Chapter 8

Simone waved at Ryder, an awkward smile on her face, before following William into his office. The moment she entered it, William trapped her against the door, with both hands resting on each side of her face.

Her breath hitched, and her eyes bulged, unwilling to believe that William would do such a thing, particularly to her.

“Are you trying to drive me crazy?” He asked gruffly, his eyes narrowed.

She shook her head no vehemently as words failed her. Her heart tried to beat its way out of her chest, but she tried to keep her breathing under control.

“Do you even know what you did?” He went on, and she shook her head negatively again. “You’re letting him think he stands a chance.”

Had the circumstances been different, Simone would have tried to taunt him, and tell him that Ryder was a perfectly sweet suitor… But as it was, she could barely keep herself from inhaling his cologne. And it was all she could manage to look William in the eyes already. If he were to touch her, she would be a goner, and she knew it.

His right hand soon brushed against her cheeks, as his eyes softened.

“Why are you crying?” He asked in a soft tone of voice, making her realize the dam had indeed broken.

“I don’t know,” she told him as she bent her head, so he wouldn’t have to see her tears.

William, however, was having none of that, and he soon lifted her chin up, “You do know, but you don’t want to tell me.”

“I don’t want you to be angry at me,” she let out in a hushed tone of voice after a beat.

“I am not angry at you,” he deadpanned. “I am jealous. I want your eyes to only see me…”

His words were more than she could handle, and she soon placed a finger over his lips. She refused to cling onto hope that there might be a chance for them to be together. He couldn’t mean that, not the way she wanted him to anyway.

“We can’t,” she shook her head negatively. It almost seemed like that was all she could do at that moment. “We can’t.”

“Why not?” He challenged, an eyebrow rising in question.

“We’re family,” she told him in a hushed tone, even if the words hurt her more than they would probably hurt him. “What would society think of us, of you? You’ve worked so hard to get where you are now. I don’t want to be the reason for your downfall.”

He grunted, as his eyes became even more tender, “And I am ready to lose it all, as long as I don’t lose you.”

“You will never lose me,” she assured him with a watery smile. “I am your stepsister.”

“In name only,” he insisted, rolling his eyes. “We never cohabited together, and we are not blood related.”

“Please, William,” she implored him as more tears fell down her cheeks.

“Please what?” He taunted in a suggestive manner. “Please take me or please leave me alone?”

Simone could never see herself telling him that. She didn’t want to be alone, but she didn’t want to ruin him either.

Her mouth opened, ready as she was to say something else entirely, and try to reason with him, when his mouth descended on hers… and she couldn’t argue any longer at that point. Her eyes closed as she relished the kiss she had longed for. She moaned against his devouring mouth, and clung to him like a desperate and wanton woman.

His tongue explored her mouth at leisure, his teeth nibbled on her bottom lip, and she allowed it all to happen, too far gone to do anything but feel.

She faintly heard the click of the lock, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. He was playing out her every fantasy right then… She had no business worrying about anything but the man making her feel like a needy teenager.

William was taking his sweet time with her, and Simone had no objection to that. When his hands lifted her up by the waist, for better access no doubt, she opened her legs, and encircled his waist. Soon, she began to rub herself against the evidence of his desire, desperate for him, and wishing there was no barrier between them.

“For a woman bent on rejecting me, you sure are yielding to me beautifully,” he soon declared as he broke the kiss for a few seconds.

Simone blushed a furious crimson, and didn’t dare to meet his eyes, as her tongue darted to lick her lips. She wanted to tell him that she couldn’t possibly resist him when he was that intense.

“Stop giving me the come-hither looks, woman, unless you want me to take you right here, right now,” he all but growled the words out at her, his chocolate brown eyes tender but oh so lustful at the same time.

“William,” she mewled his name, even as she bit her bottom lip, his words making her almost delirious with need.

“We belong together, Simone,” he said hotly before capturing her lips again.

She didn’t have it in her to argue, not when he was kissing her so passionately, not when the world revolved around this man whispering sweet nothings to her.

And then, just as he was seemingly ready to deepen the kiss, there was an audible ding, that indicated the arrival of someone to the floor.

William broke the kiss, but didn’t stop there, even as her eyes bulged. Instead, he kissed down her neck and sucked, making Simone unable to think properly.

“William,” she let out in a panicked voice.

“You’re making me crazy,” he licked at the spot he had just sucked, seemingly intent on making her feel him for the hours to come.

“Someone just came,” she said in a hushed voice.

“I know,” he deadpanned. “But you come first. Always.”

That was the best kind of innuendo… or possibly the worst, for it made her wish she would never have to part ways from him.