Lirael POV
Zephyra was a vision—petite with slender shoulders, a narrow waist flaring to curvy hips, and a round ass I'd love to have seen bent over the back of the couch.
As tempting as that image was, I wasn't enough of an asshole to take her virginity that way. Her body swayed enticingly as I followed behind her, loosening my tie and imagining the possibilities. So many things I wanted to do to her, but the next few hours were all we had.
She reached the bed, looking over her shoulder at me, a huge turn-on. Behind her, my painfully hard dick brushed her ass. As I flicked open the clasp of her bra, she trembled against me. "Turn around," I rasped. Her full breasts and pale-pink nipples were immediate targets for my anticipation.
Losing patience, I circled her waist, cupping a breast and taking the peak into my mouth. Her hands clutched at my hair as I moved to the other breast, nipping at the tender tip.
“Lirael,” she gasped. “I need…”
Straightening, I instructed her to get on the bed, crawl to the top, and sit against the headboard. As she complied, presenting that luscious ass, I pressed my hand against my erection.
Once she sat at the top, I dropped my hand. “Now pull those panties aside and touch yourself.”
Cheeks reddening, she hesitated. “I don’t think I’m comfortable.”
Unbuttoning my shirt, I pressed, “If this is indeed your first time, I want it to be good. Show me how you like it.” True, but not the whole truth. “Or are you telling me you’re so innocent you’ve never even touched yourself before?”
She tracked my every move as I stripped off my shirt, slowly so that her eyes clearly appreciated my gym efforts, as they darkened over my chest, which made the edge of my lips stretch out in a smile.
When my words sank in, her gaze shot back to my face, her flushed face, saying she wasn’t as innocent as I assumed she was. "Of course not."
Smirking at the spark of annoyance in her eyes, I couldn't resist pushing further. "Maybe I should find out how innocent you are. How far have you gone? What's been inside that pretty pussy?"
Annoyance flared hotter. "Yes to all of that. I have toys at home, big ones at that." She drawled, raunchily.
I laughed. "Unless you've got a monster dildo, I'll be the biggest thing you've had inside you. Since you're experienced, show me how you do it."
I palmed my cock, her eyes widening at the bulge. "I'll show you how hard you're making me."
Teeth pressed into her lip. "Okay," she whispered.
"Good girl," I growled. Her gaze jumped to my face, and she wet her lips — she liked that.
Watching closely, I unzipped, pulling out my shaft. Zephyra's eyes widened as my hand worked it. "Your turn."
Audibly swallowing, her hands moved down, revealing the prettiest pussy I'd ever seen. Her fingers circled her clit.
Fuck.
Tightening my grip, I said, "That's it, cutie. You're almost there."
She kept going, eyelashes fluttering. Slowing my hand, I watched, the urge to crawl between her thighs searing through me. "I'll find out myself."
Climbing onto the bed, I couldn't stop staring at her slick, pink flesh. The anticipation was intense. I hadn't felt this much since... I didn't know.
"Hands off. Your pussy was mine now," I said, but before she pulled her fingers away, I grabbed her wrist, bent down, and slid her fingers between my lips. I groaned. My dick leaked pre-cum, smearing it against her inner thighs as I pushed over her, savoring the taste of her arousal, knowing she was ready for me.
“Oh my god, that’s so . . .” Her fingers twitched against my tongue, her gaze fixed on my mouth, and fuck, I was going to wreck this girl.
I gripped her hips and pulled her until she was flat on her back, then I leaned down and swiped my tongue over her clit as I dipped a finger into her. God, she was so tight.
I alternated flicking that sensitive bundle of nerves with swirls and sucks while I eased my finger in and out of her until I could fit another inside. Her tight muscles gave a little as I worked my fingers into her, but it was only a few moments before her inner walls tightened around me again. Her breathy moans came faster. She was almost there. I sucked hard on her clit, then gently bit down on it, and she exploded with a loud cry. The orgasm ripped through her, and she clenched hard around my fingers.
