CHAPTER 19

I said, "I want you to bite me.

I screamed and pulled even harder on his hair as he responded, forcing his fangs into my skin. My whole body was tuned into his, responding to every look, touch, and sound he made. I felt both love and hate for how he made me feel, which was contradictory. Despite the fact that I had always been in charge, I voluntarily gave it up when he touched me in this manner.

He said, his breath breathless, "Do you like the feel of my teeth?" Do you ever have fantasies about other places I might bury them in you.

I looked up at him as I pressed against his chest. You never seem to know when to hold your tongue, don't you?

My legs were split apart as he forcibly flung me down into the seat and then pushed back into me. Nothing could have stopped us at that moment, even though my automobile was way too tiny for the situation. The heat was nearly unbearable, even with his knees awkwardly bent under him and my arms raised above me to shield my head from the door.

He lowered himself to his knees and shifted into a more comfortable posture. He grabbed one of my legs and slung it over his shoulder, deepening his hardness inside of me.

"Oh, God, yes," I cried.

"Yeah?" He raised my other leg to rest on his other shoulder while deepening his thrusts by leaning against the door frame. "Do you like it like that?" I gasped when the angle changed, and wonderful sensations flooded my whole body.

"No." I got up from the seat and raised my hips off the seat, matching each of his motions while my hands pressed the door. "I desire it more."

He said, "Fuck," and turned his head a little before planting wet lips on my leg. Our groans pierced the stillness of the vehicle as our bodies were covered in perspiration and the windows were fully fogged up. Every chiseled muscle and shape of the exquisite form above me was brought out in stark relief by the garage lights' muted glow. I stood in astonishment as I observed his exhausted physique, unkempt hair stuck to his sweaty forehead, and strained neck muscles.

He shook his head and buried his face in his extended arms while fiercely closing his eyes. He gasped, "Oh, God. "I just... can't stop."

In an effort to get closer to him and totally engulf him, I arched my back. When he was inside of me, I never had a stronger need to own another body. Even still, it seemed impossible for me to come near enough to the portions of him I yearned for. And it was at that moment that the enticing tension that had been rising throughout my body and in my core began to hurt heavily. I pulled his full weight onto me by releasing my legs from his shoulders while pleading, "Please, please, please," repeatedly.

I was about to lose it. So near.

His hips gave forceful but steady thrusts in response to my hips' whirling, mirroring my upward fury. I pleaded, "So fuck close, please."

He bit my lip and snarled, "Anything," before adding. Taking anything.

As I reached my peak, I yelled while biting into his back and tasting his perspiration on my lips.

He swore in a low, husky voice before tensing over me with one more strong push.

He dropped with his face pushed into my neck, quivering and worn out. As we lay there gasping, his beating pulse against my chest, I couldn't help but run my quivering hands through his sweaty hair. During those few moments, my mind was racing with several ideas.

We both experienced a slow calming of our breathing and when he raised his head away, I nearly believed he had slept off.

As he started getting dressed, my sweat-covered body felt chilly. I looked at him for a time, thinking about my own conflicted feelings. He provided more than just physical fulfillment; we had some of the most delightful sexual encounters in a very long time.

But what an asshole he was.

"I'm assuming you won't care about the arrangement. I know it can't happen again," he said, startling me from my reverie. I swung around to face him. He was yanking at his ripped shirt while maintaining a straight face.

He remained silent for a while before turning to face me. Say anything to let me know you heard me, please.

"Mr. Ramirez, please let Susan know I'll be there for supper. and f--- off out of my vehicle.

I was nearly able to ignore the mental turbulence because of the searing feeling in my chest. Almost.

I stepped up the treadmill's incline and gave it my best effort. It was always my method of alleviation to feel my muscles beating and ablaze. That's how I went about living. If I worked hard enough, I could succeed in everything—education, a profession, a family, and relationships.

Oh, dear. Relationships.

I shook my head in disgust and pushed the volume up on my iPod in the hopes that the music would keep me occupied long enough for me to find some calm.

I ought to have realized it wouldn't work. She was always there, no matter how hard I tried to ignore her. When I closed my eyes, all that had happened resurfaced: being above her, felt her embrace me, sweating, desiring, and wanting to stop but unable to. The torment of being within her was incredible.

The hunger I was experiencing at the time was satiated, but like an addict, as soon as it was over, I was overcome with the want for more. It was alarming because I would have done everything she asked of me in those intimate moments. Even when I wasn't with her, I still had the need to fulfill her wishes, and that emotion started to permeate other situations as well.

Ridiculous.

I was startled when one of my earphones was suddenly wrenched out, so I looked in that direction. "What?" I yelled and spat at my brother.

Ben, we'll be scooping you up off the floor if you keep doing this.

"What did she do this time to annoy you?"

I questioned, "Who?"

He gave an eye roll. "Emily."

When I heard her name, a knot started to grow in my gut, and I turned back to the treadmill. What leads you to believe that she is somehow involved in this? I responded, attempting to seem casual.

He retorted, "Because I'm not a fucking idiot,"

"I'm not bothered by anything. Why would it have anything to do with her, even if anything was?

He chuckled and shook his head. She is the first person I've ever seen to make you feel uncomfortable. And you are aware of this, right? He had turned off his own machine and was now totally focused on us. It made me uneasy. My brother had a talent for seeing things, perhaps too well. And this was the one thing I really wanted to keep hidden from him.

I ran on, avoiding eye contact and keeping my attention focused ahead. Please enlighten me.

He grinned smugly, "Because you two are so darn alike.

"What?" I shouted, turning a few heads in the busy gym. I turned to face him after slamming the stop button. "How on earth could you possibly think that? We have nothing in common. I had just run 10 miles and was already sweating, out of breath, and pumped with excitement. But my exercise had nothing to do with my blood pressure increase.

Henry kept his grin on his face as he took a drink from his water bottle. "To whom do you believe you are speaking? I've never seen two folks that are more alike.

To start with... He stopped, cleared his throat, and raised his hand, theatrically counting off the points on his fingers. "You two are equally brilliant, motivated, diligent, and passionately devoted. And, as he said, pointing at me, "She's a firecracker. She really stands up to you for the first time in your whole life and doesn't follow you like a lost dog. You detest how important that is to you.

Had everyone gone insane? She did have some of those traits, and I couldn't argue with her intellect. She put forth a lot of effort and astonished me with how well she kept up with things. She was also obviously determined, but I would characterize her as obstinate or headstrong rather than determined. There was no question about her devotion, though. Since we began playing this cruel game, she might have betrayed me a hundred times.