LOGINIt isn’t a suggestion. It’s a command, raw and thick with authority.Part of me wants to pull back, to hesitate. But the rest of me is already moving, hands scrambling against the sheets.I flip over to face him and my breath hitches.Julian hovers above me, his arms braced on either side of my head. His face is flushed, his dark hair a wild mess, and his eyes… his eyes are wide, darkened at the pupils, glittering with mischief and hunger.There’s a softness there too, like he’s both lost and found in me, a joy I can feel in the way he leans closer.He doesn't wait for me to get settled.He reaches down, his large hands gripping my thighs and adjusting me until I’m exactly where he wants me.I feel his cock pressing against my entrance again, blunt and demanding.“You’re so beautiful right now, Frank,” he whispers.I swallow hard, my throat dry. I don’t feel beautiful. I feel messy. My skin is sweaty, my glasses are probably crooked on the nightstand, and I’m completely undone.My che
As much as I want to touch him, to take back even a fraction of control, I stop myself.“Okay, Julian,” I rasp softly. “Don’t stop.”Julian’s smirk is dangerous. He reaches out and firmly pushes my hands off the drafting table. Before I can blink, he’s pressing me back against the wood. He leans in, one hand braced right beside my head, the other sliding down my chest. He traces the line of my ribs, his touch light but burning.“Fuck,” I groan.My cock is aching, throbbing in the cool air, begging for him to touch me again."Frank," Julian whispers. His voice is low, teasing, and closer than it’s ever been. "You’ve fought this for two years… and now?"He moves his hand lower. His thumb brushes over the very tip of my cock. A moan catches in my throat and I have to bite my lip to keep it from escaping."Now you’re mine," he says. It’s not a question. "Understand?""Yes," I manage to choke out.Julian chuckles. It’s a dark, rich sound. He leans down and kisses me again.This kiss is di
~ Frank ~ My heart is a hammer against my ribs. I can’t believe this. I can’t actually, physically believe this is happening. For two years I’ve built a wall between me and Julian. I made it out of blueprints, cold coffee, and sharp comments. I told myself he was just a distraction… that he was a cocky, beautiful mess who didn't care about anything but himself. And now, he’s telling me he wanted me the whole time. And we just kissed… I just kissed him. The room feels like it’s spinning. The last time I felt this out of control I was fourteen. A senior dragged me behind the gym at boarding school and showed me exactly what my body could do. I’ve spent my adult life burying that side of me. I thought if I let it out, especially at work, it would be diabolical. It would ruin everything I’ve worked for. "Frank? Breathe. You’re shaking." Julian’s voice breaks through the fog. I don’t realize I’m gasping for air until he puts his hands on my shoulders. His touch is wa
~ Julian ~ Light is hitting my eyelids and for the first time in years, I don’t want to wake up.Usually, my bed is a lonely place. It’s expensive, soft, and empty. But right now I’m warmer than I’ve felt in a long time. I’m wrapped in a heat that feels solid… heavy.Then I realize why.I’m on my side and behind me, Frank is pressed tight against my back. His arm is slung over my waist, his hand hooked into the fabric of my shirt like he’s afraid I’ll float away if he lets go. But it’s the pressure lower down that makes my breath hitch. He’s hard; thick and heavy against my backside.I swallow.It’s just biology. Morning wood. I know that. But the way he groans in his sleep, a low, needy sound that vibrates against my shoulder blades, makes my lips curve as warmth spreads through me.Frank, usually all suits and armor, is tangled up in me, sounding like a contended kitten. It’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.Thump. Thump. Thump.A heavy knock at the front door echoes throug
I need a drink.It’s the only thought echoing in my head as I stare at the massive mahogany bed upstairs. One bed. One set of heavy, down-filled blankets.One space where the air will be thick with the scent of Julian’s cologne and the sound of his breathing.I turn on my heel and march toward the kitchen. My shoes thud against the hardwood floors, a lonely sound in the middle of a blizzard. I find the bar cabinet tucked in the corner.My hands are shaking slightly as I pull it open.Rows of amber liquid stare back at me. Expensive scotch. Bourbon. Gin. I grab a bottle of dark, aged scotch and a crystal tumbler.I don't care about the price or that it belongs to Arthur; I just need something to burn away the image of Julian lying next to me.The glass clinks as I pour. I take a sip, and the liquid fire slides down my throat, warming me from the inside out.I close my eyes, trying to visualize a blueprint. A bridge. A skyscraper. Anything that isn't the man currently leaning against th
The walk to the elevator is the longest thirty seconds of my life. My shoes click rhythmically on the marble floors. Julian is silent beside me, his hands shoved into his pockets.We hit the lobby, and the cold winter air of the city bites at my face. The black SUV is idling at the curb, exhaust curling into the grey sky like smoke."I’m driving," I say, stepping toward the driver's side."In this weather?" Julian scoffs, catching my arm. "You drive like a grandmother going to church, Frank. We’ll be halfway up the mountain when the blizzard hits. Let me take the wheel.""I don't trust your driving any more than I trust your math," I snap, shaking his hand off. My skin feels like it’s buzzing where he touched me. It’s a terrifying, electric sensation. "Get in the car, Julian. And put your seatbelt on."Julian rolls his eyes but climbs into the passenger seat. I get behind the wheel, my hands gripping the leather at ten and two.As I pull away from the curb, the city begins to disappea
That desire is a beautiful thing. That’s what I crave: complete, consuming dependency on my next choice. I pick up the low-temp candle, my pulse thrumming with the need to own her completely. The way she trembles blind beneath me feeds the chaos I’ve barely learned to contain. I tilt the candle
Klaus steps back around the bench and I twist my head over my shoulder to watch him.He looks like a predator assessing his prey; calm, lethal, and completely in control. He goes on his knees, eyes locked on mine as he lowers his gaze to the trembling space between my thighs.His thick, calloused
~ Alexa ~ I gasp, my lungs seizing up as his words hit me. The playful cruelty in his voice slices right through the thick haze of pleasure-pain, and for the first time, a small part of my brain manages to surface. Everything about this, the hot wax, the shock of the ice, the agonizing depth
The house smells faintly of dust. It’s obvious no one has lived here in a long time. The hallway walls are bare and the click of my heels echoes in the stillness when I pause. “Klaus…” My voice wavers before I can stop it. “What is this place?” He doesn’t answer. He just walks. Slow, calculate