“Lirael, oh my god. That was . . . I can’t even . . .” One glance at her flushed face, her parted lips, and her dilated green eyes, and I was done. I told her I’d make her come twice before I fucked her, but once would have to be enough because I needed to be inside that tight little body right now.
I reached for the bedside table and grabbed a condom from the drawer, ripping it open with my teeth and rolling it over my erection. Bracing myself with one hand next to her head, my eyes locked with hers. Her needy expression was one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen. Her pupils were flared so wide there was only a small ring of emerald surrounding them, and her lips were parted to let out breathless little pants as she looked up at me.
A tiny crease formed between her brows. “You’re, um, bigger than I was expecting.” Even though I was only barely hanging on to my restraint, I huffed out a laugh. “Bigger than your biggest toy?” She laughed too, the sound unexpectedly trickling like honey over my inflamed senses. “Maybe a little.” And fuck, when was the last time I laughed during sex? Have I ever? The thought was fleeting, but it lingered in the back of my mind. At least until I pressed the head of my cock to her entrance, and then I wasn’t thinking about anything except filling her.
I pinned her hands with mine as I pressed forward because having them on me right now was a distraction I didn’t need. Not when her needy little cunt was already squeezing around the tip of my dick.
She was tight. So fucking tight. And she gasped as I pushed in, working my way into her with shallow thrusts, pausing now and then to give her a chance to breathe and adjust to my size. She made soft sounds, little gasps and whimpers that brushed over my skin like the fingers I hadn’t let touch me yet.
A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead as the strain of holding back built in my shoulders and biceps. With one last thrust, I was fully seated inside her. Her pussy was like a heated vise around my dick, and my balls were already drawn tight.“Are you okay?” I asked through gritted teeth. She didn’t answer right away, her beautiful green eyes searching mine in fast, dazed flicks. I didn’t know what answers she was looking for in my gaze, but if she was waiting for me to say something poetic, she’d be disappointed.“Cutie, unless you tell me to stop, I’m going to fuck you, and I won’t stop fucking you until you come all over my cock. Got it?”She licked her lips. “Yes.” She shifted her hips experimentally, making both of us groan. Then those mesmerizing eyes were back on mine. “I wanted you to fuck me. I wanted to come with you inside me. But . . .” She twisted her hands in my grip, and I released her. Immediately, she brought them to rest on my chest, fingers tracing my pecs, trav
Lirael POV"So, how were the presentations?" Nathan asked from across his large mahogany desk.When I returned to my office after Paradise Architecture’s presentation, I found a message from my brother, requesting an update. I decided to update him in person.Nathan’s question brought my mind back to the moment Zephyra entered the conference room. The instant I recognized her, memories flooded back — her moans, her body under mine, her sounds of pleasure. I pushed the memory away, leaning back in the leather chair. “They were fine. Some good proposals.”“When do you think you’ll decide?” Nathan inquired.I rubbed my chin, contemplating the proposals. Despite several meeting our requirements, only one stood out. Yet, Zephyra's involvement made me hesitant.I didn’t trust the shock on her face when she saw me. In a city like New York, the chances of my one-night stand and her team bidding on our project seemed improbable.Back when we met, they would have already been working on their p
Zephyra's POVMy ringing phone woke me from a restless sleep. I fumbled around on my side table until I found it. “Hello?” I mumbled, squinting against the fingers of light finding their way past the edges of my bedroom curtains.“We got it!” Jovan’s loud voice made me wince.I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “Got what?”“The Wright Group project,” he said, and now I was wide awake. “Really?” I was simultaneously shocked, delighted, and wracked with nerves. Delighted that all our hard work had paid off, and excited at the knowledge that something I’d have a hand in designing would feature prominently in major cities around the US.But my stomach twisted at the thought of being in the same space as Lirael for an extended period.From the way he had looked at me during our presentation, it was obvious he was less than happy to see me. And I guessed I understood why. Lirael didn’t seem the type to be interested in mixing business with pleasure, particularly not when the pleasure was only ever
