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UP IN FLAMES 54
The moment he said those words, he knew how true they were. She had him.Her mouth opened, but he snaked an arm around her waist and carefully hauled her up against him and kissed her.He kissed her in a way he’d never really kissed a woman before.It was a sweet brush of lips and tender pressure, a kiss of reverence, and it shook him to the core. His hand shook as he smoothed his palm over her cheek, slowly deepening to the kiss. He expected her to fight him, but her lips parted and her tongue flicked over his first. His arousal surged hard and heavy, but he slowed it down, not wanting to hurt her or to send her running again.But she wasn’t running now.Vanessa looped her uninjured arm around his neck, her hand delving deep in his hair, holding her to him. The kiss turned fiercer, harder, and it was all her.“Stay here,” he coaxed, letting his hand slip down, over the curve of her breast, to her hip. “Stay here and I’ll make sure you don’t think about anything.”Vanessa shuddered ag
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Her breaths came out in pants. “No.”Alaric froze between her thighs. “No?”“I don’t want that,” she said, eyes open and fixed on his face. “I want you.”“You have me.”A smile raced across her lips, full and absolutely dazzling. Luckiest man alive to be on the receiving end of something so fucking marvelous. “I want you in me.”Holy shit, had he heard her right? Like being handed a winning lottery ticket and not believing it. “Are you sure?”Fuck. Listen to him. Are you sure?She wet her lips, and he groaned. “Positive.”For a few seconds, he didn’t move, and then he was up and off that bed faster than any man had ever moved, shucking off his bottoms even quicker. He reached into the nightstand and grabbed a foil wrapper, tossing it on the bed beside her.A breathy laugh came from Vanessa. “Excited?” she asked, “You have no idea.”—-------Vanessa was beginning to get a good idea of how excited Alaric was as she eyed his thick, rigid erection as he rolled a condom on. Good God, he w
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Her mouth watered as she rocked her body closer, feeling him slide through her wetness and then retreat.“Naughty,” he murmured, his grip tightening on her hip, adjusting her right above him. Just a thrust away. “Tell me.”She wanted to continue to push, but she was burning up on the inside. Then he shifted and his head pushed in. A spasm lashed through her and she tried to bear down, to take him fully, but he stilled her.Vanessa wanted to punch the guy, but she wanted him inside her more. “I want you.”“That’s all you ever have to say.”He thrust up, and Vanessa cried out as he entered her in one deep and long thrust of his hips. The pressure of him filling her was nearly overwhelming, and he held still as her body adjusted to his size.“I’ve never felt something so…” He shook his head, eyes opening and fixing on hers. One hand curled around the back of her head, urging her down to his mouth. He kissed her, drawing her in as he moved his hips again. “You’re fucking perfect.”Vanessa
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They rode in silence. When they reached the funeral home, the sight of the black hearse and limos made her breath catch in her chest.“It’s going to be okay, sweetheart.” Alaric patted her hand. “I’m right here.”She nodded. There were already a few other cars in the parking lot, even though the memorial service wasn’t for another hour. She and Christopher's parents had been asked to come early.Once Alaric parked, the three of them walked into the somber but elegant lobby of the funeral home. A tall, gaunt man wearing a suit that clung to his bones greeted them and directed them to the proper area.Vanessa's heart sank when she saw that Steven and Lois Wesley had already arrived. They were deep in conversation with Jeremy Blackenstock, who hurried over the instant he caught sight of her. She could have sworn he appeared relieved to see her.“There you are,” he said, his dulcet tones conveying the right mix of sympathy and comfort. “How are you holding up?”Dragging her gaze away from
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Shaking her head, she tried telling herself to snap out of it. While that hadn’t helped in the past and most likely wouldn’t now, she hated this perceived weakness inside herself.A plan of action. That’s what she needed. Except she had no idea what Christopher might have done with the money. If she couldn’t find it, she would be screwed.She decided to act as if the police or the FBI would catch the caller or find the money or whatever. Once they’d taken care of the threat, she could go on with figuring out a way to regain her life.When all this was behind her, the first thing she would do would be to sell the house she'd shared with Christopher. The place was too big and pretentious and had never truly felt like home. She’d move somewhere smaller. That way she’d be able to start over in her new life and finally figure out who she was meant to be. If Alaric crept into her thoughts here, she firmly pushed him away. As far as she knew, she and he had no future together. “Are you okay
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The instant they stepped into the kitchen, Alaric could tell something was wrong. Vanessa stood at the kitchen counter, an open bottle of wine in front of her, a half-full wineglass in her hand. Her dark eyes seemed huge in her pale face.“What’s going on?” Paul asked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”“The early news just ended,” Vanessa said, her voice wavering. “They said the FBI is investigating Christopher for campaign violations. Chloe is, according to the news story, cooperating fully. I tried to call her and she wouldn’t take my call.”Alaric cursed. This was the first he’d heard of that. Usually, his boss made sure he stayed on top of things and kept him fully briefed regarding Christopher's case.Though Paul didn’t speak, but judging from his steely glare, he didn’t like the news either. “I knew that lady was bad news," he said, "You know she was fully involved." Alaric said, "She’s selling out her dead boss to try and save her own skin. Though I can’t really blame her,
