80

AURORA

Lucian’s hand wraps around mine and he hauls me upward, but I can’t take my eyes off of Cassian.

He’s awake—or rather, he was. And somewhat aware but the confusion was so clear in his eyes that my heart breaks for him. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to wake up here with no one around.

I take a step to follow the guards dragging Cassian away, eager to tend to him and somewhat driven by the guilt of knowing I contributed to his situation. Lucian stops me. His hand darts from my wrist to my upper arm and he hauls me backward so quickly that my footing slips on the flooded kitchen floor.

Water rains down around us from the broken faucet, and the weight of my soaked clothes against my back weighs me down slightly as I turn.

Lucian’s eyes are jet black. His lips press together in a firm line, and his jaw tenses so sharply that the angle could easily slice through glass.

“Lucian?” My nerves, frayed from being tackled by Cassian, cause my voice to tremble and my heart skips a painful beat while I stare up at him.

He doesn’t speak. He stands there, staring at me while water rains like diamonds around him as the remaining guards filter out of the kitchen to tend to Cassian and aid the unconscious guard.

The moment we’re alone, Lucian surges forward. One hand presses firmly to the side of my neck, and our mouths collide with such force that I have to take a step back to maintain balance—at least, I try to. His hand on my arm drops to wind around my waist, and Lucian draws me firmly against his solid body.

My mind goes blank.

A shot of nerves pulses through me from head to toe, and my heart stutters to a stop for a split second.

Lucian is kissing me.

My incredibly attractive boss is kissing me with such intensity that I can’t do anything but exist in his hold. It’s like fantasy and reality are bleeding together. His lips are dry but soft. His hold is fierce, giving me no room to press back and his heady scent fills my senses on my next stuttering breath. His head tilts slightly, dragging the soft bristles of his facial hair against my cheek then a flash of damp tongue swipes across my lower lip.

It’s amazing and yet terrifying.

This can’t be real.

There’s no way someone like Lucian has any kind of attraction to someone like me.

Sense comes back in a flash and I use all my strength to shove Lucian away. He barely moves, but the kiss breaks and I step back, my heart hammering and warmth radiating from my face. The sight of Lucian’s dark eyes glittering down at me with an impossibly sexy smirk gracing his lips irritates me unexpectedly.

My hand reacts before my thoughts, flying up from my side so quickly that when I slap him, I’m more surprised than he is. His head barely moves.

“What the hell are you playing at?” I snap hoarsely. My lips throb, missing the press of his own. “Cassian is awake, or did you miss that part? That should be your focus right now!”

Lucian’s subtle smirk widens.

Then he surges forward and kisses me again so powerfully that the force carries me back until I hit the counter. All sensible thought and indignation vanishes from my mind.

“I’ll kill him,” Lucian growls against my mouth, his breath hot. His hands clutch at my body, his grip powerful but far from painful. “I’ll kill him for touching you.”

“No,” I gasp, breathing the word into his mouth since he gives me no space. “He’s not in his right mind, and he didn’t hurt me.”

He didn’t do anything but turn me on in the most unexpected way. The show of force that sent me to the ground was alarming, but I couldn’t deny how my core throbbed and my heart raced at being pinned down by such an incredibly handsome man. Without all the dirt and snow around him, he was quite beautiful.

My words only spur Lucian on further. His teeth catch on my lower lip, dragging at the flesh when he pulls back slightly. I gasp and his tongue dives into my mouth. Both of his hands rise to my shirt, grip the material and pull harshly. Buttons scatter in all directions when he rips my shirt open but there’s no time for me to be nervous.

His possessive growls of protection awaken something carnal inside me, and the fantasy finally becomes my reality.

With the counter at my back, I clutch at his thick arms and pull him against me. One thick, muscular leg shoves between my thighs and presses upward against my core, sending a spark of pleasure coursing through my body.

Reaching his suspenders, I shove them away from his shoulders and pull at his water-logged shirt. Water continues to pour down onto us, soaking clothing and hair alike but I swear it turns to steam the moment it touches Lucian’s hot body.

He kisses me like he’s trying to consume me, like he can imprint himself inside me by shoving his tongue down my throat and pinning mine down underneath. He slides both searing hands over my damp skin, then up to my large breasts. Cupping them, he squeezes then suddenly pulls away to remove his shirt. It lands with a splash somewhere behind him then his mouth is back on mine for another biting kiss.

I only get a glimpse of the decorative ink that weaves across his skin before he’s too close for me to see. I touch where I can. His skin is surprisingly soft. Our kiss breaks and I whine loudly, dragging in a desperate lungful of air.

Lucian doesn’t stop. We clash together like lightning and each touch thrums with energy to the point that it’s almost painful to touch him. I want more. I crave more.

He cradles my bruised ribs with one hand, and my head falls back as his lips descend my throat in a series of open-mouthed, biting kisses. He leaves a trail of fire down my skin, and I’m certain he can feel how violently my heart hammers beneath my ribs. His other hand drops to my left thigh, grasping my leg and pulling it up to his hip as he takes the place of his thigh and shoves his hips between my legs.

“Lucian,” I moan out, rolling my hips and grinding down against him. Too much fabric is in the way, but things are moving too quickly to voice that. His lips travel across my collarbone, kissing every inch down to the valley of my breasts. Tearing my bra from my body sends a flash of pain across my back as elastic snaps, but it’s a distant sensation. He cups my breasts with both hands, thumbs teasing my nipples as they stiffen then he buries his face between them.

My hands shoot to his head and following every fantasy I’ve ever had, I slide my fingers into his soaked, thick, dark hair and pull tight enough to draw a groan of appreciation from the depths of his chest. He kisses everywhere he can reach, from the swell of my breasts to the peaks of my nipples. Every touch of his lips singes hot. I writhe against him, desperate for something more.