Zephyra's POVI cringed. “Yes. I didn’t know at the time, though.”“Holy shit,” she breathed. “I can’t believe it.” Then she laughed, her big brown eyes tearing up. “Oh my god, Zee. When you finally decided to let your hair down, you went full throttle and hooked up with one of the richest, most eligible bachelors in the country.”"Stop laughing," she said. "It was going to be so awkward, particularly during our one-on-one meeting."She wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe it would have turned into a literal one-on-one meeting."The sip of coffee I had just taken almost choked me. "Jovan and I were back together. Plus, I worked for him, so that would have been completely inappropriate," I thought back to Lirael’s icy expression during our last meeting. "Not to mention, I was pretty sure he had no interest in a repeat performance.""From the minimal juicy details you gave of that night
Zephyra's POVIt was Monday, and I sat on the beautiful yet uncomfortable leather couch outside Lirael’s office, trying not to fidget. My heart hammered against my ribcage, and nervous sweat dampened my skin. Lirael’s PA, a young man who introduced himself as Samson, eyed me from across the space, and I wondered if he could tell how nervous I was.He picked up his phone, glanced at me, said something, and hung up. “You can go in, Miss Zane.”I smiled my thanks at him, then stood, smoothing down my gray pencil skirt. With Freya’s help, I had paired it with a cream sleeveless blouse with delicate little buttons running down the front of it. Black strappy heels finished off the look. As Freya put it, the outfit was classy, while still doing a fantastic job of highlighting my curves.Professional with a hint of sexy. Perfect to give me the confidence I needed to face this uncomfortable situation.Samson gave me a slightly concerned look, and I realized I had ground to a halt, standing fro
Zephyra's POVAnger whipped through me. What sort of cold, empty life would allow him to see a simple coincidence as some subterfuge to manipulate him? “Are you insinuating that I used my body to get this job for my firm? Because if you are, it sounds very much like you’re suggesting I prostituted myself.”He stalked closer and my breath caught. I hated that even though I was furious with him, my body reacted to his proximity. He was the only man who had given me such intense pleasure, and apparently my body didn’t care that he was insulting my integrity. It just wanted to relive the feeling of his head between my legs and the way he filled me so thoroughly.My gaze snapped back to his as I realized it had drifted down to his lips.My nipples tightened even more, and I was sure by now they must be visible. I crossed my arms as if I was bored with this conversation.Only the smirk curling his lips let me know I hadn’t succeeded.He was standing so close that I needed to angle my chin s
Lirael's POV“Are you listening?” Nathan’s voice brought my attention back to the discussion as my brothers and I sat around a table in his office, analyzing the Wright Group’s financials for the last quarter, as well as the projections for the next six months. 'Of course,' I said, despite the memory of my meeting with Zephyra that morning occupying most of my attention.She had surprised me. I was mostly convinced that our original encounter and what happened between us were a coincidence. The shock and horror on her face when I suggested otherwise had been believable enough that a part of me—a tiny part—actually felt bad about accusing her. But there were women out there who would do exactly that. Outside the bedroom, there had been plenty of people over the years who orchestrated meetings with me and my brothers to try to get something from us.In our position, trust had been scarce. I wasn’t sure there was anyone in my life I trusted completely. I knew my brothers wouldn’t screw m
Zephyra's POVI tapped my pen on my notepad as I studied the concept design I had drawn for the roof of the Chicago hotel. After doing some calculations, I turned to my other computer screen and scrolled through the U.S. Green Building Council website, checking over the information on their certification requirements. I took a few notes, then put my pen down and stretched.It had been Friday, and I had made it through my first week with the Wright Group. Aside from the confrontation with Lirael on Monday, it had been great. I scanned my surroundings and smiled. They had given us an impressive office, filled with sleek, modern workbenches, ergonomic chairs, and several drafting tables. Large windows lined two walls, allowing natural light to flood in and giving the space an airy, open feel. A small kitchen area with a fridge, microwave, and coffee machine was located at the far end.My desk sat in the corner, facing the rest of the room. The double computer screens blocked most of my v