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It took every ounce of self-control Alaric possessed not to go to her. “Are you okay?” he asked, managing to keep his distance.She nodded but didn’t speak. He could tell by the wobbly set of her mouth that she was trying not to cry.“They’re awful people,” Paul said. “Don’t let them get to you.”“All of this is getting to me,” she said. “I miss how my life used to be. There’s three million dollars missing and I have no idea where it might be. Oh, and someone not only calls and threatens me, but they shoot out my window and mess up my properties. Now this…. I honestly don’t know how much more I can take. All I want to do after this is over is move away from everyone and everything and start over. It seems to be the only way my life is going to ever get normal again.” Alaric edged out of the room. He didn’t want to hear any more.—--------Vanessa watched Alaric withdraw into himself and fought back tears. She could take the Wesleys enmity and rancor, she could take the whole world kn
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“You got blood on your pj’s,” Alaric pointed out. “You have to change.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s late, but if there’s any plywood around, I can get it nailed up over that window"Though privately she knew there was no way she could make herself go back into that room tonight, she nodded. Alaric seemed to read her mind because he said, “I can get them for you. Just tell me what you want and where to find them.”His compassion ignited a spark to warm her inner chill. “The third drawer down in my main dresser has my pajama bottoms. Any pair will do.”He nodded. “Wait right here.”As if she intended on going anywhere. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she watched as he disappeared into her room. Though the idea of his hands on her personal things made her feel slightly unsettled, she appreciated his offer of help.“Here you go.” Returning, he handed her a pair of black-and-red-plaid flannel bottoms. Since she didn’t have the heart to tell him those were for winter, she thanked hi
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He laughed, dropping his forehead to hers. “I was thinking you wanted to tell me something else.”She reached up, spreading her palm against his cheek. The words were surprisingly easier to say than she could’ve ever imagined. “I love you.”His eyes fell shut as he sucked in a deep breath. “I’m glad we don’t need to fight again for you to admit that.”“Me, too,” she whispered, stretching up and kissing him softly. “Don’t you have something you want to say?”“Remember my fantasy?” His lashes lifted. “The one I told you about?”Paul cleared his throat behind them, but it went largely ignored.That wasn’t what she was looking for, but she would go with this. “Yes. I remember.”“And look at you. Your hair pulled back, wearing one of those god-awful suits. I think you did that on purpose.”A smile teased her lips. “I might have.”“Hmm,” he murmured as he reached around, gently unwrapping the bun and letting her hair fall down her back. “And why did you do that?”“I thought it might help my
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Stunned by what he said, all she could do was sit there, and when she didn’t say anything, Alaric cursed under his breath again. “I’ve told you that I don’t mind the chase, and I have no fucking problem chasing after you, but I refuse to run after a ghost. And that’s what you are if you can’t let go of your past with your mom. I won’t chase a ghost.”Then he spun, his long legs quickly eating up the distance between her and the door. And then…then he was gone, the door slamming shut behind him.The moment Alaric left, she knew, without a doubt, that she had made the biggest mistake of her life. It was right there, smacking her face. Everything he had said was right.She was a coward. And the best damn thing to ever happen to her had just walked out the door.……… Her heart was like a hummingbird in her chest by the time she climbed out of her newly returned car and stared up at Alaric's house.A thousand things could go wrong with this. He might not be home. He could be and he could h
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Pressure clamped down on her chest and she quickly shook her head. She had been doing so well. Now wasn’t the time to break down. She placed her purse on the desk when someone knocked and the door to her office opened. It was her assistant, Ruby. "There's a Mr Harper here to see you, Mrs Spencer. Should I send him in?" Vanessa's heart skipped a beat, and she almost ran out the door to see him, but she stopped herself. What use would it be? She'd already left. There was no going back now, so she shook her head, "No," she replied, "Please tell him I'm not available," Ruby left, and Vanessa stood, staring at the door. She knew Alaric well enough to know that if he insisted on coming into her office, no one would be able to stop him. Fifteen minutes later, no one came in and she knew that he'd gone. She should be relieved, but she felt more miserable than ever. —-----Everything should be okay.Her apartment had been virtually restored. The rental insurance had kicked in and the new