He hears me even though no words are spoken.

Lucian leans up and his hands return to my thighs, only this time he lifts me up with such ease that a squeal of surprise slips past my lips. Setting me down on the counter, he shoves me down flat with one hand, and I yelp as cold water splashes against my overheated skin. His fingers wrap around the hem of my jeans, and it becomes a fight of his strength against the strong cling of wet denim.

Lucian wins; of course he does, and my jeans tear from my body in a hot rush. My panties follow and there’s no time for thought—no time to worry about what he thinks about me or what will happen next. Fueled by feral desire, Lucian shoves between my legs and the moment his mouth presses firmly against my pussy, my entire body turns into a puddle.

I clutch at myself and the edge of the counter, unable to hold back my cry. His tongue delves inside me immediately, thrusting deep repeatedly. With one leg over his shoulder and the other dangling off the edge, I do what I can to rock against his mouth. Pleasure sparks across my body, connecting all the hot dots of kiss marks he’s left on my skin and my core tightens. Just as my walls flex around his tongue, Lucian pulls back quickly and when he stands, the dampness of my juices clings to his beard. He doesn’t seem to care and neither do I.

“Aurora,” Lucian growls, lust lilting his words.

I lick my lips, savoring the taste of his kisses and reach for him. Lucian leans over me, a tall wall of muscle that makes my mouth water. He holds my gaze with a silent command. I miss when he lowers his slacks because the moment his long, thick cock enters into me, my world tips in surprise. My lips part and a moan of surprise curls from my throat. Lucian thrusts hard and slides deep, forcing air from my lungs as the pressure and thickness fills me fuller than I’ve ever experienced before.

“Lucian,” I whimper.

He leans down, claiming my lips once more in another biting kiss then his hands are on my body. Pulling me upward, he wraps both thick arms around me—one around my waist and the other up my back to clutch my opposite shoulder. Holding me in place, cradled firmly against my chest, he starts to fuck me.

The power of his hips sends any final sense vanishing from my mind. With short, sharp thrusts, Lucian fucks into me quickly like a man possessed. I clutch at his body, touching every inch of his back that I can reach. Every powerful thrust punches a whimper past my lips, and as his thrusts continue, they build in force and speed. Water splashes up from the counter with each impact, droplets run down his naked back and the ends of my soaked hair tickle my shoulders.

He fucks me harder. Faster. His hips become a blur and the ache of impact melts into the rising pleasure inside me. I can’t think. I can barely breathe as his thrusts force air from my lungs and there’s never enough time to regain more. Digging my nails into his shoulders, I hold on for dear life and his grip tightens.

Never have I felt so utterly desired. He holds me like he can’t bear to let me go and fucks me like he wants to imprint on me as deeply as he can. I want it. I want him. I want everything.

Tightening my legs around his hips is the only warning I can give him. Molten pleasure builds in my core and my muscles tighten to the point that it feels like my heart has fallen right down into my pussy. Everything throbs, every nerve is raw, and when my eyes roll back, my world is empty barring Lucian’s cock.

My orgasm hits with the force of a train, and my moan of desire cuts off as muscles tighten. For a moment, there’s nothing, just ecstasy as I hold onto Lucian as tightly as I can with my hands and my pussy. Then I tip over the edge, and Lucian comes right along with me.

This is heaven.

Ten minutes later, we stand in the laundry room, pulling on fresh, dry clothes and squeezing water out of soaked hair. Here is where shyness starts to overcome me and I focus on covering myself up as quickly as possible. Even though we’ve just fucked, there’s a part of me that still feels like I have to hide, as if Lucian won’t have realized just how big I am until he sees me now. Hurriedly, I pull on a skirt and fresh shirt but when I turn around, Lucian stands in only slacks with his gaze fixed on me.

“You’re beautiful,” he says and warmth bleeds into my already heated cheeks. Men that look like Lucian aren’t supposed to find curvy women like me attractive; never mind fuck them on kitchen counters. Like with Orion, it’s like a dream.

“What’s going to happen to Cassian?” I ask, distracting away from the compliment.

Lucian’s brow twitches slightly as if disapproving of my change but he doesn’t press it.

“We will talk to him.”

Lucian pulls on a fresh tank top, covering the beautiful full-body ink that spreads from his neck to his waistline. His tattoos have so much detail and intricate patterns that I can only pick out some flowers and birds before they vanish from view. Would he let me study him? I would trace each one with my fingertips to learn their history.

Or is this a one-time thing?

“I want to be there.”

Lucian pauses, one suspender over his shoulder and the other in his hand. “No.”

“I need to see if he’s alright.”

“No,” Lucian snaps and the heated anger from his earlier declaration to kill Cassian returns to his tone.

“You can’t say no to me, not after you’ve just fucked me, which I’m pretty sure breaks some labor laws.”

Lucian snorts suddenly a deep, soft laugh rumbles in his chest. He finishes securing his suspender and lifts his gaze to me. “The only laws here are my own.”

Warmth beads at my aching core once more, and I reflexively lick my lower lip. Narrowing my eyes, I smirk daringly.

“Do your laws stretch to others because Orion and I?—”

“It’s okay, I know I was better.”

My mouth hangs open. He knows? Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised given how Orion is everyone’s shadow and one of Lucian’s most trusted men, but still.

The warmth in my cheek spreads down my throat and I suddenly miss the coolness of the flooded kitchen.

“Whatever. I need to be there, and if…if you say no, then this will never happen again.” My heart pounds. It’s a risk to my heart and my ego, implying that Lucian would even want to touch me again especially in the light of post-orgasm clarity. To my surprise—and immense relief—Lucian nods and a couple of damp curls bounce across his forehead.

“Fine. You can attend the meeting once Cassian has been treated.”