Rush of Innocence (Rush Series #1) (9 page)

“Mr.
Drayton. Good evening, sir. I didn’t know you were in town.”

“Mark,
there is a situation on the floor I need you to take of. There’s a gentleman
passed out on the dance floor. I need him removed. I do not want him back. Is
that understood?”

The
thin, blond man named Mark murmured, “Of course, sir. I’ll take care of it
right away, sir.”

Mark
gave Trinity a curious glance before slipping out the door. Rush stood for a
moment still facing the desk, inhaling deeply. Moving to the door, he slipped
the bolt into place before turning to walk slowly to the couch. He sat down
heavily next to her. Leaning forward, he rested his forearms on his knees with
his hands folded together. Eventually, he turned his head to rake his eyes over
her face.

“Are
you okay?” he asked finally.

Her
heart pounded from being in such close proximity to the powerful force which
was Rush Drayton.

She
swallowed hard and strove to calm her scattered senses. “I could have handled
it by myself,” she murmured as she lowered her gaze and tried to tug the hem of
her dress further down her thighs.

She
risked a glance at him to find him staring at the expanse of bare skin exposed
by the short dress. He ran a hand through his short hair roughly.

“I
saw how you were handling it.”

Her
stomach muscles hurt from clenching so hard at having to sit next to him.
Wanting to hurt him in some way, she said, “Maybe I didn’t want saving. Ever
think of that?”

Through
clenched teeth, he asked, “What does that mean?”

With
nervous fingers, she smoothed her palms over her thighs again. Studying the
floor intently, she replied, “Just because you didn’t want me…” she trailed
off, hurt permeating her being.

“Not
want you?” he bit off as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “Is that what you
think?”

She
swallowed again and simply shrugged her shoulders. “It’s fine, really.” She
stood, her chest heaving, needing to get away from him. “I should be getting
back,” she murmured.

He
ran his eyes up the length of her minuscule dress to the top of her wavy hair.
He rose smoothly to his feet like a prowling panther
who’d
been dormant. He moved so swiftly towards her, she was barely aware he’d moved.
He pressed her up against the wall and ran his hands over the sides of her breasts,
past her waist, to her hips. Without his usual smoothness, he placed his lips
over hers and kissed her roughly. He ran his hands up the back of her legs
underneath her dress. She gasped, as the fire he’d kindled the night before
came flaming back. She ran her hands over his face and into his short hair,
holding him tight to her.

He
grabbed her bottom within his hands and clutched her tight to his body. Even
through their clothing she could feel his erection pressing against her.

“Not
want you? Does that feel like I don’t want you? I’ve just about lost my damn
mind with wanting you,” he rasped against her lips.

She
whimpered and pressed herself even harder against his body. His words lit her
up and made her needy. She ached in places that as of yet had not been
explored. She ran her hands over his massive shoulders and around to his back,
kneading his muscles as his body strained against hers. In one quick movement,
he had her lying on her back against the soft, brown leather of the couch.

Urgently,
he ran his hands under the slinky material of the green dress, pushing it up
and over her head and then he cupped her breasts within his hands as he ground
his straining erection against her. He removed his lips from hers and licked
the tip of one breast into his mouth as he rolled the other beneath his fingers
.

She
began to whimper, “Please, please,” begging for relief from the building
urgency within her, afraid he’d stop once again.

While
continuing to lap his tongue against the sensitive tip of her breast, he slid
one hand down over her quivering thigh. His fingers sent shafts of delicious
tingles running up her oversensitive nerve endings. She arched at the sensation
and need as never before exploded within her. With one quick snap, he tore her
panties away. He eased his fingers into her and she cried out against all the
riotous sensations erupting in her body. He leaned up from her and quickly tore
his shirt off. He grabbed a condom from his pocket, unfastened his pants, and
kicked them to the floor. He moved back over her, set his firm lips back on
hers, grabbed her hips within his hands, and tilted her hips at just the angle
he wanted. With one quick thrust he was inside.

“Oh,
God,” he groaned.

A
sharp burst of pain had her gasping and her body tensed. He stilled for just an
instant before lifting and plunging back into her slick body. This time there
was no pain, only a pleasant fullness. His plunges seemed to stoke the fire
within her body and as he moved in and out rhythmically, panic began to build.
The sensation was just too much. She wouldn’t be able to endure it.

She
groaned and arched her back to meet his thrusts. As he continued to thrust his
tongue into her mouth and slid his body into hers, she ran her hands along the
hard, sinewy muscles of his shoulders where a fine misting of sweat had
gathered. She wrapped her legs around him and felt the bunch and release of his
muscles against the backs of her calves.

Desire
burned a trail through her bloodstream. She clawed him with her nails as she
became mindless in her need.

She
whimpered against his lips. “I need… Please… I don’t think I can…”

Spurred
on by her words and her touch, he began to plunge deeper, harder, and faster
within her.

“Oh,
baby. You feel so good,” he said as he ran his hands down her body. “Don’t you
feel it? Feel it taking over? Go with it, baby, just go with it,” he encouraged
in between kisses to her face and neck.

She
tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled his head down to hers. As he kissed
her passionately, she began to writhe beneath him and buck her hips to meet
his. Her breathing was shallow and rapid. She felt lightheaded and on fire. Her
entire body was singing and pulled taunt. As the next wave of desire threatened
to pull her under, she cried out and clawed at his body, begging for relief
from the concentrated power he had over her body.

“Come
on, baby. Go with it, don’t fight it,” he murmured from the crook of her neck
as he increased his plunges into her.

“Yes,
yes,
yes
!” she cried as finally she was able to capture
the wave and ride it out into the calming waters of sensual bliss.