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“Vanessa,” he breathed, voice ragged. "Vanessa, please…. Please don't…" He stopped talking and she dropped her head to his warm shoulder, squeezing her eyes against the rush of hot tears. Her arms trembled, but it seemed to have very little to do with what they’d just done, and more with the fact that after today, it would be the last time. It had to be before it was too late.But an evil little voice whispered that it was already too late. —------Vanessa was running.Alaric was a lot of things, but he wasn’t fucking stupid. And he’d meant what he’d said. Kind of. He’d let her have the facade of running, because she wasn’t going to get far. He knew that the woman felt the same way he did. She may not be able to say the words, but it was everything else she did. Right now, she was like a cornered animal. There were only two options for her: fight it out or run.She was going to run.He’d kept her busy the rest of the day Sunday, not giving her much time to put whatever cockamamie pla
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Looking over her shoulder at him, she drew in a shallow breath. “It is.”Alaric stared at her for what felt like forever and then he had his pants off in record time. His arousal jutted out proudly, hard and thick, and molten lava filled in her belly. He stepped into the shower, closing the door behind him. His hands landed on her hips and when he spoke, his voice whispered in her ear. “I know what you’re thinking.”Vanessa shuddered. “You do?”“Yes.” He kissed her shoulder, causing her heart to squeeze at the tender action. “You’re going to run.”She stiffened, her arms clamped close to her chest. “I don’t…don’t know what you’re talking about.”“You’re a shitty liar.” He turned her around and reached between them, wrapping his hands around her wrists. He backed her up until she was flush with the cold tile. “You have that look in your eyes. Never really seen it before—the whole deer-in-the-headlights look. But you have it. You’re going to run.”“You need to get your eyes checked, the
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“That's bullshit and you know it.” Paul said, "Fuck you," Alaric replied, but there was no real heat in his words. "Look, I had to take a break, okay? After everything that happened, I felt like I needed some time for myself. Besides Bobby was fine with it," Paul didn't look convinced, "Does this have anything to do with a certain Mrs Spencer?" When Alaric didn't reply, Paul added, "Damn man, Did you let her go?" Vanessa felt like an interloper. Well, duh, she was, and she really needed to get her ass out of there. Paul looked like he was about to say something else when what sounded like a chair in the dining room deciding to mate with the table drew their attention. They turned at the same time.Vanessa stood a few feet back from the table, her face as red as a fire truck and her eyes wide. Alaric's gaze dropped, and he swallowed a groan. Damn if he didn’t love seeing her in his clothes. However, he did not like the idea of Paul seeing her practically naked. And he really wasn’t
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Oh fuck, he needed to be in her again. “I like it, too.” Placing the tips of his fingers under her chin, he lifted her gaze to his. “And I love it when you lose control.”Her mouth opened, as if she was about to deny that, but he kissed her before she could deny what was so obvious. He wanted her upstairs and in his bed, but they got sidetracked on the stairs, and he ended up between her thighs, his arm along her back, taking the burn of the rocking motions. Later, much later, they made it to his bedroom. Both of them were exhausted, and he felt like he’d run a marathon. He lazily trailed a hand up and down her spine. Each time he reached the slight curve of her lower back, his fingers brushed the swell of her ass and she’d shiver. Of course, he kept doing it.She nuzzled her cheek against his chest, letting out a content sigh. “What you did downstairs, on the table people eat at, wasn’t very appropriate.”Alaric chuckled deeply. “What is it about you and appropriateness?”Her lips cu
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Cupping her breasts, he rolled her nipples between his fingers as he dipped his head, pressing a kiss to the small puckered skin on her shoulder. “You like that?”“Yes,” she said, voice husky. “It feels so good.”“Hmm…” He kissed her shoulder once more and then placed another kiss over her wildly beating pulse. “I like you like this.”“What?” She arched her back, thrusting her breasts into his hand.He plucked her nipples, grinning when she gasped. “Standing naked in front of my sink.”A soft laugh lit up the kitchen. “Are your blinds closed?”“Of course.” He moved his hips against her rear, groaning in her ear. “If I saw you like this every fucking day, my life would be perfect.”“Every day?” Muscles tensed against him, and he cursed under his breath.Not wanting to give her time to dwell and obsess over that comment, he curved his hand around her throat, guiding her head back, and kissed her. As he licked his way into her mouth, he pulled out the tie.“Close your eyes.”She pulled b
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He stared at her, and Vanessa averted her eyes. She couldn't look at him. He looked so hurt and she almost flung herself at him, but they didn't belong together and there was no point letting things go on longer than it should. They'd just be postponing the inevitable. "You don't have to stay in a hotel, Vanessa. You can stay with me…. And…. And then maybe we can get the chance to say goodbye to each other… Properly. Not standing here like strangers. We don't have to end it this way," That made sense, Vanessa told herself, or maybe it did because she wanted it to. She turned to look at his handsome face, "Alright," she said, "Let's go," —-----------It didn’t matter how many times Alaric tasted her or slid deep inside her, it was never enough. He was addicted to her—to the way she moved against him, how her mouth brought him pleasure and then riled him up seconds later when she mouthed off, or the way she cried out his name as she came. He couldn’t keep his hands off her, not whe