Zephyra's POVLirael continues, unperturbed. "Your company has been facing difficulties for a while now—mismanagement, apparently. Your shares are at the lowest price they've been for a decade. I saw you come in, and I decided now was the right time to make the call. So no, you don't have some investments for me. You are an investment. And unfortunately for you, as of," Lirael checks his watch, "ten minutes ago, you're no longer CEO of Apex Industries. My brothers and I will appoint one of our own people to take over first thing tomorrow."My father stares at Lirael, shock and disbelief warring on his features. "Y-You can't be serious. That's... That's preposterous."Lirael turns his back on him, dismissing the conversation with a curt statement. "Are we all done, ladies?" Mom stands up gracefully, and I follow suit, mirroring her movement. "Yes, thank you, Lirael," she says with genuine appreciation. "The meal was absolutely delicious."Lirael responds with a smile that lights up hi
Zephyra's POVMom reaches over the table and squeezes my hand, a gentle smile playing on her lips. I could get used to this, I think to myself, the warmth of her touch a comforting reassurance in the midst of the elegant ambiance surrounding us.I take a moment to look around the restaurant where we're dining tonight. It's opulent, even by Lirael's high standards. While he and I frequent such upscale establishments often, we've also developed a penchant for cooking together at home. Surprisingly, Lirael has proven to be quite the adept home chef. Our late-night grilled cheese sandwiches remain a favorite indulgence.Yet, tonight marks a special occasion—it's Mom's birthday. Lirael's thoughtful gesture of sending his private jet to whisk her away to New York for the weekend speaks volumes about his generosity. The fact that we're hosting her in one of Lirael's luxurious hotel suites, with all expenses covered, adds an extra layer of appreciation for the privacy and comfort we can offer
Lirael's POVHer hand reaches out, coming to rest on my chest, right over my wildly beating heart. The warmth of her touch seeps through me, comforting and electrifying all at once. "And I really, really like what I see," she confesses, her eyes locking with mine in a moment of shared vulnerability.Relief floods through me, a weight lifting off my shoulders as her words sink in. Without hesitation, I take a step closer to her, my hand instinctively finding its way into her soft hair, fingers curling around the back of her neck as I pull her gently toward me. The closeness between us feels natural, inevitable, as if we've been dancing around this moment for far too long."I like what I see too," I murmur, my voice low and intimate, filled with unspoken promises and desires."Is that so?" Her voice is a breathless whisper, anticipation hanging in the air between us.I nod, a smile playing on my lips. "Yes, it is. In fact, I don't just like what I see," I confess, my gaze never leaving
Lirael's POV "Of course," I reply without hesitation, a hint of hurt tugging at my words. Didn't she believe me when I assured her that I wasn't going anywhere? "And you're helping Mom plant beets?" Zephyra inquires, her gaze flickering to the spade in my hand. I glance down at my fingers wrapped around the tool. "It would seem so," I confirm with a faint smile. Zephyra descends the steps towards us, and the sight of her approaching leaves me momentarily breathless. The way she moves, the way the sunlight catches her hair, it's all so mesmerizing. "Zephyra, do you mind finishing this off while I get dinner started?" Beth interjects, her tone carrying a hint of mischief as she exchanges a knowing look with me. My lips quirk up in response to Beth's subtle gesture, understanding the unspoken message. Zephyra stands gracefully, brushing the dirt off her knees, and takes the trowel from Beth, settling down next to me.The air is filled with the sweet scent of sunshine and wildflowers