Once
she’d been pushed over the edge, Rush began to concentration on catching his
own. With renewed effort, he plunged again and again into the soft, slick folds
of her body until finally he secured his own release, and with a strangled
oath, he collapsed on top of her, struggling to catch his breath. He shifted
them onto their sides as he continued to pant. He wrapped his arms around her
and pulled her tight against his chest. He placed kisses against her head as he
soothed them to the present.

“Wow…
just wow,” he panted. Once he was able to catch his breath, he rose back over
her. “Are you okay,” he asked as he smoothed the hair from her face.

She
nodded as awareness of her surroundings slowly returned.

She
rubbed her hands up and down his back and shoulders slowly. She cringed when
she felt the raised welts from her nails on his skin.

He
chuckled in the crook of her neck. “No worries. War wounds,” he assured her.

He
glanced around the room. “We need to get dressed. Mark will be back any
minute.”

She
blushed at the thought that Mark would know what they’d done in his office. “Do
you do this kind of thing often in Mark’s office?”

“Technically,
it’s my office and my club. But no, I don’t normally have sex on the couch in
an office.” He cupped her cheek in his palm. “You just drive me so damned
crazy!” he muttered, before pressing his lips against hers. “When are you going
back to Savannah?” he asked.

“At the end of the week.”

“Stay
with me tonight,” he murmured against her lips.

She
ran her fingertips across his forehead, brushing the hair out of his eyes as
she contemplated him. His face was so beautiful it took her breath away.
“Okay.”

They
rose and she blushed when she found her destroyed panties. Rush shoved them
into his front pants pocket. “You’ll definitely have to walk in front of me. I
don’t want anyone else seeing that delectable bottom of yours,” he said, as he
wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her quickly before directing her
to a bathroom inside the office.

She
dressed quickly and tried to restore some order to her appearance. She
swallowed at the emotions which surged through her body at the memories of his
touch on her body. Of looking up into his beautiful face as he loomed over her,
plunging again and again into her body. A tap on the door made her jump and she
quickly opened the door.

“Everything
okay?” he asked, concern evident in his eyes as he brushed his knuckle over her
cheekbone.

His
tenderness made her eyes glassy and she blinked rapidly to keep the tears at
bay.

She
cleared her throat. “My purse and coat is at the table.”

“No
problem. You wait here. I’ll catch Mark, grab your things, and let Hunter know
what’s going on. Okay?”

“Okay,”
she murmured, as she leaned into his hand.

***

Rush was pensive as he drove them back
to his condo at Dragon Towers II. The longer they sat, the further he seemed to
distance himself from her. She shivered against the cold. Her mind whirled,
trying to understand the complex man sitting beside her. She slid her glaze
over him as he sat with one hand on the steering wheel, his elbow propped up on
the door, and one hand pressed against the side of his face. He seemed… grim.
His mood was so inconsistent with the man who’d literally thrown her down on
the couch and had hot, impetuous sex with her just minutes before.

With
nervous fingers, she played with the belt of her coat. The longer she sat, the
more emotionally exposed she felt. “Rush, why don’t you just take me back to
Sundra’s
condo?”

He
flicked a glance over at her before looking back at the road. “Why would I do
that?”

Feeling
out of her element and vulnerable, she shrugged her shoulders, and turned her
gaze to stare out her window.

He
reached over and placed a hand over the both of hers. “Hey, I’m sorry. I’ve
just got a lot on my mind. I want you to stay.”

He
pulled his hand away when his phone rang. Clicking the Bluetooth option of his
phone, he answered, “Drayton.”

He
glanced at her quickly as he answered.
“Hi,
Boppa
.
I’m good… No, not exactly… Yes, as planned…
I’m not entirely sure… I don’t know… maybe a couple more weeks… Yes, sir… I’ll
try…” Rush ran a hand over his face wearily. “I know,
Boppa
…
As soon as I can…
Of course…
Love you, too... Soon, I promise… Bye.” He clicked off his phone and stared out
the windshield even more pensive, and sighed heavily. He turned his gaze to
hers and gave her a small smile which did nothing to relieve her anxiety.

He
maintained his distance, even when he assisted her from the car. Placing a hand
against the small of her back, he led her into the elevator. He slipped his
card into the penthouse slot and the doors slid smoothly closed. She fidgeted
as her discomfort grew. Idly, he flexed his fingers against the material of the
coat covering her back and she shivered at his touch. This action seemed to
gain his attention. He moved to stand behind her and wrapped his arms around
her, enveloping her with his warmth. He nuzzled his face in the curve of her
neck and placed light kisses there. She closed her eyes and tilted her head to
provide greater access.

Slowly,
he turned her in his arms and tilted her face up with gentle fingers. She
closed her eyes as he pressed his lips gently against hers. “I’m glad you
came,” he murmured softly.

“Are
you?” she murmured, just as softly.

“Absolutely,”
he said as the elevator doors pinged. He walked her backwards. Once inside the
condo, he captured her face within his hands. He stared intently down into her
eyes. Sadness seemed to cross his features before he once more pressed his lips
against hers.

“Do
you want something to drink?
Something to eat?”
At the
shake of her head, he smiled the first genuine smile since leaving the office.
“Good! Then I say it’s time for bath and bed. What do you say?”

She
wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his chest.
“Sounds good.”

***

It was still dark when she reached a
hand over to find the bed empty. Trinity leaned up on her elbows and looked
around the bedroom, backlit with the bluish glow of the fish tank. She saw Rush
standing, leaning against the windowsill, staring out into the clear, starry
night. He was dressed only in a pair of cotton shorts. Her eyes raked over his
well-chiseled body. How did she ever attract such a man as this?