Page 51 of Together We Burn
My chin dropped to my chest as her soft hands caressed my skin, over my shoulders, then she kneaded her impressively strong fingers into my trapezius muscle. I groaned, the feeling unbelievably relaxing as the tension I’d carried for months slowly slipped away.
My fingers mimicked hers, massaging down her calves to her feet and working the arch of one foot with my thumbs. Her fingers slowed, and I stilled when I felt her lips ghost over the cut. It was so gentle and quick it was possible it was all in my imagination.
Stefany’s legs circled my waist more as she flexed the foot I was rubbing, bringing her thighs closer to my semi-hard dick. As much as I enjoyed having this sexy woman wrapped naked around me, I needed to be a gentleman.
“I’m going to get out and get you some clothes and a sewing kit,” I said, dragging a finger up the sole of her foot, making her squirm. Hitting the plug, the water started to drain. I stood and grabbed one of the towels I’d left by the edge of the bath.
“Sewing kit?”
“Yeah, I was hoping you’d stitch me up,” I stated, wiping the towel down my abs, ensuring it covered my dick. That thing wasn’t getting the memo about being chivalrous tonight with the way he was beginning to rise to attention. Plus, standing in front of Stefany, where she was eye to eye with my cock while submerged in my bloody bath water, wasn’t very romantic.
She cleared her throat, averting her eyes as I stepped over the side, but I’d caught her checking out my ass.
You’re not as sly as you think, angel.
Wrapping the towel around my waist, I leaned down, holding Stefany’s chin between my thumb and forefinger.
“Thank you,” I whispered against her lips before kissing her. Stefany’s eyes closed as she kissed me back before getting herself in check and pulling away. “Take your time. Use whatever you want.” I pointed to the various soap bottles on a shelf and then plunged my hands between her legs to replug the bath, turning on the tap and refilling the tub with fresh water. “I’ll be in my office down the hall when you’re finished.”
Nodding, Stefany lowered herself further into the bath, closing her eyes and letting her hair fan out in the water. I stood for what felt like an eternity watching her, before dragging myself away to get the things I needed.
I sat at my desk dressed in grey sweatpants, reading over emails, when Stefany appeared in the doorway. She’d wrapped the towel around her body, her long dark waves cascading over her chest and dripping water onto my floor.
“Come here,” I said, beckoning her over to me with a tilt of my head. Rolling her eyes, she pushed from the doorjamb and walked over, the soles of her bare feet making soft, slapping noises against the hardwood.
I pushed out from my desk as she approached, then pulled her between my legs, wrapping my hands around the back of her towel-clad legs and dragging them up to her ass, kneading my hands into the muscle and the soft cotton of the towel.
“I could get used to having you here, in my apartment, wearing nothing but a towel. So fucking sexy.”
I was so fucked over this girl.
She shifted the top of the towel with one hand, ignoring my comment as she gestured to my open laptop.
“What were you working on?” she asked, and I sighed, feeling the tension from my day at the office creep back into my shoulders.
“It’s the manufacturing schedule for the synthetic drug I told you about. We might have succeeded with the formulation, but now it’s behind schedule, which costs money.”
“Ah, yes. The whole reason why you ended up working for Will.”
With another sigh, I closed the lid of the laptop, returning my hand to her ass and pulling her further between my open legs until her thighs touched my chair. Now was the time to tell her everything behind my working relationship with her boss.
“My father and Henry were business partners of sorts. For his stake in the company, along with a favour to be called in at any time, Henry ensured my father got the monopoly in opiate manufacturing this side of the US. When Henry retired, and my dad died, the favour fell to their sons.”
“Sounds like a bad mobster movie.” She laughed, the sound cold and heavy. I stroked down the back of her legs.
“Tell me about it,” I said, watching as she gathered her hair over one shoulder, almost like it was in defence, like she was bracing herself to build up her walls again.
Sometimes it was one step forward, swiftly followed by three steps back with Stefany, and I hated it. Hated that her trust had been broken so many times throughout her life that dropping her guard, even for a second, was seen as a weakness.
Well, if I was going to change that, there had to be no lies between us. No secrets or half-truths.
I looked into her big blue eyes.
“I never wanted to run my father’s company. You know I went to college and studied business, but while I was doing that, Brad was studying medical biology and learning the ropes to eventually take over as CEO for the old man. He was the younger son but knew exactly what he wanted to do. Me? I had no idea, except I knew for sure it wasn’t this.” I huffed a dry laugh and dragged a hand through my hair. “Anyway, after Brad died, and I was named as the successor, I was seriously considering selling and using the money to do something—anything—that wasn’t pharmaceuticals. But if I could use what I’d been given to help those who could easily be the next Brad, I couldn’t not try.
“If I didn’t need Will for the synthetic drug, I would have backed out of the deal long ago,” I said, placing my finger under her chin and forcing her to look at me. “You have to know that, Stefany. If I didn’t need him, if I wasn’t doing everything for my brother, I would have let it all go. For you.”
I watched her swallow, then say so quietly I almost missed it, “Alex said something similar.”