Lirael's POVI pull up outside Zephyra's mom's house and shift the car into park. The decision to rent a vehicle instead of relying on a driver feels like a small step toward independence, a gesture of my commitment to staying here for the foreseeable future. The sunset paints the sky in hues of orange and pink, casting warm beams of light through the car window as I sit and contemplate my next moves.Recalibration is necessary. The impulse to buy things for Zephyra's mom, while well-intentioned, feels like a misstep now. She doesn't need my money; she needs genuine connection and support. It strikes me that perhaps my efforts to provide material comfort were more about easing my own guilt than truly helping. Zephyra, given time and opportunity, will undoubtedly be able to provide for her mom in ways I can't.Yet, despite this realization, I haven't formulated another plan. Every idea I entertain seems to circle back to money, a reminder of the limitations of my solutions. For now, al
Zephyra's POVHis eyes darken slightly, a mix of frustration and longing evident in his gaze. "Because it's the only thing I can offer you—the only thing I can give you that you need," he admits, his voice tinged with desperation.I meet his gaze, feeling a wave of sadness wash over me as I shake my head slowly. "No, Lirael. It's not. I don't need your money or what it can buy me. A relationship isn't supposed to be transactional like that. It's about being with someone because you can't imagine not being with them. It's about sharing your heart and soul with someone, knowing they see you for who you really are, that they understand you in a way no one else can."His jaw tightens as he absorbs my words, a silent acknowledgment of the truth in them. "Okay," he finally responds, his tone subdued yet accepting.I'm taken aback by his unexpected acquiescence. "Okay?" I repeat, searching his eyes for any hint of defiance or argument.He nods, taking a step closer and gently brushing a stra
Zephyra's POVThe next evening, I return home after my jog, my feet stuttering to a halt as I pull out my earphones, my mind racing with questions about the unfamiliar car in the driveway. What the hell? My first thought is that Lirael's back, having driven himself this time, but I know that's not it. The shiny red car is brand new, untouched by the usual signs of a journey. It's almost surreal, like a prop dropped into a scene.I walk up the path, each step heavy with curiosity and apprehension, and let myself into the house. There he is, sitting on the couch just as he was yesterday, his dark head a stark contrast to the muted colors of the living room. Mom sits opposite him, her demeanor calm as she sips her tea.Taking a moment to compose myself, I drop my keys on the sideboard with a clatter, drawing their attention. "Please tell me that's your car outside," I say, my voice a mix of surprise and disbelief, directed at Lirael.He stands immediately, his deep blue eyes raking over
Zephyra's POVI parked Mom's battered old car in the driveway, the familiar creak of its doors bringing back childhood memories. Gathering the groceries from the back seat, I carried them up the path to the house. Before I can put the key in the lock, the door swings open, revealing Mom's warm smile."Hey, Mom," I greet her, my own smile fading as I notice the serious expression on her face. "I got all the ingredients you wanted, and I picked up some ice cream for dessert. Do you..." I trail off, sensing something amiss.She reaches to take the bags from my hands, her touch gentle yet firm. "Lirael's here," she says quietly.My heart almost stops at the mention of his name. "What?" I manage to utter, disbelief and a tinge of panic creeping into my voice."Yeah, he's here," Mom confirms. "But it's up to you if he stays."I throttle the feeling of betrayal that swells in my chest. Mom wouldn't have let him in if he hadn't given her a good enough reason. I just don't have a clue what tha
Lirael's POV The driver pulls up, and I sit there for a moment, absorbing the nostalgic aura emanating from Zephyra's childhood home. Despite its modest size, the front yard boasts meticulous landscaping, with a delightful array of flowers and shrubs thoughtfully arranged in beds encircling the welcoming front porch. It's a curious feeling. While I struggle to visualize myself growing up in such surroundings, I can easily conjure images of a young Zephyra, carefree and radiant, darting through the sprinklers on sweltering summer afternoons. I can envision her kneeling alongside her mother, their hands digging into the soil as they lovingly planted flowers together, or lending a hand to carry groceries up the familiar porch steps. These seemingly mundane moments, ones that Zephyra may have taken for granted in her youth, are now treasures I yearn to have experienced firsthand. Perhaps then, understanding how to be present for her and fulfill her needs would come more naturally to me.