea had never been able to resist. He could hide his thoughts in every other action and deed except for that one. No one else had ever looked at her the way he did. There had been several times in the past she had caught him staring at her and her body had immediately reacted. He was looking at her like that now and she couldn’t tear her eyes away. He was doing things to her in his mind she would never forget. She was sure of it. Coming up onto her knees, she straddled his hips while half expecting him to push her away. Everything about him was sexy. His brown hair, blue eyes, and Brazilian accent were only icing for his beautiful heart.

  “I should have said ‘no.’ I think I ruined something between us that night.”

  There was no need for Rob to explain which night. She knew exactly to what he referred and she shook her head. “No. You set me free,” she admitted as she closed the distance between them. With all the moments they had shared, this was still their first kiss and Thea’s mind couldn’t cling to a single sane thought. His lips were soft and begging for her teeth to sink into them.

  There was no finesse to her actions. None of the practiced technique she had used in the past in order to lure someone to her bed. There was only raw lust rushing through her veins and driving her forward. The sound of magazines and remote controls hitting the floor sounded hollow with her heart pounding in her ears. His hands gripped her waist, as he lifted her up, before she found her back against the cold coffee table. The worn blue t-shirt he donned before leaving the hotel was on the floor and she was not positive if he had pulled it over his head or if she had. The only thing she knew for sure was they still were not close enough. Her hardened nipples brushed against her shirt, making her growl in frustration. She wanted them bare. She wanted to feel his skin against her. He fought with her jeans until she lifted her hips, allowing him to strip them away. Without a hint of warning, Rob spread her wide and sealed his mouth over her mound. With her legs thrown over his shoulders, she was helpless against his ministrations. Instead of fighting against his hold, she closed her eyes and lost herself to the feel of his thumb rubbing a steady circle around her clit as his tongue moved inside her. Pleasure curled in her stomach as a slow ache began to build there. She knew he was purposely keeping his touch too light for her to fly apart too soon. Her need bordered on pain as he kept her poised on the edge of satisfaction. Burying one hand in his hair, she attempted to move even closer. “Please,” she begged, the word torn from her throat.

  He chuckled and the sound vibrated through her core. Rob leaned away, making her want to scream. “Please what?” he taunted, as he slowly ran one finger over the tiny bud weeping for his attention.

  She moaned at the sensation his one touch sent through her body. Lifting her head, she met his eyes. “I need to feel you inside me,” she said, admitting the thing she wanted the most. He froze, holding her gaze, and the look of hunger in his eyes caused her chest to tighten. She needed him buried deep. She wanted to know what it was like to, finally, have him close to her. He allowed her feet to slip to the floor as he stood and tugged at his belt. He pushed his jeans down his hips and his erection sprang free. Her mouth watered in response as the memory of his taste flooded her mind. Taking her hand, he pulled her to her feet before sitting down on the couch, and urging her to straddle his hips.

  “You can say ‘no,’” he offered, but they both knew it would never happen. In answer, she reached between them, grasping his cock in order to hold him in place as she lowered herself down onto him. His eyes fell closed as he entered her and his nostrils flared as if he was barely holding himself in check. Unable to resist the lure of his beautifully shaped mouth, she touched her lips to his. Sucking his bottom lip into her mouth, Thea drew this kiss out. She wanted to savor the light brush of his tongue and the flavor of his mouth. She needed to brand this moment into her brain where she could hold onto it forever. As his tongue stroked hers, she rocked against him with the same rhythm. She rode his hips, feeling the pull of her clit against his skin as her pussy milked him. His larger than average size kept her feeling deliciously stretched and soaking wet. The friction between their bodies combined with her need, causing her to moan in pleasure. Gripping her hips, Rob pushed against her and tiny pulsations shot through her pussy, sending her over the edge. He kept up their pace until her orgasm was almost painful in its intensity. Locking her muscles tight, she buried her face in the crook of his neck as he cried out her name.

  *****

  He knew she was gone before opening his eyes. Thea’s absence was so powerful it felt as if a lead weight sat upon his chest. Despite the feeling of loss, Rob was determined to see the bright side of things. Thea leaving him gave him the chance to make right his biggest mistake. He was going to go after her this time. His boss, Shannon, did not bat an eye as he reminded Rob client confidentiality prevented him from revealing Thea’s address while handing over her file.

  Following the directions from his GPS, Rob found Thea’s address easily even though it was well off the beaten path. He was not surprised she would choose to live in such a secluded area. The quaint cottage was exactly the sort of home he had pictured her living in. A cobbled pathway led him to her door and he lifted his hand to knock before freezing. He would not put it past her to leave him standing there on her front stoop. Instead, he wrapped his fingers around the doorknob and twisted. It turned easily beneath his hand. He did not know if he should be sending up prayers of thanks or cursing Thea for leaving herself vulnerable to would-be robbers.

  Stepping across the threshold, he closed the door behind him as quietly as possible. The wood floors gleamed in the brightly lit room and he spent a moment admiring the huge stone fireplace. It was the focal point of the room. The house was silent and he strained to hear any sound that might clue him in to her whereabouts. Finally, a slight scuffing noise drew his attention to the first room off the living room.

  He found Thea perched on a stool in front of an easel. She did not seem to notice him so he stole a moment of simply watching her. He had forgotten how much she loved to paint and how very good she was at it. She blew him away with her beauty, and by how confident she was with her body. She wore only a long-sleeved, button-down plaid shirt covered in paint. Her gorgeous legs were bare and he assumed she wore some form of underwear beneath, but with Thea, there was no way to tell. She leaned closer to the canvas and added a touch of blue to the background. Her shirt hitched up just enough to give him a flash of white thong, appeasing his curiosity.

  “Do you know what pisses me off the most?” he asked without waiti
ng for her to acknowledge his presence.

  She turned with the brush held between her fingers, not appearing the least bit taken aback by his presence. He would not have been surprised to learn she had known the second he walked through the door. She gave him her full attention. “That I’m the queen of the underground, I know, we went over this last night,” she reminded him.

  “Yeah, I’m still pissed about that too,” he admitted. “But mostly I’m sick of you running away, and I’m mad as hell at myself for not coming after you the first time.”

  Thea set her brush aside and wiped her fingers on the hem of her shirt before responding. “Do you remember the night before I left?” she asked, but she didn’t wait for him to answer. “We went to the movies without Owen because he claimed his dad’s car had broken down and he needed to go help him out.”

  Rob nodded. He did remember that night. He thought of it more often than any other even though it was the only moment spent with her he wished he could forget.

  “I asked you if Owen was telling me the truth. It was the only time I had ever put you on the spot in such a way, and you lied.”

  Rob’s heart sank. He had lied. “I didn’t want you to leave,” he confessed. “Leaving Owen meant you were leaving me. It’s crazy and I know it, but having some part of you was better than nothing to me.”

  Thea clasped her hands tightly in her lap, as if she was holding herself back physically from reaching out to him. “I already knew the truth before I asked the question, but it was a test.”

  “And I failed miserably,” Rob said, finishing her sentence for her, but she shook her head.

  “My heart shattered into a thousand tiny pieces that night, not because you were lying to me, but because in that moment I knew for certain you loved me as much as I loved you, and I would never have you. Unfortunately, I didn’t take into consideration the feeling wouldn’t go away, and I’d be stuck loving you forever with every little splintered part of me.”

  Her words acted as a springboard for his body and he found himself across the room before his mind fully grasped the movement. Cupping her face between his hands, Rob tilted her head back so she would be looking him in the eyes and could see the honesty behind his words.