But God, she wanted him.
She locked her gaze with his and took a breath.
One. Two. Three. Four. She crossed the last few steps, not stopping until she stood within inches of his broad chest.
“Good girl,” he said, pushing off the car and straightening to his full, intimidating height.
She moistened her lips. “Where are we going?”
He gave her a slow smile. “Who said we were going anywhere?”
Before she could respond, he hooked an arm around her waist, and his lips claimed hers. Hungry and hot, his tongue possessed her mouth—pure, animal need flowing from every pore in his body and into hers. Gone was the sweet, loving guy from the hospital. In his place was Reid’s dark side personified. The side he had tried to ignore when they were in their twenties. Dominant. Powerful. Carnal.
She should’ve been scared, and she expected the panic and flashbacks to slam into her. But instead, her entire being jumped to life and every nerve swirled into a pool of trembling want low in her belly. This man wouldn’t hurt her. He would own her.
And hell if she didn’t want anything more in that moment.
She curled her fingers into his T-shirt as he pressed her against the front of the car, the residual heat from the engine warming her back. His hands traced up her waist, over her rib cage, and then cupped her breasts. She tilted her head back, her moan chasing a clap of thunder.
His forefingers glided up and hooked her spaghetti straps, then yanked them down along with the top of dress and the cups of her strapless bra. Her breasts tumbled out, the nipples already tight and needy when they hit the night air. She gasped as his hot breath slid along her bared skin. “Someone could see us.”
“Yep.” He circled an areola with his fingertip, the touch sending electric sparks straight to her center. “And I bet you’re dripping just thinking about it.”
He pinched the nipple between his thumb and forefinger hard enough for her to writhe. “Shit.”
He stared down at her. “You’ve convinced yourself you’re a good girl. The social worker in the conservative suits who teaches women about empowerment. But underneath all that, good doesn’t get you off, does it?”
She closed her eyes, unable to hold his probing stare.
“Lie down.” He grabbed her waist and lifted her to sit on the hood, then pushed her shoulders until she was lying down, her back heating against the warm metal. He smoothed his hands up the outside of her thighs and slowly pushed the hem of her clingy dress up to her hips, revealing her panties.
The sky roared again, and rain began to hit her exposed skin in fat droplets, cool kisses against her breasts and face. Reid grabbed the edge of her underwear and yanked, the thin material ripping immediately. “Let’s see how right I am, shall we?”
She squirmed in anticipation of his touch, and he planted a palm against her pelvis, securing her to the hood. His free hand traveled up her inner thigh until his fingers found her wet heat. Losing her last grip on control, she mewled at the contact.
He let out a low, satisfied groan. “It’s beautiful how wet you get for me, sugar. How badly you want me to fuck you.”
She widened her legs, inviting him, begging him. She’d deal with what this all meant later. Right now she needed him inside her. Two fingers surrounded her clit and massaged. She pressed the back of her head into the hood, her breath rapid.
“Are you scared, sugar?” he asked, a hint of gentleness entering his tone.
The answer was automatic. “No.”
“Good,” he soothed. “Because I would never hurt you, Brynn. You’re safe with me. I’ll never push you further than I know you can go.”
Tears mixed with the rain that splashed onto her cheeks, the truth of his words resonating over her. “I know.”
“Thank you,” he said, the relief in his voice evident. “Now come for me, sugar.”
He slid two fingers inside her throbbing channel and kept a thumb against her hot button, working her with swift confidence. Thunder rumbled in the sky, matching the lightning flashing through her veins. She squirmed against the car, but he gave her no reprieve. One hand remained splayed over her navel, the other against her pussy. No time to think or worry, just feel. Within seconds, every nerve in her body coiled into a tense, yearning mass, bringing her focus to that single, unbearably beautiful ache in her core—that exquisite moment right before release.
“Let go, love. Let it all go.”
On his command, her body tipped over the edge of control, ripping a primal groan from her chest. Her body clamped down on his fingers, and her pelvis arched against his hand. “Oh, God. Reid!”
“That’s right, baby. I’m right here.”
His words both soothed and heightened her senses as she crested the wave of orgasm, his skillful touch wringing out every ounce of pleasure as the rain continued to pound against her.
When the contractions finally quieted, he eased his fingers from her and draped his chest over her form, shielding her from the now full-fledged thunderstorm. He laid a soft kiss against her brow. “Good night, sugar.”
Her languid muscles stiffened beneath him. “Where are you going? I thought we—”
“This is as far as I’m taking you tonight. I won’t go any further until you tell me what you want. Who you want.”
His clear blue eyes stared into hers, and she knew he wasn’t asking what and who she wanted in this moment. But for every moment. Her voice came out in a choked whisper. “Reid.”
“Shh,” he said, standing up and easing her to her feet. “You don’t have to decide anything tonight.”
Rivulets of water dripped off his jawline, and his black T-shirt clung to every line of muscle as he helped her set her dress to rights. Unable to resist touching him, she pushed the wet hair off his forehead. “You’re soaked.”
A hint of a smile played around the corner of his mouth, and he nodded at her saturated dress. “Said the pot to the kettle.”
She grabbed the remaining strap of her dress and slid it over her shoulder. “You’re not so good at giving up, are you?”
“I told you a long time ago it takes me a while to get a point.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and cocked his head toward the club. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s get you to dry land.”
She stepped to his side and offered him her hand. Without a word, he threaded his fingers with hers and they walked back to the club, only the sound of the pattering rain between them.
now
All weekend. No phone call. No visit. And then today, she’d called in sick for work.
He’d blown it.
Reid slammed his shower door shut with his foot, then kicked it for final measure. “Fuck.”
He’d thought he’d broken through, thought he’d reminded Brynn how good they were together. But apparently his take-no-prisoners seduction had backfired. He’d given her the full face of his dominance, taken away her safe word option, tried to show her that what they had was stronger than the darkness Davis left behind. But apparently it wasn’t enough.
He scrubbed the towel through his damp hair, and then wrapped it around his waist. Maybe he had pushed too hard. Maybe he should’ve taken the slow and gentle